In what was surely the most sickening display of presidential demagoguery in the history of the United States, President Obama wept – wept – crocodile tears in a calculated effort to gain the support of the ignorant, the clueless, and the stupid while announcing multiple violations of the Bill of Rights yesterday.

Obama's speech alternated between effeminate weeping, pleading, and sanctimonious, holier-than-thou indignation as he presented a litany of falsehoods, straw man arguments, and outright lies as justification for his plan to strip the American public of constitutionally enumerated rights:

1. The "Gun Show Loophole" Lie: There is no "gun show loophole."  Contrary to leftist mythology, criminals and terrorists don't skirt existing laws and purchase crateloads of guns at gun shows.  Probably 95% or more of the vendors at gun shows are licensed dealers, who have to abide by the same federal regulations as they do in brick-and-mortar stores.  Individual sellers who make an occasional sale are exempt from dealer regulations.  Has Obama ever been to an actual gun show?  The problem is not that there are too many individual sellers, but too few – dealers often charge inflated prices, while the individual offering a great deal because he needs a few bucks quick is a rarity.

Obama's real plan is to ultimately ban all private sales (including between family members) so that a paper trail exists on as many firearms as possible to facilitate government confiscation.

2. The "Internet Gun Sales" Lie: Criminals do not buy guns on the internet.  It is literally impossible to buy guns direct on the internet and have them shipped to your house.  Even James Comey, director of the FBI, was ignorant of this fact when testifying before Congress recently.  Like gun shows, 95% or more of the guns advertised on the internet are advertised by licensed dealers who must comply with federal law.  Any transaction between private individuals that crosses state lines must be performed by a licensed dealer in the buyer's state.  Under existing law, the internet can be used only to advertise guns, not supply them directly to a non-dealer.
3. The "Background Check" Lie: The Constitution does not actually use the phrase "innocent until proven guilty"; that concept is articulated by the Fifth Amendment, which says that the government shall not deprive citizens of "life, liberty, or property" without "due process of law" – meaning that the burden of proof always rests with the government before one's rights can be suspended.  Background checks on gun buyers, which have been in effect for 20 years, are a violation of the Due Process Clause because they require the individual to get clearance from the government before he exercises his Second Amendment rights.  Can you imagine government requiring a background check before you vote?  Before you publish a newspaper article?  Before you preach a sermon?  Before you hire a lawyer?  Of course not.  The leftist emphasis on background checks is merely a foot-in-the-door enabling the government to steadily expand the criterion by which it may preemptively suspend your rights.  This is precisely the danger posed by Obama's plan to conscript physicians into agents of the government for the purpose of entering your medical diagnoses into the background check system.

(Interestingly, while the Obama administration violates the Fifth Amendment rights of Americans, it is sending crateloads of arms to Syrian rebels without performing background checks.  Some of those arms have ended up in the hands of ISIS.  It might also be a good idea to enhance the background checks on armed Secret Service agents – who have recently been caught patronizing Colombian prostitutes and driving while intoxicated.)

4. The "Smart Gun" Lie: Obama's proposal included a push for so-called "smart gun" technology, in which a gun may not be fired unless a specific user is electronically authorized to do so.  In a sickening display of lowbrow pandering, Obama equated this concept with childproof aspirin bottles and cell phone apps that prevent unauthorized use.  Of course, such technology would enable the government to prevent the supposedly "authorized" owner from using the weapon as well.

In addition to the lies and falsehoods enumerated above, Obama attacked the National Rifle Association for exercising its First Amendment rights to freely assemble and petition the government.  He also attacked the Republican Party (and Congress as an institution), claiming that he, and not they, represents the will of the people, and that he is empowered to act without legislative authority.  He even cited Communist China's gun laws as a model to emulate.

Obama's performance – delivered before a fawning audience of supporters – was straight out of the Dictator's Handbook.  Every single dictator in world history, from Caesar to Hitler to Stalin to Mao, has employed these same demagogic techniques.  The American people have good reason to be frightened out of their wits over the future of the Republic, and the future of their individual liberties.