It's commonly accepted that some products manage to continue selling well during tough economic times. Lipstick is often pointed to as one such category of products. Now, a Washington Post report identifies another product, pricier than the typical lipstick, which also appears to get a boost when things are not going so well on Wall Street and Main Street - firearms.
James Purtilo, publisher of the gun advocacy Tripwire Newsletter and the MyGuns.net website, said, "Generally, we know that hard economic times always result in firearm sales."
For the year, firearm sales are up eight to 10 percent.
Other factors that create uncertainty around gun ownership have also influenced sales in the past. According to the Post, sales of semiautomatic military-type rifles increased in 1994 at the same time that President Clinton was seeking to ban the weapons.
The National Rifle Association (NRA) and other advocates of gun ownership have promoted the notion that a Barack Obama presidency would endanger the right of Americans to own guns. The NRA claims that if elected, Mr. Obama "would be the most anti-gun President in American history."
"Even though [Obama] has a lot going for him, he's not very pro-gun," Paul Pluff, a spokesman for Smith & Wesson, told the Post. Those who want guns, he said, are "going to go out and get [firearms] while they still can."
Mr. Obama, for his part, told an audience in Lebanon, Virginia on Sept. 9, "I just want to be absolutely clear. I don't want any misunderstanding. When you all go home and you're talking to your buddies and they say, 'He wants to take my gun away.' You've heard it hear. I'm on television so everyone knows it. I believe in the Second Amendment. I believe in people's lawful rights to bear arms. I will not take your shotgun away. I will not take your rifle away. I won't take your handgun away."
John McCain's credentials as an advocate of the Second Amendment have also been questioned in the past based on his votes in the Senate in support of some gun control measures. Mr. McCain's selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate has appeared to allay the fears of enthusiasts and the firearms lobby.
Discussion Questions: Are there products aside from lipstick and firearms that seem to thrive during tough times? What is it that drives some categories to do well during tough economic times while others do not?