I'm not telling you anything new when I say that it appears that the previous administration targeted specific industries and voices over the course of those fun filled eight years. Thankfully, each of these tactics are being shut down one by one.
In what was known as Operation Choke Point, the federal government took it upon themselves to stymie not only the firearms and ammo industries (along with others), but also your ability to express your 2A rights. Basically, this federally sanctioned initiative turned the banking industry against legitimate and legal businesses for the sole purpose of restricting their access to loaned operational capital and other banking services. Any business arbitrarily considered 'high risk' for fraud and money laundering was targeted.
Meanwhile, the previous administration categorically denied it was targeting conservatives (see IRS Admits Targeting Conservatives and Another Victory Over the Abuse of IRS Targeting Conservatives and IRS Reveals List of Tea Party Groups Targeted For Extra Scrutiny) in the run up to the 2012 election or that it was trying to shut down the firearm and ammo industries. Oddly, the bulk of the businesses that were actually targeted in Operation Choke Point resided almost exclusively in industries allowing private citizens the ability to arm and protect themselves... a legally protected Right.
Which is not to say that some businesses in other industries, or that entire industries as a whole weren't impacted as well, but this unchecked targeting went on for years. As a result, many business were shuttered. While I'm against fraud and money laundering, the crux of the program skirted dangerously close, and sometimes crossed over, into the denial of due process under the law.
I'm not saying Trump is perfect and neither is anyone else, but it was good to see that these illegal miscarriages are being identified, opposition given voice, and that they are ultimately being shut down. Any American citizen should be allowed to live their lives in peace and in the manner they see fit as protect under the Constitution of the United States.
Here's the article from the Daily Signal that prompted this post.