Obama takes his gun control push on the road

Continuing his drive to rein in gun violence across the country, President Obama today will visit Minneapolis, a city the White House lauds for having taken "important steps" toward reducing gun crimes.

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The president will deliver remarks to local leaders and law enforcement officials about his "comprehensive set of commonsense ideas to reduce gun violence," according to the White House, before meeting with members of the community to discuss their experiences with gun violence, as well as further action that can be taken at the federal level.

Since Mr. Obama undraped a multi-part package of proposals two weeks ago to help tackle the nation's escalating gun violence problem, lawmakers have been scrambling to answer what has largely been a national cry for help following December's massacre at a Newtown, Conn., elementary school. Earlier this week, the Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony from those lobbying both for and against tighter gun laws, featuring star witnesses Mark Kelly - husband of

former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who survived a shot to the head two years ago during an assassination attempt that left six people dead - and National Rifle Association CEO Wayne LaPierre.

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Despite some early resistance from the right, the president this week said in an interview with Univision he has "no doubt" he can usher gun control legislation through the hoops of Congress by year's end. Appearing on ABC's "This Week" Sunday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., agreed he wants to "get something done on guns," including a universal background check, but turned lukewarm on other pillars of Mr. Obama's plan, such as a limit on high-capacity magazine clips and a reinstatement of the assault weapons ban.

Pointing out that he didn't vote for the assault weapons ban that was in effect from 1994 to 2004 because "it didn't make sense," Reid said he didn't know whether he would support its heir, introduced in the Senate recently by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., who also sponsored the last ban. "Let's see what [the bill] is," he said.

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"Let me give you a little background," Reid offered. "I had guns from the time I was a little boy. I don't hunt anymore, but I did. I've got lots of guns - I keep them for sentimental reasons," he continued. "But I'm a police officer, right over here is my badge. I was a police officer. I carried a gun. That's what I did to put myself through law school. My dad killed himself, shot himself with a gun, committed suicide.

"So I know a lot about guns," he concluded. "And there are things that I think we need to do."

LaPierre, meanwhile, with whom Reid said he has a "good relationship," in an appearance on "Fox News Sunday" came out strongest against the one piece of reform Reid is actively pushing: a universal background check.

"I think what they'll do is they'll turn this universal check on the law-abiding into a universal registry on law-abiding people," LaPierre said. "'Obamacare' wasn't a tax until they needed it to be a tax. I don't think you can trust these people."

LaPierre said he's "been in this fight for 20 years," with the NRA having initially proposed a comprehensive background check. But unable to surmount federal laws restricting access to someone's mental health records that could signify whether that person poses a threat, he said, he changed his mind on the issue. Additionally, he argued, "the criminals are never going to comply with it; they could care less. ...It's a fraud to call it universal."

Kelly, also appearing on the program, advised LaPierre to "listen to his membership." Seventy-four percent of NRA members consider a universal background check "very reasonable," said Kelly, who also made the case for an assault weapons ban and limit to high-capacity magazines.

[JWsOpEd]

Of coarse you can trust the government, just ask the Indians.

How about if we just outlaw guns for democrats? I mean we wouldn't even need a database or a national registry or anything - just one question - Are you a republican? You could ask it at gun shows, private sellers could ask it. No true democrat could ever say 'yes' to that question - no matter how deranged they might be. Problem solved.

Everyone knows that the vast number of homocides are committed by democrats. What is the number - like 10 to 1 or something?

I know is sounds ridiculous - but it'd probably be far more effective than anything the government is proposing. The world would be a much safer place if democrats didn't have guns and that's for sure. They really just can't handle the pure power of it - it goes right to their head. They get a gun and they think you can hide behind it.

I called 911 once for the police - 45 minutes later the cops showed up. What am I suppose to do out here where there's one policeman per 200 square miles or so?

I called 911 another time for medical help - and the first responder was standing in my bedroom in 3 minutes.

Maybe we should do away with cops too and have a volunteer police force - like the medical community.

[thechooch1]

JWsOpEd as long as republicans keep wanting to cut police and firemen along with teachers, we will continue to have problems as more guns on the street means more shootings.

[outback_jackson]

"Only a follower of Obama would think a Military Style Semi Auto and a 30 round mag is for hunting".



Your sickness has only gotten worse, infant!


The AR-15 is evolving, and so is hunters' view of it.

"I remember too well the first time I used an AR-15 on a hunting trip. I was in Texas on a coyote hunt, and I spent a week of hell enduring smart-mouth remarks about my "Rambo" gun that stopped being funny by lunchtime of the first day. But that was a long time ago, and a lot has changed. I am betting my as-yet-unborn grandsons will grow up hunting with AR-15s because of what is happening today. Right now is the genesis of that future result".

But what really kicked this trend into overdrive was when Remington announced its R-15 rifle in 2008. Now, with the power, gravitas and visibility of America's largest gun company behind it, the AR-15 has arrived as a hunting rifle.

http://www.americanhunter.org/ArticlePage.aspx?id=1956&cid=58

[1pheasant1]

Type_Z says:
Gun safety is important. We don't need a law for this.
___________________________________________________

Are you quoting Duck Cheney?

[Type_Z]

We don't need a law for common sense. Perhaps it is not common to all however. I'd be happy to cut down the murder and suicide rate by introducing a common sense approach.

[outback_jackson]

KNSN_FOR_CMN_SENSE replies: ".223 is legal for Deer Hunting here".




Not here (.24 cal. or larger), nor are any rifles that can hold more than 6 rounds including the chamber.

To me, bad hunters need a "military-style assault rifle" to hunt!

[knsn_for_cmn_sense]

Legal. But not advisable.

[knsn_for_cmn_sense]

Oops. I stand corrected. The limit is a .23 in the lower end here.

Bettin they did that specifically to exclude AR's and Mini 14's from the hunt.

Although I wouldnt classify them as assault rifles. They are semi automatic only.

[knsn_for_cmn_sense]

I thought I was kicked. All my comments from the Kyle Clark story got kicked.

Too much chatter on the Superbowl I think.

[outback_jackson]

TYPE_Z says:
"Mental health problems are what lead many to suicide. Are these people not as important? Mass muderers, give signs and symptoms".

"Unless mental health awareness and public education proceeds and becomes limelight, the mass murders will continue, despite gun law".




So wouldn't it be an intelligent move to make universal background checks WITH mental health screening and pharmaceutical usage the top priority -- something that the vast majority of Americans can support -- instead of screwing around with the hot-button issue of "assault weapons"?

Also, while it might be an infringement upon those all-so-precious "freedoms" and "liberties," maybe disclosure of any psychiatric problems including PTSD and depressions that include pharmaceuticals involved, requiring doctors and pharmacists to put this in a national database?

[Type_Z]

Not pharmacists, that would be very irrerespnsible. Just because some is on a certain medication does not mean they are a threat to themselves or others. Some antidepressants are used for chronic nerve pain for example, nothing to do with depression. There has to be procedure through Dr.s to protect innocent.

A diagnosis of schizophrenia does not make you a murderer. However it is a very difficult disease. I think most Dr.s would agree no one with that diagnosis should have a gun.

[knsn_for_cmn_sense]

Test.

[outback_jackson]

CALIFORNIADREAMING says: "I guess Obama forgot we have an economy problem to worry about. GDP contracted by 1% in Q4 2012"!



Seriously, as I've stated many times before, it's the mathematics- and economics-challenged neocons that can only spew RWNJ propaganda, since the 4th Quarter did contract SLIGHTLY, but it was only 0.1% NOT 1.0%.

What caused it?.........SPENDING CUTS -- you know, the GOP proposal!


U.S. Growth Halted as Federal Spending Fell in 4th Quarter
January 30, 2013

The federal government helped bring the economic recovery to a virtual halt late last year as cuts in military spending and other factors overwhelmed the Federal Reserve's expanded campaign to stimulate growth.

The economy contracted at an annual rate of 0.1 percent in the last three months of 2012, the worst quarter since the economy crawled out of the last recession.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/31/business/economy/us-economy-unexpectedly-contracted-in-fourth-quarter.html?_r=0

[1pheasant1]

Yeah, he forgot the decimal. Hahaha! Spin away, Hillz.

[outback_jackson]

Math is an exact science, and only a real nitwit would 'try' to pass off 0.1% for a full percentage point -- so stick it!

Nevertheless, it was all about FEDERAL SPENDING CUTS like military spending dropping 22.5 percent in the fourth quarter in order to prepare for the SEQUESTER mandated by Congress in 2011 -- you know, the same exact austerity measures of huge spending cuts your GOP brothers keep suggesting! LOL!

[outback_jackson]

"Closing the federal loophole that allows Americans to buy guns in private transactions without having gone through a background check would be a slippery slope, National Rifle Association CEO Wayne LaPierre said today".



What? Even though 92% of Americans support a universal background check?

And........so did NRA gun nut wayne lapierre when testifying in 1999 in Congress in favor of background checks on all gun purchases.

What a FLIP-FLOPPING bozo that wayne lapierre is!!


video here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/02/04/super-bowl-ad-features-wayne-lapierre-calling-background-checks-reasonable/

[rednomo]

This debate isn't about the Second Amendment. Since the Supreme Court's 2008 ruling in D.C. v. Heller, banning the ownership of guns "in common use" has been legally impossible. That's why none of the proposed regulations ban handguns or most shotguns and hunting rifles. Justice Scalia's ruling specifically allows restrictions on "dangerous and unusual" weapons and stipulates that "nothing in our opinion should be taken to cast doubt on longstanding prohibitions on the possession of firearms by felons and the mentally ill, or laws forbidding the carrying of firearms in sensitive places such as schools and government buildings, or laws imposing conditions and qualifications on the commercial sale of arms."

So yes, you do get to keep your guns and yes, the Surpreme Court's "Fat Tony" Scalia (one of yours) clearly allows restrictions on "dangerous and unusual" weapons and stipulates that "nothing in our opinion should be taken to cast doubt on longstanding prohibitions on the possession of firearms by felons and the mentally ill, or laws forbidding the carrying of firearms in sensitive places such as schools and government buildings, or laws imposing conditions and qualifications on the commercial sale of arms."

So what's all the, "there gonna take way my guuuns" nonsense? Oh right, you are listing to the NRA...

[dcooper0011]

Just get on the train. It's for your own good. No big deal your just going to a re-edjucation camp to concentrate on how to be a good citizen. Sew this patch on your sleeve so you can be identified easier. You will be going with the department of THE FATHERLAND SECURITY. Please tell us do you have any more guns and where can we find all your family members that have not been located yet and do they have any guns?