Obama: Don't let pro-gun lobby block "common sense" gun laws
President Obama speaks about gun violence at the Minneapolis Police Department's special operations center on February 4, 2013 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. / BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images
Obama: Important in gun debate to engage with "folks who don't agree"
In his latest push for a series of new gun laws, President Obama today renewed his ongoing calls for public engagement on the issue of gun violence, and urged voters in Minneapolis not to let "filters" like the pro-gun lobby "get in the way of common sense" action.
Mr. Obama, speaking at the Minneapolis Police special operations center after a meeting with local law enforcement and community leaders, loosely outlined the series of steps he says can help reduce gun violence in America, and suggested that lobbyists - not public opinion - are threatening to prevent action on the subject.
"We don't have to agree on everything to agree it's time to do something," said Mr. Obama, who was surrounded by lawmakers and local law enforcement agents. "That's my main message here today. And each of us has a role to play."
Law enforcement officials and community leaders offer a valuable and unique perspective on the subject of gun violence, he argued, and "must have a seat at the table" if real action is to be taken in the name of preventing future violence.
"They're the ones on the front lines of this fight. They see the awful consequences - the lives lost, the families shattered. They know what works, they know what doesn't work, and they know how to get things done without regard for politics," he said. Also, he argued, "they all believe it's time to take some basic common sense steps to reduce gun violence."
Mr. Obama made an emphatic call for universal background checks, which he said have broad support among Americans - and among gun owners. He also argued that bans on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazine ammunition deserve congressional votes.
Assault weapons ban "deserves a vote in Congress," Obama says
"Our law enforcement officers should never be outgunned on the streets," he said. "Weapons of war have no place on our streets."
Despite his insistence that most Americans support what he called the common-sense measures the White House has put forward, the president acknowledged the difficulties in confronting pro-gun forces, who have successfully fought off tougher gun laws for years.
"The only way we can reduce gun violence in this country is if the American people decide it's important," he said. "If we've got lobbyists in Washington claiming to speak for gun owners, saying something different [than they believe], we need to go to the source and reach out to people directly... We can't allow those filters to get in the way of common sense."
And even while he pointed to some supposedly encouraging signs of bipartisan agreement on the issue, Mr. Obama also conceded, "you can't count on anything in Washington until it's done, and nothing's done yet. That's why I need everybody who's listening to keep the pressure on their member of Congress to do the right thing."
The president's visit today marked the latest example of his ongoing efforts to fight legislative battles with campaign-style tactics, traveling across the country and engaging with local leaders, legislators, and victims, as well as delivering campaign-style remarks to audiences across the country, as a means to to get public opinion on his side.
Among the participants at his roundtable discussion include Attorney General Eric Holder; Gov. Mark Dayton, D-Minn.; Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Ryback; Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.; and Al Franken, D-Minn.;and Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn.
Despite a growing public appetite for more stringent gun laws in America -- particularly in the aftermath of the massacre in Newtown, Conn., that left a total of 20 children and eight adults dead -- it's unclear which of the president's proposals can make it through the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. The pro-gun lobby has already begun using its considerable resources to target the White House proposals.
- Strong support for more gun background checks, poll shows
- At gun violence hearing, Giffords calls for action; NRA stands firm
Last week, at a Senate Judiciary committee hearing on the subject of gun violence, NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre made the case this morning that efforts to curb gun violence should be focused on strengthening school security and mental health resources. He also stated his opposition to closing gun show loopholes, arguing that criminals won't submit to background checks anyway. In his initial response to the Newtown shootings, LaPierre argued that the solution to mass school shootings is not stronger gun laws, but rather putting an armed guard in every American school.
Meantime, on Tuesday, a bipartisan group of House members will introduce a to make firearms trafficking a federal crime and impose stronger penalties for "straw purchasers" who buy guns for convicted felons and others who are prohibited from buying guns on their own. The group includes two Republicans, Reps. Patrick Meehan, R-Pa., and Scott Rigell, R-Va., and two Democrats, Reps. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., and Elijah Cummings, D-Md.
Today, Mr. Obama argued that enacting a measure trying to prevent criminals from getting guns isn't a liberal or conservative idea - but rather, he argued, a "smart idea."
"We want to keep those guns out of the hands of folks who shouldn't have them."
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Oh and dead people are polite too they don't talk back. Or cut you off. Or call you names. Or disagree with you.
More guns. Less regulation. Bigger weapons with larger magazines. Wheeeee!
You seem to be dead from the neck up, yet you talk. Go figure....
Our four fathers uderstood what freedom ment and what it cost
and in hopes that america woud never face such an opression they gave her people the rights to bear arms. I agree that problems in the american comunity involving guns are are a serius issue, but it is not the gun itself, it is the man that pulls the triger. And the reson the man pulls the triger is because of what goes on in his mind.
Guns are not where we have made the mistake.
Our incopassity to identify the problem with people who have mentle illnes is where we have droped the ball. Gun laws are all ready strict but people with mentle illneses are not being taken care of.
and untill those kinds of people have the help they need we canot live
in the america our parents, grand paerints, and great grand parents dreamed of.
if u dissagree plz leave a comment
and if u agree plz leave a comment
And "please".
http://vimeo.com/52009124
1. determine which areas have the most gun related crimes and declare them "gun free zones" - yes a 100% ban on all guns in those areas.
2. make it much tougher to buy a gun: let potential gun buyers provide criminal and mental health background forms and provide the reason they need a certain gun such as hunting rabbits for food.
3. to finish off the problem, ban all "Saturday Night Specials" and assault rifles.
# 1. We already the information on where the most gun violense occurs. Google it. Gun free zones leave citizens helpless to criminals that do not obey the law.
# 2. Have you bought a gun in the last 30 years ? We already do background checks. It's called the Brady Bill.
# 3. Although, I believe everyone is entitled to their opinions, your 3rd suggestion is completely ridiculous and unconstitutional and that's why no ban will actually become law.
We have a common sense gun law, it's called the 2nd amendment to the constitution. Its purpose? To give the general public the right to bear arms against a tyrannical government. What could be more sensible? The founders of our republic wanted its citizens to be able to defend themselves against domestic terrorists who would attempt to take away their rights as provided by the constitution and, thereby, remain a free people. What does not make sense is the government's failure to supply the personal identities of the mentally disabled to arms merchants and other sellers of weaponry so that arms do not get into the wrong hands. Therefore, prospective legislation should focus on modification of the 1st amendment to the constitution and not the 2nd amendment and then, only by constitutional amendment
To which FRANKIE2FING made the comment:
Mainly, you are interpreting the amendment wrong. It refers to the ABILITY of the STATES to field a Militia, since the FEDS are not supposed to have a standing army in times of peace. The right of 'the people' (as in WE THE PEOPLE, not just me the person, dumbash) to keep and bear arms is a FINANCIAL consideration; the new States did not have to stockpile weapons (unlike we do today, as the national guard has weapons at the ready).
But of course, you would consider this incorrect as you are teabagging idiots and only care about your phallus symbols (since you are OBVIOUSLY compensating...
Apart from his garbage mouth, the following is what the Supreme Court had to say:
"In a historic 5-4 ruling, the high court says the 2nd Amendment protects individuals' right to bear arms.
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled for the first time that the 2nd Amendment explicitly protects Americans' right to own guns for self-defense -- resolving one of the Constitution's oldest disputes and reviving the debate over gun rights, crime and violence.
So, chew on that and cleanse your mouth!
We have to recognize the ROOT cause for all this violence which is a result of the awful inequity in American caused by 35 years of Reaganomics.
If we don't wise up we will soon be shooting people who cut in line at the grocery store. And claim self-defense.
What an enigma.
Common sense is not common at all, especially in D.C.
What is needed is to stop those who are bent upon crime, but,
criminals have never and will never obey man's enacted laws.
Therefore any new law enacted will have no effect on criminal behavior.
Take away guns from criminals, they will use knives.
Take away knives from criminals, they will use clubs.
Take away clubs from criminals, they will use their fists.
Take away their fists from criminals...
All over the country criminals are becoming bolder. Meanwhile, police budgets are being slashed from coast to coast. Things have gotten so bad in some communities that police are openly admitting that crime is completely and totally out of control.
A lot of frustrated home owners have had enough and have started to arm themselves to the teeth.
For example, police in Detroit recently handed out flyers with this message: "Enter Detroit at your own risk".