President Obama on Wednesday unveiled what is being called the most ambitious gun control agenda in decades, initiating 23 separate executive actions aimed at curbing what he called “the epidemic of gun violence in this country,” according to The Washington Post.
According to the White House fact sheet, Obama’s plan includes:
- Reinstating and strengthening the assault weapons ban.
- Restoring a 10-round limit on ammunition magazines.
- Getting rid of armor-piercing bullets.
- Ending a freeze on research into gun violence.
- Providing additional tools to prevent and prosecute gun crime.
- Calling on Congress to pass a $4 billion proposal to help communities keep 15,000 police officers on the streets, as well as new gun trafficking legislation that would “impose serious penalties on those who help get guns into the hands of criminals."
- Making schools safer by giving communities the opportunity to hire up to 1,000 school resource officers and school counselors.
Michigan political reaction came quickly:
Gov. Rick Snyder released the following statement:
"It's a dialogue that's happening in earnest at the federal level. In Michigan, we are looking at the issue of violence from a holistic approach, examining the multiple causes and root of the problem. That's why I have ordered a multi-departmental assessment of the state's services and needs regarding at-risk children, school security, and mental health that will hopefully lead to more answers and better safeguards while ensuring we're protecting the rights of law-abiding firearm owners."
Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) released the following statement:
"I strongly support the efforts President Obama outlined today to curb the gun violence that plagues our nation. I have long supported legislation to restore the ban on assault weapons. I also have supported closing the gun show loophole to strengthen the background checks that keep weapons out of the hands of criminals, terrorists, domestic abusers, and other dangerous individuals. I support our police agencies, who have implored us to make these changes.
“The steps the president outlined today are important in protecting Americans, while respecting the rights of law-abiding gun owners. The president is right. It’s time for us to act, and Congress should do so.”
Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) released the following statement:
“I applaud the President’s focus on strengthening background checks, helping to keep weapons out of the hands of criminals, protecting our children in schools and honoring our great traditions of hunting and sportsmanship. It is also critically important that the President is focusing on mental health as part of a comprehensive plan to curb gun violence. While most individuals with mental illness are not a danger to themselves or anyone else, in the aftermath of the tragedy in Connecticut, and so many tragedies in the recent past, it is important we take appropriate action to keep our children safe, and strengthening our mental health system is a key part of that. In the coming months we must take further action in Congress to make sure individuals living with mental illness and their families can get the care and support they need.”
Armed, law abiding adults prevent the nut jobs from killing the innocent. Just knowing someone might be armed prevents more crimes than anyone takes into consideration.
CNN) -- Adam Lanza brought three weapons inside Sandy Hook Elementary school on December 14 and left a fourth in his car, police said. Those weapons were a BUSHMASTER AR-15 rifle and two handguns -- a Glock 10 mm and a Sig Sauer 9 mm. In the car he left a shotgun, about which police have offered no details. http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/18/us/connecticut-lanza-guns/index.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandy_Hook_Elementary_School_shooting http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/17/us/lanza-used-a-popular-ar-15-style-rifle-in-newtown.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 This fact renders the majority of your argument useless. The remainder or your argument relies on hypothetical situations that are unproven. Do heavily armed gangs in Los Angeles NOT kill each other knowing full well that the other side is just as heavily armed? Do heavily armed militants in the middle east NOT kill each other knowing full well that the other side is just as heavily armed? The answer is quite obviously NO.
A similar trend line would be interesting just using guns-in-the-home. In the 1960s a little over 50% of American homes had guns, but now the number is a little less than one third of homes. What has been the rate of suicide with guns since 1960? If the numbers roughly follow each other, the availability of guns could be argued. If the rate of suicide has increased, then it should be argued that Americans have changed--and guns are only a tool.
You are sure about what you think, because of stuff you read on the internet. That is a recipe for failure.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/guns/newtown.asp
And I would agree with you on one item in particular,,, reading anything on the internet from folks like yourself and attempting to take is serious is definitely a "recipe for disaster".
Ever. Pharmaceuticals impair many people, as well as inhibit progress. First-hand seen doctors put family members on meds that took them out of functionality, and they only got better once we STOPPED the drugs. Another fact: more people GET sick and die in hospitals than any other place. That is one reason they try to get you out of there asap, to prevent contracting other illnesses. Look up C. diff, kills 14,000 ppl/yr, occurs in hospitals/nursing homes thru fecal material. Nice. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clostridium_difficile So your arguments are all proven FALSE, cars kill, drugs kill, and hospitals kill, all more than guns. Next.
Dexter Mom, exactly right. If you disarm legal citizens, the strong arm thugs take over like rats. Check "violent crimes" in countries without arms, not just "gun murders". Home invasions skyrocketed after the arms grab... is that what ppl want? michelle, agree on games/videos/music/etc... our kids are fed and surrounded by pure GARBAGE 24/7. I twist YOLO on my kids as NOT a reason to go crazy, but the fact there are no 'do overs', so make your choices wisely. Tough days.
"there were 27 shots in 30 seconds." is not a fact, but a guesstimate from patrons in a state of shock and panic. Also, some people died from the regular-old shotgun and Glock handgun he also carried, therefore diluting the death toll by the "assault" rifle. "if that reloading would have saved one life...then why not outlaw large capacity magazines" Please show me ANY other laws enacted to save one life? Then we should ban eggs, since 1,100 people die annually from salmonella. Same logic.
42 kids (2x as many as SH) were killed by skateboards in 2011... should we ban them? Hundreds of kids killed on bikes every year... should we ban them? If you want to save kids, there are many other 'objects' that harm them, albeit not so dramatically.
http://radioviceonline.com/department-of-homeland-security-sport-rifle-ar-15-suitable-for-personal-defense/