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News & ArtsWednesday, December 19, 2012
Politics Watch President Obama's Comments Today About Gun Control
Posted by Christopher Frizzelle on Wed, Dec 19, 2012 at 11:00 AM
20
@19
You mean like when Biden said things that "forced" the president to come out for marriage equality?
I'm pretty sure they give roles to Biden in which he can say things that the president wants to but can't.
You mean like when Biden said things that "forced" the president to come out for marriage equality?
I'm pretty sure they give roles to Biden in which he can say things that the president wants to but can't.
19
Jebus you morons, can't you see he's not serious about gun control. I mean, look at who he put in charge of it - Crazy Uncle Joe. Biden will make some inappropriate comments and the effort will die an embarrassing death in about 6 months...
18
The government doesn't need to take away anyone's guns.
Instead, they can make future sales of assault weapons, large capacity magazines, etc., illegal, and then institute a buy-back program. No questions asked, even for those turning in now-illegal fully automatic weapons.
There are around 4 million assault rifles out there. Offer a couple grand per gun, and $6 billion would reduce that number to a million. Seems like money well spent, and a drop in the bucket compared to the overall budget.
Some people wouldn't sell, sure, but $2,000 will make a lot of gun owners realize that an AK-47 is a luxury when their dozen-or-so legal guns can keep them from cowering shitless at the imagined scenarios that made them arm themselves in the first place.
Instead, they can make future sales of assault weapons, large capacity magazines, etc., illegal, and then institute a buy-back program. No questions asked, even for those turning in now-illegal fully automatic weapons.
There are around 4 million assault rifles out there. Offer a couple grand per gun, and $6 billion would reduce that number to a million. Seems like money well spent, and a drop in the bucket compared to the overall budget.
Some people wouldn't sell, sure, but $2,000 will make a lot of gun owners realize that an AK-47 is a luxury when their dozen-or-so legal guns can keep them from cowering shitless at the imagined scenarios that made them arm themselves in the first place.
17
The first thing to look at in the culture of violence might be Obama's drones murdering children in Pakistan and Yemen.
16
@14
If you actually believed that you'd not be wasting your time moaning about it so much. You's sit back and let money run the world.
If money were such a deciding factor, Mitt Romney would be our next President. It's just easy for lazy people to bleat "follow the money", like it makes them sound clever.
If you actually believed that you'd not be wasting your time moaning about it so much. You's sit back and let money run the world.
If money were such a deciding factor, Mitt Romney would be our next President. It's just easy for lazy people to bleat "follow the money", like it makes them sound clever.
14
12:
Not talking about campaign contributions for potential members of the House of Senate. I'm talking about "contributions" to sitting, voting members of the Congress.
And yes, money almost always wins. Few people in Congress have the intestinal fortitude to stand up to money. That's why Profiles in Courage was titled that way.
Not talking about campaign contributions for potential members of the House of Senate. I'm talking about "contributions" to sitting, voting members of the Congress.
And yes, money almost always wins. Few people in Congress have the intestinal fortitude to stand up to money. That's why Profiles in Courage was titled that way.
13
@12, agree with you. Jesus Christ, what is going to change if we don't get involved? I'm calling representatives, and signing petitions. I am scared for my kids safety after the Cafe Racer shootings and Sandy Hook. It could happen anywhere, any day in this country. If wingnuts want to secede and form a little state in Texas, armed to the teeth like Jo'burg, let them fucking do that.
12
@11
Um, no. We do not know that money almost always wins. See "National Rifle Association shut out on E…"
If you followed the money on the races the NRA was involved in, you would have picked the wrong horse 99% of the time.
Um, no. We do not know that money almost always wins. See "National Rifle Association shut out on E…"
If you followed the money on the races the NRA was involved in, you would have picked the wrong horse 99% of the time.
11
Thank you, Mr. President. Count me in.
I don't hold much hope for change in this regard because there is so much green stuff behind the gun lobby given to many members of Congress (that's how a congressman goes to DC with $75,000 in savings and comes home with $10M). And we all know that money almost always wins. But the President is correct. That shouldn't stop us from trying.
I don't hold much hope for change in this regard because there is so much green stuff behind the gun lobby given to many members of Congress (that's how a congressman goes to DC with $75,000 in savings and comes home with $10M). And we all know that money almost always wins. But the President is correct. That shouldn't stop us from trying.
9
It isn't just the myths about the causes of gun violence, or the myths about the Second Amendment's meaning that need to be debunked. It's the myth of the gun lobby's power.
The NRA spent millions in 2012 -- $9 million in anti-Obama ads -- and they had a 99% failure rate in elections big and small across the country. The candidates the NRA poured money into lost in almost every case.
The NRA knows what a paper tiger they are. You can see that in the way they operate. You'd think with a budget of $300 million a year, and armies of think tank flacks to research and argue for them, they'd be thrilled to join a discussion of gun violence and the Second Amendment. You'd think they'd be ready to win over every American with the truth.
Yet what do they do? Insist the debate on guns is over, and insist there is only one way to read the Second Amendment. They are desperate to fool everyone that the debate is over. Why?
Not only that, they got their wingnuts in congress to pass laws saying the CDC can't study gun violence, and saying the ATF can't publish data on guns. At the high water mark of their political influence, they worked to hide the truth from the public. Just like the wingnuts tried to squelch a non-partisan report on tax policy.
They fear the debate on guns. The fear a discussion on the Second Amendment. Their policy experts have studied this for thirty five years. (The NRA only just thought up their extreme interpretation of the Second Amendment in 1976; it's quite non-traditional.) They've seen the data and the facts and they know in the open marketplace of ideas, they'd lose. So instead they bluff.
The NRA spent millions in 2012 -- $9 million in anti-Obama ads -- and they had a 99% failure rate in elections big and small across the country. The candidates the NRA poured money into lost in almost every case.
The NRA knows what a paper tiger they are. You can see that in the way they operate. You'd think with a budget of $300 million a year, and armies of think tank flacks to research and argue for them, they'd be thrilled to join a discussion of gun violence and the Second Amendment. You'd think they'd be ready to win over every American with the truth.
Yet what do they do? Insist the debate on guns is over, and insist there is only one way to read the Second Amendment. They are desperate to fool everyone that the debate is over. Why?
Not only that, they got their wingnuts in congress to pass laws saying the CDC can't study gun violence, and saying the ATF can't publish data on guns. At the high water mark of their political influence, they worked to hide the truth from the public. Just like the wingnuts tried to squelch a non-partisan report on tax policy.
They fear the debate on guns. The fear a discussion on the Second Amendment. Their policy experts have studied this for thirty five years. (The NRA only just thought up their extreme interpretation of the Second Amendment in 1976; it's quite non-traditional.) They've seen the data and the facts and they know in the open marketplace of ideas, they'd lose. So instead they bluff.
7
@3
"Good luck getting anything even close to a gun control bill through the House these days."
It's all about the voters.
All Obama has to do is be able to answer the question of how taking away Bobby-Joe's gun is supposed to make kids safer.
And he'll have to do that without invoking the specter of "Obama's coming fer mah guns!"
http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archive…
Cue the conspiracy nuts and everyone who predicted that Obama would use his 2nd term to push through his Socialist / UN / gun-control agenda.
"Good luck getting anything even close to a gun control bill through the House these days."
It's all about the voters.
All Obama has to do is be able to answer the question of how taking away Bobby-Joe's gun is supposed to make kids safer.
And he'll have to do that without invoking the specter of "Obama's coming fer mah guns!"
http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archive…
Cue the conspiracy nuts and everyone who predicted that Obama would use his 2nd term to push through his Socialist / UN / gun-control agenda.
6
@3 the post newtown polls showed support for AW ban jumping twenty points up to 59%. So your statement "Most Americans are against more gun control measures," is incorrect. Also polls show 70+% of the NRA members favor closing the gun show loophole. Clearly, what's possible now is a ban on the assault weapons, closing the loophole, also banning high capacity clips. The constant refrain that nothign is possible is a problem, particularly when it fails to account for actual recent polls, or the fact that of course, nothing is possible in politics, until it is. I think we're getting to many tipping points now with the internet and other things we see gay marriage tipping, pot tipping, perhaps gun control will too, once it's clear it means leaving you and your five handguns and your 13 rifles alone -- just don't have the bushmaster.
it will also require better talking points by liberals and a big dose of the piers morgan "you're an idiot" type of debate. The positions of so many gun lovers are so ridiculous you don't get anywhere without shaming them relentlessly for their moronic, imbecilic positions. The keep suggesting the safest places on earth are the parts of america where there are the most guns, like they are unaware of the gun death rates in texas, louisiana or florida compated to say, scotland, or bavaria, or new south wales.
it will also require better talking points by liberals and a big dose of the piers morgan "you're an idiot" type of debate. The positions of so many gun lovers are so ridiculous you don't get anywhere without shaming them relentlessly for their moronic, imbecilic positions. The keep suggesting the safest places on earth are the parts of america where there are the most guns, like they are unaware of the gun death rates in texas, louisiana or florida compated to say, scotland, or bavaria, or new south wales.
5
I am so grateful that this conversation is on the table. I support change!
I’d like to also suggest that rather than waiting until the children exhibit symptoms of trauma, all of the children (and adults for that matter) should seek individual and/or group counseling. By the time symptoms are recognized and appointments have been scheduled, people (children especially) have already experienced an unnecessary amount of continued trauma and self torment as they process/cope in their own way. Individual coping skills will vary depending upon the individual and a collection of their past experiences, therefore it is not safe to assume that any individual (both child and adult) is equipped with the skills and support necessary to heal. Too many people are slipping through the cracks as a result.
I believe that every person exposed to severe trauma should receive therapy to ensure that healthy coping skills are being developed and to ensure that no one goes unnoticed and untreated. Our problems as a society stem from a collaboration of failed systems… the mental health system, the child welfare system, and the prison system unfortunately tend to coincide far too often.
Guns should be extinct by now. We can do way better than this…Nothing is out of the hands of the people anymore.
I pray for peace on our planet.
I’d like to also suggest that rather than waiting until the children exhibit symptoms of trauma, all of the children (and adults for that matter) should seek individual and/or group counseling. By the time symptoms are recognized and appointments have been scheduled, people (children especially) have already experienced an unnecessary amount of continued trauma and self torment as they process/cope in their own way. Individual coping skills will vary depending upon the individual and a collection of their past experiences, therefore it is not safe to assume that any individual (both child and adult) is equipped with the skills and support necessary to heal. Too many people are slipping through the cracks as a result.
I believe that every person exposed to severe trauma should receive therapy to ensure that healthy coping skills are being developed and to ensure that no one goes unnoticed and untreated. Our problems as a society stem from a collaboration of failed systems… the mental health system, the child welfare system, and the prison system unfortunately tend to coincide far too often.
Guns should be extinct by now. We can do way better than this…Nothing is out of the hands of the people anymore.
I pray for peace on our planet.
4
@1, I guess Obama pre-empted all your usual b.s. supporting the status quo since you're left arguing against a policy that is not even proposed.
3
Good luck getting anything even close to a gun control bill through the House these days.
Obama can work around the clock to do so, but it is out of his hands. Sad but true.
I would be curious to see how the gun control polls will/have changed after this tragedy. Most Americans are against more gun control measures, and I am curious to see how a pile of dead children affects that.
Or perhaps does not affect it.
Obama can work around the clock to do so, but it is out of his hands. Sad but true.
I would be curious to see how the gun control polls will/have changed after this tragedy. Most Americans are against more gun control measures, and I am curious to see how a pile of dead children affects that.
Or perhaps does not affect it.
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