Should our president enforce gun control?

January 11, 2013

With the recent violent incident in Newtown, Conn., on the mind of many people, the President of the United States is considering some serious action.
On Wednesday, vice-president Joe Biden said that President Barack Obama intends to take serious action on gun control even if it means going around Congress and issuing executive orders to do so. He said the president will act.
Biden is currently heading a task force on gun control for Obama. He said there are executive orders and executive action that can be taken. He said they haven’t decided what that action is yet, but they are trying to put everything together.
He said the incident in Connecticut requires the need for immediate and urgent action.
However, there is little Obama can actually do without Congress. He and Democrats are pushing for an reinstatement of an assault weapons ban. The White House also wants measures to mandate universal background checks for firearm buyers, tracking on movement and sale of weapons through a national database, beefing up mental health checks, and toughening penalties for carrying guns near schools or giving them to minors. He would have to have lawmaker support on almost all of these measures.
Executive orders would let Obama make changes to federal mental health programs and to modernize gun-tracking efforts by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. He might also be able to finalize initiatives to track mental illness history of gun owners and put more information-sharing in place between state and local law enforcement agencies.
Biden was set to meet with representatives from the National Rifle Association Thursday.
BNH Facebook readers are overwhelmingly against Obama issuing any kind of executive order and are seeking more answers.
Lisa Chambers Cline had the following questions to ask:
“Is he going to give up his ‘bodyguards’ with their guns? Is he going to let his family just walk around with no protection?” she asked.
Connie Crowley said it is a right of American people to own guns.
“This is what keeps us free is the right to have guns,” she said. “We would be a completely different type of nation now if we did not have this right.”
Kris Moneymaker said this is all smoke and mirrors and people need to be looking out for what’s really going on.
“Besides, no matter what they do, the only one all of this is going to affect is the law abiding citizens!” he said. “Criminals will still get their hands on what they want, they do not follow the law anyway! If that’s the case, hey, why don’t we make drugs against the law? Oh, right, they are, and still they seem to get in somehow. Hmmm.”
Joe Kelly said there are many laws that regulate the sale and ownership of guns. He said if it is considered that few of these laws are adhered to or circumvented, the problem doesn’t lie in laws. It lies in enforcement.
“It’s the same with all vices that we joke about now,” he said. “An executive order is his right to proclaim, will the people follow it? Some will, I dare say most won’t. How will it be enforced? Who will enforce it? Will it be all-encompassing, turn your guns in or else? What’s the or else? Too many questions need to be answered.”
Phil Waldrop said he feels the president is walking a fine line of the checks and balances of the Constitution.
Lisa Litterell Smith made her feelings quite clear about how she would feel about President Obama issuing such an executive order.
“We AMERICANS that are the LEGAL owners of guns DO NOT need an idiot so-called president telling us what kind of guns we can and cannot have! WE AREN’T THE ONES DOING THE KILLING!” she said.
She said President Obama’s efforts should be toward making sure the ones with mental problems, illnesses, etc. are getting proper treatment and keeping a check on them.
“The guns didn’t say, ‘hey! I think I will go commit mass murder today!’ The person pulling the trigger is the one that should pay…NOT the law abiding citizens!” Smith said. “Quit blaming everything and everyone else for a few others’ actions!”
She asked if the same logic were applied in other instances, are they going to outlaw cars since they are drunk drivers, pharmacies when wrong prescriptions are given out, and baseball and building since bats and hammers can be used to harm other people.
“WAKE UP AMERICA!” she said. “It’s OUR rights that an idiot president and his cronies want to take from us! UNITED WE STAND!!!”
Vonda Johnson said gun rights should be up to each American. All Jason Martens had to say was “Good luck.”
Ian R. Nelms said Americans do not need to forget their forefathers left England and fought for freedom.
“George Washington returned the military to the government with the intent that 'militias' could pick up their arms and defend this country or themselves...the people can protect themselves,” he said. “However, we the people must protect ourselves from politicians.”
He said that starts by electing local officials who are interested in protecting the individual liberties people fought and died for.
“Obama and his policies are seriously pushing toward civil unrest,” Nelms said. “If we lose hope, we have lost a nation.”