Obama partially backpedals on gun control speech while Senate Dems surge ahead

Obama still wants Congress to reinstitute a federal ban on military-style assault weapons … but the president is not and has not been pushing for that ban … There are things that we can do short of legislation and short of gun laws.

– White House Press Secretary Jay Carney

In yesterday’s column, I noted that President Obama seems to be responding to pressure from gun control advocates in a way that he has previously avoided.

I must not have been the only one to sense the change in the political winds flowing from the White House because today, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney went into full damage control mode.

While reassuring supporters of gun control that the President “still wants Congress to reinstitute a federal ban on military-style assault weapons,” Carney told reporters that the President “will not push for stricter gun laws this election year.”  Note that he didn’t promise that President Obama would not make gun control a centerpiece of any second term, only that he would not push for it “this election year.

But Senate Democrats apparently didn’t get the memo that gun control is failed public policy.  Despite admonishments from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid that “the Senate’s schedule is too packed to even have a debate on gun control,” the usual suspects were quick to pounce.

In an amendment to the Cybersecurity bill currently before the Senate, Democratic Senators Chuck Schumer, Frank Lautenberg, Barbara Boxer, Jack Reed, Bob Menendez, Kirsten Gillibrand, and Dianne Feinstein, are attempting to ban the sale, transfer or possession of normal capacity magazines.

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Senator Schumer was quick to note that he was willing to “debate where to draw the line of reasonableness” with gun owners.  I would remind Senator Schumer of a quote from well known liberal Rachel Maddow …

“But here’s the thing about rights. They’re not actually supposed to be voted on. That’s why they’re called rights.”

So what should gun owners take away from the furious spinning of the White House press machine today and the seemingly rogue senators who are pushing forward with gun control?

The answer is that we haven’t seen the last of it.  I believe that the amendment to the Cybersecurity bill is a trial balloon, sent up to determine how strong the reaction of the electorate will be.  After all, Carney couldn’t help adding yet another vague promise of unilateral executive action, stating that “There are things that we can do short of legislation and short of gun laws.”

What should you do?  Get on the phone to your senators!  Let them know that we are not interested in once again penalizing law-abiding citizens for the actions of a madman and that they should get back to work on fixing the economy.

About John Pierce

Monachus Lex is written by Virginia attorney John Pierce. John is a life-long gun rights advocate, an NRA certified instructor and co-founder of the nationwide gun rights group OpenCarry.org.

He has an undergraduate degree in Computer Information Systems, an MBA from George Mason University and is a 2012 Honors Graduate of Hamline University School of Law in St. Paul, MN.

Professionally, John is a member of the American Bar Association Second Amendment Civil Rights Litigation Subcommittee and his writings have been published by the ABA Civil Rights Litigation Committee and the ABA Minority Trial Lawyer Committee.

In addition, his open carry advocacy has been featured on Nightline and The Daily Show With Jon Stewart.
This entry was posted in 'Assault Weapons', Gun Control, National Politics, President Obama, Presidential Politics. Bookmark the permalink.

5 Responses to Obama partially backpedals on gun control speech while Senate Dems surge ahead

  1. Mr. Obama has attempted to do a number of things throughout his administration that were “short of legislation” — where his priority is circumventing the legislative process by Executive Order. We MUST remain watchful.

  2. Grapeshot says:

    From the amendment to the Cybersecurity bill to the proposed Small Arms Treaty and blending in with Fast and Furious strokes the Czars all do his bidding like too many chefs in the kitchen. The cake they prepare instead of bread is poured into the oven without support of pan – what a terrible mess. Aaah, but he says he’s not doing anything right now, the 2nd Amendment is safe.

    Excuse me! The buck stops at the top. The prez is the man at the top of the heap – either he’s driving the bus or not. He can’t have the credit he craves, unless he willing to bear the weight of his errors and those of his employees. You can’t have it one way, without the other.

    So can you imagine if this is doing nothing, what he would be like when he does crank up the engine of our mass destruction following his reelection?

    I shudder – we cannot, dare not, allow it.

    PS – Ask me if I care and how much.

  3. Pingback: Obama ‘evaluates’ multiple gun control bills advanced by Senate Democrats | Monachus Lex

  4. Pingback: Lautenberg’s ammo ban bill would strip away long-standing privacy protections | Monachus Lex

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