Posted on 02/23/2011 7:52:29 PM PST by neverdem
In the wake of last month's deadly shooting in Arizona, Senator Charles Schumer and Mayor Bloomberg are throwing their support behind new gun control legislation whose passage in Washington is far from assured. NY1's Grace Rauh filed the following report.
The numbers are bleak: every day 34 people in America are killed by guns. But Senator Charles Schumer and Mayor Michael Bloomberg hope to improve that staggering statistic with the passage of legislation they say is designed to prevent the next mass shooting.
"Americans want their government to take basic, common sense steps to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people," Bloomberg told reporters Wednesday.
The legislation that Schumer is introducing in Washington would impose tougher penalties on states that fail to report drug abusers, people with mental illnesses, and individuals with domestic violence records to the national do-not-sell list.
It would also require background checks for all gun buyers. Right now, they aren't mandatory for people purchasing guns at a gun show.
"Those who cannot responsibly own a gun shouldn't have access to a gun, it's that simple. We're not trying to expand the law of who should and should not have it. We're just trying to enforce the law that exists on the books," Schumer said.
Gun control advocates are using the example of the alleged gunman in last month's deadly shooting in Tuscon, Arizona to help make their case.
Jared Loughner was able to buy a gun despite the fact that he was rejected from the U.S. Army over his drug use. Officials at Loughner's college also raised concerns about his mental health.
"Americans understand that criminals, drug abusers and the mentally ill should simply not be able to get a gun," Schumer said.
Senator Schumer may have support for his legislation in New York City, but whether he'll be successful at winning over Congress is another question.
"Passing gun legislation, even modest legislation like this, is hard," said the senator.
The National Rifle Association wields tremendous power in Washington. Schumer also noted that gun enthusiasts are often more vocal than supporters of gun control.
The NRA did not respond to NY1's requests for comment on the proposed legislation.
“I agree...but I’ve always been interested in the point of view of the other side. When they say there were 34 murders by gun in the lkast week in neighborhood “X”, why does no one ever ask the question “how many of the shooters carried gun permits.
I’m with you. One of the biggest, if not the BIGGEST problem that conservatives have is not taking the time to understand the enemy. I studied them ferociously when I was in college. I read every socialist and communist newspaper I could find, every handout, and went to their ‘teach-ins’ to understand the next phase of ‘the revolution’. I understood them better than the vast majority of liberal students (and I was just as right-wing back then). And I enjoyed reading them...as they were very well-written and really helped me with my writing skills.
Another person that seems to understand the left is Rush. Given my studying of that bunch, I could instantly tell Rush understood them also. But, I have no idea how he got those instincts...as he only went to college for a year or so, and to a hot-bed liberalism school like I went to...but he figured it out...but he did. I’ve listened to him for 20 years and NOTHING they have done has surprised him, and many times he called their moves in advance. Reagan also figured it out, but then he was governor and before that president of a union.
Others had more of a public learning journey. Tony Snow found out just how bad schools were when his kids started going to public school. He was shocked. Different for me...I had read Thomas Sowell years before my kids were conceived - NOTHING surprised me at all about public schools. Dr. Laura had her journey - she admitted to thinking Rush and others hyped it up for ratings...until she told her audience what she thinks of homosexuality. She couldn’t believe people filled with that level of hate existed in this country. Of course I knew, I read their publications and went to their ‘teach-ins’.
So keep it up...read all the left-wing garbage that you can, it can only make us all stronger conservatives.
I Underestand the enemy and I was once among them (voted for Kennedy). All three of our kids graduated from college (2-state 1 notredame) and all three are staunch conservatives because I taught them to question everything that they did not agree with. They are VERY successful and are almost as smart as I am...............well,OK equally
“I Underestand the enemy and I was once among them (voted for Kennedy). All three of our kids graduated from college (2-state 1 notredame) and all three are staunch conservatives because I taught them to question everything that they did not agree with. They are VERY successful and are almost as smart as I am...............well,OK equally “
Wow, I thought that me and Rush were the only ones not surprised by liberals. Anyway, congrats on your kids. It’s really not that hard - all it takes is parents understanding that someone WILL FILL junior’s mind with something. For normal parents, that wish to be grandparents someday, it makes a LOT MORE sense to fill your kids’ minds with conservatism (or at least lead them there), instead of throwing them to the wolves at some college, where being a gay Communist means getting invited to all of the cool parties.
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