With most leaders, this would be a wise move: asking underlings for ideas. With Obama, it’s a way to appear as if he is Doing Something, and if the recommendations are too extreme, he can simply Blame Others and divorce himself from those recommendations
(Washington Post) President Obama on Monday began the first serious push of his administration to attempt to reduce gun violence, directing Cabinet members to formulate a set of proposals that could include reinstating a ban on assault rifles.
Connecticut has its own assault weapons ban in place, and the Bushmaster .223 was legal under that law. And would have been legal under the 1994 federal assault weapons ban.
The effort will be led by Vice President Biden, according to two people outside the government who have spoken to senior administration officials since Friday, when a gunman killed his mother and rampaged through Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., killing 20 children, six adults and himself. (big snip)
Obama, who has appeared shaken by the Sandy Hook shootings, met Monday with Biden, who advocated for stricter gun-control measures during his years in the Senate. The president also spoke Monday with Education Secretary Arne Duncan, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr., and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius “to begin looking at ways the country can respond to the tragedy in Newtown,†according to a White House official who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Eric Holder is one of the last people who should be asked, considering his track record which had 2,000 guns, many of which would be covered by the assault weapons ban, being walked across the border into Mexico and responsible for over 200 Mexican deaths, and the murders of at least 2 US federal border agents. Strange that liberals/Democrats never became upset about that. I guess they hate Mexicans.
“We need to accept the reality that we’re not doing enough to protect our citizens,†Reid, the Senate majority leader, said after a moment of silence on the chamber’s floor. “In the coming days and weeks, we’ll engage in a meaningful conversation and proper debate about how to change laws and culture that allow this violence to continue to grow. . . . And every idea should be on the table.â€
Whenever elected officials start talking about doing more, watch out, because there will be lots of restrictions on personal liberty, especially when “every idea should be on the table” regarding laws and culture. I do find it interesting that none of Obama’s peeps nor Harry Reid were particularly concerned with gun violence when it involved Obama’s home town of Chicago.
By the time the process concludes, White House officials suggested, the proposals will probably include ideas to address mental illness and the violence depicted in popular culture — a strategy aimed at focusing the proposal on more than limiting gun ownership.
Hmm, what route will this take? Will the rights of people be affected just because they might be considered a “bit off” by societal standards?
After a family vacation in Hawaii, Obama will face preparations for his second inauguration, second-term staffing issues and his goal of pushing quickly for immigration-reform legislation….
Ah, so he’s still going on vacation after this tragedy? As usual, he feels he’s done his job and is moving on.
Finally, just to be clear, I have no problem enacting some sort of assault weapons ban, which would focus on weapons that are automatic. Also, restricting magazines to 12 for handguns. And, restrict the manufacture of some rounds, such as fragmenting and those meant to puncture ballistic vests.
Crossed at Right Wing News and Stop The ACLU.
Read: Leading From Behind: Obama Asks Cabinet For Gun Proposals »
