Senate Democrats push for new gun control measures

[mystery-ak]

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-florida-shooting-democrats-idUSKCN0YZ1M0?feedType=RSS&feedName=politicsNews&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Social


World | Mon Jun 13, 2016 1:19pm EDT
Related: U.S., Election 2016, Politics
Senate Democrats push for new gun control measures
By Richard Cowan

Leading U.S. Senate Democrats on Monday urged quick passage of legislation defeated last year to impose additional gun controls in the wake of the weekend mass shooting in Florida.

Four Democratic senators, led by Chuck Schumer of New York, the No. 2 Senate Democrat, called for immediate passage of a bill preventing people on "terror watch lists" and other "suspected terrorists" from buying firearms or explosives.

Last December, Democrats attempted to pass this legislation but were blocked by Republicans, who said the government could mistakenly place innocent people on watch lists.

The new push for legislation came after a man with an assault rifle entered a gay nightclub in Orlando and killed 49 people and wounded 53 others. The gunman subsequently was killed by law enforcement officers.

Federal agents had interviewed the gunman twice in recent years.

Joining Schumer in calling for passage of the legislation are Senators Dianne Feinstein of California, Bill Nelson of Florida and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut.

Meanwhile, Democratic President Barack Obama on Monday blamed weak gun laws for allowing disturbed individuals to gain access to powerful weapons.

Hillary Clinton, the leading Democratic candidate to replace Obama in the White House, said people on watch lists should be barred from buying guns and said there should be a debate about possible restrictions on assault weapons.

Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, took a different approach, repeating his call for temporarily banning Muslims from entering the country.

The Orlando gunman was born in the United States. His parents were Afghan immigrants.

[bolobaby]

I think I could support this ONLY if there was a SENSIBLE and RAPID way to appeal a mistaken flag.

[starstruck]

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-florida-shooting-democrats-idUSKCN0YZ1M0?feedType=RSS&feedName=politicsNews&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Social


World | Mon Jun 13, 2016 1:19pm EDT
Related: U.S., Election 2016, Politics
Senate Democrats push for new gun control measures
By Richard Cowan

Leading U.S. Senate Democrats on Monday urged quick passage of legislation defeated last year to impose additional gun controls in the wake of the weekend mass shooting in Florida.

Four Democratic senators, led by Chuck Schumer of New York, the No. 2 Senate Democrat, called for immediate passage of a bill preventing people on "terror watch lists" and other "suspected terrorists" from buying firearms or explosives.

Last December, Democrats attempted to pass this legislation but were blocked by Republicans, who said the government could mistakenly place innocent people on watch lists.

The new push for legislation came after a man with an assault rifle entered a gay nightclub in Orlando and killed 49 people and wounded 53 others. The gunman subsequently was killed by law enforcement officers.

Federal agents had interviewed the gunman twice in recent years.

Joining Schumer in calling for passage of the legislation are Senators Dianne Feinstein of California, Bill Nelson of Florida and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut.

Meanwhile, Democratic President Barack Obama on Monday blamed weak gun laws for allowing disturbed individuals to gain access to powerful weapons.

Hillary Clinton, the leading Democratic candidate to replace Obama in the White House, said people on watch lists should be barred from buying guns and said there should be a debate about possible restrictions on assault weapons.

Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, took a different approach, repeating his call for temporarily banning Muslims from entering the country.

The Orlando gunman was born in the United States. His parents were Afghan immigrants.

If Omar wasn't representative of all Muslims, why is he representative of all gun owners?

[Norm Lenhart]

I think I could support this ONLY if there was a SENSIBLE and RAPID way to appeal a mistaken flag.

And with a liberal in power, you think any repeal would happen for mistakes?

Government TAKES. It's what it does. Death by a thousand cuts. Franklin said it. People that give up liberty for safety deserve neither.

[RoosGirl]

No! No! No!  One thousand times!  No to any liberal-think gun control laws.

[Cowboyway]

Four Democratic senators, led by Chuck Schumer of New York, the No. 2 Senate Democrat, called for immediate passage of a bill preventing people on "terror watch lists" and other "suspected terrorists" from buying firearms or explosives.

These lists probably include all right wing gun owners.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

GOP is wrong on this. People on the FBI watch list should not be able to buy guns IMO.

[bolobaby]

And with a liberal in power, you think any repeal would happen for mistakes?

Government TAKES. It's what it does. Death by a thousand cuts. Franklin said it. People that give up liberty for safety deserve neither.

Someone on another thread mentioned "due process" and "innocent until proven guilty" which makes me wonder how we could do something sensible on this front.

First, the terror watch list would have to be purged of all the people who aren't really threat. Therefore, if you eat bacon and can say "Jesus is Lord" you probably shouldn't be on the list.

Second, as soon as you attempt to exercise your right, and that right is denied, some sort of immediate due process should kick in. It should be fast.

But I can't just see doing nothing. If, for example, law enforcement had strong suspicions that someone was connected to terrorism, but had no real proof, and that person visited Disney 6 times in the past 2 months, then went to go buy lots of guns, what kind of recriminations would fly around about the government if they did NOTHING to prevent it?

Remember - the government can't bring charges that won't stick. It's a waste of everyone's time, and then reveals methods during discovery that could alert terrorists to surveillance.

Hmmm....

[ABX]

Hillary Clinton, the leading Democratic candidate to replace Obama in the White House, said people on watch lists should be barred from buying guns and said there should be a debate about possible restrictions on assault weapons.

So Hillary and Trump have the same policy on the issue.

[Cowboyway]

But I can't just see doing nothing. If, for example, law enforcement had strong suspicions that someone was connected to terrorism, but had no real proof, and that person visited Disney 6 times in the past 2 months, then went to go buy lots of guns, what kind of recriminations would fly around about the government if they did NOTHING to prevent it?

That's a lot of dots to connect and that's usually not done until after the fact.  In order for .gov to be able to connect the dots prior to an event all Americans will have to give up even more of our dwindling liberty and, as Ben Franklin stated, when you trade liberty for security you shall have neither.

[bolobaby]

That's a lot of dots to connect and that's usually not done until after the fact.  In order for .gov to be able to connect the dots prior to an event all Americans will have to give up even more of our dwindling liberty and, as Ben Franklin stated, when you trade liberty for security you shall have neither.

Yeah, I get it. But muslims are generally dangerous. If our law enforcement has some muzzie on a watch list, it would be akin to Fast and Furious to willingly pass their background check.

[sinkspur]

GOP is wrong on this. People on the FBI watch list should not be able to buy guns IMO.

No.  We cannot deprive people of their rights without due process.  Lots of mistakes on the watch list.

[Cowboyway]

Yeah, I get it. But muslims are generally dangerous. If our law enforcement has some muzzie on a watch list, it would be akin to Fast and Furious to willingly pass their background check.

I read that Mateen was on two watch lists but had been removed from the one that would have flagged the FBI.  But it doesn't matter because there's always a black market.  The only thing that more laws and restrictions will do is make it harder for law abiding citizens to purchase firearms.

[bolobaby]

I read that Mateen was on two watch lists but had been removed from the one that would have flagged the FBI.  But it doesn't matter because there's always a black market.  The only thing that more laws and restrictions will do is make it harder for law abiding citizens to purchase firearms.

I generally agree. I suppose they could just have someone not on the watch list buy the weapons for them.

Still, maybe with could make part of the background check process include eating a slice of bacon and pissing on a Koran. Also, since many of these mass shooting nuts tend to be lefties, we could check voting records to see if they are democrats.

Maybe that will work.

[geronl]

Up to 40% of the people on these lists are completely innocent.

[geronl]

I think I could support this ONLY if there was a SENSIBLE and RAPID way to appeal a mistaken flag.

The lists are completely arbitrary, no evidence is needed to be added. It's secret and there is no due process.

The idea that hundreds of thousands or millions of Americans can be stripped of their rights on a whim is not something I could ever support.

[SZonian]

These lists probably include all right wing gun owners.

Napolitano did this some years back and included veterans...

So I would have to say no to this proposal because it is ripe for abuse.

[Idaho_Cowboy]

If you need gubmint approval it's not a right it's a privilege. Will not be infringed means will not be infringed. Nuff said.

[HonestJohn]

If Omar wasn't representative of all Muslims, why is he representative of all gun owners?

Doesn't Trump and his kin believe that Omar does represent all Muslims?

I guess then, as a gun owner, he represents all gun owners.

Be glad that it's legislation to curtail gun ownership and not a Trumpian solution - to deport all gun owners.