First of all I'd like to apologize for my late night blog postings. I guess that's what happens when you take three hour naps on a daily basis. Secondly, yes you're reading this correctly. Nora Roger is posting an article about gun control; however, it's interesting, so we're just going to accept it.
Today the Senate voted down measures to ban assault rifles, a ban on high-capacity magazines, and more extensive background checks when going to buy a firearm. Senate Republican from Iowa was quoted to have said "Criminals do not submit to background checks now. They will not submit to extended background checks" which makes sense, but I still don't see the harm in a little bit more digging before giving certain people access to guns.
What I was most interested in though was the background checks aspect of the vote because out of all the things up for vote that seemed like the most overall supported by the general public. Most people (who aren't criminals) don't seem to have a problem with the idea, so if the Senate is supposed to be representing their constituents and they vote against it, what does that mean for our system? Are we at a point where politicians are just voting no out of spite? What do you think?
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
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Ugh, this just ticks me off more than Congress itself. For real, who is Congress representing now if so many American people wanted this bill passed? Certainly not the American people. I just posted videos on Obama giving a speech about it and it ticks me off on how much the Senate abuses their lovely power called the "filibuster." Congress, get over yourself and actually do something. You literally do nothing in there except for piss American's off. Just get your job done and everyone will be good.
ReplyDeleteI do feel like the Senate members are now doing this out of spite and it bothers me. Obama could have done so much more for this country if Congress wouldn't have been a bunch of air heads during his entire 1st term.
DeleteI couldn't agree more. I was so upset when I heard about the decision. Who's interest does Congress have in mind?
DeleteI agree that an expansion of the background check won't hurt anything, but the banning of assault weapons won't do much. People will be able to purchase guns, whether illegally or legally, and there will be nothing that a written statement can do about it. I also read that the Democrats turned down the Republican proposal to conceal carry. I once read an article about a person who was about to murder a bunch of random people in a mall, but he was stopped thanks to another person who happened to conceal carry. People who conceal carry won't cause harm and could really help a situation such as the one aforementioned.
ReplyDeletePersonally I think the background checks would be fine. To the senator from Iowa, I completely disagree with you. Like everyone else, background checks will only help. Honestly if they took out the assault weapons ban and everything it probably would have passed. I say for now push background checks and get them through. I would leave it up to the states though for weapon bans etc. as certain states are going to have less of a problem with gun violence than larger, more densely populated states.
ReplyDeleteAll of the legislation they voted down is pretty inconsequential and will not prevent many gun deaths, but if it managed to prevent one shooting I think it would be worth passing. It is pretty funny that Congress shot down a bill with such vast public support like the background check bill though. It shows the power that the NRA and other pro-gun organizations and lobby have over Washington. I think gun control will happen eventually though due to generational differences in opinion as well as the additional pressure that will be put on Washington to pass it with each mass shooting that is going to happen in the future.
ReplyDeleteI personally think this is an embarrassment to our country that we cannot pass common sense legislation. The American people have spoken, and yet Congress still will not listen. This may sound a little extreme but I feel like if they keep doing this people might start to question the legitimacy of the power of Congress. This was a bipartisan bill, and it still didn’t get passed. I am very happy that both Senators Toomey and Casey voted for this bill. This is not an issue of party anymore; this is an issue of Congressmen purposely intervening to make Congress not functional.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the fact that this bill was bipartisan gives it even more credibility. Both parties as well as an overwhelming majority of the American public supported it... Why couldn't Congress?
DeleteIt's extremely tragic that these measures were not passed. It's also reflective, like others said, of the awe-inspiring power of the NRA over Congress. Most European countries have much stricter gun control laws and they, as a result, have much lower rates of homicide. Yet we still cling to the idea that giving everyone guns would somehow make everyone safer. Have you heard of the Wild West?
ReplyDeleteI cannot understand why Congress would not pass this bill. Even if passing the bill wouldn't do anything, pass it if even just for the chance that it could positively affect the country or maybe just save a single life. We will never find a solution if we don't even try every idea we have. Congress needs to pull it together and start thinking for this country.
ReplyDeleteI do find it odd that Congress voted down a bill that received such wide support. However, I doubt that the new legislation would prevent many gun deaths.
ReplyDelete