“I do think yesterday seemed different. He does mean it and will follow through.”
Most Democrats have long shied away from the gun-control issue as political poison. And while the death toll in Newtown is ratcheting up the pressure for the president to take what he calls “meaningful action,” it is not clear that he can—or will—mount a legislative effort against the power of the National Rifle Association.
A White House adviser said Obama’s words were not mere rhetoric. “He did speak emotionally after Tucson and Aurora, but I do think yesterday seemed different. He does mean it and will follow through,” he said.
But while no decisions have been made, the adviser said, “if we regress into our corners and retrod the ground of the gun-control debate, I’m not sure anyone will be well served by that.” Instead, this person spoke of a “broader look” that could include improved mental-health services and efforts to keep guns out of the hands of the mentally unbalanced.
If that is the president’s course, he will disappoint gun-control advocates and those Democrats who passionately believe that tighter restrictions are needed to curtail what has become a depressingly regular series of mass shootings.
Blowback
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Pssst we want to be able to defend ourselves against such madness.
And just what within the Constitution do they think they will do?
CW on December 16, 2012 at 1:57 PM
Good luck with that.
Dack Thrombosis on December 16, 2012 at 1:57 PM
Tremble before the awesome power of the NRA! Seriously, look up how much the NRA spends on lobbying. It’s not that much and they really represent only a fraction of gun owners.
JohnBrown on December 16, 2012 at 1:58 PM
The left doesn’t recognize real evil. They have spent so much time demonizing people on the right, calling us evil for simply disagreeing with them, for trying to place some limits on the murder of unborn children etc that try are now incapable to seeing real evil. To them objects are evil. Not people unless you’re a conservative republican. This is never going go stop unless we take the culture back from the left. I fee for my children in the Brave New AmeriKa the left has created for us. Where mass murders roam free while the morons blame hunks if metal and plastic for these murderers crimes.
jawkneemusic on December 16, 2012 at 2:02 PM
I fear*
jawkneemusic on December 16, 2012 at 2:03 PM
Obama often invokes his personal status in promoting his public policy initiatives. I’ve heard over and over again how parents across the country are in pain over these deaths. Parents, non-parents. Rich, poor. Black, white. This separating the country into groups is part its deterioration.
Aren’t non-parents also hurt by these deaths? Can we only act on things that touch us personally, or touch our group personally?
We need to focus on what we have in common, and not on what group we belong to. That’s the idea of America. The Constitution, and equal protection under the law. Not public policy changes based on how a tragedy touches Obama’s heart because he’s the father of Sasha and Malia. Does he even understand how he’s dividing the country?
Paul-Cincy on December 16, 2012 at 2:04 PM
WHO would make the determination of who was/is unbalanced? Someome under sebelius and her group? If that’s the case, what is to say every American is mentally unbalanced and can’t have/get guns?
I am for getting more facilities to help the mentally unbalanced. I had no idea they had done away with so many and was told in another thread that’s the case.
L
letget on December 16, 2012 at 2:08 PM
America no longer deserves to be a free country.
She is simply too stupid, from Obama on down.
He is the most indecent president in history.
He should have just expressed his sincere condolences from his family and the land, he’s supposed to lead.
All the political talk on Friday, yesterday, today, tomorrow, he inserted into everything, is vulture-carrion-consuming. May he and Bloomberg, and all who promote it, go to Hades.
Schadenfreude on December 16, 2012 at 2:08 PM
It’s not the NRA, it’s the 150 million gun owners out here who DIDN’T kill anyone last Friday and won’t kill anyone next Friday or the Friday after.
Go ahead and start some stupid ban, there is a huge demographic in America who won’t accept it.
Bishop on December 16, 2012 at 2:11 PM
It’s not a gun control problem. It’s a freaking mental health problem.
ButterflyDragon on December 16, 2012 at 2:18 PM
http://rendezvous.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/15/china-calls-for-no-delay-on-gun-controls-in-u-s/
davidk on December 16, 2012 at 2:19 PM
Tomorrow they will advocate that the U.S. should build a gulag system, and also to create a black market for the organs of convicts.
Bishop on December 16, 2012 at 2:32 PM
Bless their hearts!
And they are going to get my first ever posted, ‘HOW NICE’! The punch line from my favorite southern joke! They get the double whammy!
L
letget on December 16, 2012 at 2:32 PM
King Choom laments: “Will no one rid me of this meddlesome Constitution!”
RoadRunner on December 16, 2012 at 2:33 PM
The solution here is simple. As I’ve recently learned in another thread, apparently pot smokers NEVER shoot anyone. Therefore, we could almost eliminate gun deaths entirely by simply mandating that everyone smoke at least 2 joints a day…one in the morning, and one in the evening. And don’t worry about any Constitutional issues, just call it a tax. Problem solved. We would be one of the safest countries on the planet, if not the safest.
xblade on December 16, 2012 at 3:29 PM
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ
Schadenfreude on December 16, 2012 at 3:32 PM
China is no dummy.
Schadenfreude on December 16, 2012 at 3:35 PM
Recently, the school just had a “security upgrade”, of some sort. I assume their was training, discussions, etc. Most likely they learned about the concept of an “active shooter” and what to do if this happens.
How can any security person be involved in this and not think one of the best ways to defend against an active shooter is minimum two armed staff members ? So the solution is “hold tight until the police arrive ?”
- this is the height of idiocy.
williampeck1958 on December 16, 2012 at 3:40 PM
Yes.
Every time any Leftist brings up gun control, ask them if they are pro-life. If they aren’t just as adamant about stopping the killing of babies in the womb, their words are meaningless.
I’ve been trying to track down how many babies are killed by abortion in a minute. I’ve seen two stats. Three babies aborted in the U.S. per minute or one baby aborted per minute.
Think about that. Think about this massive killing that Dems advocate, and that is their core principle.
If Dems and the Left still persist, then they should see some of the photos of aborted baby pieces on the web. They will turn your stomach. Any so-called moral ballyho from the Left is meaningless—worse than meaningless—it is an affront to the millions of babies they have designated for death.
INC on December 16, 2012 at 3:55 PM
This has really upset me. This is beyond hypocrisy. The Left has been an advocate for violence against children. The Left has denied right and wrong. The Left has been an advocate for the destruction of morals. The Left has not stopped in its push to eliminate all mention of God, and the influence of Christians in the public square. When the Left works to deny good, why are they outraged at acts of evil?
INC on December 16, 2012 at 4:04 PM
I hope Obama and the Dems do come after the guns. What better way to unite Republicans across the spectrum, including Libertarians, Tea Party, everybody. They did well playing the populism card against Romney but they’ll ruin that if they slap the rest of the country in the face to appease loudmouth hypocrites in Manhattan, Chicago, San Francisco and Hollywood.
cicerone on December 16, 2012 at 4:05 PM
As for Obama, he did nothing to condemn the violence in Michigan, what was it? Only one or two days before the killings in CT? He has intentionally stirred up anger. His DOJ has done nothing to enforce the rule of law when people like the New Black Panthers intimidate voters. He has encouraged a mindset and atmosphere of violence. He wants babies who survive abortion to be left to die. Who is he to pretend he has any care for little children?
INC on December 16, 2012 at 4:10 PM
Even now Obama and Sebelius are trying to force Christians and pro-life people to pay for abortions via ObamaCare. Planned Parenthood gets millions of federal dollars. The DOJ is in court against Christian companies and owners who don’t want to pay for abortions.
If Obama cares so much about children, then let him cease and desist these lawsuits immediately. Let him tell Sebelius that no one will have to pay for abortions. Let him tell Congress they need to eliminate all funding for Planned Parenthood. Let him tell the U.N. there will be no money for overseas abortions.
A baby you cannot see in the womb is no less a child, then one you can see outside the womb. Obama is probably the biggest advocate of violence against children in this entire country.
INC on December 16, 2012 at 4:20 PM
I am genuinely freaked about this. I don’t want to see this right stripped from us all because of some insane nut job.
Gatsu on December 16, 2012 at 4:38 PM
He stole the guns. He stole the guns. HE STOLE THE GUNS!
JohnBrown on December 16, 2012 at 4:49 PM
I don’t think 0dumba will be able to get enough Dumbocrat votes to assist his desire here.
That is what I think will come out of this – better security, not major gun legislation.
Anti-Control on December 16, 2012 at 5:18 PM