While Harris does identify as liberal, he takes a more complicated approach than most to the difficult issue of guns. “Even the most rabid haters of guns, people who would argue for a gun ban, have many good points on their side,” Harris began by saying. “And the gun nuts have many good points on their side.”
He went to say that “our fascination with the Second Amendment just looks like masochistic stupidity.” But at the same time, in our political system, you get the “watered-down version” of gun laws that he believes will not make any big difference in reducing gun violence.
Newark Mayor Cory Booker took some offense to Harris’ outlook, chiming in with “that’s where I just disagree.” He made the point that the “data should drive our decisions” and his data shows that crimes with guns are being committed by people who bought them illegally on the secondary market, without background checks.
