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President Barack Obama empaneled a new task force led by Vice President Joe Biden to develop comprehensive proposals to address gun violence no later than next month.
In the wake of last week's shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., the president announced a new initiative that would include members of his cabinet and outside organizations to generate proposals to rein in gun violence. He said that any effort should include new restrictions on guns, but also improved access to mental health services and better management of violence in popular culture.
Obama vowed that the new task force would not be just another Washington commission, shorthand for the groups sometimes tasked with studying an issue or event but which often delay or dilute solutions long past the time when the original impetus for such a panel has passed.
President Obama announced Wednesday that Vice President Joe Biden will be developing proposals to curb gun violence, some of which may include banning military-style assault weapons and high-capacity gun clips or magazines. NBC's Pete Williams reports.
Obama said he had asked Biden "to lead an effort that includes members of my cabinet and outside organizations to come up with a set of concrete proposals, no later than January," which the president would then push "without delay."
"This is not some Washington commission. This is not something where folks are going to be studying the issue for six months and publishing a report that gets read, and then pushed aside," the president said. "This is a team that has a very specific task: to pull together real reforms, right now."
Obama expressed support -- restating the position of his press secretary, Jay Carney -- for certain gun measures, including the assault weapons ban, limits on ammunition and closing a loophole allowing gun buyers to elude background checks at gun shows. But he stressed that those were only components of a broader effort to address violence.
The president suggested that stakeholders in those deliberations could possibly include the National Rifle Association -- the gun rights group that had gone silent in the wake of the Newtown shooting, but will hold a press conference on Friday. The president argued that mothers and fathers who compose the NRA's membership had also been impacted by the Newtown shooting.
Alex Wong / Getty Images
President Barack Obama and Vice President Joseph Biden arrive at an announcement on gun reform in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House December 19, 2012 in Washington, DC.
"Their task is going to be to sift through every good idea that's out there, and even take a look at some bad ideas before disposing of them," Obama said of the task force's efforts.
Already, Democrats on Capitol Hill have started to initiate some gun control efforts in the aftermath of Newtown. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called Wednesday for Republicans to bring up a vote on high-capacity ammunition magazines by this weekend. And West Virginia Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D, introduced legislation to study the impact of violent video games on children.
Additionally, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., has said she'll bring up a bill to reinstate the lapsed ban on assault weapons of the first day of the next Congress.
Few Republicans have stepped forward to embrace any of these gun measures, though, and have focused instead on the need for improved mental health services, or school safety.
Obama said his task force's proposals would make up part of his State of the Union address, and he expressed hope that the searing images from last week's shooting in Connecticut would last in the public conscious and help advance his eventual proposals.
"I would hope that our memories aren't so short that what we saw in Newtown isn't lingering with us -- that we don't remain passionate about it, only a month later," he said.
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This latest outrage is the mothers' fault.She knew more than anyone else how screwed up her son was.And the guns were where he could get them,not locked up.It was not the NRA,gun enthusiasts,republicans,democrats,obama,karl rove,illegals or anyone else.If she had locked up her guns,she would likely be the only one dead
pained1 --- Dude way too much common sense for most on here!
Quemadmodum gladius neminem occidit, occidentis telum est.
had to check,you are correct sir[if the translation was right]
President Barack Hussein Obama, Time Magazine's man of the year again. Well deserved Mr. President. Oh guys, who ran against him in November...I can't remember. Was it Santorum?
Some guy who wanted to get rid of Federal disaster assistance right before the big hurricane, if I recall correctly.
Hows that President working out fer ya? Don't blame me I voted for the smart guy!
Just fine thanks. And, by the way, I'm really looking forward to Hillary '16 too :)
If you want an assault weapon then join the military. There is no need at all for anyone other than military or the police to have an assault weapon. PERIOD... I am tired of people talking about their rights. You have the right to have a fire arm but that is it. Not a weapon of mass distruction that is used on a battlefield. This is not about your petty politics and racism because the president is black. Its about common sense.
So what you are saying is that it is ok for the government to take away weapons that lie on the fringe of what is useful?
1) There were not "assault weapons" involved in this tragedy.
2) Barack Hussein is a Harvard-educated millionaire attorney lifetime career politician born to a 100% white mother. If you really wanted a black president, you should have voted for Alan Keyes.
So when someone goes in and guns down 20+ with handguns, we need to get rid of those too? No, I don't own A gun, but once you start going down that path, where does it stop? I think their should be a compromise like the fiscal cliff, which I believe all of our taxes should go up anyhow, and a lot less spending...A LOT LESS. But the compromise will be, we get rid of all guns and then have Roe V. Wade overturned, afer all a LIFE IS A LIFE.
retiredarmyvet
Your right, it's all because he is black. We would give all our guns to a white President but never, ever to a black one. Maybe 1/2 of them to a Mexican President but never a black one. Especially a black one.
Now that was really funny Deerhunter...congrats and Merry Christmas sir.
Actually you have to join the military or law enforcement to use a assult rifle. Assult rifles are not legal for most of us NRA gun nuts.
If you would inform yourself as to what you are talking about, it would make for a more intelligent conversation.
And yes you can bet they are talking about banning all guns.
All any ban is going to do is make it more dangerous for our kids and the rest of us as well.
retiredarmyvet - I too am a vet but I must say, shame on you for not knowing American History and its Constitution and Bill of Rights better than that. And shame on you for not knowing world history better than that. I thank you for your service but you need to educate yourself and stop this knee jerk reaction.
After this, the DemoKKKrats are going to ban seatbelts, in the hopes that it will reduce traffic fatailies.
Yuo probably think that makes some kind of point. LOL
Lets find out how many of the gun banners on here will put their money where their mouth is. I would like to see if you folks are willing to put a sign at the edge of your property proclaiming your property a "gun-free zone" ?
Psssst. They're not taking away our guns dummy.
lol this made me laugh, thank you. I'd like to see that also!
Ahhh, Tone have been reading any of this crap on here tonight? Really?
Yes plumber. Alot of crap. Just crap
The brady bunch wants to ban all guns. Hillary said they won't stop until all guns are banned. So yes they are trying to take all the guns.
yes, plumber, there are commenters on the internet who want guns to be banned, but they are not in any position to do anything about it. Nobody is going to take away your guns.
Unfortunately for Mrs. Lanza, she drank too much NRA Kool-aid and trained her killer on how to use guns with superb efficiency and lethal effect.
Try having some respect for the dead you moron. From everything I have heard, she loved kids. Grow up.
You can show no relationship between this troubled young man and the NRA.
But, I guess it makes you feel better to find something to blame.
Here's the truth; the ugly truth.
Violent video games are significantly associated with: increased aggressive behavior, thoughts, and affect; increased physiological arousal; and decreased prosocial (helping) behavior. Average effect sizes for experimental studies (which help establish causality) and correlational studies (which allow examination of serious violent behavior) appear comparable (Anderson & Bushman, 2001).
http://www.apa.org/science/about/psa/2003/10/anderson.aspx
.
Firearms have been around since before the nation was founded. Video games, not nearly as long.
Doom came out in 1993. Wolfenstein is celebrating 20 years.
The first school shooting was Columbine in 1999.
Both shooters played these games a lot.
Try to think rationally, please.
It's not about a political agenda, it's about preventing mass shootings and killings.
Isn't it?
.
Steven, liberals are stuck on their stupidity. The facts don't matter. You can point out all the lower murder rates of today versus a couple decades ago, or the much less frequent school shootings of the past when more lax gun laws were in place.
Logic + Liberals = Fail. Emotion + Liberals = Everything.
Video games exist in Japan where many are designed, in Europe and Australia and I don't see the massacres which are routine here in the US
NEWSFLASH NDAA, look it up
Obama made it a law that they can now assasinate any citizen on US soil, they say is a terrorist and they dont even define what a terrorist is. If Dick Cheny were still president (no thats not a typo) and the liberal media were covering this tragic bill like they should be, you Obamabots would be breaking down the doors at Walmart and arming yourselves with everything behind the gun counter you could get shove in your 10 year old Volvos
i deal with hsbc credit card.hsbc has been found to have done business with terror associates. am i a terrorist for paying my bill? am i indirectly financing terror? i technically could be held without charge or trial. be labeled a supporter of terrorism and locked away forever.land of the free?
Uh-huh...I saw in a news story today that the kid that did the shooting was highly skilled in those stupid video games where kids shoot and kill people every day. Since mommy and daddy had plenty of money, they probably thought nothing of spending 50 to 75 bucks on a game every time a new one came out. Probably been playing them since he was 8 or 9...say what you want, but when you let kids play violent games like that, it warps their little brains. So we shouldn't take the guns away from honest hard working Americans that deserve to have them. We should shut down the computer game programmers that make our children think that it is okay to kill people.
" So we shouldn't take the guns away from honest hard working Americans that deserve to have them."
Good thing nobody is doing that.
Chris are you really that stupid?The fact that millions of people play games such as COD and have not snapped means nothing??Also if a 8 or 9 year old is playing a rated M game then it is the parents that are at fault because those games are meant for 17 or older but i guess your too dumb to know that rated M games can not be sold or rented to anyone under the age of 17.
Big Hollywood Donors would not like that. "Freedom of speech you know.
Poor gun owners.....they really are the victims of this latest shooting.
Nobody's going to be taking away anybody's guns. There may be additional registration requirements, more training, and more restrictions on new purchases, but nobody will come into your house and demand the guns you already have, legally. The video game problem is much more easily solvable than the gun rights one.. since there is no fundamental reason why a less violent video game won't sell just as well as a violent one will... just requires more artistic creativity.
small steps, small steps...
small steps are harder to see.
http://www.apa.org/science/about/psa/2003/10/anderson.aspx
Violent video games are significantly associated with: increased aggressive behavior, thoughts, and affect; increased physiological arousal; and decreased prosocial (helping) behavior. Average effect sizes for experimental studies (which help establish causality) and correlational studies (which allow examination of serious violent behavior) appear comparable (Anderson & Bushman, 2001).
That is probably why the president said all of those issues should be addresses.
I actually think that the video game industry will respond with creatively less violent products if the president was to challenge them to do so. I think I read somewhere that there are already several top-selling games out there that incentive and basically teach players to choose non-violent or at least non-lethal options.
Yet Obama only spoke specifically about firearms.
I think we should explore other avenues before trying to revoke the Constitution.
.
Hey dumbasses video games had nothing to do with it.The fact millions of people play these games and don't snap just goes right over your heads.
Angry, you do realize that millions of people own and enjoy firearms and don't snap and go out and kill people too, don't you? The fact is that evidence shows that violent video games do contribute to violence among some users...
And the fact that millions of gun owners use there guns legaly anddon't snap just goes over your head.
i like the photo in the article. it is crazy joe doing his best obama impersonation. and to correct most people obama is not our first black president. he is a mixed race white mother african father. so i guess he is just an afrimerican.
Obama is more Arab.....we still haven't had our first black president.
Regardless of his skin color, his place of birth makes him a Kenyan.
HopeisDumb, Please keep posting!...It only goes to highlight your stupidity.
Cracker-on, white trash!
Hope and Vern and boob ... good to see the tea billy stupid is still alive... thanks for the house in 2014... you ignorant fools!
Leftward...I hope the Democrats do get the house, just as I am hoping that we go over the fiscal cliff. I don't mind seeing all of our taxes going up, after all it's just patriotic to pay more taxes, and I am a very patriotic person. When you do get the house and realise that just raising taxes without serious cuts isn't going to get it done and our unemployment rate is skyrocketing you will not be able to blame it on anybody else anymore...Then again you will try to find a way, I am almost sure of that.
on 9/11, terrorists used box cutters and utility knives to hijack planes and perpetrate the largest mass murder of innocent people on American soil ever.
.
Any good liberal would surely suggest that we ban all box cutters and airplanes?.......
Actually, I believe it was a NeoCon who banned anything sharp from being brought on a plane. I'm guessing you haven't flown since that ban was put in place.
use a brain for a change... tea billy
Wouldn't it be a novel idea for Obama to listen to what we, people, want....just once? According to all polls reported thus far, 86% of the American people want an overhaul of the mental healthcare delivery system. Further down the list is stationed security officers in our schools and last on the list is further gun control. Yet what does he hit: gun control....assault weapons ban. He mentions mental health, which is great, but who does he put in charge of the study: Mr. Mental Health himself, Joe Biden. There are several preminent health care professionals out there that specialize in adolescent mental health....hopefully he will tap a couple of these people to provide their insight. One really learned guy is a forensic psychiatrist....can't remember his name....but this guy has studied kids, young adults like the kid in Newtown and has remarkable insight as to the development of this sociopathic personality. Unfortunately, Joe Biden is a liberal that hates guns so how is that supposed to be an interactive discussion? I think all of us truly hope we have a Black Swan Event here that will be a catalyst in evaluating the tragedy in Newtown and and what really needs to be done to prevent further carnage of this order. Gun control isn't it. Mental health is it. We must put the security, needs and rights of the innocent public above the needs and rights of the mentally insane and unbalanced, the sociopaths, psychotics and schizophrenics out there that are currently free and unchecked to roam and live among us. These people should be institutionalized, period. No choices for the parents or family. No hoping we can change these people if only we can bond with them, teach them the value of life and bring religion into their pathetic existence. If you are identified as having violent tendencies, the ability and desire to perpetrate evil on society, you go away. End of story. No discussion. No appeals. You are kept under lock and key so that you no longer have the ability to harm innocent people. Anyone want to make a bet that this is what will come out of Biden's evaluation team? Unless and until this happens, you can plan on some lunatic getting his hands on weapons and perpetrating evil on our peaceful society.
Which is why he mentioned it in his speech. Didn't catch it?...or just feel the need to pander to your gun nut buddies?
and who's going to pay for this mass institutionalization? 1 in 17 Americans are seriously mentally ill. 1 in 5 will suffer mental illness at some point in the next year. So do you plan to incarcerate only the 18 million with serious problems or are you going to for the entire 60 million? And how do you plan to suspend the Constitution of the United States in order to accomplish this wholesale Gestapo-style round-up you want?
the constitution can be suspended with a stroke of a pen.just need the right excuse.financial collapse,natural disater,mass protest.and congress cant even look into why it was suspended for 6 months.dont think that the constitution is set in stone.
oh great.. so what? you guys want to suspend the constitution while y'all go have a genocide against 60 million of your fellow Americans? Wow. I know some far out views are expressed on newsvine, but this is... well.. actually, are you sure you're not one of those 60 million who needs to be rounded up, according to you?
just pointing out what is.the takeover of america can be done.the plans are all writen up.and fema will control everything.and i mean everything.the fact that a little ink from a pen can turn the country inside out concerns me.they wouldnt plan all of that just for fun.look up suspending the constitution.then get back to us.
We have murder rates today 4.8 per 100,000 people, lower than we had in 1964, 4.9.
http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/uscrime.htm
http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2011/crime-in-the-u.s.-2011/tables/table_16_rate_number_of_crimes_per_100000_inhabitants_by_population_group_2011.xls
This means the old 50's - early 60's days have been brought back thanks to guns n' tougher crime laws, which defeated the counterculture crime wave late 60's and following.
Shoo bop shoo boo shoo bop! The days of Doo-wop are back, baby!
Where's Janet Leigh from Psycho? Bo-iiiiing!
Our gun death rate is not twice that of Great Britain or Australia. It's not triple, it's 15 TIMES the rate of those country's, that happen to have gun restrictions.
The overall murder rate is what matters not gun murders. Or the overall death rate, not the gun death rate if you're trying to tack in accidents.
Europeans love killing with their hands more, but white people here have the same murder rate as white people there.
We just have a black murder problem. Which we've been making progress on, much better than it was decades ago. Ahhh, all that we rightwingers have done for the blacks, how good of us!
That pesky ol Constitution. We could be just like England and Australia, darnit!
Geezuz Chesty, that's using countries in Europe that are at a virtual civil war. Stats are not your strong suit.
no, white people in America have lower murder rates than Eastern Europe, and are in the middle of the pack in Western Europe, lower than Belgium I think.
With our guns, we're equivalent.
What civil wars are going on in Europe at the moment? That Balkans thing ended right? Like over a decade ago.
This is MSN, I thought I was reading Drudge read the posts. How did Obama get reelected? He should be in jail.
grow up
Tom, it helps if you have the "right people" counting the votes.
Think you have him confused with those war criminals, President Cheney and Vice President Dubya. And let's not forget Donny Rumsfeld while we'er at it.
tax dollars for torture!
meet the new boss same as the old boss, well he's not really new anymore but he's more of the same, endless war, torcher, war crimes, treason
you mean torture?
leftward bound should be torchered
More people die every year in motor vehicle related accidents than in gun violence. 3 times as many. Where is the outrage? How come we are not putting together special commissions to control motor vehicle related deaths? People get drunk, drive and kill people. Why are we not banning cars? Perhaps we should only ban the cars that have gas tanks larger than 10 gallons. People don't like guns and want bans because they don't like guns. Their argument is that it will prevent gun violence. How is that working out for Chicago? Last time I checked they were the murder capitol of the USA. What people don't get is the criminals don't follow the laws. Schools are gun free zones. How did this happen? Weren't the laws enough? The real problem is that it is impossible to have a logical conversation with the proponents of gun control so that real solutions can be put into place.
Sure pal. And it was the same kind of crazies on the Right who screamed back in the Sixties when Ralph Nader made demands on Detroit to install seat belts and other safety features. The Right did the same thing in the Eighties about air bags. Do you really want to drive a modern car without these safety devices?
And besides, your argument is a joke. The primary purpose of a car is not to kill, the fact that it happens means we have to work harder at auto safety WHICH THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION HAS DONE.
The primary purpose of my guns are for competition and sporting. Don't want to kill anyone. Will if I have to protect myself, family or friends though. With a gun or car or what ever it takes. Ok evey you if it happens to be you needing help.
Fyi, for all of you posting that there is no God in schools. Every day, right after the pledge of allegiance, most schools have a moment of silence so that those students who choose t pray, may do so. They are not told who to pray to but they have the opportunity to pray and do you know what? NONE OF THEM DO!!!! They don't pray because their PARENTS haven't taught them to. So look to the log in your own eye, people.
Actually some of them do..Football team at a local team has a prayer session for any players who want to pray before a game. Most all the players participate.
Gun Laws will be passed .........
GET OVER IT PEOPLE
generally, only selfish, stupid tea billy's object
Make me a selfish, stupid tea billy then!
To become a peaceful and crime free society we have to eliminate those freedoms that allow crime to flourish.
Spoken like a true communist.
With freedom comes risk. Remove all risk and you remove all freedom.
Barack Hussein is turning this great nation into the U.S.S.A.
My God you just spout any old hate sh!t that pops into your brain, don't you. Yuo have no interst in intelligent conversation; you just want to lash out. Get help.
nothing more ugly than a tea billy bigot!
Sure, lets arm all the teachers. Nothing says safety like a
well armed 3rd grade math teacher/swat member. Then we can all wait for the day,
and it will happen when Joe the janitor is changing the lights in the hall way
of the school and drops the bulbs making a few big bangs. The well armed highly
trained math teacher panics, grabs her gun and accidently fires a shot into the
floor of the class room that ricochets and hits little Suzie right between the
eyes . If you think something like that is out of the question your fooling
yourself
Let's try this. If any weapon you own is reported stolen,
taken without your consent, borrowed or falls into the wrong hands. You will be
charged with a felony punishable by 20 years.
If that weapon is used in a crime the penalties double. I
don't care if you had it locked in a box or a gun case. If your 17 year old son can get
that weapon with a hammer and saw....YOUR SCREWED!
If people feel the need to have guns, they better damn well
be in a steel safe like Fort Knox
So your idea is to put theft victims in prison?
Regardless of what religion we follow, what beliefs we carry, what education, love and affection we receive and give to and from the society, weapons cannot have any place in a civilized society. It adds no positive significance in hands of civilians in a law enforced community.
Back in 200-300 years ago, when the amendments were written out - they were the required laws at that time. They did not have atom bombs, assault rifles or nuclear weapons. The society was not as civilized and resourceful at that time. The weapons available at that time, could not do the harm that today's weapons can bring.
The virginia, colorado, and now connecticut incidents are a 100% failure of the government in making the required changes in the law of gun control. Sad but this is the reality.
People gathers, mourns, president will come with tears and some promises, lit candles, gather and remember it for few more years, but where are the actions? After 10-15 days, people will disperse and start moving on with their life, forgetting about what evil this weaponary at civilians hand can bring - until - the next massacre happens. After few of them, people will accept it as a part of life and move on! All such things will remain as a case study!
Police will come and say - he was psycho. Doctors will come and talk about brutality and mental illness lectures that he carried - Senators, Governors and Congress will come and condemn the incident - Is it going to bring 1 life back?? We have gone too far on this as a nation. We might be at point of no return. Ever wonder, how we reached here? Ever wonder, what may come next? Day may not be far when 1 person pulls gun out in a mall, and looking at that - 10 people surrounding him takes 2 guns out of their pockets on the name of self defence! Teachers will be required to carry guns in school and take gun firing classes for defence!
Government should take each and every weapon buy back from the society and return it to the military for their cause. They need weapons there, not us here!! Stop selling this evil. Make it illegal to have it!
My heart goes out to all the kids and the teachers who lost their lives! They had nothing to do with this guy or this evil. Had this or previous governments been sensitive to such things and pulled out the weapons, today, those kids will be returning homes. today, those teachers would not be lost. today, that person could not have taken life of his mother, these kids, these teachers or even himself!
President Obama - please listen to those parents and brothers and sisters who lost their kids, friends, families - and - never forget it. Bring in the law that allows people of this great country live peacefully. You owe this to the country. Do what your heart says to do, regardless of politics - as you said.
Back on September 25, 1789, when the First Amendment was ratified - they did not have the internet or cell phones.
Gonna ban those too?
President Obama, please immunize me from all advsere aspects of life. Wrap my house in bubble wrap, and arm me with rainbows of happiness and jars of unicorn farts.
grow up vern
Leftwar...Should he grow up and be just like you? God forbid...
That is so offensive at this time of debate over semi-automatic weapons for Time magazine to be making such a show of itself with the Man of the Year thing and all that.
Magazine? No, not now. We need a waiting period.
Gun death statistics are appalling in this country... the average citizen DOES NOT need 30 round clips and AK's.
Gun control tightening should happen... and it WILL happen.
No one wants your damn hunting rifles!
There's no such thing as a "30 round clip".
And the Second Amendment does not contain the word "need".
Vernie, you may be the biggest tea billy derelict I have encountered... shut up.
Leftward...Yes lets get rid of all assault weapons, and then when someone guns down 15-20 with handguns, do we get rid of those too? Let's overturn Roe V. Wade, after all a LIFE IS A LIFE.