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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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Unfortunately, gun control will not change a person's heart nor will it change the culture. Mindy comments on abortion. I think she's missed something there. If we roll back the clock 6-7 years, then President Obama not only supports the murder of these same children before their actual birth, but he'll use federal dollars to fund it. If you allow abortion to continue, then you cheapen life in general. If you make one life worth less, then you cheapen the value of all life. This is not a "right" that women have, it is a national tragedy.
and actually, he supported a person's with to choose. It an individuals Right but, I guess because you don't agree with it, you need to frame differently.
...and if you actually knew what you were talking about, you would know, by law...no federal dollars can be used for Abortions.
In the new healthcare they are used...actually they are already used...How much in Tax money goes to Planned Parenthood...And just what do you think they do there?
I wish people would look up facts. Prior to the gun ban at schools being implemented, we had 1 and only mass shooting incident in the US on students. 1966 U of Texas. Man in clock tower with a BOLT ACTION RIFLE.
Since the ban we have had 9 up to 2009 that killed 75 students and wounded another 59.
Gun Ban Has Worked Great. It has given the criminal a place to go where he feels he will not be shot back.
Oregon, 3 days ago; man was going to theater at late show with weapon, armed person fired and killed would assassin. Why isnt this all over the news.
Yes , we should ALL , take the advice of a Volunteer Fire Dept Chief . OHHH and yes Chief water puts out Most fires , But not all .
Protect our children by allowing teachers to have a gun in the school, pick a few to ten teachers or staff voted by the school board and must have gun traning and metal exam annually. these teachers coverd there students with there bodies to try and protect them they would not have used a gun against them so let them that are willing use one to protect our children. This will work. New bun laws for the criminals to break wont. they break them all now. its a sad unfortnate need to do this but with the decline in our values and crazies out there its needed. Also tackle mental health. people need to stand up against what obama and congress will try and do and push for whats really needed. They are using this tragedy for there agenda and it will not fix the real problem of saving our children.
Stop making sense, stop it, stop it. I might have to think for myself
why do you want to turn our country into war zone? It would be easier if nutters like your self moved to Somalia. There you will be allowed to park even a tank in front of the school.
Armed security in the building makes some sense, but not in the classrooms.
In fact, this was the "tragedy" that broke the camel's back... preceded by many....ENOUGH!
The ONLY thing , I see to do is protecting your/our/my kids from ,IDIOTS , with guns . Ask Ronnie Raygun , How that defunding the nut house is working for us 30 later . SURVEY SAYS IT IS NOT .
No teachers. Teachers are there to teach, not to do security. You only need a few professionals (not LE) to do the job and they can be in civilian attire. People need to stop saying teachers should have guns because it is just ridiculous.
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 how many more of our constitutional rights are we going to lose? The 2nd ammendment is there for a reason. It was put in place so we the people could defend ourselves against England. Does anyone really think bad people won't have access to guns if they want? What about protecting your spouse, children, and home from a group that wants to do bad things? I'm supposed to stand by while my wife and kids get beat and raped? Our military and police couldn't protect everyone from a foreign invasion. Especially if they are overseas risking their lives for our constitution. I thought 9-11 was proof that we are capable of being attacked. I would think our leaders would want people to defend the homefront. What, do they want us to be a vulnerable nation, prone to being conquered? This is another really bad idea and a waste of tax payers dollars. Instead, we should create jobs, and hire security to protect these children. Also, my thoughts and prayers to anyone who has lost a loved one to such an evil event. I can't put into words the pain these events have caused to so many people. I pray you will find the strength and support to carry on.
The tragedy in Connecticut was not even a day old, the funerals had not even been held and the left was already taking advantage of the situation to press for more command and control of the citizens of this country. Why can't we let the parents and families have time to bury their dead and grieve, the we can have this debate.
So, the left wants to take the semi-automatic guns out of the hands of the owners. Will they also then request that Mexico send back the weapons Eric Holder let go across the border? Doubtful.
What is it about the left that they have these types of reactions. They lecture us all day not to judge a large group based on one or two members who are a-holes? Yet as soon as one a-hole uses a weapon to commit a horriffic crime, they want to broadbrush all gun owners as "gun nuts"? The hyprocacy of the left is immeasurable.
The left of course is made up of individuals who support the (not constitutional) right of women to kill over 1.3 million fetuses per year, but then use a tragedy to undermine the (constitutional) rights of responsible Americans to bear arms. Again, the hypocracy is unbelievable.
Dim bulbs Jason Whitlock and Bob Costas rail against gun ownership in the wake of the KC Chief player murder/suicide. Yet they are noticably silent about a Dallas Cowboy who drinks and drives and kills his friend. How about banning alcohol, cars, planes like the one that killed Jenni Rivera? No one wants to do that.
If I have to give up my guns and someone breaks into my house how do I defend myself? If the gangs won't give up their weapons, how do I protect myself? If the cops can't get there for 10 minutes will I be a victim?
Armed citizens are free men and women. Unarmed citizens are subjects and targets. The second amendment is about having an armed citizenry to prevent the tyrany of government. Unfortunately this president, and many on the left only know tyrany. We may have to fight the revolution all over again.
take advantage? you are seriously sick.
And we never hear anything about locking the criminals up. We need to start electing our judges, that way they might think twice before they release someone on low bail.
He's seriously right.
>we never hear anything about locking the criminals up
you are seriously crazy. We have largest number of inmates per capita of all industrialized nations, several times larger than all other industrialized countries combined.
According to the GOP, God is a Republican. He is there at the moment of conception, like a Republican, he monitors your gestation, just like a Republican, and at birth, he abandons you and is a figment of your wildest dreams and nightmares, just like a Republican. It's no wonder the Huckster says that God was not in the schools....he was in DC trying to cut Medicare spending.
What we need now is criminal control. Keep the bad guys off the streets and the crime rate drops. Stop taking rights away from the honest people. The gangs don't follow the laws.
This kid was not a criminal... neither were many who open fired and kills large groups... nice try
thank you Mr President!
NRA... go to hell!
Thanks you NRA. And Gregg, you go to hell.
It is really interesting to hear the people that want a ban on assult weapons when all the murders are caused by hand guns...... Don't forget we need to remove all the automobiles from the roads because they kill more people than guns. Don't forget alcohol I'm sure that it hasn't killed anyone. Irratioinal feelings and actions produce nothing but stupid laws like the ones we have that they don't even enforce.
get you facts straight...
Feds estimate 2011 had fewest traffic deaths on record
the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has released a preliminary report estimating that 32,310 people died on the nation's highways last year. That's down from 32,885 deaths in 2010.
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2012/05/2011-may-have-had-fewest-traffic-fatalities-ever/1#.UNJvHW-TySo
Hey jerk the idea is that there are more deaths by automobiles than guns.... The rate could drop by another 10K and it would still be more deaths than automobiles.... You are definitely one of the irrational people out there that look only at one aspect
Please reply so others can see how really stupid you are.
Hey Gregg, that is too many. Automobiles are dangerous. Let's ban them.
Are we there yet, Barry? no, ah joe, but we're close,,,
good, I got'a pee
ya know Ted, a year ago this guy would;a been gitin us coffee. lol, that is right Bill
Okay- We as Americans want the senseless and out of control killing to stop. I don't care if you are a lib or a conservative that is what we want right?
Now to reality...
There will be some new gun laws passed, some will whine some will cheer. At the end of it all will ANYONE go back and see if any of it really did improve anything? I say no way! Obummer will be walking around patting himself on the back with both arms, The libs will be parading around high fiving each other about all their "new" laws and how everyone is so much safer. The conservatives will be crying their freedoms have been taken away
AND
At the end of it all we will still have as much or more of the daily senseless killings including catastrophic events like we've just witnessed. A good intention or well thought out plan means nothing if there is no RESULT.
Fight on puppets!!!!
Come on people,
For goodness sakes! Don't turn this into a political viewpoint. Look into your hearts, ask yourself...would taking multiple round magazines turn your life in such a way, that your apprehension to the idea of limits on such, or at the very least, make owning them a crime effect your everyday lifestyle? We as a civilized society owe the rest of humanity an opportunity to try this ban immediately, and track the results from it. If gun violence from automatic fire remains the same...or relatively close, then we adjust until the results are overwhelmingly clear that change is needed. To issue a blanket no to this regime, puts us squarely in the cross hairs of co-defendants in future tragedies. I for one, would gladly support any legislation that makes it a major crime to possess any multiple round magazine manufactured for automatic rifles.
Pass all the laws you want on automatic rifles .... Pistols kill more than rifles just look at this incident. The guy was with pistols not rifles. And then you have revolvers with quick change cylinders like the police had before autos. Laws need to be tougher to get guns and backround checks on if the person has had any mental problems. I just think this is going to be a hard road to travel and no law will really take or remove the element that is the problem.... PEOPLE
It is customary in every case to blame something other than
the real problem, people kill people and they will continue to do so with
whatever means are at their disposal, the problem is not guns, anyone can
acquire a weapon, regardless of legislation enacted, it is only those
individuals that live in a bubble that assume a law will solve the problem
because everyone will abide by it, law abiding citizens are not the problem.
There is a logical solution to this problem, pass a law that
makes it mandatory to have one police officer for every 500 students on every
school grounds in America, if we cannot protect our children then what future
does any of us have, ironically there is better security at the average mall,
why do you suppose people go into a school and attack multiple victims, simple –
several targets and zero chance of another gun there to defend them, if it were
a known fact that there were armed guards in every school it will automatically
decrease the incidents because the assailants would know that they will be met
with force immediately, despite the fact that it appears to be the end result
of death to the assailant and this is their final objective, there primary one
seems to be to take out as many on the way out as they can.
It is completely obvious to me that we have reached the
point in society were armed police at every school is the only solution to the immediate
problem, guns are and will always be available, what is not is an equalizing
force, time to balance the equation.
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.
Very lofty.
.
Now, please explain how you plan to convince the bad people to give up their guns, and promise not to shoot anyone, ever.
And, this plan has to be foolproof, too.
.
Now, as to reality back here on Planet Earth:
This whole school shooting/assaulting thing started in 1999 in Colorado (at
the height of the AWB).
.
Did you know that both Harris and Klebold played violent video games? Did
you know that Harris created his own levels in Doom? Did you know that it
is claimed that Dylan had early on created Doom levels that closely mimicked
the layout of Columbine High School?
.
.
Biden in Charge?? He is so up to date I can hear him now. We should have stuck with flintlocks these cap and ball guns are too easy to load. Then Obama will say "let's get all 57 states to agree with us." The blind leading the blind.
Lol.
I heard similar laughs before election in November. They turned to tears very quickly...
Still waiting for one of you gun grabbers to volunteer to put a sign on your driveway proclaiming your property a gun-free zone.
Oh I see, so I can have any kind of weapon I want cause it's my "Constitutional Right"???
How bout an M-16 or an AK-47? Should I be allowed to hav them? Or a 4" mortar or a howitzer. Where do you gun crazies draw the line???
You're not "just a plumber", you sound ignorant enough to be "Joe the plumber" Think I'll go mount that pack howitzer in my front yard so I can blow away any burglars.
Whats with your "allowed" stuff? Damn boy you are a free man. Great men died to guarantee these rights to you and you spit on them.
Your parents failed you!
#1987.2
Hear, hear!
.
Hey Vern watch on the adultery stuff or these Republicans will bitch slap you; Gingrich, Giuliani. Vetter, Livingston, Ensign, Sanford, Hyde, Burton, Craig (with men). All with maybe two exceptions avoided the draft. Willy as you call our great President made no bones about his opposition to the war and his commitment to avoid the draft. The others embraced the war but ran in every direction to get deferrals (Bush used influence to avoid Nam). You never used toys with your wife? Yeah, sure....lol
Imagine someone in the school having a gun on them, say a teacher. Do you think that the outcome would have been different? Let's be honest.
I'm not giving up my Second Amendment right. Like President George said, it is the keystone of independence and the teeth of liberty. He ought to know.
Good thing no one is trying to take it from you.
The U.S. government argues in federal court (U.S. v. Emerson information page) that there is absolutely no right of an individual to own firearms!
2nd Amendment is outdated by several hundreds of years now. We have strongest, most decent army in the world, The chances of gov. tyranny are ZERO. Gun owners are 40 times more likely to kill themselves, family member or innocent than an intruder. It does not make moral, scientific nor logical sense to keep this law, that is responsible for slaughter of millions.
Abolishing the 2nd Amendment NOW and save most of 12,000 lives a year.
Then go throught the ammendment process. Otherwise put a cork in it.
Cars kill almost three times as many, and wound and maim tens of thousands more than guns.
More people drown annually, especially children.
It's the video games, stupid!!
cars have purpose other than killing, guns don't
Sure good luck with that.
You deserve no freedoms that this country affords you!
Mine haven't injured or killed anyone. Are they defective?
Stop with the guns already.
Look at some hard facts:
.
Time and time again, it was demonstrated that American public should not have access to guns, certainly not assault rifles. Lets ban them all, then if you demonstrate that you can rise children in two parent families that are polite, well behaved and sane, then we can revisit that. Until then, suspend 2nd Amendment.
I don't know how to respond to about the dumbest statement I've ever read on any of the posts for the past 5+ years! I'm taken aback! It's kind of sad, actually, that people can be this stupid! Really! I'm not trying to be funny.
Yep. Arm the government to the teeth and take all the citizens guns from them. No chance of tyranny there. No history to support that, is there? OMG!
I just hope, Rep, that someday you'll wake up. You're obviously void of all knowledge of history. If so, I guess I can't fault you. Maybe you're a product of public education. I don't know, but God help you.
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?
I think that more gun regs is the wrong way to go. Guns dont just go off by themselves, someone has to pull the trigger. All a gun ban is gonna do is make criminals kill in other ways. I mean peolpe have been killed with screwdrivers before and by bare hands. So what are they gonna do ban hands too. Personally, I believe that if someone there with a CWP and a gun had been been on campus that there would not have been as many young lives lost. I mean the police cant protect everybody all at once. People need to have some way to defend themselves. for instance, A 12 year old girls isnt going to stand a chance against a 300 lbs, hardened criminal unarmed, but if you put a gun in her hand then they're dead even in my opinion.
no, guns don't go off by themselves. Tell this to father, who's gun fired accidentally and killed his 5 yo son. He must be a very proud gun owner.
Tell this to father, who
's gun fired accidentallyleft the pool gate openand killed his 5 yo son. He must be a very proudgunpool owner.your logic is: because people die anyway, who cares if there is yet another way to die. All sane people do care. If there is a way to eliminate a senseless threat to our kids - we will. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
Sounds like the "Fox guarding the hen house". IMHO ... I would much rather have someone who is not walking in with their own agenda which could very well distract from the real reason for this committee. As for Gun Control maybe instead of new laws review the existing ones to see if they can be tightened in a realistic fashion. Mental Health is a victim of all the budget cuts so you can't even get a person in for an eval unless they committed a crime which is kind of useless. I think they need to make mental health the first priorty because laws are for the "sane". Reduce violent content in the media on that I will defer to the families to decide for themselves since that is where the decision should be made.
Let's do a Scalia interpretation of the Constitution and try to determine the intent of the 2nd amendment. I believe it was the intention of the framers to allow any citizen to be armed....with a musket. Why not ban everything but muskets and black powder pistols? Follows the intent of the 2nd amendment and anyone can purchase any amount of black powder single shot muskets or pistols they want. Gun ownership is protected and so is the citizenry.
woodbutcher, the first ammendment was framed with the intent to protect political speech. Would you like it to go back to protect that right and that right only? No? Then shut up.
By that interpretation of the First Amendment, you would ban the internet, television, radio, and cell phones.
Good luck with that, lol.
You mean I can't keep my M-1 Abrams tank with 120mm gun??? You are infringing on my "Constitutional Rights" I'm afraid. I'm kind of partial to cop killer bullets too, it is my right after all.
No wonder your a wood butcher.
The intention of the Second Amendment was to guarantee that
a government of the people by the people could not be taken away from those
elected to power, it is the ultimate deterrent when the private citizen has the
right to defend the constitution as a militia, as a matter of fact the
constitution demands that were all are part of that militia, that is the sole
intention.
Iowa lack of logic: yeah, charge Abraham tank with AR-15, we will see how this goes.
It is customary in every case to blame something other than
the real problem, people kill people and they will continue to do so with
whatever means are at their disposal, the problem is not guns, anyone can
acquire a weapon, regardless of legislation enacted, it is only those
individuals that live in a bubble that assume a law will solve the problem
because everyone will abide by it, law abiding citizens are not the problem.
There is a logical solution to this problem, pass a law that
makes it mandatory to have one police officer for every 500 students on every
school grounds in America, if we cannot protect our children then what future
does any of us have, ironically there is better security at the average mall,
why do you suppose people go into a school and attack multiple victims, simple –
several targets and zero chance of another gun there to defend them, if it were
a known fact that there were armed guards in every school it will automatically
decrease the incidents because the assailants would know that they will be met
with force immediately, despite the fact that it appears to be the end result
of death to the assailant and this is their final objective, there primary one
seems to be to take out as many on the way out as they can.
It is completely obvious to me that we have reached the
point in society were armed police at every school is the only solution to the immediate
problem, guns are and will always be available, what is not is an equalizing
force, time to balance the equation.
we don't need more cops......cops never protect anyone....they just clean up the mess......the american people need arms to defend themselves from enemies foreign and domestic....."DON'T TREAD ON ME!"
Why don't we throw in an Abraham tank on each intersection and turn the whole nation into a real war zone?