President Obama is considering some executive action he hopes will require gun dealers to go through increased background checks.
Does it mean that “law-abiding Americans” will be denied their right to “keep and bear arms” as provided by the Second Amendment to the Constitution.
Obama says “no.” Republican presidential candidates say “yes.”
Who do you believe? I guess that depends on your political party, your philosophical persuasion, your own bias.
Me? I’m willing to let the president give it a try.
I am going to take the usual — and expected — criticism from readers of this blog who believe as GOP contender Chris Christie said that Obama is acting like a “dictator.”
I disagree with that characterization. The president has a team of constitutional lawyers surrounding him who’ll likely advise him that he’s acting totally within the law in issuing the orders to require the checks.
Congress won’t do it. Heck, Congress wouldn’t even approve legislation that would have restricted people placed on no-fly lists from owning firearms. Does the president expect Congress to follow his lead on his effort to curb gun violence? Not a chance.
So he’ll do what he needs to do on his own.
Do I feel threatened? Are the feds going to knock on my door and take my guns away from me? No and no.
However, the president’s apparent move toward executive action has prompted the apoplectic response from the GOP presidential field.
But what the heck. That’s politics.
I wonder how you would feel if someone proposed barring people on the no-fly list from voting or exercising their free-speech rights. If people ever question your support of the 2nd Amendment, as I do, it’s probably because you would so readily eliminate the rights protected by this amendment. Have a gander at the ACLU’s description of how shaky is this foundation upon which you would so readily surrender this Contitutional right.
https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/what-do-if-you-think-youre-no-fly-list