Showing posts with label Vice President Joe Biden. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vice President Joe Biden. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

2 more surveys…2 more reasons for more strict gun control

As the President receives recommendations today from Vice President Joe Biden on how to curb gun violence by passing new firearms laws, the NRA promises a fight to the finish predicting an assault weapons ban won’t pass.  These fruitcakes still don’t understand the difference between their right to own guns and the public’s right to stay alive.  In fact, the NRA doesn’t care about the latter and has made that clear over the years blocking all firearms legislation.

All the recent polls point to the fact that Americans want action now in stopping the carnage by guns that has swept the nation.  How these facts escape Wayne LaPierre and his gang of gun nuts is beyond me.  Maybe they aren’t bright enough to understand the emergency of the situation.  Or maybe they just don’t care as indicated earlier.  In a recent CNN/ORC poll, it was found that 52% of the U.S. public wants major restrictions on the ownership of firearms.

In a new survey from the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council, it found that unintentional injuries were quite often caused by guns, and one of the reasons people in America die young more often than in other countries.  Further, “The prevalence of firearms in the United States looms large as an explanation for higher death rates from violence, suicidal impulses, and accidental shootings.”  The availability of guns is deadly in this country.

Continuing, the survey found the U.S. has the highest rate of firearms ownership among peer countries: 89 civilian-owned firearms for every 100 Americans and the US is home to about 35 to 50 per cent of the world's civilian-owned firearms.”  Possession of unlocked firearms in the home is one behavior blamed for the “excessive lethality of the violence.”  With 6 violent deaths per 100,000 population, the United States is far above 16 other countries in the study.

 Canada, Japan, Australia and much of Western Europe didn’t come anywhere close to the U.S.  The closest country was Finland with just over 2 violent deaths per year.  Most of these countries have very strict gun regulation laws that apparently work in decreasing firearms violence.  Homicide is the second leading cause of death in ages 15-24, and 52% of all suicides involve a firearm.  It would seem this country is determined to decrease the population using guns.

But yet another report has been issued that documents states with the most and least gun control.  California is best and, who else, Arizona is worst.  The Grand Canyon state is also the second deadliest in the U.S. with 15 gun deaths per 100,000 population.  As a resident of this state I can tell you that it takes literally nothing more than a warm body to buy a gun, and carry it anywhere in the state you want to, even in bars.  Pathetic.

Everyone is waiting for Joe Biden’s recommendations to President Obama that he will deliver today.  Many have said that the media will eventually tire of the gun control issue and move on to the economy full time.  I don’t think so and bloggers like myself and organizations like the Brady Campaign, Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, Mayors against Illegal Guns, States United to Prevent Gun Violence and others will all do their part to keep gun control in the forefront. 

With Gabby Giffords and Mark Kelly’s new group, Americans for Responsible Solutions, the momentum has finally grown to proportions that can match and beat the National Rifle Assn. (NRA) at their own game.  Say goodbye to the NRA’s leader, wacky Wayne LaPierre.

Monday, January 14, 2013

Joe Biden talks with gun rights advocates...NRA gives typical hackneyed reaction

President Obama has now focused on getting new gun control regulations into law and has named Vice President Joe Biden to lead the cause.  Obama wants universal background checks, strengthen mental health checks, increase penalties for carrying guns near a school or giving them to minors and reinstate the assault weapons ban.  He also is in favor of a national database to track the sale of weapons.  Regulations that any sane American would favor.

Joe Biden has so far met with gun control advocates, gun rights advocates and select entertainment groups.  AG Eric Holder has also met with some gun retailers like Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, Gander Mountain and Wal Mart.  You can see a full list here.  Biden stated, "There has got to be some common ground, to not solve every problem, but diminish the probability.  That's what this is all about. There are no conclusions I have reached."

After the meeting, the National Rifle Assn. (NRA), made its typically dumb statements:

"We were disappointed with how little this meeting had to do with keeping our children safe and how much it had to do with an agenda to attack the Second Amendment.  While claiming that no policy proposals would be 'prejudged,' this task force spent most of its time on proposed restrictions on lawful firearms owners—honest, taxpaying, hardworking Americans."

"We will not allow law-abiding gun owners to be blamed for the acts of criminals and madmen."

Vice President Joe Biden chairs group on gun violence:

On January 10, the NRA’s wacky Wayne LaPierre said the organization will use “real Americans” to prove their point, as if the country is solidly behind his gang of gun nuts.  This is where the Atlantic article exposes an NRA that does not have the backing of the American public, not even the 146 million gun owners.  NRA membership is 4.2 million which works out to only 2.9% of gun owners.  Even when membership costs only $25.00 to join with added perks.   

As far as all Americans are concerned, according to two surveys measuring households with guns, the University of Chicago's National Opinion Research Center says there are 32%; Gallup says 47%.  Based on these figures, the NRA doesn’t even represent a majority of Americans.  But somehow in the past this radical group of gun worshippers had convinced non-gun owners to support its cause.  That support has now crumbled with the reality of gun violence.

The Vice President will have a plan to curb gun violence in the hands of the President by tomorrow, and is now encouraging Obama to consider executive order.  The President has nothing to lose in his second administration, and could go down in history as having saved the United States from a firearms disaster.  With the help of the new, and very strong, voice in gun control, Gabby Giffords and Mark Kelly, Obama should have all the fire power he needs.

The one thing in this issue that the gun rights bunch is right about, although it is obvious they dwell on this subject just so it will divert attention from gun control, is strengthening the mental health system to identify anyone who shouldn’t be allowed to own a gun.  States are lax, the govs are lax, and those reporting are lax in providing and disseminating the information that could have saved the lives of 20 little children and 6 educators in Newtown, CT.

Mental health is a part of Joe Biden’s plan and the President is solidly behind fixing the problem.  Altogether, there is enough of a force with good and reasonable ideas to solve the overall problem of America’s out of control gun violence.  But it will take new and stricter gun laws to accomplish this goal and Wayne LaPierre and his NRA will just have to get used to it.

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