Gun Control

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Gun Control has been a nagging topic throughout the entirety of Sanders' campaign.
Hilary Clinton has constantly bashed Sanders for not having a clear cut plan about gun control which has won her many voters.
Most notably Sanders in 1996 voted against prevention from studying gun violence.
Sanders has brought up in his campaign that Clinton's constant attack on guns is "very disingenuous"
Sanders' most comprehensive statement about guns came up at a January debate when he reversed his position from a 2005 senate vote.
Overall Sanders has defended gun control if anything.
Here is a video where Sanders clearly defends gun control
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=video&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjiwKarxejLAhWIpR4KHQqfDdsQuAIIHTAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DohLGRnfCd50&usg=AFQjCNExUIrCxZdIT1vloHwpwD3WFToKwg&sig2=B1_IBY9T5_vaQDfXKBqdSg&bvm=bv.117868183,d.dmo
"Where Is Bernie Sanders' Gun Control Plan?" CNN. Cable News Network, n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2016.

Clinton's Gun Control push has been a major part of her campaign recently
"The leading cause of young African-American men is homicide" Clinton says as she pushes her gun control policy in Milwaukee as the Wisconsin primary approaches.
Clinton says regarding Bernie Sanders' free college tuition push "if my child is dead, he can't go to college."
Clinton has seemingly been winning over the majority of voters in Milwaukee with this campaign which is a major step in winning the Wisconsin primary.
Copy the link below to see Clinton speaking in Milwaukee.
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"After Obama, Gun Sellers May Also Love Hillary Clinton." CBSNews. CBS Interactive, n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2016.

Trump has regularly opposed stricter gun control laws after several mass shootings.
"I will veto. I will unsign that so fast," Trump told a rally in Biloxi, Mississippi regarding president Obama's plan to tighten gun control through an executive order.
"I don't like having anything to have to do with changing our second amendment. We have plenty of rules and regulations." says Trump regarding gun control.
One of Trump's main arguments against gun control is just this, "All they do is blame the guns. And it is not the gun that pulls the trigger."
Here is a video where Trump talks about his feelings toward gun control.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=video&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiFmJrowujLAhXJHx4KHacVBTcQuAIIJjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Ftranscript%2F2016%2F01%2F10%2Fdonald-trump-talks-ted-cruz-gun-control-and-clintons-denis-mcdonough-previews%2F&usg=AFQjCNEyPdBA833eJXcbvyQSlKcaD-h-VQ&sig2=7dMp_t_yT-wsoeB2wzUm7A&bvm=bv.117868183,d.dmo
"Donald Trump: I Will 'unsign' Obama Executive Action on Gun Control."CNN. Cable News Network, n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2016.

Nationwide gun sales spiked to 1.6 million firearms in December after president Barack Obama called for stricter gun control laws due to the San Bernardino terror attacks in California.
The record month for firearm sales was January 2012, where 2 million firearms were sold. This was just shortly after the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary school in Newtown.
While gun control legislation has failed in congress, some states have individually made changes, such as in Washington voters passed a ballot initiative to extend background checks when purchasing firearms.
18 U.S. states have passed similar background check laws.
With the presidential election coming up soon, and our country facing many problems with gun control and terrorism candidates are likely to make promises to change some of these laws that are in place currently
This link is a video of president hopefuls talking about president Obama's handle on the topic of gun control
http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/05/politics/obama-gun-control-republican-reaction/

Terrorism in Relation to Gun Control

With all kinds of problems in the world we live in today regarding terrorism, many people are quick to point the finger at gun control as one of the main reasons for these attacks.

The federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) defines terrorism as violent acts or acts dangerous to human life that violate law.

Although many acts of terrorism are committed with a firearm, some may not and those that are may not be able to be stopped simply with gun control laws.

Pro Gun Control Arguments

Civilians are unlikely to use a weapon in self defense in a violent situation, those without training often make violent situations worse due to resisting an aggressor unsuccessfully.
People who legally own weapons are at risk of having them stolen by criminals, if the criminal knows you own a firearm they may rob your house if they want to get their hands on one leading to more possible crimes.
Increased gun control usually leads to less acts of suicide, between 1999 and 2013 there have been 270,237 suicides with a firearm in the Untied States, which makes up approximately 52% of all suicides
The United States has, by far the highest rate of gun ownership, and we also have the highest rate of crimes committed with a gun and gun related homicides. Many believe this isn't a coincidence

In 1976, the Washington D.C. City Council passed a law generally prohibiting residents from owning handguns and required all firearms in private homes to be rendered temporarily inoperable.
From then until 2008, when the Supreme Court ruled this law unconstitutional, there was a 73% increase in murders in Washington D.C.
Since 2008 there has been a drastic decrease in crime rates and murder in Washington D.C.
There have been many studies into gun control and right-to-carry laws however none have found conclusively whether one or the other prevents crime with a firearm
Right-to-carry laws are made on this basic principal that if you are a criminal and want to commit a crime, there is a good chance your victim, or just a bystander is also carrying a weapon which would make any criminal think twice.
Gun Control argues that the less legally owned firearms, the harder it is for a criminal to get their hands on a gun, which is rarely the case, if someone is going to commit a crime with a firearm they will usually find a way to get their hands on a firearm somehow. Rarely are crimes with a gun committed with a legally owned firearm.