Public+Policy+-+Gun+Policy


 * Gun Policy**

Jeff Daniels Gun policy As a gun owner, I believe every American should have the right to protect their family and their home through gun ownership. Guns serve as a deterrent for criminals. Someone is less likely to cause harm to a gun owner vs. someone that does not own a gun. Taking away gun rights does not make the world safer. It only empowers the criminals that do not follow gun laws anyway. The current administration has a long record for voting for gun laws. Barack Obama, during his years as a state and U.S. senator, has a voting record of being anti gun. Here are some examples of his past policies as a senator. He believes it is OK for states and cities to determine local gun laws, he endorsed a handgun ban across all of Illinois, he voted to only allow retired police officers to carry concealed weapons, he voted on a gun ban in inner cities, he voted on the renewal of the assault weapons ban, and he voted no on prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers. Vice President Joe Biden is also pro gun control. His past voting record in Congress was to keep assault weapons ban, close the gun show loophole, voted no on prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers for gun violence, and voted no on more penalties for gun and drug violations. Current congressional democrats currently do not see the same views as the president and vice president. For the past years, congressional democrats have been stigmatized as anti gun. The democrats would like to get away from this. Many national polls show that the majority of people in the United States are against limiting people’s rights to own a gun. One example of this is the passing of the law that allows people to carry loaded guns in National Parks and wildlife Refuges. This bill was a major win for pro gun advocates. One exception in the bill is that the bill will not apply to National Parks in the District of Washington DC. This is because the White House is a national park. Another gun policy that was on the judiciary stage about a year ago was the District of Columbia vs. Heller. This was the biggest legal case in 70 years over the right to bear arms. In 1975 the district of Columbia city council passed the fire arms control regulations act of 1975. This law banned residents from owning handguns and high capacity semi automatic firearms. The DC vs. Heller case challenged that act as a violation of our second amendment rights. This was a case where the Supreme Court said that the second amendment of the constitution protects individual’s rights to possess firearms for private use. It was the first time the Supreme Court directly address the “right to keep and bear arms is a right of individuals in addition to a collective right that applies only to state regulated militia” (Wikipedia). Currently there is not much legislation on gun policy in Congress right now. However, several house bills are going through committees. The first one is H.R. 17, the Citizens Self Defense Act of 2009. The summary of the bill says that any person that is not prohibited under the Brady handgun violence prevention act from receiving a fire arm has the right to own firearms for security and defense. It also classifies defense as defense of self or family against reasonably perceived threats and unlawful infliction of bodily harm, the defense of self or family from another person from committing a violent felony against people or members of the person’s family, and for any people’s rights that have been violated from this act can bring action in U.S. courts against the United States, any state or any person for damages. In essence you are allowed to protect your home and family when they are in imminent harm and if these rights are violated you have a right to sue. This bill was sponsored by Republican Roscoe Bartlett and has 19 cosponsors. It has been introduced and is in the process to be deliberated in a House Committee. Another bill introduced in the house is H.R. 197 National Right to Carry Reciprocity Act Of 2009. The summary of this bill will establish a national standard for the carrying of concealed firearms excluding machine gun or destructive devices by non residents. It authorizes a person with a valid permit to carry a concealed firearm in one state and who is not prohibited from carrying a firearm under Federal law in another state with restrictions Of That state. It pretty much says a person that has a concealed weapons permit in one state will be allowed to carry their weapon to another state unless that state has some type of restriction. This bill was sponsored by Republican Clifford Stearns of Florida. The bill has 138 cosponsors and is currently in a House Committee for deliberation. The last bill I am going to discuss is H.R. 495 the Southwest Border Violence Reduction Act of 2009. The violence down in Mexico has been on the news for a long time. Gangs are shipping drugs and guns across the Mexico United States border. They have also had trouble with gang assassinations and kidnapping along the border. This bill will direct the Attorney General to expand resources for the Project Gun Runner Initiative of the Bureau Of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms And Explosives. It will identify, investigate, and prosecute trafficking of firearms across the United States Mexico border. It will also provide ATF agents equipment and training to assess Mexican law enforcement officers in combating firearms trafficking and other criminal enterprises. This bill will add funding to the Bureau Of Alcohol Tobacco And Firearms to combat gun trafficking and help prosecute the gun runners. This bill was sponsored by Democrat Ciro Rodriguez of Texas. Currently the bill has four cosponsors. It has been introduced in the House and is currently in committee for deliberation. Gun policy is not currently at the fore front of Congress. Right now Congress is more worried about Health Care and the economy. Many people think the Obama administration will tackle gun control policies later in his term or in his second term if reelected.