Tuesday, October 8, 2013

National Debate On Gun Control Heats Up

By Cornelius Nunev


The controversy over the right to own guns is the most popular topic today, coast to coast. Gun buyers are heating up sales, fearing that they may not be able to purchase them in the future. Obama is considering using his executive order privilege to push 19 different firearm control actions through, should they not pass Congress. The Countrywide Rifle Association is attempting to block the administration. It is an organization that some believe is tied to the country's gun market, which generates $12 billion annually.

Firearm control actions being considered

With 10,037,110 background checks done in order to sell guns in 2011, there are still millions of people who bought guns without background checks. When there are private sales and gun shows, background checks are unnecessary. According to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, background checks never occur in about 40 percent of gun sales.

The 19 measures President Obama is considering could contain imposing stiffer penalties for those who lie on background checks or who traffic in guns, limiting the import of guns from overseas, and greater sharing and scrutiny of the mental health records of would-be gun buyers.

The President has already made it clear that he supports a ban on assault-style weapons and high-capacity clips, over which he will face an uphill battle with Congressional Republicans.

Support of guns

If President Obama takes an executive order on any of the measures, Rep. Steve Stockman from Texas promised to impeach him. There are many people who promise civil war if the administration takes the weapons. On top of that, many other firearm supporters are really against a push from the administration.

Stockman promises this because he said the move could be unconstitutional.

Official position of NRA

Obviously, the Countrywide Rifle Association is totally against further regulation in the sector. It believes that putting armed guards in front of all schools and looking more closely at video game violence is much more productive than attempting to regulate more. It is one of the biggest and most powerful lobbies in Washington D.C., and it has also responded to the gun tragedies in the nation.

The NRA states that its reason is to protect the second amendment rights of American citizens, and that it has no ties to the gun market. However, a recent comprehensive Huffington Post piece by Peter Dreier questions that with some pretty compelling data. The article indicated that the NRA's interest has always favored the gun sector over its rank-and-file contributing members.

Dreier said: "The NRA is ... primarily a corporate lobby group working on behalf of the gun and ammo manufacturers, similar to the trade associations that represent car manufacturers ... and other industries. All of them claim to do what's best for the consumers of their products ... but everyone knows that they primarily serve the interests of the corporations who fund and govern them."



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