14 Ways Obama Can Push Gun Control Without Congress

[Lakhota]

By Tim Murphy and Adam Serwer

By Thursday afternoon, it was clear that Vice President Joe Biden's charms weren't going to be enough to persuade the National Rifle Association to get on board with gun control legislation. Following a 95-minute summit at the White House, the NRA issued a curt press release vowing never to surrender. "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," the organization said. Instead, the nation's leading gun group pledged to take its "commitment and meaningful contributions" to Congress.

Fortunately for the White House, there's a Plan B. Just one day earlier, Biden signaled that the White House might take unilateral steps on gun control, noting "there are executive orders, executive action that can be taken." What those steps were, Biden wouldn't say. But we've got a pretty good idea. Here are 14 proposals, all endorsed by leading gun control advocates—and in some cases, even the NRA—that the White House and its subordinate agencies could push through on their own:

DETAILS: 14 Ways Obama Can Push Gun Control Without Congress | Mother Jones

 

[Oddball]

Nothing like the left rooting for their Dear Leader to act like a fascist tyrant.

 

[AmericanFirst]

Yep, and I am sure the socialist puke in chief will try it.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

I can live with all but number 14.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Raise your right hand if you believe American gun laws are too lax

 

[CrusaderFrank]

15. Stop giving guns to Mexican drug gangs

 

[Lakhota]

I can live with all but number 14.

Okay, but I find number 14 easy to live with.

14. Enforce the 1968 Gun Control Act: This landmark legislation, endorsed at the time by the NRA, gives President Obama the authority to prohibit the importation of certain kinds of assault weapons, including the AK-47. He just hasn't done so. As Kristen Rand, legislative director for the Violence Policy Center, points out, "Similar action on assault rifles was taken by the George H.W. Bush and Clinton Administrations." Rand specifically points to the "Draco," a Romanian AK-47 you can see in action below (warning: Rammstein):

AK Draco 7.62x39 - YouTube

 

[Jarlaxle]

#3 is, at best, impractical.

 

[Mad Scientist]

13. Create DOJ Unit to track Interstate weapons trafficking.

How did the DOJ do in the intercountry weapons tracking area?

 

[Mad Scientist]

Using ObamaCare as cover, label ALL gun owners as "crazy" and confiscate their weapons.

 

[LordBrownTrout]

Sig heil.

 

[RoadVirus]

15. Stop giving guns to Mexican drug gangs

Oh no..THAT'S allowed, but only with oversight by authorized members of the Obama Administration (and the files, sealed with a presidential Executive Order).

 

[Mad Scientist]

I can live with all but number 14.

How can you live with ANY of them?

 

[RetiredGySgt]

I can live with all but number 14.

How can you live with ANY of them?

None of them violate the second as we understand it. Did you read them? Only the 14th is offensive because it seeks to deny access to weapons.

 

[Lakhota]

NYT: Obama To Lay Out 19 Potential Executive Orders On Gun Control

 

[Lakhota]

Gun Control Poll Finds Broad, Even Bipartisan, Support For Some Limits

 

[Trakar]

By Tim Murphy and Adam Serwer

DETAILS: 14 Ways Obama Can Push Gun Control Without Congress | Mother Jones

Interesting. While I, personally, am very cautious and generally reject most gun registration and licensing legislation (except for most handguns and many combat style rifles), I find very little in these proposals that I'd argue against or actively work against. I have a fairly substantial utilitarian collection of rifles and shotguns but I don't see anything in these 14 points that I would find particularly troubling. Giving my understanding of current HIPAA Laws, however, the mental health lists and checks could prove extremely problematic.

Of course, I'd like to see exactly what Biden's list looks like in its specifics, and how much it varies and deviates from this reporter's speculations before I could offer any endorsement or rejection.

 

[PaulS1950]

Of the 14 listed there are two that he could do and one more that he might be able to get away with depending on the way the 1968 GCA has been re-written since 1968.

 

[PaulS1950]

Gun Control Poll Finds Broad, Even Bipartisan, Support For Some Limits

All licensed dealer must already perform background checks for all gun sales - whether or not they are sold at gun shows.

The law already prohibits the legally insane from owning, operating or controlling any gun.

Semi-automatic weapons are protected by the second amendment - a supreme court ruling.

Assault weapons are full auto and are class three weapons that can be purchased by anyone with a transfer tax stamp.

High capacity clip is a misnomer - the 30 round clip (magazine) is the standard size for the AR-15. Many pistols and rifles have standard magazines larger than 10 rounds.

And we can ban internet free speech along with the sale of ammunition over the internet.

The others I can see might make a difference in crime but we certianly don't need more laws - they don't enforce the 2000+ that we have now.

 

[Godboy]

Obama is going to be despised enough as it is for his failed economy and that god awful Obamacare. Do you really want him to trash the constitution by taking away the 2nd amendment too? Even Obama isnt that stupid.