After a stream of Second Amendment victories across the country in recent years the tide may be turning as gun control politicians find alternative ways to push through new laws.
Recent high-profile mass shootings have given the gun control movement momentum. After the Islamic terrorist attack in San Bernardino on December 2 President Obama pounced on the opportunity to announce he would be proposing measures soon. Having failed to get Congress to pass any legislation after the Sandy Hook shootings in 2012 he has turned to unilateral executive actions instead. No major federal gun laws have been able to make it through Congress since the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban which was allowed to expire in 2004 arguably due to its lack of effectiveness.
On Tuesday the president announced four new executive actions he is taking to control the sale of guns. (Heres an explanation of executive actions.)
One will require background checks for all private party firearm sales expanding them beyond purchases from federally-licensed dealers. Another will pour millions of dollars into the Department of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms for investigating firearm sales and enforcing existing laws. The third will prohibit more people with mental health issues from obtaining a firearm. Finally the government will sponsor research on smart gun technology" which for example would put biometric readers on guns to keep the wrong person from firing them. This could eventually be required on every firearm with the capability of remotely disabling them.
Read the rest of the article at The Stream
After a stream of Second Amendment victories across the country in recent years the tide may be turning as gun control politicians find alternative ways to push through new laws.
Recent high-profile mass shootings have given the gun control movement momentum. After the Islamic terrorist attack in San Bernardino on December 2 President Obama pounced on the opportunity to announce he would be proposing measures soon. Having failed to get Congress to pass any legislation after the Sandy Hook shootings in 2012 he has turned to unilateral executive actions instead. No major federal gun laws have been able to make it through Congress since the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban which was allowed to expire in 2004 arguably due to its lack of effectiveness.
On Tuesday the president announced four new executive actions he is taking to control the sale of guns. (Heres an explanation of executive actions.)
One will require background checks for all private party firearm sales expanding them beyond purchases from federally-licensed dealers. Another will pour millions of dollars into the Department of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms for investigating firearm sales and enforcing existing laws. The third will prohibit more people with mental health issues from obtaining a firearm. Finally the government will sponsor research on smart gun technology" which for example would put biometric readers on guns to keep the wrong person from firing them. This could eventually be required on every firearm with the capability of remotely disabling them.
Read the rest of the article at The Stream