W.H. readies 19 executive actions on guns

[ChopperDoc]

Biden: W.H. readies 19 executive actions on guns
By: Reid J. Epstein
January 14, 2013 06:49 PM EST

The White House has identified 19 executive actions for President Barack Obama to move unilaterally on gun control, Vice President Joe Biden told a group of House Democrats on Monday, the administration’s first definitive statements about its response to last month’s mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Later this week, Obama will formally announce his proposals to reduce gun violence, which are expected to include renewal of the assault weapons ban, universal background checks and prohibition of high-capacity magazine clips. But Biden, who has been leading Obama’s task force on the response, spent two hours briefing a small group of sympathetic House Democrats on the road ahead in the latest White House outreach to invested groups.

(Also on POLITICO: Rep. Stockman threatens Obama impeachment over guns)

The focus on executive orders is the result of the White House and other Democrats acknowledging the political difficulty of enacting any new gun legislation, a topic Biden did not address in Monday’s meeting.

The executive actions could include giving the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention authority to conduct national research on guns, more aggressive enforcement of existing gun laws and pushing for wider sharing of existing gun databases among federal and state agencies, members of Congress in the meeting said.

(Also on POLITICO: NRA releases shooting game for ages 4+)

“It was all focusing on enforcing existing law, administering things like improving the background database, things like that that do not involve a change in the law but enforcing and making sure that the present law is administered as well as possible,” said Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.).

The White House declined to comment on the details of what Obama will propose.

(Also on POLITICO: Poll: Gun background checks wanted)

But Biden did indicate that the remains of the Obama campaign apparatus may be activated in the effort.

“He said that this has been a real focus on the policy and that the politics of this issue, that a strategy on the politics of the issue hasn’t been undertaken yet,” Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) told POLITICO. “He did remind us that the campaign infrastructure is still accessible.”

Biden did not address two of the more significant issues in the gun debate: the appointment of a permanent director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the role violent images in the entertainment industry play in the nation’s gun violence.

Obama touched on his expected legislative guns agenda at his own news conference in the East Room on Monday, while stressing the power he has via executive order.

“How we are gathering data, for example, on guns that fall into the hands of criminals, and how we track that more effectively — there may be some steps that we can take administratively as opposed through legislation,” Obama said.

Even Democrats who back gun control concede that reinstating an assault weapons ban — the 1994 law expired in 2004 — will be a heavy lift for the White House. During his meeting with gun-rights groups last week, Biden mentioned only an assault weapons ban when telling the NRA and other organizations that Obama has “made up his mind” to support it.

“I think everybody acknowledges that the assault weapons ban is a challenge, but other things — like the size of the magazines, the background checks, straw purchases — are all things that have a good chance of passing,” Scott said.

Speier said she told Biden the White House should do as much as it can on its own.

“I urged him to do as much by executive order as possible,” she said. “Frankly, I don’t have a lot of confidence that this Congress is going to do anything significant.”

And Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), the chairman of the House Democrats’ Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, said the magazine ban and universal background checks would be far more effective than an assault weapons ban without the political cost.

“Probably the most recognizable thing you can say in this debate is ban assault weapons,” Thompson said. “But the other two issues” — forbidding high-capacity ammunition magazines and requiring universal background checks for gun purchases — “those two things have more impact on making our neighborhoods safe than everything else combined. Anytime you try and prohibit what kind of gun people has it generates some concern.”

Biden’s personal gun violence outreach now includes the families of the 26 victims of the Dec. 14 school massacre in Newtown, Conn. Biden told the Monday meeting that he’s been reaching out to the families. A White House official confirmed the vice president has been in touch directly with some of the families.

“The vice president mentioned that he has called every one of the families that has lost children in Connecticut, and that the conversations have lasted no less than 45 minutes,” Speier said.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article misidentified one of the gun violence reduction measures supported by Rep. Thompson.

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/01/b ... 86187.html

[Bama]

"There goes the neighborhood."

[JustShootIt]

Yep ^

Kind of what we have expected all along.....probably a little worse than most thought initially.

How they are going to get away with it....1) We are only banning "assault weapons" Meanwhile, a Ruger 10/22 classifies as such...along with just about anything else with detachable magazine. 2) They will make it "easier" to track weapon purchases...ie...National Registry of all weapons.

While I consider myself a pessimist, I don't see how this ends good.

[Wyldman]

I hope he is ready for a big "FUCK YOU" from a lot of people.

[ChopperDoc]

I hope he is ready for a big "FUCK YOU" from a lot of people.

Obama quote: "Will there be resistance? Absolutely"

Sounds like he is counting on it.

[guncrank1]

It is going to be tough on gun dealers again.

[KYgundude]

Relax guys. They are only going to ban guns with barrels.

[325MOUTguru]

I am afraid before long gents we may have to water the tree.

[jackalo626]

If you don't live for something, you'll die for nothing.

[Tyler]

I hope he is ready for a big "FUCK YOU" from a lot of people.

Unfortunately, I think most will be pacified by not having their guns directly threatened. This is classic incrementalism at work. They'll make you think something terrible will happen and when what actually takes place is only kinda shitty in comparison to what you expected, the response is mediocre at best.

Water the tree over magazines, justified or not, and you'll be another Ruby Ridge and soon found on a History Channel special about domestic terrorism.

Options: Obedience, civil disobedience and violent rejection of unjust laws.

Results: Loss of Liberty, possible/probable imprisonment, death and a smear campaign.


If your conscience is clean, you're prepared for the consequences and you believe the cause is just, grab a garden hose.

[nemo]

I am afraid before long gents we may have to water the tree.

"God forbid we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion.
The people cannot be all, and always, well informed. The part which is
wrong will be discontented, in proportion to the importance of the facts
they misconceive. If they remain quiet under such misconceptions,
it is lethargy, the forerunner of death to the public liberty. ...
And what country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not
warned from time to time, that this people preserve the spirit of
resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as
to the facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost
in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from
time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
It is its natural manure."

Thomas Jefferson

[Mike]

And now there will be more unreported STOLEN guns on the street because people will be scared to report their guns stolen that they didn't register under these new laws coming down the pipes. So criminals(who we all agree don't give a damn about what this dicktater is doing)will have a better way to fuel their crimes. Legal citizens will be turned into criminals and more guns will be on the streets in the wrong hands. Here we go!

Just what we need, more bullshit laws to crowd our justice system which is already overcrowded with bullshit!

[WLJ]

And just think, he hasn't even started his next 4 years.

[Laurino]

And just think, he hasn't even started his next 4 years.

This. I do believe we are all fucked either way.

[Looksdeadtome]

And just think, he hasn't even started his next 4 years.

This. I do believe we are all fucked either way.

I have said since day one we would find out his true agenda on his second term.

[kokopelli]

I am afraid before long gents we may have to water the tree.

yep. just as well, I wasn't doing anything anyway...

[Harb]

I am afraid before long gents we may have to water the tree.

yep. just as well, I wasn't doing anything anyway...

Well, I am! Heck, the semester just started.

Keep in mind, things always spread from a source. After Ft. Sumpter, there wasn't a major battle until Bull Run. Things might happen a little faster, given the speed that information/speculation/fear/panic/all-out shenanigans are exchanged, but I wouldn't expect anyone's home town to be in flames by the end of the week.