Obama stands firm on gun control despite long odds

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — President Barack Obama declared Monday on his first trip outside Washington to promote gun control that a consensus is emerging for universal background checks for purchasers, though he conceded a tough road lay ahead to pass an assault weapons ban over formidable opposition in Congress.

“We should restore the ban on military-style assault weapons and a 10-round limit for magazines,” Obama said in a brief speech, standing firm on his full package on gun-control measures despite long odds. Such a ban “deserves a vote in Congress because weapons of war have no place on our streets or in our schools or threatening our law enforcement officers.”

The president spoke from a special police operations center in a city once known to some as “Murderapolis” but where gun violence has dropped amid a push to address it from city leaders. Officers stood behind him, dressed in crisp uniforms of blue, white and brown.

The site conveyed Obama’s message that a reduction in violence can be achieved nationally, even if Americans have sharp disagreements over gun control. That includes among members of his own party in Washington.

Suggesting he won’t get all he’s proposing, he said, “We don’t have to agree on everything to agree it’s time to do something.”

The president unveiled his gun-control plans last month after the shootings at a Newtown, Conn., elementary school. But many of the proposals face tough opposition from some in Congress and from the National Rifle Association.

Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has said he wants to give the bans on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines a vote. But he will not say whether he will support either, and advocates and opponents alike predict they are unlikely to pass.

Putting the controversial measures up for a vote could put some Democratic senators in a tough spot. That includes some from conservative-leaning states who are up for re-election next year and face the prospect of voting against either fervent gun-rights supporters or Obama and gun-control supporters in the party’s base.

Reid himself came in for criticism for declining to stand with the president by Minneapolis’ Democratic mayor, R.T. Rybak, who accompanied Obama while he was in town. “He’s dancing around this issue and people are dying in this country,” Rybak said of Reid on MSNBC.

Democratic lawmakers and aides, as well as lobbyists, say an assault weapons ban has the least chance of being approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee that is working up the legislation. They say a ban on high-capacity magazines is viewed as the next least likely proposal to survive, though some compromised version of it might, allowing more than the 10-round maximum that Obama favors.

Likeliest to be included are universal background checks and prohibitions against gun trafficking, they say. One lobbyist said other possible terms include steps to improve record keeping on resales of guns and perhaps provisions that would make it harder for mentally ill people from obtaining firearms.

Obama was more upbeat on the prospects of universal background checks, including for purchases at gun shows.

“The good news is that we’re starting to see a consensus emerge about the action Congress needs to take,” he said. “The vast majority of Americans, including a majority of gun owners, support requiring criminal background checks for anyone trying to buy a gun. There’s no reason why we can’t get that done.”

He urged Americans to call their members of Congress to push for his entire package of stronger gun controls.

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More like this story

payup 3 months, 2 weeks ago

"A well regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed. "

What is so hard to understand about this?

dixiesuzan 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Missouri Constitution --Article I ---BILL OF RIGHTS Section 23. That the right of every citizen to keep and bear arms in defense of his home, person and property, or when lawfully summoned in aid of the civil power, shall not be questioned; but this shall not justify the wearing of concealed weapons.-----

So who is questioning???

payup 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Anyone who would put the right to keep and or bear firearms weather through debate or put to a vote is questioning. It clearly states 'shall not be infringed'. I am fed up with the whole idea. It is a very slippery slope to start down.

spelchek 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Again, why isn't he stopping in Chicago to tout all it's restrictive gun law successes? The man is not to be trusted. How 'bout that contracting economy?

payup 3 months, 2 weeks ago

A large majority of the population is woefully uninformed on what is really going on and the actual state of the Union. What small amout of information most get between going to work, fixing dinner and taking care of the kids before going to bed is usually the result of the world news from onr of the 3 'news channels' who reports everything as biased and TMZ.. go figure. Why would he want to bring up a major failure from his own home state. This way only a small percentage even knows.

connor 3 months, 2 weeks ago

I love how the Constitutional minded main stream opinion people are coming out and commenting now. The numbers of Conservative posters has increased dramatically the last few months. For far too long only the Lefty Liberal feminist goons commented in public forums such as this one, which made the more reserved, reasonable opinions you see coming fromt he Right appear to be in the minority.

Not so anymore!!!

The Liberal/Feminist have pushed and pushed and now the backlash is building.

Paroquet 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Uh, huh. And that's why we have a democratic Gov, a black, liberal, pro-fem POTUS, divided National congress, and a "conservative" slanted SCOTUS.

The "conservative" backlash will eat itself. The TPers already demonstrated that, or weren't you paying the attention bill?

We're in a time that both parties need to tread very carefully. Woe to those that don't, because they'll be in the limelight at lightspeed.

Seen much action out of our Conservative Republican dominated, veto-proof house majority in Missouri? I would that they had your gusto. What they are suffering is aftershock, as in "oh crud. it's all on us, huh? we better be careful..."

And that would be why they haven't gone all yippee-ki-yay and put in motion all sort of "conservative" intrusions aligned with big business exemptions.

Or, did you have another reason they've been so quiet in their veto-proof majority where they can force their agenda with nigh utter impunity?

They're scared. That's good.

connor 3 months, 2 weeks ago

They haven't put forth any "Conservative intrusions" because they are a myth cooked up by your typical Cleftwing scare tactic, emotion driven, racist Liberals. They do have a bill in play to nullify any gun control executive orders out of Obummer's regime though. Which is good.

No, Missouri is pretty much conflict free actually because it is strongly Conservative as was apparent from the exit polls this time around. I know the Liberal's cannot grasp this but there is no point in fixing or upsetting something that isn't broken.

I think it is great that the Conservatives are now coming out and making comments it shows the movement and backlash is growing. The bear is awakening.

online_editor 3 months, 2 weeks ago

I removed a comment that included a personal insult aimed at another participant, but please feel free to repost any issue-oriented points minus that. Thanks. --Rick Brown, online editor, News Tribune

clingingredneck 3 months, 2 weeks ago

So basically, they want to disarm law abiding citizens and turn us into Chicago. Yeah, that's not gonna happen. If you take my guns away I will become a criminal and just not tell you that I have them. How's that for a counter agenda? This man is leading us to a second civil war. When do the secessions start? I want to move to those states.

JCLifer 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Why not also take our cars away from us because some folks drive under the influence? Same thing with guns- you want to control and limit our guns just because a few nutcases go on shooting sprees? Better double-check: Most of those nutcase mass murderers are DEMOCRATS and LIBERALS. Take the guns away from all liberals would be more effective than taking them away from everyone.

Since when did we decide to ignore the constitution anyway?

Rbreb13 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Gun control is like trying to reduce drunk driving by making it tougher for sober people to own cars!

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