We the People. The Whitehouse on Gun Control

**Rick** · 05-24-2013, 06:19 PM

I am sharing a response I received this evening from the White House. It is not to incite a political discussion but to provide you with additional information, which you probably already know. Let's steer clear of the politics please.

Where We Agree and Where We Don't
Thanks for your petition. We don't believe that Senator Dianne Feinstein should be punished for championing legislation. In fact, we're going to continue to work with her and other likeminded Members of Congress to put in place commonsense reforms to reduce gun violence.
But we're willing to have a reasonable debate about the steps we should take to make the country safer for our kids.
And it actually seems like we're starting from a place of common agreement: Like many of you, President Obama believes that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to bear arms (he says so right here).
That's never been in question with this discussion. What we've proposed are steps within the framework of that constitutional right to protect our communities from shootings and violence. If you want to see the specifics of our plan, you should visit WhiteHouse.gov/NowIsTheTime.
Now generally, it's up to our courts to resolve matters of constitutionality. But no less an authority than Justice Antonin Scalia has written, "Like most rights, the Second Amendment right is not unlimited. It is not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose" -- so we're pretty confident that we're on solid ground when we say we support Senator Feinstein’s legislation to that effect.
We also believe that there's room for a civil discourse on matters of public policy -- where we don't try to silence our political opponents just because we disagree with them. In America, all of us, even those with whom you disagree, have the right to help to set our nation's course.
Which is exactly why we created the We the People platform. Even if you disagree with everything you just read, we want you to walk away from this process with knowledge that we're doing our best to listen -- even to our harshest critics.
Tell us what you think about this response and We the People.
Stay Connected
Stay connected to the White House by signing up for periodic email updates from President Obama and other senior administration officials.

**Ken** · 05-24-2013, 06:31 PM

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

**randyt** · 05-24-2013, 06:44 PM

Originally Posted by Ken

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

I like that, was searching for a Archie Bunker toilet flushing link but this one will do.

**Highhawk1948** · 05-24-2013, 06:47 PM

Sounds like bunk to me.

**canid** · 05-24-2013, 06:55 PM

All I got from all that was "We want you to walk away from this process".

**Cast-Iron** · 05-24-2013, 07:27 PM

I wish they redirect their efforts to criminal control instead of gun control. I think most folks feel if they'd just enforce the existing laws, and perhaps require stiffer and/or mandatory sentences for violent offenders, we could eliminate a substantial part of the problem.

**hunter63** · 05-24-2013, 07:41 PM

Sounds like a "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah....now move along citizen....nothing to see here."

**bacpacker** · 05-24-2013, 09:25 PM

My BULL**** meter just pegged!

**BENESSE** · 05-24-2013, 11:39 PM

Considering their track record, I'm not buying.
Blah, blah blah, and more blah.

**crashdive123** · 05-25-2013, 07:16 AM

The troubling thing is that I believe them when they say they will continue to work with Senator Feinstein.

**Sourdough** · 05-25-2013, 10:47 AM

I for one hope they keep pushing this firearms agenda aggressively. Just keep pushing and shoving to Get'R-done........I hope they keep at it for the rest of his term.

**WolfVanZandt** · 05-25-2013, 12:54 PM

Politicians specialize in the workings of government and diplomacy (how to convince other people to do what you want them to do). They're not doctors, meteorologists, physicists, astronauts, etc., etc. and they have to make decisions regarding all these issues based mainly on what we tell them (and what we tell them we want). And, honestly, I haven't been terribly impressed by the apparent IQ of the typical politician for a long time. I don't fault them. I think they are honestly trying to do what's right in an incredibly complicated field under incredible conditions of incompetence. I wouldn't want to be in their shoes.

Even though I think they're leading us down the tube, and a very significant proportion of us are marching in right after them, I don't hate them. It's just a sign of the times.

**LowKey** · 05-25-2013, 02:02 PM

With very few exceptions, I don't think they are trying to "do what's right".
They are trying to "do what gets them re-elected".

Not enough of them thought they could get re-elected if they supported the last round of gun control. Either that, or for once, most of them read what was actually in that manchin-toomey amendment. There was a lot there for both sides to hate.

We can only hope it doesn't come up like the Obamacare repeal. 37 times and counting on that? As much as I dislike the Obamacare plan, bringing something up for vote 37 times is uncalled for. If there was a limit on crap like that, the votes might mean more.

As for gun control, I think they got that part down already. I have not seen any handgun ammo out there for about a month now. It's digusting. I was going to do an Appleseed this spring but don't want to forego the 500 or so rounds. Lots of competitions either low fielded or cancelled. Not seeing much of a dent in crime though...

**WolfVanZandt** · 05-25-2013, 03:38 PM

"With very few exceptions, I don't think they are trying to "do what's right".
They are trying to "do what gets them re-elected"."

Well, yes, I'll back up and agree with you there. But I think there's probably a mixture. Sociopaths are still rather uncommon and I would be surprised if a majority of politicians had no conscious at all.

But I also think you're right - a lot of the stupid things politicians are doing, they're doing because they think we want them to and there's a lot of people out there that makes that assumption very plausible.

Mostly, I agree with the people I find on this board, but I don't think we make a philosophical majority. I think most people out there are pretty much okay with what's going on in Washington D.C. and their state capitals.

**canid** · 05-25-2013, 05:10 PM

Or not upset with it to discuss it loudly. Our particular collective breed, though diverse, tends to be a vocal one.

**Rick** · 05-25-2013, 06:57 PM

If they vote to repeal Obamacare 63 times it will just keep them from actually passing something else that we don't need. Let them burn their time on the frivolous.

**LowKey** · 05-26-2013, 07:03 AM

You have a point there, Rick.

**crashdive123** · 05-26-2013, 09:20 AM

The less time Congress spends on "fixing" things for us, the better off we are.

**WolfVanZandt** · 05-26-2013, 02:52 PM

Aye, Washington is the original "pointy haired boss" (with apologies to Dilbert). You don't ever want to ask them their opinion about how something should be done.