[Corrie22]

Originally Posted by Tominftl

With a majority of Republicans calling the shots, nothing meaningful will be done. Sure, they will do some minor things. If you want a meaningful outcome you need to get the Republicans out....

oh the irony...someone just two posts above yours mentioned short attention spans

Tell me again, who managed to pass Obamacare?

[Dd714]

Originally Posted by dfwuno

I am positive the number of those 224 that were saved due to guns were not assault weapons. A fraction if that and I am positive the number is much lower than the number slaughtered with assault weapons every year. When someone you love or know is a statistic maybe you will see the light. Maybe not.

The problem is the term "assault weapon" is a media created term. No one can really define what an assault weapon is so you have politicians that made up stuff like "those weapons having a bayonet lug", etc. Gun manufacturers simply removed those features and presented the same gun to the public during the assault weapons ban, which by the way did nothing to reduce gun violence.

But, regardless of this, long guns (rifles including what many describe as "assault weapons") are almost never used in crimes or murders. Handguns by far are the number one contributor to gun violence. The exception are these mass shooting where the AR15 variants are becoming the weapon of choice. Why? Not sure, they are no more lethal really than other semiautomatic firearms or shotguns when used in close confines. But they have become the nutcase weapon along with the combat vests (which the press always misinterprets as "bullet proof vests"), combat boots, bayonets, the whole gear. These are copycat crimes.

But regardless, these mass shooting are, sadly, statistically insignificant when considering the entire gun violence rate. Obviously it gets lots of media attention and is an emotional issue. But the murder rates in some urban centers, you have a casualty count with cheap handguns adding up every few days which far exceed the Parkland shooting death count.

[phlinak]

Originally Posted by BeachBum87

I don't think it will change anybody's mind, but it will mobilize and energize the crowd who wanted to ban guns all along.

Couple points though, we as a state had some high profile shootings. The Pulse massacre and then the shooting at FLL airport. In the case of the shooting at FLL, I had literally arrived in FLL 2 days before, so it hit close to home (I use FLL almost as much as I use MIA).

But, even then, hasn't changed my mind. I believe firearms should be legal. All the half-measures proposed (federal background checks) won't make a dent in these mass shootings so I'm not sure why they're being proposed. It's either all or nothing. We decide to ban guns and seriously enforce it, or we understand it's an essential liberty and live with the psychos who abuse it. I'm in the latter camp.

That is a very laissez-faire attitude to have until one day, it may be you and/or yours that gets senselessly gunned down.

Maybe then, you may realize it could have been completely avoidable but for the greed and cowardice of those political representatives who choose to accept NRA blood money and send their "thoughts and prayers" to victims of mass shootings, instead of taking legislative action that may prevent future massacres and preserve the lives, limbs, and mental health of their constituents.

[BeachBum87]

Originally Posted by phlinak

That is a very laissez-faire attitude to have until one day, it may be you and/or yours that gets senselessly gunned down.

Maybe then, you may realize it could have been completely avoidable but for the greed and cowardice of those political representatives who choose to accept NRA blood money and send their "thoughts and prayers" to victims of mass shootings, instead of taking legislative action that may prevent future massacres and preserve the lives, limbs, and mental health of their constituents.

So you are for banning alcohol?

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by phlinak

That is a very laissez-faire attitude to have until one day, it may be you and/or yours that gets senselessly gunned down.

Maybe then, you may realize it could have been completely avoidable but for the greed and cowardice of those political representatives who choose to accept NRA blood money and send their "thoughts and prayers" to victims of mass shootings, instead of taking legislative action that may prevent future massacres and preserve the lives, limbs, and mental health of their constituents.

There is no way to avoid it. There are millions upon millions of guns out there now and a huge number already in the hands of criminals. Banning the AR 15, not a gun I like, will not change it one bit. Note I am not a gun supporter and the only gun I own is an old BB gun sitting in a corner of my garage where it has been for over 8 years. I am a realist and the political sides are actually doing nothing to help; neither side, they just want votes and power.

The real problem is the culture we live in that promotes violence and self interest.

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by BeachBum87

I for one don't want to live in a society that bans alcohol in response to drunk driving just as I don't want to live in a society that bans firearms in response to a mass shooting event.

When we elect to live in a free society we have to come to terms that the freedoms will be abused.

I want to point out that mass shootings are on the rise, but access to guns is about the same. Why were there no mass shootings back in the 1950s? Gun laws were even less regulated (on a federal level) and statistics show more households had access to guns back in that time.

So it's not just access to guns, it's something else driving these this.

Originally Posted by bmw335xi

Deaths from DUIs is certainly a lot lot lot lot lot lot lot LOT higher than deaths from mass shootings though

It was a tongue in cheek comment.

Honestly, AR15s and similar weapons are really good at killing lots of people quickly.

It's a different animal than a shotgun or a small handgun which can be used for home defense.

Again, why should the AR be the easier gun to buy in fl?

Originally Posted by bmw335xi

OH I KNOW RIGHT, I mean I'm sure if Democrats controlled the White House and had a SUPER majority in both the Senate and Congress they would have made meaningful MAJOR changes... oh wait, they had this not too long ago... geee I wonder what happened Democratic politicians are all talk, even Republican ones too, but Trump has forced them to act, which is why he is such a great president.

Lol trump is making Russia great again. He refused to enforce sanctions against them and trashes the FBI all day on Twitter before he will say one bad thing about Putin.

He hasn't forced anyone to do anything. He's pretty much signed whatever the gop sends him.

He promised to repeal obamacare for years, but like the gop, he was fos and had nothing to show for it when push came to shove. He did rubber stamp a trillion+ deficit with the tax bill. It's funny how republicans turn into deficit loving liberals when they come to power.

Anyways, I don't see anything changing on the gun front as the long as the GOP is beholden to the NRA, although I do have hope with all of the marches and demonstrations that are gaining strength now

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by Corrie22

oh the irony...someone just two posts above yours mentioned short attention spans

Tell me again, who managed to pass Obamacare?

You mean the conservative idea of the individual mandate?

https://www.forbes.com/sites/theapot.../#299ad3816187

[dfwuno]

Originally Posted by expatCA

There is no way to avoid it. There are millions upon millions of guns out there now and a huge number already in the hands of criminals. Banning the AR 15, not a gun I like, will not change it one bit. Note I am not a gun supporter and the only gun I own is an old BB gun sitting in a corner of my garage where it has been for over 8 years. I am a realist and the political sides are actually doing nothing to help; neither side, they just want votes and power.

The real problem is the culture we live in that promotes violence and self interest.

If there was an assault weapon ban it would be a start. Could someone get one if they really wanted to.....yes but it would be harder and if there was a law regulating the transfer or sale of existing assault weapons it would help. Its a start. The FL shooter bought legally 12 guns in the past year. It can not be fixed in one year but there has to be a start. To do nothing would only result in more massacres.

[BBMW]

The SCOTUS has incorporated the 2nd Amendment (the McDonald decision.) This means it applies to all levels of government, not just the Feds. The 10th Amendment is not out of play with gun cases.

Originally Posted by chopchop0

I

Sounds like a 10th amendment (non) issue to me

[BBMW]

See below

Originally Posted by dfwuno

Cultures change and rules need to change with it.

No constitutional issue with this

Remember when children were dying in refrigerators.............rules were changed to make doors open from the inside.

No constitutional issue with this

Remember when auto deaths were sky high........rules were changed to require seat belts.

No constitutional issue with this (well, maybe. It would depend in IEDs are considered legitimate military weapons. This may not be the case, so I'll let it slide.

Remember when a nutjob made a fertilizer bomb and used it in OKC...........rules were changed to make it harder to buy ammonium nitrate.

No constitutional issue with this

Remember when a nutjob tried to blow up an airplane with a shoe bomb..........now we have to remove shoes at the airport.

Remember when nutjobs used assault guns to kill people at concerts, churches and schools........we tried to use thoughts and prayers to make it stop but for some reason it has not.

There is absolutely a constitutional issue with this. These types of weapons should be protected by the Second Amendment if it is interpreted as it was intended by the people who wrote it.

Banning assault guns is not an infringement of the Second Amendment