President Barack Obama proposes sweeping gun regulations he says will reduce gun violence. Obama wants universal background checks on all gun sales, and bans on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.
Jim Fendry, director of Wisconsin Pro-Gun Movement, says the president’s announcement wasn’t news to gun advocates. “The National Rifle Association has been warning its members for years that the Obama Administration has been planning exactly this; and they were just waiting for the good, emotional opportunity to be able to get it introduced and hopefully get enough votes to get it passed.”
The president cannot ban assault weapons — Congress needs to do that. However, Obama did sign 23 executive actions that don’t require congressional approval. He also said he could support a proposal to limit high-capacity gun magazines to 10 rounds per clip.
Fendry says none of Obama’s propositions does anything to protect anyone. “Not at all,” he says, “The background checks. Well, the only people that will obey that are law-abiding people who wish to obey the law and have nothing to conceal. The criminals will always be able to get guns — they won’t be able to walk into a store and buy one, but they’re available on the alternative market without limit.”
In making his announcement, Obama said, “If there’s even one life that can be saved, then we’ve got an obligation to try.”
This crackdown comes in the wake of the Newtown school massacre last month that left 26 individuals dead — 20 of whom were small children — plus the gunman.
AUDIO: Jackie Johnson report 1:49