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Town Hall Gun Talk Changes Minds
CNN’s Town Hall meeting with President Obama on the subject of guns in America was a snooze-fest. However, despite the event doing little to achieve common ground among the studio audience in attendance, national opinion suggests the country is ready for greater gun control.
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With the Republican-led Congress opposed to any and all changes on existing gun laws, President Obama said he will use executive action to strengthen gun safety. His plan includes better background checks, mental health treatment for those too challenged to own a gun, as well as forward thinking ideas on gun safety technology.
For years, the Republican Party and the NRA have propelled fears among gun owners that President Obama is coming to take their guns away (despite how impossible it would be to collect millions of guns from Alaska to Florida). So they say no to any executive actions, but the American public says yes.
According to a new CNN/ORC poll, 67% of Americans say they are in favor of the changes President Obama has proposed (which is up from 48%), while 32% oppose them (which is down from 51%). Plans to expand background checks to cover more gun purchases made online or at gun shows, as well as plans to make it easier for the FBI to complete background checks efficiently, has cut across party lines. Interestingly, 85% of Democrats, 65% of Independents and 51% of Republicans are in favor of Mr. Obama’s ideas.
This national response to the president’s executive action is surprising, particularly after the obvious disconnect among the live audience during the live Town Hall event.
President Obama is perhaps one of the greatest orators of our generation. However, the Commander-In-Chief appeared ill-prepared for the “no format” Town Hall discussion. He frequently stumbled over his statements, turned simple questions into professorial retorts and even seemed to outright avoid some questions. Despite being extended an invitation, the National Rifle Association (which is located less than 1 mile from the Town Hall studio) refused to attend and was a no-show. As for the studio audience, the evenly attended split between gun supporters and gun opponents were already cemented in their beliefs and unwilling to hear an alternate opinion. Needless to say, emotions were high.
PRESIDENT OBAMA CRIES OVER GUN VIOLENCE DEATHS
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Perhaps the greatest points of contention were how background checks will prevent criminals from obtaining guns illegally, and how unarmed Americans will be able to protect themselves when police are not there to do it for them. However, unless the country is willing to return to the days of the “Wild, Wild West” and are prepared for a string of shootouts, with guns blazing and bullets flying anywhere and at any time, something has to be done.
Most of the actions “are not controversial or problematic from a legal stand point,” according to John Malcolm of the conservative Heritage Foundation.
“Asking for additional resources from Congress is not controversial. Asking U.S. Attorneys to focus their prosecutorial resources on going after the worst of the worst is not controversial. Asking the FBI to try to improve the background check data system (NICS) is not only non-controversial it will be a very welcome thing,” Malcolm added.
As President Obama said, better background checks may not be THE answer, but at least it’s a start in the right direction.
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Good topic DJ and great assessment of the President's performance. . My response is in two parts. Part I First: I couldn't agree with DJ more. Pres. Obama "appeared "ill-prepared for the "no format" Town Hall discussion. He frequently stumbled over his statements, turned simple questions into professorial retorts and even seemed to outright avoid some questions." I don't question his heart (sincerity) on this issue. I do however, wish he had stepped up a lot sooner in his presidency and put forth real effort to tackle it by having several towhall meetings across the country over time (televised or not) in order to: 1. have open, and honest and substantive discussions about gun-violence in America. 2. increase public awareness of the actual cost..Human cost…to us as a society using current and credible data …i.e., as per the CD, in 2013, firearms were used in 84,258 gun-related Non-fatal injuries (26.65… Read more »