In late December, following the Sandy Hook School shootings, President Obama ordered Vice President Biden to form and head a gun violence task force. He also demanded that a proposal be submitted to his office no later than the end of January. The president further stated that simply ‘doing nothing’ would not be acceptable in the wake of the latest gun related tragedy; the forth to take place during his presidency. Damn the time-line, the president wanted action!
Joe Biden has been diligent in his assigned task as demonstrated by Thursday’s meeting with the N.R.A. and other gun advocacy groups, manufacturers, and retail distributors.
But that’s not good enough for Obama who is now threatening possible executive action. Or, is that simply Biden’s read on the situation?
As reported Thursday by NBC News, the N.R.A. was “disappointed” with the White House meeting, and that the president was intent on punishing all law abiding gun owners.
“We will not allow law-abiding gun owners to be blamed for the acts of a few outlaws and madmen,” wrote the NRA following the meeting with Biden.
Granted, the gun debate in the U.S. is a heated one with no easy answers. In a nation where freedom of choice is a cornerstone of the Constitution, the second amendment," the right to own and bear arms,"is a support beam.
Opinion: As a law-abiding gun owner, I take exception to the president invoking “executive action.”
For me it has very little to do with my personal right under the constitution to bear arms. After all, I’m not a well-organized militia, nor do I necessarily consider my federal government to be tyrannical (yet.) I do believe in my god given right and responsibility to protect self and family. But I stop short at stock piling thousands of rounds of ammunition, and multiple high velocity weapons to do so.
However, what does concern this Examiner is an elected official that believes he has the right to press his will on the citizenry. An example of the president’s chicanery is the much too recent “fiscal cliff” fiasco. Which in the end, apparently had much more to do with oppositional party busting, than the much touted fiscal disaster that would plunge the nation and the world into yet another recessionary cycle.
After all, taxes did increase for most tax payers, concessionary adjustments were made to so-called entitlements, and addressing the major issues was simple delayed for 60 days. It turned out that the much touted, media enabled, presidential press fest, was just that; a power play between Obama and Speaker John Boehner.
As of today it would appear that Barack Obama is in danger of being labeled a political bully. And while it is good to be King, there is a measurable difference between royal title and the Executive.
Granted, semiautomatic assault rifles are not designed for plinking, hunting, or general sport shooting. But as with all issues dear to the constituency, this issue should be left to collective will of the American majority, not the forced will of the Federal President.
While I and others will grieve for those lost to gun violence, I will not surrender my property or arms in compliance to executive order, Nor will the 100 million + gun owners in the United States.
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