Obama’s New Gun Control Policies: What Do They Mean Exactly?
Barack Obama’s recent announcement on tighter gun control legislation has been the topic of hot debate amongst politicians, celebrities, and the general public. According to a recent poll, most Americans are in support of the President’s recent actions on gun control, although the public is increasingly unsure of whether or not the new legislation will actually be effective. But what does his executive action on gun control actually mean for gun owners?
Obama’s new executive legislation includes 23 executive orders on gun control, all of which supercede actions of every other government authority. In a recent article, Forbes Magazine outlines the four main components of Obama’s gun control legislation.
The first main component is keeping guns out of the wrong hands by increasing background checks. The measure would ensure that gun sellers, including at gun shows and via the internet, would be licensed and conduct background checks prior to making a sale.
The second component of the new gun control legislation seeks to make communities safer from gun violence. While this part of the proposed action wouldn’t actually change any existing gun laws, it would urge law enforcement to enforce the existing laws.
The third portion of the proposed legislation targets politicians who tout mental health as the main reason for mass shootings. The new rules seek to increase mental health screening and reporting. Obama spoke about mental health to those who are trying to divert attention from gun control by saying, “”Here’s your chance to support these efforts. Put your money where your mouth is.”
The fourth measure in Obama’s gun control legislation aims to shape the future of gun safety technology.
Obama asked, “If we can set it up so you can’t unlock your phone unless you’ve got the right fingerprint, why can’t we do the same thing for our guns?”
To sum it up; the main components of Obama’s gun control legislation don’t change much for existing gun owners. The legislation does, however, change the process of purchasing a gun over the internet, from gun shows, and for people with known mental health issues.
The President’s actions to do something about gun violence have been applauded by many, as mass shootings continue to be part of everyday American news. Of course, not everyone is on board with the executive order, and Obama has been met with resistance from many conservatives and second amendment supporters.
In a CNN town hall moderated by Anderson Cooper, Obama came face to face with critics of his gun control legislation. The National Rifle Association was noticeably absent from the meeting, but surprisingly both sides of the political spectrum discussed their concerns about the gun control legislation in a civilized manner.
Democrat Senator, Chuck Schumer of New York, encouraged the NRA to get behind the executive order, “The NRA has uttered the phrase, ‘enforce the gun laws on the books,’ so many times that for them to oppose the hiring of sorely needed ATF agents would be like shooting their own stance in the foot.”
President Obama’s final State of the Union address will take place on January 12, and he intends to leave an empty seat next to his wife during the address to honor gun violence victims.
[Photo credit: Getty Images & Wikipedia]
