Issue Position: Gun Control

Issue Position

Gun Control

Our country has an enormous problem with gun violence. Every day, 48 children and teens are shot, seven of whom die and 41 of whom are injured, often severely and for life. Add in adults shot by guns and we're talking almost 300 shootings of Americans day in and day out across our country. Of these, a total of 89 die.

We are now well attuned to the near daily bombings in Iraq. Our 300 daily casualties from guns is no different from a huge daily bombing occurring in a major city of the United States. Imagine, if you would, a daily Boston Marathon bombing. That bombing killed 3 people and injured 264. What we are experiencing every day across the country from guns is the equivalent of this horrific episode, actually far worse since it involves so many more deaths.

Whether you are a member of the National Rifleman's Association (NRA) or not, you need to admit that America has to do something major to reduce gun violence. The problem is not, however, the legitimate ownership and use of guns by sportsmen and sportswomen. The problem is permitting guns to fall into the hands of criminals, terrorists, the mentally deranged and children.

I think it's time for the NRA to help us formulate a new gun policy that stops the carnage. As President, I would work with the NRA to achieve such a policy -- a policy that does not undermine the Second Amendment.

The Second Amendment, which I strongly support, clearly protects our right to bear arms. But does it permit us to own tanks and drive them around town or, for that matter, jet fighters? The founders had no idea that man would ever fly. Consequently, the Second Amendment is not going to help us resolve the right to own and operate an F-17. As a society, we've drawn lines as to which guns (broadly defined to include anything that delivers munitions) are and are not covered by the Second Amendment. F-17s are out and hunting rifles are in. I'd lump semi-automatic assault rifles together with F-17s.

The point is that each "gun" needs to be considered on a one-off basis to determine whether or not it represents a grave threat to society if possessed by a criminal, a terrorist or a lunatic -- a threat that overrides its recreational value and value as a legitimate means of self-defense.

The question of what weapons should be legalized for private use should and can be separated from the question of whether a given person should receive a permit to own and operate particular legal weapons. No one, not the most ardent Second Amendment advocate, would argue that those convicted of a violent crime should have a right to bear arms.

I believe we should be extremely careful to conduct thorough background checks prior to issuing gun permits. We need to make the instant background check fail proof and fully enforce the background check system. Gun sellers that fail to use the system should be legally prosecuted. The gun-show loophole needs to end immediately, and straw man purchases of weapons needs to be a federal crime. I'd also ban semi-automatic assault weapons and come up with a system to prevent the mentally ill from purchasing guns. Finally, I'd require thumb print trigger locks to prevent the theft and use of guns and dramatically limit accidental gun deaths. But all this said, I'd begin the discussion of new gun legislation with the NRA and challenge that organization to come forward and help the country stop the daily gun carnage that is threatening their own children as well as everyone else's.

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