Obama invoked the memory of Martin Luther King as he outlined a raft of executive measures to regulate gun sales and curb illicit purchases, bypassing opposition from Congress.
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“He is exercising his responsibility by using the executive authority to ensure all gun dealers are licensed no matter where they conduct their business, run background checks for people trying to buy some of the most risky weapons, and dedicate more resources to improve our mental health system”, Levin said in a statement.
To lend a personal face to the issue, the White House assembled a cross-section of Americans whose lives were altered by the nation’s most searing recent gun tragedies, including former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and relatives of victims from Charleston, South Carolina, at Virginia Tech.
“Having lived in Chicago for nearly 12 years with dozens dying every week from guns, I would argue we have a crisis in gun violence”, Nicholas said.
An emotional President Obama made a plea Tuesday morning as he announced executive orders aimed at stricter gun laws.
“I have never seen the president more frustrated by the inability of Congress to take reasonable steps to protect people from having to go through what those families went through”, said Jarrett.
Obama said the right to peaceful assembly was robbed from moviegoers in Aurora and Lafayette.
It is hugely important that he is taking action on one of the most intractable issues in American life. The measures will also increase the enforcement of existing gun laws, increase mental health treatment and expand research into gun safety technology.
“Because gun violence is committed by criminals and criminals don’t care what the law is”, Rubio said.
“No president should be able to reverse legislative failure by executive fiat, not even incrementally”, Ryan said.
“Every time I think about those kids [killed at Sandy Hook Elementary], it gets me mad”, he said, wiping away a tear. And Congress, submitting to the uncompromising line of the National Rifle Association, did nothing.
Still, Obama’s action is expected to require hundreds more background checks per year.
Brackeen said he does support the idea of expanding gun sale background checks to include sales at gun shows. Congress will be providing vigilant oversight of the President’s actions and holding him accountable wherever possible.
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Among a few illustrations he provided was, “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?”
