Are we going to see tighter restrictions on guns under an Obama presidency?

Great Debates
1

I have been a passionate believer in the second amendment even before I ever fired a gun for the first time. I am a fan of most of Obama’s politics. However, I do fear that if he is elected president, he will curb our second amendment rights - in the case of concealed carry, possibly very severely.

Here are the facts on Obama’s gun positions:

Supported the banning of all semi-automatics in Illinois.
Supported the Federal Assault Weapons bill.
Supports a national law prohibiting concealed carry (!)

In other words - people should not be able to legally carry a handgun for self-defense, while criminals will go on committing crimes with illegal handguns as they always have done and always will do (like in the safe, peaceful, gun-free paradise that is Washington, D.C.) Tell us, Barack, does your opposition to concealed firearms also extend to your bodyguards and security details? Oh wait, I already know the answer. Because your life is more valuable than mine.

From Obama’s official website:

“As a former constitutional law professor, Barack Obama believes the Second Amendment creates an individual right, and he greatly respects the constitutional rights of Americans to bear arms. He will protect the rights of hunters and other law-abiding Americans to purchase, own, transport, and use guns for the purposes of hunting and target shooting. He also believes that the right is subject to reasonable and commonsense regulation.”

In other words:

The only uses for firearms are either hunting or target shooting (not a word on self-defense.)

The right is subject to “reasonable and commonsense regulation.” Because those are such concrete, specific terms that could never be interpreted, as, say, “whatever the hell Barack Obama feels is reasonable and commonsense.”

Obama greatly respects the right of Americans to bear arms. Except for handguns. And semi-automatic weapons (which are almost all guns.)

Right.

On the one hand, I desperately want our troops home, and I want a president who’s going to help our country instead of hurt it. On the other hand, I cannot on principle support someone who is this blatantly, shamelessly anti-gun and who really believes that Americans should not be able to defend themselves. Concealed carry is fundamental to our right to protect ourselves. Lawfully owned, concealed handguns account for a tiny proportion of all gun crimes. Criminals typically don’t bother applying for a carry permit. For the record, I do not carry a handgun, but I know a TON of people with carry permits, and they are all the most level-headed, sane, reasonable, and nice people on the planet. This ridiculous fear of CC is a sure sign, to me, that someone has his head far up his ass, and I can’t vote for a president who shows signs of having his head up his ass.

What say you all? There are plenty of people here on both sides of the gun issue, and I’m curious to hear from all of you. Should we enjoy these last few months before Obama cracks down, and kiss our semi-autos and pistols goodbye (or else keep them, and automatically become lawbreakers?)

2

Your position on gun rights is certainly debatable.

Sounds like Obama’s position on guns is clearly laid out to me so there should be no surprises should he reach the White House. If that is enough to make you not vote for him that is your right.

I doubt Obama will be all over guns once in the White House. He has plenty of other fights I suspect will take priority for him (not least of which would be Iraq and universal health care). You are also likewise shielded by your senators and congressmen. The President does not make laws. Best he can do is use the bully pulpit but if congress wants none of it then nothing will happen.

3

Gun control has been off the national radar screen since it cost the democrats control of the House in the early 1990s. Doubly so since 9/11. If Obama is elected, he’s not going to squander political capital by pushing for gun control.

Just my WAG.

4

Once he’s elected, why wouldn’t he take the opportunity to start in with gun control? And if he were concerned about losing political capital, why would he be stating fairly unambiguously, on his official website, that he supports only target shooting and hunting, his omission of the topic of self-defence and Concealed Carry a tacit indicator that he is against them?

5

I oppose his position on guns, if I understand what it is. Honestly, it doesn’t seem to me that he’s fleshed it out a whole lot. It’s not the case that he “supports a national law prohibiting concealed carry”; it’s that he doesn’t favor concealed carry. That doesn’t meant that he has some legislative agenda about it. There’s nothing about the issue on his website. So I think it’s reactionary to think he will sweep into office taking away guns.

For me, the reason these kinds of issues don’t really matter in Obama’s case is that he is the first candidate I’ve ever seen in all my years who actually thinks, and is willing to listen to different sides of issues. It’s this kind of honesty from him that leads me to trust him. He doesn’t solicit and he doesn’t apeal to suckers.

That could be his undoing in this land of idiots, but still.

6

Right now he’s trying to appeal just to Democrats. Wait until he’s nominated. Then see what he says about gun control.

7

I don’t believe he will go for tighter restrictions.

First off, he has more important fish to fry. The economy, the war, Social Security, UHC, those are more important to the populace right now.

Second, gun control is a loser for the Democrats. The AWB of 1993 didn’t do much when it existed and it hasn’t had a detrimental effect since it expired, so why would he get people to rally behind something that cost the Democrats the Congress the last time it was passed?

Last, when the Supreme Court comes out with their decision in DC v. Heller this summer, if it goes as expected (or at least as I expect it to go, what with the balance of the Court and the way the oral arguments went) it will be a gut shot for the gun control people when an individual right is asserted, even if it does come with “reasonable restrictions”. In light of that, the gun control movement loses momentum, especially if the expected suits with regard to Detroit, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco are pursued.

I can’t see him taking on the subject with any degree of vigor if he’s elected. Maybe he’ll try something in his second term, but I still think that’s a loser issue for him.

8

I think regardless of what he says, his voting record and his history as a legislator shows that he is completely against all but the most narrow second-amendment rights. And I think that he has a very, very good chance of becoming president, because his young, smiling face and cult of personality are stirring up a gigantic hurricane of excitement and enthusiasm about him. I think McCain has absolutely no chance whatsoever of becoming president - no youth appeal whatsoever, not conservative enough for a lot of conservatives, and no charisma or personality - so I’m pretty much counting on Obama being our next president.

9

Have you found a candidate that shares your political views perfectly? I think you have to decide whether an erosion of 2nd ammendment rights is worse than a blank check commitment to Iraq.

Even when the Democrats had control of the federal government, they made no meaningful progress toward gun control, and in fact lost some ground in major areas, like Florida. I wouldn’t worry too much about Obama’s gun control policy, unless you think he’ll be more effective at getting legislation passed (assuming he even has the will to force such an issue) than anyone before him.

10

Fine and I suspect you are correct but everyone above is saying about the same thing and I agree. Gun control has to be very low on his agenda. Especially in his first term. Maybe in a second term if he has managed to sort Iraq, the economy, the environment, race issues and universal health care and everything is peachy and people think the man can do no wrong it might come up.

And again remember the president does not make decrees and they are law. To pass meaningful gun control will likely take a new constitutional amendment given how (as mentioned) the Supreme Court is likely to rule on the issue soon. For any law he would need the support of Congress which is an uphill battle on this topic to say the least. A Constitutional amendment restricting gun control is almost unthinkable in this day and age.

I seriously think despite his clearly holding a viewpoint on this you do not agree with he just will not have the time or inclination to tackle this.

11

Unfortunately, you’re right.

12

First of all you have find out what the Supremes say. My WAG is that their ruling will set the tone for any possibility of changes in gun regulation for years to come.

Obama believes as the Supremes have hinted that they believe - that gun ownership is an individual right that can be reasonably regulated. The question remains as to what is “reasonable” regulation and guess what? The President has little to say about that. Less than Congress which passes the laws and far far far less than the courts who will ultimately decide what reasonable is.

Will he choose new Supremes based on this one issue? Be real.

If Obama becomes President then he’ll have other things to spend his limited political capital on. Oh, the war, healthcare reform, tackling regulations for auctioned carbon cap and trade, and a few other minor items.

13

As everyone else has noted, he is not going to go after guns when he has a faltering economy, an unpopular war (with certain constraints on disengagement), the rise of China, the resurrection of Russia, and any number of other issues to face. He particularly will not raise it because he will never get enough congresscritters to support it. (The 1992 Democrats are mostly gone and the new guys do not consider it a priority.)
He mentions his postions unambiguously because it is an issue on which candidates are questioned and he is reasonably honest for a politician.

14

The chances of you having your guns taken away under an Obama administration is exactly 0%. But the Republicans will do their best to convince you the number is closer to 100%. Why? Because they want you afraid.

15

Obama might be inclined toward stricter gun control, but Congressional Democrats have finally figured out that gun control is a loser politically. It doesn’t help them in urban districts (which they’ll win regardless), it doesn’t help them in suburban districts (which are turning their way anyway due to the economy and dissatisfaction with the Bush administration), and it hurts them in rural districts/states (which they have shown they can win with pro-gun candidates, e.g. Heath Shuler, Jon Tester). Since Congress will have to pass any new controls, I don’t see anything moving anytime soon.

16

So you’re saying I should vote for McCain.

Erosion of 1st Amendment rights would also be worse than staying in Iraq. And the 4th, 5th, & 6th (although some of those are already in serious jeopardy). And the others, when you get right down to it. Taking away rights recognized by the Constitution to put a quicker end to an unpopular war doesn’t sound like a fair trade to me.

17

I don’t think any one will spend the slightest amount of effort dealing with guns. We are ass deep in guns and they are not going away. Who would spend political clout dealing with that. Save the paranoia ,nobody wants to take your bazookas away.

18

I’m not to worried about it. I support Obama, and I support gun rights. As others have said, the Supremes have yet to weigh in on the question, and the Democrats have more important things to worry about.

19

It happened during the Clinton administration with the “assault weapons” ban.

20

That’s a valid argument. I wasn’t trying to sell Obama in that post, just helping Argent Towers come to a decision on his own.