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Biden urges Democrats to comply with demands to curb U.S. gun violence
LEESBURG, Virginia (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Joe Biden urged fellow Democrats in the House of Representatives on Wednesday to comply with public demands for action to reduce gun violence.
It is unclear which, if any, of Biden's gun-control recommendations Congress might approve, but the vice president said legislators have an obligation to do as much as they can.
"I don't want to hear about 'well we can't take it on because it's too politically dangerous,'" Biden told House Democrats at the opening of a three-day retreat. "There's an overwhelming consensus about the need to act."
The politically powerful gun rights lobby, led by the National Rifle Association, opposes Biden's proposals, saying they would violate Americans' constitutional right to bear arms.
However, Biden urged lawmakers to stand up to these groups and side with the American people, who clearly favor tougher gun laws, according to recent polls.
Biden's proposals include a ban on semi-automatic weapons and limits on high-capacity ammunition clips, like those used at a school massacre at in Newton, Connecticut, in December that ignited the new push for gun control.
With many Republicans and Democrats from conservative states reluctant to embrace tougher gun laws, Biden and President Barack Obama have traveled the country to try, seeking public support for their proposals.
Biden said Congress should not yield to gun-control naysayers who contend that "the risk is too high, the outcome is too uncertain."
He acknowledged that members of Congress who backed a 1994 ban on assault weapons faced a voter backlash that year that may well have cost many of them their jobs.
"I'm here to tell you the world has changed since 1994," Biden said.
"I can't imagine how we will be judged as a nation, as a people, as individuals, if we do nothing. It is simply unacceptable."
http://news.yahoo.com/biden-urges-democrats-comply-demands-curb-u-gun-025058280.html
It is unclear which, if any, of Biden's gun-control recommendations Congress might approve, but the vice president said legislators have an obligation to do as much as they can.
"I don't want to hear about 'well we can't take it on because it's too politically dangerous,'" Biden told House Democrats at the opening of a three-day retreat. "There's an overwhelming consensus about the need to act."
The politically powerful gun rights lobby, led by the National Rifle Association, opposes Biden's proposals, saying they would violate Americans' constitutional right to bear arms.
However, Biden urged lawmakers to stand up to these groups and side with the American people, who clearly favor tougher gun laws, according to recent polls.
Biden's proposals include a ban on semi-automatic weapons and limits on high-capacity ammunition clips, like those used at a school massacre at in Newton, Connecticut, in December that ignited the new push for gun control.
With many Republicans and Democrats from conservative states reluctant to embrace tougher gun laws, Biden and President Barack Obama have traveled the country to try, seeking public support for their proposals.
Biden said Congress should not yield to gun-control naysayers who contend that "the risk is too high, the outcome is too uncertain."
He acknowledged that members of Congress who backed a 1994 ban on assault weapons faced a voter backlash that year that may well have cost many of them their jobs.
"I'm here to tell you the world has changed since 1994," Biden said.
"I can't imagine how we will be judged as a nation, as a people, as individuals, if we do nothing. It is simply unacceptable."
http://news.yahoo.com/biden-urges-democrats-comply-demands-curb-u-gun-025058280.html
I'm pretty sure Vance was referring to Biden's comment: "I can't imagine how we will be judged as a nation, as a people, as individuals, if we do nothing. It is simply unacceptable"
Judged as a nation... by Europe, etc.
Correct me if I'm wrong, Vance.
Judged as a nation... by Europe, etc.
Correct me if I'm wrong, Vance.
Plus I dont know why you would bring Europe into it, maybe I missed that. Because most of them already have very strict gun laws in place?
I'd like to think that we believe that the opinion of our ALLIES is important to us. It was not important to Mittens and our BIGGEST ally, Great Britain (maybe you have heard of them?) just about lynched him while he was there.
Maybe we're just more cosmopolitan where I come from but yes, our allies opinions do hold weight with the average Joe let alone a politician.
Maybe we're just more cosmopolitan where I come from but yes, our allies opinions do hold weight with the average Joe let alone a politician.
nygirl...if you can make a snotty comment then why not answer the question?
Laws put in place will help to CURB the occurrence of whatever the law was designed to do.
And I won't argue that point, because it's a valid one.
All I'm saying, is that we can't simply stop at the tougher gun laws & regulations, that Biden's attempting to get passed.
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Agree with that too! Geez, either I am agreeable today or the comments are ageeable to me on this bright morning.
Mostly we dont win the conservative states anyway. I think the fact that he is willing to step up and out and say that regardless...we have to do something is gallant.
I agree.
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