Senator Feinstein Announces Bill to Ban Assault Rifles

So it begins! On Thursday, Senator Dianne Feinstein called a dramatic press conference to announce her newest bid to push a ban on assault weapons and high capacity magazines. All while surrounded by a group of cops, shooting victims, and a wall full of guns she is targeting. This is an attempt to pass the most severe gun control bill in nearly 20-years.

During the conference Senator Feinstein admitted that there is a lot of opposition to her proposed legislation stating, "This really is an unhill road."

She went on to state that public pressure can overcome resistence, "We can win this, but it depends on America, and it depends on the courage of Americans."

Her bill is even stronger than the one she helped pass in 1994, seeking to ban the import and sale of over 150 types of firearms. Of them, she included the Bushmaster AR-15 which was allegedly used in the Sandy Hook shooting but has since been reported as being left in the shooter's car by MSNBC. The bill also bans ammunition clips that hold more than 10 rounds.

The new bill differs from the 1994 ban which expired because it will not have an expiration date. It would be permanent.

Senator Feinstein said during the conference that it is nobodies intention to confiscate anyone's guns, but rather to dry up the supply of firearms.

The NRA has accused the Senator of trying to ban guns from law abiding citizens as well as curtailing the Constitution.

Democrats on Thursday argued that an assault weapons ban would have prevented the deaths of those individuals in the Sandy Hook tragedy, stating that had one been in place on December 14th, there would be little boys and girls still alive today.

The proposed legislation faces many more hurdles at making it through Congress than any of the proposed changes made by President Obama. The bill has no Republican supporters in the Senate and faces further quiet opposition by Democrats from rural states.



Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP





What is Joe Biden's Problem With AR-15s?

It has become clear that Vice President Joe Biden is no fan of guns. It is especially clear where he stands on civilians owning AR-15s. In the 2007 South Carolina democratic primary debate Biden stated "We should not have let the assault weapons ban lapse." Now he is getting the opportunity to try and right that wrong in his eyes.

If I could stand face to face with Biden and ask him just one question I'd ask "Mr. Vice President, why do you loath AR-15s so much?" I'm certain he would ramble on about how dangerous they are and then throw in something about deer hunting, completely avoiding the question all together.

With that in mind we are left to speculate on his thought process. Is it possibly because the number of murders committed with these types of rifles is disproportionately high compared to other weapons? No that can't be. After all more people were murdered in 2011 by blunt objects such as hammers or clubs, then ANY type of rifle. In fact, more than triple the amount of people were murded by knives or cutting instruments, yet their is no legislation being proposed by Biden looking to ban steak knives.

Actual 2011 Numbers from the FBI Uniform Crime Reports:

• Homicides Using a Rifle (ANY): 323
• Blunt Objects (Clubs, Hammers, etc.): 496
• Knives or Cutting Instruments: 1,694

With that cleared up, is it because murders involving rifles are on the rise? That cannot be either because according to the FBI's crime statistics in 2007 there were 453 homicides involving any kind of rifle, a total of 130 more than in 2011. In fact as is the case with homicides in general the amount of homicides involving rifles has been on the decline year after year. A fact that supporters of renewing the assault weapons ban don't want the public to know.

Finally, I have to guess his sole reasoning for recommending another assault weapons ban now is because the shooter at Sandy Hook used an AR-15 and he has simply had enough. Wait, didn't we already clear that up in an earlier post after MSNBC verified that they had their facts incorrect and the shooter in fact used multiple handguns, leaving the AR-15 in his car?

So what is it? Why do both our Vice-President and our President support a ban, that did little to curb gun violence in the first place? Why despite homicides involving guns in general declining since the expiration of the gun ban are we even debating about gun control? I guess there are simply too many questions, and no rational explanation for the thought process of this administration.