Gun Control Debate

[River]

...the same President that wants to do away with term limits. I think he just lacks a basic civic education. He's not alone in that regard. Unfortunately, he's the head of state. Which means the rest of us have to watch someone who has no idea how our government actually works run his mouth and tweet in the wee hours while his lackeys do the work (to the best of their ability, I am sure).

[RoseMorninStar]

Frelga, I used to consider myself solidly in the center. I lean fiscally conservative and lean socially progressive, but more than that I am a moderate through and through. Extremism generally makes me uncomfortable. In the past, I have strongly considered candidates from both sides of the aisle. But these days I am considered to be a flaming liberal - I don't believe my views have changed much. Other forces have shifted.

[Cenedril_Gildinaur]

Okay, we are continuing to focus on the means and not the goal.

It must be really hard for a Democrat to admit to being in agreement with Trump. Just look at this video of Senator Feinstein.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) appeared to erupt with glee after President Trump suggested an assault weapons ban should be included in a bipartisan bill on gun reform.

[RoseMorninStar]

I'm not sure what your point is C_G. Agreeing with or being pleased with the ban a certain type of weapon that has been problematic in society is not the same as 'coming to take away all your guns.' It is not abolishing the Second Amendment. There are limits. Bombs are 'arms'. Grenades are 'arms'. Machine guns are 'arms'. Loaded tanks are 'arms'. Missles are 'arms' and there are bans/limits on those types of weapons. There are limits on our First Amendment rights.
Now if Senator Feinstein had that reaction after Trump had said, 'take the guns first, go to court later' I would find that of more concern.

Of course, this doesn't even touch on the 'AR-15's are not assault weapons' and that if they are banned what will be used next.

[yovargas]

Okay, we are continuing to focus on the means and not the goal.

Are you trying to say that the means shouldn't matter if one approves of the goal? I have a hard time believing you believe that but I don't know how else to interpret this.

[Cenedril_Gildinaur]

Oh of course the means matter. But I see the focus on the means as a way of avoiding the discussion of the goal.

If we discuss the goal, a lot of people who seriously dislike Trump will be forced to say they agree with him on something. I rather get the feeling that there are some who would much rather gnaw off their own arm then say they agree with Trump about something.

[Sunsilver]

...the same President that wants to do away with term limits.

Wait... WHAT??
You're kidding me! This is something that somehow missed my radar.

I fervently hope that there is no way in hell this would ever be accepted by either Dems or Republicans! [shudder!]

My first thought on reading this was Germany, circa 1933...

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Sunny, that is reference to Trump's at least semi-joking comments in response to the news that China had eliminated term limits so that Xi Jinping could essentially be president-for-life. Trump said "He's now president for life, president for life. And he's great," according to audio of excerpts of his remarks at a closed-door fundraiser in Florida aired by CNN. "And look, he was able to do that. I think it's great. Maybe we'll have to give that a shot someday."

[Sunsilver]

Ugh. Okay, so it seems it was said jokingly. Still, hearing those words come out of his mouth in ANY context is enough to make me shudder!

[RoseMorninStar]

Ugh. Okay, so it seems it was said jokingly. Still, hearing those words come out of his mouth in ANY context is enough to make me shudder!

There are some things one (especially one in power/position of importance) should not joke about OR condone. This type of comment validates what Xi did (and kinda what Putin is doing). This is not the first time Trump has made a comment favoring dictatorships (and criticizing democratic allies). His numerous comments, taken as a whole, reflect and confirm that his comment wasn't a 'joke', but part of his worldview. It isn't funny and it crosses a line.

[Sunsilver]

[sigh] Yeah, I was afraid of that.

[Cenedril_Gildinaur]

Been there, done that. This country has already had one president for life, and a constitutional amendment was passed to prevent it happening a second time.

Strangely enough, people who should know better still consider the last president for life to be one of the great presidents.

[Primula Baggins]

I don't know . . . Having been a caregiver for elderly parents, I have to say I was grateful for Social Security. I didn't have the money to support them myself, short of having them move in with me, which would have meant I'd have to stop working entirely to take care of their needs, and we would all have gone hungry. They had their own retirement savings and pensions, but it would not have been enough. At the end of my father's life his care and housing was costing over $99,000 a year.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

FDR was a deeply flawed, brilliant man. It certainly can be debated as to whether he should or should not have gone against the unwritten rule against running for more than two terms that was first established by George Washington, but there was nothing illegal about it (his attempt to stack the Supreme Court was, in my opinion, much more of a power grab). The time period was certainly a challenging one.

[Frelga]

Gun-Trained Teacher Accidentally Shoots Gun in California High School Classroom

https://www.kqed.org/news/11655804/gun- ... -classroom

[Inanna]

Gun-Trained Teacher Accidentally Shoots Gun in California High School Classroom

https://www.kqed.org/news/11655804/gun- ... -classroom

Oh lord. Not that it’s surprising.

[RoseMorninStar]

There was an incident at a middle school in Virginia on Tuesday as well. Vox: 2 “good guys with guns” accidentally fired them in schools on Tuesday

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Might this make any difference to the president?

Barron Trump's school signs open letter to President demanding action on gun laws

Probably not.

[Primula Baggins]

"Barron who?"

[Cenedril_Gildinaur]

Gun-Trained Teacher Accidentally Shoots Gun in California High School Classroom

https://www.kqed.org/news/11655804/gun- ... -classroom

"A high school teacher — a reserve police officer"

One of the people that gun control advocates want to allow to keep their guns. It is only the peasants that should be disarmed.