U.S. Republican leaders shun talk of gun control measures

[webfact]

U.S. Republican leaders shun talk of gun control measures

By Susan Cornwell

 

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, accompanied by Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) and Sen. John Thune (R-SD), speaks with reporters following the party luncheons on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., October 3, 2017. REUTERS/Aaron P. Bernstein

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican leaders of the U.S. Congress pushed aside discussion of gun control on Tuesday, while Democrats appealed to President Donald Trump to back legislative action after the deadliest shooting spree in modern U.S. history took 59 lives in Las Vegas.

 

More than 500 people were injured in the shooting at an outdoor concert on Sunday night in Las Vegas, including some who were trampled in the panic.

 

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters it was premature to discuss legislative responses, "if there are any," while House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan said the focus should be on mental health.

 

Democrats, who are in the minority in both chambers, said they were crafting measures to expand background checks of gun purchases and ban devices that can make rifles rapid-fire. One of the few Republicans to support tougher gun laws in the past, Senator Pat Toomey, said he was still interested.

 

Stricter gun laws have been proposed after previous mass shootings, but most Republicans and some Democrats repeatedly have balked at what they see as infringements on the right to bear arms embedded in the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

 

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer urged the Republican president to break the stalemate in Congress over gun control.

 

"Before he was a candidate and marched in lockstep to the NRA (National Rifle Association), Donald Trump expressed a very reasonable position on gun control. ... Break from the NRA, which is making things worse, and work with us to get something done," Schumer said.

 

But McConnell said it was too soon to talk about legislation when the investigation into the shooting had not been completed.

 

"It's particularly inappropriate to politicize an event like this ... entirely premature to be discussing about legislative solutions, if any," McConnell said.

 

When asked what lawmakers should do about mass shootings, Ryan said mental health reform was critical, because "one of the things we've learned from these shootings is that often underneath this is a diagnosis of mental illness."

 

But Ryan also indicated House Republicans had shelved legislation that would make it easier to buy gun silencers, a proposal supported by the NRA that was passed by a House committee three weeks ago.

 

"I don’t know when it’s going to be scheduled," Ryan said. He stood with other Republican leaders, including Steve Scalise, the majority whip who was critically wounded by a shooter at a congressional baseball practice in June.

 

Scalise urged blood donations in the wake of the Las Vegas carnage.

 

(additional reporting by Richard Cowan; editing by Jonathan Oatis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-10-04

[Grouse]

Mental health care is indeed what's required.

 

I'm not saying anything more than that ?

[Samui Bodoh]

13 minutes ago, webfact said:

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters it was premature to discuss legislative responses, "if there are any," while House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan said the focus should be on mental health.

 

59 people dead, and well over 500 injured in a shooting.

 

And before the investigation is even remotely complete, we know that the legislative leaders of the USA aren't going to do anything.

 

Nothing.

 

Zip. Nada. Nil.

 

The only thing to do is reset the clock until the next mass shooting. And you know that there is some crazy person out there thinking " I bet I could get more than 59 dead".

 

There is much to admire about the USA, but this crap makes me nauseous.

 

[CaptHaddock]

The US is beginning to look like a failed state that cannot provide basic safety for its citizens.  The National Rifle Association, the propaganda arm of the American gun industry, has already bought and paid for Trump by contributing $30 million to his campaign last year.  They have similarly bought and paid for the Republican senators and many members of the House of Representatives long since.  So, any attempt to control guns will fail. 

 

But that's how things are supposed to work in a plutocracy.

 

 

[JoePai]

This 2nd Amendment seems to be the main problem/excuse for these fruit cakes wanting guns so why not just delete it 

[thaihome]

Why is it OK to politicize an incident when it is perpetuated by an "other" but not when it is done by "us"?

TH 

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/03/opinion/stephen-paddock-las-vegas-terrorism.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=opinion-c-col-left-region&region=opinion-c-col-left-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-left-region

[mark01]

No surprise there then.

Next!

 

[Boon Mee]

More gun ? laws wouldn't have stopped this killer in Vegas. We're sure he passed all background checks to purchase those guns as his record was clean 

This guy was a 'singleton' and best theory right now is he was "Oswalded" 

[Grouse]

10 minutes ago, Boon Mee said:

More gun ? laws wouldn't have stopped this killer in Vegas. We're sure he passed all background checks to purchase those guns as his record was clean 

This guy was a 'singleton' and best theory right now is he was "Oswalded" 

How about a law saying it is illegal to own 40 machine guns? Are you people completely bereft of common sense?

[expat_4_life]

12 minutes ago, Grouse said:

How about a law saying it is illegal to own 40 machine guns? Are you people completely bereft of common sense?

 

The sale of machine guns/automatic weapons has been banned since 1986.

Edited October 4, 2017 by expat_4_life

[hawker9000]

2 hours ago, CaptHaddock said:

The US is beginning to look like a failed state that cannot provide basic safety for its citizens.  The National Rifle Association, the propaganda arm of the American gun industry, has already bought and paid for Trump by contributing $30 million to his campaign last year.  They have similarly bought and paid for the Republican senators and many members of the House of Representatives long since.  So, any attempt to control guns will fail. 

 

But that's how things are supposed to work in a plutocracy.

 

 

Laughable nonsense from the usual suspects.  Your "failed state" sure seems to reliably attract the tourists and immigrants.   ROFL.     This guy was a multi-millionaire, and he obviously planned this thing meticulously.   ('Saw a pic on the news showing how neatly he had his magazines stacked...)   More gun laws piled on top of existing gun laws weren't ever going to stop a maniac like this.   'Only a matter of time until you can "print"  your AR-15 or Uzi anyway, and other terrorists have had quite a bit of "luck" with bombs and vehicles as well thanks to certain terror-sponsoring states.  If you're actually looking for an answer (rather than just mindlessly pursuing an agenda and addicted to treating tragedies like this as political "opportunities"), you need to start taking a closer look inside the heads of these monsters and doing something about THAT as well as exploring more consistent enforcement of EXISTING prohibitions - instead of playing presidential games with the ATF that put these weapons in the hands of Mexican cartels - because I guarantee than an obsessed mass-murderer who's willing to sacrifice his own life will ALWAYS find a way around such restrictions, while those law-abiding citizens who've been disarmed by their govt may NOT.   Just today (or yesterday), a home childcare facility operator in San Diego successfully defended the 7 kids in her home from her ex-, who was firing into the house and attempting to barge into it, by retrieving and using HER gun!  (She's being called a hero by neighbors AND police who give her complete credit for saving those kids from injury by using her own gun in self-defense.)   A 22yo guy named Robert Engle in Tennessee accomplished almost the same thing at a church in Antioch even after being pistol-whipped himself by the assailant who'd already killed a woman in the church parking lot.

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

Edited October 4, 2017 by hawker9000

[losworld]

Anyone with any investigative skills and common sense can quickly deduct that this was not the actions of one man.  Antifa and ISIS have both claimed involvment.  Witnesses in the hotel and on the ground have seen more than one shooter.  Let's have a thorough investigation or is this all about distorting the facts to get a political agenda to remove guns?  

[CaptHaddock]

1,516 mass shootings in 1,735 days: America's gun crisis

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2017/oct/02/america-mass-shootings-gun-violence

 

US has the most guns per capita in the world and the most shootings per capita.  Who could have known?

[ballpoint]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

"It's particularly inappropriate to politicize an event like this ... entirely premature to be discussing about legislative solutions, if any," McConnell said.

No, it's perfectly normal to wonder why events like this happen so often, and discuss whether the rampant availability of automatic weapons has anything to do with that.  Shouting down those who do so in the interests of your own agenda is politicizing it.

[WorriedNoodle]

[Jingthing]

25 minutes ago, losworld said:

Anyone with any investigative skills and common sense can quickly deduct that this was not the actions of one man.  Antifa and ISIS have both claimed involvment.  Witnesses in the hotel and on the ground have seen more than one shooter.  Let's have a thorough investigation or is this all about distorting the facts to get a political agenda to remove guns?  

Yes, ISIS has claimed credit. Means nothing. 

As far as Antifa claiming credit, where did you get that pile of crap? Infowars? Name your source!

[CaptHaddock]

The question is why America has so many loser men eager to empower their shabby lives by buying guns? 

[dunroaming]

Nothing will change and anyone thinking it would is being naïve.  The USA seems to be a nation of drug addicts and that drug is guns.  You only have to read the threads and you will find more analysis of which guns were probably used, their calibre and fire power with various TV aficionados debating the benefits of one gun against another.  Just like drug addicts comparing crack cocaine to methamphetamine for their daily fix.

 

Cynical view?  You bet it is but I have seen nothing to indicate that it is not true.

[Jonnapat]

No need to write an essay other than to say Absolutely Typical 

[Jonnapat]

1 hour ago, dunroaming said:

Nothing will change and anyone thinking it would is being naïve.  The USA seems to be a nation of drug addicts and that drug is guns.  You only have to read the threads and you will find more analysis of which guns were probably used, their calibre and fire power with various TV aficionados debating the benefits of one gun against another.  Just like drug addicts comparing crack cocaine to methamphetamine for their daily fix.

 

Cynical view?  You bet it is but I have seen nothing to indicate that it is not true.

Well said , sir. Apparently there are 265 million guns out there

[natway09]

I am missing something here ???

"He passed all the tests to buy the guns"

No idiot....... we are talking about real gun laws where civilians do not have guns

How does he kill 60 people then ?????????

You can't help stupid !!!!!

[selftaopath]

5 hours ago, CaptHaddock said:

The US is beginning to look like a failed state that cannot provide basic safety for its citizens.  The National Rifle Association, the propaganda arm of the American gun industry, has already bought and paid for Trump by contributing $30 million to his campaign last year.  They have similarly bought and paid for the Republican senators and many members of the House of Representatives long since.  So, any attempt to control guns will fail. 

 

But that's how things are supposed to work in a plutocracy.

 

 

I wonder if these money grubbers would have a different outlook if Congress was targeted? I bet if 59 of them were killed they'd enact laws faster than on could imagine. 

[Grouse]

4 hours ago, expat_4_life said:

 

The sale of machine guns/automatic weapons has been banned since 1986.

 

So why are posters telling me he had a right to own 40 of the damn things?

[connda]

Limiting the average citizen's ability to purchase firearms is not going to stop gun violence.  No 'average citizen' can obtain automatic weapons.  You obtain those weapons on the black market.
So, revoke the second amendment!  Violent gun crime will still happen unabated.  It's just the average citizens who will be unable to protect themselves legally.  Don't believe me?  Columbia has some incredibly tough gun control laws.  Did that stop the drug cartel carnage?  Limit the ability of criminals from obtaining automatic firearms?  Did it keep FARC from obtaining military grade weapons?  
Dismantling the Second Amendment isn't going to happen. 

[wwest5829]

5 hours ago, JoePai said:

This 2nd Amendment seems to be the main problem/excuse for these fruit cakes wanting guns so why not just delete it 

I am a liberal, moderately, left of center ... Like to think of that as progress. I also own a hand gun and have held a CDWL. However, that gives me a balance seeming to be lacking between the wing nuts having stated authoritively that President Obama was coming to seize all guns and those wanting to do away with the 2nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. I want SCOTUS to enforce the Amendment as written. "A well regulated militia being necessary for the commen defense...". Muskets ... OK, let's expand this to include hunting arms and hand guns. But weapons that exceed this (multi shot, bazookas, tanks, RPGs, etc. are not to be seen as anything but massive killing mechanisms and thus not allowed. Yes, SCOTUS has previously ruled otherwise but the Court has corrected past errors previously. A right to own an armament does not overrule my superior claim to be "secure in my person".

[CaptHaddock]

10 minutes ago, selftaopath said:

I wonder if these money grubbers would have a different outlook if Congress was targeted? I bet if 59 of them were killed they'd enact laws faster than on could imagine. 

Doubtful.  Neither Ronald Reagan nor Scalise, the Republican who was shot at the baseball diamond and who nearly died, changed their pro-gun views as a result.  Support by the gun lobby has been a crucial element of Republican funding to say nothing of rabble-rousing.

[Grouse]

4 hours ago, hawker9000 said:

Laughable nonsense from the usual suspects.  Your "failed state" sure seems to reliably attract the tourists and immigrants.   ROFL.     This guy was a multi-millionaire, and he obviously planned this thing meticulously.   ('Saw a pic on the news showing how neatly he had his magazines stacked...)   More gun laws piled on top of existing gun laws weren't ever going to stop a maniac like this.   'Only a matter of time until you can "print"  your AR-15 or Uzi anyway, and other terrorists have had quite a bit of "luck" with bombs and vehicles as well thanks to certain terror-sponsoring states.  If you're actually looking for an answer (rather than just mindlessly pursuing an agenda and addicted to treating tragedies like this as political "opportunities"), you need to start taking a closer look inside the heads of these monsters and doing something about THAT as well as exploring more consistent enforcement of EXISTING prohibitions - instead of playing presidential games with the ATF that put these weapons in the hands of Mexican cartels - because I guarantee than an obsessed mass-murderer who's willing to sacrifice his own life will ALWAYS find a way around such restrictions, while those law-abiding citizens who've been disarmed by their govt may NOT.   Just today (or yesterday), a home childcare facility operator in San Diego successfully defended the 7 kids in her home from her ex-, who was firing into the house and attempting to barge into it, by retrieving and using HER gun!  (She's being called a hero by neighbors AND police who give her complete credit for saving those kids from injury by using her own gun in self-defense.)   A 22yo guy named Robert Engle in Tennessee accomplished almost the same thing at a church in Antioch even after being pistol-whipped himself by the assailant who'd already killed a woman in the church parking lot.

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

Ahem! We are indeed looking inside the heads of monsters...

[Grouse]

13 minutes ago, connda said:

Limiting the average citizen's ability to purchase firearms is not going to stop gun violence.  No 'average citizen' can obtain automatic weapons.  You obtain those weapons on the black market.
So, revoke the second amendment!  Violent gun crime will still happen unabated.  It's just the average citizens who will be unable to protect themselves legally.  Don't believe me?  Columbia has some incredibly tough gun control laws.  Did that stop the drug cartel carnage?  Limit the ability of criminals from obtaining automatic firearms?  Did it keep FARC from obtaining military grade weapons?  
Dismantling the Second Amendment isn't going to happen. 

 

It seems to work just fine in the civilised world now doesn't it?

[Grouse]

3 hours ago, CaptHaddock said:

The question is why America has so many loser men eager to empower their shabby lives by buying guns? 

 

Small willies

[joecoolfrog]

6 hours ago, JoePai said:

This 2nd Amendment seems to be the main problem/excuse for these fruit cakes wanting guns so why not just delete it 

Well you should obviously be able to shape an ammendment to reflect changing times , but we all know that its a red herring anyway.

US law makers are owned by lobby groups , money talks , morality walks.

The irony is that the folks in power are happy to take their blood money and trot off to church every Sunday to display their worthy Christian principles , sickening really !