Trump moves to outlaw 'bump stocks' after Florida shooting

[webfact]

Trump moves to outlaw 'bump stocks' after Florida shooting

 

U.S. President Donald Trump hosts a Public Safety Medal of Valor awards ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, U.S., February 20, 2018. REUTERS/Leah Millis

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Tuesday his administration would take steps to outlaw an accessory that enables a rifle to shoot hundreds of rounds a minute, as the White House added he may consider other firearms restrictions after last week's school shooting in Florida.

 

"Just a few moments ago I signed a memorandum directing the attorney general to propose regulations to ban all devices that turn legal weapons into machine guns," Trump told a White House event.

 

The move would bypass Congress, where legislation to ban "bump stocks" has failed to advance since an October massacre in Las Vegas that killed 58 people. It puts Trump at odds with powerful gun rights groups like the National Rifle Association that previously opposed efforts to ban them.

 

The president's announcement came shortly after White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said he would consider raising the minimum age for buyers of the assault-style rifle used last week by a teenage gunman in the fatal shooting of 17 people at a high school in Parkland, Florida.

 

The White House said on Monday that Trump also supported legislation that would tighten the national criminal background check system for gun buyers.

 

Those steps fall far short of what gun-control advocates have called for but would mark a change in course for Trump, who courted the support of gun rights groups during his 2016 presidential bid and has loosened gun ownership rules since taking office.

 

(Reporting by Andy Sullivan and Eric Beech; Editing by Peter Cooney)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-02-21

[ChrisY1]

Change the 2nd amendment.....but of course, Americans would rather die than have any changes to gun laws....their right to bear arms is ludicrous..so is Trump!

$30 mill. from the NRA is all they have to do to ensure no changes....

The only country almost where mass shootings take place by US citizens against US citizens, and nearly always school kids.....mental health issues are global, but mass shootings are not

[Boon Mee]

A token gesture to placate the howling mob of gun grabbers.

[alfalfa19]

Small potatoes and lip service from the Orange Assclown.  He and his cronies are beholden to the NRA.  

[Briggsy]

I expect any legislation (which won't get passed any way) to be so watered down, it will be pointless.

 

I expect more "changes in course" from Trump who seems to have little in the way of policy consistency (or policy!).

 

I expect more completely irrational posts from the gun lobby. Nowhere in this proposed legislation (which won't get passed) is there any mention of gun confiscation. Although I agree this is just a pathetic gesture.

[Samui Bodoh]

7 minutes ago, Boon Mee said:

A token gesture to placate the howling mob of gun grabbers.

This is the first time I have agreed with one of your posts; it IS a token gesture.

 

He should do a GREAT deal more than a token gesture. He should ban semi-automatic weapons for civilians. He should close 'gun shows' forever, he should ban large capacity magazines. And that should be just the beginning.

 

Or perhaps you are okay with kids being shot in schools...?

 

Edited February 21, 2018 by Samui Bodoh
Lack of coffee

[mtls2005]

Tomorrow's headline imagined...

 

Bump stock sales up 2,500%, Texas manufacturer Slide Fire® reports record sales/earnings.

 

Local gun shops see spikes in AR-15 sales after school shooting

 

Aaron Forum, the owner of the Shoot Center in Cape Coral, said the store has seen AR-15 rifle sales increase by 30 percent following the Parkland incident.

 

He said it's a typical response following tragedies like mass shootings because people fear future restrictions would prevent them from owning the weapon.

 

http://www.nbc-2.com/story/37541100/local-gun-shops-see-spikes-in-ar-15-sales-after-school-shooting

 

 

 

[Cory1848]

1 hour ago, Boon Mee said:

A token gesture to placate the howling mob of gun grabbers.

In other words, too little, too late.

[Stocky]

1 hour ago, ChrisY1 said:

The only country almost where mass shootings take place by US citizens against US citizens,

The US addiction to firearms is way beyond the comprehension of most sane people, I'm sure it would astound and baffle the founding fathers too ~ I can hear them saying "but that's not what we meant!" However, it is what it is, and quite clearly they're not about to change it, so as long as Americans just stick to killing each other in their own country I don't really care.

You reap what you sow.

[mtls2005]

17 minutes ago, Stocky said:

The US addiction to firearms is way beyond the comprehension of most sane people,

 

I'm always amazed that 2/3 rds of the annual gun deaths (so ~ 24,000-ish out of 36,000-ish) are suicides.

 

I am under the impression that 'bump stocks' cannot be regulated, so Congress would have to pass a law. Not gonna happen.

 

 

ATF Says It Doesn’t Know If It Can Regulate Bump Stocks

 

WASHINGTON ― The head of the federal agency tasked with regulating firearms said Wednesday it does not have direct authority to regulate or ban bump stocks ― devices that allow semi-automatic weapons to function like machine guns ― but is looking into whether can reclassify them as firearms to regulate them under existing law.

 

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/atf-bump-stocks-las-vegas_us_5a284585e4b02d3bfc37cc72

 

Edited February 21, 2018 by mtls2005

[mtls2005]

3 minutes ago, Trouble said:

I watched Ozzie and Harriet

 

Usually, the mention is of "The Andy Griffith Show"...

 

 

 

[Scott]

Troll post has been removed along with replies.  

 

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

Narcissist Trump will take full credit for this even though the NRA came out immediately after the Vegas shooting and said they agreed that bump stocks should be made illegal.

 

All assault rifles should be illegal. Open carry should be illegal.

 

I have 10 hunting rifles back in Canada, they serve a purpose.

 

I like guns but don't want the guy at the restaurant or bar beside me carrying a gun. I don't want or need to be carrying one either, unless I am out hunting. 

[Somchai Logic]

3 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

 

I'm always amazed that 2/3 rds of the annual gun deaths (so ~ 24,000-ish out of 36,000-ish) are suicides.

 

I am under the impression that 'bump stocks' cannot be regulated, so Congress would have to pass a law. Not gonna happen.

 

 

ATF Says It Doesn’t Know If It Can Regulate Bump Stocks

 

WASHINGTON ― The head of the federal agency tasked with regulating firearms said Wednesday it does not have direct authority to regulate or ban bump stocks ― devices that allow semi-automatic weapons to function like machine guns ― but is looking into whether can reclassify them as firearms to regulate them under existing law.

 

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/atf-bump-stocks-las-vegas_us_5a284585e4b02d3bfc37cc72

 

You are 100% correct. So wouldn't it be great to remove this 'easy solution' from the people who need help? As it has reduced the rate dramatically in Australia.

Cue the "Australia is not America" beatdown.

[Jonnapat]

The tip of a giant iceberg , the same as the idea of extra checks.

Nobody has the b...s to get to the root of the problem.

[farcanell]

2 hours ago, Somchai Logic said:

 

Cue the "Australia is not America" beatdown.

Lol... talk about waving a red flag... are you mad?

 

but seriously, this problem is uniquely American.... and it needs a uniquely America solution, not an Australian solution or a Sri Lankan solution etc etc.

 

the only takeaway from Australia’s success, is that changes can be made if you want to.... pushing harder with the ra ra ra will only have a negative impact.

[dunroaming]

9 hours ago, Boon Mee said:

A token gesture to placate the howling mob of gun grabbers.

A token gesture indeed and the same gesture that he made before.  It didn't happen then and it is unlikely to happen now.  The NRA will tell Trump what he is allowed to offer and then what they will accept which is likely to be nothing at all.

 

So power to the gun grabbers or as we call them, normal decent Americans who want to protect their children.

[rodney earl]

There would be more people die from road deaths, drugs, prescription medicines, obesity, smoking but no one wants to do anything about a lot of that. 

[JCauto]

2 minutes ago, rodney earl said:

There would be more people die from road deaths, drugs, prescription medicines, obesity, smoking but no one wants to do anything about a lot of that. 

Except that, unlike buying guns:

 

1. You can't drive a car legally without getting a license that requires you to learn the rules of the road, take a test to prove you can drive, take out insurance for your car and buy a license that requires photo ID and a background check. You don't need to do any of those things to buy a gun. 

 

2. You can't buy prescription medicine unless you see a Doctor, have a legitimate cause for getting medicine, get a script from said Doctor, and take the script along with ID to a pharmacy. You don't need to do any of those things to buy a gun.

 

3. Smoking - the laws restricting smoking have increased enormously, and the costs from smoking to the health care system have been reimbursed by increasing the taxes on cigarettes and other smokes to incredibly high levels, and tobacco companies have been sued numerous times and lost. Children under 18 aren't allowed to buy them either. Children under 18 can buy a gun, and gun manufacturers have had an explicit law passed by their congressional stooges that absolves them for any liability for their products so they can't even be sued. Know anyone else who has such a rider from Congress?

 

4. Obesity - I presume you mean fatty and sugary foods, as obesity is the result, not the cause? In that case, CONGRATULATIONS! You've finally found a parallel. And what a parallel it is, since so many people are involuntarily murdered by being smothered by fat people....

 

Seriously, do you pro-gun nuts even bother to engage the brain before typing?

[ELVIS123456]

On 2/21/2018 at 7:10 AM, Boon Mee said:

A token gesture to placate the howling mob of gun grabbers.

 I wonder why no one was howling when they were made legal (twice) under the Obama clown.  Yep - true.   True Democrat hypocrisy too.

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2017/oct/06/national-rifle-association/nra-claim-obama-approved-bump-stocks/

 

[ELVIS123456]

Oh, by the way, they are banned at all NRA certified ranges and clubs.

 

 

[stevenl]

2 minutes ago, ELVIS123456 said:

 I wonder why no one was howling when they were made legal (twice) under the Obama clown.  Yep - true.   True Democrat hypocrisy too.

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2017/oct/06/national-rifle-association/nra-claim-obama-approved-bump-stocks/

 

Read your own link.

 

Obama's administration did not make it legal, but was unable to make it illegal ("because the law did not permit them to prohibit it").

[sirineou]

On 2/21/2018 at 5:05 AM, rodney earl said:

There would be more people die from road deaths, drugs, prescription medicines, obesity, smoking but no one wants to do anything about a lot of that. 

Not to mention old age, Do people realise how many people die of old age??

Why don't they outlaw old age?

 

 

Oh wait a  second, I am such an idiot, the NRA and Trump are doing their best to reduce old age associated deaths.

Edited February 22, 2018 by sirineou

[GinBoy2]

I'm gonna be a little weird here.

I'm a liberal, Democrat voting, rifle, sidearm owning American.

My rifle is nothing special, a bolt action Thompson, which I use for hunting. My handgun is a rather vanilla Ruger 9mm, which I have for nothing more than shooting bullets at a shooting range, boys adrenalin fun.

I suspect that I'm probably somewhere bang smack in the middle of the distribution curve of gun owners.

Problem is we are totally ignored in this whole debate.

You can, and I wouldn't object, background check me up the wazoo. Don't need or want a bump stock, or anything equates to an automatic military style rifle. Don't need or see the need for high capacity mags.

There's the rub, for most normal gun owners, the debate has moved so far outside our reality I don't know how you move it back.

All I do know is, that for all it's money, power and influence, the NRA doesn't represent, again what I 'think' is the major part of the gun owning bell curve, those not worried about our 2nd amendment right, but equally not concerned about reasonable gun restrictions

[spidermike007]

Bump stocks. That is the very best this charlatan can do. The fact is he is bought and paid for by the NRA. He had a visit from a lobbyist for the NRA the day after the Parkland shooting, who was there to insure that Trump behaved himself. 

 

It has become increasingly clear, that the NRA is a terrorist organization, plain and simple. By continuing with their policies, they essentially support the massacre of civilians, and will stop at nothing to continue their insane support for automatic rifles, the ownership of rifles by 18 year olds, and are resisting calls for deep background checks.

 

The NRA are perhaps the most corrosive and dangerous organization in America today. They need to be stopped. They need to be taken out. Period. End of story. The time has come. They have outlived their usefulness. They are a boil on the face of America. 

 

The best way for Americans, who profess patriotism to their nation, to express that so called loyalty, is to not vote for any politician who accepts even one dollar from this heinous organization. They are a mafia. I am fine with someone being able to purchase a hunting rifle, or a pistol for self defense. With a deep background check. Gun shows need to be stopped tomorrow. 97% of the guns in the US, that are owned by civilians, are owned by 3% of the population. That is the very definition of a broken nation.

 

And did anyone notice that Trump was visited by an NRA lobbyist the day after the shooting? Those fools should not be allowed within 10 miles of the very white house. Trump has sold his soul to the highest bidder. That much is clear to anyone with any vision or understanding. Drain the swamp? How about re-populate it with his own crocodiles. The master of BS continues his crusade of lies.

 

[rodney earl]

Keep the guns. People will still find ways to kill people. Look at what the mussies do. The same thing happened in australia, a knee jerk reaction to one idiot, now it is very very difficult to own a gun there, thanks to  J. Howard (idiot)