Bill proposes letting U.S. lawmakers carry guns anywhere except Capitol

[webfact]

Bill proposes letting U.S. lawmakers carry guns anywhere except Capitol

 

Handguns are seen for sale in a display case at Metro Shooting Supplies in Bridgeton, Missouri, November 13, 2014. REUTERS/Jim Young

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Warning that members of Congress have a "bull's eye on our backs," a U.S. lawmaker said on Wednesday he had introduced a bill to make it legal for senators and representatives to carry guns anywhere in the country, except the U.S. Capitol building.

 

Representative Jody Hice of Georgia said his proposal was an important step to ensure the personal safety of lawmakers "in light of recent events," an apparent reference to an attack last week in which a gunman opened fire on Republican members of Congress practicing for a charity baseball game.

 

"Personal protection and being able to defend oneself against an assailant is part of the fabric of our Constitution, which is why I am an ardent believer in the Second Amendment," Hice said in a statement, referring to U.S. legal guarantees of the right to keep and bear arms.

 

"While members of Congress are all average Americans, it is clear that we also have a bull's eye on our backs," Hice added. "In light of recent events, it's incredibly important that congressmen and women maintain the ability to provide for their own safety, regardless of the city or state."

 

Hice said he introduced the measure on Tuesday, less than a week after a gunman opened fire on Republican lawmakers at the baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia, a Washington suburb.

 

U.S. Representative Steve Scalise, the No. 3 Republican in the House of Representatives, was wounded in the attack, along with a Republican aide, a lobbyist and a Capitol Police officer in Scalise's security detail.

 

The gunman, a former volunteer campaign worker for Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders who was said to be angry with Republicans, was killed in a gunbattle with police.

 

Scalise underwent several surgeries to treat internal injuries caused by a wound to the hip. His condition was upgraded to "fair" on Wednesday.

 

(Reporting by David Alexander; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-06-22

[habanero]

How many Hippocrates from Capital Hill that voted for gun control or against  conceal carry are going to opt for carrying a weapon on their person? Are they more important than any other American citizen?

[impulse]

Leaving aside the controversial nature of gun laws, this is just one more example where the laws they created to control the rest of us are not good enough for the very guys who pass them.  So they get their own rules, leaving the rest of us to fend for ourselves.

 

Not quite as egregious as health care, but still disturbing.

[klauskunkel]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

While members of Congress are all average Americans

... 

[Credo]

54 minutes ago, impulse said:

Leaving aside the controversial nature of gun laws, this is just one more example where the laws they created to control the rest of us are not good enough for the very guys who pass them.  So they get their own rules, leaving the rest of us to fend for ourselves.

 

Not quite as egregious as health care, but still disturbing.

You might want to check out the health care they provide for themselves.   Oh, and while your at it, check out the pension plan they have and compare it to what they offer their constituents.   

[phantomfiddler]

Bring back the days of the old wild west, have everyone carry a gun ! Someone even looks at you the wrong way...blatt...end of problem :)

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, phantomfiddler said:

Bring back the days of the old wild west, have everyone carry a gun ! Someone even looks at you the wrong way...blatt...end of problem :)

Some people apparently have little idea of what actually went on back then. Murder was murder even then. Murder someone and the law would hang the guilty.

[impulse]

1 hour ago, Credo said:

You might want to check out the health care they provide for themselves.   Oh, and while your at it, check out the pension plan they have and compare it to what they offer their constituents.   

 

Agreed 100%

 

Fixing the health care system in the USA would be as simple as mandating that health insurance provided to government employees (at taxpayer expense) be limited to the average  of the policies provided to the average private sector citizen- employed, self employed and otherwise.

 

The bigwigs wouldn't care, because they're rich enough to buy their own.  But they'd be getting daily earfuls from everyone on their staff.  Along with an exodus of government employees who work there mostly for the benefits.

 

The only way to afford to raise their care coverage without bankrupting the coffers would be to deal with the exorbitant cost of health care in the country relative to just about everywhere else in the world.

 

Edit: BTW, this is also the perfect example of why we need term limits.  Make them go out and live in the world they have imposed on us once in awhile instead of grabbing that government tit and holding on for the rest of their lives.

 

[radiochaser]

3 hours ago, phantomfiddler said:

Bring back the days of the old wild west, have everyone carry a gun ! Someone even looks at you the wrong way...blatt...end of problem :)

 

The Culture of Violence in the American West: Myth versus Reality
The Independent Institute ^ | Saturday July 6, 2013

Contrary to popular perception, the Old West was much more peaceful than American cities are today. The real culture of violence on the frontier during the latter half of the nineteenth century sprang from the U.S. government’s policies toward the Plains Indians.

http://www.independent.org/publications/tir/article.asp?a=803

 

[Grubster]

6 hours ago, habanero said:

How many Hippocrates from Capital Hill that voted for gun control or against  conceal carry are going to opt for carrying a weapon on their person? Are they more important than any other American citizen?

Probably none

[Grubster]

5 hours ago, Credo said:

You might want to check out the health care they provide for themselves.   Oh, and while your at it, check out the pension plan they have and compare it to what they offer their constituents.   

Not to mention the fact that they are allowed to do insider trading.

[Grubster]

5 hours ago, phantomfiddler said:

Bring back the days of the old wild west, have everyone carry a gun ! Someone even looks at you the wrong way...blatt...end of problem :)

The wild west was nowhere near as wild as things are today.

[Redline]

Maybe they will start shooting themselves and each other~outside of work

[boomerangutang]

A problem in DC with a rogue gunman.  The Republican solution: more guns.

 

It's a good thing they don't run an emergency ward at a hospital.   They would suggest spreading broken glass chunks on the floor.

[boomerangutang]

6 hours ago, phantomfiddler said:

Bring back the days of the old wild west, have everyone carry a gun ! Someone even looks at you the wrong way...blatt...end of problem :)

                            And then after you shoot a bullet through the man's heart, you realize it's your fiancee's father.  Oops, sorry, I didn't recognize him with that big hat that shaded his features.  

[boomerangutang]

                      Here's why I don't want everyone (or most people) to carry guns.  If there's a mix-up at a parking lot, for example, the other person can shoot me dead, as well as whatever friends/children I have with me.  Because the US justice system coddles gun-owners, the shooter will likely get off with just a scolding. 

 

                     Did you see the video of the traffic stop in Minnesota which happened very recently?  A cop stops a car for a faulty turn signal light.  The cop goes to the driver's window.  The driver calmly mentions that he is licensed to carry a gun.  The cop flips out and empties his pistol's bullets into the car.  The driver is shot twice through the heart and dies.  His young wife is nearly hit, and is hysterical.  A baby in the back is narrowly missed.    

 

                         Here's the part which proves it happened in the US:   Though the cop is prosecuted for the most benign charge 'INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER'  .....a jury let's him off scot free.

[wwest5829]

10 hours ago, phantomfiddler said:

Bring back the days of the old wild west, have everyone carry a gun ! Someone even looks at you the wrong way...blatt...end of problem :)

Could we read some history, please...you know for truth...

[YetAnother]

what idiocy !!

[connda]

Having the mandate to carry a firearm, and having the ability to use it are two completely separate issues.  The morons who decide to pack without any training are simply fools.

[jerojero]

Given some of those elected representatives are totally loony, this doesn't make American safer or Great Again.

[IAMHERE]

"Equal protection under the law"; my butt!

[ilostmypassword]

16 hours ago, connda said:

Having the mandate to carry a firearm, and having the ability to use it are two completely separate issues.  The morons who decide to pack without any training are simply fools.

Not a mandate.

[ilostmypassword]

So, a congressman or senator can carry a gun into a bar but not into the Capitol? Probably a fair estimate of which locale is more likely to see insane behavior.