Replies to post #90724 on Just Politics

[BullNBear52]

In 1994 Reagan was a co-signatory (along with former presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter) to a letter urging the U.S. House of Representatives to support a ban on the domestic manufacture of “assault weapons” such as semi-automatic AK-47s:

May 3, 1994

To Members of the U.S. House of Representatives:
We are writing to urge your support for a ban on the domestic manufacture of military-style assault weapons. This is a matter of vital importance to the public safety. Although assualt weapons account for less than 1% of the guns in circulation, they account for nearly 10% of the guns traced to crime.

Every major law enforcement organization in America and dozens of leading labor, medical, religious, civil rights and civic groups support such a ban. Most importantly, poll after poll shows that the American public overwhelmingly support a ban on assault weapons. A 1993 CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll found that 77% of Americans support a ban on the manufacture, sale, and possession of semi-automatic assault guns, such as the AK-47.

The 1989 import ban resulted in an impressive 40% drop in imported assault weapons traced to crime between 1989 and 1991, but the killing continues. Last year, a killer armed with two TEC9s killed eight people at a San Francisco law firm and wounded several others. During the past five years, more than 40 law enforcement officers have been killed or wounded in the line of duty by an assault weapon.

While we recognize that assault weapon legislation will not stop all assault weapon crime, statistics prove that we can dry up the supply of these guns, making them less accessible to criminals. We urge you to listen to the American public and to the law enforcement community and support a ban on the further manufacture of these weapons.

Sincerely,

Gerald R. Ford

Jimmy Carter

Ronald Reagan

https://www.snopes.com/politics/guns/reaganak47.asp

[ForReal]

It existed, but in a rather piecemeal way. I will agree with you there. Meaning, at times it existed and at others it did not. Not even when the Affordable Care Act was passed without 1 Republican vote.

I am not trying to blame just Democrats for the failure of our government to enact gun legislation. What I am saying is that our government as a whole has failed to fix this problem.

I am somewhat enthused as to the prospect of Romney getting elected. What I truly hope for is a more centrist movement in both parties. Perhaps a victory by Romney will preclude that. It is the radical partisan politics of today, that make it so difficult to get sensible legislation passed.

We need more centrist leaders in our Congress, so compromise instead of finger pointing can become the rule of politics once again. That will come when the voters become less defensive and reactionary to any real discussion of the failure of our government as a whole and not just point fingers, as our legislators continue to do. Our representatives are a mirror image of the electorate, in my opinion.