Obama gun plan splits area

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Area residents have mixed emotions about executive actions taken Tuesday by President Barack Obama in an effort to limit gun violence.

The new requirement would expand background checks for gun buyers.

The measure states individuals who sell firearms as a business would need to register as licensed dealers.

Administration officials said the action would narrow an exception which allows many small sellers to not have to keep official sales records.

Bucyrus resident Rick Harris agrees with the President.

“Gun shows make it too easy to have an unlicensed firearm and that loophole needs closed. We have to license almost everything else, why not all guns? The president is not taking away guns so I don’t understand people’s opposition to this. It needs to be harder for crazy people to get automatic weapons,” Harris said.

Bucyrus native Jason Wyeth said that gun control is futile.

“States are moving into a position where executive actions are not worth the paper they are written on, focus on the individual not the inanimate object people,” Wyeth said.

Obama was emotional after being introduced by Mark Barden, whose son was killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre.

“Every time I think about those kids, it gets me mad,” Obama said during the event. “And by the way, it happens on the streets of Chicago every day.”

Obama defended his actions and said the measure would make it harder for criminals to get firearms.

“Each time this comes up, we are fed the excuse that common-sense reforms like background checks might not have stopped the last massacre, or the one before that, or the one before that, so why bother trying,” Obama said. “I reject that thinking. We know we can’t stop every act of violence, every act of evil in the world. But maybe we could try to stop one act of evil, one act of violence.”

The President’s actions were supported by Ohio Senator Democrat Sherrod Brown.

“I applaud (the President) taking action to stop gun violence,” Brown said on Twitter following the announcement. “I will continue working for commonsense safety laws Ohioans support.

Galion resident Lisa Riedel agrees with Brown.

“I think we’ve waited long enough for changes to gun control law. Since nothing of substance has been done, I celebrate Obama for taking action. Executive orders are within the powers of the President and have been used by all of them. I have background checks for employment- gun advocates certainly should be accepting to the same,” Riedel said.

Former Crawford County resident Brian Mollenkopf said he does not agree with the President using his executive power when it comes to gun control.

“I think it is an abuse of power. The POTUS is the Executive branch of the government, not the Legislative,” Mollenkopf said.

The move was blasted by state Republicans.

“I am disappointed that the Obama Administration seems determined once again to bypass Congress and enact new regulations in an area where they have not tried to find common ground,” Republican Senator Rob Portman said. “I believe there are ways we can work together to curb gun violence. This includes much stronger enforcement of current law, strengthening background checks by adding far better mental health records, and getting at the root cause of most gun violence by addressing the drug problem and gangs, pursuing more effective prisoner reentry programs and prison reform and addressing the gaps in mental health treatment.

“Instead of going around Congress with executive actions that may well threaten Second Amendment rights, I encourage the Administration to work with Congress.”

U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan said the focus of Tuesday’s action was in the wrong place.

“The President’s executive order will not do a thing to protect innocent Americans from violent criminals, but rather will make us less safe by weakening the Second Amendment freedoms of law-abiding Americans, a move which is par for the course for a President with a record of targeting the First Amendment speech rights of law-abiding Americans through the IRS and the First Amendment religious liberties of law-abiding Americans through Obamacare,” he said. “The Obama administration should quit targeting law-abiding Americans and come up with proposals that address what law-abiding Americans are actually concerned about: keeping terrorists from coming to the U.S.”

The President said he’s not against the Second Amendment.

“I believe in the Second Amendment, there written on paper, that guarantees the right to bear arms,” Obama said. “No matter how many times people try to twist my words around, that’s our constitutional law. I know a little bit about this. But I also believe that we can find ways to reduce gun violence consistent with the Second Amendment.”

He added that legislative action is needed for many of the actions he’s requesting.

Barack Obama
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2016/01/web1_obama.jpgBarack Obama

President Barack Obama speaks with the attendees following a meeting Monday in the Oval Office on the executive actions he can take to curb gun violence. Listening to the President, from left: Neil Eggleston, Counsel to the President; Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates; Eric Nguyen, Associate Counsel to the President; Michael Bosworth, Deputy Counsel to the President; Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett; Attorney General Loretta Lynch; Natalie Quillian, Deputy Assistant to the President, partially hidden behind the Attorney General and FBI Director James Comey.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2016/01/web1_whitehouse.jpgPresident Barack Obama speaks with the attendees following a meeting Monday in the Oval Office on the executive actions he can take to curb gun violence. Listening to the President, from left: Neil Eggleston, Counsel to the President; Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates; Eric Nguyen, Associate Counsel to the President; Michael Bosworth, Deputy Counsel to the President; Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett; Attorney General Loretta Lynch; Natalie Quillian, Deputy Assistant to the President, partially hidden behind the Attorney General and FBI Director James Comey.

By Chris Pugh and Kimberly Gasuras

Galion Inquirer

WHITE HOUSE STATEMENT

ON BENEFITS OF EXECUTIVE

ACTIONS

1. Keep guns out of the wrong hands through background checks.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is making clear that it doesn’t matter where you conduct your business—from a store, at gun shows, or over the Internet: If you’re in the business of selling firearms, you must get a license and conduct background checks.

ATF is finalizing a rule to require background checks for people trying to buy some of the most dangerous weapons and other items through a trust, corporation, or other legal entity.

Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch has sent a letter to States highlighting the importance of receiving complete criminal history records and criminal dispositions, information on persons disqualified because of a mental illness, and qualifying crimes of domestic violence.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is overhauling the background check system to make it more effective and efficient. The envisioned improvements include processing background checks 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and improving notification of local authorities when certain prohibited persons unlawfully attempt to buy a gun. The FBI will hire more than 230 additional examiners and other staff to help process these background checks.

2. Make our communities safer from gun violence.

The Attorney General convened a call with U.S. Attorneys around the country to direct federal prosecutors to continue to focus on smart and effective enforcement of our gun laws.

The President’s FY2017 budget will include funding for 200 new ATF agents and investigators to help enforce our gun laws.

ATF has established an Internet Investigation Center to track illegal online firearms trafficking and is dedicating $4 million and additional personnel to enhance the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network.

ATF is finalizing a rule to ensure that dealers who ship firearms notify law enforcement if their guns are lost or stolen in transit.

The Attorney General issued a memo encouraging every U.S. Attorney’s Office to renew domestic violence outreach efforts.

3. Increase mental health treatment and reporting to the background check system.

The Administration is proposing a new $500 million investment to increase access to mental health care.

The Social Security Administration has indicated that it will begin the rulemaking process to include information in the background check system about beneficiaries who are prohibited from possessing a firearm for mental health reasons.

The Department of Health and Human Services is finalizing a rule to remove unnecessary legal barriers preventing States from reporting relevant information about people prohibited from possessing a gun for specific mental health reasons.

4. Shape the future of gun safety technology.

The President has directed the Departments of Defense, Justice, and Homeland Security to conduct or sponsor research into gun safety technology.

The President has also directed the departments to review the availability of smart gun technology on a regular basis, and to explore potential ways to further its use and development to more broadly improve gun safety.

Congress should support the President’s request for resources for 200 new ATF agents and investigators to help enforce our gun laws, as well as a new $500 million investment to address mental health issues.

– whitehouse.gov

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