Thread: Democratic lawmakers back Obama's proposals

Democratic lawmakers back Obama's proposals

CHET GORDON/Times Herald-Record

Published: 2:00 AM - 01/17/13

Federal and state Democratic legislators from around the mid-Hudson region praised President Barack Obama's gun control proposals Wednesday, while the lone Republican member of the congressional delegation dismissed the proposals as an affront to law-abiding gun owners.

At the same time, one local rod and gun club president saw at least one positive proposal in the president's executive orders, while a local gun shop owner roundly denounced the president's legislative gun control measures.

Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, D-Cold Spring, said although he thought it "sad" that Washington's political dysfunction required the president to issue executive orders, "The horrible tragedies in Arizona, Aurora, and Newtown clearly show that we don't have any more time to waste if we want to keep our children and communities safe," Maloney said.

Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., issued a statement that identified what he called a legislative "sweet spot" within the president's proposals: universal background checks.
"We're glad the president put such emphasis on it, and we look forward to working with him on this and other proposals to make our nation safer from the scourge of gun violence," Schumer said.

New York's other U.S. senator, Kirsten Gillibrand, also a Democrat, praised the president for what she called a "comprehensive approach that addresses gun safety and mental health." "I hope my Republican colleagues will join us on these reasonable common-sense reforms that preserve the rights of law-abiding gun owners and also protect our families," Gillibrand said.

But Rep. Chris Gibson, a Republican who represents the 19th Congressional District, cited his 24-year Army career experience in explaining his objections to the proposals. "As a former soldier, it pains me to see our citizens affected by gun violence on our own streets, schools and other public places," said Gibson, who lives in Kinderhook.

"But I do not believe the solution is taking guns away from law-abiding individuals."

Gibson called for "more robust treatement and support for those with mental illnesses" and said he favored tougher enforcement of and punishment for existing gun laws.

While acknowledging the "lethal capacity" of guns, said that "gun regulation is far from the only solution."

"Much more needs to be done in the area of mental health, civic engagement, awareness, and a reversal of the sense that confrontation in our daily discourse is an acceptable way of living," he said. The legislation would not be the end of gun rights, he said, nor is it the end of what may feel like an epidemic of gun violence.

"Instead, we should use this as an opportunity to continue our discussion on how to make New York safer.

We cannot give anyone a pass — not the NRA, not the governor, not our teachers, not our parents, not our neighbors, not our leaders, not ourselves."

Ted Hanold, president of the New Paltz Rod & Gun Club, said he thought there were good and bad points to Obama's proposals. "Personally, I see nothing wrong with universal background checks," he said. Hanold was critical of gun control measures signed into law by Gov. Andrew Cuomo earlier this week. "We're back to three men in a room making all the decisions," he said.

Eugene Demayo, owner of Vic Demayo Inc.'s gun shop in Accord, said he was outraged by the new state gun control legislation. "He (Cuomo) is capitalizing on the deaths of 20 little kids for his own personal gain," Demayo said.
http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130117/NEWS/301170339/-1/NEWS

Related ..

Like Obama, Emanuel pivots on guns

Slim Picken's and the Marxist's over stepped on this one... they just havent realized how bad yet