Donald Trump told reporters yesterday that Democrats would dump the Second Amendment if given the chance.
“I think the Republicans are very unified. We are very strong on our Second Amendment.
“The Democrats are not strong at all on the Second Amendment. I would say they are weak on the Second Amendment. And we have to be careful on that.
“The Democrats would, I believe, give up the Second Amendment.”
Based on an announcement made yesterday by House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), it would be tempting to think Trump actually knows what he’s talking about. In reality, however, Trump and the GOP are simpatico with their Democrat counterparts when it comes to dumping the Second Amendment.
Nadler announced that some Democrats will return early from their summer vacation to advance several gun-control measures to be considered along with the universal background check bill passed by the House in February.
Nadler plans to hold votes on measures that will ban high-capacity magazines and so-called “military-style assault weapons.” Additionally, he will hold a vote on the Extreme Risk Protection Order Act, which would provide grants to the states to create red flag laws, and a vote on a measure to establish procedures for obtaining ERPOs in a federal court.
So, Trump nailed it, right? Nope, not even close.
Trump has already proposed his own frightening list of liberty-killing anti-gun proposals and has convinced Mitch “The Napping Turtle” McConnell to take up gun control when the Senate reconvenes in September. The GOP “leader” has already promised to make expanded background checks and red flag laws his top priorities because “What we can’t do is fail to pass something.”
The Extreme Risk Protection Order Act has been a priority for Sen. Marco Rubio ever since last year’s mass shooting at a Parkland, FL, high school — that is, when he’s not pushing the Threat Assessment, Prevention and Safety (TAPS) Act. Known as the Extreme Risk Protection Order and Violence Prevention Act, Rubio’s measure would also pay states to pass ERPO (aka red flag) laws.
Nadler’s vote to establish procedures for obtaining an ERPO via the federal courts is also a Republican idea. With the help of Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sen. Lindsey Graham co-sponsored the Federal Extreme Risk Protection Act, a bill that federalizes ERPOs by giving federal courts jurisdiction over the states.
In his comments to reporters, Trump said of gun control, “We have to be very careful about that. You know, they call it the ‘slippery slope.’ And all of a sudden everything gets taken away. We’re not going to let that happen.”
Since Trump and the GOP not only agree with Democrats on gun control but are providing legislation to get the job done, his warnings are simply election-season fearmongering.
And his promise to protect the Second Amendment is a bald-faced lie.
David Leach is the owner of The Strident Conservative.
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