For years, Republicans have led the resistance against meaningful federal legislation on gun control
Ticker News spoke with Writer Molly Jong-Fast for her analysis on gun rights in America
Many Republicans are saying there needs to be more support for mental health, but Writer Molly Jong fast says this is being used to prevent gun legislation.
Although Biden is yet to negotiate with opposing lawmakers in the current round of talks, he believes ‘everybody’ at Capitol Hill is becoming more rational about the hot topic.
It follows U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris calling for a U.S. assault rifle ban and other measures to curb gun violence.
Many Republicans are saying there needs to be more support for mental health, but Writer Jong-Fast says this is being used to prevent gun legislation.
“Republicans are very good at manipulating Democrats. I think the Democrats have a moment here, and I hope they take it when Joe Biden went to volunteer yesterday. They were chanting, do something outside of the church, and there is an opportunity for Joe Biden to do something,” she told Ticker News.
Is the mental health conversation being used to prevent gun legislation here from the Republican point of view?
“They (Republicans) have no interest in mental health. This is not about mental health. An assault weapon ban would save lives, it would save children’s lives,”
JONG-FAST SAYS
“This is about the guns and Republicans will make it about anything else they can.”
The writer hopes Chuck Schumer, who is the leader of the Senate, and a Democrat, would do a “filibuster cut out right now and set it up so that they could vote on an assault weapon ban.”
Jong-Fast also suggests an assault weapon ban, raising the age of of buying weapons to 21, background checks, and closing the gun show loophole, as ways to combat mass shootings.
“I mean, there’s a lot of ways to make America safer with the purchase of guns. The problem is, Republicans are really obstructionist,” she says.
“They don’t want to help pass this legislation, they’re worried that it will depress enthusiasm for the mid for their base in the midterms. And so they want to keep this going. And they know that Americans tend to forget, and that there’s a sort of United States of Amnesia phenomenon, as Gore Vidal wrote about and so they are just hoping to run out the clock.”
However, she notes that the House has passed many different gun safety bills, and have “sort of died in the Senate.”
“So I mean, this is really on Chuck Schumer’s lap.”
Jong-Fast says she doesn’t trust Mitch McConnell, after every school shooting.
“Mitch McConnell says something to the effect of we need a bipartisan agreement, and then he sort of pushes for it not to work,” she told Ticker News Host Holly Stearnes.
She says “it’s worth it for Democrats to try” as it will help America.
“America could have less children die in their schools of gun violence? I mean, this is the kind of thing that isn’t just a political calculus, it’s a human calculus.”
“Different states have allowed gun manufacturers to be sued. The idea that you couldn’t sue them before was a completely crazy I mean, in America, you tend to be able to sue most most companies for most things. So that seems like a no brainer in my mind.”
