President Donald Trump floated a number of potential gun-control regulations in wake of the Stoneman Douglas high school massacre that occurred on Valentine’s Day.
I will be strongly pushing Comprehensive Background Checks with an emphasis on Mental Health. Raise age to 21 and end sale of Bump Stocks! Congress is in a mood to finally do something on this issue – I hope!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 22, 2018
Here are a number of those proposals, some of which are actually aimed at combating public shootings without abolishing the right to bear arms:
- Ending gun-free zones in schools.
- Arming teachers (who already have firearm experience, such as those from a military or law enforcement background.)
- Banning ‘bump stocks.’
- Raising the minimum age to purchase assault rifles to 21.
- Strengthening background checks.
On one of those regulations – raising the minimum age to purchase an assault rifle to 21 – Trump is walking back on it, presumably because of the unpopularity of that particular regulation.
Some liberals have been making the “if you can’t buy a beer, you shouldn’t be able to purchase a gun” argument, but they’re forgetting that we’re the only non-Muslim country with a drinking age as high as 21. Their argument makes a stronger case to lower the drinking age, not to raise the age to purchase firearms.
Trump has apparently realized as much, too.
According to Mediaite,
CNN’s Jim Acosta told anchor Anderson Cooper the following about Trump’s change of mood on the issue:
“Talking to sources tonight, the president appears to be backing away from this idea that you mentioned just a few moments ago that he supported last week that the age limit should be raised to 21 for purchasing assault weapons. The president tweeted about it, and you notice on Friday in a CPAC speech. And that led to questions about this issue. The White House press secretary said he supports the idea as a concept and tonight we are hearing from sources that he appears to be backing away from that. The president said he is willing to fight the NRA on some issues and apparently that is not one of them.”
Acosta added that it would appear that Trump reiterated his support today for the ban on bump stocks while remaining quiet on the age limit because he feels he’s on safe ground there.
Trump appears to be backing away from his support for 21 year age limit for assault weapons purchases, sources tell us tonight.
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) February 27, 2018
What do you think of Trump ditching the age requirement hike? Be sure to let us know in the comments section below.
