Gun control is a major source of policy debates for the Presidential elections of 2020. One side advocates support for stricter gun control, while the other side favors less regulation for personal liberty. The Second Amendment implies that ownership of ammunition is a basic right that cannot be infringed on by federal laws, but in recent years there has been a growing call to revisit this amendment.
This amendment has been worded as follows: “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” When it was first implemented in the 18th century, it was a different time. Civilian Militias like the Minutemen of Concord and Lexington fame were quite common and favorably looked upon by the general populace. In addition, events like continental wars, civil wars, Westward expansion and even the unknown wildlife made owning guns and ammunition a necessity for survival.
Fast forward to the present day. We are in the post Cold-War era, when cowboys have relegated even on the big screen; when the US is a global superpower with more military spending than the next few countries combined; but more importantly when our children are being targeted in schools, the discussion on gun laws as a policy has taken center stage during the last decade or so.
The debate on gun control has two points of view which draw from these contexts: is gun control really needed for personal protection or is easy access to guns a genuine public health concern?
Generally speaking, Democrats and Republicans stand on opposite ends of the political spectrum when it comes to gun control. However, there are several common key points on this issue which have agreements with both parties. Amidst several high profile mass shootings in 2019, stringent background checks have been deemed necessary by a majority on both sides to prevent weapons from falling into the wrong hands. While this is true, there are still quite a few aspects that the two sides differ on.
Republicans’ stance on gun control stems from a deep-held belief in personal liberty and individual responsibility, and gun ownership being an extension of the right to self-defense. Republicans claim it is their right to protect themselves, family and private property from criminals, corrupt government, and war-time invasions. While some republicans do support gun control laws such as mandatory background checks, others are mostly against gun manufacturer liabilities and federal licensing. In addition, the National Rifle Association supports and funds several Republican lawmakers while also having a political lobby of their own. This adds a distinct dimension to Republican lawmaking that does not exist with the Democrats.
Elizabeth Warren’s gun control plan that she presented in August last year, which involved creating federal licensing, having a firearm cap per person, increasing the minimum age for gun ownership, and more importantly holding gun manufacturers accountable.
Shooting past the primaries, the target moves towards 2020 Presidential elections and makes it necessary to know what the candidates support, especially in the gun control arena. Like a cowboy face-off, we have two heavy gunners who have a wide range of influence.
On one corner we have Joe Biden, the former Vice-President during the Obama administration. At 77 years of age and having served in different eras, he has seen the relaxed nature of gun control in his prime to the relatively divided and emotional nature of politics today. He was the architect of the assault weapons ban in 1994, helped push the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act a year before and was also Obama’s main choice when it came to handling gun-related issues during his administration. He actually had a pro-gun stance early in his career, which makes his anti-gun stance in recent decades more interesting. He unveiled his plan for gun control late last year in October which includes assault weapon bans, federal licensing and more interestingly the development of smart guns, which would only be activated by the registered owner’s fingerprint. This plan clearly builds up on his previous experience in this area.
As opposed to Biden, Trump has occupied a public office for just a few years and his exact stance on gun control is not as clear. He is committed to the implementation of the Second Amendment as a constitutional right of law-abiding citizens which should not be transgressed, and some of his policies are reflective of this priority. For example, his policy in 2018 has addressed improving school safety by offering to train school personnel in weapons as well as encouraging military men to take up careers in education, in addition to background checks, establishing commissions, and improving mental health. He again showed interest in stricter background checks after the mass shootings in 2019. A bipartisan bill (H.R.8) which makes background checks on all gun sales mandatory passed the House of Representatives last year, but has not made it past the Senate currently headed by Mitch McConnel, a Republican from Kentucky. If passed, it will be in tune with the Second Amendment and not infringe on the ability of able people to carry weapons.
In a democratic institution, the Constitution is considered sacred and rightfully so. However, defending and implementing the laws that it contains is also equally critical to the democratic process. This gives rise to different interpretations of the law under scrutiny, with the Second Amendment being no different from any other law in this regard. While there are differing interpretations, both sides agree that something needs to be done for the public health crisis of mass shootings to be contained. It is critical to find a powerful solution to this lingering problem as soon as possible.
