Feinstein Intros Bill to Ban "Bump-Stocks"

[olstyn]

Can you tell me if the message I posted is ridiculously long? When I look at it in tapatalk, only the last two paragraphs come up.

In a "real" web browser, it's quite long (it appears to be all there, as it starts with "Thank you for contacting me," ends with "Sincerely...") and the degree to which Bernie's staffers ignored what you said when replying to you is truly impressive.

[NGP]

To my mind, common sense gun control begins with a ban on military-style assault weapons that have used in many of these heinous crimes. These are weapons of war, plain and simple. There is no reason for ordinary citizens to own them.

This, to me, was the essence of the whole reply. He might as well just said subjects.

[WobblyPossum]

In a "real" web browser, it's quite long (it appears to be all there, as it starts with "Thank you for contacting me," ends with "Sincerely...") and the degree to which Bernie's staffers ignored what you said when replying to you is truly impressive.

I know some members here are quite eloquent and articulate when they draft letters to politicians regarding proposed laws. I’m not one of those people. My email to Sanders was approximately ten sentences long. The first sentence was basically “I ask that you vote against any gun control legislation that will inevitably be proposed in the weeks following the most recent mass murder.” It’s pretty sad that someone obviously didn’t even pretend they read my email.


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[Suvorov]

To my mind, common sense gun control begins with a ban on military-style assault weapons that have used in many of these heinous crimes. These are weapons of war, plain and simple. There is no reason for ordinary citizens to own them. I proudly voted for an assault weapons ban in 1994 and again in 2004, and was very disappointed when Congress let the ban lapse that year. I will continue to support efforts to reinstate an assault weapons ban.

Because Browning, Berdan, Mauser, and Sharps were all making their inventions for the deer hunting crowd...... [emoji57]

[WobblyPossum]

Sen. Sanders’ response shows that going after bump stocks won’t be the end of this. We should prepare for another run on ammo and evil black rifles. This email was what actually pushed me over the edge to pick up one of the Colt Troopers. I’ll probably grab another couple of cases of 9mm over the next few pay periods too. (The money refunded from the Federal American Eagle rebate will help offset the cost of the rifle. At least that’s how I’m rationalizing it to myself lol)

For anyone who hasn’t contacted their representatives yet, you guys need to write them and let them know to vote against every single bill Sen. Sanders mentioned in his office’s email. Let them know that votes in support of this nonsense will come back to bite them in the ass come election time.


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[hufnagel]

If this all blows over and BFS are still legal in a couple months, I'm buying one just because. As VDM said, SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED doesn't have a "common sense" caveat. Hell I might buy two, since they seem to be different for left or right handed people.

[Drang]

JOINT STATEMENT FROM SAF, CCRKBA ON ‘BUMP STOCKS’

BELLEVUE, WA – In response to the senseless attack in Las Vegas, the Second Amendment Foundation and Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms have issued the following statement:

“The Second Amendment Foundation and Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms support a productive dialogue concerning “bump stocks,” National Concealed Carry Reciprocity and the proposed Hearing Protection Act.

“We recognize that banning firearms accessories is not a solution to violent crime.”

[RevolverRob]

Sincerely,

BERNARD SANDERS
United States Senator

By contrast the response I received from John Cornyn - I pointed out to Mr. Cornyn that knee-jerk reactions that ban firearms or firearms accessories, results in nothing positive. And in fact that it continues to set a precedent that we can appear to solve fundamental problems through superficial actions; and that we cannot actually do so. I noted that prior to Las Vegas, bump stocks on firearms were not frequently used to commit violent crimes. That this should reinforce the need to invest in mental health care infrastructure. And finally, that if any legislative response to Las Vegas would occur, it must happen once we understand the motivations of the attacker. To ban bump-fire stocks, when other motivations are at play, is self-defeating.

Senator Cornyn's response below:

Dear Robert:

Thank you for contacting me with your suggestions for federal firearms policy. I appreciate having the benefit of your comments and am encouraged that you and other concerned citizens are committed to reducing gun violence in America.

Like every Texan, I want to prevent gun violence, and I believe this begins with fully enforcing existing gun laws. Under the Obama Administration, gun crime prosecutions have dropped significantly. This is a starting point: going after the criminals and those who lie on their background checks.

The federal government has also not adequately enforced the 2007 NICS Improvement Amendments Act, a law that is supported by organizations ranging from the National Rifle Association to the Brady Campaign. Passed unanimously by Congress following the Virginia Tech shootings, this law requires states to submit the mental health records of individuals who are adjudicated as a danger to themselves or others in order to prevent them from legally purchasing firearms. It is worth noting that Texas has received high marks from the Government Accountability Office for its compliance with the law. Texas has shown how to make the necessary reforms while also protecting Second Amendment rights.

I also believe addressing mental illness is another way to prevent gun violence. On August 5, 2015, I introduced the Mental Health and Safe Communities Act of 2015 (S. 2002), parts of which were later included in the 21st Century Cures Act of 2016, which was signed into law last year (P.L. 114-255). This legislation will enhance the ability of local communities to identify and treat potentially dangerous, mentally-ill individuals. The law also includes reforms to increase the use of treatment-based alternatives for mentally-ill offenders, and improve crisis response and prevention by state and local law enforcement officials. The bill was endorsed by a diverse group of organizations, including the National Alliance on Mental Illness and the National Association of Police Organizations.

This is the debate we should be having—a debate that focuses on the real root causes of mass violence, and a debate that addresses the perilous intersection of guns and mental illness. We can tackle these problems without curtailing Second Amendment rights, and I will continue to push for effective solutions that protect communities while preserving our constitutional liberties.

I am always appreciative when Texans reach out and share their concerns. Thank you for taking the time to contact me.

Sincerely,

JOHN CORNYN
United States Senator

____

So, still kind of a bullshit response, but at least one that was slightly more in line with the letter I sent to Cornyn.

[BillSWPA]

While I agree that mental health needs to be part of the solution, we need to be very careful about where that conversation goes. In NJ, a simple prescription for anti-anxiety medicine will disqualify one from holding a firearm purchaser ID card. We are going to cause more problems than we solve if people cannot approach their doctors and have an open, honest conversation about their issues without lasting repercussions. Most, if not all, mental health prescriptions should never, ever appear in any database where they would ever turn up in a background check.

Although the level of planning that went into the Las Vegas attack leads me to question whether mental illness was the cause, I will add that we could solve some problems by improving the way psychiatric medicine is prescribed. There is a higher likelihood that the proper dosage of the proper mess will be prescribed if they are prescribed by a psychiatrist rather than a general practitioner. Those prescriptions cannot be based on a blood test and a few minutes with the patient, but need to be determined based on multiple, extensive conversations about the patient's symptoms.



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[RevolverRob]

While I agree that mental health needs to be part of the solution, we need to be very careful about where that conversation goes. In NJ, a simple prescription for anti-anxiety medicine will disqualify one from holding a firearm purchaser ID card. We are going to cause more problems than we solve if people cannot approach their doctors and have an open, honest conversation about their issues without lasting repercussions. Most, if not all, mental health prescriptions should never, ever appear in any database where they would ever turn up in a background check.

ABSOLUTELY AGREED. We do not need to make mental health more stigmatized in our society. Concerns about the potential legal repercussions of owning guns and an anti-anxiety prescription simultaneously, kept me from seeking treatment for a long time. I finally resolved to serve as a test case if necessary, because I could no longer live sans therapy and medication.

Although the level of planning that went into the Las Vegas attack leads me to question whether mental illness was the cause.

Well...I'm just gonna say, I don't think most normal or even "weird" people would do the type of thing the asshole in Vegas did. This is where my pragmatism comes into play, no matter how good our mental health care, our prevention, our "insert potential solution here" is. Some folks just ain't right and never will be, and may never show signs of it, until they start shooting up a concert...or serially murdering prostitutes. There are some truly fucked, evil, people, beyond help in our society. And psychologically deranged people are quite capable of extensive planning, they aren't unhinged in the bouncing off the padded walls kind of way; they simply lack empathy or emotion for what they intend to do.

I would say, for the sake of folks struggling with the Vegas shooter. Think about his mindset as something akin to a serial killer who just killed his victims in one swath, instead of several events (and for all we know, he may have done that too).

I will add that we could solve some problems by improving the way psychiatric medicine is prescribed. There is a higher likelihood that the proper dosage of the proper mess will be prescribed if they are prescribed by a psychiatrist rather than a general practitioner. Those prescriptions cannot be based on a blood test and a few minutes with the patient, but need to be determined based on multiple, extensive conversations about the patient's symptoms.

Also concur, that meds should be administered by a psychiatrist and not GP. Although, there are a few tests they can run to investigate brain chemistry and potential medication. But most folks won't sit through a spinal tap if they don't have to.