Years of Reluctance, Democrats Call for Gun Control

The tide seems to have turned as the Democratic presidential candidates have taken a stand to push forward gun control as a leading issue for the election, signaling a transformation in the politics of a highly controversial topic that was often avoided by the Democratic nominees.

After numerous deadly shootings all over the country, involving schools and colleges, and with the President revealing his frustration by the inaction of the Republicans in Congress, Democratic candidates led by Hillary Clinton swore on Tuesday night to fortify restrictions on both gun manufacturers as well as gun owners.

Many seemed not only willing, but also determined and enthusiastic to push for greater gun control during the coming general election to the point of almost declaring war on National Rifle Association.

“We have to look at the fact that we lose 90 people a day from gun violence,” Hillary Clinton said at a CNN event. “This has gone on too long, and it’s time the entire country stood up against the NRA.”

Many Republicans also welcome Democrats taking up the issue almost certain that they are misjudging the prowess of the pro gun rights movement, and that they run the risk of overplaying their hand on the issue.

In a sign of how compelling this issue has become among primary Democratic voters, Senator Bernie Sanders has shifted his position after voting in favor of gun rights in the past as a Senator.

According to him, he is now advocating for a comprehensive approach towards gun control, including an expansion of background checks for the purchase of guns, thereby eliminating what is frequently known as ‘gun-show loophole’.

The former governor of Maryland, Martin O’Malley has been especially fervent in talking about guns. He notes that as a governor back in 2013, following the massacre at an elementary school in Newtown, he steered in new gun laws.

“We did it by leading with principle, not by pandering to the NRA and backing down to the NRA,” he said at a debate this week, later adding, “It’s time to stand up and pass comprehensive gun-safety legislation as a nation.”

O’Malley held a news conference on Wednesday to discuss gun safety in Las Vegas, where he met Lonnie and Sandy Philips – a couple whose daughter was killed in the 2012 shooting at a theater in Aurora, Colorado.

When asked whom they thought their enemy was, ‘NRA’ was the answer of both Clinton and O’Malley. The NRA was quick to respond with a warning that by trumpeting gun control, the Democrats run a risk of facing a huge backlash in next year’s general election.

NRA’s spokesman Andrew Arulanandam said, “The only problem with the Democrats’ anti-Second Amendment strategy is that the vast majority of Americans disagree with them on this issue.”