In the aftermath of the recent mass shootings around the country, the National Rifle Assn (NRA) has come out with yet another ad aimed this time at the President's school age daughters. The ad, later pulled after criticism from conservatives such as Joe Scarborough purported to connect the Presidents use of Secret Service protection for his children at school as hypocritical to the rest of Americans who supposedly face the same type of threat.
Scarborough related on his Morning Joe show via Media Matters: Scarborough, who as a Congressman was a strong supporter of the NRA, responded to the ad, asking "what's wrong with these people?" He continued, pointing out that once Obama decided to run for president, his children "have targets on their backs." Scarborough also said that the NRA is now a "fringe organization with millions of mainstream members." He concluded by saying the ad was "frightening and over the line."
The NRA wasn't the only dog whistle being blown, El Rushbo was also in on the act:
Comparing the executive order signing yesterday with children standing around the President, Limbaugh bellowed: "The children's as human shield show" Others collaborating with Rush on twitter includes FOX radio's Todd Starnes who yapped:
Another spare parts talker, FOX' Tammy Bruce tweeted "Really? How about Obama using dead children as pawns?"
Republicans are threatening to impeach Obama over executive action on gun control, but many presidents have issued executive orders on gun control, including George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton.
Executive orders concerning a ban on assault weapons is nothing new. In 1989 after a mass schoolyard shooting in Stockton Calif, then President George HW Bush signed an executive order banning the importation of certain semi-automatic . This was based on the 1968 gun control act.
1952 Supreme Court ruled Executive Orders cannot be used to make new laws. However, Executive orders can be used to manage the enforcement of an existing law such as the Gun Control act of 1968. Both the 1989 signing and President Clinton's signing in 1998 banning 50 semiautomatic weapons that were modified due to "sporting purposes" exemptions.
The President could also use another existing law to sign additional orders. The National Firearms Act (NFA) of 1934,(after the St Valentines Day Massacre,FDR signed) which levied a tax on the transfer of firearms. The President could use an executive order to institute a database and background checks centered on the sale of firearms; in other words, managing an existing law.
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