Gun Control

Second Amendment Political Dilemmas

The state of the union speech given by Barack Obama on gun control Legislation Bill

On the 12th February 2013 President Barrack Obama delivered the state of the union speech to congress, in his speech he demanded for votes on gun control bills. Obama is trying to lobby congress to support him on new gun control legislation which includes banning of military style or semi-automatic firearms and high capacity magazines.

During his speech he talks about events of mass shootings that have happen in his tenure. He was quoted to have said; “This is not the first time this country has debated how to reduce gun violence”, But two months after the shooting of 20 children and six adults at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, he said, “This time it’s different” and at the end of the speech he says; “what I have said tonight matters little if we don’t come together to protect our most precious resource, our children” (HUFF POST, 2013).

The leadership Dilemmas

This new legislation will be a battle for Obama to win over liberals and conservatives and powerful organizations like the National Rifle Association (NRA) who are critical against gun control and there membership transcends Congress. The NRA is a powerful organization which as a matter of fact has actually funded political presidential candidates and whose membership is also vast, influential and powerful (CNN, 2013).

In the Democratic Party itself the signs of division have existed, moderate democrats who are against gun control have always stood firm.

The other reason for some democrats in the congress not to support the president depends on gun control polls from there states, they would not risk becoming unpopular. Like in the case of George W. Bush and Al Gore, Bush attacked Gore during the election campaign on his stance claiming that Gore had been flip flopping on gun control, hence led to Gore dropping in election polls (Bill Sammon, 2000)....