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Days Before Democrats Take Control, Biden Vows to 'Defeat the NRA and End Our Epidemic of Gun Violence'

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On the campaign trail, in a tense interaction that seems like it took place a decade ago, but was actually from March, candidate Joe Biden had a confrontation with an autoworker who said Biden was going to “end” the Second Amendment.

In a series of viral videos, Biden could be seen calling the man a “horses a–” and “full of s—.”

“Don’t tell me that, pal, or I’m going to go outside with you, man,” Biden said.

WARNING: The following videos contain graphic language that some viewers will find offensive.

Well, it turns out he wasn’t quite “full of s—.”

President-elect Biden had promised a suite of gun control measures in his campaign platform, including bans on so-called “assault weapons” and “high-capacity” magazines. Perhaps more dangerously, he also proposed a repeal of the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which protected gun companies from lawsuits for legal sales of their weapons.

Beyond that, in the midst of a crazy week — one in which Democrats assumed control of the Senate and that was the least of everyone’s concerns — Biden found time to tweet that he would work “to defeat the NRA and end our epidemic of gun violence.”

The tweet was a response to Gabrielle Giffords, a former Arizona representative who was shot during an assassination attempt in 2011 and became a gun control activist in the wake of the attack. Giffords’ husband is newly minted Arizona Democrat Sen. Mark Kelly, also a gun control campaigner.

Quote-tweeting her remembrance of the 10th anniversary of the attack, he delivered big action — if vague promises — on gun control.

“Your perseverance and immeasurable courage continue to inspire me and millions of others,” Biden said.

“I pledge to continue to work with you — and with survivors, families, and advocates across the country — to defeat the NRA and end our epidemic of gun violence.”

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Again, nothing specific — but pledging to defeat the biggest gun rights organization in the United States doesn’t sound like this is a guy who is going to defend the Second Amendment in any form. The message comes days before the Democrats take control of both the White House and Congress, too.

Perhaps more disturbing is the fact that Biden has been stacking his administration with gun-grabbers.

Merrick Garland, the federal judge and former Supreme Court nominee Joe Biden nominated for attorney general, wasn’t necessarily known for his sympathy toward the Second Amendment.

“Garland’s anti-Second Amendment position is clear from his record. Garland does not believe the Second Amendment protects an individual right to keep and bear arms,” the NRA-ILA said in a statement.

“On March 9, 2007, a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia issued a ruling in Parker v. District of Columbia, the precursor to Heller v. District of Columbia,” an important gun rights case which affirmed the right to civilian firearm ownership under the Second Amendment.

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“The opinion struck down the District of Columbia’s complete ban on the civilian ownership of handguns and recognized that the Second Amendment protects an individual right. Expressing disapproval of the panel’s ruling, Garland voted to rehear the case.”

In other high-profile cases, they noted, Garland voted against gun rights — and he’ll be our nation’s top law enforcement official.

Other high-profile nominations to the incoming Biden administration that have called for tougher firearm regulations before they were picked by Biden include California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, Dr. Vivek Murty, Gov. Gina Raimondo of Rhode Island, Obama-era National Security Advisor Susan Rice and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh.

What the Biden administration can do depends on whether more moderate hinge votes in the Democrat caucus — most notably Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia — vote to remove the filibuster and pass gun control legislation. If they do, however, this is going to be a key legislative priority, considering the number of gun-grabbers the administration is gathering.

An “assault weapon” ban, the repeal of the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act or even more sweeping gun control legislation could become a swift reality. Let’s hear Biden say that auto worker was “full of s—” then.

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C. Douglas Golden is a writer who splits his time between the United States and Southeast Asia. Specializing in political commentary and world affairs, he's written for Conservative Tribune and The Western Journal since 2014.
C. Douglas Golden is a writer who splits his time between the United States and Southeast Asia. Specializing in political commentary and world affairs, he's written for Conservative Tribune and The Western Journal since 2014. Aside from politics, he enjoys spending time with his wife, literature (especially British comic novels and modern Japanese lit), indie rock, coffee, Formula One and football (of both American and world varieties).
Birthplace
Morristown, New Jersey
Education
Catholic University of America
Languages Spoken
English, Spanish
Topics of Expertise
American Politics, World Politics, Culture




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