Guess who just stood up to the National Rifle Association: none other than the guy who campaigned to protect “your guns” — President Trump. Good for him.
When Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) told Trump the bipartisan bill he and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) pushed in 2013 after the Sandy Hook shooting didn’t call for hiking the age to buy rifles, the prez slammed them: “You know why?” Trump asked. “Because you’re afraid of the NRA.”
In the wake of the Florida school shooting, he’s calling for “comprehensive” gun reform — “one great piece of legislation” to address the scourge of mass shootings.
He even told Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) that his concealed carry reciprocity bill will never pass, and doesn’t belong in the package. “If you add concealed carry to this, you’ll never get it passed,” Trump said. “We want to get something done.” Hear, hear.
Clearly, the prez’s heart is in the right place. He refuses to sit idly by after the rash of mass shootings and accept that nothing can be done.
And Trump has the standing to push for sensible reforms. Sure, he can get carried away by his passions: When Vice President Mike Pence called for “due process so no one’s rights are trampled” before someone’s gun is taken away, Trump disagreed: “Mike, take the firearms first, and then go to court.”
But of course, that’s not remotely legal. Trump — neither a veteran politician, ideologue nor legal scholar — wasn’t pushing a policy but a sentiment. He’s serious about getting firearms out of the hands of people who shouldn’t have them.
As ever, he’s saying what’s on the minds of a whole lot of regular Americans.