Obama prepared to go after guns, Biden on mission to rally support

President Obama is bent on "gun control" and he is willing to take weapons away from American citizens, by executive action if need be. That's was understanding as he sent Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday with a mission to "take thousands of people out of harm's way."

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Ironically, taking thousands of people out of harm's way could require more men with more guns to do it.

As mourning for the child victims of Sandy Hook ends for the nation, the political harvest begins. As so often happens in the wake of great tragedy, politicians take advantage of national emotion and hysteria to slam through new laws and rules that help inch us towards a brave new world. This time, the brave new world is one consistent with Obama's vision and it does not necessarily include you owning a firearm.

So, in a supposedly free nation where pizza arrives at your home faster than the police, President Obama has convened a "task force" with the aim of closing "loopholes" in national gun laws. Those closures mean outlawing assault rifles, limiting magazine capacity, and ensuring background checks for all gun owners.

In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo may pass a law to repeat background checks for current gun owners to make sure they are still permitted to possess a firearm. It is likely that if someone now fails the check, they will be required to turn it over to police, although it is unknown how this would happen. Success in New York could mean adoption across the nation.

Biden had this to say about his mission, invoking the Sandy Hook massacre to get others on board his agenda, "Every once in a while, there's something that awakens the conscience of the country, and that tragic event did it in a way like nothing I've seen in my career."

"The president and I are determined to take action. We can affect the well being of millions of Americans and take thousands of people out of harm's way if we act responsibly."

Despite Obama's insistence, he does acknowledge that he needs public support to enact any successful measures. Although he is fond of executive orders, his options are limited, checked by the need to defer to Congress on new laws.

The public, although understandably shocked by the violence at Sandy Hook, is understandably wary of sudden new measures enacted in the wake of the Sandy Hook tragedy.

Today, Biden meets with representatives from the NRA, who are expected to temper some of his and Obama's enthusiasm for "gun control." The NRA is a powerful lobby, which has thousands of members and millions more sympathizers.

It is hoped that Obama realizes that he should not move so fast, and not in the direction he has previously suggested, although the chances of that are slim.

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