Most lawmakers are greeting with silence the various calls for tougher gun restrictions in the wake of the Jan. 8 shootings in Tucson, Ariz. Their response reflects the tilt in recent years toward expanding access to firearms rather than curtailing it. The White House, too, is sidestepping questions on an issue that is among the most toxic in U.S. politics. So far, proposed legislation has focused on prohibiting magazine clips that allow a shooter to fire off numerous rounds of ammunition without reloading. The shooter in Tucson, using a Glock semiautomatic pistol with a 33-round magazine, shot 19 people, six fatally. One of the wounded was a member of Congress: Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., now in critical condition. Similar magazine-limiting legislation was introduced after the 2007 Virginia Tech shootings but was never considered by the House or Senate. Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., is drafting a bill supported by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg that would prohibit people from carrying guns within 1,000 feet of the president, members of Congress or federal judges.
Today’s poll question: Should gun control laws be strengthened in the wake of Saturday’s shootings in Arizona?
