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Hannity: Are we still a constitutional republic?

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    How to go about saving America

  • Duration 10:36
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And welcome to Hannity and tonight we are learning that the White House will be the site of a critical showdown over gun control later this week -- the face off between vice president Joseph Biden.

His gun control task force and representatives from the National Rifle Association.

Well that's -- to take place on Thursday now NRA officials confirm to Fox News that the organization accepted an invitation to attend the closed door session.

It is expected that the group we'll discuss a variety of options on how to curb gun violence.

And although issues related to mental health and entertainment and video game industry.

The reportedly going to be put on the table there is no question that limiting your Second Amendment -- is priority one for sheriff Joseph and his team.

-- he's breaking developments come to us just days following a Washington Post report indicating the President Obama.

Is considering banning assault weapons and high capacity magazines but that's not all not even close -- paper also revealed.

That universal background checks will be for all gun buyers and national -- database.

Strictly mental health checks and much more are all being floated by this task force as for the NRA in the aftermath of the sandy hook tragedy.

The organization recommended placing armed security guards in our schools and earlier today the White House.

Reiterated president Obama's skepticism of that idea watch this.

It's the president said he doesn't have prejudged any recommendations that any stakeholder.

-- present.

He did in his Meet the Press interview.

Respond to a question about the specific recommendation that the NRA had made them.

And and by saying that he was skeptical.

Dead.

Putting more guns in schools would.

Solve this problem.

But again we.

Look forward to hearing from a variety of organizations and civic groups and others.

-- -- who have insights into this problem.

That was we await the outcome of Thursday's meeting liberals in America continue to attack the merits of the Second Amendment allocation -- not familiar the Second Amendment reads a well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state.

The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

Now in recent days left has fixated on the word militia and called into question the intent of our founders and our framers.

But they do so without taking into consideration what they've actually said for example.

The co author of the Second Amendment George Mason famously said.

I ask sir what is the militia it is the whole people to disarm the people is the best and most of factual way to enslave them.

And Thomas Jefferson said quote.

The constitutions of most of our states assert that all power is inherent in the people it is their right and duty to at all times be armed.

I go on and on with quotes from our founders and framers but here's the point.

If they were alive today -- would no doubt they'd be -- -- be ridiculed besmirch demonized by the left and by the left wing media.

Now the question that America faces is its profound are we still a constitutional republic that we still believe in freedom do we believe in liberty.

Our constitution is our rule of law will liberals now allow that to be shredded.

Now what's missing in this entire debate is balance and common sense to criminals they Obey laws now.

-- 99.9.

Percent of -- owners never break the law why should they be deprived of their rights because of the actions of the field.

Are we gonna -- boost to stop drunk driving we gonna -- cars and planes people die when those are used if a -- -- used god forbid in the future attack.

We're gonna follow Al sharpton's advice we're gonna have knife control and America.

-- the debate over a failed mental health system.

Psychotropic drug use violent movies violent video games if America if there really wants to prevent future tragedies there many things that we can do.

My advice that if we protect for example our money our politicians are Hollywood stars they have armed security.

Maybe it's time that our children get -- saying armed security may be retired police officers.

And then we're not gonna have to take away the rights of law abiding citizens.

That my friends is how we go about saving America.

And joining me now to debate to some.

-- topic Republican congressman Tom cotton of Arkansas and democratic congressman Eric Small well of California.

Gentlemen welcome to Hannity.

I shot it back.

I kind of went off for the first time but -- little -- bolted to young congressman and glad to hear congress' Oswald problem used for gun control.

You know I support gun safety measures and I'll tell you I grew up -- a family of gun owners and hunters and I went hunting with my dad as a kid and you know I have deep respect for the Second Amendment the culture and our country but I I don't think we can look at what's happened.

And say that we shouldn't.

Do anything at all and the cost of doing nothing.

Is that nothing will change so anyone -- -- did give us specifics because a lot of Americans gun owners and you can see that race into the store them buying Morgan's an admirable for.

Because they feel I ruin them.

That we are about to see very restrictive measures that are about to be quite -- what are you support.

I support assault weapons ban I'll tell you why we already have -- in California so I don't support doing anything above.

What we're doing California and you you made a great example of what what are we gonna do -- the -- -- next well when we started to look at drunk driving deaths and our country thirty years ago.

We raised the Asia which are teenagers to drink to 21 we've taken a look where did we -- band that we did reiterate we did take it away from people.

But we put sensible measures -- we lowered the blood alcohol content level and what we saw over the last thirty years -- strong driving deaths came down so I think sensible.

Result measures can be made I -- -- -- give us a glimpse of what measure because I hate -- For example.

Our president by -- rightly -- -- cabinet members politicians.

Hollywood stars -- money your money in the bank is protected with an armed guard.

When Wayne Lapierre brought up the idea of have to say -- -- -- police officer looking for a job and would be in a school is that such a silly idea.

We will shunt is that a semi private.

My father is a retired police officer my little brother has a police officer I don't get armed protection.

But you know I I do support allowing our retired police officers to carry concealed weapons -- our schools -- -- hiring them in a school.

To prevent that from that we have laws you can't bring guns in the schools we have laws that prevent criminals from using them.

We have laws -- -- mentally ill people can't have a so did.

The president's that the president has said all options are on the table I I support the president we need to look at everything and you know my concern about putting them in schools is.

Who's going to pay for that our children right now are seriously -- -- -- did you broke.

Congressman Scott and welcome my you that the program.

But that this is a really serious issue and obviously now the left feels.

Energized is there any law that would have been passed before hand.

That you could think of congressman -- that would have prevented the tragedy for example Columbine happened after the last assault weapons ban -- what do you think what do prevented us.

-- I don't think there are gun control measures that could have prevented the Newtown killings are our most other mass murders.

One key measure we could -- adopt is to prevent.

The dangerously mentally ill from getting firearms in the first place and that's where some of the key solutions will come I believe.

For instance the national background check system is woefully inadequate when it comes to mental illness records.

We need to reform health privacy laws so adult children are doctors can ensure that authorities were aware of the dangerously mentally ill.

We also need to help state Sadat assisted out patient treatment programs -- are gonna go back to the regime of institutionalizing.

The mentally ill on mass levels that we had pre 1960s.

But we needed to make sure that they're getting the treatment they deserve.

-- Connecticut for instance had an assault weapons ban as -- says California has assault weapons ban it also -- large capacity magazines.

But there's no evidence that those -- or the assault weapons ban at the federal level from 1994 to 2004.

Had any measurable effect on crime.

There you know and -- I would say shot when was the last time that.

Major media were in California for a mass shooting so you know we are so I was they're gonna stopping killing many years ago there that was before our site I was there I was I was out there but.

-- listen -- if not.

By their very nature congressman criminals do not Obey laws and what -- talking about here -- -- on the rights of law abiding citizens.

The 99.9.

Percent and it's not gonna solve the problem of those that are intent on killing people you're not taking away people's alcohol you're not taking away their cars.

You sit in not grounding aircraft all of which are dangerous.

Al Sharpton said if the next incident happens with a mindful that I have -- control in America.

How far do you know what this logic of yours what what.

Congressman cotton said this is a military -- alive deep respect for I didn't I don't disagree with anything.

Back congressman concept as far as a comprehensive bill that looks at mental health treatment -- that's importance.

Yes that's it and that has to be on the tables I was a prosecutor Sean for seven years and I know you're right that we cannot.

And let me get rid of all mass shootings but we can take now.

-- measures that would bring it down if he say you shoot guns I -- and by the way I was -- today.

As -- -- -- because I have a license carry permit.

Other people in New York I would assume as a congressman and believe in the right to privacy.

That you think that's wrong.

Am I right about that.

That you were out it is a another way it was but it was printed on a website that I can that I have a license carry permit I've had -- -- I've had a more than half of my adult life.

If that's going to hit -- it violated privacy rights sure it's -- imagine what does that violate privacy rights.

You think -- have the right do you believe in my right to privacy.

My best Israeli -- I think I do and it and it if it went through the proper channels for disclosure -- it was right if it didn't that was wrong.

If you're digging -- it's -- question do you think that's wrong morally.

That -- out it is a gun owner but today -- And I think we're having a national system that tracks who owns guns that's -- I don't think -- evaluated on an.

It's nobody's business -- a law abiding citizens.

Not my -- -- all the liberals a claim they believe it right to privacy but this debate it's obviously going to be.

Very very tense in the days to come thank you both for being was appreciate it thank you -- thank you shot.

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