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The gun control debate on Capitol Hill

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    All-Star panel weighs in

  • Duration 5:42
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Violence.

Is a big problem.

Too many children are down I mean what he must.

Do something.

Not.

Including guns when discussing mass killings is like not including cigarettes when discussing lung cancer.

But the reaction to this tragedy and -- town is for a lot of elected officials in Washington to rush to re enact a law.

That according to the Department of Justice did absolutely nothing.

To reduce gun violence the assault weapons ban if it doesn't -- machine guns.

What does it ban.

And what it bands I would suggest -- you.

Are scary looking guns.

Well big hearing up on.

Capitol Hill today the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing and one of the guests.

A former congresswoman from Arizona Gabby Giffords testifying.

Saying that -- congress must act in the wake of Newtown and obviously.

The shooting.

In -- so we're back with our panel.

Steve it was emotional hearing today one at times fiery.

You look at the votes up there what do you think's going to happen.

I think.

The Feinstein bill is going nowhere -- -- -- weapons and assault weapons -- is going nowhere they're now a number of other piece of legislation.

That have been offered there was peace in the senate looking to stop black market.

I've got activity by senator Mark Kirk of Illinois and Kristen Gillibrand from.

New York they're all sorts of other -- proposals that are coming to light but I don't see senator feinstein's Bill Cohen anyway.

At one point -- had.

Senator Schumer said one of the things we should do is a universal background check that's something we can all agree on.

It seemed to be almost that Democrats were starting to to do a fallback position that.

We we need to get at least this -- -- give up I wouldn't say that there -- anybody's giving up on an assault weapons ban or some something that at least limits magazine size.

And yes I figured that the background check if you look at the polls it has has wide support but so -- banning assault weapons.

And and limiting the size of magazines as well over half.

The population supports that.

So I think and you know holes in a -- Capitol Hill and -- to -- if you took -- headcount -- -- -- how long did address.

But I also think this is one of those cases where the White House.

Is gonna put capitol behind it and make an effort to move it.

-- I think it's very tough with senator Feinstein Mattingly wanted to comment on Harry Reid in his position you have an opposition or at least skepticism.

From somebody like pat -- he's a senior Democrat -- and Judiciary Committee.

Canberra the number of reasons to believe that what what senate Democrats went after doing -- putting this forward.

In effect to allow Democrats to.

Stated they voted for.

Or that they voted against some gun control proposal in this case should be a Feinstein bill which would may -- free them up for voting for other things.

I mean you see the White House actively putting enough capital behind it to push across the finish line I mean.

It seems like they're putting the focus on immigration now -- taking it away from gun control at least publicly.

The president said he's on record saying -- channel is the worst day of my president understand that but I.

Politically -- ironically in optically and I think optically anyway you've got I think that -- I think optics actually a favor the white house on on in this case because what you've got is the stories of people.

Who have been attacked in mass murders killed in masters yet the children of new town you have Gabby Giffords.

And you've got that lined up against -- certain that this theoretical.

Argument about the Second Amendment.

And I I think optics play in the presence favor and you know it's early in this debate -- -- would not give up on this happening to.

But there's a second which isn't a theoretical one.

And that is an empirical one we tried there's.

For ten years and it had no effect.

So what's going on music competition between the emotional reaction what happened in -- Which who wears off over time the way it always does and the rational response is what can we do that will actually work.

And as -- -- and you've got to diminishing strength of influence number one on the second one more you look at this it's not had an effective.

Not gonna have an effect one of the back and forth.

Events was the NRA.

When -- here appearing have back and -- to senator Durbin from Delano.

You're NRA -- so you just don't get it.

It's not just about hunting.

It's not just about sports it's not just about shooting targets it's not just about defending ourselves from criminals -- -- -- testified.

We need the firepower and the ability to protect ourselves from our government.

What people all over the country fear today.

Is being abandoned by their government if a tornado hits -- for hurricane hit stiffer ride occurs that they're going to be out there alone.

And the only way they're gonna protect himself in the cold in the dark when they're vulnerable is with a firearm.

-- Yeah I'm that was one of the several times -- I thought that that -- -- -- sort of on the hot seat he had a similar fire exchange with Dianne Feinstein.

-- I was and it was an interesting argument to hear from the head of the NRA basically that they were people were worried about not enough government at those times of crisis and they -- -- their fire I think guess.

It was certainly something -- appeal -- the NRA membership.

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