Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) discussed the contentious issue of gun control with George Stephanopoulos on ABC’s “This Week” Sunday morning, acknowledging that something should be done, but disagreeing with what his Democratic colleagues are proposing:
"We absolutely need to do more. We need to strengthen background checks … we've seen too damn many of these [shootings] in the state of Texas… Now the question is what do we need to do that actually works," Texas Sen. Ted Cruz tells @GStephanopoulos https://t.co/JgtJM6UwxW pic.twitter.com/a6vLHHoooG
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) September 15, 2019
Cruz went on to reiterate what many have pointed out: everything the anti-Second Amendment Democrats have proposed wouldn’t have prevented any mass shootings. In their zeal to posture for the media, Democrats ignore reality and keep putting forth weak policy ideas that punish only law-abiding gun owners and enthusiasts.
He argued for the proposal he first introduced in 2013 with Sen. Chuck Grassley, which the two re-introduced in May. While it doesn’t enact universal background checks, the legislation aims to strengthen the current system by prosecuting those with a criminal history who lie on background check forms and criminalizing straw purchases.
Cruz told Stephanopoulos that the proposals Democrats are backing may be “just a ploy to take your guns away.
He also cautioned fellow Republicans about overreacting to the problem of mass shootings:
“If Republicans abandon the Second Amendment and demoralize millions of Americans who care deeply about Second Amendment rights, that could go a long way to electing a President Elizabeth Warren,” Cruz said.
Most importantly, Cruz addressed the biggest fear of law-abiding gun owners:
Ted Cruz on background checks on all private gun sales: "The only way to enforce that is a federal gun registry and a gun registry is the step you need for gun confiscation…the federal government should not be confiscating guns from law abiding citizens" https://t.co/8lclkYCVdR pic.twitter.com/UqqrJxJSeI
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) September 15, 2019
This is a slippery slope that many of us don’t want to be thrown on. As I’ve written many times, the federal government isn’t exactly known for restraint once given any power. Unfortunately, half the country doesn’t understand that.
___
PJ Media Associate Editor Stephen Kruiser is the author of “Don’t Let the Hippies Shower” and “Straight Outta Feelings: Political Zen in the Age of Outrage,” both of which address serious subjects in a humorous way. Monday through Friday he edits PJ Media’s “Morning Briefing.”
Join the conversation as a VIP Member