Bernie Sanders Bluntly Calls For Automatic Weapons Ban After Orlando Mass Shooting

During an interview on Meet The Press, Sen. Bernie Sanders reacted to the horrific mass shooting in Orlando by calling for automatic weapons not to be sold in the US.

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Sanders was asked by Chuck Todd for his reaction to the attack on the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, FL, and he said, “It’s horrific. It’s unthinkable, and just hopes go out to those who were shot that they can recover, and I’ve got to tell you for twenty-five years now, I’ve believed that we should not be selling automatic weapons which are designed to kill people, and we’ve got to do everything we can on top of that to make sure that guns do not fall into the hands of people who should not have them. Criminals and people who are mentally ill, so that struggle continues.”

Todd followed up by asking if the nation can ever have a conversation about terrorism and guns without politicization. Sanders answered, “I do, Chuck. Because I think that there is a very broad consensus in this country, not a hundred percent of the people, overwhelming majority of gun owners and non-gun owners understand that we have got to do everything we can to prevent guns from falling into the hands of people who should not have them. That means expanding the instant background check. It means doing away with the gun show loophole. It means addressing the strawman provision. I think there is a wide consensus to move forward in that direction.”

After each mass shooting, pro-gun extremists always tell the nation that now is not the time to have the discussion about the ease of the ability to purchase deadly weapons in this country. They said it wasn’t time after Sandy Hook. They said it wasn’t time after Charleston, and they will say that it isn’t time after Orlando, but if not now, when?

What the NRA and others never say is that in their view there will never be a good time. No one is talking about confiscating weapons or taking guns away, just ending the enabling of mass killers. Sen. Sanders was correct. There is a broad consensus on the steps that he outlined nationally. What is missing is Congressional Republicans with the guts to take action.

If the Republicans get booted out of the Congressional majority in November, it is a certainty that Democratic president and Congress would take long overdue steps on gun violence because this isn’t political. It’s national security.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association