Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) is one of the few Republicans in Congress who is willing to take on the NRA. Mast told MSNBC’s MTP Daily that he is willing to risk his political life to pass an assault weapons ban.
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Mast wants to do several things that the NRA opposes like universal background checks, a temporary ban on the AR-15, and a ban on assault rifles. The Florida Congressman said, “When I go to fight for anything, I give it absolutely everything I have. I don’t go out there and say something just to waste my breath on it and I’m a firm believer that every single one of us has an opportunity to be an inspiration every single day. We’re going to inspire people for good or bad. I think the president has inspired — some of my colleagues here for good with his remarks that he’s made. I hope people could look at me and say I’ve done the same. But I take this deadly serious. I’ve carried that weapon in combat and had the opportunity to save life myself and the one thing I could tell you more concretely than anything is that I was willing to give my life in defense of others. Willing to give my life. And if I have to give my political life to save others, that is nothing compared to that.”
A few days ago Rep. Mast penned an op-ed for The New York Times where he wrote, “The Second Amendment is unimpeachable. It guarantees the right of citizens to defend themselves. I accept, however, that it does not guarantee that every civilian can bear any and all arms.”
It is not a coincidence that some of the biggest supporters of banning assault weapons are people who have served in the military or work in law enforcement. Anyone who has seen what these weapons can do to other human beings up close and first hand understands that there is no need for them in the hands of civilians. Rep. Mast is a Republican who is willing to take on the NRA because as he put it, fighting a political battle is nothing compared to being in a real life and death situation at war.
Trump can do his song and dance about fighting those “good people” at the NRA, but the President still has taken no action that suggests he has any intention of standing up to the NRA. Rep. Mast and a few of his colleagues are a beginning, but the country needs more Republicans who are willing to stand up and say no to the NRA.
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
