With only 3 days to go until the ban on assault weapons expires, the silence in Washington is startling. Ten years ago, politicians from both parties stood behind the law and endorsed it as a bold effort to get military-style assault weapons out of the hands of gangs.
Now that the law is set to expire, many lawmakers are keeping mum, while gun makers are stocking their shelves with Kalashnikovs, Uzi’s AK-47s, and rifles with grenade launchers and bayonets.
Supporters of the ban claim it’s one of the reasons violent crime has gone down in the past ten years. Opponents claim that since 9-11, guns have found a new role in homeland security and American society.
Guests:
Congressman David Price (D-NC)
Mark Westrom, president of ArmaLite Gun Manufacturers
Detroit Police Chief Ella Bully-Cummings
John Lott, American Enterprise Institute
Dennis Henigan, The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence