(LibertySociety.com) – Several mass shootings in April in Pennsylvania and South Carolina prompted President Joe Biden to issue an executive order targeting ghost guns, a move that may backfire on him and other Democrats. Many say Biden needs to focus on reducing America’s escalating crime rate and leave the Second Amendment alone.
The order allows the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to redefine the firearm definition to include guns people can buy in a kit form and put together themselves, adding serial numbers for identification. Currently, law-abiding gun owners don’t typically commit crimes in the United States. Instead, nefarious criminals who likely acquire guns illegally are usually to blame. Changing gun laws doesn’t directly address nationwide uncontrolled crime.
New ATF Nominee
To usher in the recent changes, Biden nominated former federal prosecutor Steve Dettelbach to lead the ATF, but he may face an uphill battle obtaining confirmation in the Senate. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin (D-IL) predicts the nominee will have a rough road ahead, although he is “highly respected.”
Still, some firearms groups call Dettelbach a tyrant regarding gun control and worry he’ll restrict Americans’ ability to acquire and own firearms — a protected freedom millions of citizens cherish. National Rifle Association (NRA) spokeswoman Amy Hunter mentioned to Fox News that the NRA has found the nominee fully supports most “gun control positions,” and his stance concerns freedom-loving Americans who believe wholeheartedly in the right to bear arms.
A right-leaning Senate aid stated Biden and Dettelbach have the same positions concerning gun control: They both want to put serial numbers on ghost guns and tighten background checks. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) worries the ATF will become too radical, negatively affecting Second Amendment rights for US citizens.
Political Effects of Gun Control
Gun control is a hot-button issue for politicians. Considering the majority of Republicans, many Independents, and some Democrats are gun owners, Biden must be careful not to alienate his base because both his and the Democratic party’s political futures could be at stake in the November midterm election.
With Biden’s already dismal approval numbers in the polls, gun control is just another issue that could bring his popularity even lower.
Regardless of how politicians or other citizens feel about the president’s nomination for the ATF, if the Democrats vote together, Dettelbach will likely win confirmation. Still, in an evenly-split Senate, in an election year, with a hot-button issue at stake, party cohesion isn’t guaranteed. At least two moderate Democratic lawmakers have sided against the Democratic majority on several occasions.
Although unpopular decisions regarding gun control may affect those in office or legislators who want to stay in office, the real issue is how changes in gun ownership might affect American citizens.
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