Bringin' It

(Editorial cartoon by David Horsey and published 1/16/13 in the Los Angeles Times.  If you click on the link you'll get not only an enlarged image but also Horsey's commentary.)

I do find that Obama 2.0 is a bit more acceptable than the initial version.  I'm hearing less of the "Why can't we all just get along" and more of the "It's time to get it done.  My way."  He's pressuring Congress and he's demanding they walk and chew gum at the same time on contentious issues:  debt ceiling, immigration, and, today, gun control.

President Obama on Wednesday unveiled a broad array of executive actions and legislative proposals to curb gun violence, including a new push to ban assault weapons, impose a 10-round limit on ammunition magazines, and expand background checks for gun purchasers.

At a White House event, the president began to outline 23 separate actions he can take unilaterally, including authorizing research on gun violence and nominating a full-time director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The president will call on Congress to swiftly pass a series of proposals that would, among other things, go beyond closing the gun show loophole that exempts some sellers from running criminal background checks, and enact stiffer penalties for gun traffickers. ...

All told, aides said in advance of the president's remarks, Obama's package addresses four key goals: keeping guns out of the wrong hands, keeping “weapons of war” off the streets, making schools safer, and improving mental health services.

(The 23 executive orders are summarized here.)

As he showed us in the health care bill, Mr. Obama is an incrementalist.  At least this time around he's delivering the message with some teeth showing.  His proposals are not exactly what is needed, but it's enough of a start that the NRA and the gun worshipers are going nuts in response.  A couple of congress critters have already muttered the word "Impeachment."  I doubt that move will get much support, but getting any kind of gun control bill passed in the House is going to be difficult.

It will be interesting to see how much pressure the White House is willing to exert to get his proposals passed.  I think we're going to have to be the ones to do the pressuring, but a little back-up would be nice.