Dusty Balz, SASS#46599 Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 The slimy turd Bloomberg says he's focused on background checks http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com...ground-checks/(CNN) – While New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said two months ago he was determined to fight for a ban on assault weapons, the outspoken gun critic said Monday he's concentrated on another legislative proposal."Our focus is on background checks," he said on CNN's "The Lead with Jake Tapper."Bloomberg was confirming reports that Sen. JohnMcCain had said the mayor was focusing on background checks. The two metlast month.In the interview, the mayor also elaborated on whyhe's spending his own money in the gun debate, and whether he plans tocontinue spreading his cash after his third term ends in 2014.Talking about gun control, Bloomberg pointed tostatistics showing the vast majority of gun deaths, including suicides,in the United States come from hand guns, not assault weapons."This year in America, 12,000 people will bekilled with handguns. Four hundred people will be killed with assaultweapons or high capacity magazines," he said. "So it is the vast bulk of- of the, uh, murders are done with handguns."Lawmakers in Washington have floated a number ofproposals to combat gun violence since the Connecticut elementary schoolshooting in December that killed 20 children and six adults. Of thoseproposals, a push to strengthen the background check system has provedto be the most likely to get through Congress.The Senate Judiciary Committee approved a billlast week that would expand background checks covering all U.S. firearmssales, including private transactions by non-licensed sellers. The billnow goes to a full vote in the Senate.It also approved a new ban on semiautomaticfirearms modeled after military assault weapons. The bill, however, haslittle chance of becoming law due to fierce opposition by the NationalRifle Association and a certain GOP filibuster.In January, Bloomberg acknowledged that a ban onassault weapons would be "a tougher sell" but said he was nevertheless"optimistic.""There are lives involved here. And if you cansave one life, isn't that worth trying?" Bloomberg said two months agoon CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360."The mayor on Monday reiterated his concern aboutthose types of guns, saying they still need to be kept out of the handsof non-military gun owners."They don't belong in the home and they don'tbelong in big cities. They're weapons of war," he said on "The Lead.""They're designed to kill people, not to protect anybody."However, he was also ready to emphasize a need for a more robust background check system."The 14 states that have taken on the burden ofalso having background checks for gun shows and for internet sales, theyreduced their suicide rate by 50 percent," he said. "So gun backgroundchecks really do work."Mayors Against Illegal Guns, a group co-chaired byBloomberg, has had an active role in the recent gun debate. The grouphas purchased air time for ads and held events on Capitol Hill urginglawmakers to take action on the issue.Bloomberg's super PAC, Independence USA, spent $2million in the recent Democratic primary for the Illinois specialelection to fill Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.'s seat. The group successfullybacked state Rep. Robin Kelly over former U.S. Rep. Debbie Halvorson,who opposed an assault weapons ban.Asked if his efforts to influence political raceswere similar to actions taken by Charles and David Koch–the billionairebrothers who've been much maligned by opponents for injecting theirwealth into the political scene–Bloomberg said he has no problem withwhat they're doing.He added he knows David Koch well and argued Kochis simply tying to help "get the policies that he thinks would be betterfor society.""He's using his own money. I have no problems withwhat he's doing. And I'm sure he wouldn't have any problems with whatI've done," he said.As for what the mayor will do next, he said: "I guess go out and look for a job.""I work cheap," he said. "I get paid a dollar a year now. So, uh, the salary is not going to be the problem." Link to comment
Blackwater 53393 Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 The only problem with his current salary is that taxpayers are being ripped of in the amount of one dollar plus all the ridiculous expense of his idiotic attacks on our freedoms!! Link to comment
Hacker, SASS #55963 Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 The only problem with his current salary is that taxpayers are being ripped of in the amount of one dollar plus all the ridiculous expense of his idiotic attacks on our freedoms!! Perhaps when this type of moron works for a buck, it would be wise to make him pay full salary back to the city for the privilege of being mayor. Link to comment
Utah Bob #35998 Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 He added he knows David Koch well and argued Koch is simply tying to help "get the policies that he thinks would be better for society." And their version of what would be better for society is the problem. Link to comment
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