VOTER POWER
Second Amendment
Myth: Many Americans believe guns make them and their homes safer, with more than six in ten Americans saying this.
Fact: Research suggests that firearms in the home actually increase the risk of violent death.
The United States has a long tradition of gun ownership. Aside from Second Amendment considerations, though, some have succumbed to propaganda that makes reasonable measures politically impossible. Many believe that our right to bear arms derives solely from the Founders’ desire to ensure citizens can overthrow their own government. Based on that idea, any gun control is an unconstitutional step toward tyranny. Many of these same voters also believe that gun control makes crime worse by denying law-abiding citizens the right to own guns and thereby protect themselves and their families.
But is any of this true? Does allowing people to own guns actually make society safer? And if not, what kind of regulations, if any, will actually make things better?
The Second Amendment Needs an Update
The Second Amendment was written to prevent the Federal government from taking away the arms needed to form a state-run militia. As such, the Second Amendment is completely out of date and in need of an overhaul.One of the most popular political memes on...
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Trump Administration May Fund Guns in Schools
In an effort to combat the growing number of school shootings, the Department of Education is considering using federal taxpayer money to provide teachers with guns. How? Certain enrichment grants may provide the DOE with the legal loophole necessary to arm teachers.
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NRA May Have Illegally Coordinated with Campaigns in 2016
A complaint filed with the Federal Election Commission accuses the National Rifle Association (NRA) of using a shell company to illegally coordinate with Republican Senate campaigns. The complaint was filed by the Campaign Legal Center, a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) dedicated to enforcing U.S. campaign finance laws.
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School Safety Commission Won’t Examine Role of Guns in Shootings
On Tuesday, June 5, Democratic Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy asked U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos if the commission would “look at the role of firearms as it relates to gun violence in our schools.” Her response has drawn ire from the public.
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Thoughts and Prayers Will Not Prevent Another School Shooting
News of the Santa Fe High School shooting hit home for Fred Guttenberg. His daughter was killed in the Parkland school shooting that happened earlier this year. His fear was that if lawmakers didn’t do something soon, tragedy would strike again. He was right.
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Is Legislating From the Bench Bad?
The term “legislating from the bench” has been used to discredit the Supreme Court when it makes decisions that seem to be partisan in nature, or to protest the appointment of a potentially partisan justice. But what does the term really mean, and is it actually part of the Supreme Court’s job?
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Are There Really More School Shootings These Days?
Are there really more mass school shootings than ever? You’d be forgiven for thinking so, given the moral panic surrounding the issue. However, we looked at the facts and found that not only are school shootings declining, they’re not a new phenomenon at all.
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5 Things You Should Know Before Debating Gun Rights
The latest string of mass shootings has reignited a debate about one of America’s most contentious topics: gun rights. While it’s a good thing that people are discussing the issue, it’s not so good that people are basing their opinions on false data. Get the facts about guns and gun violence here.
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The Demonization of Parkland Teens Is A Dangerous Distraction
Guest author “Rye Bred” tells us that while we’ve been busy demonizing the kids from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School for their activism, all in the name of preserving the Second Amendment, Congress has been busy signing away our other freedoms.
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Practical Ways to Prevent a Tyrannical Government
Guest post by Andrew Theis. The NRA would have us believe that the only defense against a tyrannical government is an armed citizenry. The truth is much simpler: in order to prevent tyranny, we need a healthy democracy, and that requires making it easy for people to register and vote.
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