Democrats welcome the gun debate to the campaign

[SecularMotion]

WASHINGTON - After 15 years of a virtual gag order on guns in presidential politics, Democrats are talking again.

President Barack Obama is considering more executive action on gun control. The front-runner in the Democratic race to replace him says she "will not be silenced" on guns. At the Democrats' first debate in the presidential season, candidates jockeyed for bragging rights over who had the lowest rating from the National Rifle Association.

The return of the gun debate comes in the first White House contest since the December 2012 shootings in Newtown, Connecticut, that killed 20 children and six educators at an elementary school, and a string of mass shootings after that. The absence of gun legislation passed by Congress has spurred a steady call for action from the Democratic base.

Democrats say support for new gun laws is broader now and the politics of the issue have shifted enough to make the push for tougher measures a political winner, even if there remains almost no chance for success in Congress.

http://www.bnd.com/news/politics-government/article39666783.html

[Electric Monk]

1. Too soon?

[hack89]

2. Smart politics on HRC's part

Throw a major Dem constituency a bone while emphasizing a perceived weakness of Bernie.

She knows it won't really hurt her in the primaries. She also knows that as long as it is not a major part of her GE campaign it won't be an obstacle to being elected.

[stonecutter357]

3. K&R!

[ChazII]

5. Off topic but are you a Free Mason? n/t

[stonecutter357]

7. I am a Free Mason.

[ChazII]

9. I am in Eastern

Star and will be Worthy Matron next year. I asked because of the Square and Compass in you signature.

[stonecutter357]

12. what an honor, you are going to have so much fun.

I am thinking of starting a Eastern and Free Mason group on DU.

[Recursion]

13. Hey let me know if you do (nt)

[ChazII]

15. That is a terrific idea

I wonder how many folks here are involved in any of the Masonic groups.

[Eleanors38]

4. Didn't Hillary call Obama "elitist" on guns in '08?

[SecularMotion]

6. The number of mass shootings has tripled since 2008.

Number Of Mass Shootings Has Tripled

Between 2000 and 2008, the U.S. experienced an average of five mass shootings every year. Since then the annual average has tripled.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/21/eric-holder-mass-shootings_n_4136003.html

[Eleanors38]

8. And she's running against a progressive Democrat, now.

[Eleanors38]

14. Was that due to a new def. being introduced to the control/ban lexicon?

The old FBI "mass murder" definition still has the rate at -2.5 a year since 1982.

[Snobblevitch]

10. I agree that HRC is pandering to the left and

will tone down the gun control rhetoric if she is the nominee.

The gun control issue will not become a major campaign issue in the congressional and legislative races in my state. It's a losing issue for Democrats in most areas of the state.

[sweetapogee]

11. I also agree

and think it was a misstep to make the comment. The pukes will use it as a virtual sledgehammer to raise cash. Just my opinion of course but we shall soon see how it plays with the voters. Noble as it is, gun control is a losing issue for us.