In election years, anti-Second Amendment candidates often try to hide their disdain for guns and gun owners; many even feign wholehearted support for the Second Amendment; others, however, proudly put their gun-control plans on full display in an attempt to make the election all about gun control.
Judging by President Joe Biden’s (D) latest actions, the Biden administration wants the 2024 election to be all about gun control. On Dec. 13, 2023, for example, Biden’s newly established White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention hosted nearly 100 Democrat lawmakers from 39 states to encourage them to pass more-restrictive firearms laws.
“The agenda is not comprehensive, but highlights actions that states can take to achieve meaningful progress in the next year,” says an eight-page brochure at WhiteHouse.gov titled the “Safer States Agenda.”
“In the months ahead, the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention will work with states to make sure they have the resources needed to advance this life-saving agenda,” says the brochure.
Chaired by Vice President Kamala Harris (D), participants got to hear, firsthand, one of Harris’ favorite distortions: “We’re up against some who would suggest a false choice: That is that you are either favoring the Second Amendment or you want to take everyone’s guns away. I’ll speak for myself: I am absolutely in favor of the Second Amendment. And I’m also in favor of an assault-weapons ban.”
Not surprisingly, the first recommendation in the brochure is for states to “Establish a State Office of Gun Violence Prevention.”
“A state Office of Gun Violence Prevention—equipped with clear mandate and experienced personnel—can coordinate resources and accelerate implementation,” the brochure states. “State offices should have sufficient authority to: (a) coordinate across state agencies and with local and federal governments; (b) build gun violence data collection and analysis capacity; (c) develop and implement comprehensive strategies for addressing various types of gun violence; and (d) develop and implement a state plan to prevent targeted violence and effectively respond to incidents of mass shootings and surges in other forms of gun violence.”
Along with suggestions like investing in alleged solutions to prevent and respond to “gun violence,” the state plan includes several recommendations that would directly infringe on gun owners’ rights.
Under the heading of “Reinforce Responsible Gun Ownership,” the administration’s recommendations overreach rather than reinforce. Those recommendations include passing so-called “safe-storage” laws, penalizing those who don’t immediately report a lost or stolen firearm and advocating for so-called “red-flag” laws that allow judges to order the confiscation of a citizen’s firearms without due process.
Additionally, under the header “Hold the Gun Industry Accountable,” Biden is calling for a ban on many, if not most, commonly owned semi-automatic rifles, pistols and shotguns, along with outlawing standard-capacity firearm magazines that hold more than 10 rounds. He also sought to enlist the help of anti-Second Amendment state lawmakers in his continued attempt to weaken or repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA).
“The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) is a federal law that provides gun manufacturers and gun dealers with more protection from legal liability than tobacco companies and alcohol companies,” the brochure falsely claims.
Of course, Biden is fond of repeating this lie and has been doing so long before he became president. His assertion that the PLCAA gives “blanket immunity” to gun manufacturers has been proven false time and again; even The Washington Post's fact checkers have called this claim false. The PLCAA merely prevents frivolous lawsuits against gun manufacturers—suits that would attempt to punish gun makers and stores for the criminal use of legally made and lawfully sold products.
This newest effort by Biden’s gun-control office comes as he seeks another four years in the White House. If he gets four more years, he’ll no doubt again prioritize infringing on Americans’ Second Amendment-protected rights. This is why he’s so heavily supported by gun-control groups.
Michael Bloomberg, a major funder of the gun-ban movement, has already, through his gun-control organizations, poured a lot of money into Biden’s 2024 campaign.
“President Biden and Vice President Harris’s unflinching commitment to ending gun violence has been evident from day one,” said Everytown President John Feinblatt. “Everytown is proud to endorse President Biden and Vice President Harris for re-election, and we look forward to creating a future that is free from the fear of gun violence.”
While Biden has largely stayed away from anyone who might ask a hard question—a strategy that worked well for him in 2020—his staff is touting his gun-control credentials.
“A Donald Trump presidency will mean more guns in schools and more guns in the hands of criminals, all because he thinks being pro-gun makes him look tough,” Biden campaign spokesperson Seth Schuster said in late November. “We simply cannot allow his extreme agenda in the White House that will cost more American lives.”
Biden hasn’t been able to convince Congress to pass his most-Draconian anti-Second Amendment proposals, but he has weaponized federal agencies to put several unlawful gun-control rules into law, all of which are being challenged in courts. Biden would obviously continue to use the U.S. Department of Justice and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to further curtail the rights of American gun owners.
So, President Biden has made 2024 all about infringing upon the Second Amendment. This fact is an important one for all gun owners to consider before casting ballots.
