Robert Reich on Gun Control

Former Secretary of Labor; Democratic Challenger MA Governor

Limit handgun sales to one per month

We must increase penalties for weapons trafficking, and pass legislation to limit handgun sales to one per month for those who are legally permitted to buy them. And we must have enough police on the streets and enough prosecutors in the courts to catch gun criminals and send them to jail. Source: Campaign web site, RobertReich.org, “Keeping Families Safe” , Sep 17, 2002

If I had my way, I’d restrict handguns

If I had my way, there’d be laws restricting cigarettes and handguns. But this Congress won’t even pass halfway measures. Teenage boys continue to shoot up high schools, yet Congress won’t pass stricter gun controls. The politically potent cigarette and gun industries have got what they wanted: no action. Almost makes you lose faith in democracy, doesn’t it?

The goal of [recent litigation] efforts is to threaten the industries with the risk of such large penalties that they’ll agree to a deal--for the gunmakers, to limit bulk purchases and put more safety devices on guns to prevent accidental shootings.

But the way to fix everything isn’t to turn our backs on the democratic process and pursue litigation as the administration is doing. It’s to campaign for people who promise to take action against cigarettes and guns, and against the re-election of House and Senate members who won’t. In short, the answer is to make democracy work better, not give upon it.

Source: The American Prospect, vol.11, no.5, “Smoking, Guns” , Jan 17, 2000

Click here for definitions & background information on Gun Control. Click here for a profile of Robert Reich. Click here for VoteMatch responses by Robert Reich. Click here for AmericansElect.org quiz by Robert Reich.
*Other pundits on Gun Control:*	*Robert Reich on other issues:*
*Opinion Leaders on the Right:* Milton Friedman (Nobel Economist) Rush Limbaugh' (Radio Talk Show Host) Ayn Rand (Author and Philosopher) Heritage Foundation (Think Tank) Libertarian Party Republican Party Ronald Reagan(President,1981-1989) *Opinion Leaders on the Left:* Noam Chomsky (Author and Philosopher) Arianna Huffington (Internet Columnist) Robert Reich (Professor and Columnist) Howard Schultz (CEO of Starbucks) Sierra Club (Environmental Organization) Green Party Democratic Party John F. Kennedy(President,1961-1963)	Abortion Budget/Economy Civil Rights Corporations Crime Drugs Education Energy/Oil Environment Families/Children Foreign Policy Free Trade Govt. Reform Gun Control Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Infrastructure/Technology Jobs Principles/Values Social Security Tax Reform War/Iraq/Mideast Welfare/Poverty

Page last updated: Apr 27, 2013