Democrats pushing for gun curbs after the latest mass shooting in the United States are co-opting a Republican mantra to build public support and defang Opposition: it’s time to get tough on national
Democrats pushing for gun curbs after the latest mass shooting in the United States are co-opting a Republican mantra to build public support and defang Opposition: it’s time to get tough on national security.
Shoring up national security has long been a pillar of Republican orthodoxy, as has staunch Opposition to gun control.
But the massacre of 49 people in Orlando, Florida, last Sunday, the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history, by a gunman who pledged loyalty to Islamist militants may be leaving Republicans on shakier ground.
With national security driving the debate, Democrats see a more powerful argument than simply advocating the need to curb gun violence in a country of 320 million that has more than 310 million weapons.
Although the Orlando gunman, Omar Mateen, is believed to have had no help from extremist Islamist groups in targeting a gay nightclub, he had been investigated by US authorities for possible links to terrorism and subsequently cleared.
That prompted Democrats to clamour for legislation to expand background checks and prevent people on US terrorism watch lists from buying guns. Votes on four measures are scheduled Monday in the US Senate.
