WarSclerotic

White House talking points on Las Vegas urge Republicans to reject new gun laws, Washington Examiner, Gabby Morrongiello, October 3, 2017

White House talking points circulated to allies of the Trump administration on Tuesday urged Republicans to resist new gun control measures that would “curtail the freedoms of law abiding citizens.”

The document, obtained by the Washington Examiner, contains several bullet points that aim to help GOP lawmakers and pro-Trump pundits navigate the heated debate over the need for stricter gun laws in the wake of Sunday’s mass shooting in Las Vegas, which resulted in a death toll of 59 and left hundreds more injured.

President Trump welcomes “a reasoned and well-informed debate on public safety,” the talking points said, but holds fast to the view that the Second Amendment “is a key constitutional right that is meant to protect people’s freedoms.”

“The President believes that our founding principles, like freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the right to bear arms must be protected while maintaining public safety,” the memo reads.

A section titled “Why Wait?”, presumably in reference to the gun control debate that began mere hours after the shooting occurred, reminds memo recipients that several “unknowns” remain surrounding the shooter’s motive, religious beliefs, mental health, and firearm purchases.

Here’s a sampling of how the White House has urged Republicans to respond to renewed calls for increased gun control:

• “When it comes to gun control, let’s be clear: new laws won’t stop a mad man committed to harming innocent people. They will curtail the freedoms of law abiding citizens.”
• “We’ve seen terrorist attacks committed with knives, by people driving cars into crowds, and hijacking airplanes…
• “We’ve had examples where concealed carry has allowed people to protect themselves and stop a mass shooting in its tracks, such as last month in a church in Texas.”
• “… more laws on the books may not work. The problems in these cities (Chicago and Baltimore) and many others isn’t too few gun laws.”
• “We welcome a reasoned and well-informed debate on public safety and our constitutional freedoms, but we reject the false choice that we can’t have both.”

Trump said earlier Tuesday that he and congressional Republicans “will be talking about gun laws as time goes on,” though he declined to weigh in on current legislation that would loosen restrictions on gun silencers.

A day earlier, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters that having a debate on gun control so soon after the Vegas shooting is “not the place that we’re in at this moment.”

The White House talking points are below:

Las Vegas Shooting

The President’s thoughts and prayers are with the hundreds of victims who were killed and injured in this senseless act of violence.
We are monitoring the situation closely and offer our full support to state and local officials.

All of those affected are in our thoughts and prayers.

The FBI, Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security are working with local law enforcement officials to determine the facts surrounding this tragedy, and it wouldn’t be appropriate to start having a political debate before we even know the facts, less than 24 hours after local law enforcement and first responders arrived on the scene.

ISIS:

The FBI has said there is no evidence of a link between the suspect and an international terrorist organization at this time.

Gun Control:

Let’s gather the facts before we make sweeping policy arguments for curtailing the Second Amendment. The investigation is still in its earliest stages.
The Second Amendment has endured for more than two centuries for a reason: it is a key constitutional right that is meant to protect people’s freedoms, and the President understands that.

The President believes that our founding principles, like freedom of speech, freedom of religion and the right to bear arms must be protected while maintaining public safety.

We welcome a reasoned and well-informed debate on public safety and our constitutional freedoms, but we reject the false choice that we can’t have both.

And when it comes to gun control, let’s be clear: new laws won’t stop a mad man committed to harming innocent people. They will curtail the freedoms of law abiding citizens.

We’ve seen terrorist attacks committed with knives, by people driving cars into crowds, and hijacking airplanes.
And some of America’s cities with the strictest gun laws have the highest rates of gun violence. Examples include:

Chicago last year had over 4,300 shooting victims

Baltimore last year had over 900 shooting victims

This shows that more laws on the books may not work. The problems in these cities and many others isn’t too few gun laws.

Also, we’ve had examples where concealed carry has allowed people to protect themselves and stop a mass shooting in its tracks, such as last month in a church in Texas.

Again, we welcome this debate, but in the wake of Sunday night’s tragedy, we shouldn’t rush toward compromising our freedoms before we have all the facts.

WHY WAIT?:

Some of the unknowns we must learn from investigators:

· What motivated this individual?
· Did he have radical ties?
· Did he have mental health issues?
· How was his weapon obtained?