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Texas Attorney General on the Gun Control Debate
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Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott on the debate over gun control and the President’s executive orders.
- Duration 5:22
- Date Jan 16, 2013
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Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott on the debate over gun control and the President’s executive orders.
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Human rights.
Our first guest tonight says the president is using the Newtown school shooting tragedy.
To bolster an anti gun agenda and that -- is an affront to the Second Amendment joining us tonight.
The attorney general of the great state of Texas Greg Abbott.
Mr.
attorney general good to have you with this let me first get your reaction -- -- -- -- the president's.
Executive orders and as they are called memoranda.
Two two -- -- deal with the issue of gun control.
Well -- first of all I think we always need to remember that the reason why this -- come up.
Is because some children have lost their lives as a parent myself I gotta tell you -- the worst nightmare for any parent would be get a phone call to say.
That your child has been shot at school so we always in this country need to do all we can to keep our children say.
However that being said.
It's sad when you see some politicians come out.
And try to exploit.
Tragedies like this to -- put to push their own aggressive ideological agenda.
In this case trying to limit people's Second Amendment Rights two quick points about this and that is.
As the White House staff has admitted themselves.
Obama is rules -- the issue today in his calls for action in congress would not have prevented the shooting from taking place in Connecticut.
The second thing -- and that is that.
Gun control laws have consistently shown to not work we had an assault gun ban in the United States.
That was issued a time when Bill Clinton was president.
During the time that assault weapon that was in place is -- the shooting took place they column by -- of anyone thinks that assault ban.
Restrictions are going to stop shootings in schools they're just wrong.
They the issue of gun control -- are now the president has changed the language and the advocates for gun control of change the language.
To talk about a campaign to stop gun violence.
Rather than gun control.
What is your impression of the executive orders did you expect them to do more to reach farther.
-- Actually have an immediate impact.
I think when he originally undertook this effort he wanted to do more but realized.
That he was gonna get called in the over used his executive authority.
Knowing that he was going to be subject to lawsuits by the state attorneys general as well as other parties and so.
He knew he had to -- in his overreach from executive authority and try to put more on this on congress which is exactly why.
I think he used the appropriate word earlier when you call this political theater.
This is nothing more than political theater for the president.
Who's trying to act lackeys doing something that in the end really not the other point that you brought up was if you would the violence.
Listen that we've had guns in this country since before the declaration of independence was written.
But we've had an escalation in violence in general.
Over the past few decades the one component of what the president talked about today that I thought was appropriate to begin to address this.
Is that escalation.
Of these violent video games that so many kids are able to watch and I'm proud that he -- in there.
The need to study that as well as a violent movies so that we can begin to address.
Some of the more realistic components of violence in our society today.
Mr.
attorney general in Texas that we talked -- David throwing the the superintendent there of -- -- Texas school district which teachers and others in the schools are.
In the -- permitted in courage to arm themselves.
Should there be an emergency.
That would lead to tragedy armed intruder for example.
They've had tremendous success the Plano school district also I understand.
The independent school district this week endorsing a plan -- costs.
Several million dollars.
And which they're going to arm appropriately.
Of those who could protect those children private security guards.
Is that do you think that is the sign of the times in the direction which we're gonna see this country ago.
Well we we're saying this come up in our legislative session that we in the middle of now -- this that a Texas.
And I believe what -- session ends.
That there will be some level of authorization by schools and by teachers.
On campus.
To be able to beyond that maybe not everyone on campus but some people on campus will be armed to ensure greater safety and security.
You know go back to -- -- your earlier comments and imports that were made in the in production that is.
Why is it that some people in our society.
Are entitled to be armed and protected.
But yet the White House seems to want to dis arm others if the president.
If -- have other officials -- movie stars and athletes get to have armed guards around them.
Why can't people who are not of the elite class be entitled to arm themselves the same thing goes for school.
The same standards apply to everyone and -- a widely because we -- dealing with a constitutional guarantee here.
Very -- turns your great state of Texas it's always good to have you with -- Speculative.