Explore The NRA Universe Of Websites

APPEARS IN News

Obama’s Ungracious Exit

Wednesday, March 1, 2017

Obama’s Ungracious Exit

For at least a moment, it seemed as if Barack Obama might gracefully acknowledge the wishes of the voters who had elected Donald J. Trump as president. Obama gave a statesmanlike address in which he remembered with gratitude George W. Bush’s efforts to ensure a smooth and orderly transition of power in 2009 and pledged to do the same for the incoming Trump administration. Obama even hosted Trump at the White House in an apparent show of good faith.

True, any sitting president should be expected to put the needs of the nation above partisan politics or the bruised egos from a heated campaign. But it seemed like a rare and welcome occasion in which Obama appeared willing to put the country’s welfare above his own ideology.

Obama’s later actions would unfortunately show those words and overtures to be little more than the empty rhetoric and gestures that so characterized his White House tenure. For during the waning days of his presidency, Obama worked furiously to throw as many roadblocks as possible in the way of Trump achieving the reforms for which he was elected. 

Many of Obama’s last-minute actions can and will eventually be reversed. But those actions revealed a toxic combination of arrogance and pettiness, as well as a disregard for how blatant political decisions hurt ordinary Americans who find themselves innocently caught in the partisan crossfire. 

Two examples in particular illustrate how Obama was willing to advance his liberal social agenda, no matter the consequences.

First, case-by-case executive clemency has historically been a safeguard against extraordinary injustices or the recognition of exemplary rehabilitation. Obama, however, used his clemency authority to commute a record number of sentences – more than the last 11 presidents combined – of serious and dangerous criminals, including many who were serving life terms or who used firearms in further of drug trafficking offenses. 

For a president so single-mindedly focused on gun control, Obama was notably lenient toward those who had violated existing federal firearm laws. He pardoned offenders who convictions included knowingly disposing of a firearm to a felon; falsification of firearm background check forms; use of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking offense; unlawfully transporting firearms; possession of a stolen firearm; and felon in possession of a firearm. 

Presumably, most of these prisoners will go back to the same neighborhoods they once tormented with their violent crimes. It won’t be Obama’s high-dollar donors and cheerleaders who will have to deal with the consequences of his decisions – it will be the innocent residents of those communities.

Second, Obama’s Social Security Administration (SSA) finalized a rule that the White House estimated would annually strip some 75,000 disability and Supplementary Security Income beneficiaries of their Second Amendment rights.  His proposal relies on a contorted reading of who counts as a prohibited “mental defective” under the federal Gun Control Act of 1968, and primarily affects those without any demonstrated violent tendencies, much less any violent or criminal history.

Indeed, the SSA simply brushed aside empirical evidence the NRA submitted to show the rule would have no public safety benefit. “We are not attempting to imply a connection between mental illness and a propensity for violence, particularly gun violence,” the SSA wrote. Rather, the SSA asserted it was simply following a bureaucratic duty, urged on by Obama’s Justice Department.

That’s because when Congress rejected Obama’s gun control agenda, he pledged to go it alone. He acted simply because he could. Targeting vulnerable people with disabilities, rather than actual violent criminals, apparently does not matter to the outgoing president.

Thus, even as Obama was releasing violent criminals from prison for serious firearm offenses, he was once again stretching federal gun laws to restrict the rights of innocent Americans. 

Thanks to your efforts last November, America has a new president in Donald Trump who will uphold the constitutional freedoms of law-abiding citizens, while making our communities safer by getting violent criminals off our streets.  

TRENDING NOW
Colorado: General Assembly Continues to Follow California's Lead; Semi-Auto Ban Scheduled For Hearing

Thursday, March 7, 2024

Colorado: General Assembly Continues to Follow California's Lead; Semi-Auto Ban Scheduled For Hearing

The Colorado General Assembly continues to follow California's lead when it comes to gun control, this year already pushing for an 11% Excise tax on firearms/ammunition and now pursuing a ban on commonly owned semi-automatic ...

Wisconsin: Legislation Updating the Definition of Muzzloader Signed by Governor Evers

Friday, March 15, 2024

Wisconsin: Legislation Updating the Definition of Muzzloader Signed by Governor Evers

Yesterday, the governor signed Wisconsin Act 116, formally Senate Bill 587, into law. This legislation establishes a new definition for “muzzleloaders” that would allow for the use of innovative technological advancements that could benefit sportsmen, ...

Maine: NRA Fires Back Against Gun Grabbers

Friday, March 15, 2024

Maine: NRA Fires Back Against Gun Grabbers

For months, anti-gun politicians and gun-grabbing groups have been running wild in Augusta, spreading misinformation about firearms in a desperate attempt to pass the most extreme gun-control in the country. The proposals carry the same theme, ...

Delaware: Senate Passes Maryland-Style Permit to Purchase Scheme

Friday, March 15, 2024

Delaware: Senate Passes Maryland-Style Permit to Purchase Scheme

Last night, the Delaware Senate passed Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 2 (SB 2) by a vote of 15 to 6. This extreme legislation will impose a Maryland-style “handgun qualified purchase card” and a handgun transfer ...

Virginia: More than a Dozen Anti-Gun Bills Sent to the Governor!

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Virginia: More than a Dozen Anti-Gun Bills Sent to the Governor!

The newly elected Virginia General Assembly has prioritized restricting law-abiding citizens' Second Amendment rights and has made good on that priority this session. This year, dozens of anti-gun bills have been considered in both chambers ...

Colorado: Mandatory Storage Bill Passes Committee and Hearings Postponed Due to Weather

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Colorado: Mandatory Storage Bill Passes Committee and Hearings Postponed Due to Weather

Today, HB 24-1348 which mandates how firearms must be stored in unattended vehicles, passed out of the House Judiciary Committee and is now eligible for a final vote on the House Floor. Please contact your lawmakers by using the ...

Colorado: Semi-Auto Ban Introduced in General Assembly

Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Colorado: Semi-Auto Ban Introduced in General Assembly

Anti-Gun extremist State Reps. Tim Hernandez (D-04) and Elisabeth Epps (D-06) introduced House Bill 24-1292, a bill banning the manufacturing, importing, purchasing, selling, offering to sell, or transferring ownership of so called “assault weapons”. 

Utah: Governor Cox Signs Legislation Protecting Financial Privacy of Gun Owners!

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Utah: Governor Cox Signs Legislation Protecting Financial Privacy of Gun Owners!

Today, Governor Spencer Cox signed HB 406, legislation that provides important financial privacy protections for gun owners when purchasing firearms, firearm parts, and ammunition. The NRA would like to thank Governor Cox for signing this ...

Idaho: Legislative Update- Big Wins in the Gem State

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Idaho: Legislative Update- Big Wins in the Gem State

There have been big wins in the Gem State this week for the Second Amendment! Anti school carry bill is stopped in its tracks in committee and multiple pro-guns bills are on the move in ...

Washington Post’s Somewhat Pro-Gun Column Inadvertently Exposes Problem with Mandatory Storage Laws

News  

Monday, March 11, 2024

Washington Post’s Somewhat Pro-Gun Column Inadvertently Exposes Problem with Mandatory Storage Laws

We generally don’t expect to see the Washington Post say anything positive about firearms or law-abiding gun owners, although there are occasional Op-Eds from pro-Second Amendment lawmakers, unbiased researchers and Constitutional scholars, and the like.

MORE TRENDING +
LESS TRENDING -

More Like This From Around The NRA

NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.