Suburban Houston School Shooting...

Which amendment had to be repealed/amended to effect this sea change w.r.t. cigarette smoking?

 

But the Second Amendment doesn't say what the NRA has been pushing that it says.

We could easily regulate and tax the sale and possession of firearms without running afoul of the Second Amendment. Easily. We don't, simply because of campaign money.

 

The BBBB* has suggested that while that might be accomplished "easily," we simply don't know. Second Amendment law is pretty scant.

The point stands, however, that there was, comparatively speaking, virtually NO constitutional impediment to changes in law w.r.t. cigarette smoking.


*Banned But Bombastic Barrister

 

But we did implement obstacles to smoking with measures such as:
* Raising the age to 21 in a few states;
* Outlawing vending machines in areas frequented by minors;
* Forbidding marketing of tobacco products to kids;
* Banning smoking indoors.

 

Right, and those steps helped to change the culture.

And, Mad Men excepted, we rarely see smoking on TV or in the movies any more. (In a radio commercial for a recent movie, the warning include a mention that "historical smoking" was in the movie.)

So, why aren't we taking similar steps with guns?

 

One reason is the GOP banned the CDC from collecting data on gun deaths, then says "we have no data" whenever the issue comes up.

 

I couldn't remember the film, but a quick google search indicates it was Chappaquiddick.

The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) rated the film, set to release in American theaters on April 6, 2018, PG-13 "for thematic material, disturbing images, some strong language, and historical smoking."

Chappaquiddick Film About Kennedy Sex Scandal Rated PG-13 For 'Historical Smoking'

 

If that's true, then we've also already banned guns for all intents and purposes.

 

2A, of course, is the default answer.

How far are you going to go with the restrictions? You want violent video games regulated* ... but how about SEAL Team on CBS? Or the hunting shows on The Outdoor Channel? Should AMC be banned from showing "The Outlaw Josey Wales" or John Wayne movies due to gun violence?

* - Even though we don't have proof violent video games are a big factor in all this.

 

The NRA doesn't give out that much campaign money. It's peanuts compared to something like what Planned Parenthood gives.

Gun regulations fail because of voters. Dems -- including Chelsea Clinton's Mother-in-law (Goodbye Marjorie) -- got wiped out in the 1994 midterms, after passing the "assault weapon ban".

It's why Dems took no actions against guns when they had full control of Congress and the White House at the beginning of Obama's presidency.

And, while we can tax guns or ammunition, we can't tax it to a degree where it would interfere with a citizen's ability to exercise their constitutional right. If you could, you'd see red states placing onerous taxes on abortion. A judge would strike down such a tax on abortion, or on guns/ammunition.

 

The video game thing is pure bullshit. I'm fairly certain @YankeeFan knows this. This link is in the aftermath of Parkland, but we'll be seeing a lot of it over the next few years.

Analysis | If video games spur gun violence, it’s only in the United States

 

Incidentally, I just read that Santa Fe had armed cops and active shooter drills and ten people, including eight children, still died.