Compromise: It is time to find a solution from both parties
February 28, 2018
The post-Columbine generation of Parkland High has challenged the normalization of mass shootings in American culture following the latest tragedy that has taken 17 lives. Beyond the mobilization of students pushing for change, the tragedy presents President Donald Trump a unique opportunity to do what former President Barack Obama failed to do- reform America’s arcane gun laws.
On Feb. 21, Trump met with students and parents from Parkland High and other figures who have been impacted by gun violence.
People brought up and debated various proposals, from arming school teachers to establishing programs aimed at identifying troubled youths. Through it all, Trump, despite his history of irrationality and continuous evolving positions on policy, looked as if he was willing to tackle the issue head-on.
In fact, Trump has already displayed a willingness to pursue change following the tragedy. He signed a memorandum directing Attorney General Jeff Sessions to look into banning bump stocks, devices that let semi-automatic weapons fire hundreds of rounds per minute, according to a report by CNBC. Bump stocks entered the public consciousness after usage of them by the perpetrator of the 2017 Las Vegas shooting.
The president is also considering supporting legislation that would raise the age limit to 21 for purchases of AR-15-type rifles, according to Reuters. An increased age limit could have potentially prevented the Parkland Massacre, as the perpetrator was 19 years old and would not have been able to purchase an AR-15, the weapon used in the shooting.
“To successfully push for reform, the conservatives that make up the passionate opposition, need to be won over by one of their own, not a political figure from the left.”
Trump has come out and endorsed current legislation in Congress that aims to fix the reporting process of federal agencies when they send criminal records to the Criminal Background Check System.
For the Parkland shooting to be different, to not be another one on the list, another tragic reminder that violence affects everyone, regardless of their race, religion, ethnicity, or gender then both sides have to recognize the politics of gun control. Reforms or background checks are favored when polled, but it has not translated into legislative action because it comes down to trust.
Conservatives have equated past calls for gun control as the equal to a gun grab.
However, those same conservatives makeup Trump’s political base and have shown a tendency to stick with him no matter what he does; be it the Russian scandal or his breakup with former strategist Steve Bannon. To successfully push for reform, the conservatives need to be won over by one of their own, not a political figure from the left.
The National Rifle Association (NRA) is not going to oppose a Trump led reform effort, even after spending thirty million dollars on him during the last presidential election. Trump also acts as a barrier to reform that may be deemed extreme by conservatives, such as another assault rifle ban.
On the left, people have to recognize that reform needs to occur over time. If the banning of bump stocks, age limit increase,and strengthening of federal background checks become legislative reality, then Trump would have done more than Obama on the issue. This also positions the next Democratic President to have a foundation upon which to enact further reform aimed at curbing gun violence.
A grand compromise on gun control is the first step that lawmakers need to take, but it is a monumental step that politically benefits all sides.
Trump gets a bipartisan political victory, one he desperately needs with his stagnant approval ratings. Democrats gain a head start on reform that they have been seeking since the Clinton administration. Most importantly, the nation gets a government can still function in moments of tragedy.