1. How big is the problem with firearms in the US?
There are more guns than people in the US. Every year, more than 30,000 people are killed by a bullet, most of them in suicide or gun accidents. But every year there are also major shootings, in recent weeks, for example, six employees of massage parlors were shot, ten visitors to a supermarket (see video below) and below is a video after a shooting by a former American football player:
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2. How exactly does Biden want to tackle gun violence?
During the campaign he promised to come up with major measures. The Democratic majority in the House of Representatives has passed laws to exercise more control over who can buy a weapon. Biden has spoken out in favor of a ban on semi-automatic weapons. But the measures he announced this week are very limited, because he did it through a presidential decree, and to really change anything, the senate must pass laws.
3. Possession of a firearm is a fundamental right in the US, can Biden really change it?
Between 1994 and 2004 America had strict gun laws. When Biden was vice president between 2009 and 2017, after the murder of 20 children at Sandy Hook school (in 2012), Biden was tasked with reviving those laws. That failed. It is not possible to ban weapons, because the Supreme Court has said that everyone can have a weapon. But you can restrict certain guns and impose requirements on who is allowed to own a gun.
For example, at the moment people who are on a list of potential terrorists, or who have assaulted their wives, are allowed to buy a weapon. That could be changed. For the time being, Biden is not putting much pressure on that yet. He talks about it, but wants parliament to discuss his other plans first.
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4. This subject is sensitive to many Americans, how do they react to his plans?
Divided, as usual. In republican circles any restriction is seen as unacceptable, ‘weapons are freedom, and you don’t take it away’. The theme was long in the public opinion, especially after the shooting at a Florida high school after which outspoken students managed to grab the attention of the country. But the sense of urgency has subsided somewhat.
5. Is Biden getting a grip on his plans politically?
What he announced this week is an executive action. A decree. He can do that on his own. A law is needed for more radical policy. Republicans say they want to negotiate, but experience shows that they usually vote against. The Democrats could ram the theme through the Senate if they lift parliamentary rules, as anti-gun activists want, but Biden is not in favor of that.
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6. The gun lobby is strong in the US, can Biden compete with that?
The fascinating thing is that the National Rifle Association is very weakened at this point. The group has declared itself bankrupt after being charged with mismanagement and concealment of dues. In a lawsuit, incriminating information emerged about the boss, Wayne LaPierre, the man who once said, “The only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.” He would have taken a bribe. So the club has no money to broadcast commercials to keep republicans on board.
Incidentally, even members of the NRA are in favor of crime checks for anyone who wants a weapon. But that moderate signal is being echoed by right-wing commentators who don’t want to move an inch in the arms debate.
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