California Kicks In New Push For Gun Control Under Newsom

California already has the strictest gun control laws in the country. The only state that’s even pushing to surpass them is Oregon, and I’m not sure how likely that is to happen. In other words, California’s a shining beacon of gun control, with plenty of failures for all to see.

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Unfortunately for Californians, the state’s ready to kick things up a notch or twelve, apparently feeling that former Governor Jerry Brown was way too pro-gun for them.

California has some of the strictest gun laws in the country, but even as they passed measures in the aftermath of mass shootings, legislators occasionally found themselves frustrated by former Gov. Jerry Brown and his veto pen.

Now they sense fresh opportunity under Gov. Gavin Newsom, a supporter of tightening gun laws who sponsored a successful ballot initiative in 2016 to institute background checks for ammunition sales.

At a Capitol news conference Monday with former Arizona Rep. Gabby Giffords, lawmakers rattled off proposals vetoed by Brown that they intend to revive this legislative session, including a limit of one rifle or shotgun purchase per month and more regulation of parts that can be turned into homemade weapons.

“Stopping gun violence takes courage — the courage to do what’s right,” said Giffords, who was gravely wounded in a 2011 assassination attempt. “We must never stop fighting.”

California legislators said they hope to make the state a model for the rest of the nation.

Other measures that lawmakers have already introduced this year include a requirement for gun owners to lock up their weapons when they are not home, a 10-year prohibition of firearm possession for anyone convicted of two drug or alcohol crimes in a three-year period, and a tax on gun sales to fund violence prevention programs.

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It should be noted that despite the plethora of gun laws on the books in the state, so-called gun violence is a prevalent issue for California. If gun control was as effective as people like Newsom claim, California should be a complete and total paradise.

It’s not.

While the weather’s nice in most places, the truth is that it’s ranked low for public safety.

That won’t stop the gun grabbers from making their push, though. That’s because it’s not about public safety. If it were, they wouldn’t be making this push solely on guns. They’d be taking a more balanced and widespread approach. They’d still argue that gun control is important–despite being wrong on that, but bear with me here–but would also take other steps to combat violence in their state.

Instead, they’ll continue infringing on the rights of Californians to defend themselves.

For the Second Amendment supporting Californians, it’s time to dig in and fight.

For the rest of us, it’s time to lend support to them. After all, Newsom already said that he wants his state to become a “model” for others to follow. In other words, he wants to export these ideas to the rest of us. Fight in there or fight in where you are. It’s your choice.

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