He rejected the argument, that self-defense is necessary to protect against possible government tyranny.
President Biden stated Wednesday that his crime prevention strategy will focus on strengthening background checks and banning assault weapons.
Biden met with local and state leaders, as well as law enforcement officials, before his remarks. He spoke to them about crime prevention strategies in light of the recent rise in violence in American cities.
According to the White House, reducing gun violence is crucial in reducing the “staggering” rise in crime across the U.S.
Biden stated, “Talk to most responsible gun owner they’ll tell ya there’s no reason for 100 rounds in a mag.”
The president also attacked an argument made by Second Amendment supporters, that self-defense must be protected against government tyranny.
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Biden stated that those who claim the blood of Patriots are wrong. He also spoke about the things we need to do against the government. You need F-15s, and possibly nuclear weapons if you believe you need weapons to attack the government.
“We are not changing the Constitution. The president said that we are enforcing the Constitution.
Biden vowed “zero tolerance” to gun dealers who willfully break the law and claimed that 90% illegal guns found at crime scene scenes could be traced back only to 5% gun dealers.
Federally licensed firearms dealers are subject to the “zero tolerance” policy. They can either transfer a weapon or ignore a request from Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for tracing. A senior White House official stated that the ATF would seek to revoke a dealer’s license following the first offense.
Biden stated that if you sell a firearm to someone prohibited from owning it, or if your background check is not completed, or if you falsify any record, we’ll find you.
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The president stated that the gun lobby wanted you to believe that the most strict gun laws in cities still result in the highest levels of gun violence. Don’t believe them. He claimed that he had spoken to Brandon Scott, a Democrat from Baltimore, and that most of the guns used in crime in his city were purchased elsewhere.
Biden also praised “historic funding to prevent crime” in the $350billion for state and local governments. This money comes from the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief program. It can be used to pay overtime, hire law enforcement officers and invest in technology that will make law enforcement more efficient. Officials stated that the Biden administration wanted cities to choose to use the money to fund alternative policing and to invest in community-policing models.
Jen Psaki, White House press secretary, suggested that Republicans are behind defunding police officers because they voted against relief package which included money for local governments and state. She reiterated that Biden had never supported defunding police.
The administration also targeted “ghost guns” (modified firearms) which are homemade firearms that lack serial numbers that can be traced. This makes it difficult for law enforcement agencies to find out where, by who, when, and to whom they were manufactured.
In an effort to combat ghost guns, the Justice Department’s ATF sought to revise the legal definition “firearm” last month.
Biden also advocated for hiring programs to keep young people occupied and off the streets in the summer months. They are often the victims and perpetrators of violence. Biden stated that such programs encourage youth to “pick-up a paycheck rather than a gun.”