Political Quotes

“the Judiciary Committee will be holding hearings soon--and many times--on responding to mass killings such as the recent school shooting in Newtown, CT. Admittedly, that was a terrible tragedy. We are all sympathetic to the families of the victims of that horrendous crime. President Obama has asked Congress to pass legislation in response to that event. I look forward to the hearings the Judiciary Committee will hold on this very important subject because we need to know more about the problem and potential legislative action. There will be plenty of occasions to discuss specific gun, mental health, and other legislative responses to Newtown. Today, I would like to address the President's rhetoric when he announced his proposals. I was surprised at a number of the President's statements. For instance, he is directing the Centers for Disease Control to conduct research into the causes of gun violence. But gun violence is not a disease, and lawful gun ownership is not a disease. It is a constitutionally protected individual right--the famous second amendment right, not only part of the Constitution for 225 years but reinforced by two recent Supreme Court decisions. The President said we suffer from an ``epidemic of violence.'' Although there is too much violence in America, violent crime rates are at their lowest level in 50 years--not at epidemic levels, at least epidemic when compared to the last 50 years. There is a reason for that.…”