A Blow Against The Empire And Tyranny

Barack Obama angered by 'shameful' gun vote

A deeply emotional Mr Obama - using disdainful language, and surrounded by relatives of gun victims, including some of the 20 kids gunned down in the Newtown massacre - accused the firearms lobby of “willfully” lying to halt change.
He spoke after a bid to expand background checks for gun buyers, the most significant remaining effort to change gun laws since the school killing last year, was blocked in the Senate by Republicans and conservative Democrats.
“Families that know unspeakable grief summoned the courage to petition their elected leaders not just to honour the memory of their children but to protect the lives of all of our children,” Mr Obama said.

 My view:

Mr. Obama's support for this bill was never about protecting lives, rather, it was about an ideological agenda.

Was his anger real?

I certainly believe so.

But the reason for it is the loss of power this vote handed the President.

This vote was about whether or not Americans would reduce their 2nd amendment rights for perceived safety.

Being surrounded by parents of the victims of the tragic shooting in Newtown, the President appears to be providing leadership in "protecting children".  Yet, the very act of watering down the 2nd amendment only increases the danger to children.  Not from crazies or neighborhood thugs, but from an overreaching government that increasingly wants information on everything its citizens do or say. 

To add to the irony of the bill, the Newtown shooter did not use his own guns, but killed his mother and stole hers.  A background check would not have been effective in this particular case!

Restricting access to, and ultimately confiscating guns and spying on citizens is the mark of an Empire not a Republic.

If further evidence is needed, consider Canada's experience with gun control.  It criminalized hunters, sportsmen, and farmers while doing nothing to slow down the gang related shootings in Toronto.
Canadians eventually became so incensed, they voted in a government that repealed the legislation.

Gun control does not fight crime, it primarily takes away the citizen's threat to fight big government and tyranny.