Speaker of the House John Boehner. (Photo: Politico)
Speaker of the House John Boehner and his colleagues not only shut down an offer from the Centers of Disease Control to conduct gun violence research, they also defended the constitutionality of Americans owning guns.
“Listen, the CDC is there to look at diseases that need to be dealt with to protect the public health,” said Boehner. “I’m sorry, but a gun is not a disease. And guns don’t kill people; people do. And when people use weapons in a horrible way, we should condemn the actions of the individual, not blame the action on some weapon. Listen, there are hundreds of millions of weapons in America. They’re there. And they’re going to be there. They’re protected under the Second Amendment.”
Boehner’s statements, and especially his reference to what is generally known as one of the NRA’s primary slogans, has brought the Speaker of the House some serious flak.
Some have criticized his claim that firearms are protected under the Second Amendment, reasoning that as Boehner isn’t an expert on Constitutional law, he’s simply not qualified to make that sort of assertion. Of course, anyone with basic reading skills can comprehend the meaning of the Second Amendment, so I think it’s safe to say Boehner has a pretty good handle on it as well.
Boehner didn’t come right out and say it, but there were likely other reasons for voting against CDC-funded gun violence research. Aside from the fact that the CDC aren’t firearms “experts,” there could be potential conflicts of interest in having them pour money into this type of research.
Either way, most of this discussion is likely moot. Since 1998, the CDC has tried 38 times to fund gun violence research, and 38 times the Speaker of the House and his colleagues have declined.
Think they’ll try for a 39th?
(The following was a submission by freelance writer Brent Rogers)
Having the CDC “study” gun violence rates up there with having the FCC study wheat rust. Criminal violence isn’t a communitable disease it is Criminal Violence. Necessary violence in defense of self or others is a good thing that they are as strongly against as criminal acts. If they had not “shot themselves in the foot” by getting caught producing deliberate anti-gun propaganda theiy wouldn’t have had the funding cut. I will vote for funding every one of their “Researchers” who puts on a “moon suit” and spends a weekend in South Chicago doing “gun violence” research at night. Give them money to read Bloomberg propaganda and call that research, I don’t think so.
Time to defund the position of the CDC official who keeps trying to get gun control research funded through his agency.
Boner and Hillery both have somethings in common, they both sit down too pee and when their lips are moving they are lying.
JB is a RINO, there is no dodging that one, everybody knows it, hell he knows it and don’t care.
I read a lot about how Trump just simply can not be a good president because he’s crude, rude and socially unacceptable. These things may all be true but why is it that the same media that says it never remembers all of Slick Willy Clinton s issues or Hillery’s lies?
I’m 100 % sure that Trump would never bow to a Saudi king or any king, I’m sure he would never think a DVD of his fav tunes would be an appropriate gift too the Queen of England, I’m sure he would not become the only President too be UN-invited too a royal wedding.
It’s time for massive changes in DC in both parties, it’s time they really did the work of and for the people. But, we the people are the only ones who can change it.
Get out and vote, talk too young first time voters, get them too the polls, offer too take old shut-ins to vote, Only We the people can take back our country.
I guess boner (that is how you really pronounce it…) can say something right once in a while…
Not sure how much money he got paid for saying that though…It must have been a lot. Thank you Mr. Lobbyist for “bribing” the speaker. But if someone pays him more tomorrow then he will say the opposite of what he said today…I guess that is what you have to do to survive in DC. On a “street level” you would call it prostitution.
He must have several outbuildings on his properties around the world to hold all of the freezers topped of with cash money that he receives for making all of these kinds of statements he gets paid for…Does anyone know what kind of airplane he owns to fly from one freezer to the next? It must be a nice one.
Boehner is cultural fascist who sides with Pelosi, Romney, Bloomberg, Obama, and Holder. He should not be trusted at all.
He must feel like he needs his bi-yearly ,look good moment.
What are they afraid of? Finding out that guns in the wrong hands help to fuel and worsen violence? Guns may not be a sickness but our culture of violence sure is. An improvement in our level of violence might be ok, and that might include some more effective ideas as to how to keep guns out of the wrong hands. Oooh, scary!
First, how do you determine who is going to commit a violent crime? Do we set up a Department of Precrime armed with Crystal Balls? Second the only 2 ways to absolutely prevent a criminal from getting a weapon are both “socially unsacceptable”, Kill him or put him in solitary and weld the door shut.
Crimiinals are going to have weapons, that isn’t a problem it is a FACT and there is no “law” that can change it. Best learn how to deal with it. Background checks have proven that they don’t prevent criminals from having guns or knives or clubs they only precent them from having TRACEABLE weapons. California is on it’s way to establishing the biggest Black Market in the country and as the Cartels see their income shrink from legalization they will jump into the new market with gusto. Keep in mind that they have ready access to REAL military weapons, not Repressives’ “military style” weapons. Why should your local Crips settle for a .25 caliber Raven when they can buy an M60 or RPG? Hand grenades, sure we got hand grenades, how many do you want?
The only way to respond to unjustified force is with equal or superior force. California and any other place Bloomberg and glory hound Repressive politicians get their way will soon suffer under the “Law of Unintended Consequences” and it won’t be pretty.
DemoRATZ are a disease carrying parasite and should be investigated by the CDC and a determination made how to rid America of DemoRATZ!
I think the CDC should tackle spoons since they cause obesity.
John Boehner a constitutional scholar? Well, if we use what has happened recently in the Supreme Court as a guide, I don’t think anyone has a clue as to what is or isn’t constitutional. For all we know, the right to keep and bear arms could be interpreted as allowing Americans to wear short-sleeved shirts.
Why does it take a ‘constitutional scholar’ to interpret PLAIN ENGLISH for us?! Another reason for popular election of federal judges (and maybe term limits), just like we do with state judges in Texas.
How many people realize that there is no legal requirement that a Supreme Court Justice be a judge or lawyer? I, for one, prefer that the Court remain evenly split. No agenda of either side should be able to have unequal advantage. With an even split agenda driven opinions don’t stand a chance and only bipartisan efforts can prevail. If a question of Constitutional law cannot be decided when both sides are equally represented then it is too partisan for consideration.
Man, I’m on the fence on this one, and here’s why. The CDC conducts deep research, and compiles accurate statistics. It is CDC research that proves swimming pools kill under 14 year old children at a 10-to-1 ratio to firearms. CDC research provides evidence in the downward trend in violent crime in the US over the last 2 decades. It is CDC research that provides the fact that the vast majority of “teen gun violence” is gangbanger activity.
So, I’m torn. In the past, I’ve been able to use this credible source’s statistical research to poke holes all over the weak, emotion – based arguments of minions of Moms and other such gun grabber groups. Without the CDC tracking and researching the actual causes and statistics on gun violence, what sources are we left with? The NRA? Domestic mass media? Neither can be honestly considered impartial, or credible. The fact is, criminal gun violence in America is committed by people who are criminally – inclined in many different aspects of their lives (gang members, drug dealers and abusers, thieves and burglars), and the CDC’s access to LE and government reports would generate statistics that PROVE the vast majority of the 85 million gun owners in this country do not need to have their rights infringed upon in order to reduce gun violence.
The FBI already have and keep accurate data on gun violence. WE don’t need another “spin” based on funding sources and current political climate.
Damon, you shouldn’t have any doubt about this one. You are correct that “The CDC conducts deep research, and compiles accurate statistics,” but it is what they do with those stats that is the problem. I would have no problem is all they did was compile data concerning gun-related violence, but then the Department of Justice and agencies like the FBI do the same thing. The “CDC’s access to LE and government reports” is not a monopoly; if it were the NRA who did all of its own research I might doubt it as well, but these days they document where their data comes from.
The medical community in general has shown, over time, that it cannot conduct unbiased “research” into gun-related issues. Far too many medical professionals openly admit that they are anti-gun, and the CDC has made it clear that it wishes to study firearms use as a public-health hazard.
Take for example the Kellerman, et al. study from the 1990s (published in the New England Journal of Medicine) that concluded you are 3 times more likely to be shot if you keep a gun in your home. That study was quickly and repeatedly debunked by both gun-rights advocates and medical professionals who identifed themselves as anti-gun. Part of the reason that even anti-gun doctors trashed the Kellerman study was that by being poorly designed and with its results poorly interpreted, it might in fact hurt the anti-gun cause. Nevertheless, even today it is used as gospel by people like the Demanding Moms.
The only thing surprising (almost shocking) is that Boner actually did the right thing for once…I’m just not used to him in any other role than as a waitress serving us all Obama-brand shit sandwiches.
Hard to believe this rino is actually doing the right thing for once. And it’s not even an election year.
Hard to believe this rino is actually doing the right thing for once. And it’s not even an election year.
Hard to believe this rino is actually doing the right thing for once. And it’s not even an election year.
Thank you mister Boehner !!
Nanny state politics at it’s lowest is what the CDC is trying to do with our tax dollars.
The medical community is rampant with anti-gun sentiment. To think fair research can come from an institution begging to do research 38 times to find fault with guns, and not the gangs and bad actors that use the tool, is ridiculous.
Well I think the saying goes…eve a blind squirrel will find a nut once in a while. I guess even Boehner can get one right every now and then. But I still think he needs replaced. Immediately.