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Tom Vilsack on Gun Control
Democratic IA Governor
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Rural America ready to discuss gun control
Vilsack says the Newtown school shootings have changed the gun control debate and that rural America is ready to be part of a national conversation. Vilsack says the debate has to start with respect for the Second Amendment and recognition that hunting
is a way of life for millions of Americans. But Vilsack said it's now "potentially a unifying conversation. President Obama recognizes that changes to gun laws can't just be decreed from Washington but must come from the "grassroots up."
Source: 2016 Veepstakes: Politico.com, "Ag Secretary on Gun Control"
, Apr 15, 2016
Start conversation with a respect for the 2nd Amendment
Here's how I view this. I view this conversation starting with a respect for the 2nd Amendment and a recognition that there is a value system attached to it that is important, and it starts with the recognition that people do
hunt and that that's important to them--38% of America either hunts or fishes. So you know, it's a big part of the population.
It's a much deeper conversation.And it's a good one to have for this country. It's potentially a unifying conversation.
The problem is that these conversations are always couched in the terms of dividing us. This could be a unifying conversation and Lord knows we need to be unified.
Source: CNN coverage of 2016 Veepstakes:State of the Union interview
, Dec 30, 2012
Prevent unauthorized firearm use with "smart gun" technology.
Vilsack signed the manifesto, "A New Agenda for the New Decade":
Make America the “Safest Big Country” in the World
After climbing relentlessly for three decades, crime rates started to fall in the 1990s. Nonetheless, the public remains deeply concerned about the prevalence of gun violence, especially among juveniles, and Americans still avoid public spaces like downtown retail areas, parks, and even sports facilities.
We need to keep policing “smart” and community-friendly, prohibiting unjust and counterproductive tactics such as racial profiling; focus on preventing as well as punishing crime; pay attention to what happens to inmates and their families after sentencing; use mandatory testing and treatment to break the cycle of drugs and crime; and enforce and strengthen laws against unsafe or illegal guns. Moreover, we need a renewed commitment to equal justice for all, and we must reject a false choice between justice and safety.
Technology can help in many areas: giving police more information on criminal
suspects so they do not rely on slipshod, random stop-and-search methods; allowing lower-cost supervision of people on probation or parole; and making it possible to disable and/or trace guns used by unauthorized persons.
Above all, we need to remember that public safety is the ultimate goal of crime policy. Until Americans feel safe enough to walk their neighborhood streets, enjoy public spaces, and send their children to school without fear of violence, we have not achieved public safety.
Goals for 2010 - Reduce violent crime rates another 25 percent.
- Cut the rate of repeat offenses in half.
- Develop and require “smart gun” technology to prevent use of firearms by unauthorized persons and implement sensible gun control measures.
- Ban racial profiling by police but encourage criminal targeting through better information on actual suspects.
- Require in-prison and post-prison drug testing and treatment of all drug offenders.
Source: The Hyde Park Declaration 00-DLC11 on Aug 1, 2000
Page last updated: Sep 01, 2021