Unit 5 Current Events Post - The Battle Over Gun Policy

http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/24/politics/gun-control-status/index.html

Recently in Virginia, three different candidates who are pro tighter gun control laws all won their first rounds of elections.  The National Rifle Association is aghast that the state of Virginia would even consider electing anyone who wasn't a complete 2nd Amendment advocate.  This recent turn of events in VA made it more clear that the fight over policies concerning gun control has moved temporarily out of the national government's visibility and into the hands of state governments.

The battle over gun policy has seen quite a few shifts over the years, especially recently due to the different tragedies that this country has faced having to do with gun violence.  The NRA has had uber amounts of control for a long time, and it is a prime example of a specialized interest group with a clear mission and avid supporters, thus helping it to have an extreme amount of influence over public policy.  This organization has strong lobbyists and its opinion never goes unheard when a case of new gun control policy is circulating.

According to the article, the White House is planning to conduct new studies involving the connection between gun violence and mental health, which is something that will be funded largely by grants donated by the National Institute of Health, an agency that is under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  In addition, the House Appropriations Committee, which is controlled by the Republican Party, has vowed that it will stop at nothing to see this research thwarted.

As you can see, the influences on gun control policy are extremely abundant from many different sources.  Executive agencies, interest groups, and even Congress are trying what they can to support their cause, whether it be in conducting research, rousing awareness from the public, using media articles, or providing funding.

The chart above shows how the debate over gun policy has become closer and thus more prominent over the years.