As one might expect, both sides in the gun control debate have different takes on the executive actions President Obama announced this week to try and reduce the rate of gun violence. Jim Letizia reports.
As Obama made the annoucement, he spoke of the mass shooting at a Connecticut elementary school, in South Carolina, Louisiana, Colorado and Chicago.
potus-1
The President, a former constitutional law professor, says the actions he's taking are constitutional. Obama says contrary to the claims of some GOP presidential candidates, he's not plotting to take away everyone's guns.
potus-2
The President is expanding mandatory background checks for some private gun-sellers, including those online and at gun shows. Toby Hoover is founder of the Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence.
toby-1
Jim Irvine of the gun rights group the Buckeye Firearms Association says increased background checks only serve to intimidate law abiding citizens, because the "gun show loophole" the President cited is a made up term.
irvine-1
FBI data shows the rate of gun sales in 2015 was the highest on record, with background checks on gun purchases and permits up by 10 percent. Irvine says if existing laws were enforced, they
would keep guns out of the wrong hands.
irvine-2
The President promised more enforcement of existing guns laws.
potus-3
Hoover notes past attempts at gun control have failed, despite overwhelming public support.
toby-2
Other executive actions announced by the President include spending 500 million dollars to improve access to mental health care.
