Newark, NJ – New Jersey Governor Chris Christie on Wednesday vetoed a bill approved by the state legislature that would have reduced the legal size of ammunition magazines from 15 to 10 bullets, saying it would do nothing to end mass shootings.
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Christie, in sending the measure back to legislators, instead proposed new rules boosting access to mental health services and allowing the mentally ill to be involuntarily committed if they were at risk of rapid deterioration.
“It simply defies common sense to believe that imposing a new and entirely arbitrary number of bullets that can be lawfully loaded into a firearm will somehow eradicate, or even reduce, future instances of mass violence,” Christie said in his message to legislators.
“Nor is it sufficient to claim that a 10-round capacity might spare an 11th victim,” Christie said
Gun control advocates blasted the veto and accused the governor of allowing his presidential ambitions to guide his decision making. The governor is considered a likely candidate for the Republican nomination for the presidency in 2016.
“At the end of the day it was a cowardly decision that lacks leadership,” Assembly Majority Leader Louis Greenwald, a Democrat and the lead sponsor of the legislation, said in a written statement. “In fact, this is political expediency at its worst, considering the governor is headed out to campaign in Iowa in a few weeks.”
He noted that the veto came soon after families of the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting rampage came to the state capitol in Trenton and presented thousands of signatures in a petition to support the gun control measure.
This guy needs to leave politics and open a restaurant.
Good move gov!
It only takes two seconds to reload a magazine if you know what you are doing. It’s not at all difficult to carry a bunch of them. THAT is why it is stupid to say that having less bullets will prevent mass shootings. Get rid of those gun free zones. I’ve yet to hear of a mass shooting attempt at an NRA meeting. Could it be because they are all carrying?? I would think.
BTW, did you know that when gun ownership goes up, crime goes down. Criminals are not THAT stupid. They go to states with strict gun control laws. That is why our crime in VA is lower than NY, Washington DC, Detroit, Chicago, and other liberal strong holds. Keep passing those gun control laws and keep wondering why it isn’t helping. Criminals are not following the laws not to steal or kill. Why do you suddenly think they will listen and only carry 10 rounds instead of 15?
Once again I ask … why not just pass a law making it illegal to kill someone. Then we will stop the mass shootings.
Mugs is right. I compete regularly in action shooting competition. It’s no trick to change magazines in less that two seconds. Revolvers are harder to do by can also be reloaded fast with practice. Jerry Miculec holds the record of 12 shots from a revolver in under 3 seconds. That’s six shots, reload and six more shots.
(Cont’d)
But that’s not the point. Gun “control” advocates in Congress, State Legislatures and on the street persist in advocating appearance over substance. Magazine capacity is a minor concern at best. So is banning scary looking “assault rifles” which, by the way are hardly ever used in crime, Sandy Hook notwithstanding. The real problem is illegal, and I stress “illegal”, handguns. Illegally acquired handguns in the hands of gang bangers and other thugs account for two or three Sandy Hooks a week nationwide. I have no love for Bloomberg but even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while. Effective gun control measures should include mandating mental health professionals to report individuals who exhibit destructive tenancies and allow non-voluntary commitment in appropriate cases. I know that my buddies in the NRA (yes, I’m a member) will call me out on this but The way to interdict the flow of illegal guns is a nationwide limit on gun purchases by any individual to one a month. This would prevent lot purchases by illegal straw buyers that would be resold on the street and what legitimate shooter could even afford more than one gun a month?
Finally we got someone with the brains.
Christie is doing something very sensible, confirming our suspicions that he wants to run and win Republican nomination.But it’s too late. He will never make Republicans forget October 2012.