New York Times Columnist David Brooks should, theoretically, be considered the conservative counterweight. Washington Post Jonathan Capehart, associate editor, when they join PBS NewsHour host Judy Woodruff every Friday to recap the week’s news, but in reality Brooks mostly ends up repeating liberal talking points. A case in point was Friday’s episode where he wondered why Australian-style gun control is so controversial.
Brooks’s remarks came at the end of the segment’s gun control portion after Woodruff asked, “You agree the likelihood of there being any more federal action on guns is very unlikely?”
After noting his agreement, Brooks lamented, “I have never understood why an Australian-style gun buyback is an affront to anybody. You have the option of selling your gun or keeping it. Either you sell or keep your gun. It would be difficult to eliminate 400 million guns if it was not possible to ban future purchases. I mean, we have got 400 million here.”
Maybe because it was not “an open choice,” but mandatory and Brooks will probably escape the ire of the fact checkers.
Earlier in the discussion, Woodruff acknowledge that the recent bill passed by Congress “wouldn’t have had any bearing, apparently, on what happened in Illinois” on the 4th of July.
Capehart agrees and said that this was proof the country should elect more Democrats.
That’s because Congress just — they picked the low-hanging fruit. They won’t tackle the hard stuff because they don’t have votes. … But we — more serious action needs to be taken. However, Congress will not take any action until there is more support for doing something. I am specifically thinking about an assault weapon ban, and other stronger actions that can be taken. But the current configuration of Congress, that—that’s– not going to happen.
After declaring that the Supreme Court “annihilated” New York’s gun law, Capehart added, “the action now is in the states. It is now with—with—with– governors, who now, the onus is on them to do something to protect their citizens, whether it’s with guns or whether it’s abortion rights, abortion access because of what the Court did.”
These states should hopefully have better understanding of the facts than Brooks.
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The transcript of the July 8th show is available here:
PBS NewsHour
7/8/2022
7:37 PM ET
JUDYWOODRUFF: It feels like we’re having these conversations over and over, Jonathan. We are trying to figure out what it is. Congress passed — I mean, the president signed a bill. Congress has finally passed, or at least did pass, a bill relating to guns. However, the bill was only signed a few weeks ago. It wouldn’t, if you look at it that way, have any bearing on the events in Illinois.
JONATHAN CAPAPEHART (right) That’s because Congress just — they picked the low-hanging fruit. Because there aren’t enough votes, the difficult stuff they can’t do is not possible. The president’s doing an event, I believe, on Monday, a more formal ceremony, acknowledging his signature of that gun—of that gun– law.
But we — more serious action needs to be taken. It won’t happen until Congress has more people willing to take action. I think specifically of an assault weapon ban and any other stronger things that might be done. But the current configuration of Congress, that—that’s– not going to happen.
And I think, when it comes to guns, given the Supreme Court decision with—with– New York that completely annihilated New York’s gun — gun– licensing law, all — the action now is in the states. It is now with—with—with– governors, who now, the onus is on them to do something to protect their citizens, whether it’s with guns or whether it’s abortion rights, abortion access because of what the Court did.
WOODRUFF
DAVID BROOKS: This seems a remote possibility. It’s a strange idea that an Australian gun buyback would be considered an insult to anyone. You have the option of selling your gun or keeping it. Either you sell or keep your gun. It would be difficult to eliminate 400 million guns if it was not possible to ban future purchases. There are 400 million of them.
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