In Colorado’s House of Representatives – which is controlled by Democrats – gun control measures won initial approval last Friday evening. Vice President Joe Biden spoke with four lawmakers in the state as the debate was ongoing to lend his two cents. Biden is in Colorado on a ski vacation, and so was close by when the measure passed. Biden spoke with three newcomers to the Colorado legislature, along with Democratic House Speaker Mark Ferrandino. On the docket for discussion were the expansion of background checks and limits on ammunition.
Colorado, once generally considered a bastion of conservative thought and pro-gun, has taken a turn of late, with the Democratic-controlled House being one example. Mass shootings in the state, including the infamous movie theater shootings last year, have also led to particular sensitivity on the topic of gun control.
Some of the freshman legislators were tickled to be called by the vice president, with Tony Exum, a representative from Colorado Springs, noting, "He said, ‘This is Vice President Joe Biden.’ I said, ‘No way!’" It appears that the veep does have a bit of power when it comes to wowing newcomers to the state’s House – it remains to be seen what else he can accomplish elsewhere in the country.
The Colorado bill, sponsored by Rep. Rhonda Fields, a Democrat from Aurora, seeks to cap the capacity of ammunition magazines and to require background checks on private sales of weapons. Noted Fields, "These high-capacity weapons have no place outside the fields of war." Fields failed to mention other uses of such weapons, including protecting politicians and police operations. Noting that weapons should only be associated with "war," however, sounds a lot better for the sound bite.
Colorado, once generally considered a bastion of conservative thought and pro-gun, has taken a turn of late, with the Democratic-controlled House being one example. Mass shootings in the state, including the infamous movie theater shootings last year, have also led to particular sensitivity on the topic of gun control.
Some of the freshman legislators were tickled to be called by the vice president, with Tony Exum, a representative from Colorado Springs, noting, "He said, ‘This is Vice President Joe Biden.’ I said, ‘No way!’" It appears that the veep does have a bit of power when it comes to wowing newcomers to the state’s House – it remains to be seen what else he can accomplish elsewhere in the country.
The Colorado bill, sponsored by Rep. Rhonda Fields, a Democrat from Aurora, seeks to cap the capacity of ammunition magazines and to require background checks on private sales of weapons. Noted Fields, "These high-capacity weapons have no place outside the fields of war." Fields failed to mention other uses of such weapons, including protecting politicians and police operations. Noting that weapons should only be associated with "war," however, sounds a lot better for the sound bite.
