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Public Safety

The Politics of Assault Weapons

The Politics of Assault Weapons
Should Congress and the White House reinstate the federal ban on assault weapons? We'll talk with KPBS Political Correspondent Gloria Penner about the politics of guns.

Maureen Cavanaugh: It might be fair to say that America has gone gun-crazy since the election of Barack Obama. Rumors on the Internet, talk radio and elsewhere that the president will eventually put restrictions on the right to bear arms has led to a run on guns and a nationwide shortage of ammunition.

For his part, President Obama has stated publicly that although he'd like to see the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons ban reinstated, he supports gun ownership and has no plans to introduce any gun control legislation.

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Meanwhile, both American and Mexican officials say gun smuggling from the U.S. is fueling the deadly Mexican drug cartel war. And a new southbound screening program is getting up and running to check cars going into Mexico for contraband weapons.

Guest

Gloria Penner, KPBS Political Correspondent and host of Editors Roundtable on KPBS.

KPBS has created a public safety coverage policy to guide decisions on what stories we prioritize, as well as whose narratives we need to include to tell complete stories that best serve our audiences. This policy was shaped through months of training with the Poynter Institute and feedback from the community. You can read the full policy here.