States Push to Expanded Gun Rights, Obama Silent

When United States President Barack Obama swore to office last January 20, 2009, gun control advocates can only rejoice at the prospect of having a staunch supporter to their cause.

Now, they are giving the 1-year incumbent president every failing grade possible.

Gun control advocates say that Mr. Obama has failed to deliver the gun control promises he made during his presidency campaign. Nowhere was the campaign promise that he made to close an exploit that allows dealers sell firearms without federal background checks or criminal background checks. He has been largely nonexistent while several gun right promoters made strong pushes to expanded gun rights.

Gun right promoters have been generally successful in passing measures that have been rejected in the past. Last week in Virginia, the General Assembly approved a bill that would allow people to carry firearms in establishments that serve alcohol. The House of Delegates also abolished the 17-year-old law that prohibits anyone from buying more than one handgun in a month.

Last month, Indiana passed a bill that will thwart private businesses from checking employees if they are keeping firearms in their vehicles on company property.

Last year, Montana and Tennessee passed bills that will exempt their states from the federal laws regarding firearms and ammunition that are manufactured, sold and used in-state.

Arizona and Wyoming are considering the measures that would allow residents to carry concealed weapons without a permit.

Obama also signed bills that will allow firearms in national parks and on Amtrak trains.

There are too many setbacks to gun control measures, that's how the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, a gun control group, interpreted the whole ordeal. Paul Helmke, president of the Brady Campaign said, "We expected a very different picture at this stage".

Last month, the Brady Campaign issued the President a First Year Report Card, which shows Obama failing in every of the group's indicators: Brady Background Checks and Gun Background Check, Gun Show Loophole, Gun Trafficking, Guns in Public, Assault Weapon Ban, Standing Up to the Gun Lobby and Leadership.