Dem Rep. Ted Deutch calls for no more manufacturing of semi-automatic guns: ‘Get them out of our communities’

Joe NewbyMay 7, 2018

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While appearing on CNN Friday, Rep. Ted Deutch, D-Fla., called for an end to the manufacturing of semi-automatic weapons, telling Kate Bolduan they need to be treated like machine guns.

Here’s a partial transcript of the segment as posted by the Daily Wire:

BALDUAN: Let me ask you this, [because] you lay out some of the regulations that you support and many Americans support, but we also have fellow Democrat Eric Swalwell, for example, he’s from California. He put out an op-ed yesterday arguing for reinstating the assault weapons ban. But it was not just that. He went quite a bit further, and he said that what he also wants is, “we should buy back such weapons from all who choose to abide by the law, and we should criminally prosecute any who choose to defy it by keeping their weapons.” So when gun rights advocates say Democrats just want to take away your guns, are they now right?

DEUTCH: Listen, there are gun buyback programs that exist in some communities, and if people choose to turn in their guns, certainly law enforcement is working with them to do that. I think what we ought to do and what the NRA always refuses –

BALDUAN: But is Swalwell going a step too far when he says that people should be held criminally responsible if they don’t turn over their weapons?

DEUTCH: Well, I think what’s important is to stop the production of weapons of war that don’t belong on our streets…just remember this, it was just about 90 years ago also on Valentine’s Day that a massacre in Chicago led Congress to say we can’t have all these machine guns on our streets. No one has questioned that decision. Now it was another massacre on Valentine’s Day here in Parkland that should prompt Congress to say we can’t have all these assault weapons on our streets.

No one’s complained about that law. Let’s treat these assault weapons the same way we treat machine guns. That ought to be something that everyone can get behind. No more manufacture. Let’s get them out of our communities.

Frank Camp countered:

There are two primary problems with Deutch’s comments. First, he flatly refuses to answer Balduan’s question about supporting Rep. Swalwell’s gun confiscation idea, which could lead viewers to believe that he does indeed agree with Swalwell on the issue.

Second, Deutch states: “No more manufacture. Let’s get them out of our communities.” This is incredibly reductive.

Stopping the manufacturing of semi-automatic rifles wouldn’t “get them out of our communities,” as Deutch indicates. While it’s impossible to know how many semi-automatic rifles are in circulation because there isn’t a national registry, “the NRA estimates that between 8.5 million and 15 million assault rifles are in circulation based on manufacturer data,” reports McClatchy.

Camp said Deutch is either being naive or disingenuous if he thinks ending the manufacturing of semi-automatic rifles would solve the problem.

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“…If one simply takes his idea to its logical conclusion, much more would be required to rid America of so-called assault weapons,” Camp said. “It would require law enforcement authorities to walk door to door, and forcibly gather firearms from otherwise law-abiding Americans who decided not to hand over their legally purchased firearms.”

Chance are, that won’t go over very well.

Here’s video of the exchange:

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