Sanders: invested in the interests of gun owners--and manufacturers

[magical thyme]

99. Why the most liberal candidate for president opposes strict gun control

Hunting is a way of life in Vermont, and so are guns. Anyone can carry a concealed weapon there without a permit. Other Democrats from the state, such as Sen. Patrick Leahy and former governor Howard Dean, have also sought the middle ground on guns. Sanders's overall stance on gun rights isn't too surprising, given that he's represented Vermont as an independent in Congress for 24 years, first in the House and now in the Senate.

Yet while he has been a supporter of gun rights, he has also taken plenty of criticism from Second Amendment groups for his positions in favor of other gun-control measures. He's consistently supported a ban on assault weapons. After the massacre at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., in 2012, Sanders reversed his position on the Brady Bill the next year and voted to expand background checks.

"There is no single or simple solution to this crisis," Sanders said in the statement. "In my view, Congress must consider a comprehensive approach which includes a serious discussion about guns, the need for greatly expanded mental health services and ending gratuitous violence [in] the media."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2015/05/13/why-the-most-liberal-candidate-for-president-opposes-strict-gun-control/