Governor Blunt sees a US Supreme Court ruling upholding the right for individuals to own guns as a cautionary tale for the coming presidential election.
Blunt, a Republican, says he had no doubt that the Second Amendment conferred a right on individuals to own arms, solely apart from membership in a militia. Blunt also has no doubt that this is a significant issue, decided by a narrow margin, which should be considered when voting for president in November.
"It think the fact that is was a 5-4 ruling is of concern," Blunt tells the Missourinet, "People as they select a president of the United States, if they care about protecting freedom, protecting our Second Amendment rights, ensuring that the rights set out in the Constitution are never undermined by an activist or liberal court, then you ought to think about that when you select a presidential candidate."
The court ruled the District of Columbia went too far in banning the ownership of handguns. For the first time, it ruled on the heart of the Second Amendment; deciding it grants an individual the right to own a gun, even handguns. The majority ruled the Constitution does not permit the absolute prohibition of handguns or rendering shotguns and rifles inoperable, but upheld the right of government to regulate guns. The minority stated the majority "would have us believe that over 200 years ago, the Framers made a choice to limit the tools available to elected officials wishing to regulate civilian uses of weapons."
The issue is sure to be a matter of debate this election year.
Download/listen Brent Martin reports (1:10 MP3)
