Ben Carson: Attentive public will prevent stricter gun laws
Forty-three percent of Republican voters in a recent CBS News/New York Times poll said it's "very likely" that stricter gun laws would lead to the federal government confiscating guns from lawful gun owners. Twenty-five percent said that outcome is "somewhat likely," while 31 percent said the outcome is not very likely, or not likely at all.
Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson, during an interview Sunday with "Face the Nation," said the results demonstrate that fears of a federal confiscation of firearms are "obviously...on people's minds."
"My hope is that with individuals like yourself and others bringing this up and keeping it...in consciousness of the nation that we will remember the purpose of the Second Amendment and we won't violate it," Carson told "Face the Nation" host John Dickerson. "So, kudos to you for making sure that it stays on the radar screen."
Dickerson asked Carson whether he expects gun laws to be a big issue in the general election, given the evident public concern.
"Well I think if it's on the minds of that many people it's going to make it extraordinarily difficult for anyone to accomplish impeding the function of the second amendment," Carson, who's stressed his opposition to stricter gun control measures, responded. "So that is very good. The more people who are cognizant of it the less likely it is to occur."
Tune into "Face the Nation" on Sunday for the latest political news and analysis. Check yourlocal listings for airtimes.