Republicans slam Obama's executive action on guns
President Obama insists his executive action on gun violence is "not a plot to take away everyone's guns," but Republicans say otherwise.
The presidential campaign website for Texas Senator Ted Cruz boasts a warning that "Obama wants your guns," alongside a mock-up of the president in military garb.
Cruz's fellow candidate Marco Rubio called the president's plan unconstitutional saying, "Barack Obama is obsessed with undermining the Second Amendment."
House Speaker Paul Ryan accused Mr. Obama of a "dangerous level of executive overreach."
And Texas Republican John Culberson, whose subcommittee controls funding for the Department of Justice, threatened to cut the purse strings.
"If the the president through these orders has over stepped his authority, I will take immediate action to restrain him. I'm not going to wait for a court order. I'm not going to wait for a lawsuit. Our Second Amendment right rights are too precious," said Culberson.
The National Rifle Association reacted to the president's remarks with a hail of tweets in real time.
"President Obama's executive orders will do nothing to protect public safety," the group insisted. The deep-pocketed group also issued a warning to any lawmakers thinking of siding with the president:
FYI: All #NRA grades are subject to change... #2A #Obamapresser
— NRA (@NRA) January 5, 2016
"Sadly, it's what I've come to expect now," said Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty, a Democrat whose Connecticut district includes Sandy Hook Elementary, where 20 children and six adults were gunned down in 2012.
"It's not good enough say 'I don't like what you're proposing.' Then bring forward your own proposals, but for God's sake, do something," Esty continued.
Many Congressional Democrats applauded President Obama, but they don't control congress. The president can't get funding for new ATF agents unless he can win over Republican, something that seems unlikely right now.