Gov. John Kasich calls Congress “totally dysfunctional”: “Do I think they can do anything on guns? I hope they prove me wrong and they can, because I have no confidence in them” #CNNSOTU https://t.co/CnU1ehOkoy
— CNN (@CNN) February 18, 2018
After this week’s Florida mass school shooting, much debate has focused upon how gunman Nikolas Cruz was able to legally purchase an AR-15 despite loads of red flags regarding his behavior. After every one of these tragedies, Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) rallies for gun control, only for Congress to do nothing but offer thoughts and prayers. Much of this, it can be assumed, has to do with the NRA’s staggering donations to politicians, including Marco Rubio (R-FL), who’s being shamed with billboards after the latest massacre. Well, Republican Ohio Governor John Kasich is absolutely disgusted with his party members, and he trotted over to CNN to unload on “totally dysfunctional” Congress.
Kasich appears to have resigned himself to the fact that there shall be no action on guns at the national level, but he’s not going to drop the matter quietly. Speaking with Dana Bash, the former GOP presidential candidate went off:
“I’ve never seen anything like it. They can’t fix immigration. They just can’t seem to get anything done except the fact that they all came together and agreed to take money out of our kid’s piggy banks because now they just go ahead and blow a hole in the deficit. It’s dysfunctional and I don’t think they can do anything on guns. I hope they prove me wrong and can because I have no confidence in them.”
Kasich’s throwing down the gauntlet with Congress, but he also realizes that they’ll probably never act. He then said that action must now come from the state and local levels on preventing guns from landing in the hands of troubled individuals like Nikolas Cruz.
Still, the governor couldn’t resist swiping at anyone who would claim that “Second Amendment rights would be eroded because you couldn’t buy a god-darn AR-15.” Kasich also stressed that he’s not even slightly hinting at total gun control (in manner of Australia), but he believes that it’s long past time to accept that action must be taken in order to prevent future tragedies.
Which Kasich’s full CNN appearance below.
(Via CNN)