A prominent Democratic governor is proposing a change to the U.S. Constitution to support gun control measures.
On Thursday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) tweeted, “NEW: I’m proposing the 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution to help end our nation’s gun violence crisis. The American people are sick of Congress’ inaction.”
“The 28th will enshrine 4 widely supported gun safety freedoms — while leaving the 2nd Amendment intact,” he added.
Newsom explained the proposed amendment would raise the age to buy a gun to 21.
It would also implement “universal background checks,” and a “reasonable waiting period for gun purchases.”
Finally, the amendment would ban the “civilian purchase of assault weapons.”
NEW: I’m proposing the 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution to help end our nation’s gun violence crisis.
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) June 8, 2023
The American people are sick of Congress’ inaction.
The 28th will enshrine 4 widely supported gun safety freedoms — while leaving the 2nd Amendment intact:
1)… pic.twitter.com/ZJ7fyfH0Cf
Twitter users were quick to pan the new amendment.
Conservative radio host Jason Rantz tweeted, “Omg. Go away.”
Omg. Go away.
— Jason Rantz on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) June 8, 2023
David Harsanyi, a senior editor at The Federalist, wrote, “no.”
no
— David Harsanyi (@davidharsanyi) June 8, 2023
Another wrote, “When you’re admitting that your agenda isn’t currently constitutional.”
When you’re admitting that your agenda isn’t currently constitutional
— Sunny McSunnyface (@sunnyright) June 8, 2023
Second Amendment advocacy organization the Firearms Policy Coalition tweeted, “TFW you know you’re about to lose badly in court.”
TFW you know you're about to lose badly in court https://t.co/GItuaMSphv
— Firearms Policy Coalition (@gunpolicy) June 8, 2023
With the current state of the divisions in the country, the high bar needed to ratify an amendment, and the question of whether it would be in conflict with the Second Amendment, this amendment has no chance of becoming a part of the Constitution anytime soon.
This amendment is also kind of humorous in that it essentially concedes Democrats’ gun control measures are unconstitutional as the document currently exists.
But at least, for once, we have a Democrat looking to use the system laid out in the Constitution to bring change after facing setbacks instead of just screaming about “MAGA Republicans” and the “MAGA Supreme Court” on Twitter.
