Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot suggested that the best way President Trump can help blue states dealing with out of control gun violence is by instituting stronger restrictions on guns.
The comments came in response to President Trump’s intimating that he may use the powers of the federal government to intervene in cities and states where Democratic leaders are unwilling, or unable, to stop the flow of violence on their streets.
“If the president was really committed to helping us deal with our violence, he would do some easy things,” Lightfoot said.
“What he would push for is universal background checks, he would push for an assault weapons ban, he would push to make sure that people who are banned from getting on airplanes can’t get guns.”
Chicago of course already has an “assault weapons” ban and a background check system for new gun owners.
Big cities in America have been reeling from a surge in shootings and overall violence.
Over 1,500 people have been shot in Chicago, including 67 just over the Fourth of July weekend. Almost 900 shootings have taken place in Philadelphia and over 500 in New York City so far in 2020. All statistics up significantly from the same time last year (1,018 in Chicago, 701 in Philadelphia and 355 in New York).
The victims of this extreme level of violence have almost predominantly been people of color.