Cory Booker takes a risk on gun control -- and it may pay off in campaign
Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, one of the 21 Democrats running for president, has pitched an ambitious new proposal for gun control — and he deserves credit for its boldness. Booker says every gun owner should be required to apply for a federal license, a process that would include not only a background check, but also safety training and an interview.
Booker has struggled to stand out in a crowded field. He launched his campaign in February with an appeal for “universal love,” but Democrats made clear they want a fighter, not a lover. He offered novel ideas on criminal justice reform and “baby bonds” for low-income families, but those didn’t catch on either.
Now, with gun control, he may have found an idea he can make his own.
It’s an issue that connects to Booker’s powerful biography as a son of Newark, one of the country’s toughest cities. “I can’t stay away from this,” he said on Monday. “This is not some policy issue out there. [Gun violence] is an everyday experience to people like me.”
https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-booker-democrats-gun-control-20190508-story.html