Vegas Mayor: What Kind of People Are Growing Up in This World?
Just a month after the deadly mass shooting in Vegas, the country mourns again.
“What kind of people are growing up in this world, and in this country?” That's one of the first thoughts that crossed Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman's mind as she reflected on the most recent assault Sunday at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas.
35 days ago a gunman opened fire in her city, killing 58 people and injuring more than 500 concertgoers. This weekend, another man killed 26 and injured 20 in the small town in Texas.
And while many politicians and pundits react and call for stronger gun laws, Goodman says that these shootings, two of three that occurred within the last 17 months, may not have been stopped by different laws and aren't reflective of the majority of people in this country.
“You have to realize these are individual people, perpetrators. There’s something wrong with them,” she said during the interview with Cheddar. She adds that “it’s probably the publicity that they get out of it that makes them do these things.”
President Donald Trump also addressed the fatal Texas shooting on Sunday, sending his thoughts and prayers to victims and families and dismissing the idea that the shooting should immediately reignite the gun debate.
“I think that mental health is the problem here,” the commander-in-chief said, addressing the nation from his five-country Asia trip. The president said that the shooter was a “very deranged individual, [with] a lot of problems over a long period of time,” adding that it was a bit too soon to discuss gun control laws.
But not everyone is content with the language that some politicians are using to address the recent tragedies.
New York governor Andrew Cuomo said that while warm wishes are nice, leaders are elected to lead. He blames the lack of action on fear and encouraged elected officials to “do something.”
“They are afraid to act because they are afraid of three letters. You know what those three letters are? NRA,” he said in a statement. “It’s political fear.”
Still, Mayor Goodman states that the majority of the people who live in this country are peaceful and can handle their guns. She argued that if the country took guns away, people with mental illness will still be able to find the weapons on the black market.
As for Vegas’ recovery, the mayor said the city is moving along.
“We practice all the time,” she said. “Life goes on here.”
John Petrides, Portfolio Manager at Tocqueville Asset Management, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where he breaks down Monday's market activity amid the emergence of the omicron variant, and what it could mean for the Fed's timeline when it comes to raising rates and tapering pandemic aid.
Earlier in the week, we saw President Biden nominate Jerome Powell to serve as Fed chair for another four-year term in the midst of the country’s struggles with covid, inflation, and supply unrest. Claudia Sahm, senior fellow at the Jain Family Institute and former Federal Reserve and White House economist explains why the markets saw a boost following the nomination.
House Democrats saw a big win on Friday when President Biden's trillion dollar Build Back Better social spending bill was passed but now the question is - can the bill hold up in the senate as it faces possible ongoing scrutiny from not only Republicans, but also some Democrats. Julia Manchester, reporter at The Hill, explains whether or not the bill will make it to President Biden's desk by Christmas.
Jamil Jaffer, Founder and Executive Director of the National Security Institute, joined Cheddar to discuss the concern surrounding Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai's disappearance following a social media post accusing a former high-ranking Chinese official of sexual assault.
Just hours before the scheduled execution of inmate Julius Jones, the Governor of Oklahoma Kevin Stit has now granted commuted his sentence to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Several advocates along with a number of celebrities have been fighting to stop the execution. Defense Attorney and Police Director Erin Haney, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
The book 'The Brainwashing of My Dad' examines how the rise of right-wing media changed a father and impacted the nation. Author of the book, Jen Senko, joins Cheddar News to discuss the history and future of conservative media.
Natalie Fertig, Federal Cannabis Policy Reporter for Politico Pro, joined Cheddar to discuss the shift among republicans to support federally legalizing marijuana.
The House has officially passed the $1.75 trillion social policy and climate big. This new bill is expected to bring some huge investments into working towards fighting climate change. U.S. President of We Don't Have Time, Sweta Chakraborty, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
Guilty verdicts have been handed down to the three men charged with killing Ahmaud Arbery. Arbery was out for a jog in February 2020 when Travis McMichael, William "Roddie" Bryan, and Gregory McMichael chased him down and killed him. The judge read the verdicts for each of the three men aloud, starting with the man who pulled the trigger, Travis McMichael. Kirk Burkhalter, professor at New York Law School joins Cheddar News to recap the trial.
All three defendants in the Ahmaud Arbery killing were found guilty today on numerous charges including felony murder. Criminal Defense Attorney Anthony Hall joined Cheddar to discuss.
