How Election 2016 Front-Runners Would Prevent Domestic Terrorism

After the San Bernardino, Calif., shooting, both election 2016 front-runners offered opposing strategies for preventing domestic terrorism threats.

Election 2016 News: How Trump Would Prevent Domestic Terrorism – Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump wants more U.S. citizens to arm themselves. At a Dec. 5 rally in Iowa, Trump told his audience that if the San Bernardino victims had guns, they could have stopped the two shooters. He had similar reasoning for the recent terrorist attacks in Paris. Trump emphasized to the crowd in Iowa that he was “the biggest of all supporters” of the Second Amendment.

Trump supports increasing surveillance on some groups in the United States. After the Paris terrorist attack, Trump said the U.S. government should monitor suspected terrorists through a “watch list.” Many were unsure what Trump meant by “watch lists,” because the United States already has surveillance lists for suspected terrorists and criminals. Recently, Trump said he wants a database for all Syrian refugees, according to PolitiFact.

On Dec. 7, in perhaps one of his most controversial moves, Trump said he wants a “total and complete shutdown” of Muslims entering the United States.

“Until we are able to determine and understand this problem and the dangerous threat it poses,” Trump said, “our country cannot be the victims of horrendous attacks by people that believe only in jihad, and have no sense of reason or respect for human life.”

Trump believes the United States’ greatest terrorism threat is “radical Islamic extremism,” a term that he continues to criticize President Obama for not saying.

Election 2016 News: How Clinton Would Prevent Domestic Terrorism – Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton suggests a technical approach to preventing terrorist attacks on U.S. soil. She said that Silicon Valley and the U.S. government should work together to fight terrorism threats, such as ISIS, online. “They (ISIS) are one of the most effective recruiters in the world,” Clinton said at a news conference. Clinton said she thinks big tech firms can help disrupt terrorist propaganda on the web.

Clinton believes regulating guns would greatly reduce domestic terrorism plots. She wants to have comprehensive background checks for gun owners and limit the freedom of liability from gun sellers. She believes that it’s too easy for criminals to purchase guns in the United States.

In Other Election 2016 News…

• In a new Iowa poll, Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz jumped to second place, right behind Trump. The poll puts Trump at 33%, with Cruz at 20%. Cruz has remained in Trump’s shadow for much of the Republican nomination battle. Trump and Cruz have many of the same political beliefs. But voters may see Cruz as a more temperate alternative to Trump. Cruz, however, has been just as critical as Trump about lukewarm establishment Republicans.
• Clinton unveiled a new “exit tax” plan meant to prevent large U.S. companies from leaving the U.S. tax system by merging with smaller overseas companies. It’s her latest policy plan meant to tackle the growing problem of U.S. corporate tax avoidance. Her policy could have discouraged the recent overseas acquisitions by Medtronic Plc. (NYSE: MDT) and Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE), which both sought so-called tax inversions.
• Super PACs supporting Republican presidential candidates Jeb Bush and John Kasich continue to attack Trump. A recent Bush super PAC ad called Trump “impulsive” and “reckless.” Kasich’s recent super PAC ad, which consisted of awkward and controversial Trump statements, painted Trump as an eccentric, cartoonish figure unfit for the presidency.

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