Democratic Congressman Makes Sarcastic Comment About Guns On Twitter—And Conservatives Lash Out

Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-CA15) has already been talking about a potential 2020 presidential bid. Swalwell will be 40 on inauguration day 2020. Should he win the democratic nomination and eventually the Presidency, he would become the youngest person ever to be elected to the office. The current record holder is JFK who took the oath at the age of 43. Theodore Roosevelt became President at the age of 42, but he was not elected at that point. He assumed office after President McKinley was assassinated.

In preparation for a potential White House bid, Swalwell has been outlining his policy positions. Most recently, he published an op-ed in USA Today outlining his views on gun control.

The lede reads...

"Ban assault weapons and buy them back. It might cost $15 billion, but we can afford it. Consider it an investment in our most important right, the right to live."

Of course, the article immediately made the rounds in conservative circles, and InfoWars blogger Joe Biggs had this to say in response...

And Swalwell responded...

To which Biggs said...

But Swalwell quickly pointed out that he was referring to the erroneous anti-gun control position that says they're needed to fight back if the government becomes tyrannical.

Swalwell's point is that open and unrestricted gun sales won't help anyone fight the government if it becomes tyrannical because the government's military resources far outpace guns. In effect, that argument in favor of lax gun restrictions should be thrown right out the window.

But still, former Republican congressman Joe Walsh couldn't resist jumping in the fray.

To which Swalwell was quick to respond...

Walsh pulled back slightly on the forcefulness, however still blasted Swalwell's proposed policy.

And despite the fact that Walsh acknowledged that Swalwell was being sarcastic, he still went on the air on his radio show and talked about the second amendment being the most important one. He went on to say that this is especially true after a 'sitting congressman sarcastically threatened to nuke fellow Americans over it.'

We think we can take a guess at one of the questions Rep. Swalwell will be asked in the Democratic primary debates.

H/T: Independent, Twitter