While Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo praised President Barack Obama’s executive orders aimed at wider gun control, North Country Assemblyman Marc W. Butler says the proposal is not the best way to make America safe.

In his public address Jan. 5, Obama called for wider background checks, more spending on mental health and a push to develop technology to make guns “safer.”

“Our founding fathers had the foresight to structure our government in such a way where no branch of government is more powerful than the other; the triumvirate system at its heart is meant to ensure the protection of the people, their rights, and their wellbeing,” Butler said. “The president should have worked with Congress to achieve an action plan that will ensure the safety of the people and the security of our communities. We saw similar shortsightedness in New York when the governor forced the NY SAFE Act upon law-abiding citizens.”

“The Bill of Rights is not merely a list of suggested privileges from which we can pick and choose to support or demonize; it is a document all elected officials must protect and uphold in its entirety. It is a slippery slope when branches of government act unilaterally, especially in an effort to curtail any portion of our constitutionally outlined rights. This action should be questioned, not celebrated, no matter your political beliefs.”

Although Butler criticized the orders, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo praised the president’s call for wider background checks.

“President Obama’s executive action to expand background checks, increase oversight, and close glaring loopholes in federal law marks a critically needed step forward for our nation. I applaud the President’s decision to take a stand and act, even as Congress continues to delay,” Cuomo said. “For too long, the American people have been without sensible gun control at the federal level. Thousands of lives have been cut short and countless families have been forced to bury their loved ones too soon – all due to gun violence. The fact that Congress refuses to act and pass a national law that protects the American people while also respecting their second amendment rights defies common sense.”

Gov. Cuomo also took the opportunity to praise New York’s strict gun control laws passed as an emergency bill known as the SAFE Act.

“New York has led the way on gun control – enacting the toughest laws in the nation after Sandy Hook where 20 children and six adults were tragically murdered. But there is still more we must do together as a nation. For all the progress we have made in New York State on this issue, the lack of federal gun control continues to leave our communities in the line of fire. Congress must pass a strong national gun control bill and follow the President’s lead in putting the safety of America’s families first.”