(Image source: NBC )     BY ZACH TOOMBS     After breaking a week of media silence Friday, the National Rifle Association took to Sunday political talk shows in full force and voiced unwavering opposition to a pair of gun control proposals on the table for Congress. Here’s NRA President David Keene on CBS’s Face the Nation .   “We will continue to oppose a ban on semi-automatic weapons that are used for perfectly legitimate purposes. These aren’t military weapons … We’re talking about sporting arms.”   The weapon at the center of debate over gun control: the semi-automatic Bushmaster AR-15, used in the Newtown, Connecticut killings earlier this month.    Not only does the NRA want to avoid a ban on those assault rifles, the group also doubled down Sunday on opposing a limit on extended magazines holding 30 or more bullets. Instead, the association’s CEO, Wayne Lapierre reiterated his support for armed guards in schools. [Video: NBC ]   "If it's crazy to call for putting police and armed security in our schools to protect our children, then call me crazy. I think the American people think it's crazy not to do it. It's the one thing that would keep people safe."   And just three days after House Speaker John Boehner failed to bring enough fellow Republicans on board his “Plan B” solution, the automatic tax hikes and spending cuts set to hit January 1 were again a hot topic on the Sunday shows. [Video: Bloomberg ]   On Fox News Sunday , the third-ranking Senate Republican, John Barrasso, said he thinks President Obama is eager to go over the so-called “fiscal cliff” for political purposes.   “I think he sees a political victory at the bottom of the cliff. He gets all this additional tax revenue for new programs … and he gets to blame Republicans for it.”   But even with lawmakers home for the holidays, there was one sign of potential compromise on ABC’s This Week .    GOP Senator Johnny Isakson says he’d be willing to accept the president’s proposed tax increases on those making $250,000 just to hash out a deal.   "If we get down to the end of this year and the only choice we have is to save taxes going up on the middle class, then I would support that.”   And on CNN’s State of the Union, Independent Senator Joe Lieberman discussed potential Defense Secretary nominee Chuck Hagel — a former lawmaker who he thinks is too open to communication with hostile nations to head up the Pentagon.   “I look at Chuck Hagel’s positions on Iran, and they seem to me to be quite different than President Obama’s … but I think this will be a very tough confirmation process.”   Stick with us for more political coverage — of course, you can follow us on Twitter at @NewsyVideos .