Senate Deal Reached on Background Checks

[n2sooners]

Numerous sources are reporting that West Virginia’s Joe Manchin and Pennsylviania’s Pat Toomey have reached a bipartisan deal on gun control legislation. Apparently, the deal would bring background checks to nearly all commercial gun sales and close the “gun show loophole.”

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has already set up a procedural vote to see if 13 Republicans -including Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Marco Rubio and Mitch McConnell - will be able to filibuster. The Toomey agreement, it is thought, gives moderate Republicans the cover they need and allows Democrats to exceed the 60-votes needed to stop floor debate on the issue.

Why is Toomey involved? Here’s the Washington Post’s take:

Because, at his core, Toomey is not a pure ideologue but rather a political survivor. Prior to running against Specter in 2004, Toomey spent three terms representing a swing-ish House seat in northeastern Pennsylvania. And, while he clearly touted his conservative bona fides when he ran against Specter in 2004, he cast himself much more as a pragmatic pol during his 2010 win.

But are Americans really clamoring for gun-control legislation that would have done nothing to stop the tragedies that re-sparked this debate? According to FOX News, Manchin promises “People that are law-abiding gun owners fully want that right protected and I ensure them that it is protected.”

UPDATE: According to Buzzfeed, The National Rifle Association won’t take a position on the deal. “The NRA has not said either way,” said Katie Longo, Manchin’s press secretary. “The Senators have been talking to the NRA, but they’re still neutral.”

A press conference is scheduled for later this morning.

Source Human Events

 

[Spata]

House will throw us under the bus too

 

[n2sooners]

The part about the NRA not saying either way is from Manchin's office, but he has already lied about the NRA's position at least once this year.

 

[SMS]

TWO (2) Senators reaching a deal on anything is not a deal...and certainly far from a done deal.

Love how the media spins it to make those of us opposed to it look unreasonable. "But the Senate has reached a bi-partisan deal..."

 

[n2sooners]

The media's definition of bipartisan is at least one republican and a majority of democrats. I think even this deal is unconstitutional because nothing in the constitution gives the federal government the authority to regulate intrastate commerce.

 

[n2sooners]

NRA's response (doesn't sound that neutral to me)

Expanding background checks at gun shows will not prevent the next shooting, will not solve violent crime and will not keep our kids safe in schools. While the overwhelming rejection of President Obama and Mayor Bloomberg's "universal" background check agenda is a positive development, we have a broken mental health system that is not going to be fixed with more background checks at gun shows. The sad truth is that no background check would have prevented the tragedies in Newtown, Aurora or Tucson. We need a serious and meaningful solution that addresses crime in cities like Chicago, addresses mental health deficiencies, while at the same time protecting the rights of those of us who are not a danger to anyone. President Obama should be as committed to dealing with the gang problem that is tormenting honest people in his hometown as he is to blaming law-abiding gun owners for the acts of psychopathic murderers.

NRA

 

[henschman]

You know those domestic enemies folks are always taking oaths to protect and defend against? This vote will identify many of them.

 

[Biggsly]

This is just to get a foot in the door. They will push the rest of the agenda later.

 

[Arin Morris]

It bugs me when people say there is a "gun show loophole." There is no loophole. It's the same if you buy from a licensed seller or a private party. You get background checks at the gun show if you buy from a licensed reseller. You don't if somebody has a private table at the gun show. It just gets under my skins when they don't understand this.

 

[TedKennedy]

I think you all are expressing some pretty unreasonable attitudes on this. How are we ever to be safer as a nation if we can't even come together to protect our children?

Expect to hear a lot of this....