More political theater in Congress:
“… At a news conference, Schumer laid out a three-point Democratic plan to push forward on guns … At the top of the list is expanded background checks, closing the so-called “gun show loophole.” … Gillibrand took a more aggressive posture on the assault-weapons ban than Schumer, saying Wednesday that a military-style semiautomatic rifle such as the AR-15 … “has no place in the civilian world.” Schumer also pushed forward on letting family members and friends petition courts to take away guns from individuals shown to be a danger to themselves or others … “
This stuff is DOA and they know it.
Republicans are moving on:
“Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is moving to banking reform legislation — not gun control … next week in the Senate … After that, McConnell hopes to move to legislation addressing sex trafficking, according to GOP sources … A Senate GOP aide said a limited bill to strengthen background checks for firearms purchases could come to the floor at any moment as soon as Democrats agree to let it move forward … “We tried to get it cleared yesterday, but the Democratic leader objected,” McConnell said …”
S-2135 has 49 bi-partisan co-sponsors. What’s up with the bill?
Ed Morrissey notes Fix-NICS would likely pass …
“… Fix-NICS would almost certainly pass for two reasons. One: It addresses an actual problem that actually contributed to a mass shooting … Two, and more importantly: Fix-NICS doesn’t intrude on the right to bear arms …”
… and Democrats don’t really want that:
“… “A lot of us have a feeling that 2018 is going to be the first year in which this issue is a true liability to Republicans who refuse to break from the NRA at all,” said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), who organized the meeting. “We also want to make sure that all of these new entrants into the issue stick with us into the elections. I’ve never had a meeting like this before with that many members of Congress and every anti-gun-violence group.” …”
Murphy still believes gun control groups will be able deliver votes around their issues despite having never been able to do that before.