McConnell quashes Senate effort on guns

[DonViejo]

Source: The Hill

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday cut the legs out from a bipartisan effort to keep suspected terrorists from buying guns.

In doing so, McConnell, a master of the Senate’s arcane rules, provided cover for vulnerable Republicans who wanted to be seen as supporting the effort, but did not want to cross the National Rifle Association.

“The scenario that Sen. McConnell set up was textbook McConnell,” said Brian Darling, a former Senate Republican aide.

McConnell had promised a vote this week to Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) on her bipartisan measure barring people on two key terrorist watch lists from buying guns or explosives. But what he scheduled was not what she had in mind.

-snip-

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/284711-mcconnell-quashes-senate-effort-on-guns

[Ilsa]

1. What a bunch of chickenshits. nt

[forest444]

17. Time to play hardball with this Capitol Hill harlot.

If I were President Obama, I'd look Bitchy Mitchy right in the eye and say:

Two words, Mitch: Ping May.

[ailsagirl]

2. Gee, what a surprise

Those people have no heart, no conscience. Sickening. And here they hold positions of such authority.

[EL34x4]

19. To be fair, nobody sends Republicans

to Washington to pass gun control laws.

[Agnosticsherbet]

3. This is why we have to retake the Senate and House.

80% of Americans approved of the bill (even NRA members), but Republicans are scared shitless of the NRA Lobby arm and gun manufacturers.

Clearly, they are the best Republicans the NRA Lobbyist could buy.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

4. Why does McTurtle hate America?

[Stonepounder]

7. Why do Americans hate America?

90%+ approve of keeping guns out of suspected terrorists. Republicans in both the House and Senate refuse to vote on it. The same people who want to keep guns out of the hands of terrorists turn around and vote for the same dip-shits over and over and over again.

Go figure.

[Indydem]

11. Oh, this is now a simple majority?

People have Constitutional RIGHTS. Maybe you've heard of them.

Just because "90%" support something (a dubious claim, at best) doesn't mean we do it when it violates the constitution and people's rights.

Over our history there have been plenty of majorities who wanted something that was just plain wrong. It is the courageous who stands up and shouts "we will not violate the rights of others because it is popular in the moment!"

I'm a Democrat because our party supports freedom and rights. Why are you?

[Stonepounder]

13. I'm not sure what you are disagreeing with in my post.

Which rights do tightening controls on guns violate? We have laws mandating background checks on people wanting to buy guns. But...if you go to a gun show or go online or onto Craigs List and buy a gun there is no background check required. So one proposed modification is to require all gun sales to be subject to a background check. Which of my freedoms and rights does this violate? We have a no-fly list and a terrorist watch list. Seems to me that if you are on one of those lists, your background check should come up flagged. The proposed law would halt the sale. You could appeal and the government would then have 20 days to schedule a hearing where they would have to show cause as to why you couldn't buy a gun. Again, which of my freedoms or rights does this violate?

Additionally, we have a system of checks and balances. Congress passes a law. The President can sign it or veto it. If it becomes law and someone feels he has been harmed by the law and that the law is unconstitutional he can avail himself of the courts. But you know all this. How long must we abide these mass shootings before Congress moves to try and reduce them? How long must I worry about being safe in my person when I go to Denny's or the local pub or take a night school class or go to a movie?

And P.S., don't you dare question my liberal credentials. I marched for Civil Rights in the 50's, worked voter registration drives in the South in the 60's. I protested the Vietnam War and stared into the barrels of National Guard rifles when they were called out and my university was shut down after Kent State. I marched and attended rallies for the ERA. And on and on.

[Indydem]

14. All of the bills thus far are garbage.

90% can support "keeping guns out of [the hands of] suspected terrorists" but that doesn't make it right.

Especially when the proposed method of doing this (and the version President Obama supported at his PBS town hall) uses a secret list to deny Americans their rights with no notice, with only a method of appeal after the fact. We have Due Process rights, and so far the options being proposed only give a glancing notice to them.

Anyone can be added to these secret lists out of political malice or opportunity. We don't use secret, arbitrary lists to establish who does or does not get to have rights.

[Turin_C3PO]

15. So

McConnell and the rest of the Republicans are being, in your words, "courageous"? I highly doubt it. No, they're just bought and paid for NRA toadies.

[yallerdawg]

5. Let's see what happens after Fourth of July break for Congress.

Constituents might have something to say!

Due process for terrorists and suspected terrorists. After all, we're not at war, are we?

Under the Collins amendment, any prospective buyer who is denied the ability to purchase a gun would be able to get a court decision within 14 days and the government would have the burden of proving to a court that the person should not have a gun.

Cornyn had pushed to require a court to issue an order within three days to block the sale and required probable cause that the person was a terrorist -- a standard critics said would be so high that the person could be arrested anyway.

For all those who argued Senate Democrats passed up a "good" amendment Monday - this is your 'due process' hero:

Cornyn, meanwhile, expressed a desire to pivot away from guns to things like an expansion of the FBI’s warrantless surveillance powers.

"I think we need to be engaged in something more constructive that would have actually stopped shooters like the Orlando shooter," Cornyn told reporters.

http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-06-23/gun-curb-compromise-loses-steam-in-senate-even-with-gop-support

[glennward]

6. I heard on radio that Susan blamed the HOuse sit-in for this failure in the Senate.

[yallerdawg]

8. She did.

From Bloomberg article - unexpected twists:

A disappointed Collins told reporters that the decision by Republican leaders to put up the Johnson amendment against hers made it harder for her to line up backers for her amendment.

"People who were on the cusp now have another place to go," Collins said before the vote. Eight Republicans joined Democrats in backing her proposal, and she said about 10 additional Republicans had been on the verge of backing her plan, enough to potentially get it to the 60-vote threshold. She also said the Democratic takeover of the House floor hurt because it made the issue partisan.

[SDJay]

9. So Turtle Man Likes to Arm Terrorists

instead of protect Americans. OK, then.

[DemoTex]

10. Faustian.

History will not treat McConnell well, but what the fuck does he care. He's got his. Mitch is a despicable old man, but Karma still has time to kick in. And I still have a positive balance in my Schadenfreude account. I'd love to cash it out on Mitch.

[pansypoo53219]

12. obviously not up for reelection. AIDING terrorists, how is that not sedition?

[ManiacJoe]

16. Better to have nothing new

than accept the crap currently being peddled.
Everyone remembers the Patriot Act, right?