For background checks to pass the Senate, it's Tom Coburn or bust

[Pullo]

The background check legislation written by Schumer that made it out of Judiciary is DOA.

As President Barack Obama gets set to barnstorm outside the Beltway in hopes of salvaging his gun policy reforms, the prospects of passing legislation of significance rests firmly on a single Republican lawmaker. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) finds himself at the epicenter of the gun debate as it enters a critical stage in the next few weeks.

Coburn's unwillingness to endorse a background check compromise has frustrated Democrats, who spent weeks negotiating legislative language with him. But he has conspicuously kept lines of communication open with the gun bill's chief author, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). In the process, Coburn has become a veritable funnel for legislative activity. Reform advocates feel they need Coburn's blessing in order to get a significant number of Republican votes, mainly because Republicans are deferring all entreaties to him.

.....

"I'm for enhanced background checks because it's a way for you to go online to make sure you're not selling your gun to someone you wouldn't want to have it," Coburn said at one stop. "About 80 percent of criminals get their guns from us" responsible gun owners. "The responsible way is to check them against this NICS list and they don’t know that you did it."

That said, the concessions being extracted to keep Coburn in the game have not been minor. Coburn has refused to budge from a demand that expanded background checks be done through a law enforcement or regulatory agency database portal instead of by a federal firearms license holder, arguing that any other system would encourage sellers to conduct black market transactions. Coburn also has insisted that no gun sales records be kept for those checks, warning that it would be a gateway to a national firearms registry.

For weeks, Democrats sought middle ground, offering ways to keep records that didn't give the impression of big brother tracking firearm purchases. Progress was elusive. Now, as the Senate gets set to consider legislation, aides and activists are entertaining a proposal to limit background checks to commercial sales (including private sales at gun shows and those done online), while exempting transactions between two parties that have a prior relationship. The portal system, too, could end up making its way into the final legislative compromise.

That's because acquiescing to Coburn appears to be the last, good legislative option. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) needs 60 votes just to get a bill into debate. And after weeks of buildup, including pressure from Obama and his allied Organizing for Action advocacy group, Senate Democrats still refuse to give Reid united support.

Link

I'll be interested in reading the language of the final compromise bill, if one can be reached. I, for one, would welcome an online portal/smartphone app I could use to check someone against the NICS database when selling them a firearm. I'm sure a great many gun owners would. If Coburn gets his way, and it's looking like he might, I wouldn't be surprised if the NRA backs off a bit.

The question becomes, will gun-control advocates and their allies in the Senate be able to stomach a background check bill that is very different from the one they originally envisioned, or will they throw up their hands and scuttle the entire post-Sandyhook gun control agenda? My guess is the President and many Senate Democrats do not want to be seen coming away empty handed, and will make whatever concessions necessary to pass some kind of background check bill.

Then it will be the House's turn.

[sir pball]

1. Without a record though,

How do you prove you transferred the gun legally? With the exception of two rifles that I sold to my best friend I've known since fifth grade, every firearm I've ever deacessioned has gone through an FFL and been recorded both on the 4473 and on a bill of sale that I've kept. Had a few buyers decline (in quite impolite terms), but I'd rather have my ass thoroughly covered.

Traceability is not nor will it ever be registration and that's a difference worth discussing.

[Pullo]

2. Will the perfect be the enemy of the good?

The choice becomes watered down background checks vs. no background checks on private sales. At least that's how many will see it.

The main argument put forward in support of background checks is to keep criminals from getting guns through private sales. Traceability is secondary. Give gun owners a convenient way to conduct background checks on private sales, and I'd bet most will use it.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

3. I have never sold a gun via private party sale to a stranger

I have traded some in via an FFL and such and gifts to immediate family. I also accumulated a lot of hardware.