The Boston tragedy is providing cover

[nevergiveup]

for cowardly Red State Democrats and cowardly Blue State Republicans on the Background Check bill. It will likely be filibustered in the senate today. The gun manufacturers and the gun worshipers win out over the lives of little children. And finally I would like to offer a big sarcastic "thank you" to our spineless Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reed. He had a chance to do something about the filibuster and he caved.

[Hoyt]

1. I'm sorry, I can't see how anyone could be against background checks.

Only possible people against background checks are all the gun nuts who can't venture out of their house without a gun or can't sleep without one tucked close, and who are afraid they might pull a Zimmerman (shoot an unarmed teenager or innocent bystander, use it to intimidate a family member or others, etc.) and lose the legal right to own a gun.

Every "responsible" gun nut should call their congresspeople and tell them to support tough background checks.

[atreides1]

2. Not so much the gun nuts, as you call them.

The "gun nuts" as you call them don't have that kind of power or money...the only entity that does are the gun manufacturers.

It's the gun makers who will lose money if the background check system is changed...it's all about the mighty dollar, and so what if 20 children are gunned down, or 32 college students are murdered as they sit in class, or people in a theater are wiped out just as a movie starts...as long as our system of pay to play government continues, more people will die!

By the way I have emailed my Representative and both of my Senators, asking that they support the tougher background checks.

[Hoyt]

3. Millions of gun obsessed could affect outcome, but agree manufacturers & NRA buy off Congress.

[former9thward]

4. How will gun makers lose money on background checks?

Gun makers do not sell to private individuals. All new guns are sold though federally licensed dealers. Background checks are made on 100% of buyers. That is current law. The background check issue comes up with second hand guns by private sales. The gun makers do not make a dime on those.

[Exen Trik]

5. Inderectly

The bigger the market, the more being bought overall and the more manufacturing takes place. Even if the would be banned purchases aren't giving them money, it creates a flow of goods from the source to them, and the money flows back. Not to mention regular people afraid of criminals with guns will sometimes buy guns themselves, which is completely legal but no less bad on the part of the manufacturers who spur this on.

[former9thward]

7. It really doesn't work that way.

Dealers are in favor of background checks. They do not oppose them. If every transaction requried a background check then business would be exclusively done by dealers. If gun manufactures were giving money to oppose these checks then where is the evidence? All donations are recorded online with the federal election commission. Congress people who favor universal background checks would be pointing out contributions by gun manufacturers to their opponents if any existed. Why haven't they said anything?

[Blue Idaho]

6. The only way to hold gun manufacturers accountable

is to neuter the NRA. The NRA is the gun industries lightening rod. As long as we're all fixated on the NRA - they can live comfortable lives behind their shield. If everyone stops focusing on the NRA and starts putting the pressure on the gun manufacturers directly - it won't take long for the gun makers to stop funding Wayne and his cronies. The one thing manufacturers may fear the most is direct accountability for their products killing citizens.

Time for direct citizen action at their factories and corporate offices.

[marshall]

8. How are guns related to Pressure Cooker bombs?

But they do need to add these bomb making materials to lists of things that are flagged when someone purchases them. At least one should have to show an ID.

[Redfairen]

9. You're wrong. It's not providing cover.

It would've gone down this way even if there had never been any bombing. Certain people will be in the NRA's pocket no matter what happens. It won't change until they're voted out.