Posted on 04/09/2013 5:03:46 PM PDT by Red Steel
(CNN) – A key player in negotiations over potential gun control legislation said on Tuesday a planned GOP filibuster of the bill won’t occur if Democrats allow Republicans to bring amendments up for a vote.
Sen. Tom Coburn, speaking on CNN’s “Erin Burnett Outfront,” said a filibuster that’s been promised by more than a dozen fellow Republicans would prevent Americans from seeing where their elected officials stand on the issue.
“It’s not going to be filibustered,” Coburn said, adding that the Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid needs to offer "an open amendment process" in order for Republicans to agree to allow a vote.
"We ought to have this debate. America needs to know where we stand," Coburn continued, adding “That’s what the Senate should be about."
The Oklahoma Republican, who enjoys a top or “A” rating from the National Rifle Association, was among a bipartisan group of senators working behind the scenes on legislation aimed at expanding background checks on gun sales.
-snip-
The talks hit a snag, however, on the issue of record-keeping – Coburn vehemently opposes any attempt by the federal government to retain information on gun owners.
(Excerpt) Read more at politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com ...
It's kinda like that old joke about how do you know so-and-so is lying? If his mouth is open! Similarly, the only way to KNOW government won't violate your civil rights by improper use of information is if it's physically impossible because they never see it. In fact, knowing the players as we do, that's the only way to even BELIEVE they're not doing so, let alone "know" it. So since they CLAIM they're not doing it to build a database, and since they're already REQUIRED to destroy the trace information anyway, then they can't possibly have any objection to a background check in which they NEVER SEE the information. Instead let them distribute the list of prohibited individuals in encrypted form to FFL's for installation on their own computers with no internet connection, and let the FFL's perform the checks. It'd be an honor system to trust the FFL's that they ran the checks, but it already is. Such a system provides them everything they SAY they want with nothing free people can't accept and no knowledge accruing to the government for a function where they don't need that information to perform it. If anybody should be on a "need to know" basis, it's the goobermint.
Even if they don't, where's the upside in trading a sure thing for a risky vote-counting exercise?
NO MORE LAWS. PERIOD. Stop with the self-righteous dictates you punk politicians, you.
Get dems in red-leaning states on the record.
our side are so stupid ad cowardly whether homosexuality, to guns, to the white house being closed while they dine and drink at their concerts or fly some from CT to a photo op fro the anti gun agenda.
GOP THE COWARDS WHO KEEP ON GIVING TO THE SOCIALISTS.
Some planets have longer days than others.
Who will vote no anyway if the bill’s not going to pass. They only way this hurts them is if they vote yes which they’ll only do if they think it might pass. What if they’re right? In fact, if Harry knows it won’t pass, he probably won’t even hold the vote.
I'm just pointing out CNN is making it seem like it has more chance than it does, all to divide and conquer. you are all falling for it. divide and conquer and then they'll fall , keep attacking each other on this or anything and that's one strategy the liberal media uses
The Senate is FUBAR
We should go back to the Constitution and have 2 Senators per State, elected by the State legislature.
You know, I applauded Rand Paul’s filibuster to question the President’s drone policy; however, if there was ever a reason to filibuster, I would think infringement of our 2nd Amendment rights would be a justified cause. My cynicism is on full tank and each day, more and more, I think that these politicians are two-sides of the same coin. I think mentally, I am starting to go Gault. I will probably give it one more time, trying to make a difference in the next election. I am starting to think that we should ban all political parties and we should have term limits for all elected officials.
That's what happened before. He pulled it because he didn't have the votes.
But it would have been great to see it go to the floor back then because the "FAIL" would have been a great point in our favor and an excellent defeat for Obama.
So true!
This is their main MO these days and we fall for it all too often.
I know what ya meant. I just have a tendency to fly off the handle when it comes to anything about this administration. No disrespect to you.
Tried to call Toomey’s office. They are not accepting calls at this time. Please try again later.
Reid understands the media impact.
He won’t offer the opportunity to make amendments, because the democrats get more mileage from a blocked and failed bill that they can demagogue than they do allowing the bill to be substantially changed by real amendments from the floor.
If amendments are permitted, then this should go forward. Democrat anti-gun senators can be gotten on record.
The House of Representatives can always prevent this from going forward.
Sure, they can put into law that records of firearms sales or background checks be destroyed within three days, but who in their right mind believes the feds will actually do it?
That's poison talk. If you really feel that demoralized, please keep it to yourself.
I'll vote for that.
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