Posted on 06/23/2022 12:43:38 PM PDT by SoConPubbie
Former President Donald Trump took long-time nemesis Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to task in a post on his Truth Social platform following the Kentucky Republican’s vote with Democrats to advance debate on new federal gun control.
“Mitch McConnell’s push for Republican Senators to vote for Gun Control will be the final straw,” Trump’s post began.
“Just like he gave away the Debt Ceiling and got NOTHING in return, or handed the Dems a great sound bite and victory with the Infrastructure Bill, which is actually all about the Green New Deal, he is now forcing approval of the FIRST STEP IN TAKING AWAY YOUR GUNS! Republican Senators SHOULD NOT VOTE FOR THIS CAREER ENDING BILL!!!” he added.
McConnell was one of 14 Republican senators who signed on with Democrats to begin discussions on new federal gun control legislation that is likely to include an incentive for more states to pass so-called “red flag laws,” which empower courts to order police to remove firearms from persons deemed to be a risk. Critics have lambasted such laws as blatantly unconstitutional, denying persons their due process and gun ownership rights.
To that point, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 9-0 last year that police unconstitutionally searched and seized a person’s guns under the auspices of a red flag law.
As for McConnell, he said he supported a bill that was negotiated by one of his top lieutenants, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas).
“I support the bill text that Senator Cornyn and our colleagues have produced,” McConnell said in a statement, according to The Hill. “For years, the far left falsely claimed that Congress could only address the terrible issue of mass murders by trampling on law-abiding Americans’ constitutional rights.”
“This bill proves that false,” he continued. “Our colleagues have put together a commonsense package of popular steps that will help make these horrifying incidents less likely while fully upholding the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens.”
The Hill adds:
McConnell’s support indicates the bill has a chance of garnering support from additional Senate Republicans who had not already endorsed the bill’s framework.
Senate Republican Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) predicted the legislation would pass and noted that 10 Republican senators signed off on the bipartisan framework underlying the bill earlier this month.
“My assumption is that based on that fact that they had 60 votes for the framework that they’ll have enough to pass,” he said.
In addition to McConnell and Cornyn, the other GOP senators who voted in favor of the legislation were Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri, Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina, Sen. Shelley Capito of West Virginia, Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Sen. Todd Young of Indiana, The Washington Times reported.
“The tragedies that have impacted far too many of our communities deserve all of our attention,” Sen. Capito said. “That’s why I have encouraged bipartisan discussions. … My vote this evening is a vote to continue this critically important debate because it’s a debate worth having.”
The National Rifle Association is warning that the legislation, as it is written, could be abused.
“The NRA will support legislation that improves school security, promotes mental health services, and helps reduce violent crime. However, we will oppose this gun control legislation because it falls short at every level. It does little to truly address violent crime while opening the door to unnecessary burdens on the exercise of Second Amendment freedom by law-abiding gun owners,” it said.
“This legislation can be abused to restrict lawful gun purchases, infringe upon the rights of law-abiding Americans, and use federal dollars to fund gun control measures being adopted by state and local politicians. This bill leaves too much discretion in the hands of government officials and also contains undefined and overbroad provisions – inviting interference with our constitutional freedoms,” the group said.
“Decisions by the Supreme Court of the United States in the Heller and McDonald cases make clear that the Second Amendment is constitutional freedom. We will always fight for those freedoms – and the fundamental values we have defended for over 150 years,” it said.
It was also opposed by 34 Republican Senators including Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley.
“Here we are voting to move on a bill negotiated entirely behind closed doors, released only an hour ago, that no one has had time to fully read, that ignores the national crime wave and chips away at the fundamental rights of law-abiding citizens,” he said.
repeal the gun free zones
the govt takes away the natural right to self defense
mass shootings
so then takes away the natural right to self defense from more people
There was a study posted here at FR in the last week or two, indicating California’s red flag law has had no effect on gun violence. This legislation, if not overturned by the courts, establishes the precedent that the government has the authority to determine who is allowed to possess a firearm on a whim. That precedent will surely be used by the left to argue for further infringement.
Republicans can’t read the room. This is not time for compromise.
I would love to see a poll of voters who elected Republicans to Congress and ask them the following:
When you voted for Republicans, did you:
1.) Expect them to maintain the status quo on gun control laws?
2.) Repeal gun control laws?
3.) Enact more gun control laws?
The police in Broward and Uvalde were cowards so we have to lose more of our 2A rights. Makes sense said no one ever.
“McConnell was one of 14 Republican senators who signed on with Democrats to begin discussions on new federal gun control legislation that is likely to include an incentive for more states to pass so-called “red flag laws,” which empower courts to order police to remove firearms from persons deemed to be a risk. Critics have lambasted such laws as blatantly unconstitutional, denying persons their due process and gun ownership rights.”
𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘢 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘷𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘙𝘦𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘴𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨:
𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘷𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘙𝘦𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘴, 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶:
1.) 𝘌𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘴 𝘲𝘶𝘰 𝘰𝘯 𝘨𝘶𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘭 𝘭𝘢𝘸𝘴?
2.) 𝘙𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘨𝘶𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘭 𝘭𝘢𝘸𝘴?
3.) 𝘌𝘯𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘶𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘭 𝘭𝘢𝘸𝘴?
#2, but I will admit I didn’t (and still don’t) have high expectations when I voted.
I think they are reading the room just fine, they see they are losing their influence over the party and are afraid of the people. They want this power as much as democrats to keep people under their control.
I wish Trump would have bashed him earlier.
I wish he would stop endorsing the Bush League Republicans.
The tragedies would have been averted by a good guy with a gun, like some of the Texas church shootings.
Taking guns away from the average citizen will not stop criminals from getting them.
They will get them somehow and have a free for all with no one being able to shoot back.
Turtle can go SUCK IT!!!!!
Traitor!!!!!!!!!
Republicans can’t read the room.
************
They can, but they don’t care.
Their priorities and ours do no coincide at all.
Republicans are dead to me. Kiss them full on the lips and send them fishing on lake Tahoe.
When Republicans take back the congress (in spite of themselves and their failure to do anything to motivate their base) be prepared to be disappointed again.
Same old “leadership”, same old excuses, and same old backstabbing. We’ve seen this movie many times before.
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