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Senate Democrats hold key to passage of gun legislation
CNN ^ | January 16, 2013 | Dana Bash

Posted on 01/16/2013 5:52:53 PM PST by neverdem

Unlike most issues these days that divide along party lines, the immediate fate of President Obama's new gun proposals will depend not as much on Republicans as his fellow Democrats in the Senate.

Senate Democratic leadership sources tell CNN that passing any new legislation will be extremely difficult because more than a dozen vulnerable Democrats from conservative states will probably resist much of what the president is pushing.

These Democratic sources say the most likely legislation to pass will be strengthening background checks, since it is the least overt form of gun control and it also appeals to gun rights advocates' emphasis on keeping guns away from people with mental health and criminal problems.

Although Senate Democrats like Dianne Feinstein will still make a high-profile push to renew the assault weapons ban and limit ammunition magazines to 10 rounds, senior Democratic sources say it is hard to see those measures getting enough support to pass the Democratic-led Senate.

The focus is on the Senate because Senate Democratic leaders know that House Republicans will not act on anything until the Senate does.

Democratic leadership sources say they intend to spend next week -- the first week the Senate is in session -- canvassing red-state Democrats to see what, if anything, is doable. Democratic senators who advocate various gun control measures will be lobbying their colleagues as well.

At a certain point, Democratic leaders will decide the best course of action, if any...

(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Front Page News; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: banglist; democrats; donttreadonme; guncontrol; secondamendment
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To: neverdem

A couple of observations on today’s events and their impact on political action:

The President punted. If you read the official releases of what Obama will do, as opposed to what the press is reporting, you will see that today was a publicity stunt. He is making several proclamations, issuing some instructions to federal agencies, and telling Congress to act on all the hard stuff. No assault weapon ban, no high cap magazine ban, no end to private gun sales including gun shows. He put these in the too hard box and told Congress to handle. That’s what the law requires, of course, but when did he ever pay attention to the law. He’s done this because he knows his position is weak. The real polling, not the nonsense that the press is touting, tells him that this is a losing issue so he is trying to fool his base by making a bunch of noise, but he won’t take action. Not because he doesn’t want to, but because he realizes that the issue will hurt his cause.

If he knows it’s a losing issue then you can bet that Congress does as well. The Senate is not going to touch this either. They will honk and cough and strut around, but nothing will happen. Those poor folks in New York State and other liberal bastions will suffer, but the federal government won’t do much on the surface.

The biggest danger from the Feds is going to be in information gathering and sharing and in an attempt to expand the restrictions on gun ownership to a wide range of mental issues. Everyone can be proclaimed crazy, so that is a very real threat and will have to be watched carefully. You could conceivably go to the doctor for a flu shot and end up being declared a threat to society for some mental condition.

If Obama thought that he could have gotten away with it, he would have done much more today. The fact that he didn’t is telling.


21 posted on 01/16/2013 6:53:18 PM PST by centurion316
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To: neverdem

....Obamacare also depended heavily on Democrat votes....


22 posted on 01/16/2013 6:53:35 PM PST by Tzimisce (The American Revolution began when the British attempted to disarm the Colonists.)
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To: cripplecreek

I count ten on that list who need to be nowhere near 0.


23 posted on 01/16/2013 6:55:48 PM PST by OKSooner ("The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen." - Revelation 22:21)
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To: neverdem

Maybe Congressman Darrell Issa out to hold his next press conference about Fast and Furious with some widows and orphans of the hundreds of Mexican victims as backdrop. That would be very fitting.


24 posted on 01/16/2013 6:58:59 PM PST by theBuckwheat
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To: neverdem

“Senate Democratic leadership sources tell CNN that passing any new legislation will be extremely difficult because more than a dozen vulnerable Democrats....”

Dana, Ima let ya finish, but that is an outright admission that this is about political power, not anyone’s protection.

And you are either to stupid to see it, or most likely, think we are.


25 posted on 01/16/2013 7:11:24 PM PST by Norm Lenhart
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To: neverdem
So once again the heretofore spineless, gutless Republicans have the opportunity to stand up and boldly declare that they are compelled to follow the example of our President when forced to register his vote and now must vote PRESENT. Then they must do what no politician, but every statesman realizes and sit the crap down and shut the hell up. But instead we will get equivocation and rationalization as to why we must support the bills before Congress. Makes me want to hurl........again.
26 posted on 01/16/2013 7:37:15 PM PST by cashless (Obama told us he would side with Muslims if the political winds shifted in an ugly direction. Ready?)
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To: centurion316
. . . . end up being declared a threat to society for some mental condition.

Just like in the old USSR.

27 posted on 01/16/2013 7:50:34 PM PST by 1066AD
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To: neverdem

There’s enough RINOs in the Senate to allow a few vulnerable Donkeys to make a “safe” vote. In the House, there are enough RINOS to go with the fairly solid Donkeys to pass the bill. That’s what happened with the “cliff” bill. A majority of Republican reps voted NO, but it passed with a large majority of Donkeys voting for it, and enough RINOS to pass.


28 posted on 01/16/2013 8:50:54 PM PST by El Gato ("The second amendment is the reset button of the US constitution"-Doug McKay)
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To: neverdem

There’s enough RINOs in the Senate to allow a few vulnerable Donkeys to make a “safe” vote. In the House, there are enough RINOS to go with the fairly solid Donkeys to pass the bill. That’s what happened with the “cliff” bill. A majority of Republican reps voted NO, but it passed with a large majority of Donkeys voting for it, and enough RINOS to pass.


29 posted on 01/16/2013 8:51:14 PM PST by El Gato ("The second amendment is the reset button of the US constitution"-Doug McKay)
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To: neverdem

Senate Democrats hold key to NOTHING.


30 posted on 01/16/2013 8:53:20 PM PST by DBeers (†)
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To: neverdem

Does anybody seriously think the House will go for this? I don’t. Screw the rat senate.


31 posted on 01/16/2013 8:54:40 PM PST by Graybeard58
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To: mylife
I needs to get out of the house first.,

Only bills for raising revenue need to start in the House, otherwise a bill can start in either House. Often ones like this, relatively small, start in both houses with different "authors", but identical language.

32 posted on 01/16/2013 8:55:39 PM PST by El Gato ("The second amendment is the reset button of the US constitution"-Doug McKay)
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To: El Gato

Thanks for clarification on that.


33 posted on 01/16/2013 9:05:18 PM PST by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: centurion316
A couple of observations on today’s events and their impact on political action:

The President punted. If you read the official releases of what Obama will do, as opposed to what the press is reporting, you will see that today was a publicity stunt. He is making several proclamations, issuing some instructions to federal agencies, and telling Congress to act on all the hard stuff. No assault weapon ban, no high cap magazine ban, no end to private gun sales including gun shows. He put these in the too hard box and told Congress to handle. That’s what the law requires, of course, but when did he ever pay attention to the law. He’s done this because he knows his position is weak. The real polling, not the nonsense that the press is touting, tells him that this is a losing issue so he is trying to fool his base by making a bunch of noise, but he won’t take action. Not because he doesn’t want to, but because he realizes that the issue will hurt his cause.

If he knows it’s a losing issue then you can bet that Congress does as well. The Senate is not going to touch this either. They will honk and cough and strut around, but nothing will happen. Those poor folks in New York State and other liberal bastions will suffer, but the federal government won’t do much on the surface.

The biggest danger from the Feds is going to be in information gathering and sharing and in an attempt to expand the restrictions on gun ownership to a wide range of mental issues. Everyone can be proclaimed crazy, so that is a very real threat and will have to be watched carefully. You could conceivably go to the doctor for a flu shot and end up being declared a threat to society for some mental condition.

If Obama thought that he could have gotten away with it, he would have done much more today. The fact that he didn’t is telling.

Perfect analysis centurion. Obama punted big-time. He failed to even touch imports of arms, parts-kits and inexpensive ammo. And with existing precedent from Republican Presidents on curtailing those imports.
34 posted on 01/16/2013 9:10:50 PM PST by CaptSkip
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To: Wildbill22

The first common-sense change to the crazy-quilt of Gun Laws is to let folks fool around with hearing protectors (suppressors).


35 posted on 01/16/2013 9:11:52 PM PST by Paladin2
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To: Graybeard58

I think the plan may be for the Senate to pass FineSwine’s bill, and then when the House fails to pass it, especially if they don’t vote on it, for The Won to implement it by EO, bashing the “Do Nothing”, “Obstructionist” Republican House and justifying it by “The Children Can’t Wait”.

It’s the way he works. Sort of like Lord North and King George.


36 posted on 01/16/2013 9:15:45 PM PST by El Gato ("The second amendment is the reset button of the US constitution"-Doug McKay)
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To: Blood of Tyrants
This assumes that the House Republicans will just roll over on gun control.

Not most of them. 200 Republicans will vote NO. Unfortunately 28 Republicans will vote YES, along with 190 Democrats, leading to passage, and signing into law by Obama.

37 posted on 01/16/2013 9:34:11 PM PST by montag813
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To: neverdem

Even if no new laws pass we still have traitors in D.C and assorted states.


38 posted on 01/16/2013 9:55:12 PM PST by philetus (Keep doing what you always do and you'll eventually get what you deserve)
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Comment #39 Removed by Moderator

To: CaptainKrunch; El Gato

According to El Gato, if it is not a fiscal bill it can.
Wimpy R’s concern me more than anything.

You know the Dems ploy will be to make R’s look like they approve of killing innocent chiruns if they back the 2nd.

Of course that is just emotional theater.

Boehner does not give me confidence.


40 posted on 01/16/2013 10:06:50 PM PST by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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