Do you Know Why?
2 The owner doesn't support my candidate.
3 FR won't "upgrade" to "Like" buttons and blinky crap.
4 Someone else will donate.
5 My friend was zotted.
6 I lost my job and have no income.
Posted on 04/17/2013 9:56:09 AM PDT by EXCH54FE
Senators Ted Cruz (Texas) and Chuck Grassley (Iowa) introduced an alternative gun bill this morning that would replace the current Senate proposal from Chuck Schumer and would replace the Manchin-Toomey background checks legislation. The proposal is the "Protecting Communities and Preserving the Second Amendment Act." This Cruz-Grassley proposal would "improve the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, increase resources for prosecutions of gun crime, address mental illness in the criminal justice system, and strengthen criminal law by including straw purchasing and illegal firearm trafficking statutes."
Grassley put an emphasis on the mental illness part of the bill. "We’ve put together an amendment that can effectively address some of the problems we’ve seen while protecting Second Amendment rights," Grassley said. "I’ve been very interested in the mental health aspect of this debate, so we include provisions to study and address that issue."
Sen. Kelly Ayotte (N.H.) announced that she'd be opposing the Manchin-Toomey bill. Ayotte had been a key target for the Manchin-Toomey advocates and with her opposition it will be difficult to marshal 60 votes in favor. She has announced cosponsorship of the Cruz-Grassley proposal today.
Here's the full summary of legislative provisions:
• Improve and reauthorize grants for NICS database;
• Require federal courts to submit relevant information to NICS;
• Ensure that relevant mental health records are submitted by states to NICS;
• Condition federal grant money for states on their submission of mental health records to NICS;
• Increase federal prosecution of gun violence by establishing the Nationwide Project Exile Program and establishing a high level federal taskforce;
• Study of the causes of mass shootings;
• Responsibly addresses gun violence by criminalizing straw purchasing of firearms and gun trafficking;
• Second Amendment Protections for Veterans;
• Require the Department of Justice to explain to Congress why it has or has not been prosecuting gun cases;
• Place Limitations on Fast & Furious type operations by DOJ;
• Authorize FFL’s to utilize the NICS database to for voluntary background checks of employees;
• Authorize FFL’s to access the FBI’s National Crime Information Center stolen gun database to ensure that a firearm is not stolen prior to acquisition;
• Reauthorize the Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Act (MIOTCRA) with amendments;
• Address school safety by Reauthorizes the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Secure our Schools Program through 2023.
No more laws, period.
I don’t trust one of those bastards.
No thank you.
Passing anything other than repeals of past gun control measures is the only thing required.
I don’t know if this will pass either, but now the wavering pubbies can say I support this bill and am doing something about these mass shootings. It should put the further stake in the heart of the Manchin/Toomey/Schumer bill.
Its like they feel a need to pass something just for the sake of passing something.
Nope. New laws are new loopholes. We are not dealing with opponents who bargain in good faith.
Uhhh....no thanks!
Agreed.
IMHO, they're being guilted into usurping The Constitution on the backs of 26 dead people.
I keep posting this and people think I am kidding - but I am serious as a heart attack:
Requirement to purchase a gun from anyone, anywhere, anytime - a valid voter registration card.
Now for the liberal shrieking.
How do we know they don’t have a mental illness? Ans: Do we want crazy people voting?
How do we know they aren’t a convicted criminal? Ans: Do we want convicted criminals voting?
How do we know they are actually who they say they are? Ans: Do we want people voting with false identification?
The truth is absolutely self-evident: if they are qualified to vote, they are qualified to own a gun - and - if the aren’t qualified to own a gun, they aren’t qualified to vote!
One is NOT more important than the other. Our concern for who is allowed to own guns and who is allowed to vote should be absolutely the same.
And as far as making voter registration cards where they are accurate, can’t be duplicated, and thoroughly checked out - I say hooray!!!
The turds have an uncontrollable compulsion to make laws. WE DON'T NEED THEM! JUST FOLLOW THE CONSTITUTION!!
That is exactly it. They have to pass something, or Obama says it would be “unthinkable”.
Shall NOT be infringed.
Great! My gun is kind of old.
“The truth is absolutely self-evident: if they are qualified to vote, they are qualified to own a gun - and - if the aren’t qualified to own a gun, they aren’t qualified to vote!”
I’ll vote for that!
It may not be intended to pass... possibly a brilliant strategy to break the vote, nothing passes but as you said, gives everyone the ability to say they support a bill, are trying to pass... it looks like a smart move in the game of political chess.
NOPE
Ensure that relevant mental health records are submitted by states to NICS
All you have to do is go through a divorce, seek counseling, and answer a question imprecisely, and you're on the "Disqualified List" to own guns.
Once they're gone, they're gone.
Let's start means testing reporters and public figures, when it comes to the First Amendment. Every time a new gun law comes down the pike, a First Amendment bill should be required to mirror it.
If you have to wait two weeks to purchase a new weapon, you should also have to wait two weeks to address a new issue in the media.
What Cruz is doing is siezing the issue and turning the tables. The nervous moderates and red-state democats would get behind it and the liberals would go nuts, just as Schumer did on the idea that states would have to recognize other states licenses (even though this is what they want with Gay Marriage).
Say Cruz’s amendment passes and Manchin-Toomey fails. Then the democrats would either let a bill pass that they hate, or they themselves will kill a bill to prevent “gun violence”.
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