Posted on 03/25/2021 3:14:37 PM PDT by RandFan
Fox News contributor and former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer on Wednesday predicted that Senate Democrats will move to nix the Senate filibuster on gun reform legislation after multiple deadly mass shootings.
During an interview on Fox’s “America’s Newsroom,” Fleischer, who served under former President George W. Bush’s administration, said that gun control is one of the issues at the “core” of the Democratic Party.
“I think this is going to be an issue that breaks the Senate,” he said. “It is so deep and fervent inside the Democratic Party that gun control is the answer.”
Fleischer went on to predict that Senate Democrats will “break the filibuster over this,” adding, “I don’t think they have any choice.”
“The base demands it, they demand action, they say thoughts and prayers are not enough,” he continued. “They’re going to try to get through whatever they can get through on 50 votes, and this will be the issue that they challenge the filibuster over.”
Co-host Bill Hemmer pointed out opposition to nixing the filibuster among moderate Democrats, particularly Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), who told CNN on Tuesday that he would still advocate against it even if removing the rule would allow the passage of his bipartisan bill with Republican Sen. Pat Toomey (Pa.), which requires background checks on armed sales at gun shows and over the internet.
The bill goes short of mandating background checks in private transfers of firearms, which the broader House gun reform bills have included.
However, Fleischer said, “Manchin also said he would only support a bipartisan COVID bill, and of course, there was a partisan COVID bill and he supported it.”
“Manchin is always an open question,” he added. “I’m not sure I would take him at his word, particularly when the pressure mounts on the core issue that defines the modern day Democratic Party.”
Fleischer’s remarks come amid growing support among Democrats to eliminate the 60-vote filibuster needed to end debate on legislation. Ending the practice would return the Senate to a “talking filibuster,” in which senators need to physically be on the floor to block legislation
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) has pledged to put forth a series of bills on the floor, which will likely force Democrats to take a position on removing the filibuster in order to move forward their desired policy proposals in the face of Republican opposition.
President Biden on Tuesday called on Congress to enact meaningful gun control legislation, including a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, as well as closing loopholes in background checks for firearms.
Biden’s call for further reforms included a demand that the Senate “immediately pass” two bills approved by the House earlier this year that would expand background checks on gun sales, and Schumer has vowed to take action on the legislation.
Other lawmakers have signaled that they would support removing the filibuster in order to move forward a range of other legislative reforms.
Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) on Wednesday suggested he would support changing Senate rules should Republicans block voting rights legislation.
"All-out opposition to reasonable voting rights protections cannot be enabled by the filibuster; if forced to choose between a Senate rule and democracy itself, I know where I will come down," King wrote in an op-ed for The Washington Post.
Any bets on which states will or very likely will pass their own secession laws if an unconstitutional federal law is declared?
Texas for sure.
Reminds me of something that (I think) Edward Snowden said: “Democrats are the most pro-gun group there is. Except that they want only their military to have guns to be used against civilians”.
They will unleash their woke military on us. We couldn't win a war against a reasonably competent foreign military, but it will be used to send troops against American patriots to subdue or kill as many of us as they want to finish off the USA.
Yes, dems cheated and the GOP let them, but also too many GA voters boycotted the senate runoffs.
Everyone of my circle that lean or are progressive that pop out with that whenever the subject comes up, I just laugh and say “today...” with a wink. They get quiet after that.
So they didn’t learn from when Harry Reid exercised the nuclear option on judicial nominations.
Great reply. thank you!
True, but in the back of our minds we all knew they would cave.
Defending the 2A how ever will depend on "We The People", not a bunch of linguini spined politicos ...
I seriously doubt Sinema will vote to remove the filibuster to allow gun control. She wants to stay in the Senate a long time and doing that would get her thrown out of Arizona. And the Democrats cannot “punish” her for a no vote since she is their best best for holding a Senate seat from Arizona for decades to come.
Ari is a “Closet Democrat”.
One can only hope that the gun owner sleeping giant is awakened and Democrat gunowners stop supporting Democrats at ballot box.
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), who told CNN on Tuesday that he would still advocate against it even if removing the rule would allow the passage of his bipartisan bill with Republican Sen. Pat Toomey (Pa.), which requires background checks on armed sales at gun shows and over the internet.
Already the law you stupid sons of beotch’s. Can anyone call them out, publicly. I believe Dana Loesch did just that to Durbin
It still strikes me hard to believe that these two are in the Senate, writing and voting on laws(supposedly), like almost all but a few of the remaining 98.
Way to go West Virginia for believing your Snake Oil Salesman.
I tend to think if they had the votes they would have done it by now.
They want to get rid of the filibuster to move their agenda forward. Period.
As of right now, I think Ari is right and this is the most popular issue for them to accomplish their ultimate goal (absolute legislative power).
The left exercises power. The GOPe is still worried about established rules, bi-partisanship, and consensus.
They are winning. There are enough Trump voters who are lukewarm on “sensible background checks” (that is how they will frame it) that it is the best issue on the board for them. The polling is clear. You and I might not like it, but its true.
When they abolish the filibuster for “sensible background checks” they will immediately pass nationalized elections, mass amnesty, and the green new deal. They will go after “black guns” after that.
Watch how fast Nancy and Chuck proceed. They will pass legislation so fast our heads will spin.
they may omnibus the gun control, voting, and other non fiscal bills and have it as one bill to override the fillabuster.
Oh yeah now it is payment time
Gun go first no doubt
Exactly.
It is important to remember that EVERY political issue pushed by Democrat politicians and Leftist activists is completely insincere.
They say whatever they think their voting base wants to hear.
They say whatever they think will create divisiveness and contention.
They don’t push climate change because they care about the planet - they push it to discredit capitalism, individualism and the bill of rights.
Same with gun control, nationalized healthcare, social justice, wealth redistribution - and everything else.
In short, they want to govern us, so of course they don’t want our self-governing Republic to succeed. They will attack anything that is working.
That’s why they hated President Trump - because he was making America great again and that’s the opposite of what their true agenda is.
My understanding is that only about 33% of the population were favorable to rebellion against the King.
I’m willing to be corrected about that, if someone has a source for the correction.
If the Dims do pass gun control bills, they will lose their majority in 2022. The pubbies might even gain a veto proof majority. Probably not, but it’s possible.
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