Gun bill clears Senate hurdle as filibuster falls short

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Fox News:

Controversial gun legislation cleared a key Senate hurdle Thursday, as lawmakers voted 68-31 to start debate on the package which includes expanded background checks and new penalties for gun trafficking.

Senate Democrats, joined by 16 Republicans, were able to overcome an attempted filibuster by GOP senators opposed to the current bill. Those senators could still slow-walk the debate, but the Senate will eventually begin votes on amendments -- one of which is considered crucial to winning support for a final vote.

Though the bill cleared a 60-vote hurdle on Thursday, supporters will likely have to corral another 60-vote majority when it comes time to call a final vote, which Democrats acknowledged is a heavy lift.

The White House called Thursday's tally an "important" but "early milestone," as both sides of the issue prepare for a grueling debate.

The amendment likely to be at the front of the line is one from Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Pat Toomey, R-Pa., which would scale back the call for universal background checks. The plan would expand checks to gun-show and Internet sales, but exempt certain personal transactions.

The National Rifle Association and other gun-rights supporters voiced concern about the new proposal, saying it still goes too far. But the plan, offered by two lawmakers who are at the conservative end of their respective parties, could help ease opposition ahead of a final vote.

If the bill ultimately passes the Senate, it would still have to pass the Republican-dominated House.

"The hard work starts now," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said after Thursday's vote.

________

 

On to Plan B?

[Valin]

Fox News:

Controversial gun legislation cleared a key Senate hurdle Thursday, as lawmakers voted 68-31 to start debate on the package which includes expanded background checks and new penalties for gun trafficking.

 

If the bill ultimately passes the Senate, it would still have to pass the Republican-dominated House.

 

 

That's because the Republicans hate children (once they are born) and want to see them all get murdered.

[SrWoodchuck]

It is amazing that they are debating our God-given right....and that they should have any power to debate or change. The only way for them to make a change, is to amend the Constitution & Bill of Rights. What don't they understand about sovereign?

[Draggingtree]

How to Give Vulnerable Democrats Cover on Guns

 

Friday, April 12th, 2013 by Daniel Horowitz and is filed under Blog, News

Yesterday, 16 Republicans voted along with the Democrats to break the filibuster against the Reid gun control bill (S.649). Although Mitch McConnell and John Cornyn voted against it, they failed to whip against the vote, exerting no pressure on these wayward Republicans to put the brakes on this fast moving train wreck. The end result is exactly what the Wall Street Journal editorial page advocated earlier this week: we will now have a debate on how much we are willing to limit the Second Amendment.

 

On Tuesday, the WSJ condescendingly chastised Senate conservatives for mounting a filibuster on the motion to proceed with debate. They mockingly observed that “If conservatives want to prove their gun-control bona fides, the way to do it is to debate the merits and vote on the floor. They can always filibuster the final bill if they want to, but it makes no sense to paint themselves into a political box canyon before even knowing what they’re voting on.”

 

Moreover, they argued that by blocking debate on the bill, red state Democrats “don’t have to declare themselves on provisions that might be unpopular at home.”

http://madisonproject.com/2013/04/how-to-give-vulnerable-democrats-cover-on-guns/

[Valin]

Noted Constitutional Scholars (Dr. William Maher, Dr. Robert Costas, Prof. Stephanie Cutter & some clown named Stockman) inform we the great unwashed everything we need to know about the 2nd Amendment.