via The Hill.com
The point of it all is this. This is the second miscalculation by the Democrats in this short year. First they misread Republicans on the Sequester threat, and now they're about to risk losing the Senate AND not picking up seats in the House over dubious gun legislation.
The irony is delicious. The article fails to admit another stunning fact about this gun debate. Its killing the clock before the midterm elections sucks up all the oxygen in the room...and on capital hill. You can pretty much stick a fork in climate change legislation. You can forget about getting further stimulus bills done. After gun control is done the only thing that stands a chance of passage is immigration reform, and even that is sketchy because of the needs to secure the border to the satisfaction of members in the House (unless the Majority Leader goes maverick).
The Senate’s upcoming vote on the assault weapons ban is going to put vulnerable Democrats in a difficult spot.The entire article is worth reading.
Democrats facing tough reelection races will either attract the ire of the National Rifle Association or prominent gun control activists such as New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (I). A vote against the ban could spark primary challenges that could weaken Democrats in the general election.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) this week decided to remove the ban from firearms legislation scheduled for the floor. However, he has promised Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) a floor vote on her assault weapons amendment.
Reid said Tuesday the proposal would not muster 40 votes, and interviews with rank-and-file lawmakers show that seems accurate.
A wave of Democratic defections on the assault weapons ban would not sit well with gun-control and liberal advocacy groups. They warn Democratic senators who vote to kill one of President Obama’s biggest priorities will suffer political repercussions.
The point of it all is this. This is the second miscalculation by the Democrats in this short year. First they misread Republicans on the Sequester threat, and now they're about to risk losing the Senate AND not picking up seats in the House over dubious gun legislation.
The irony is delicious. The article fails to admit another stunning fact about this gun debate. Its killing the clock before the midterm elections sucks up all the oxygen in the room...and on capital hill. You can pretty much stick a fork in climate change legislation. You can forget about getting further stimulus bills done. After gun control is done the only thing that stands a chance of passage is immigration reform, and even that is sketchy because of the needs to secure the border to the satisfaction of members in the House (unless the Majority Leader goes maverick).
The gun control debate could have immediate political rewards for the Republicans. Long term I am crossing my fingers the Democrats have found themselves an issue that will split them into factions just as the Republicans have been split between Tea Party and more Old School factions. Just saw a headline today about the assault weapons vote being lose-lose for Democrats.
ReplyDeleteIs it true NY have set up a snitch line so law-abiding citizens can inform on anybody breaking their new gun laws?
ReplyDeleteyep. trouble is coming with it too. i'd bet serious money on it.
DeleteIn National Socialist Germany that was how the Gestapo operated. There weren't chaps in Homburgs and long leather coats on every street corner; that would have required too much manpower. No the Nazis cultivated a culture of fear, petty revenge, and one upmanship amongst the people, then sat back to wait for the tip offs to flood into the secret police's HQ. Brilliant really. Let the people bury themselves under an avalanche of their own mistrust and mutual loathing. The trouble is NY is that those who will be informed on will be mostly the law abiding without the talent for the fieldcraft of fugitive that comes so easily to the criminal element. Not good. I wonder how many NYer's will be heading West like in the days of yore for taste of freedom. Not many, but some I bet.
DeleteThe dumbest thing the Democrats could have done was to throw such a meaty bone as gun control to the GOP. Politically the GOP was reeling from the elections, trying to find a message and lost in the wilderness. And then comes Newtown and the Dems think they might as well put another feather in their cap.
ReplyDeleteGun control has re-invigorated and pissed off the base of the GOP along with millions of gun-owning Democrats and Independents.
At this point the GOP could re-brand themselves as the Gun Owners Party.
EXTREMELY WELL SAID! historians will look back at this moment and consider this the time when it all slipped away for the Democrat party. notice that no one is paying attention to the economy or whats happening in Cyprus? the economy is still on edge and this is what the Congress and the President are talking about.
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