There’s only one way the U.S. is going to ban assault weapons— or even have universal background checks— and that’s to replace Republicans like Ted Cruz (TX), Josh Hawley (MO) and Rick Scott (FL) with Democrats. Last year, Gallup found that 66% of Americans support stricter gun laws, and that 55% prefer Congress pass new gun laws in addition to enforcing current law, the same percentage that said gun policy is “extremely important” to them when they vote, with another 27% calling gun policy “very important.” Majorities across party lines back requiring background checks for all gun purchases, prohibiting the purchase of guns by people who have been determined to be a danger to themselves or others, “red flag laws” authorizing courts to allow the police to temporarily confiscate weapons from such dangerous individuals, banning assault rifles and raising the age to purchase certain firearms.
Yesterday, Senate Republicans rejected two attempts to pay gun legislation that is vehemently opposed by the NRA— an assault weapons ban and universal background checks legislation. John Barrasso (R-WY) killed the assault weapons ban which would have banned the sale of semiautomatic rifles with pistol grips, forward grips and folding or telescoping stocks, as well as rifles outfitted with grenade launchers, barrel shrouds or threaded barrels to allow for noise and flash suppressors to be attached. Barrasso: “Americans have a constitutional right to own a firearm. Every day, people across Wyoming responsibly use their Second Amendment rights to keep and bear arms. Democrats are demanding that the American people give up their liberty… The Second Amendment is freedom’s essential safeguard. Without it, there can be no liberty and there can be no security”
The legislation has nothing whatsoever to do with anyone taking away the right to bear arms— just where the line is drawn. If not Barrasso, most Republicans in Congress would agree that civilians cannot own tanks. Somewhere between a pistol and a tank there’s a line that can’t be crossed but where that line is seems to be determined by NRA contributions.
The background check proposal offered by Chris Murphy (D-CT) was killed by Utah reactionary Mike Lee who was completely disdainful of the 92% approval of the legislation in the poll (including 90% of Republicans). So it failed. Will Utah voters retire Lee? Nope, not a chance.