Stealth scheme to pass gun bans

[PegLeg45]

We all know this goes on, so that is why contacting our Senators to express our concerns is so very important.

Stealth scheme to pass gun bans in the works in Congress

Although the gun ban legislation promised by U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., is not set to go on the agenda until Jan. 22, 2013, powerful senators are working feverishly behind the scenes, laying the groundwork for a stealth scheme to get the ban passed in spite of heavy opposition, according to two sources today at Gun Owners of America (GOA) and Talking Points Memo (TPM).

Anti-gun congressman and senators are said to be preparing to strike swiftly and without warning in order to take advantage of public outrage concerning the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

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Conservatives and gun rights groups have said from the beginning that the gun ban legislation does not arise from the Newtown massacre but from an overriding, longstanding desire on the part of anti-gun politicians and activist groups to ban as many guns as possible. Massacres are thus easily used by such persons to whip up citizen frenzy, making it possible for the politicians to pass unpopular legislation that has little or nothing to do with the shootings themselves.

In this case, GOA director Larry Pratt stated that U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is secretly working with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., to change Senate rules so that a simple majority of 51 votes would be all that is necessary to pass the gun bans. McCain is reportedly working with U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., to prevent the filibuster from holding up the legislation, which U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., vowed to to use to prevent any new gun ban legislation.

McCain and Levin are also working secretly to change the rules so that gun ban legislation could be easily added to any bill being considered in conference, and then when it is presented on the Senate floor it must be voted upon on an "as is" basis with no changes.

Another stealth measure McCain and Levin are attempting to weasel through the Senate is a provision that would bar any senator except for McCain and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., from offering amendments to bills coming out of conference.

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In addition, sources close to Vice President Joe Biden say that the special report on gun control authorized by President Obama is on the fast track behind the scenes and could be introduced quickly and unexpectedly in the House by Jan. 15 rather than the end of the month deadline originally set.

NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg's Mayors Against Illegal Guns, for example, reported that they had been told to expect a bill by Jan. 15.

Some reports in the mainstream media claim that the gun ban measures have broad public support following the Newtown shooting. But the specific provisions of the bans target the very firearms and accessories that citizens buy the most, such as semiautomatic pistols with large capacity magazines.

http://www.examiner.com/article/stealth-scheme-to-pass-gun-bans-the-works-congress

[JLawson]

The "nuclear option" as a filibuster reform concept has been debated for decades.  As for the notion that only McCain and McConnell will be able to offer amendments... I think the other 98 Senators may have some problems with that.  And all of these dates and promises for bills and such are somewhat meaningless... there have already been 10 anti-gun bills introduced in the House.  I'm sure there will be many more introduced in the House and the Senate once the Senate opens its filing process.

We can all track these bills by visiting http://thomas.loc.gov/home/thomas.php and using search terms like 'firearm', 'gun', and 'ammunition'.  We can view co-sponsors, committee assignments, dates for hearings, amendments, etc.  It's a long path between bill introduction and presidential signature.

Folks need to take a deep breath and not allow themselves to be whipped into a frenzy.  Instead of focusing on the umpteenth conspiracy theory we need to monitor the movement of these bills, make the appropriate contacts at the appropriate time, and support the organizations who are mobilizing professional lobbyists and legislative-process experts.  Panic and breathless hand wringing is of little use.  We've already witnessed the results of panic in the marketplace - poor business decisions, outrageous prices, and empty shelves.

Let's stay calm, focused, diligent, informed, and organized.  We'll let the enemy be panicked.

[Jrlobo]

If we continue along this same path, we will always be on the defensive...trying to keep anti-gun legislation from passing. Sooner or later, and as has happened in the past, we will lose. Those losses, no matter how small, are very difficult to overturn. Is it perhaps our chance to introduce legislation that backs up our 2A right, restricts or abolishes executive branch ability to control arms without resort to a constitutional amendment process, limits Congress' ability to pass legislation that impacts our constitutional rights (1st Ten) to the constitutional process which negates use of simple majority voting schemes and bill amendment schemes AND bypasses the 10A separation of powers checks and balance. Why are we sitting on our hands pretending to keep cool and pretending to keep our wits about us when we are about to have our rights bashed in! The anti-gun forces are maneuvering on all fronts now: local, state and federal. They are beginning to use coercion against our businesses (e.g. Walmart), intimidation to state and local authorities and we are doing what? When we wake up one morning and there is nothing left to do but fight, will we keep our heads about us as they are lopped off one by one? Those among us who think we should only counter-punch are WRONG. Those among us who think we can wait this out are WRONG. Those among us that think we should compromise and take our lumps as a result of Sandy Hook are not only WRONG, they are TORIES. We need a full-forced legislative push to put the issue of our 2A right to bed, once and for all. Let's roll!