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On the latest gun control FAIL in congress: saw this on facebook [View all]
just wondering how much accuracy there is to it, it smells like RW talking points mixed with some truth(iness)
Several gun control measures went before the Senate and were voted down roughly along party lines.
The first (Republican) proposal would have required states to add more information on mental health records to a national database. It also included a provision to alert law enforcement agencies when an individual who was on a government terror watch list in the last five years buys a gun.
Democrats rejected it because they believed it didn't go far enough, and because they would see the passage of a Republican bill as a victory for the GOP leading into the election. In all frankness, it was a good proposal that they should have passed.
The second (Democratic) proposal to expand the background check system for those buying guns to expan checks at gun shows and for online purchases between private parties.
Republicans rejected it because they have generally opposed broad expansion of existing background checks for gun shows and private purchases, and because they would see the passage of a Democratic bill as a victory for the DEM leading into the election. In all frankness, this also appears to have been a good proposal that they should have passed.
The third (Republican) proposal to delay gun sales to individuals included on a government terror watch list. The bill would allow a judge to permanently block a purchase if the court determined probable cause that the individual is involved in terrorist activity.
Democrats rejected this one, again, because they didn't feel it went far enough, and because it would reflect positively on the GOP.
Finally the fourth (Democratic) proposal sought to bar all gun sales to those individuals on the terror watch list. This was frankly a BAD bill, as the terror watch list as an automatic metric is horribly flawed. We already know that the watch list nets a high number of innocent people with name similarity to actual terrorists, and that it lacks transparency and due process. No bill should be linked in this manner without some sort of judicial review and due process (which the earlier GOP bill contained and the DEM bill did not).
Basically, 3 out of the 4 proposals would have been a step in the right direction, but were rejected for "perfect the enemy of the good" and political posturing reasons. Both sides are playing games with your safety, and should be embarrassed.
The first (Republican) proposal would have required states to add more information on mental health records to a national database. It also included a provision to alert law enforcement agencies when an individual who was on a government terror watch list in the last five years buys a gun.
Democrats rejected it because they believed it didn't go far enough, and because they would see the passage of a Republican bill as a victory for the GOP leading into the election. In all frankness, it was a good proposal that they should have passed.
The second (Democratic) proposal to expand the background check system for those buying guns to expan checks at gun shows and for online purchases between private parties.
Republicans rejected it because they have generally opposed broad expansion of existing background checks for gun shows and private purchases, and because they would see the passage of a Democratic bill as a victory for the DEM leading into the election. In all frankness, this also appears to have been a good proposal that they should have passed.
The third (Republican) proposal to delay gun sales to individuals included on a government terror watch list. The bill would allow a judge to permanently block a purchase if the court determined probable cause that the individual is involved in terrorist activity.
Democrats rejected this one, again, because they didn't feel it went far enough, and because it would reflect positively on the GOP.
Finally the fourth (Democratic) proposal sought to bar all gun sales to those individuals on the terror watch list. This was frankly a BAD bill, as the terror watch list as an automatic metric is horribly flawed. We already know that the watch list nets a high number of innocent people with name similarity to actual terrorists, and that it lacks transparency and due process. No bill should be linked in this manner without some sort of judicial review and due process (which the earlier GOP bill contained and the DEM bill did not).
Basically, 3 out of the 4 proposals would have been a step in the right direction, but were rejected for "perfect the enemy of the good" and political posturing reasons. Both sides are playing games with your safety, and should be embarrassed.
link:
https://www.facebook.com/david.collisontx/posts/10209398330532309
2 replies
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