It's beginning to look like an assault weapons ban may be doomed. Of all the firearms regulation proposals, it probably had the least chance of surviving intact. It's a little bit of a pity, but not a tragedy. Universal background checks are beginning to look more and more like our future and, frankly, would do more to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and nuts with murder on their minds. As I've
pointed out before, an assault weapons ban can be passed piecemeal. It already has public support, so a ban on, say, high-capacity magazines might be able to pass eventually. If it doesn't, votes against it may be used to unseat an NRA stooge or two and make it easier the next time around. It could be a long fight, but it's also a necessary one. I'm not a big fan of incrementalism, but if baby steps are what it takes to get there, then that's what we'll have to do.
Meanwhile, this...
Washington Post:
The second-ranking House Republican said Tuesday that he supports improving the federal background-check system for gun buyers but stopped short of endorsing universal checks on all weapon purchases.
The comments by House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) came as two GOP lawmakers from suburban districts announced plans to co-sponsor legislation to make gun trafficking a federal crime for the first time. The moves signal potential openings for bipartisan compromise on gun control, a debate so far dominated by Democrats with little said or done by Republicans.
Cantor, giving the most specific comments on gun control by a GOP congressional leader since President Obama outlined his proposals in late January, told CNN in an interview that lawmakers could consider adopting a plan implemented by Virginia after the 2007 shootings at Virginia Tech. Since the shootings, the state has linked mental-health information to law enforcement databases used to conduct background checks for gun purchases...[CLICK TO READ FULL POST]
