August 07, 2019
After last weekend's horrible mass shootings, we're hearing the usual cries from the left for stricter gun control -- but this time we're also hearing them from increasing numbers of Republican lawmakers willing to embrace "red flag" legislation.
Time reports that a bipartisan proposal to create a federal grant encouraging the adoption of state-level red flag laws is "gaining momentum" in the Senate. President Trump gave the bill a push on Monday, telling the nation in a prepared address, "We must make sure that those judged to pose a grave risk to public safety do not have access to firearms and that if they do those firearms can be taken through rapid due process." GOP co-sponsor Lindsey Graham (South Carolina) said that red flag laws will allow law enforcement to "do something" about potentially dangerous gun owners or would-be buyers.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has made the Senate the place where Democrat gun control bills from the House go to die, but even he seems at least somewhat open to new legislation. In a statement released earlier this week, McConnell said that "serious, bipartisan, bicameral efforts will enable us to continue this important work."
In Wisconsin, Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and GOP Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald are prepared to meet next week with Democratic Governor Tony Evers to discuss new legislation to do something about "people perceived as threats," as the AP reported it. Although Vos did go on Twitter to promise that he "will not entertain proposals to take away Second Amendment rights or due process."
We'll see.
Illinois GOP congressman and Iraq War vet Adam Kinzinger wrote on Medium this week that he will support red-flag legislation, raising the age limit for firearms purchases to 21, and "banning certain high capacity magazines, like the 100-round drum the Dayton shooter used this weekend."
Republican Senator Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania is working with West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin on new legislation that he claims will "keep guns out of the hands of criminals, the dangerously mentally ill, and terrorists, while respecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding gun owners and all Americans." He added that he hopes "the accumulated pain from so many of these horrific experiences will be motivation to do something."
"To do something." Those three dangerous words that ignore the idea contained in the Hippocratic Oath: "First, do no harm." Thos words that are always ignored by liberals/leftists, who never consider the results of their actions or, in this case, don't consider their actions harmful.
Influential Republican Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley told audience members at a fundraiser on Monday night, "I'm calling on law-abiding gun owners to lead the charge in the effort to keep dangerous individuals from purchasing guns and to expand access to mental health resources."
Dayton-area GOP Congressman Mike Turner says he "will support legislation that prevents the sale of military-style weapons to civilians, a magazine limit, and red-flag legislation," which is about as comprehensive a list of measures as any anti-gun Democrat might call for. Ohio's Republican Lt Gov. Jon Husted said he hopes that seeing "bullet holes and the blood stains" will move Trump to support new gun control measures. And Ohio Senator Rob Portman says he hopes for a "consensus" on the red flag legislation he now supports. Also in Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine was "shouted down" by mourners in Dayton, with the demand that he "do something." Two days later, DeWine told reporters, "They were absolutely right. We must do something, and that is exactly what we are going to do."
There's more here: https://pjmedia.com/vodkapundit/will-gop-cave-on-gun-control/ Read the whole thing. I think we should contact every Republican in the Senate and the House and say "DON'T DO IT! IT'S A SLIPPERY SLOPE AND WE'LL NEVER RECOVER!"
The problem with existing "Red Flag" laws is they virtually ignore Due Process. Here's another good article that explains it: https://townhall.com/columnists/jacobsullum/2019/08/07/red-flag-laws-leave-gun-owners-defenseless-the-trumpendorsed-response-to-mass-shootings-gives-due-process-short-shrift-n2551284
Posted by: Timothy Birdnow at
01:16 PM
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You know, this is going to split the base if they move forward. The Donkeys know that, which is why they are dancing on the graves of the dead right now. The GOP either is ignorant of the fact or, more likely, want to split the base because the old guard elites want to retake power. I suspect the latter. Either way the result will be the same. A backlash against Republicans.
I heard Brian Kilmead's radio show today. Disgusted me. Kilmead is on Fox and Friends on television, and he was talking about how "we license people to drive cars". Nobody bothered to point out that there is no Constitutional provision for cars, but there is for guns.
BTW, isn't the fact that Iran can seize cargo ships in the Strait of Hormuz proof that guns work? The unarmed tankers can't defend themselves.
Posted by: Timothy Birdnow at August 07, 2019 02:05 PM (3Y+ie)
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