I say yes, you say no, OR People are Strange

"Senate rejects expanded gun background checks"

Washington (CNN) -- "In a major defeat for supporters of tougher gun laws, the U.S. Senate on Wednesday defeated a compromise proposal to expand background checks on firearms sales.

The bipartisan plan brokered by Sens. Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, and Pat Toomey, R-Pennsylvania, was backed by President Barack Obama in his push for a package of gun laws in the aftermath of the Newtown school massacre.

However, fierce opposition by the powerful National Rifle Association led a backlash by conservative Republicans and a few Democrats from pro-gun states that doomed the amendment to the broader package of legislation.

Due to procedural steps by Republican opponents, the amendment required 60 votes to pass in the 100-member chamber, meaning Democrats and their Independent allies who hold 55 seats needed support from some GOP senators to push them through.

The final vote was 54 in favor to 46 opposed with two Republicans joining most Democrats in supporting the compromise.

The overall gun legislation includes tougher laws on gun trafficking and straw purchases, and steps to devise ways to improve safety in schools.

It would be the most significant gun legislation before Congress in almost two decades, and comes four months after the December shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, that killed 20 first-graders and six educators.

Obama pushed hard for Congress to include expanded background checks in any gun package and the White House campaigned in support of the Manchin-Toomey compromise.

However, the NRA promised political retribution against supporters of tougher gun laws.

"You may not win today ... but I will say that you did the right thing," veteran GOP Sen. John McCain of Arizona said in praising Manchin and Toomey tor political courage in proposing their compromise. McCain was one of three Republicans who supported the compromise."

More of the article:

http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/17/politics/senate-guns-vote/index.html?hpt=hp_c2

Seriously, is it now clear who owns Congress?  Certainly not the people, 90% of whom wanted this bill to pass.  90% of Repubicans voted "no."  I'm ashamed of the handful of Democrats who voted "no" too.

This is a bipartisan failure. Democrats were crucial in the defeat. Shame on them just as on republicans! Shame on America! You have the right to shoot a bullet, but if the bullet hits you, you may not have the right to medical care. We in the collective are responsible for this. How despicable. Our country's values are immoral.

List of shame - from The New York Times. Parts of the lawe and how they fared:

-- Require checks for online sales and sales at gun shows, but not sales between neighbors and family members 

• Failed, 54-46

4 republicans joined democrats in voting for it

Voting against included the following democrats:

Mark Pryor

Harry Reid

Heidi Heidkamp

Max Baucus

Mark Begich

Harry Reid the guy who loves filibusters.

Jackie

--Make straw purchasing and trafficking a federal crime

Failed, 58-42

Republicans Collins, Mark Steven Kirk (RI) and Murkowski voted with a majority but this needed 60 votes to pass. No democrats voted against.

http://politics.nytimes.com/congress/votes/113/senate/1/99

Yes - but the whole thing wasn't considered in one fell swoop. These are portions of the bill, according to the NYT. It was considered bit by bit, and a 60 vote majority was required, so filibuster rules seem to hold sway once again.  Go here for more:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/04/17/us/politics/new-gun-measures-considered-by-the-senate.html?ref=politics

It's not comfortable but I do think we all, in the collective, have to take responsibility. That is, I support gun control and so do you - but collectively as Americans, it seems that support for "my" guns over "your kindergartener's life" crosses party lines, geographic lines and other barriers. Something is definitely rotten in the state of America.

Oh, and we elected these bozos, of course (even though yours truly does not have a vote, but you know what I mean). I think we have to stop playing political football with this and search inside us - again, I speak as a collective "we", not to anyone on this thread or anyone who thinks as we do about this issue. But it isn't as simple as a dem vs. rep issue. It is a warped values issue.

In America, did you know, people prefer guns to sutures....

Time to create individualized petitions against the dems and reps who voted the wrong way.

ETA: Suzie - that's one of my favorite guesses.

Just so incredibly sad.  And to think those who voted against it did it IN FRONT OF the parents of those who were murdered at Sandy Hook.

I understand Harry Reid voted No so that the issue could be raised again.  How does that go??

Oh, those people are "just props" according to the NRA.  No NRA - they are people - people who have been shot or lost loved ones to gun violence.  So, I guess the NRA thinks they are more worthy of representation (which, evidentally they got by threatening to primary all those who voted "yes") than these things they call "props."

Lindasa - I have no idea why Harry Reid voting "no" would make the issue "raiseable."  I have heard it will be raised again, though.

I despised Harry Reid for lack of guts on the fillibuster.  He took McConnel's word?  Quelle joke.

I am hoping that the various lobbying groups that are now fighting for safe gun laws will target the cowards in the Democratic party AND the Republican party.  The only hope for America is to unelect some of these bozos.  I'll travel to work for candidates to defeat these bums.

Heidi Heitkamp should be deeply, deeply ashamed. She just won her term -- she is not even up for reelection in 2014. She announced that she would go with the wishes of her constituents -- the ones that bothered to scream at her and who probably didn't vote for her -- and vote against background checks -- instead of doing the right thing. Voting for background checks would have protected her constituents. As Attorney General in ND, she must have dealt with gun violence cases. Shame on her for putting her political career before doing the right thing to protect the nation's children.



Every no vote should be forced to face the loved ones of gun violence victims and explain how their political careers are more important than preventing felons, the mentally ill and perpetrators of domestic violence (not to mention terrorists who can currently buy from gun shows without a background check) from obtaining guns.



L