The liberals want to take away our guns. Meanwhile, the Republicans are fighting to not only maintain our guns but to even allow for open carry without a permit.
The two extremes are pulling at the war on gun control.
If we allow one side to win, America still loses.
We want to have the right to bear arms, as we were granted in the Constitution. However, we don’t want just anyone getting their hands on guns, especially if they are mentally unstable and have the desire to inflict harm on the innocent.
There has to be compromise.
Now, it appears that we’re getting close to accomplishing such a thing.
As two mass shootings have occurred, Congressional Democrats are eager to act on gun control now more than ever. The proposed bills, however, are excessive.
The Republican Senate filibuster also means that it’s unlikely that the Democratic bills will ever see the light of day.
Stalemate can’t be called each and every time.
Republicans have offered some new plans. There’s the possibility of bipartisan gun legislation, as long as the Democrats are willing to negotiate.
As Senator Pat Toomey, a Pennsylvania Republican has said, “I still support background checks on commercial sales.” This means that he’s willing to negotiate. He’s willing to give the Democrats something. He has identified that it’s going to be difficult, but he’s going to “get something across the goal line.”
Republicans and Democrats have been swapping control in the House or Senate for decades. Partisan stalemate is nothing new, which is why no major gun control legislation has been passed in over 25 years.
The last major bill was under Bill Clinton, which is when Congress passed a 10-year assault weapon ban.
Toomey has co-sponsored a bipartisan background checks bill with Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia – and that’s the closest Congress has come to passing anything since the Clinton administration. And the bill still failed because it fell six votes short.
HR8 and HR 1446 are two bills passed by the House as of right now – and it doesn’t stand a chance of getting through the Senate. One expands background checks and the other extends the waiting period on gun purchases from 3 days to 10 days. Manchin, as a Democrat, has said that he doesn’t support what the House has already passed.
Toomey and Manchin support background checks on commercial transactions. HR8 would require this on all gun purchases, including private sales.
Many Republican Senators are in favor of tightening the background check system. Their main issue is that the House bills simply take it too far.
Democrats want to make it sound like, “Oh, it’s just a background check.”
Oh, but it’s not.
HR8 is terrifying once you look into the details. Curio and Relic holders won’t be able to purchase guns online or out of state. Buyers and sellers have to be in front of an FFL (Federal Firearms Licensed) dealer while a background check is performed, which means that gun shows are likely to end. There’s always a fee that can be charged for handling the transfer, and the amount is unlimited. Finally, background checks create a paper trail. While HR8 prohibits the establishment of a national gun registry, dealers are creating a paper trail that can, one day, be used as a registry.
There has to be some room for negotiation. There are too many loopholes and there are too many hard stances that don’t take into consideration those unique situations, as is the case with relic holders.
The Democrats, particularly the most progressive ones, have to learn that negotiation is a must. They cannot make a statement and have it simply become law. They have to learn that they cannot get their way at all times.
The Republicans are willing to negotiate. It all comes down to whether there are enough Democrats willing to concede.
Even Mitch McConnell, the Senate Minority Leader, has said that he’s open to discussion on comprising gun control.
