Senate Democrats are on the move again with a renewed push for restrictions on one’s Constitutional right to keep and bear arms in the wake of the mass shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon.
Spearheading the charge is U.S. Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Chris Murphy (D-CT), who plan on introducing a “family modest” gun control bill into the Senate next week.
In a speech on Wednesday night, Blumenthal laid out what that bill will include.
“The time for action is now on universal background checks, a ban on illegal trafficking and straw purchases, a prohibition on assault weapons and high capacity magazines, as well as a mental health initiative and school safety measures,” he said. “This kind of comprehensive package of reforms has been proposed. This body failed to adopt it. But that is no excuse for inaction now.”
While much of that sounds like the same old same old, at least one key addition was also explained. For example, in addition to universal background checks, there will be a provision that removes the 72-hour deadline for background checks. Under current law, if a background check isn’t completed within 72 hours the sale can go forward.
As many critics of the provision point out, if there’s no deadline in place, the government can dither and dither and dither on a pending transfer.
“If you give them carte blanche to take their time to complete the background check or not complete the background check, it’s going to be chaos,” Scott Wilson, president of the gun rights group Connecticut Citizens Defense League, told The West Hartford News. “I think certain bureaucrats who do not wish for law abiding citizens to possess firearms will use that to their advantage.”
Meanwhile, it appears Murphy believes he can shame his fellow lawmakers into voting for the bill.
“Congress has become an accomplice in these murders,” he said at a recent press conference. “We are quietly endorsing this mass slaughter by refusing to act … I don’t care how many members of Congress send out tweets saying they’re sorry. You aren’t sorry, you aren’t truly sympathetic if you’re not willing to act.”
THANK GOD ALMIGHTY, REPUBLICANS HAVE CONTROL OF THE WHITE HOUSE, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATE. WE CAN’T PUT UP WITH ANYMORE CROOKED LIBERALS.
Allowing people to sue the gun manufacturers is udderly crazy, do you sue the car companies when there is a drunk driver and they kill someone, no you go after the responsible PERSON that caused it. The PERSON pulled the trigger not the manufacturer
Do any of these elected officials remember swearing to protect and defend the Constitution. DO any of them know the meaning of the word infringed upon as it applies to OUR rights. These same people are against Capital punishment and punishing criminals with mandatory sentencing and would rather prey on the law abiding citizens. I will never understand this logic.
Please, would somebody explain to me what ‘Universal Background Checks’ mean? This term gets tossed around more than a worn out basketball. And straw purchases? Illegal purchases? They are already illegal. Are we going to make them more illegal? Please, help me understand this leftist rhetoric.
Universal Background checks with real teeth should be federal and Universal to the computer run police criminal data check list.
Universal Health Care as a single payer system will do something to address mental health priorities for families who have members in the family with mental health problems. Families with children with mental health problems must list children in the police data base, to show up, flagged as not qualified to buy guns. Teachers must submit the names of mentally questionable children into the data base for the background checks, when a committee of teachers, (at least 4), agree a child’s mental stability raises obvious concerns about public safety. The names of these people must show up on the background checks if Background Checks are to have any meaningful effect to protect the society from disturbed people.
Illegal gun selling without universal background checks and federal gun selling licenses be a 40 year sentence if straw buyers and illegal weapons sellers are caught in sting operations.
Universal concealed carry permits must also be Universal state to state and be like drivers licenses with same safety and qualifying shooting standards in all states. Universal gun safety classes must be held in each grammar school to familiarize all children in how to handle guns safely.
Senator Blumenthal has too much faith in the power of a restraining order. To require that the restrained individual surrender all firearms may be good mouth-service but the restraining order also requires no contact. This clause is often ignored just as a clause requiring the surrender of firearms would be as well. A restraining order is just a piece of paper. There is no Police Officer standing next to that piece of paper.
I am a FFL Dealer and a Duty Disabled/Retired Chicago Policeman. I have sold at many gun shows and agree there should be some kind of background check. I have had many, many people try and buy a gun and the moment I said I am a FFL dealer and require they fill out the ATF Form/background check they refused. All stating they did not want to give the “Govt” their personal info when in fact I would bet they had been arrested based on personal experience of arresting over 2000 criminals in my career. Any law abiding person who has legally purchased a weapon does NOT complain about filling out a form. I have also REFUSED to sell guns to some individuals trying to buy a gun from me based on their behavior and attitude while looking at one of my weapons. I learned one thing on the job; ALL CRAP SMELLS THE SAME, no matter how its wrapped or what flavor it is!
“Congressman & Senators need to be on a two term rule, just like the President.”
Exactly. Never understood how they have got by this long without having a term cap placed on them but its long been overdue.
Scott: The reason they gone gone so long without term limits is because they themselves are the one who would have to vote and approve term limits. Do you actually think they would shoot themselves in the foot (no pun intended) by doing this and putting themselves out of a job after just 8 years? They can easily get together and vote themselves pay raises (wouldn’t YOU love to be able to give YOUSELF a pay raise?) but they are not about to put term limits on their own elitist asses.
I wish people would stop calling the right to keep and bear arms a “Constitutional Right.” That implies a right granted by the Constitution. The Second Amendment exists to prevent the Government from interfering with a God-given, or natural right. Remember, the Bill of Rights is all about prevention of unconstitutional Government actions. Granted, the Tenth Amendment has been ignored for at least all of my lifetime… but until that document is replaced with something else, the Government should NEVER interfere with the right of a lawful citizen to keep and bear arms.
I wish people would stop calling the right to keep and bear arms a “Constitutional Right.” That implies a right granted by the Constitution. The Second Amendment exists to prevent the Government from interfering with a God-given, or natural right. Remember, the Bill of Rights is all about prevention of unconstitutional Government actions. Granted, the Tenth Amendment has been ignored for at least all of my lifetime… but until that document is replaced with something else, the Government should NEVER interfere with the right of a lawful citizen to keep and bear arms.
Chaz: While I am a staunch support of the” right to keep and bear arms” and a Benefactor member of the NRA and a CCW Instructor and a Firearms dealer/gunsmith, I must disagree with you on one point: The right to keep and bear arms for self-defense is NOT a God-given right. Our God-given, or “natural” right is the right to defend out lives called self-defense. It is our Constitution and the 2nd Amendment that grants us the right use use ARMS to perform that self-defense. Firearms ares the most effective way to defend ourselves so we are lucky and need to be grateful that our Founding Fathers had the foresight to include that in the Constitution. Without the 2nd Amendment we would still have the right (granted by God) to defend ourselves but we would be doing it with clubs and rocks..
Congressman & Senators need to be on a two term rule, just like the President. Career politicians who are backed by lobbyists donations have forgoten that they work for us, the people. Their campaign promises are soon forgoten, and the “Good Ole Boy” system of government, rules the land. The corruption of American Government needs to be stopped, and abusers need to be fired for decieving us. Just like our worthless current President, with his distruction of America Agenda, will end after two terms, so we can right the wrongs, and get our Country turned back around. Our forefathers warned us of the tyrrany of governments, and rights as a people through our Constution, to defend ourselves against them. Total gun confiscation will be the end result of the baby steps being taken now. If we as a people let it happen, we will become defenseless, and cease to exsist as a free nation. WE are a great nation, where masses of imagrants want to come for a better life. If we don’t stop the misuse of power with in our government, we will be no better, than the 3rd world country they come from!!! We need to vote out the tyrrants, email our elected officals, of our intentions to do so, and take a proactive stand in what we believe in. All to often social media, is becoming a curse, in our way of life. Stand up for what you believe in, and do some thing, to change the statue quo.
AGREED!!! We definitely need term limits!!!!
I agree ,Term Limits !
It seems we have forgot our Constitution! , It has served us well for over 200 Years !, The democrats are some where between Socialists and Communists ,If only a few people would have had and been Carrying a weapon, We have became a Power happy Nation with some of the sickest people in America in our Capitol , One of the safest nations is Switzerland and maybe we should send some of these Establishment politicians to Find out Why ! One thing the Government issues them a weapon , trains them to use them and they keep them in heir own home , They get more training every Year , A gun free Zone is loved by Terrorists !
Voters are watching and supporting such a bill makes Congress complicate in the destruction of our country. Every member swore an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution of the U.S ., not someone’s interpretation of the Constitution but the document as written. Go against that oath and we WILL respond!
Maybe we should contact his corporate owners and get them to rein him in. Here’s his major contributors:
Cablevision Systems gave him $40,300
Granite Telecommunications gave him $37,300
Belfer Management gave him $37,200
Thornton & Naumes gave him $27,500
Who says we don’t have the best politicians that money can buy?
Seems like a good time for a conservative to stand up and say how terrible congress is for keeping people defenseless in these unconstitutional gun-free zones and sanctuary cities where the constitution is void and laws aren’t enforced……they are accomplices in these mass murders for not allowing people to effectively defend themselves with the only means proven to effectively stop a mass murderer….a gun in the hands of a law abiding citizen. They are quietly endorsing murder for sure…..by denying Americans rights. And HE should be sorry. How sickening this guy is!! And people wonder why I say I would have a very difficult time being friends with a Democrat/Socialist…..???? I have a hard time being friends with sick, misguided and ignorant people who aren’t willing to see the real problems.
I agree with you, I’m sure the government would love to legally be able to run anybody and everybody anytime they want, to me that is unconstitutional, now checking the whole family in a home with guns, that might be prudent, but like what happened with this last kid who asked the person’s religeon-much leans on the common sense or lack thereof of the owner, and their ability to keep their guns from the unstable. They can’t just blanket cover everything by slowly removing all our rights, but ensuring that they know someone unstable is in a household and making sure they don’t have access is in my mind a good thing. But not at the loss of our rights to keep and bear arms. Common sense laws would work, not blanket laws.
I want a MENTAL check also,,,,, STARTING WITH – EVERY POLITICIAN
Once we have them stated as the Most Mentally Ill people In Our Country,
we can begin to get back on track,
and yes,
the 2nd Amendment is a guarantor that Individuals have the right to protect themselves,
HOWEVER,
Our Bible states this from nearly 6000 yrs ago saying Every man is Liable to take care of their family – they canNot do this if dead from assault from a stronger or armed person – that means ANY weapon !
Any Weapon = Hammer, Board, Bar, Broken Bottle, Wire, Rope, Plastic Bag, Pole, Hand, Fist, Knee, Head, Elbow, Foot, Martial Arts Degree, Pencil / Pen, File, Stake, Awl, Knife, Sword, Cleaver, Machete, Firearm ….. ALL UNABLE to Do as Much Damage as:
THE WEAPON of Choice That Has Murdered MORE People All Over the World – Government That Makes Illegal THE BEST Weapon For Personal Protection, The One Weapon That Evens the Playing Field – Our Firearms !
THE SOLUTION is to have TRUE REPRESENTATION in our Government and to GET RID of the RATS that MAKE the PROBLEMS !
STOP working our the Secondary Problem, , , GO TO the ROOT of OUR PROBLEMS – not just firearms, but illegal taxes, corporations that pay those bums in office to Allow their Poisons to Poison Americans AND the World, on and on and on.
Guess what Draino, UCC in Roseburg was NOT a gun free zone. In fact the people that were carrying opted not to get involved for fear they would be taken out by the cops.
Just another sick, misguided and ignorant people who aren’t willing to see the real problems.