Manchin/Toomey Amendment Fails

April 17, 2013

Comments

Not surprisingly, the Senate failed to pass the gun background checks amendment to the Senate Gun Bill offered by Senators Manchin and Toomey:

The Senate delivered a devastating blow to President Obama’s agenda to regulate guns Wednesday by defeating a bipartisan proposal to expand background checks.

It failed by a vote of 54 to 46, with 5 Democrats voting against it. Only 4 Republicans supported it.

Democratic Sens. Mark Pryor (Ark.), Max Baucus (Mont.), Heidi Heitkamp (N.D.), Mark Begich (Alaska) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) voted against it. Reid supported the measure but voted against it to preserve his ability to bring the measure up again.

GOP Sens. John McCain (Ariz.), Susan Collins (Maine), Pat Toomey (Pa.) and Mark Kirk (Ill.) voted yes.

Under a previous agreement, this amendment, like all the other amendments being voted on today, required 60 votes to pass. It’s not expected that any of the other amendments will pass either and, indeed, several of them have already been voted down. The only one where the outcome will be of interest will be the “Assault Weapons” ban if only to see how many Democrats break with Harry Reid on that one.

8 responses to “Manchin/Toomey Amendment Fails”

John Cole

April 17, 2013 at 6:10 pm

America, Fuck Yeah!
Stonetools

April 17, 2013 at 7:05 pm

Hooray for the child massacre enablers!
Tony W

April 17, 2013 at 8:33 pm

I can remember a time when 54-46 in favor was enough to pass legislation – particularly that which is favored by 92% of the electorate. Guess that makes me a relic.
Jenos Idanian #13

April 17, 2013 at 9:47 pm

@Stonetools: Hooray for the child massacre enablers!

And just what provisions in the bill would have prevented Newtown?
Commonist

April 18, 2013 at 1:29 am

Well, massacres are now more probable and more probable to be severe in the future.

If we are going to HAVE massacres anyway, we might as well hope all the victims are the “people” cheering this decision, or their children.
Jenos Idanian #13

April 18, 2013 at 5:03 am

@Commonist: Well, massacres are now more probable and more probable to be severe in the future.

Because a poorly-written law that didn’t actually address the real problems died a well-deserved death?

Let me lay a few counterintuitive facts on you:

Places with the strictest gun control laws tend to have very high violent-crime rates.

Places with loose gun control laws tend to have very low violent crime rates.

Nearly all mass shootings happen in “gun-free” zones.

The practical effect of gun control laws is to disarm the law-abiding, and guarantee the law-breaking elements unarmed victims.
Jen

April 18, 2013 at 9:10 am

It might be “not surprisingly,” but it is still very disappointing. That we can’t manage to close an enormous loophole that exists is stunning. If you want to purchase a gun, you should be able to do so, but only after a background check. Regardless of where you are shopping.

Honestly, this is a no-brainer.
Jenos Idanian #13

April 18, 2013 at 11:03 am

@Jen: If you want to purchase a gun, you should be able to do so, but only after a background check. Regardless of where you are shopping.

Honestly, this is a no-brainer.

Factually wrong. The loophole you cite isn’t about geography, but economics. It’s not a matter of “where you are shopping,” but “who you are buying from.” Background checks are required for all sales by a gun dealer, regardless of where they are. They are NOT required in private-party sales, regardless of where they are.

That’s the real “no-brainer.”