Compromise Gun Control Plan Released: Red State

Pat Toomey and Joe Manchin have released their gun control compromise plan.

This proposal will scratch the itch to do something, but will do nothing at all except expand bureaucracy and complicate the buying of guns by law abiding citizens.  Importantly, the proposal would not stop events like Newtown or Columbine or the daily massacre in Chicago.

Arlen Specter would be so proud of Pat Toomey giving the Republicans cover to go left.

Toomey and Manchin will spend some time making sure everyone knows what their proposal will not do. For example, they are going to be pushing hard that the proposal won’t ban any guns, won’t take away any guns, won’t create a registry of guns, and will not infringe uptown the constitutional rights of law abiding citizens.

Why all the spin? Because the proposal will, in fact, infringe on the rights of law abiding citizens.

There’ll be expanded background checks for citizens wanting to purchase firearms. There will be restriction on private sales. Note they will emphasize that there are classes of people who will be exempt from background checks, but they will be reducing the ability to conduct private sales.

All gun shows will have to have background checks. The FBI will be required to prioritize the background checks on gun shows over store front dealerships, which seems to be an admission to a new burden on gun buying.

Over all, and I think this is key, this is ephemeral bull. It would not stop events like Newtown or Columbine or the daily massacre in Chicago.

But by God they’re going to do something!!