Although Harry Reid had previously said that he wouldn't bring the Feinstein and Schumer gun control bills up for a vote because he didn't have the votes, he changed his mind a few days later and promised to bring the bills up for a vote when congress returns from the Easter break.
Obama is pushing Congress to vote on gun control.
Obama presses Congress to vote on gun-control measures
Many senate Republicans are pushing for gun control, specifically the universal background check. The universal background check is actually a form of gun registration and gun registration is the last step before gun confiscation.
As the gun control issue unfolds in Congress, it's clear that the government fully intends to use prior convictions, including minor drug offense, and mental health screenings to disqualify an individual from their constitutional right to bear arms. The government will indeed use its access to Obamacare healthcare records to identify folks who have sought mental counselling and/or were prescribed medication for any mental health related ailment.
Right now, the Republicans willing to dance with the Dems on gun control are:
McCain emerges as key senator in expanding background checks
McCain and Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Dean Heller (R-Nev.) are at the top of a list of Republicans considered most likely to sign on to legislation expanding background checks....
Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) has signaled he will likely support the yet-to-be-finalized proposal he negotiated with Sens. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) to expand background checks to cover private gun sales, according to Senate sources.
The proposal includes modifications to attract Republican support. One would let rural gun owners conduct background checks from their home computers. Another would create an appeals process for military veterans who have been declared mentally unfit to own a gun.
Expanding background checks is the centerpiece of President Obama’s proposal to change the nation’s gun laws in response to the mass shooting that killed 20 children in Newtown, Conn., last December.
There are 45 Republicans in the senate, 53 Democrats and 2 Independents who will probably vote with the Dems. Harry Reid will probably have 55 gun control votes and he only needs to flip 5 Republicans to achieve the cloture vote of 60. McCain, Collins, Heller and Kirk have already signaled that will endorse some forms of gun control. Lindsay Graham, SC, has also indicated that he endorses gun control. Harry Reid will have his votes unless we flip some Dems.
LINDSEY GRAHAM’S GUN-RELATED BILL WANTS TO TRACK THE MENTALLY ILL — BUT WHO COUNTS?
As a Senate bill designed to reinstitute the expired ban on assault weapons moves toward a full vote, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) is fighting a rearguard action on gun restrictions for the mentally ill. The issue is one that Republicans have been pushing since the tragedy in Newtown, Conn., when mentally ill shooter Adam Lanza gunned down 28 people.
A proposal on the issue was introduced this month by South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, who on Thursday again expressed his interest in getting the measure passed.
“I believe that the best way to interrupt the shooter is to have a mental health system that actually records and enters into the database people who should not be able to buy a gun,” Graham said.[...]
Graham’s proposal would require that people found mentally incompetent be added to the National Instant Criminal Background System – the database for all new gun sales.
It's not likely that Republican traitors to the 2nd amendment will flip away from Harry Reid or gun control. However, it is possible to focus on keeping certain Dems from voting for gun control.
There are only 2 strategies to stop these gun control bills.
1. Constantly call/fax/e-mail Republicans - call them in DC and at their local offices
1. Identify Dems in swing states, especially those up for re-election in 2014.
Who is up for re-election in 2014?
Alexander, Lamar - (R - TN) Class II
455 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4944
Alexander is squishy on civil liberties.
Baucus, Max - (D - MT) Class II
511 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2651
Western state Dems tend to be pro-gun and need pressure.
Begich, Mark - (D - AK) Class II
111 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3004
Alaska is a big gun rights state and Begich needs pressure.
Chambliss, Saxby - (R - GA) Class II
416 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3521
Chambliss is squishy.
Cochran, Thad - (R - MS) Class II
113 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5054
Unreliable and needs pressure.
Collins, Susan M. - (R - ME) Class II
413 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2523
Big supporter of gun control
Coons, Christopher A. - (D - DE) Class II
127A RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5042
Hopeless but call
Cornyn, John - (R - TX) Class II
517 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2934
Cornyn needs a push
Cowan, William M. - (D - MA) Class II
359 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2742
Probably hopeless but call.
Durbin, Richard J. - (D - IL) Class II
711 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2152
Hopeless but call.
Enzi, Michael B. - (R - WY) Class II
379A RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3424
Needs pressure, unreliable.
Franken, Al - (D - MN) Class II
309 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5641
Minnesota has a lot of 2nd amendment supporters & Franken barely won his last election.
Graham, Lindsey - (R - SC) Class II
290 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5972
Graham needs to be pounded.
Hagan, Kay R. - (D - NC) Class II
521 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6342
NC leans purple and Hagan need pressure.
Harkin, Tom - (D - IA) Class II
731 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3254
Needs pressure, IA has a lot of 2nd amendment supporters.
Inhofe, James M. - (R - OK) Class II
205 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4721
Johanns, Mike - (R - NE) Class II
404 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4224
Needs pressure
Johnson, Tim - (D - SD) Class II
136 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5842
Needs pressure, retiring, unreliable but SD is strong 2nd amendment state.
Landrieu, Mary L. - (D - LA) Class II
703 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5824
LA loves the 2nd, pressure Landrieu
Lautenberg, Frank R. - (D - NJ) Class II
141 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3224
Hopeless
Levin, Carl - (D - MI) Class II
269 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6221
Retiring and hopeless.
McConnell, Mitch - (R - KY) Class II
317 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2541
Squishy and needs a call.
Merkley, Jeff - (D - OR) Class II
313 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3753
Probably hopeless. Many in Oregon love the 2nd call. Merkley needs pressure.
Pryor, Mark L. - (D - AR) Class II
255 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2353
Prior needs pressure. Arkansas folks love the 2nd.
Reed, Jack - (D - RI) Class II
728 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4642
Probably hopeless but call.
Risch, James E. - (R - ID) Class II
483 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2752
ID is a strong state for the 2nd. Pressure Risch
Roberts, Pat - (R - KS) Class II
109 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4774
KS is a strong state for the 2nd. Roberts needs pressure.
Rockefeller, John D., IV - (D - WV) Class II
531 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6472
Retiring and probably hopeless.
Sessions, Jeff - (R - AL) Class II
326 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4124
Sessions is unreliable and needs pressure.
Shaheen, Jeanne - (D - NH) Class II
520 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2841
NH leans purple and Shaheen needs pressure.
Udall, Mark - (D - CO) Class II
730 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-5941
Probably hopeless but call. CO just passed 3 nasty gun control bills.
Udall, Tom - (D - NM) Class II
110 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6621
Needs lots of pressure in a purplish western state.
Warner, Mark R. - (D - VA) Class II
475 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2023
Needs lots of pressure.
The Dems most likely to flip against gun control if pressured to the point of possibly losing re-election: Baucus (MT), Begich (AK), Hagan (NC), Pryor (AR), Shaheen (NH), Udall (NM), Warner (VA).
The Republicans most likely to sell out that need to be mercilessly pounded: McCain, Collins, Heller, Kirk and Graham, possibly more.
If activists relentless call their senators and especially pound those up for re-election, we can kill all the gun control bills.
