Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) revived his call for gun safety legislation Tuesday when asked if he’d like to see his bill mandating background checks for firearm purchases at gun shows and Internet sales come up in the Senate again.
“I’m always — I mean, it just makes so much sense,” Manchin told TPM during a brief interview in the Capitol. “How do you argue against finding out if a person is a criminal or a person’s mentally been adjudicated. All this needs to be done. Sure. I’d like to see reasonable people come to reasonable decisions on a reasonable piece of legislation.”
Manchin’s remarks come in the wake of two shootings in the span of three days — one Sunday in Las Vegas that lead to five deaths (including two police officers), and a school high shooting Tuesday in Oregon. The Vegas shooting caused Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) to reiterate his call for expanded background checks on Monday.
Manchin’s bill, co-sponsored by Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA), received 55 Senate votes last year but fell to a Republican-led filibuster.
Yes it does. Do I hold out any hope it will? No.
I’ve never understood why background checks is so difficult to get into law. All you have to do is ask anyone who opposes checks why they favor felons having easy access to guns.
Of course it needs to be done, but as John Stewart joked the other day, we have moved beyond doing anything to simple acceptance. Madmen could shoot 100 people a week every week and our government won’t act. They simply accept the NRA money.
I don’t like Manchin but I’m glad he is at least trying to be slightly sensible on guns. He shouldn’t have introduced a watered down bill last time. We need real gun control, right now. NO EXCUSES!
Then do it quickly while people, perhaps including the usual suspects, are still stunned!