Many believed the Republican controlled House of Representatives would have to be the last defense for Second Amendment supporters to protect their constitutional right to bear arms without infringement, but multiple headlines and stories today show that getting any of Obama's proposals through a Democratically controlled Senate is being met with opposition.
Via The Hill who headlines with "Obama push on gun control puts Reid in tough political spot."
Reid’s job is to help move President Obama’s agenda through the upper chamber, but he must also protect his five-seat Senate majority, and gun-rights groups are threatening to go after vulnerable Senate Democrats who back the president’s calls for a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines.
Reid (D-Nev.), who has a long history with gun rights and the National Rifle Association, has been cagey in response to questions about how he will proceed. He knows a wrong move could cost his party its majority in 2014, another difficult cycle for Senate Democrats defending seven seats in states carried by Mitt Romney in November.
Some Democrats think passage of the 1994 assault-weapons ban was a reason they lost control of the Senate and the House later that year.
Already, a coalition of 36 groups supporting gun owners’ rights has formed to retaliate against any Democratic senator who votes for restrictions on gun and ammo sales.
This list of red state Democrats is growing and the opposition isn't just internal, some are making public statements suggesting they will oppose Obama's proposals:
Via The Hill again, different article:
Here’s a rundown of what some of those Democrats had to say about the proposals:
Sen. Mark Begich (D-Alaska) told the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner that he’s not eager to pass new gun control legislation.
“I think they’ve got a long haul here … There are some of us who just fundamentally believe in a Second Amendment right,” he said. “To be frank, I feel like it’s going to be hard for any of these pieces of legislation to pass at this point.”
Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) told a local television station that he opposed the proposals.
"While I appreciate the president's efforts to keep Americans safe, I believe the place to start is to enforce the laws on the books. That being said, I will continue to look for areas of common ground, including funding for law enforcement in schools, implementing tracking systems for the mentally ill and criminals, and addressing violence in the media. Most importantly, I will be talking with my constituents in Arkansas as I vote on these issues in the future," Pryor said.
Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) indicated he was hesitant about supporting new legislation.
“Enforcing the laws we already have on the books is good first step, and it's clear more needs to be done to address access to mental health care,” he said in a Wednesday statement. “Before passing new laws, we need a thoughtful debate that respects responsible, law-abiding gun owners in Montana instead of a one-size-fits all directives from Washington."
Sen. Tim Johnson (D-S.D.) said on Tuesday, before the proposals came out, that he didn’t want to see a “one-size-fits-all” approach.
“We in South Dakota have far fewer problems with guns than they do in New York or New Jersey, and it makes common sense to not have one size fits all,” he said in a Tuesday news conference in South Dakota. "I believe in the Second Amendment, and I'm a hunter myself, but I think something should be done — but what, I don't know.”
Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) was cautious regarding whether or not she supported the proposals, though she said she would look at the proposals with “an open mind.”
“We need to ensure that there are laws in place to prevent a tragedy like Sandy Hook from ever happening again. First and foremost, that will require a serious commonsense debate in Congress that looks at access to guns, access to mental health care and violent video games,” she said in a statement to The Hill. “While respecting the rights of responsible gun owners, I am committed to working with my Republican and Democratic colleagues toward a comprehensive approach that ensures our communities are safe.
“As I have said, I will look at any proposal with an open mind, including the President’s proposals to make schools safer and grant law enforcement additional tools to prosecute gun crime,” she continued.
Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) similarly didn’t take a concrete stance on Obama’s proposals, though she sounded slightly more open to new legislation.
“My record of support for the Second Amendment is strong. In Louisiana and many places across the country, hunting, target shooting and gun collecting are time-honored sports and popular hobbies,” she said in a statement to reporters after Obama rolled out his proposals.
“That said, last month's tragedy in Newtown, Conn., has become all too familiar. We must find a way to balance our Second Amendment rights with the challenges of mental illness, criminal behavior and the safety of our schools and communities. We must also enforce the rules already on the books. Even some of the most respected law enforcement leaders in our country are calling for commonsense reforms because of this terrible violence in our communities.”
“This isn’t a Republican or a Democratic issue,” she continued. “It’s an American issue. And the American people expect us to come together and act. The safety of our children, our communities and our nation depend on it. I look forward to reviewing the proposals put forth by the administration and will give them my serious consideration as they are brought for debate in the Senate.”
Reid believes it is possible that red state Democrats may stop Obama's gun grabbing agenda, via Washington Examiner.
The common theme is focusing on mental health and enforcing the laws already on the books.
From the rhetoric seen since this latest gun grabbing push on the part of far left liberal lawmakers, including Obama, these folks quoted above almost sound like ... GASP.... Republicans, who have been saying the very same thing from day one.