Print
Democrats are planning a big gun control push in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2019. Specifically, the big gun control push includes universal background checks for all firearms sales nationwide.
The big gun control push will begin with a universal background check plan, U.S. Representative Mike Thompson (D-California) tells Politico. Notably, Thompson is the leader of the Democrats’ House Gun Violence Prevention Taskforce.
“It will be strong legislation to expand background checks,” Thompson promises. “I think you will see it happen in the first 100 days.”
Democrats’ Big Gun Control Push Includes Mandatory Background Checks Nationwide
In detail, the big gun control push will require background checks on all private and retail firearms sales.
Consequently, you will need to undergo a background check to buy a gun from a friend or relative. However, there could be exemptions to the background check requirement for family members. There could also be a temporary exemption for guns that people use for hunting.
Regardless, Democrats plan to move fast on the background check legislation. In fact, Thompson’s legislation could reach the House Judiciary Committee by February, U.S. Representative Jerry Nadler (D-New York) speculates. Moreover, Nadler expects the house to vote on background checks in Spring 2019.
Democrats Know Their Big Gun Control Push Will Fail
Strangely, the Democrats know that the big control push will fail but don’t care. Instead, Democratic leaders believe they can attract votes by being tough on guns.
To elaborate further, gun control legislation has to pass the U.S. Senate to become law. Nevertheless, Republicans have a comfortable 55-seat majority in the Senate. As a result, Republicans can easily kill the big gun control push in the Senate.
Additionally, President Trump has the power to veto gun control legislation. So, the Democrats’ big gun control push will die once it leaves the Senate.
Democrats Seek Votes With Big Gun Control Push
Democrats are planning a big gun control push because attacking firearms attracts votes.
In particular, 95 Democratic candidates endorsed by the anti-gun Giffords PAC won election to the House in November, NPR reports. To explain, Giffords PAC is the political action committee that former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-Arizona) organized.
Bloomberg Is Paying For The Big Gun Control Push By Democrats
On the whole, Democratic leaders like U.S. Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-California) believe they can win more elections with a big gun control push. Furthermore, Democrats can attract lots of cash from donors such as Michael Bloomberg with a big gun control push.
For instance, Bloomberg’s Independence USA PAC gave $29.5 million to Democrats in 2018 House races, USA Today estimates. In addition, Bloomberg claims he spent $110 million on the mid-term elections alone.
Besides Independence USA, Bloomberg funds the influential Everytown for Gun Safety gun control group. Accordingly, House Democrats are repaying Bloomberg with a big gun control push.
Democrats’ Big Gun Control Push Goes Beyond Background Checks
All in all, the Democrats’ big gun control push goes far beyond background checks. In fact, Democrats want to ban private guns from the U.S. Capitol.
Particularly, U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (D-California) wants to eliminate a regulation that lets members of Congress bring guns to Capitol Hill. To explain, a 1967 regulation allows U.S. Senators and U.S. Representatives to carry guns in Congress, The Washington Post states.
Notably, Huffman and Pelosi plan to change regulations in order to ban private guns from the Capitol. Hence, Democrats plan to strip members of Congress of their first amendment rights.
“Current regulations would literally allow a member to have a loaded pistol in a desk drawer, file cabinets, or sitting in plain view; or to have a loaded AR15 in an unlocked closet,” Huffman claims.
Democrats’ Big Gun Control Push Still Unclear
Tellingly, the Democrats’ big gun control push seems to have no agenda or plan. Rather, background checks seem to be the only item that Pelosi’s leadership is pushing.
For example, other popular gun control measures, such as reviving the “assault weapons” ban, are absent from news stories. As a consequence, the Democrats’ likely strategy is to concentrate solely on background checks for the time being.
On the other hand, Democrats will certainly launch a more aggressive gun control push if they get a foothold on the background checks issue. Moreover, individual Democrats are likely to introduce tougher firearms legislation to win support from gun haters like Bloomberg.
The Democrats’ big gun control push is only beginning. So, you can expect new gun control legislation for the foreseeable future.
You may also enjoy reading an additional Off The Grid News article: Study: Background Checks Did Not Affect Suicide Or Homicide Rates
