Punchbowl News AM: Schumer's gun gamble

[Celerity]

https://punchbowl.news/archive/5-26-22-punchbowl-news-am/



Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the chamber’s top lawmaker for all of 490 days, is temporarily setting aside his natural “punch-Republicans-in-the-nose” instincts. Instead, Schumer is casting his lot with Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) in a bid to notch a gun control deal after back-to-back deadly mass shootings in two of the nation’s largest states. The legislative and political impacts here are worth dwelling on for a moment.

Schumer, who is quite attuned to political optics, is allowing the Senate to leave D.C. without taking a gun vote even though 19 children and two adults were shot to death Tuesday in a Uvalde, Texas, elementary school. On May 17, in Schumer’s own state, 10 Black people were murdered in a racist shooting at a supermarket. Schumer could’ve put any number of background check bills on the floor this week, forced Republicans to vote against them and scored a short-term political victory against a GOP he describes as beholden to the gun lobby. It seemed to be a tempting political option for Schumer. He came under pressure from his party to do something – and quickly.

Instead, Schumer is allowing Murphy – the Senate’s staunchest gun control advocate – to once again try to cobble together a bipartisan coalition to tighten federal gun laws. Schumer and Murphy understand the task at hand is daunting, the prospects of success are dim. Murphy hasn’t been able to achieve this consensus in more than a year. Murphy has to essentially write off roughly 35 of the 50 Senate Republicans, most of whom would never consider any tightening of gun laws.

Instead, Murphy needs to see if he can find 10 Republicans out of the remainder to support putting in place red flag laws and/or strengthening background checks, while also balancing the political reality that interest in a compromise will wane as time goes on. Momentum is important in an institution like Congress. The Senate is scheduled to leave later today for a 10-day Memorial Day recess. Which Republicans are in play for Murphy? That’s the question of the moment. Based on our reporting and dozens of conversations we’ve had with lawmakers over the last few days, the following GOP senators have expressed various levels of interest in considering gun legislation: Susan Collins (Maine), Mitt Romney (Utah), Pat Toomey (Pa.), Roy Blunt (Mo.), Rob Portman (Ohio), Lindsey Graham (S.C.) and Bill Cassidy (La.).

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[lapfog_1]

1. But the only thing that is going to work

is a complete assault weapons ban, more than 7 bullets in a magazine ban, ghost gun ban, bump stock ban, PLUS background check, 21 age restriction, AND mandatory gun safety training.

[Dorian Gray]

2. Glad they're going on a ten day recess

They need the rest after all they've been through.

: EEPLY SARCASTIC::

[Demsrule86]

3. We do not have the votes. There is not going to be a deal. We must elect more Democrats.

It is the only answer. I doubt the right-wing court we are saddled with would approve an assault weapon ban.

[Novara]

4. I don't agree with this AT ALL

The time to get the corrupt republicans on the record is RIGHT after these mass murders, while people are paying attention. What's to prevent them from cobbling another bill together later on? Do they really only have one chance at this?

The more time that passes, the less upset and motivated people are to change things.