Sic transit gloria Toomey-Manchin?

They apparently don’t have the votes for a ‘compromise’ amendment extending background checks for firearm purchases.

NBC’s Kelly O’Donnell tweeted this morning “Sen. Joe Manchin tells me ‘ we will not get the votes today.'”

The Senate had been expected to vote Tuesday on the deal Manchin unveiled last week with Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., but Democrats late Tuesday were still scrambling to find the 60 votes the amendment will need to pass.

…Which means that Chuck Schumer’s original, quite comprehensively bad, restrictive background check language will likely be in the final bill*. I certainly hope that every Democrat up for reelection in 2014 in a Red state enjoys voting for it, particularly since John Boehner and Bob Goodlatte are already patiently waiting for the legislation over at the House.  Complete with a brazier, a can of gasoline, and a match.

Seriously, doesn’t anybody in the Democratic party understand incrementalism anymore? Not that I mind it when they overreach, but it’s still a little weird.

Moe Lane (crosspost)

*I find it entertaining that many on the Left are apparently highly upset that enough US Senators can tell the difference between ‘in favor of background checks’ (which most people are) and ‘in favor of Schumer’s proposed background checks’ (which most voters will not be, once they end up on the wrong side of them).  I would offer commiseration, except that a) I don’t actually want to give them any and b) they wouldn’t want to take any from me in the first place.  Which is fair.

5 thoughts on “Sic transit gloria Toomey-Manchin?”

  1. I would not vote for cloture but let the senators be on record with their votes. It is not as if the bill will pass in the House.

  2. I’d like to apologize for my senior senator’s behavior. I have no idea what has gotten into him, other than “DC”. He was a decent guy, rep’d my area in college, lost that first Senatorial primary and then won in 2010. I’ve generally been supportive of him and have voted for him at every possible opportunity.
    .
    I’ve alerted his office to the fact that that streak shall be broken in the 2016 primary, regardless.

    1. I suspect that what got into Toomey was “Philadelphia.” He’s up for re-election in a Presidential year.

      To be hard-eyed about it: this vote probably won’t end up hurting him, net. It was never going to pass and he can claim that he’s not lockstep; if he keeps his nose clean otherwise he’ll probably survive the primary without too much trouble.

      1. No, not Philadelphia — “Bucks” and “Montgomery”. He has no realistic shot at carrying Montgomery, frankly, but he can minimize losses there and may actually be able to fully carry Bucks. His waffling probably won’t hurt him in Chester county, either.
        .
        Philadelphia is a lost cause at this point. Less lost than Harrisburg, but that’s not saying much.

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