You can now bet the bank on it: if attempts at even the tepid parts of barely-surviving gun control proposals that proponents are now trying to get through the Senate die because of a Republican filibuster, the party won’t escape blame for refusing to let it come to a vote because it’s now all but an official act: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has made it known he’s on board with the filibuster.
No matter how much spin his spokespeople, Fox News, and talk show hosts do to try and cloud the issue, if gun control is not even brought to a vote there will be a)many clips of Obama’s State of the Union speech about a victims deserving a vote played over and over b)the GOP will have given the back of the hand to the overwhelming number of Americans who want the issue to be debated and acted upon c)McConnell’s finger prints will most assuredly be on the attempt to keep it from being brought to a vote — no matter how much spin and nice sounding filibuster statements are made about principals.
It’s all power politics. And a non-vote would be a massive slap in the face to the still-grieiving and shattered Connecticut families — and the bulk of Americans who want to see Congress take up the issue. Not bottle it up. The Politico reports:
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said he would join a group of Senate Republicans threatening a filibuster to oppose a cloture vote if Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid moves a gun bill to the floor this week.
Reid has promised to move a gun bill to the Senate floor this week, but it’s unclear which one. It depends on whether Democrats can strike a deal on background checks on gun sales — otherwise, they may settle for a less strict bill that includes some form of background checks, increase penalties for gun trafficking and increase school security. In order to get around the filibuster, Reid has indicated that he would file a cloture motion, which would require a 60-vote margin to move the bill.
“While nobody knows yet what Senator Reid’s plan is for the gun bill, if he chooses to file cloture on the motion to proceed to the Reid Bill (S. 649), Senator McConnell will oppose cloture on proceeding to that bill,” McConnell spokesman John Ashbrook said in a statement.
)
McConnell joins a group of 13 senators who have already vowed to block any gun legislation.President Barack Obama, who traveled on Monday to Hartford, Conn. to speak in favor of gun control legislation, will speak critically of the threats of a filibuster from Senate Republicans, according prepared remarks.
“Some back in Washington are already floating the idea that they might use political stunts to prevent votes on any of these reforms,” Obama will say, according to the remarks. “They’re not just saying they’ll vote ‘no’ on ideas that almost all Americans support. They’re saying they won’t allow any votes on them at all. They’re saying your opinion doesn’t matter. And that’s not right.”
The Senate returns to work on Tuesday after a two-week recess.
If McConnell is involved in a filibuster that scuttles a vote, a)he will probably be re-assured victory in his home state since conservatives will be ecstatic b)so much for Republican branding since polls show Americans feel Republicans won’t compromise and how can you call a filibuster even a thin form of compromise? c)the GOP will be saying “buh-bye” to many votes of independents, centrists and moderates and greatly anger the vast number of Americans who want action d)the next time there is a massacre (and it’s likely there will be one) the GOP votes will again be mentioned.
On the other hand, not allowing it to come to a vote could be a way McConnell figures he can solidify Republican seats in the Senate, since some of the party’s base and conservatives would be pleased.
But in terms of party imagery and winning the popular vote in future Presidential elections? As the old saying goes:
I wouldn’t give this spot to a leopard.
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.