Schumer Hoping to Find Republican To Join On Background Check Bill

Having lost Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn as a "bipartisan" member of his gang of four to enact national gun registration through so-called "universal" background checks,  The Hill reports that New York Senator Chuck Schumer is hoping to find a replacement so he can pull his "place-holder" bill and have a bill considered that has both Democratic and Republican support.

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley pointed out just how tables have turned on Chucky.

“We’re told that there’s such a widespread support for universal background checks that a bipartisan bill would be on its way to passage,” Grassley said Tuesday. “Instead, three out of the four senators involved in those discussions do not endorse the bill that is now before us.”

Schumer noted he was still working to find support from Democrats as well as Republicans.  Don't hold your breath Chuck.  It appears the NRA, thanks in no small part to DOJ's National Institute of Justice, has done a good job pointing out that the only way for "universal" background checks to work is to have a national registry of gun owners.

“Mass shootings will continue to occur despite universal background checks, and criminals will continue to steal guns and acquire them illegally to circumvent the requirement,” Grassley said. “When that happens we will be back again debating whether gun registration is needed, and when registration fails, the next move will be confiscation.”

Keep up the pressure.  Schumer said that background checks was considered the "sweet spot" of measures that could pass after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.  Doesn't look so much like that any more.  The longer this goes, the more our efforts to educate our elected leaders will make a difference.