As Views Shift on Guns, Reid Corrals Senate

It was, Senator Harry Reid of Nevada ebulliently proclaimed, a “happy day for me” as he stood with Wayne LaPierre, the head of the National Rifle Association, in 2010 at a new shooting range in Las Vegas made possible by federal money secured by Mr. Reid. “People who criticize this probably would criticize baseball,” Mr. Reid said before firing off a few rounds. These days, Mr. Reid, the Senate majority leader, is far more likely to meet with Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg of New York, an outspoken advocate of stricter gun control, than with Mr. LaPierre as he prepares to bring the most expansive package of gun safety legislation in a decade to the Senate floor over the next few weeks. Mr. Reid’s evolution from a proponent of gun rights to the shepherd of legislation that would expand background checks, among other gun control measures, emerges from a complex web of political calculations that have come to define his leadership style over the last decade. How tenacious Mr. Reid is willing to be — and whether he will extract votes one by one as he has for other big pieces of legislation — may well determine the fate of the measures...more

Folks think this is about the second amendment or public safety.  Wrong.  This is about Nevada politics.  If Republicans had carried Nevada last fall this bill wouldn't have seen the light of day.

With guns, as with gay rights and immigration, Washington has observed in Mr. Reid an evolution — less flip-flops than slow dances to the left — that reflects shifting attitudes not only in his Democratic conference but also in Nevada, where Democrats have gained an edge in the last decade. Voter registration in the state has become increasingly Democratic as its population has swelled, and Barack Obama won the state twice, the only Democrat besides Bill Clinton to win the state in the last 40 years. “Harry Reid is the most calculating individual I have ever covered in politics,” said Jon Ralston, editor of Ralston Reports, who has covered Nevada politics for three decades. “If he is making the right move for his members, he is making the right move for himself.” 

This is also about political retribution.

Mr. Reid voted proudly against an assault weapons ban in both 1993 and 2004, even as most Senate Democrats voted for it, and voted for a successful 2005 measure that limited lawsuits against gun manufacturers and dealers for negligence. He has also long supported the N.R.A. Mr. Reid, aides said, is also motivated by both the personal angst he felt over the killing of 20 schoolchildren in Newtown, Conn., last year, as well as the anger he feels toward the N.R.A., which was widely expected to endorse him in his 2010 re-election campaign but then declined to do so. 

Now you know why the Senate will consider gun control legislation. 

Let's hope the filibuster by Senators Cruz, Lee and Paul stops this train.  But, uh oh, we now have a dispute between the GOA and the NRA, over whether the NRA is working behind the scenes on a compromise.  The GOA issued the following alert on Monday.

GOA to NRA Leadership  

Please Urge Senators to Support the Paul-Cruz-Lee Filibuster  

   We are going into a battle which will determine the future of gun control for the next decade - and perhaps for the rest of our lifetime.
    Here's the status: On or around April 8, Harry Reid will move to proceed to S. 649. That "base bill" contains the Veterans Gun Ban, which could send you to prison for 15 years if you sell a gun to a veteran, without realizing he has PTSD. The bill will also contain the Schumer version of Universal Gun Registries.
    S. 649 does not have the 60 votes necessary to break a filibuster on final passage. However, if Reid can get the motion to proceed adopted - and get on the bill itself - he will play let's-make-a-deal and use bribes and kickbacks to buy the 60 votes he needs.
    In particular, Reid and Schumer will probably try to prune the universal registry bill to buy off the vote of Oklahoma Republican Tom Coburn. They may pretend to prohibit recordkeeping by the FBI, but you can bet their "compromise" will contain a big, juicy loophole.
    In addition, they may pare it back to gun shows and internet sales, although the most recent "gun show" bill we have seen would effectively ban gun shows.
    The media has been reporting that the NRA leadership is working with West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin to craft these compromises, although NRA vehemently denies it.
    As a result of anti-gun rules changes, there are two ways to proceed to a bill in the Senate. One requires 60 votes, which we have. The second requires 50 votes (plus Biden), but requires Reid to give up some of his control of the floor.
    The point is this: Our efforts will be tremendously helped if the NRA leadership publicly calls on Senators to oppose the motion to proceed, opposes cloture on the motion to proceed, and scores both votes.
    If it does this, the motion to proceed will die. Reid will be unable to move to any gun control legislation. Gun control will die.
    We believe that, because of the strength and fervor of our membership, we are very close to winning this battle - but it would be so much easier if we were both singing off the same page.
    ACTION: If, you are an NRA member, contact them. Urge them to join with us in supporting the Paul-Cruz-Lee filibuster. That means they should tell Senators to oppose the motion to proceed to any gun control vehicle, and to oppose cloture on the motion to proceed to any gun control vehicle.
   CONTACT: You can use the message below to direct your comments to NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre.
Call 1-800-392-8683
or send him a message at www.nraila.org/secure/contact-us.aspx

Well isn't this just dandy. You might want to give the NRA a jingle or message. You're probably wasting your dime to call Senator Udall, who will be lock-step with the gun controllers.  Not sure about Senator Heinrich, who has supported sportsmen in the past.