It's Up To Trump To Decide If There Will Be More GOP/NRA Massacres Or Not

Yesterday, Mike DeBonis and Paul Kane reported that congressional Republicans are in a holding pattern in regard to gun legislation-- waiting for Trump to make up his mind, while their constituents fume. "White House aides briefed Republican senators on potential legislative options at their private weekly luncheon Tuesday-- including expanding the federal background-check system for gun buyers and encouraging states to create systems to temporarily seize guns from individuals judged to be dangerous-- but they gave no indication of what Trump himself is willing to sign into law, exasperating some of those present. Speaking to reporters afterward, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) confirmed Trump has yet to weigh in on the subject. Guns were among the topics discussed at a White House meeting between Trump and Republican congressional leaders Tuesday afternoon, but attendees said there were no decisions on how to move forward on the issue." SSRS, the polling firm that does CNN's polls, reported Tuesday that 60% of registered votes said vile old Trump has not earned a second term and a majority say that he hasn't kept his campaign promises. CNN's polling director, Jennifer Agiesta wrote that "Overall, the poll paints a picture of a President who has done little to improve negative impressions of him or his work during his time in office. Across several questions asked early in Trump's time in office and asked again now, the poll finds little positive change and deep partisan polarization." 56% of registered voters say he has overall changed the country for the worse.

Although most Republicans (58%) are too stupid to have caught on that Trump lies all the time, 76% of Independents say they trust just some or none of the information coming out of the White House and 90% of Democrats trust just some or none of what comes out of the White House.

These are his the issues where Trump is underwater with voters. There are his approval numbers:

• Foreign affairs- 37%
• Environmental policy- 33%
• Gun policy- 38%
• Foreign trade- 39%

Tuesday night, the House Judiciary Committee-- by a party line vote-- advanced the first three gun control bills that will head over to the Senate-- a red flag law that sets up federal court procedures to seize guns from dangerous people and a bill to ban high-capacity ammunition magazines. They also passed a bill banning people convicted of hate crimes from buying a gun, a hill Republicans will fight to the last man on to prevent ever becoming law.

McConnell has maneuvered Trump into the center of this shit-show, saying he will not allow anything passed by the House to be debated or voted on in the Senate unless Trump's approves in advance. This is virtually unheard of and totally short-circuits the legislative process. And, as Alexander Bolton, reported at The Hill yesterday, Trump's in an uncomfortable pickle, squeezed between the 90% of voters who demand action and the NRA, which demands no action.

The overwhelming majority of the Senate GOP conference is already on the record as opposing a compromise measure to expand background checks sponsored by Sens. Pat Toomey (R-PA) and Joe Manchin (D-WV), which the Senate defeated in 2013 and 2015.

But many of them are likely to flip if Trump endorses a proposal to strengthen background checks, an idea that has consistently garnered strong ratings in public polls.

“I can tell you that there are Republican senators who were not here in 2015, the last time we had a vote, who are interested in this. There are Republican senators who were here and voted ‘no’ and they are rethinking,” Toomey said.

Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN), who was elected to the Senate last year, on Tuesday said he is open to expanded background checks.

“I’m interested in that as well as long as it doesn’t cross the threshold of impacting a law-abiding citizen in any way in terms of how he or she might want to access a weapon,” he said.

White House officials told Senate Republicans on Tuesday they are working on a package of proposals to address gun violence after several mass shootings rocked the nation over the August recess.

White House legislative affairs director Eric Ueland has told GOP leaders the proposal could come as soon as this week.

One Republican senator who voted against Toomey-Manchin six years ago told The Hill that he would consider changing his position.

“Ninety-five percent of the transfers at gun shows are not between individuals, they’re with dealers. When people go to gun shows, they’re prepared to have a background check and they do it instantly. Background checks at gun shows are most often the rule,” the senator said. “As much as I support the Second Amendment, I just cannot understand how it’s that much of an intrusion to have a background check between individuals.”

Toomey and other advocates of expanded background checks note that National Rifle Association chief executive Wayne LaPierre testified before the House in 1999 in favor of universal background checks, a position the gun rights group has since abandoned.

Toomey, who has been in regular contact with the president, on Tuesday said the president has expressed a willingness to strengthen background checks and described Toomey’s proposal as having the most “resonance” and the best chance of becoming law.

“I’ve spoken with the president repeatedly, probably a half a dozen times by now,” Toomey told reporters. “The president has been very engaged. He’s been very receptive.”

“He is open to doing something in this space and from my conversations with him and confirmed by his staff, he has not yet made a decision regarding exactly what he’s going to support,” he said.

GOP leaders on Monday said Trump is expected to get a full briefing on policy options as soon as Thursday and then make his recommendation to Capitol Hill Republicans about what he’s willing to support.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and other Republican lawmakers are waiting for a sign from Trump before taking a position on expanded background checks.

“We’re waiting for something we know if it passed would actually become law, and until the White House gives us some indication of what the president is willing to sign, we’re waiting to see what it looks like,” McConnell said.

Asked whether he personally thought it reasonable to mandate background checks for all commercial gun sales, McConnell replied, “I’m going to wait and assess the proposal that actually could become law.”

White House officials at this point are mulling whether to include background checks legislation in a bigger package along with several other proposals addressing gun violence, according to senators familiar with the negotiation.

Other proposals under consideration include so-called red-flag legislation, which would allow courts to temporarily confiscate weapons from individuals considered dangerous, and a bill sponsored by Toomey and Sen. Christopher Coons (D-DE) that would require law enforcement officers to be notified when someone fails a background check while attempting to purchase a gun.

Toomey said he is working with GOP colleagues to address their concerns about his old legislation.

...McConnell dismissed the Democrats’ call for action as a political “stunt” because Trump has already said he will veto the House bill.

“For months, what I have said consistently is let’s see if we can actually make a law here. And making a law when you have divided government is challenging,” McConnell said. “My members know the very simple fact that to make a law you have to have a presidential signature.”