If we turn this into a repeat of the 1994 assault weapons ban fiasco, people will be upset. Again.

They were right for banning them, but they should've STAYED banned.

rather than requiring those rifles not to have bayonet lugs and flash suppressors.

The weapons in both the Aurora and Newtown shootings would not have been illegal under the '94 ban.

I would like there to be no semi-automatic rifles in civilian hands in the US (and I'm a "gun nut" by DU standards), or at least none with quickly-removable magazines.

I think actually doing it is as quixotic as our attempt to ban marijuana has been, would be as ineffective, and would carry with it as many unintended bad consequences.

Using weed to make ANY point here is foolish.

That said, a moratorium on the manufacture of ALL guns for, let's say 5 years, would remove a SHITLOAD of them from the streets.

Of course, before you start expressing concern for the employees of these manufacturers, I would recommend a government-funded retooling of these factories. Perhaps they can make coffins?

The only point is that both pot and guns are easy to make, easy to conceal, and widely desired by a lot of people.

And, no, I don't think you're over-thinking this, because their primary response here is arming teachers, which should serve as a reminder how irresponsible and worthless they are in general.

...so, no, I don't think you're overthinking this.

The Republicans have harbored every poisonous snake they could cuddle up to. Now let them suffer the bites.

And accessories like high capacity magazines.

No Repub got to where they are by thinking for themselves.

who love their guns, and yes, a lot of people out there have exactly that relationship with firearms.

You outright assume that what they want is gun control (thats what I take away from your paragraph). In the end that may be the case but we don't know. IT could be that public sentiment falls more in line with armed school security, locked class room doors, etc.... My personal opinion is- that overall attitudes towards gun control will not really change. You might see a small bump in gun control support but it will fade. This does not mean legislative action cannot be taken

Now that could encompass a lot of things - like education, better mental health care, better security in schools, more enforcement of current laws and yes - may incorporate some sort of so-called 'gun control' like maybe an assault weapons ban. This whole issue needs to be looked at from many perspectives - but it seems like the Repugs are dug in and perhaps prisoners to the NRA. They seem to make this an issue only about the prospect of taking away 2nd Amendment Rights and gun control. To me that puts them on the wrong side of this issue as with many other issues they have taken sides on. That is what I think can't be good for them. Isn't it interesting that most of the Sunday shows had a hard time getting Repug Senators and Congresscritters to come on and discuss this today.

If it weren't for repukes, we wouldn't be in this fucking mess.

bribes to the anti gun-control office-holders to fend off any hint of a change in the attitudes against gun control legislation.

There won't be enough room under the tree for all of the cash, expensive dinners, private jet excursions, yachting trips, golfing junkets, and think-tank appointments that pro-gun Congressmen can expect in the coming weeks and months...