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Sen. Harry Reid: Senate schedule too busy this year to debate gun control
WASHINGTON — The White House made clear Thursday that new legislation on gun control will not be on the political agenda this election year, as President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney engaged in their most extensive discussions on the issue since last week’s Colorado theater shootings.
Their comments revived — if briefly — a sensitive debate that has faded to the background in national politics and been virtually nonexistent in this year’s close presidential race.
While Obama called for tougher background checks on Americans trying to buy a gun, White House spokesman Jay Carney said the president is not pushing for new gun control legislation, though he still supports a ban on assault weapons. Carney said Obama intends to focus on other ways to combat violence.
Romney has said changing the nation’s laws would not prevent gun-related tragedies.
Sealing the matter, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Thursday the Senate’s schedule is too packed to even have a debate on gun control. Asked if the Senate might debate the issue next year, Reid said: “Nice try.”
Their comments revived — if briefly — a sensitive debate that has faded to the background in national politics and been virtually nonexistent in this year’s close presidential race.
While Obama called for tougher background checks on Americans trying to buy a gun, White House spokesman Jay Carney said the president is not pushing for new gun control legislation, though he still supports a ban on assault weapons. Carney said Obama intends to focus on other ways to combat violence.
Romney has said changing the nation’s laws would not prevent gun-related tragedies.
Sealing the matter, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Thursday the Senate’s schedule is too packed to even have a debate on gun control. Asked if the Senate might debate the issue next year, Reid said: “Nice try.”
http://www.rgj.com/viewart/20120726/NEWS12/307260096/Sen-Harry-Reid-Senate-schedule-too-busy-this-year-to-debate-gun-control
Senator Reid is the reason Democrats still control the Senate. He's a savvy politician and knows better than to embarrass rural Democrats in an election year, or any other year for that matter.
Stricter gun control in this country is going nowhere fast so long as he remains Senate Majority Leader.
And the only way we're going to re-take the House of Representatives is with the help of rural Democrats. And not many of them have an appetite for stricter gun control either.
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