With Reciprocity/FixNICS Bill, NRA Makes Concession on ‘Background Checks’ It Can’t Walk Back

Rep. Goodlatte acted as the chief advocate for the “pro-gun” side. (C-SPAN screenshot)

I spent a good part of yesterday afternoon watching House proceedings on C-SPAN for the national concealed carry reciprocity/”Fix NICS” combination bill. It passed 231 to 198 and now goes on to the Senate.

It’s always interesting to watch the debates, if for no other reason than to see the hypocrisy and conflation that anti-gun Democrats indulge in. Standing out for me were the number of objections that had nothing to do with concealed carriers, except maybe as further evidence that the massacres being recounted conveniently occurred where no armed citizens were present. It was also interesting to watch Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee take a rare break from blaming law enforcement for the ills that plague her constituents so that she could feign concern for the welfare of cops. Not to be outdone, Rep. Val Demings also played on that theme, conveniently not mentioning how she had threatened to sue a website for publicizing she was censured for having her department-issued gun and ammunition stolen back when she was chief of the Orlando PD.

I think those who believe in the right to keep and bear arms can all agree that laws that forbid the carrying them are infringements. It’s also obvious that those infringements happened incrementally, and that realistically, rolling them back via the political and judicial remedies designed into the Constitution is going to be a process. What I’m not going to get into here, except for briefly mentioning them, are all the arguments pro and con about the approach of this bill. You can read those in plenty of places, starting here, which provides a pretty good summary of all sides.

I’d instead like to address something fewer people are talking about, and that’s the spirited defense for “FixNICS” being offered by the National Rifle Association, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, and the “pro-gun” politicians defending the need to have the bill, and for that matter, an undelegated NICS prior restraint power the government has created for itself (a whole ‘nother argument).

From John Cornyn’s press release:

“For years agencies and states haven’t complied with the law, failing to upload these critical records without consequence,” Sen. Cornyn said. “Just one record that’s not properly reported can lead to tragedy, as the country saw last week in Sutherland Springs, Texas.”

If that’s the case, what Cornyn and his NRA supporters are saying is that citizen disarmament works. That’s not only unsupported and refutable, it contradicts the NRA position that it does not – unless it’s “NRA-brand”^TM “gun control”?

Further, with that admission, they have just thrown private sales under the bus and made the case for “universal background checks.” If they really believe “just one record” is all it takes, how can they turn around with a straight face and oppose “universal background checks”?

My belief is that will be a concession offered up eventually. My feeling, due to discussions I was privy to after Sandy Hook, was that was a hill they wanted to greenlight a surrender on, but couldn’t without risking a member revolt.

But that doesn’t mean they won’t keep trying – on “mental health” and on “No Fly/No Buy” when the time is right, but for the immediate future on “bump stocks.” There’s “study” language in “FixNICS” plus ATF is being pressured by AG Sessions to reevaluate its initial ruling, the very tack endorsed by NRA.

And as for the victory many gun owners are celebrating, you might want to temper the jubilation. It’s got to get through the Senate where GovTrack gives it a “35% chance of being enacted” and Democrat gun-grabber Chris Murphy says it will be “dead on arrival.” That means the horse trading isn‘t over.

It also means all that gets signed into law could end up being an “improved” disqualifying reporting system. And, of course, things won’t change a bit as far as reducing criminal violence goes.

—–

If you believe in the mission of Oath Keepers, to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, please make a donation to support our work.  You can donate HERE.

—–

David Codrea’s opinions are his own. See “Who speaks for Oath Keepers?”

The post With Reciprocity/FixNICS Bill, NRA Makes Concession on ‘Background Checks’ It Can’t Walk Back appeared first on Oath Keepers.