American Thinker · Feb 4, 2013 · Rick Moran
If a ban can't pass the Senate, it certainly won't pass in the House. Consider the assault weapons ban a dead issue, while the ammunition limit is alive and well.
Wall Street Journal:
"Senate Democratic leaders expect a gun bill to move to the Senate floor that includes most of the proposals backed by President Barack Obama, with the notable exception of a ban on military-style, semiautomatic weapons, a top aide to Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada said."
"The bill would likely seek to limit the capacity of ammunition magazines; expand background checks to include sales at gun shows and other private transactions; and require better record keeping to keep guns out of the hands of those with mental illnesses. It would also try to curb gun sales in states with more relaxed gun laws to buyers in states with stricter laws."
"But the strategy outline also reflects a growing sense within Democratic ranks that some of the president's most ambitious goals-particularly the call for new bans on certain types of military-style guns often described as assault weapons-may be unrealistic, the Reid aide said."
"The goal is to get the bill to the Senate floor next month, at which point lawmakers could then seek to amend the legislation by adding a ban on certain semiautomatic weapons or other provisions, the aide said."
"The details provide the first snapshot of how Senate Democrats plan to move forward on major gun legislation in coming weeks."
Even a watered down ban that would include only a few weapons is not likely to pass. The question is, will Harry Reid embarrass the president by bringing an assault weapons ban to a vote? Obama may want a show of hands, thinking he can use it against the GOP in 2014. But if a dozen vulnerable Democrats vote against a ban, he has no case.
A limit on ammunition may garner a few Republican votes and could very well pass in the Senate. But House Republicans are in no mood to give the president much of anything on gun control and it, too, will almost certainly die in conference committee.
That leaves universal background checks. The GOP will try and weaken the provision, but this is the one part of Obama's gun control agenda that is likely to pass in the Senate and could pass the House if it was weakened enough.
After all the build-up, any legislation that gets passed is likely to be fairly meaningless.
Wall Street Journal:
"Senate Democratic leaders expect a gun bill to move to the Senate floor that includes most of the proposals backed by President Barack Obama, with the notable exception of a ban on military-style, semiautomatic weapons, a top aide to Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada said."
"The bill would likely seek to limit the capacity of ammunition magazines; expand background checks to include sales at gun shows and other private transactions; and require better record keeping to keep guns out of the hands of those with mental illnesses. It would also try to curb gun sales in states with more relaxed gun laws to buyers in states with stricter laws."
"But the strategy outline also reflects a growing sense within Democratic ranks that some of the president's most ambitious goals-particularly the call for new bans on certain types of military-style guns often described as assault weapons-may be unrealistic, the Reid aide said."
"The goal is to get the bill to the Senate floor next month, at which point lawmakers could then seek to amend the legislation by adding a ban on certain semiautomatic weapons or other provisions, the aide said."
"The details provide the first snapshot of how Senate Democrats plan to move forward on major gun legislation in coming weeks."
Even a watered down ban that would include only a few weapons is not likely to pass. The question is, will Harry Reid embarrass the president by bringing an assault weapons ban to a vote? Obama may want a show of hands, thinking he can use it against the GOP in 2014. But if a dozen vulnerable Democrats vote against a ban, he has no case.
A limit on ammunition may garner a few Republican votes and could very well pass in the Senate. But House Republicans are in no mood to give the president much of anything on gun control and it, too, will almost certainly die in conference committee.
That leaves universal background checks. The GOP will try and weaken the provision, but this is the one part of Obama's gun control agenda that is likely to pass in the Senate and could pass the House if it was weakened enough.
After all the build-up, any legislation that gets passed is likely to be fairly meaningless.
Jimmy Lee Dykes, 65, allegedly stormed a school bus when it stopped to let off students and said he had to take two children hostage
dailymail.co.uk · Feb 4, 2013 · By THOMAS DURANTE and LAURA COLLINS IN MIDLAND CITY, ALABAMA
The 'survivalist killer' who allegedly gunned down a bus driver before taking a boy hostage in an underground bunker is now dead as the dramatic ordeal has ended after seven days.
The five-year-old boy hostage, known only as Ethan, was taken away from the scene and is believed to be in fine condition.
Multiple news outlets have reported that the gunman, 65-year-old Jimmy Lee Dykes, is deceased, but the cause of his death was not immediately known.
Several loud booms were heard between 3:20pm and 3:30pm local time.
The boy is was reportedly taken to nearby Flowers Hospital, about six miles away, but is not believed to be injured.
Loud bangs were reportedly heard in the area before Dykes' death.
An ambulance that had been parked near the scene could be seen driving away.
However, it was not clear if anyone was inside, and the vehicle did not have its sirens or emergency lights on.
A news conference will be held later this afternoon in Midland City.
The five-year-old boy hostage, known only as Ethan, was taken away from the scene and is believed to be in fine condition.
Multiple news outlets have reported that the gunman, 65-year-old Jimmy Lee Dykes, is deceased, but the cause of his death was not immediately known.
Several loud booms were heard between 3:20pm and 3:30pm local time.
The boy is was reportedly taken to nearby Flowers Hospital, about six miles away, but is not believed to be injured.
Loud bangs were reportedly heard in the area before Dykes' death.
An ambulance that had been parked near the scene could be seen driving away.
However, it was not clear if anyone was inside, and the vehicle did not have its sirens or emergency lights on.
A news conference will be held later this afternoon in Midland City.
Washington Times · Jan 29, 2013 · By Stephen Dinan
Even as President Obama travels to Las Vegas Tuesday to call for legalizing illegal immigrants, the latest numbers from the U.S. Border Patrol suggest that the flow across the nation's southwest border jumped by 9 percent last year.
The Border Patrol made 356,873 arrests along the U.S.-Mexico border in fiscal year 2012, up from 327,577 in 2011, according to figures obtained by the Associated Press and confirmed by The Washington Times. Border Patrol officials estimate that apprehensions are a good proxy for illegal crossings, so when the numbers go up, it means that the flow of illegal immigrants is going up as well.
Last year's increase marks a reversal. Apprehensions peaked in 2005 at 1.2 million and had been steadily dropping every year since as first President George W. Bush and then Mr. Obama committed more manpower and resources to the border.
In his first term Mr. Obama said he had fortified the border so much that it could now be deemed secure, and Congress could turn its attention to passing an overhaul of the broader immigration system.
The Border Patrol made 356,873 arrests along the U.S.-Mexico border in fiscal year 2012, up from 327,577 in 2011, according to figures obtained by the Associated Press and confirmed by The Washington Times. Border Patrol officials estimate that apprehensions are a good proxy for illegal crossings, so when the numbers go up, it means that the flow of illegal immigrants is going up as well.
Last year's increase marks a reversal. Apprehensions peaked in 2005 at 1.2 million and had been steadily dropping every year since as first President George W. Bush and then Mr. Obama committed more manpower and resources to the border.
In his first term Mr. Obama said he had fortified the border so much that it could now be deemed secure, and Congress could turn its attention to passing an overhaul of the broader immigration system.
