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Who’s Opposed to Closing the “Terrorist Loophole?”

Posted on
December 19, 2015
by Agree Staff
On December 6, President Obama addressed the nation following the mass shooting in San Bernardino. Within his remarks, the President called for specific action Congress could take in response: “To begin with, Congress should act to make sure no one on a no-fly list is able to buy a gun. What could possibly be the argument for allowing a terrorist suspect to buy a semi-automatic weapon? This is a matter of national security.”

Everytown for Gun Safety, the super PAC formed by billionaire former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg, is now lending their support to President Obama’s efforts to close the “terrorist loophole.”

The ad, “America,” informs viewers that “Unfortunately, suspected terrorists can walk into one of 50,000 gun stores and legally buy a gun.” The images in the ad – including schools, churches and movie theatres – invoke memories of high-profile mass shootings that have occurred in recent years.

The ad closes with a criticism of congressional inaction on passing gun safety legislation: “It’s not the only solution, but when Congress fails to act it endangers us all.”

Congressional Inaction

President Obama’s speech came just days after Senate Republicans blocked such a measure in a vote that fell largely along party lines. (Illinois Sen. Mark Kirk was the only Republican to vote for it.) In the House, California Rep. Mike Thompson and Democrats have attempted a “discharge petition,” a procedural maneuver that would allow them to bring a bill to the House floor for a vote even without the support of Congressional leadership.

The moves have put Republicans in a difficult position, torn between their pro-gun and anti-terror loyalties. Presidential candidate Marco Rubio defended his vote again the Senate bill by arguing that the no-fly list “has a significant number of errors” and therefore shouldn’t be used to deny people on the list their constitutional rights.

Partisan Issue

Democrats have seized on this issue as one that could potentially pay dividends, either making incremental progress on enacting gun safety legislation or as an electoral tool against their opponents.

It appears that the public may be on their side; recent polling in North Carolina found 85% support for a bill to bar people on the terrorist watchlist from purchasing firearms, including 88% support from Republicans and 86% from Demcorats.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has already launched radio ads in ten battleground districts, criticizing vulnerable Republican incumbents for blocking the legislation in the House of Representatives.

Democratic Wedge Issue

It’s not just Republicans whom Democrats are targeting over their records on guns; gun safety has emerged as one of the principal wedge issues in Democratic primaries across the country. Democratic candidates who once touted moderate or conservative records on guns now find them to be a potential liability in a Democratic primary.

An A-rating and endorsement from the NRA weren’t enough to help Ohio Democrat Ted Strickland defeat current Republican Governor John Kasich in 2010; now it may hurt him in a Senate primary against P.G. Sittenfeld. And in a competitive Nevada House race, former state Assembly Speaker John Oceguera publicly resigned his NRA membership after San Bernardino.

For his part, Strickland claims that his views on gun control have changed since the tragedy in Sandy Hook three years ago. Democratic primary voters seems to have welcomed the “evolution” of candidates on LGBT rights and same-sex marriage; it remains to be seen if the same will hold true on gun safety.
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