Obama Enraged Gun Control Couldn’t Pass Democrat-Led Senate
Capitol Hill has been pro-gun since the Republican takeover of the House that year, in the wake of President Clinton signing the “assault weapons” ban. No major anti-Second Amendment legislation has passed Congress in 20 years.
President Obama may have thought he finally had his chance after the horrific tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School, but the will of the people blocked him, for now.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid never seemed to believe the legislation could pass, but he was pressured by the White House to bring it up for a vote. Sources familiar with the machinations behind the failed anti-gun bills in April 2013 believe Mr. Obama, Vice President Joseph Biden, and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg were in a rush to push the issue before the memory of Sandy Hook faded.
Politically, Mr. Obama wanted to appease his base by showing he was doing something on an issue that is a high priority for them. He also wanted to force Republicans to be on the record voting against his “common sense” gun control proposals — so he could use those votes against them to elect more Democrats to Congress in 2014.
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