Only a few days ago, I wrote about how President Joe Biden’s gun control agenda has been, in the words of Bon Jovi, shot down in a blaze of glory. But it appears the president may not be giving up that easily. Like the “Little Engine That Could,” he just might have another trick up his sleeve. Sure, he can’t remember which sleeve he left it in, but that’s what First Lady Jill Biden is for.
There are growing concerns that Biden will attempt to ram through portions of his anti-gun agenda before Democrats lose the House, and possibly the Senate, in the upcoming midterm elections. The Washington Examiner reported:
This week, advocates of gun control and the Second Amendment revealed two probable Biden “Hail Mary” scenarios that could play out before or after Election Day to fulfill his goal of taking “ghost guns,” modern sporting rifles, and accessories such as high-capacity cartridge magazines off the market.
The preelection option calls for a push on gun bans to boost support from the president’s liberal base. That would likely include the more sensational elements of his plan, including an “assault weapons” ban targeting semi-automatic pistols and rifles.
“Insiders said the move would be more geared toward a political win and not a vote because it’s likely that targeting guns will not woo enough Republicans to beat a filibuster in the Senate,” according to the news outlet.
A Democratic congressional aide pointed out that the president does not have much in the way of political leverage to bend Congress to his will. Because of this, Biden and his merry band of gun-hating Democrats might try a political rope-a-dope maneuver and slide gun control provisions into budget bills that the legislature will deal with in November and December. “There, Biden could push through red flag rules that would take weapons away from those deemed incapable, according to gun rights advocates,” according to The Washington Examiner.
However, the gun control issue is not exactly working in the Democrats’ favor in 2022. Indeed, a Gallup poll published last November revealed that support for stricter gun laws has dropped considerably. Robert Francis O’Rourke, the Democratic candidate for Texas governor who changed his name to “Beto” to appeal to Hispanics, recently changed his tune on guns. When he was seeking the Democratic nomination for president during the 2020 campaign, he emphatically said he was going to “take” AR-15s and other firearms. He recently backtracked, claiming he does not want to seize guns.
The National Rifle Association (NRA) declared it would fight any attempts to introduce any new gun control legislation. “We’re always concerned because it seems like the Left will never stop trying to take away our civil rights,” said Willes Lee, the first vice president of the National Rifle Association, in an interview, according to the Examiner.
“The fact is we’re always concerned,” said Jason Ouimet, the NRA’s top lobbyist. “Between now and Election Day is an eternity, and anything can change the landscape. So, anything that’s out there that can be used as a vehicle before or after causes us concern.”
An attempt to covertly insert gun control measures into the budget bill would be a desperate, last-ditch effort to further restrict gun rights. But it could work. If there isn’t a forceful backlash against such a suggestion coming from those who value the Second Amendment, Democrats might be able to persuade the squishy types among Republicans to support the passage of the bill.
Moreover, even if this gambit fails, Biden can still seek other ways to curtail gun ownership in America. Justin Anderson, the marketing director for Hyatt Guns of Charlotte, North Carolina, indicated that the president could possibly seek to restrict gun ownership through the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. As the Examiner reported, he said:
“While trying to pass anything through Congress is likely a nonstarter, ATF regulations can be changed at the executive level. We’ve seen this in the past with bump stocks, and while not probable, it’s still very possible.”
The pro-gun side of the debate seems to be turning the tide when it comes to imposing new restrictions on firearms. Gun ownership has drastically increased over the past two years amid skyrocketing crime rates and it does not appear to be slowing down. More Americans are waking up to the idea that guns aren’t evil much to the chagrin of the David Hoggs of the world. The gun lobby has not given up. But for the time being, they are not going to get what they want.
