We just had an eminent left-leaning jurist promoting the idea on the op-ed page of the paper of record. Seems like fair game! If congressional Republicans can be cornered for reaction every time some party member brain-farts a hot take about a divisive issue, our fearless media should be able to twist some Democratic arms over just how far they’re willing to go to take guns out of the hands of midterm voters.
There’s just one problem.
Some members of that media are too busy reassuring themselves that no one is proposing this idea despite John Paul Stevens having proposed it literally yesterday.
this is a lot of bunk. no one calling for 2A repeal. stop with the bogeymen. we need to stop the shootings and have a rational conversation about what can be done. https://t.co/P2MYoY4EtO
— Christopher C. Cuomo (@ChrisCuomo) March 28, 2018
No one’s calling for Second Amendment repeal? Here’s data from YouGov that’s a month old. Question: Do you favor or oppose repealing the Second Amendment?
Democrats are essentially evenly split. You can dismiss that result as an outlier if you like by noting that the poll was conducted within two weeks of the Parkland massacre, when people were apt to be more emotional. But even if you discount for emotion, what’s the Democratic baseline likely to be on this issue? Maybe a quarter of the party that’s likely to be back in charge of the House this fall?
Still, if you’re looking to make liberal politicians squirm, there are better questions than asking if they want the Second Amendment repealed. It’s easy-ish to say no to that since (a) Americans tend to get nervous when repealing a constitutional amendment is on the table and (b) it damages the incrementalist effort to ban guns by lunging too soon for a maximalist solution. Even leftists who want the Second Amendment gone would forgive Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren — or an imperiled red-stater like Joe Manchin — for opposing repeal publicly. The most important thing to them now is to reclaim political power and a quixotic move to upend the constitutional scheme that has zero chance of success would risk that. Look at it this way: How many liberals who want nothing short of single-payer were happy to support the half-measure public-private solution of ObamaCare in 2010? They play the long game, knowing what’s politically feasible at a particular moment and what isn’t.
Is Ms Lindsey acting tough?
It’s so easy for a Senator to get a vote on a silly bill, like “should the 2nd Amendment be repealed?”
All he has to do is write and introduce the bill then insist on a voice vote.
But the fact is a 2/3rds vote of both houses PLUS 3/4ers of all 50 states must be “for” it or it doesn’t happen.
There’s no way it’s happening for at least several voting cycles.
Way back one Major Owens said IF WE COULD REPEAL THE 2nd AMENDMENT PEOPLE WOULD CELEBRATE IN THE STREETS what a idiot the only ones who would celebrate would be the muggers,robbers,rapists,gang thugs and our many enemies overseas We real’y need to repeal our nations membership in the UN(Useless Nations)and rip up and those worthless treaties including the Small Arms Control Treaty signed by traitor John Kerry
@Nanny G: They should be asked, and the answer be filmed, would make a great campaign ad in all 49 states.