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Federal Gun Registry Is New Death Panel
WASHINGTON — In the days leading up to Wednesday’s Senate vote on gun legislation amendments, the talking point that has taken off most amongst conservatives as a reason to oppose the background check compromise is that it would lead to a national database of gun owners.
This myth has spread despite the fact that the deal worked out by Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.)explicitly bars a federal registry. On Wednesday, supporters aggressively worked to hit back.
“Claims that this legislation would create a gun registry are nothing more than shameful scare tactics,” said Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on the Senate floor on Wednesday morning. “The opponents of the will of the American people should not spread misinformation or sow seeds of fear about this critical anti-violence legislation. But that’s what they’re doing.”
The concern over a federal gun registry has spread quickly. Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) was widely considered by Democrats to be one of the Republicans most likely to support the Manchin-Toomey deal. But on Tuesday, he came out against it, saying he believed the bill “could lead to the creation of a national gun registry and puts additional burdens on law-abiding citizens.”
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) acknowledged on Wednesday that the legislation doesn’t actually create a registry, but he said he believes it could encourage future efforts to do so.
“The currently pending legislation does not purport to create a national gun registry,” he said at a press conference, “but the Department of Justice has said explicitly that when you require background checks for private firearms transactions, the only way to make that effective is through a national gun registry.” MOREHERE
“Death panels died and gave birth to gun registry,” quipped a Senate Democratic aide, referring to the most pernicious and persistent myth during the health care debate.
