Democrats Cut Biden Out of Negotiations
(UnitedVoice.com) – Over the last two decades, numerous presidents have faced rising gun violence. Yet, the approach to dealing with the issue is different between Democrats and Republicans. The Left prefers to see guns as the problem and therefore wants to regulate them heavily despite Second Amendment protections for gun owners. Republicans see the issue as a people problem rooted in mental illness.
Over the last several months, the US has experienced a rise in mass gun violence. As such, Senators say bipartisan discussions are underway. As negotiations continue, some Democratic Senators say that if President Joe Biden inserted himself into the talks, it could harm their efforts. Still, it’s not clear whether Republicans would be willing to pass any gun control measures or how far they might compromise, if at all.
Democrats Tell Biden to Stay Out of Gun Talks During Negotiations With The GOP
Since the Obama administration, there have been many proposals to solve the problem of gun violence. Yet, there’s an obstacle. In the US Senate, legislation must pass with 60 votes, and there has been no agreement on how to resolve the gun challenge legislatively.
On Thursday, June 2, President Biden aired a primetime speech to the nation addressing the issue of gun violence. The president implored lawmakers to pass numerous gun control measures. Biden’s address left many Democrats perplexed as many of his proposals weren’t part of the negotiations with Republicans. Some openly wondered where Biden was taking the White House over the issue.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) is the lead Democratic Senator talking with Republicans open to new ideas about solving gun violence. On Sunday morning, Murphy insinuated he was briefing the White House every day about the state of the talks with the GOP. So, Biden’s comments a few days earlier may have surprised him.
Murphy said the Senate needs to negotiate a gun-control package independently without the aid or influence from the White House. Both Democrats and Republicans have expressed some optimism about the state of the negotiations. Yet, both sides caution that there’s no guarantee that the Senate would reach a legislative deal.
White House Questions How Hard to Push
Murphy’s statement came as the White House continued to mull how officials wanted to inject themselves into the national conversation. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said he’s giving the negotiations until Friday, June 10th, to reach an agreement. Still, deadlines don’t appear to mean much to Schumer, who extended them numerous times last fall and winter as Democrats negotiated the partisan Build Back Better plan.
On Monday, Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA) said the negotiations were a big challenge, and he was cautious about whether or not Senators would agree on any gun control measures. On Sunday, Toomey said Biden wasn’t being helpful by pushing the Left’s agenda on the Senate. Still, on Monday, the White House said it was optimistic.
Nonetheless, some say even if the Senate reaches a consensus, it may not be comprehensive enough to change much and would put pressure on states to enact gun control measures.
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