CNN reports:
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said next week she will bring forward legislation to ban military-style assault weapons, as the chamber moves to address gun violence.
She said “we will be having a hearing and marking up the assault weapon ban” as soon as the House addresses several pieces of legislation, including the package the House Judiciary Committee will mark up on Thursday.
Why? Last time a ban on so-called “assault weapons” was introduced, the Democrats controlled 53 seats in the Senate. Despite this, the provision got just 40 votes. I don’t know how many votes it would get this time, but it sure as hell ain’t 50.
So why do it? It’s not as if the Democrats are in such a good position in the House that they can afford to put some of their members on the record for a controversial show vote. It’s not as if the public doesn’t know where Republicans stand on this question. And, because the Senate is firmly against, it doesn’t move the ball. What’s the point?
Presumably, the people who support banning “assault weapons” will say, “because it’s the right thing to do.” But is it? Leaving aside that it’s a terrible idea, and almost certainly unconstitutional, the most likely consequence of such a measure will be a spike in the sale of AR-15s — the very opposite outcome to the one that Pelosi wishes to achieve.
Certainly, that’s what happened the last time the Democrats talked about banning them, and it’s what happened every single time before that, too. Sure, holding a vote may make the Democrats feel good. But is it worth damaging their more vulnerable members and galvanizing gun sales for no material reward?