FROM NEAL KNOX
The three days of debate tentatively scheduled to begin March 3 on S. 659, the gun industry liability protection act, will almost certainly move up to THIS WEEK.
NRA-ILA and the Republican leadership know that every day of delay will bring more editorials condemning the bill and demanding that it become a Christmas Tree of anti-gun amendments, leading off with extending and expanding the Clinton Assault Weapon ban, and Sen. John McCains gun show destroyer bill.
Weve been getting reports, and seeing signs from both sides of an earlier debate and vote for many days. Handgun Control Inc., the Brady Campaign, popped a full page Washington Post ad over a week ago. NRA-ILA sent out postcards urging members to call on even the most doubtful Senators to support S. 659 and block amendments.
And even with hard information as to what was in the works I saw no reason to give the anti-gun readers confirmation of what they had suspected. After all, you folks have already been talking to your Senators. Havent you?
If not, nows the time.
This past week, HCIs StopTheNRA.com shouted that the vote is coming up this week and the latest ILA report agrees, so the non-secret is no longer a secret.
Interestingly, most of the editorials and articles from around the country are claiming there are 59 co-sponsors of S. 659, which is wrong. That means the reporters and editorial writers are getting their info from the same anti-gun sources. So what else is new?
According to the official Senate report on bills at Thomas.loc.gov the count is still Chief Sponsor Larry Craig plus 54. The most-recent official co-sponsor was Minority Leader Tom Daschle back in September.
But unofficially, we have 60 votes for the bill and against the filibuster.
