Senate heads off filibuster on gun bill

[george]

Now it relay starts, all the purposed amendments.

11:38 a.m. ET: Reid announces the amendment process will begin. He says it will possibly take "weeks" to legislate. Reid also says there will be a vote on an assault weapons ban, which is not expected to pass.

11:35 a.m. ET: The final vote is 68-31. The debate begins. By our count, there were 16 Republican senators who agreed to move forward.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/04/11/guns-senate-filibuster-vote-live/2073529/

[rugersol]

http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2013/04/11/list-republican-democratic-defections-senate-gun-legislation/

The following is a list of Republican lawmakers who voted to advance the gun legislation in the Senate Thursday:

New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte

Georgia Sen. Saxby Chambliss

Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn

Maine Sen. Susan Collins

Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake

Georgia Sen. Johnny Isakson

Arizona Sen. John McCain

Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker

North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr

North Dakota Sen. John Hoeven

Illinois Sen. Mark Kirk

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham

Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander

Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker

Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey

Nevada Sen. Dean Heller

[george]

Someone tell me I'm thinking wrong, but, by this vote, I believe it may be a slam dunk that it's going to pass, universal checks,
now the question will be what kind of amendments will be added to the thing. Maybe some will bail before it's finished.

[Heffay]

Someone tell me I'm thinking wrong, but, by this vote, I believe it may be a slam dunk that it's going to pass, universal checks,
now the question will be what kind of amendments will be added to the thing. Maybe some will bail before it's finished.

I think it has almost no chance of passing. This vote means nothing, other than at least some politicians are doing their jobs.

[rugersol]

Someone tell me I'm thinking wrong, but, by this vote, I believe it may be a slam dunk that it's going to pass, universal checks,
now the question will be what kind of amendments will be added to the thing. Maybe some will bail before it's finished.

http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2013/04/11/whats-bill-guide-senate-gun-legislation/

With the bill advancing, Reid said there will be a good deal of amendments that will likely take until next week to go through. Here are a couple amendments we know will be offered, in addition to the Manchin-Toomey substitute:

-- Assault weapons ban

-- Limit on high-capacity magazines

There are some other bipartisan bills percolating related to mental health that may come as amendments as well.

Opponents of the bill, such as Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas; Mike Lee, R-Utah; and Rand Paul, R-Ky., are also expected to offer amendments.

[NMRMN]

So much for the filibuster. Bob Owens thinks something else is up:

Republican Senators drop gun bill filibuster; is a trap being set?

I was a little surprised that the Republicans skipped out on the gun control bill filibuster, allowing it to move forward to debate by a vote of 68-31. 16 Republicans crossing the aisle to allow it to go forward including Burr, who had been set to join the filibuster.

[DoxaPar]

Arizona Sen. John McCain

More than anyone, this man needs to retire. The joke that is coming out of the immigration leaks is just proof he's lost his mind.

[Heffay]

Arizona Sen. John McCain

More than anyone, this man needs to retire. The joke that is coming out of the immigration leaks is just proof he's lost his mind.

One of our best senators ever. Guy's a war hero! Nice and moderate too. We need more senators like him, not less.

[sansooshooter]

Arizona Sen. John McCain

More than anyone, this man needs to retire. The joke that is coming out of the immigration leaks is just proof he's lost his mind.

One of our best senators ever. Guy's a war hero! Nice and moderate too. We need more senators like him, not less.

McCain is a progressive Dem and should change parties. Him And his pal Lindsy.
Heffay you have a bunch of senators just like him. They are dems.
He is a fabian socialist.
The dynamic duo of McCain and Lindsy have compromised us down the road to ruin time and time again!

[DoxaPar]

Arizona Sen. John McCain

More than anyone, this man needs to retire. The joke that is coming out of the immigration leaks is just proof he's lost his mind.

One of our best senators ever. Guy's a war hero! Nice and moderate too. We need more senators like him, not less.

Did you see the immigration "fines" they are planning for folks that want to stay here?

[Heffay]

McCain is a progressive Dem and should change parties. Him And his pal Lindsy.
Heffay you have a bunch of senators just like him. They are dems.
He is a fabian socialist.
The dynamic duo of McCain and Lindsy have compromised us down the road to ruin time and time again!

A moderate Republican is not left of center. He's just left of you.

Any other Republican senators and congressmen you want to switch over to the Democrats? I'm sure they wouldn't mind having a supermajority in the House and Senate.

[Heffay]

Did you see the immigration "fines" they are planning for folks that want to stay here?

Nope. Details?

[DoxaPar]

I'll see if I can fine them. In my car atm.

[sansooshooter]

McCain is a progressive Dem and should change parties. Him And his pal Lindsy.
Heffay you have a bunch of senators just like him. They are dems.
He is a fabian socialist.
The dynamic duo of McCain and Lindsy have compromised us down the road to ruin time and time again!

A moderate Republican is not left of center. He's just left of you.Any other Republican senators and congressmen you want to switch over to the Democrats? I'm sure they wouldn't mind having a supermajority in the House and Senate.

Dont tell me where i stand.
It sickens me
McCain is left of a lot of Republicans and pretty much all conservatives.
I am just one in a long line, Who would be happy if he went away.

[Heffay]

I'll see if I can fine them. In my car atm.

Was it this thing at the town hall meeting he had?

Throughout the session, McCain stressed the need for more border security, but said undocumented immigrants should be given the opportunity to become citizens as long as they pay a fine and back taxes and get in line behind other immigrants.

"All of us, from time to time, I think with rare exception, unfortunately, have broken the law," McCain said. "Mine was while driving an automobile at an excessive speed. I paid a fine. I paid a fine. I had to go to school. Some of us might remember that experience."

That seems reasonable. A fine for illegal immigrants to make right for not following the law. Then guest worker program.