"Most accounts suggest that Reid jettisoned the assault weapons ban from the overall bill, so as not to weigh down other the measures with the controversial proposal. That is certainly true, but by also allowing the proposal to be brought forward as an amendment, he gives red-state Democrats the opportunity to vote against the ban. This will help them greatly in next year's election, even if other, more modest or weak measures pass.
Bringing the ban to the floor as an amendment is not a tactic to allow supporters of a ban to show their approval. Rather, it is a deliberate effort to allow Democrats running for reelection to vote against the ban. Expect almost all Democrats up for reelection in red or swing states to vote against the amendment. "
It is easy to underestimate Reid because of his hangdog vocals but he is a better and much more experienced politician than Barack. You have to watch him. Just yesterday he was putting the crisis of the Nevada Marine deaths to use blaming it on sequester.
Thomas Sowell: There are no solutions, just trade-offs.
