A conservative senator is proposing to greatly broaden the background check system for firearms purchasers but require no records of the transactions as the Senate braced for votes on amendments to gun control legislation next week.
The plan by Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., was one of several proposals Republicans were discussing in preparation for debate. In response to December's elementary school attack in Newtown, Conn., which killed 20 children and six adults, the Senate is considering a Democratic bill backed by President Barack Obama that would expand background checks, strengthen laws against illegal gun trafficking and slightly increase school security aid.
The possible GOP amendments, described by aides and lobbyists, include one requiring states to recognize permits for carrying concealed weapons issued by other states. Many gun control advocates oppose the idea vehemently because some states' standards for issuing the permits are considered weak, and such a provision, if approved, might cause some to rethink support for the overall bill.
I suppose this is an example of compromise that some people are always talking about. I oppose it outright. In a discussion of which is the right thing to do, each item should be taken separately.
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