By: Anthony Morelli
It was a bad day for gun rights.
And the final nail in the coffin was driven by Republicans.
Gun owners were stunned after the Republicans made a sudden move to destroy gun rights.
Many politicians who are elected to public office as Republicans don’t actually hold conservative views on a number of issues.
Often times, they run as Republicans for no other reason than the district they live in typically votes Republican, and they want the “R” next to their name in order to get more votes.
But when push comes to shove, these politicians often flake out on tough issues like gun rights, since they aren’t ideological and don’t actually care about the issue like their constituents do.
This is exactly what happened in Pennsylvania during a fight over a “ghost gun” ban which ultimately ended up passing the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
Democrats have an extremely narrow majority in the chamber, but three Republicans ended up joining with them and throwing gun owners under the bus.
Many were shocked that Republicans would do this, but those who pay close attention know that this actually happens quite frequently.
According to the Philadelphia Sun, “A proposal to ban the purchase, sale, and production of untraceable gun parts passed the Pennsylvania state House of Representatives last Wednesday, with Democrats in the House using their majority to propel gun control after years of stagnation in a divided state government.
“The legislation passed the House 104-97, with almost all Democrats and three Republicans voting in favor of it.”
The three Republicans who voted in favor of it were Rep. Joe Hogan, Rep. K.C. Tomlinson, and Rep. Martina White.
Clearly these Republicans must be individuals who are uncomfortable with guns, and only ran for office as Republicans hoping to get elected, not because of any conservative views that they hold.
The article continues, “So-termed ‘ghost guns’ are firearms that don’t have serial numbers, making them difficult to trace. The measure would criminalize the sale of firearms or firearm parts without serial numbers. Anyone who purchases a gun or gun part — such as a muffler or silencer — that lacks a serial number would also face felony charges.”
“The bill is part of a package of gun control reform measures Democrats have pursued since taking the majority in 2023. They passed a slate of measures, including an assault rifle ban, out of committee in January, which still requires a floor vote. Other measures sent to the state Senate have been halted.”
It remains to be seen whether the Pennsylvania Senate, which is controlled by Republicans, will have the stomach to say “no” to the anti-gun lobby and vote down this bill.
Their constituents certainly want them to, but the media will be loudly clamoring for them to pass it, alongside anti-gun activist groups that have close ties among the Pennsylvania political elites.
In the meantime, the three Republicans who voted for this bill will almost certainly go home to their districts and campaign on being “100% pro-gun.” The question is whether the voters will believe them again.