Topic: Legislative Amendments

The efficacy of Colorado's strict gun laws is questioned following the Boulder shooting, as the suspect legally purchased his firearm despite a prior criminal record. There is a critique of the term "assault-style weapon," arguing that it focuses on aesthetic features like heat shields and plastic stocks rather than mechanical function. The discussion highlights the political backlash in Colorado, where two state senators were previously recalled for supporting gun control measures.

The hosts examine proposed legislation in the 115th Congress to ban devices that increase the rate of fire for semi-automatic rifles, such as bump stocks. They point out the technical difficulty of the ban, noting that simple items like rubber bands or sticks can be used to achieve similar effects. They argue the language of the bill is overly broad and potentially unenforceable.

The Texas Senate has passed legislation allowing for the open carry of handguns for those who possess a concealed carry permit. The hosts clarify that while long guns were already legal to carry openly, this new bill extends the right to semi-automatic handguns. They discuss the cultural implications of "exercising the second amendment" in public spaces like Whole Foods.

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee is criticized for her emotional rhetoric regarding the Sandy Hook families and her technical inaccuracies regarding firearms. She incorrectly referred to the weapons used in various tragedies as "automatic weapons." The hosts argue that such misidentifications demonstrate a lack of understanding of the hardware being regulated.

The Senate approved an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) intended to protect U.S. citizens from indefinite detention, but the provision was later removed during reconciliation. Analysis of C-SPAN footage suggests Senator Harry Reid used specific procedural language to "vitiate" or gut the amendment. This legislative maneuver effectively restored the government's ability to detain citizens without trial.

The hosts contrast Steny Hoyer's claims of legislative "compromise" with John Boehner's report that a 300-page amendment was dropped into the hopper at 3:09 a.m. on the day of the vote. They argue that ramrodding thousand-page bills through Congress without time for review has become a standard tactic, similar to the earlier stimulus package.