Congress responds to gun violence

Congress is responding to the news of the shooting of a judge, a court reporter and two others in Atlanta; the shooting of a judge's family in Chicago; and the shooting of seven people at a church gathering in Wisconsin. They are going to immunize gun makers from lawsuits. (Newsday)

The mastermind behind this is Sen. Larry Craig (R, Idaho):

Craig had the 60 votes last year to ensure the bill's passage, but Democrats succeeded in persuading a few Republicans to help them attach a renewal of the assault weapons ban onto the legislation. Republicans -- at the NRA's urging -- then killed the legislation.

The NRA's political action committee spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on ads, postcards and other publicity calling for the election of the new GOP senators or the defeat of their Democratic opponents.

For example, the NRA Political Victory Fund spent at least $526,911 in support of Florida's Mel Martinez. Other freshmen benefiting from the gun-rights group's independent spending were North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr, at least $468,376; South Dakota's John Thune, at least $349,120; Jim DeMint of South Carolina, at least $176,833; and Georgia's Johnny Isakson, at least $68,109.

According to Newsday, Craig will bring the legislation to the floor for approval right after Easter recess. Opponents will again try to tie to an assault weapons ban. The bill protects not only gun makers, but ammunition manufacturers, distributors, dealers and importers and bars local authorities or private individuals or groups from bringing cases.

Makes you glad to know congress can respond when the stakes are important. All it took to immunize the gun industry was money.

Maybe next they'll look into to immunizing the public against flu. All they want is a bribe.