Opinion: An overwhelming majority of Americans support universal background checks for gun sales. Yet Arizona’s Republican senators blocked it from even being put to a vote. What are they afraid of?
By Laurie Roberts | Arizona Republic
The Arizona Senate this week had an opportunity to pass a bill requiring that all gun buyers undergo a background check to purchase their assault weapons and such.
Really, it shouldn’t be all that controversial.
An overwhelming majority of Americans support universal background checks for gun purchases, according to a Morning Consult/Politico poll taken last week.
Let me say that again. A whopping 88% of Americans – including 86% of Republican voters – believe a potential gun owner should be vetted before arming him to the teeth. That’s up from 84% a year ago, including 77% of Republicans.
Only 8% of voters oppose requiring all gun buyers to go through a background check.
Unfortunately, that 8% seems to include every Republican in the Arizona Legislature. On Tuesday, Senate Republicans blocked a bill requiring universal background checks, refusing even to allow it come up for a vote.
GOP trotted out every excuse to do nothing
They hauled out all the usual reasons to do nothing.
Because people die every night on the streets of Chicago, which has tough gun-control laws.
Because Sen. Sonny Borrelli, R-Lake Havasu City, wouldn’t be able to sell one of his guns to his former stepson without first getting a background check done.
Because criminals would still get guns.
