Pat Toomey and Bart Stupak now share something in common

In 2010, the Obamacare debacle was crammed down the throats of the American people but not before an alleged 'pro-life' Democratic congressman named Bart Stupack (D-MI) sold out. If you remember, the House version of the bill had a provisions in it that prohibited funding for abortion. That provision did not pass in the Senate's version.

The final vote was extremely contentious and arm-twisting was in no short supply. Even then, the Stupak dozen was the only thing that stood in the way of passage. Then, Stupak caved and settled for a meaningless Executive Order from Barack Obama that guaranteed no funding for abortion in the bill. In short, Stupak sold out to Obama.

Pro-life Democrats had been "Stupaked" and Obamacare became law.

In 2010, Stupak resigned; he did not seek reelection; The Tea Party helped get a Republican to replace him. Something else happened in 2010. The Tea Party got behind Pat Toomey to replace RINO Senator Arlen Specter in Pennsylvania. By all accounts, Toomey was a true conservative and had an "A" rating from the NRA. The Tea Party wave swept Toomey into office after Specter was so far behind in the polls that he switched over to the Democratic Party, where he thought he had a better chance of winning.

In 2012, Stupak expressed regret for what honest people would say was a betrayal.

Toomey apparently didn't learn the right lesson from Stupak because he has betrayed the gun rights crowd. Period.

Here in 2013, less than six months after the Sandy Hook shootings, several conservative Republican Senators had threatened to filibuster any bill that came to the floor. It would be Rand Paul times ten. Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX), Mike Lee (R-UT), and others pledged to join in. For once, it appeared that Republicans were going to stand united and go to the mat with the Democrats on something important.

All they had to do was stick to their principles and stand united. In fact, during such a filibuster, one of the Senators would likely stumble upon the contrast between how the Obama administration handled operation Fast and Furious and how it is exploiting Sandy Hook. It would be a tremendous opportunity to expose the administration. Perhaps that is why a filibuster would be so undesired by the Obama.

This is where Toomey appears to have channeled Bart Stupak. He came to a deal with Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), a supposed pro-second amendment Democrat, on expanding background checks. A consequence of this deal is that the filibuster may be prevented. That Manchin caved to pressure is not surprising. That Toomey did very much is. He's not only a Republican. He was supposed to be a conservative Tea Party Republican who took a lot of money from the NRA in 2010 to get elected, in much the same way that Stupak accepted the support of pro-life Democrats

How do we know Toomey caved? Very simple.

Obama congratulated him and so did Michael Bloomberg.

The NRA is also not satisfied with the Toomey / Manchin bill.

Larry Pratt, the Executive Director at Gun Owners of America (GOA) says Toomey has "betrayed" (Stupaked) his constituents. Pratt is now calling for Toomey to be primaried:



By the way, for those who don't see expanded background checks as a big step toward confiscation, check out this firsthand account about what happened in Canada:

Did Senator Pat Toomey just have his 'Rick Santorum endorses Arlen Specter' moment?

In 2004, then Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) endorsed incumbent Arlen Specter over Pat Toomey. It was a contributing factor to Santorum's loss to Bob Casey in 2006. In 2010, the showdown between Toomey and Specter began anew. With Tea Party support, Toomey won.

Last month, during Rand Paul's now famous filibuster, Toomey was one of several Republican Senators who dined with Barack Obama as Paul ate candy bars.

Now, in what appears to be an effort to prevent a filibuster on gun control, Toomey and Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) have come together on a compromise bill. As news begins to trickle out, what initially seemed like an inexplicably bone-headed decision by Toomey to reach across the aisle is now no less boneheaded but a little less inexplicable.

Via the Daily Caller:

New York mayor Michael Bloomberg’s anti-gun group announced Wednesday that it will stop running a negative television ad targeting Sen. Pat Toomey now that the Pennsylvania Republican has signed on to a proposal to expand background checks to gun show and online firearms purchases.

Mayors Against Illegal Guns had been hammering Toomey, a junior senator with an “A” rating from the National Rifle Association, with negative ads in Keystone State. But his latest proposal, which he is co-sponsoring with West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, has Bloomberg and company singing a different tune.

The coalition’s initial negative ad featured an urgent-voiced narrator who said, “Tell Senator Toomey, don’t protect criminals…Demand action now,” and displayed Toomey’s office phone number. Now the coalition is running a positive ad praising Toomey.

At first blush, it would seem that Toomey could be selling out the second amendment in the interest of getting re-elected.

Republicans blowing another huge opportunity (Mitch McConnell scandal)

Republicans are blowing a huge opportunity relative to what far left-wing wacko bird David Corn of Mother Jones did when he bugged Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell's campaign headquarters. No, this scandal isn't nearly as big as Benghazi or Fast and Furious. It's not even as big as Solyndra, which have all been said to be bigger than Watergate.

McConnell-gate ain't bigger than Watergate and it ain't smaller than Watergate.

It's exactly the same. Yet, there is no outrage from the left. In fact, they're pointing to what was said on the recordings as being the big infraction.

Meanwhile, Republicans are playing defense on Immigration and gun control, instead of showing a united front on this issue.

The words coming out of McConnell's mouth here are not the problem; his lack of passion is. In fact, he comes across as being so dispassionate that he doesn't even come across as having been violated.

Lack of fire on the Republican side of the aisle is their biggest problem.