Update at the bottom of the page…

Sources at the Capitol in the Democrat caucus have been burning up my phone line tonight and here’s what I’ve got.

There is no June 9th cliff.

We don’t have enough votes willing to go over the cliff. Not even close.

We do have the latest bill submitted by Brandon Phelps.

Put your drink down and take a deep breath.

Go ahead and start your deep breathing relaxation exercises. Seriously.

In fact, you might want to pour yourself about three fingers of your favorite adult beverage and get a good start on it before reading further.

I’ll wait.

You’re back. Good.

Here’s where we’re at.

The Speaker of the House has blessed this latest submission by Brandon Phelps for the People of the State of Illinois.

HERE IT IS: AMENDMENT TO SB 2193.

I haven’t even read it carefully yet, but from what I’ve seen it sucks. In fact, I believe I expressed an expletive or three upon scanning it. $150 application fee. $300 for non-residents. 16 hours of training. Class B misdemeanors for prohibited locations first time. Goofy panels. An even LONGER list of prohibited locations. 180 days to implement.

However.

It also has across the board pre-emption on all local firearm regulations and restrictions.

Chicago’s gun registration regime? Gone.

Chicago’s ban on mags, lasers, etc.? Buh bye.

Cook County’s black gun ban? History.

Local “safe storage” ordinances? Into the dustbin of history.

It also means we only need a simple majority to tweak it in coming years, not a 3/5ths majority.

Yes, we’re actually REPEALING so-called assault weapons bans and gun registration programs in post-Sandy Hook America. Heck, we’re doing it in one of the bluest states in the nation.

Why am I writing like I’m trying to sell you this fecal sandwich?

Because the alternative, as one downstate Democrat described it to me, was a combination of the onerous House Bill that Chicago introduced that got a whopping 31 votes and Kwame’s draconian proposal in the Senate that hasn’t gotten any votes yet, but is may issue without any sort of pre-emption and a truckload of “strings” attached. Either would be a total cluster fornication, to put it nicely. Both put together? Oh boy.

In short, the Speaker proffered this proposal that Brandon is now offering in an effort to split the baby between the two diametrically opposed sides.

On one side he had downstate Democrats saying they are getting pounded by constituents for a shall-issue right-to-carry bill.

On the other side, he’s got Rahm and the Chicago Democrats trying to be the next New York or Connecticut and ban magazines, modern self-defense guns, and plenty more… gun control like we’ve never seen.

Madigan knows if either side gets a clean win, it’ll be a real bloodbath either in Chicago or downstate come the next election cycle.

So, he’s splitting the baby. He’s giving some red-meat to downstate voters to salvage some downstate Democrats their jobs in part because of some very unpopular votes to come – and we’ll name topics… gay marriage and “medical” marijuana for starters.

And he’s giving Chicago Democrats some of what they wanted in terms of no guns in parks, public transportation and a host of other prohibited locations, more licensing fee money, delayed implementation and a whole bunch more.

Making lemonade out of these lemons, which as gun owners is something we’re akin to doing regularly, it means Madigan is throwing Rahm and Preckwinkle under the bus. All their local gun control goes “buh-bye!” in this bill.

“What if we decline?” I asked one source.

He didn’t laugh. He was dead serious.

If we decline his offer, the Speaker is going to stuff a Kwame-endorsed may issue law up our rear ends, without any lube, and move on. Madigan’s done “playing around” on the issue and will let the chips fall where they may as there are bigger issues among the low-information voters in Illinois. No, not pensions. Instead, gay marriage, gambling, legalizing marijuana, to name a few.

So, folks, there’s where we’re at.

There’s no cliff. Too many politicians have gone squishy and don’t want to run over the cliff.

It’s this or it’s another ten years of legal wrangling to undo what we can do here and now.

And the bright spot is we will only need 60 votes to tweak this in the future if the governor’s copacetic to the changes.

Didn’t we get screwed once before?

Yes, we did. Again, the Speaker (not sure why I’m capitalizing that as he doesn’t deserve the respect) has blessed this “compromise” and told the Democratic caucus that he plans on moving it forward and expects to pass it. Best guess is it ends up with 75 votes or more, easy.

He also expects the Governor will veto the bill and he’s planning on over-riding that veto and he “expects” to have the votes to over-ride. And when the “real” godfather of Illinois politics says he “expects” something, his minions toe the line or they feel the pain later.

There you go.

This is what we’re going to get.

It’s just lovely. Plain lovely.

P.S. Ashrak: Stick a sock in it or I’ll dust off the ban hammer.

UPDATE

Our “friends” at ICHV have gone condition brown at this proposal. (That would be big potty.)

It’s going before committee tomorrow morning at 9:30ish and expected to be voted on by the full house by afternoon.

Isn’t it amazing how fast stuff happens when Michael Madigan says he wants things to happen.

Anyway, our friends had this to say in an email blast:

On Thursday, proponents of concealed carry will try to pass Senate Bill 2193 Amendment #1, sponsored by Representative Brandon Phelps.  This bill, while being put forth as a “compromise” bill, is in fact bad public policy!  We need you to call your State Representative and tell them to vote NO on SB 2193 Amendment #1!

This is not a “May” issue bill and there is no local control over who gets a permit.  SB 2193 Amendment #1 not only is a “shall” issue bill, but it would overturn every gun regulation that home rule communities already have in statute, including Cook County’s Assault Weapons Ban, Calumet Park, Chicago, Cicero and Highland Parks reporting of lost or stolen ordinances and the Chicago responsible Gun Owners Ordinance. Your community would have NO input on who can carry in public!

Common Sense provisions like reporting of lost or stolen firearms, universal background checks on all gun purchases, and titling guns like cars are not included-and there is no guarantee they will be addressed in additional legislation!

We have to act NOW!  The bill is scheduled for the House Judiciary Committee at 9:30 AM.  To see a list of committee members click here.

The full House could vote as early as Thursday afternoon!  Please call your State Representative and tell them this legislation is bad for Illinois and they need to vote NO on SB 2193 Amendment #1

To find your Representative click here.

Once you call, please share this with friends, family and your networks-we must stop this bad bill!

Thank you and we will continue to update as things move forward.

In Peace

Colleen Daley