By Rand Paul
Obama acts as though we no longer have a Constitution
Be careful what you wish for, the saying goes, because you might get it. Until recently, gun-fearing Senate Democrats were positively giddy about getting access to the deep pockets of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and his Mayors Against Illegal Guns Action Fund.
The immigration "reform" cooked up by the Gang of Eight is finally on the front burner in Congress. The Senate Judiciary Committee will mark up the comprehensive package Thursday, and already it appears the process is doomed to failure, and by design.
Big Apple Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and his band of rabid gun snatchers have targeted their victims, taken them hostage and will start bumping them off one by one. Time for negotiation has passed.
While President Obama keeps pounding away to get votes to pass gun restrictions in the Senate, pro-Second Amendment supporters are pushing the upper chamber in the opposite direction. Sen. Tom Coburn introduced two amendments to strengthen the rights of gun owners and keep the federal government in check.
The 2014 election battle for control of the Senate will affect just about everything the upper chamber does this year and next, because it could take just a handful of upsets to put the Republicans back in charge.
Gun owners who cheered when the Senate failed to pass numerous anti-gun bills last week should temper their enthusiasm. The liberal wing of the Democratic party, led by President Obama and funded by New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg, has already started to use the votes to oust pro-Second Amendment senators in 2014.
An envelope addressed to a U.S. Senate office tested positive for the deadly poison ricin Tuesday, launching a criminal investigation and prompting warnings to other offices to take precautions with their mail.
Senators overcame a Republican-led filibuster on gun control Thursday, ensuring that the first post-Newtown legislation will reach the Senate floor and setting up bruising fights over expanded background checks and bans on some guns and ammunition.
It's not as melodramatic or drastic as going on a hunger strike or chaining himself to the White House fence, but President Obama's "sequestering" 5 percent of his $400,000 salary — or $20,000 — during the period of fiscal restraint is a nice gesture.
Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson of South Dakota plans to announce on Tuesday that he will not seek re-election in 2014, according to news reports — opening up a prime opportunity for Republicans to pick up a seat in a red state and cut into the Democratic majority in the Senate.
Saturday's razor-thin, predawn approval of a spending plan in the Senate is being called a victory by Democrats — but Republicans emerged from the all-nighter with momentum on two key issues: deficit reduction and the Keystone XL pipeline.
House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan proposed a budget Tuesday that he said can cut $4.6 trillion and bring federal finances to balance in 10 years, calling the plan an "invitation" to find common ground with President Obama and congressional Democrats.
The National Rifle Association, which has opposed virtually all of President Obama's proposed gun control package, swiftly endorsed a bill rolled out Wednesday intended to strengthen the federal background check system and keep guns out of the hands of those deemed mentally ill.
The range of gun-related legislation likely to pass the full Senate rounded into shape Wednesday, as lengthy bipartisan negotiations over universal background checks broke down and lawmakers offered a separate measure on mental illness just a day ahead of key committee votes.
"Singapore has an Arctic ambassador — Singapore," Mr. Begich said. "We should have an Arctic ambassador."
"Alaskans expect us to finish the job and make this staggering deficit manageable," Mr. Begich said. "Passing this problem off to our children is not an option."
