Bipartisan deal emerges for background checks on gun sales

Sen. Joe Manchin (L) and Sen. Pat Toomey (R)

I know many folks were hoping for sweeping changes to gun control laws, but this may be as good as it gets this time.  And it would be a shame to have nothing addressed after the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook.

West Virginia Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin and Republican Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania presented their proposal today, just a day before the Senate is slated to take up gun control issues.

From MSNBC:

Toomey, unlike several members in his party, said he didn’t believe expanding background checks was akin to gun control.

“I’ve got to tell you candidly, I don’t consider criminal background checks to be gun control,” the GOPer said at a press conference Wednesday explaining the deal. “I think it’s common sense. If you pass a criminal background check, you get to buy a gun, no problem.”

While the compromise doesn’t include universal background checks, which is being pushed for by President Obama and is  favored by 90% of Americans, it does expand background checks to cover gun shows and online sales of firearms. Failure to comply would be classified as a felony.