David Harsanyi Asks, Who Cares What the Majority Wants on Guns?

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President Barack Obama has been struggling to wrap his head around the "unimaginable" idea that Congress may "defy" the American people and stop a vote on a gun control package compromise. Yesterday, the unthinkable happened: The Senate's sweeping gun legislation came up short on the votes required to move forward. And despite all the idealistic calls for passage and despite the fact that many pundits and advocates seem to believe that something should be law simply because "the vast majority of Americans" support it, writes David Harsanyi, not every issue deserves a majoritarian decision.

Comments

[AlmightyJB]

Mob rule

[Fist of Etiquette]

Nearly one hundred percent of voters, uneducated on background checks and with a lack of any imagination of possibly unintended or unstated consequences, wanted this law. You can't go against their wishes.

[Tony]

Which is exactly the same thing as saying "I should get my way no matter how many people disagree with me, because I say so."

[Ptah-Hotep]

"I should get my way no matter how many people disagree with me, because I say so."

There is a simple way to take care of this; pass an amendment to do away with the second amendment. You know, the constitutional way to do it.

[Drake]

Or the Constitution says so.

Pretty much why the Bill of Rights was written.

[SaltySeaCaptain(LAOL)]

Can we pass a law that puts common sense speech restrictions on people like Tony and Shreek. Polls show over 90%+ agree with the concept.

[Generic Stranger]

So if we all voted and 51% of us decided you ought to be bound, tortured, then drawn and quartered, just for shits and grins, you'd be cool with it?

[Bardas Phocas]

YODA: Witch! - the majority says - burn she must.