Gun Control Case To Watch

The New York Times has a story out this morning about the impending decision of the US Supreme Court on whether to take up the case of the DC Gun Ban and the 2nd amendment. This whole area is fraught with peril for politicians. If the SC takes the case, the decision will be handed down in June, just in time to bring the 2nd amendment to the top of the issues list in what will then be a white hot political campaign. The decision could go three ways...

SCOTUS overrules the DC Gun ban. This decision has the least amount of peril for Democratic candidates but there are specific Democratic constituencies in big cities like New York and Los Angeles who will be shocked and disappointed. At that point, Hillary Clinton would have no choice but to cut them off and not promise to restore their gun laws.

SCOTUS upholds the DC Gun ban. The pro-gun folks explode with fury, even more so that the decision will likely be upheld by liberal judges including two clinton appointees. Hillary Clinton is in deep trouble as she loses critical support in the midwest and west. She would be in danger of losing Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota on this issue alone.

SCOTUS splits the baby. In what is the most likely result. Scotus overrides the most onerous provisions of the gun ban and sends it back down to lower courts for modification. Gun groups are still very upset and gun control is still a big issue, but may not be the overriding issue of the campaign. Popular sentiment is not as strong. Still the Democrats would rather have not had the issue to begin with and still must speak on the issue in the usual areas.

Watch this case.