# Should Democrats shut down the government until a universal background check is passed? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 2, 2013, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-democrats-shut-down-the-government-until-a-universal-background-check-is-passed/670220 "2013-10-02T22:18:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_fun_ball/32/17664_2.png) [@Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Fun_Ball)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2013, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-democrats-shut-down-the-government-until-a-universal-background-check-is-passed/670220/1 "2013-10-02T22:18:22Z")
What say you? Should this be a rider on our budget bills? ---
**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2013, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-democrats-shut-down-the-government-until-a-universal-background-check-is-passed/670220/2 "2013-10-02T22:32:43Z")
[Not this kind I hope](http://www.universalbackground.com/). ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2013, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-democrats-shut-down-the-government-until-a-universal-background-check-is-passed/670220/3 "2013-10-02T22:40:48Z")
Is there such a proposal out there? ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2013, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-democrats-shut-down-the-government-until-a-universal-background-check-is-passed/670220/4 "2013-10-02T22:59:30Z")
No. Bad idea no matter what party does it. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_fun_ball/32/17664_2.png) [@Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Fun_Ball)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2013, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-democrats-shut-down-the-government-until-a-universal-background-check-is-passed/670220/5 "2013-10-02T23:05:48Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > Is there such a proposal out there? No. I am just trying to see how many people on this board support holding the operation of the government hostage in order to achieve their ideological goals. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2013, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-democrats-shut-down-the-government-until-a-universal-background-check-is-passed/670220/6 "2013-10-02T23:20:38Z")
No. It’s fucking stupid when Republicans are doing it and it would be fucking stupid if Dems did it. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2013, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-democrats-shut-down-the-government-until-a-universal-background-check-is-passed/670220/7 "2013-10-02T23:25:40Z")
Um…a background check to what purpose? I mean, what would the ramifications of not passing it be, and how would you pass? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2013, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-democrats-shut-down-the-government-until-a-universal-background-check-is-passed/670220/8 "2013-10-02T23:36:15Z")
I think we all know he means a background check as a condition for firearms purchases. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2013, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-democrats-shut-down-the-government-until-a-universal-background-check-is-passed/670220/9 "2013-10-03T00:22:54Z")
Well, a Universal Background Check for Firearms would be a _new_ thing. Not something that was voted into law years ago, like the Affordable Care Act. I think a better analogy would be something that Republicans feel they already achieved when they had a majority. Like, say, the Reagan Revolution. Should Democrats seize the pillars of the temple, like Samson, and bring it down around them unless Republicans agree to overturn the Reagan Revolution’s tax changes? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2013, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-democrats-shut-down-the-government-until-a-universal-background-check-is-passed/670220/10 "2013-10-03T00:41:56Z")
> [@L. G. Butts](#): > > No. I am just trying to see how many people on this board support holding the operation of the government hostage in order to achieve their ideological goals. OK then. Voting NO ---
**Author:** ![MostlyUseless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MostlyUseless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MostlyUseless)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-democrats-shut-down-the-government-until-a-universal-background-check-is-passed/670220/11 "2013-10-04T17:36:16Z")
Moderate Republican here and this idea is just as completely STUPID as what is causing the shutdown now. Please play power politics without this crap. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-democrats-shut-down-the-government-until-a-universal-background-check-is-passed/670220/12 "2013-10-04T18:57:25Z")
On the other hand, if Obama caves and this becomes the new normal, Democrats would be fools not to do it. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-democrats-shut-down-the-government-until-a-universal-background-check-is-passed/670220/13 "2013-10-04T19:04:50Z")
I thought this was a joke thread. Really, it’s serious? I voted yes, because why the fuck not? We should just arbitrarily all hold the government hostage every single time. Really, this is a legitimate question? it’s not a big fat joke? ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-democrats-shut-down-the-government-until-a-universal-background-check-is-passed/670220/14 "2013-10-04T19:40:50Z")
No, of course not. Only an asshole would create such a poll. And why are universal background checks supposed to be _the_ critical issue for the left? (Although, come to that, I do not suppose that trying to prevent too many people from getting health insurance is really the right’s most cherished ideal either.) ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-democrats-shut-down-the-government-until-a-universal-background-check-is-passed/670220/15 "2013-10-04T19:42:10Z")
A rational political party would never pull a stunt like that even for something that is supported by 90%+ of Americans. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-democrats-shut-down-the-government-until-a-universal-background-check-is-passed/670220/16 "2013-10-04T20:57:09Z")
Well, to play devil’s advocate here, if the Democrats give one inch here and actually accede to any of the demands made by the Republican party, does anyone think that this is the last time that we’ll see this technique? So, the Republicans can just do this over and over, until the nation looks like Michelle Bachmann’s version of utopia. What would be in the way of this happening if this technique works even once? Look at the filibuster. It used to be rare. Republicans ramp it up when they are in the minority, and it ends up being matched by the Democrats just to keep up so that we don’t have a rightward lurch. Democrats can’t lose this fight because this will be the new normal, and likely for both sides and it’s untenable. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-democrats-shut-down-the-government-until-a-universal-background-check-is-passed/670220/17 "2013-10-04T21:12:52Z")
> [@L. G. Butts](#): > > No. I am just trying to see how many people on this board support holding the operation of the government hostage in order to achieve their ideological goals. Wait. I said ‘yes,’ but only because I think it would help illustrate the idiocy of the Republican position. Or, if the tea-partiers are still irony-proof, they may be willing to see it as a real thing to be gained in ‘negotiation.’ ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-democrats-shut-down-the-government-until-a-universal-background-check-is-passed/670220/18 "2013-10-04T21:47:00Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > No. It’s fucking stupid when Republicans are doing it and it would be fucking stupid if Dems did it. Agreed - though I appreciate the analogy. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2013, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-democrats-shut-down-the-government-until-a-universal-background-check-is-passed/670220/19 "2013-10-04T23:48:40Z")
No background checks. Politics is where I get my entertainment!