Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., speaks during a news conference with a coalition of members of Congress, mayors, law enforcement officers, gun safety organizations and other groups on Capitol Hill in Washington to introduce legislation on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition feeding devices, Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Any negotiation has to involve both sides in a dispute giving up something. If that doesn’t happen, then what you have is unconditional surrender. That latter course is the one being pursued by a lot of conservatives who come up with more and more things to give away to the gun-grabbers.

To date absolutely no one on the gun control side of the equation has made a “common sense” counteroffer, like, for instance, I give up bump stocks and 100-round drum magazines for my Glock* and they give me universal reciprocity of concealed carry permits. Nope, the bargain is always how much of our right to keep and bear arms we should give away.

The gun control folks have developed all kinds of tactics for this. They go after extended magazines. They invent terms like “assault weapon” which defy description. They simply deny, deny, deny.

I pointed out just a few days ago how they are attempting to leverage the damage a high-velocity rifle round does to the human body into a restriction on all rifles.

Tuesday, the House Democrats introduced a bill that lays out the gun control agenda in very clear terms.

Today I joined @RepCicilline and 150+ of my colleagues to introduce the assault weapons ban. It’s time for Congress to listen to the will of a majority of Americans and pass sensible legislation to get these weapons of war off our streets. #NeverAgain #MSDStrong

— Rep. Ted Deutch (@RepTedDeutch) February 26, 2018

House Democrats have introduced a bill banning semi-automatic firearms in the wake of the Feb. 14 shooting at a high school in Parkland, Fla.

Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., announced Monday he is introducing the Assault Weapons Ban of 2018. More than 150 Democrats have signed on in support of the legislation, Rep. Ted Deutch, D-Fla., said.

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The bill prohibits the “sale, transfer, production, and importation” of semi-automatic rifles and pistols that can hold a detachable magazine, as well as semi-automatic rifles with a magazine that can hold more than 10 rounds. Additionally, the legislation bans the sale, transfer, production, and importation of semi-automatic shotguns with features such as a pistol grip or detachable stock, and ammunition feeding devices that can hold more than 10 rounds.

Cicilline’s legislation names 205 specific firearms that are prohibited, including the AK-47 and AR-15.

In addition to rifles, this bill would ban virtually every self-defense handgun sold in US.- but the anti-gunners swear they aren't trying to ban guns…🙄https://t.co/y2zN3RZCun

— NRA (@NRA) February 27, 2018

Fortunately, unless this ends up being one of the five or six reasonable things all conservatives should get behind, this bill isn’t going anywhere. But it shows in stark terms what the stakes are.

Why anyone would negotiate away their rights in general, but particularly with someone who is not acting in good faith, is beyond me.

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