Senate's latest attempt at a gun control deal falls apart

[Dial H For Hero]

https://www.politico.com/news/2021/06/09/senate-gun-control-deal-492696

The Senate's latest bipartisan attempt to shape a gun control bill came to an end Wednesday as the Democrat and Republican leading the push for a compromise abandoned their effort.

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), who had spearheaded Democrats’ efforts to find a path forward for gun control, said Wednesday in a statement his discussions with Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) had run their course.

“We haven't been able to get to a bill that would meaningfully increase the number of gun sales that require background checks,” Murphy said in a statement.

But the Connecticut Democrat was hopeful for future compromise.

[gab13by13]

1. Anyone shocked?

McConnell did say he was going to obstruct 100% did he not?

[SYFROYH]

2. ""We haven't been able to get to a bill that would meaningfully increase the number of gun sales..."

I had to double-check to make sure this wasn't The Onion.

[Straw Man]

3. "... that require background checks."

It's called a restrictive clause. It functions adjectivally to limit the scope of the noun or noun phrase -- in this case, "gun sales."

[SYFROYH]

4. It's still ambiguous. Gun stores want to increase gun sales with checks too.

[Straw Man]

5. The only ambiguity is in the word "number."

They want to see an increase in the background-checked subset of all gun sales. The word "number" suggests raw numbers, but it could also refer to types of sales: sales by a dealer, sales between friends, intrastate private sales by non-dealers, etc.

Perhaps the writer should have used "percentage" or "ratio." That would make it clearer.