Thread:Comments:Gun background checks a no-go in US Senate/greed feeding off and fueling fear and self-delusion/reply (5)

It is, as you say, a chaotic system; overall dynamics of the system don't predict specifically what will happen, which is applied politics (very daunting).

The most I can say is that the only way gun control can get past the Senate is if something changes. I see three ways something can change, going forward. (Another way it could have changed has already gone by, when the Senate did not change its rules on filibusters this past January.) The external political climate could change in a way that gives legislators more motive to act. The internal political climate of the Republican party could change, but I doubt that would happen soon unless as a result of a change in the external political climate (I find it plausible that, as someone or other suggested, the Republican party won't hit rock bottom until at least 2016). Or the midterm election in 2014 might replace some key players so as to change the prospects for gun control (and I have no clue whether that's possible; the mideterm election might make things worse).