Top Links: Gun control politics, Walmart's very bad week and that Richard Engel story you've heard about

Dec. 18, 2012, 11:20 AM EST

By John Flowers

A gun control deal may be more uphill than a fiscal cliff deal.

“Although it’s easy for liberals on cable shows to predict that the mass killing in Newtown will lead to a dramatic tightening of gun laws, the simple arithmetic of the House and Senate suggests that action will be very difficult.” (National Journal)

Wall Street, however, is buying that new legislation will hurt gun manufacturers. Well, “selling” it, technically. (Bloomberg)

“I’ve never seen or heard any media coverage of these [gun lobby] folks volunteering to sop up the blood of the victims. Have you? I’ve never heard tell of these folks cleaning up the carnage in the movie theaters, the churches, the shopping malls, the college campuses or the elementary schools. Have you? I haven’t heard or seen any of these folks attending the many, many funerals and memorial services that inevitably follow these events. Have you?” (Yakima Herald)

Far Right minister and talk show host James Dobson connects the dots between the Newtown shootings…and gay marriage and abortion. (Mediaite)

“How Walmart helped make Newtown shooter’s AR-15 the most popular assault weapon in America.” (The Nation)

And Walmart isn’t the only big name walking back its support for the Bushmaster .223 (Quartz)

Of course, that’s only the second-worst story of the day for Walmart. (The New York Times)

Of course, he still says that President Obama’s new offer isn’t enough. (The Hill)

One reason the payroll tax cut won’t be extended? “Reid and Pelosi…hate it.” (Ezra Klein)

With the passing of Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont, becomes not only President Pro Tempore of the Senate—but third in the order of presidential succession. (2 Chambers)

“”They made us choose which one of us would be shot first and when we refused there were mock shootings.” NBC’s Richard Engel and his team are now safe, back from Syria. But read about their capture and release. (NBC News)

John Flowers

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