In yet another demonstration of the left’s determination to strip Americans of their right to bear arms, Discover Financial Services announced its plan to track gun purchases, following the lead of Visa and other credit card companies.

This move is the result of a government pressure campaign led by Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), who wrote to credit card companies, urging them to crack down on “financial support” of gun violence and domestic terrorism. The decision has raised concerns among Republican lawmakers and activists, who fear that tracking gun purchases could be used as a pretext to violate Americans’ second amendment rights.

Several states, including Florida, have already passed or are considering legislation that would penalize credit card companies that track gun purchases. Florida passed legislation that imposes fines of up to $10,000 per transaction tracked, a clear signal that they will not stand for the government’s attempts to infringe on citizens’ privacy rights and gun ownership.

According to Reuters, Discover Financial Services, a credit card provider, will allow its network to track purchases at gun retailers starting in April, becoming the first among its peers to give a specific date for implementing the initiative. The move aims to help authorities investigate gun-related crimes, as gun retailers will now be classified with a dedicated code approved by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in September.

Discover’s announcement was accompanied by a statement to Reuters, in which the company reiterated its focus on protecting and supporting lawful purchases on their network while safeguarding cardholders’ privacy. However, Republican lawmakers and gun rights activists argue that this is just the latest example of the left’s attempt to erode Americans’ constitutional rights.

Discover To Begin Tracking Purchases At Gun Retailers Starting In April https://t.co/JaPToMJhtZ

— zerohedge (@zerohedge) February 19, 2023

Senator Feinstein’s recent hospitalization for shingles has also sparked controversy, as her absence from the Senate temporarily eliminates the Democrats’ slim majority in the Senate. With Senator Feinstein and Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania absent, the Senate’s Democratic 51-49 majority has disappeared, leaving a nominal tie between Democrats and Republicans. However, Senate math is fluid, as other senators have also been absent, including Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon, who missed this week’s votes after his mother died on Monday, and Senator Bob Casey, who missed a stretch of votes last month due to prostate cancer surgery.

Despite the nominal tie, Democrats still have a functional majority status, as Vice President Kamala Harris can cast the tie-breaking vote to allow judicial nominations to clear the Senate. Meanwhile, the absence of key lawmakers has led some to speculate that a major change is taking place in Washington, as a new political alignment emerges, with Republicans passing legislation for the first time since 2020, and there being a pleasing, if limited, measure of bipartisanship.

Hugh Gurdon, editor-in-chief of the Washington Examiner, believes that this change is due to the Republicans’ new House majority and Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s efforts to restore regular order and respect across the aisle. He also notes that Senate Democrats are showing an independent turn of mind, with Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Jon Tester of Montana supporting a resolution Democrats oppose that would block a rule dictating how retirement fund managers should invest.

Despite these developments, Gurdon maintains that the priority for Democrats remains winning elections rather than governing effectively. He argues that Democrats must be less inclined to prop up tottering candidates for jobs they are clearly incapable of doing, so that the Biden administration can govern more effectively.

Sources: 100PercentFedUp, Reuters