What Really Sank Gun Control: Distrust of Government  By David
A. Graham Senators Pat Toomey and Joe Manchin at the unveiling
of their compromise bill on expanded background checks (Reuters)
Think gun control failed in the Senate because of gun-clutching
extremists? Or because of fanatical radicals who want to abolish
the Second Amendment? Senator Joe Manchin, who's been at the
heart of the effort, says it's nothing of the sort. In fact, the
central problem really has nothing to do with firearms at all --
it's about trust.  When he speaks to gun owners, "they're scared
this is the first step" in a massive government overreach, said
Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat. He made the remarks during an
interview with Margaret Carlson at New York Ideas, a daylong
conference sponsored by The Atlantic and the Aspen Institute.
"When you say universal background check, the first thing that
comes in the mind of a gun owner is that means registration, and
registration means confiscation. 'I haven't broken the laws, why
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