Why is the AWB not likely to happen a second time?

In 1994 Congress passed the assault ban, it was a set of political wish making that could only get through congress with a ten year sunset provision added.  We said then that it wouldn't have any effect on crime, but according to the press and the liberals, it would end crime as we knew it.  Once again, we were right and they were wrong.  Almost predictable isn't it?

In the days of the 103rd congress,  the political landscape was similar and different from today.  In 1994, we had a liberal charismatic first term president that had gun control and health care as his big agenda items.  In 2013, we have a charismatic liberal second term president that had gun control and health care as his big ticket items.

103rd congress was Democratically controlled in the senate by a ratio of 57/43 and the house 258/176.  The bill still took quite some time to get passed, and was signed into law with much fanfare in the liberal ranks.  However, the president was in trouble, after using up his political capital the mid-term elections turned that around, and the senate was Republican 53/47 and the house 230/204.   He even referred to his mis-calculation that allowed the Republicans to control congress in his State of the Union speech the following year.  

Clinton focused on gun control first, figuring that he would have time to get both through congress.  He used up his political capital in this fight, and lost control of both houses of congress, and in many ways the American people.  Sure he won reelection, but only after turning hard to the right, which solidified the hold of Republicans on congress which lasted for many years, until at some point the electorate couldn't tell the difference between the two parties.

This time, the current president put his emphasis on Health Care reform, and managed to get it (barely) through a congress that his party controlled completely.  The genius of the difference is that the American people see that he gave them something.  They still don't understand the cost of the program, what it means to their lives, or the cost it will have on themselves or their children.  The press hasn't done their job to investigate the bill and continues to hide the costs.  Even so, Obama mentioned the shellacking his party took in the first midterms.

I don't think that the House will pass such a bill, the Republicans might not have any spine, they might not have any self respect, and for gods sake they don't act conservative, but one thing they do understand is self interest.  If they don't know anything else, they know that passing a new awb will result in one thing.  The death of the modern Republican party.  If they manage to pass the ban, people like me will not only bolt the party, we will form another party (Libertarian or other) that will be a direct threat to the Republicans maintaining any federal office.