The United States Senate once again proved it has been bought by the National Rifle Association today, voting down four different bills meant to control who is allowed to buy guns in this country.

I don’t think the ban on purchases by people on a terrorist watch list or a no-fly list is a good idea; whatever happened to due process of law? But the refusal to close the gun-show loophole on background checks is stupid and the reasoning the Republicans use to justify their no vote is even more stupid:

Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, had an amendment to expand required checks through the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System to every gun buyer, including those buying from private sellers at gun shows and online. Current background checks apply to buyers getting their firearms from licensed dealers.

Republicans have rejected that in the past, saying it could unfairly restrict a second cousin or good friend from borrowing a rifle to go deer hunting. They rejected it again Monday.

Buying: exchanging money for something in order to own it. Borrowing: taking temporary possession of something to use and then returning it to its owner. What the hell does the one have to do with the other? How would a background check inhibit the borrowing?