NYT Predicts End of Assault Weapon Ban

The so-called assault weapon ban expires on Sept. 13, 2004. The NY Times predicts that it will not be renewed (at least not this year):

The president has said he would sign legislation renewing the 1994 law that bans 19 types of semiautomatic weapons. That almost certainly will not happen this year because of opposition to the legislation in the Republican-controlled House. Many conservatives consider the bill a deep infringement of their rights under the Second Amendment, which they contend gives individual Americans the right to own firearms.

Notwithstanding that last sentence, there are in fact Americans other than "conservatives" who believe in the sanctity of the entire Bill of Rights and, more specifically, that the Second Amendment protects an individual right. Take leading liberal constitutional law scholar Larry Tribe, for example (scroll down to article entitled "Ashcroft and the Second Amendment").

UPDATE: The NY Times is familiar with Larry Tribe, isn't it?