Saturday, March 16, 2013

Eye Recommend --- Partisan Politics and Gun Violence

PARTISAN POLITICS AND GUN VIOLENCE, by the New York Times Editorial Board -- http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/15/opinion/partisan-politics-and-gun-violence.html?_r=0

"Three months after the Newtown, Conn., school massacre, the Senate Judiciary Committee has finally produced three major bills that could each make a significant difference in lowering the number and firepower of guns on the street and keeping them out of the wrong hands.  But they have a deeply uncertain future as they head to the Senate floor, underscored by the utterly partisan split in the committee votes.

A bill to ban assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines:  10 Democrats voted yes, eight Republicans voted no.  A bill to require background checks on buyers in all gun sales, including from private sellers:  10 Democrats voted yes, eight Republicans voted no.  A bill to stop illegal trafficking of firearms:  10 Democrats and one Republican voted yes, seven Republicans voted no.

Many Republicans claim to share the national concern over unabated violence, but, as the committee hearings showed, whenever there is an opportunity to do something about it, they find a way to object."

I was completely prepared to see the Republicans on this committee speak out against new gun control laws, especially ones that might upset their NRA handlers; but these votes are beyond even what I had expected.  Are there no Republicans willing to stand up to the NRA?  Are they all totally deaf to the people they say they represent?

And only one Republican supported a bill to stop illegal gun trafficking?  Really?  Only one?   What is wrong with these people?!!

If there is any stronger proof that these congressmen represent the NRA and not the people, I cannot think of it.

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