Waiting For Republicans - The Slaughter Continues

Accused killer Nikolas Cruz at his arraignment

Trump's live comments on Thursday in the wake of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida seemed like more of the same old useless bunk that most Republican politicians repeat in the wake of the numerous mass shootings that now take place with alarming regularity in America.

Republican lawmakers have controlled the House of Representatives for seven years, and they haven't passed a single piece of legislation that would help to curb the epidemic of gun violence in America.

Not one single law. Not so much as a single bill. Nothing.

Instead of the action outraged Americans from all all over the country are demanding, all we're getting from apathetic Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill is that contrived, mournful shaking of their heads and collective shrugging of their shoulders - like they have no power to do anything.

It's as if they're channeling the characters Vladimir and Estragon, from the influential post-WWII play written by Samuel Beckett back in 1948, Waiting For Godot, wringing their hands in hopeless despair repeating the phrase "Nothing to be done!"

Instead of waiting for Godot, Republican lawmakers, already nervous about the upcoming midterm elections in November, are awkwardly doing the bidding of the National Rifle Association and waiting for the outrage over 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz gunning down 17 innocent people in a Florida High School (with an AR-15 assault rifle he purchased legally) to simply go away.

What's interesting is that both Trump and his sycophant Attorney General-lackey Jeff Sessions both tossed around tough-talking dog-whistle phrases about "having the back of law enforcement" during the 2016 presidential campaign and the subsequent shaky first year in office.

Frequently vilifying President Obama while presenting themselves as saviors of law enforcement.

Trump endorsing police brutality in front of members
of the Long Island PD back in July, 2017

One of Sessions' very first policy statements after his nomination to head the Justice Department was passed by the Senate was to reverse the many consent agreements between the DOJ and local police departments.

Police departments across the country in places like Chicago, Baltimore and Ferguson with proven histories of racially-biased policing practices.

Many cops favored those DOJ consent decrees to enact long-needed reforms.

Even though the DOJ itself had spent time and money compiling data showing that such decrees were needed to reestablish trust between local police departments and the communities they serve, Sessions' bizarre rationale for revoking them was that reversing these agreements, drafted under the Obama administration when Eric Holder was attorney general, would actually make it easier for members of local law enforcement to do their jobs.

As if police departments being held to the standards spelled out in the Constitution was some kind of annoying burden imposed on cops by President Obama out of spite.

Last July, Fake President travelled out to Long Island, New York to trumpet his supposed adoration of cops to try and bolster public support for his irrational xenophobic hatred of immigrants by trying to link them to the El Salvadoran gang MS-13.

Remember Trump standing in front of members of the Long Island Police Department and basically endorsing the use of excessive physical force against suspects in custody?

Trump and Sessions were both big on painting themselves as big supporters of cops and "law and order" as a convenient dog-whistle policy stance to rally their base of hyper-conservative supporters.

But as far as gun control is concerned, are they really supporting members of law enforcement, or the National Rifle Association's pro-gun industry agenda?

Take a look at the detailed list of IACP Policy Priorities For the 115th Congress as clearly spelled out by the International Association of Chiefs of Police founded back in 1893.

Under the section titled "Reduce Firearms Violence and Target Illegal Guns", the IACP states that "A comprehensive approach is needed in order to prevent further gun violence in our communities."

Among the actions steps listed:

"Support legislation that expands background checks, and require background checks for all firearms purchases."   

And "Oppose any legislation that would limit or reduce the ability of U.S. law enforcement agencies to combat the sale of illegal guns."


It's hard to sift through the scores of scandals, firings and tweets, but try and flash back to Trump's first days in office.

One of the very first bills that he signed into law within the first thirty days of his inauguration last February was an NRA-backed law that rolled back an executive order signed by President Obama that would have made it harder for Americans with mental illnesses or those deemed unfit to handle their own finances who receive Social Security checks to obtain firearms.

As Ali Vitali reported for NBC News last February, "President Barack Obama recommended the now-nullified regulation in a 2013 memo following the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School which left 20 first graders and six others dead. The measure sought to block some people with severe mental health problems from buying guns."

Yet yesterday, a subdued, almost monotone Trump, obviously reading off a teleprompter, somberly invoked "mental illness" as the culprit in the shooting deaths of 17 innocent people by Nikolas Cruz in Florida.

He didn't even mention the words "gun laws" - like the AR-15 (pictured above) with it's rapid-fire technology and high capacity magazines had nothing to do with it.

In that same NRA-approved statement, Trump made a bunch of totally half-ass empty promises to work with members of federal, state and local officials to tackle the problem of mental illness, blah-blah, blah.

Terrified students comfort one another after being
released from Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS 

What a bunch of contrived, hypocritical horse shit.

Trump is the same spineless clown who's spent three years working with heartless right-wing Republican zealots in congress to vilify and repeal the Affordable Care Act - which mandated that insurance companies provide access to treatment for mental health conditions

Frankly I find it an insult that Trump had the nerve to try and use a press conference to reassure terrified students and teachers in schools across the U.S. that he's working to keep them safe.

Since his inauguration, when he ranted incoherently about "carnage" in America, he's shown himself to be nothing but an ignorant lackey of the NRA lobbyists who pumped millions into his presidential campaign.

Apparently the same K-Street gun lobby bozos who draft the text of his comments whenever another mass shooting takes place - so a contrite Trump can place the blame not on the almost unrestricted access to firearms, but on mental illness. "Nothing to be done!"

As if the guns used in these mass shootings are somehow like an innocent bystander that had nothing to do with anything.

To paraphrase some of the thousands of comments I've read on social media in the past 48 hours, there's no sense even waiting for Republican legislators in Congress to draft laws that would prevent a white supremacist like Nikolas Cruz from walking into a store and buying an AR-15 and a bunch of ammo.

MSD High School assistant football coach Aaron
Feis who died shielding students from gunfire

Thanks to Republican state legislators and the NRA, any 18-year-old in Florida can buy an AR-15 - it's perfectly legal - they can't buy a bottle of vodka but they can purchase the undisputed weapon of choice for mass shooters.

27 people (including shooter Adam Lanza) died at Sandy Hook Elementary and in Newton, Connecticut on December 14, 2012, Republicans who controlled the House did nothing.

49 people were killed on June 12, 2016 when Omar Siddiqui Mateen went on a shooting spree at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.

Republicans who controlled the House offered "prayers" but did nothing to pass a law restricting firearms access.

58 were killed and almost 500 injured back on October 1, 2017 when Stephen Paddock began firing on concertgoers from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

In response the Republicans who control the House, the federal legislative body tasked by the U.S. Constitution with writing laws to protect the American people, did nothing.

The only way to mobilize and follow the recommendations of organizations like the International Association of Chiefs of Police to enact reasonable restrictions on dangerous firearms like the AR-15 and components like bump stocks and high-capacity magazines is to be registered to vote in November.

When those who are feeling powerless right now will be empowered to tell lawmakers who've done nothing in the face of the unprecedented gun violence happening in American schools, churches, malls, businesses, streets, concerts and homes, exactly what you think about their apathy, silence and prayers.

In the meantime, just remember there's so sense in waiting for Republican legislators who control which bills get to the floor to be debated or voted on to act.

That's like Waiting For Godot - they'll never show up.

Which GOP Senators Have Received Cash From the N.R.A in 2016?

2016 N.R.A donations to GOP Senators

Despite political maneuvering to try and respond to public pressure for a Congressional response to gun violence, the Senate failed to reach consensus on four different gun control measures today.

Republicans blocked two Democratic-backed proposals that would have put into place mandatory universal background checks, and one that would prevent anyone on the terrorism watch list from purchasing a gun.

Democrats blocked two Republican-backed compromise measures that were considered "lip service" legislation without real teeth.

Of the last 100 different gun control measures introduced into Congress, none have passed.

Shocking considering that since the 911 attacks in 2001, more than 400,000 Americans have been killed by guns in the U.S. - more than all the American service men and women killed in World War II.


So why is it so hard to get Congress to pass sensible gun control legislation?

It's instructive to see a list (see above) of which Republican Senators have taken donations from the National Rifle Association in 2016 and how much they've received.

Now by no means is it illegal or necessarily wrong for a Senator to accept campaign contributions from the N.R.A, in fact there are some Democrats who've accepted money from the gun lobby too.

Take a look at this Google Docs spreadsheet that lists N.R.A contributions for the members of the Senate and House provided through the OpenSecrets.org Website - just scan down and look at the big five-figure donations, all given to Republicans.

N.R.A-friendly - (R) Sen John McCain

But given the public pressure generated by Connecticut Democratic Senator Chris Murphy's recent filibuster (along with the help of New Jersey Senators Corey Booker and Robert Menendez and others) to call attention to the fact that until today Republican leaders wouldn't even allow a bill to the floor to even be discussed or voted on, understanding who is receiving money from the NRA offers valuable perspective and transparency on the political process.

Especially given that the vast majority of Americans are in favor of Congress enacting gun control measures.

As some of you may know, Republican Arizona Senator John McCain is currently facing one of the most difficult re-election campaigns of his political life, interesting to note that the N.R.A has donated $7.7 million to his campaign since January of this year.

No need to guess how he's going to vote when gun control measures come to the floor.

When it comes down to it, the N.R.A is basically paying Senators to block gun control legislation from being passed and signed into law.

Given the thousands of lives lost to gun violence in this nation this year alone, that's a pretty sad example of the Democratic process being usurped by cash.

It's a sad testament to the Republican party's ongoing effort to use their numerical majorities in the Senate and House to shackle the government's ability to work on behalf of the American people.

Sure there were Democratic senators who voted against some of the Democratic-backed measures today, as The Hill.com reported, North Dakota Democratic Senator Heidi Heitkamp was the lone Democrat to vote against Senator Diane Feinstein's proposal to block people on the terrorist watchlist from buying guns or explosives - think about that, how do you vote AGAINST a measure to keep guns and explosives out of the hands of suspected terrorists?

But it's Republicans who control the legislative branch of the American government.

Summer begins tomorrow, and as the latest statistics from GunViolenceArchive.org show, there have been 24,472 incidents involving guns in America this year, including 145 mass shootings and 6,278 people killed and the response from Congress is the same it's been for years.

Do nothing.

A Lack of Shared Humanity

NRA radio host Cam Edwards

Leave it to the NRA to use the latest senseless gun massacre by yet another delusional hate-filled American with a handgun, mental issues and a massive chip on his shoulder to try and silence public calls for tougher gun laws.

As Timothy Johnson reported on MediaMatters.org yesterday, just hours after Vester Flanagan's cowardly murder of two innocent television journalists in Roanoke, Virginia on live television, the NRA was already in full media crisis mode accusing relatives of the victims, advocates for gun control and political leaders of "politicizing" the tragedy.

As Johnson reported, the NRA's Cam Edwards (pictured above) is virtually swimming in the Kool-Aid: 

"Later that same day during an afternoon broadcast, Cam Edwards, host of the NRA radio show, Cam & Company, lashed out at people who consider this latest incident of shocking public gun violence as more evidence the nation needs stronger gun laws. Edwards complained, "Before we know any of the details, we are seeing anti-gun politicians, anti-gun activists trying to turn this tragedy into some sort of political advantage," and went on to characterize calls for new gun laws as "the wrong response to take here. I think it shows a lack of shared humanity." 

So let's get that particular NRA position clear.

Advocates of reasonable gun control laws that might help prevent these heinous public massacres are demonstrating a "lack of shared humanity"?

Clean up on aisle six? Shopping in The Home of the Brave

Just for perspective, Cam Edwards was one of the right-wing extremists calling for an investigation into the activist group Moms Demand Action - For Gun Sense in America for calling on Kroger and other chain stores to ban idiots like this clown pictured to the left from openly carrying loaded weapons around grocery stores. 

Edwards was also active earlier this year when as many as ten different states were actually considering legislation that would make it legal for college students to carry concealed loaded weapons around on campus. (We see you ALEC.)

As Dan Burns reported back in March on MN Progressive Project.com:

"National Rifle Association radio and television host Cam Edwards claimed that people who argue against concealed carry as a solution to rape on college campuses are "OK with" sexual assaults that could supposedly be prevented by guns."

I swear if some nut-bag with a gun shot up a bunch of preschoolers and people held a candlelight vigil, people like Edwards would call them "opportunists".

Victim Allison Parker's dad Andy Parker [Photo - People]

On a more positive note, it's both touching and inspiring to see reporter Allison Parker's father Andy Parker (pictured left) step up and call out apathetic tone-deaf politicians for refusing to take action on legislation that would enact reasonable and sensible gun control laws supported by a vast majority of American citizens.

It's both remarkable, and a sad commentary on the state of 21st century America that a morally tone-deaf organization like the NRA wields so much influence on Capitol Hill and strikes such fear into the hearts of both Republican and Democratic Congressmen alike based on a simplistic and incredibly warped interpretation of the 2nd Amendment of the Constitution. 

There's nothing Constitutional about a group that is fond of boasting a total membership of over 5 million people (numbers that have been questioned) using political threats and intimidation, smear tactics, manipulation of facts and a flood of lobbyists to put the safety of a nation of over 300 million at risk from the horrific gun violence that has claimed the lives of over 8,566 people in the United States this year alone.

According to updated statistics posted on the GunViolenceArchive.org Website, there have been 222 mass shootings this year, 488 children between the ages of 0 and 11 have been killed or injured by gunfire, 17,465 injuries and a stunning 33,510 gun incidents this year alone.

Out of those 33,510 incidents, how many times were guns used for "defensive" purposes? 787.

You do the math. The NRA certainly won't.

They're too consumed with accusing the millions of average Americans begging our politicians for reasonable gun control laws of having "a lack of shared humanity."