Steven,
The Republicans who control
Congress have had all the time
in the world to do something
about gun violence in America.
I mean that. If the GOP spent
a teeny, tiny fraction of the
time they waste voting again
and again to repeal the
Affordable Care Act or defund
Planned Parenthood on sensible
gun reform, more mamas and
daddies would be tucking in
their kids tonight.
But massacre after massacre,
the Republicans have offered
thoughts and prayers – but no
solutions. Every time
Democrats have said enough is
enough, every time we’ve tried
to get even the smallest
reforms passed, the
Republicans flatly refuse.
Nothing. Never. No way.
If the Republican Party would
rather work for the NRA than
the American people – and if
they won’t do their jobs to
keep our children safe – then
somebody else has to step up.
That’s why I strongly
support President Obama’s
actions to use the existing
laws on the books to close
background check loopholes,
increase mental health
treatment and reporting, and
improve enforcement of our
gun laws. These steps are
smart, reasonable, and well
within the President’s
constitutional power. And
most importantly, they will
make a life-or-death
difference for some children
and their families. Fewer
funerals, more good-night
kisses.
This is an important move, but
I don’t kid myself: We’re not
done here. The President took
a good first step, but Congress
still needs to take action to
ban assault weapons and high
capacity magazines. Congress
needs to make gun trafficking
a serious federal crime.
Congress
needs to make President
Obama’s actions permanent so
that a future Republican
President can’t reverse them
on Day One.
It won’t be easy. The NRA and
their Republican friends have
fought hard against sensible
gun reform – and they’re going
to keep fighting us every step
of the way. Just look at what
the Republican Senators –
three Republicans running for
President – said about
President Obama’s executive
order:
- Senator Rand Paul said:
“We should be advocating for
more concealed carry ability
for law abiding Americans
and an end to
unconstitutional gun free
zones, not spending tax
dollars on enforcing
pointless gun laws that do
not improve the safety of
this nation.”
- Senator Marco Rubio said:
“It undermines the Second
Amendment and it will do
nothing to keep people safe…
This executive order is just
one more way to make it
harder for law-abiding
people to buy weapons.”
- And Senator Ted Cruz? He
responded to the
announcement with a contest
to win a shotgun engraved
with his campaign logo.
Seriously.
But President Obama showed
us yesterday that change is
possible. The majority of
Americans are with us on this.
We just have to keep fighting.
I’m ready to have that fight
for gun reform – right here,
right now. Congress owes it to
the people we represent, and
we all owe it to our children
and grandchildren.
Thank you for being a part of
this,
Elizabeth
