Go Mr. President!!!!

[spanone]

live on the teevees

talking about sensible gun safety laws....

[etherealtruth]

1. OMG ... I LOVE that man

He is NOT holding back!

[yeoman6987]

34. Did he mention 2009 and why he didn't do anything with the house and

60 votes in the senate even for a short time? Anything?

[etherealtruth]

35. He is doing the right thing now

you clearly have a dislike of the president ... that's up to you .... I LOVE OBAMA (more today than ever)

[yeoman6987]

37. Yeah. Wonderful.

[etherealtruth]

38. it is!!!!!!

[yeoman6987]

39. And as wonderful as it is, nothing will be done

That ship has passed and nobody decided to get on the train to pass gun control which was the easiest time to do it. When you are given the golden ticket of control of house and senate, that is when you get things done that are difficult when in the minority. You mentioned I dislike the President. No I don't at all, but when he fails to do a simple task with the tools in his tool box then yes I am disappointed and won't clap when the tools have been taken and now suddenly he is on board? How is that great?

[passiveporcupine]

49. changing gun laws in this country has never been, nor will ever be a simple task

No matter how much you might think so.

[Renew Deal]

60. Gun control was no more likely to pass then

Than it is now.

[Kingofalldems]

111. Why aren't you allowed in the Gun Control Reform forum?

You seem to be for gun control and blame the President. So I don't get it.

#33
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=about&forum=1262

[greatauntoftriplets]

76. You and me both!

[AlbertCat]

80. you clearly have a dislike of the president

Nonsense.

It's a good question.


But I think if we could go back to then and know all the myriad of subtle attitudes and tiny happenings going on at the time, we might actually get some kind of satisfactory answer.

[yeoman6987]

90. Wow. Don't like the president because of a shortcoming that's fact

Interesting. Leaders lead .

[kelliekat44]

44. He could have mentioned it and also mentioned that at least 8 of those 60 were Dixicrats and never

going to vote for gun legislation.

[yeoman6987]

46. Now that is a sad statement.

Lord although your post is accurate that make me boil.

[Tarheel_Dem]

47. Do you remember what was happening in 2009? Ever hear of the "Global Financial Meltdown"?

This POTUS had a 60 vote majority for all of 72 days, but that particular talking point is a favorite of the congressional Republicans. Thanks for sharing it with us, yet again. It's such a shame that Obama didn't manage to banish decades of American idiocy in 72 days, especially having to deal with the gun humpers in his own party.

Bernie Sanders Walks A Fine Line On Gun Control
June 24, 2015 6:48 PM ET

In the wake of last week's Charleston, S.C., church shootings, 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders explained his competing concerns between gun rights and gun safety.

"I think guns and gun control is an issue that needs to be discussed," Sanders told NPR's David Greene in an interview airing on Thursday's Morning Edition. "Let me add to that, I think that urban America has got to respect what rural America is about, where 99 percent of the people in my state who hunt are law abiding people."

In the wake of the shooting deaths of nine African-Americans at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, many Democratic politicians have renewed calls to tighten gun-control measures. Sanders said he's open to a conversation about what to do next on gun-control measures and would go along with stricter background checks, for example. But he noted in the interview that those measures alone wouldn't solve the problem of gun violence in America.


http://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2015/06/24/417180805/bernie-sanders-walks-a-fine-line-on-gun-control

http://www.thejustice.org/article/2015/09/criticize-bernie-sanderss-position-on-gun-legislation

[Fred Sanders]

51. Already pointed out to him on another thread that amnesia is a terrible thing.

[Tarheel_Dem]

52. Obama, indeed, would be super human if he could have changed the world in 72 days. We've gotten...

past the crisis, and amnesia has taken hold as to just how horrible & scary that time was for a lot of us.

[yeoman6987]

109. You did point it out true

But doesn't change the fact that he thinks he can get something done now? How on earth does he think this will happen?

[jeff47]

56. I seem to remember someone saying something about multitasking...

“Presidents are going to have to deal with more than one thing at a time. It’s not necessary for us to think that we can only do one thing and suspend everything else.”

[Tarheel_Dem]

61. So he was twiddling his thumbs? Ever hear of Iraq & Afghanistan?

[jeff47]

94. Why do you think adding more tasks removes the need to multi-task?

Or are you arguing that presidents can't handle more than one problem at a time?

[Tarheel_Dem]

97. Well, we know one thing for sure, BS didn't introduce any legislation to make the situation better.

Bernie Sanders' record on gun control could haunt him in 2016


Juana Summers|2 hours ago


Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders' liberal message has captivated voters across the country, drawing tens of thousands of supporters to campaign events across the country. But on one issue — guns — Sanders falls out of lockstep with his liberal base.

In an interview with MSNBC aired Thursday night, Sanders was pressed on why he voted against the 1993 Brady Bill, which required background checks for gun purchases and against allowing victims to file lawsuits against gun manufacturers.

Sanders didn't respond to a question on whether or not his views on guns had evolved, but he said that he supports instant background checks and closing the gun show loophole.

"I don't know that anybody knows what the magic solution is. What we do know is the current situation is not tenable," Sanders told host Chris Hayes. "It clearly is not working. And as the president indicated, we can and must do a lot better."

http://mashable.com/2015/10/02/democrats-gun-control-debate/#eWB0e_u.6sqz

Even if PBO had been able to round up all the "Democrats", it seems that our alleged ally "BS" might have voted against it. You'll forgive me if I find your arguments a little disingenuous, won't you?

[jeff47]

98. You're claiming the government was too busy.

How would a bill from Sanders have made them less busy?

Oh wait....You abandoned your previous argument when it failed.

Even if PBO had been able to round up all the "Democrats", it seems that our alleged ally "BS" might have voted against it

You somehow managed to forget that Sanders voted for background checks, the AWB, and limited clip sizes. Instead, you're pretending time stopped in 1993.

You'll forgive me if I find your arguments a little disingenuous, won't you?

Project much?

[Tarheel_Dem]

99. !!

[jeff47]

100. The concept that time did not stop in 1993 is pretzel logic.

SMH

[Todays_Illusion]

54. I don't think you remember 2009, as for gun control, the REpublicans created the problem let them

solve it.

The Republicans want nothing more than to blame the Democratic for the precious right of killing each other, it makes the m free and all that, the killing.

[George II]

57. Do you remember the run on guns and ammunition after he was elected until shortly after...

...he took office? Do you realize that several Democratic senators and even more Democratic representatives would NEVER have voted for increased gun control?

The last person to be blamed is President Barack Obama.

Back to his speech (the topic), I've never seen him so angry and visibly irritated. Believe us, if he could have done something he would have.

[Tarheel_Dem]

64. ^^^^ THIS ^^^^. They couldn't keep guns on the shelves after he was elected.

Makes you wonder why the liberal icon that's running for POTUS didn't introduce legislation. He's been on the Hill for longer than most of us have been alive.

[George II]

70. I remember how my two rightwing brothers in law were all upset because they couldn't....

....get enough fucking bullets!!!!

As for that icon, he voted against TWO gun related bills that Biden voted for.

[Tarheel_Dem]

72. BS supporters, who now decry Obama's lack of action, haven't a leg to stand on. I would head for...

the exits if I were them. Like so many other issues, BS has been so single mindedly & laser focused on "the economy" to the detriment of everything else.

[George II]

78. To use a Trumpism, when it comes to anything other than "the economy", he's a lightweight....

....by the way, I haven't heard the term "lightweight" since I moved from NYC 25+ years ago.

[AlbertCat]

85. BS supporters, who now decry Obama's lack of action, haven't a leg to stand on.

again:

"Sanders said he's open to a conversation about what to do next on gun-control measures and would go along with stricter background checks, for example. But he noted in the interview that those measures alone wouldn't solve the problem of gun violence in America. "

This of course is a measured and completely pragmatic response from an Independent (not a Dem) who is again completely correct.... one who for some reason Hillary supporters think is too way out there to be elected.

Sanders' supporters have a quite sturdy logical base to stand on.

[Tarheel_Dem]

91. "Pragmatism" isn't a virtue that BS supporters appreciate. It's much too "third way".

And we agree on one thing: BS is "not a Democrat".

[AlbertCat]

95. "Pragmatism"

Like all those international trade deal????


And, no he's not a sell out corporate democrat... thank the FSM!

[Tarheel_Dem]

96. Awww, and we were finally in agreement. BS is not a Democrat, "corporate" or otherwise, and the....

super delegates & the Obama coalition will make that clear when the time comes.

@CarolynRodham: Ipsos/Reuters 2016 National Democratic Primary (9/26-9/30)

HRC 46%
Sanders 25%

Hill up 6%, Sanders down 5% since Ipsos poll 9/19-9/23 (via Twitter)

[AlbertCat]

104. will make that clear when the time comes.

It's been clear since 1970 something.

Try to keep up.

[Tarheel_Dem]

105. If it's been so clear, why didn't he run under his own party's banner? Oh, that's right........

[mentalsolstice]

77. Even in 2009 he was weakened by the shit he inherited and a spineless Congress.

Look at what he could do with healthcare, it was a long fought out battle and it went nowhere as far as he/we hoped, so I doubt he would've made many inroads with gun control. Obama has been a strong POTUS in that he has never given up, however, his presidency has been weakened by circumstances beyond his control. If you can't grasp that, then you don't have a very good grasp about how the three branches of government work.

[Ineeda]

108. You're a broken record

posting the same EXACT thing on every thread regarding the president's words about this latest gun atrocity. So I'll post this as I have repeatedly done every time I see a "...why didn't Obama do..." this or that when he had a majority. Now, pay attention please. (Though I know it a lot to comprehend, especially as it contradicts your entrenched POV):

Democrats did not have a fillibuster-proof majority for two years -- that's a lie.
January 20, 2009 - After suffering a seizure during Barack Obama's inaugural luncheon, Senator Kennedy’s health forced him to retreat to Massachusetts.

April 28, 2009 news outlets issued the following report: Republican Sen. Arlen Specter has switched parties, which would give Democrats a filibuster-proof 60 seats.

Despite the fact that the media hailed the party switch of Arlen Specter and claimed it gave Democrats a filibuster-proof Senate, the Minnesota seat still remained vacant. The Senate had 57 Democratic members and 2 Independents. Technically, the Senate was two members short, but I'm counting Senator Kennedy even though he was at home ill because he did cast a vote in June. 59

May 15, 2009 Senator Robert Byrd was admitted to the hospital reducing the number of sitting Senators to 56 Democratic members and 2 Independents. 58

July 7, 2009 Al Franken (D) was sworn in after the election dispute over the Minnesota seat was decided in his favor. Senator Kennedy continued to recuperate at his home in Massachusetts and was unable to cast any more votes; Senator Byrd was still in the hospital. The Senate had 56 sitting Democratic members and 2 Independents. 58

July 21, 2009 Senator Byrd returned to the Senate making the count 59 seats. No Senator Kennedy.

Senator Kennedy died August 25, 2009.

The Kennedy seat was vacant from August 25 - September 24 when Paul G. Kirk was appointed to occupy his seat until the completion of a special election. The swearing-in of Kirk gave the Democrats a 60-seat majority.

Democrats had a 60 seat majority from September 24, 2009 thru February 4, 2010 when Republican Scott Brown got the Kirk/Kennedy seat. 4 months; not 2 years!!

This does not account for the number of days Congress was not even in session during that time. If one subtracts the number of days Congress was out, the time that President Obama had a Democratic majority in Congress is further reduced by more than 30 days, or another full month.

Of a possible 94 legislative days during that period, the Senate was only in session for 67 days, while the House only labored for 54.

Add to above info: Lieberman, Nelson, Landreau, and Lincoln, who may have caucused with the Democrats but they voted with the Republicans.

[Kingofalldems]

110. Any links backing up that statement?

[revmclaren]

2. YES!!!!!!!!

[etherealtruth]

3. "this is something we should politicize! "

Amen Mr. President, amen!

[yuiyoshida]

14. This!

[avebury]

4. K&R nt

[Loryn]

5. Yes!

[kpete]

6. Our thoughts and prayers are not enough.

[spanone]

7. ^^^K&R^^^

[pintobean]

8. Gun sales are going to skyrocket.

[spanone]

9. fucking sad.

[Punkingal]

10. Whoa....

He was awesome!!!! And he is pissed!

[GummyBearz]

50. I bet it makes

A great headline tomorrow

And nothing more

[Laffy Kat]

11. Courageous words from Obama.

So proud he is our President. I think he spoke off the cuff, too.

[MoonRiver]

12. He was wonderful, but he can't do this alone!

When will Congress and/or it's constituents have enough?

[Andy823]

16. Exactly

I think a lot of constituents have had enough, but the GOP won't listen to them, they never do. Republicans in congress keep on falsely claim they are doing what the people of this country want, but it's all BS. They do what the big money tells them to do, and that includes the NRA.

It's pretty simple. If we want changes in the gun laws republicans must be voted out, period.

[MoonRiver]

67. Repubs and any Dems who put the NRA above life.

[forthemiddle]

13. And now, like it or not 2016 will be about gun control!

We will see how it plays out! Quite honestly I am not sure.

[artislife]

20. I thought after the slaughter of the children of Sandyhook, our nation would change

but little kids didn't matter.

I don't think it will have momentum into the election.


We just don't care enough.

[forthemiddle]

22. But did the President call for us to

Become more like Great Britain, or Australia after that tragedy? If I am not mistaken, those Countries banned and confiscated guns. I don't know how that will go over in the USA.
And you can bet this will now be one of the first questions of the debate (after the email stuff of course).
I can see the ads now, Democrats want to take your guns, and they will have the sound bites to prove it.

[spanone]

23. he called for common sense. congress won't even talk about it. he talked about the ads too.

he doesn't care.

[mcar]

48. He talked about

how other countries changed their laws after one mass shooting.

What do you suggest he do?

[whathehell]

26. I don't think

that it's "we" who don't care enough.

After Sandyhook, 93 percent of ALL Americans polled, gun owners and NRA members alike,

wanted expanded background checks.....We never got them. Too many congress creeps

being paid off by the NRA.

When 93 percent of the electorate wants something and it's not done, 'we the people' are

clearly not running things, i.e. no democracy.

[Rocknrule]

43. Not only that

there was a poll that showed that Americans were more shocked by Newtown than by 9/11

We reacted to 9/11. Hell we even invaded the wrong country because of 9/11. Why no action now?

[passiveporcupine]

53. If giving up our guns was a sacrifice asked for after 9/11

Do you think we would have done it?

[840high]

45. ...^ that

[sheshe2]

15. Thank you Mr. President. nt

[spanone]

17. rarely see such a display of emotion from a President or anyone.....

[ChisolmTrailDem]

18. He was livid but more than that, he was devastated. nt

[spanone]

19. chris jansing, nbc, was in the front row & said he was visibly shaking.

[ChisolmTrailDem]

21. I saw that. She did a very good job of conveying the mood of the President and the room. nt

[Capt.Rocky300]

24. I hope all you folks got to see his entire presentation......

The local NBC affiliate in Seattle cut him off mid-sentance when he got to the part about sensible gun laws and went back to "The Ellen DeGeneris Show". Outrageous.

[spanone]

25. it'll be on the white house website soon

https://www.whitehouse.gov

[Capt.Rocky300]

28. Thanks spanone.

[spanone]

31. here it is....THE VIDEO..

https://www.whitehouse.gov

[Capt.Rocky300]

36. Again, thanks.

[mcar]

27. As usual, he was amazing

[Stuart G]

29. K and R...nt

[world wide wally]

30. Republicans are flat out cowards who shit their pants when the NRA says anything at all

[thesquanderer]

32. Here's the video

&

starts at about 23:00

[spanone]

33. thanks!!!

[malaise]

62. He really was excellent

Discussion on Chris Hayes

[Tarheel_Dem]

55. Thanks for posting that.

[Rex]

40. He probably gets so busy as to forget that he is the only effective branch of govt that functions.

So use to having 3 branches of government working together, he has to remind himself how fucked up the SCOTUS and Congress are. 80% of US want some kind of gun control. He knows this and sounds like he is fed up again with the clown circus that is Congress and the SCOTUS.

All he can do is propose policy and enforce what is already passed, Congress has to actually do their jobs and they seem to be saying HELL NO.

[ellisonz]

41. I think the media should spend more time on Benghazi, Emails and Planned Parenthood...

...and less time covering the senseless massacre of civilians in this country at the hands of the gun industry.

[Rocknrule]

42. A little off topic, but

USA Today said there have been 15 mass shootings that Obama has spoken on during his presidency. So far, I can think of:

This
Charleston church
Isla Vista
Ft. Hood II
Navy Yard
Newtown
Sikh temple
Aurora theater
Tucson
Ft. Hood
Binghamton

What are the 4 that I missed? And yes, it is pathetic and sad that there have been this many in such a short amount of time.

[BumRushDaShow]

63. Here are some

There were 2 for Ft. Hood (2009 & 2014 both had statements), but to your list, add:

Holocaust Museum (in D.C.)

Chapel Hill, NC

Portland, OR high school

Overland, KS Jewish Community Center

[flamingdem]

58. Most excellent and with heart

He could fix this if allowed.

[passiveporcupine]

59. I have a question

What if we made it a law that a mass killing can be news worthy, but the identity of the shooter is not allowed to be posted or spoken by media anywhere. No more notoriety for the killer so he can go out as some kind of sick hero of the underdogs in life.

Would this stop this trend? Would it make it seem less inviting? Would there even be a way to do this, or would the internet just find out the information and post it on social media anyway?

I'm not sure gun control laws alone will address this issue.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

71. Nope. This is what we have become.

The Intrernet needs better policing. Who are the people egging on a mentally unstable person to commit murder and/or suicide?

http://crooksandliars.com/2015/10/reports-ucc-shooter-posted-plans-shooting

[Cleita]

65. Why doesn't he do the obvious and sign an executive order for a moratorium on gun sales

and ammo until Congress and the Governors convene a convention to hammer out necessary gun and safety laws in the future. That will push them into action. Otherwise begging for such a thing will be ignored as usual by those same politicians. I think he could do it stating it's necessary for the safety of the citizens and children of America. There must be a precedent out there somewhere in the Homeland Security laws passed after 9/11 that can be adopted.

[hack89]

69. Because he legally can't

EOs need a basis in law or the Constitution. There is no law that give the government (and thus the president) the power to ban gun sales.

[Cleita]

73. I'll betcha he can if he gets his lawyers working on it.

I would bet there is a provision in the Homeland Security statutes that could serve. You and I are not lawyers but he has a city full of them and there is a law out there that needs to be dusted off for this.

[hack89]

74. He is not a dictator as much as you would like him to be

Last edited Thu Oct 1, 2015, 09:27 PM - Edit history (1)

Such a move would be political suicide. There would be massive opposition by the states and the public. Obama is not so stupid.

[Cleita]

82. I know who the real dictators are. Let's start with Wayne LaPierre. Hmmmm?

I want my President to stand up to him, his whole filthy organization, the KKKr's who back him and anyone else who is hiding behind the second amendment.

[hack89]

84. How about we stop Wayne from passing laws all by himself?

Oh wait.

[Cleita]

86. Do not test me darling. I have been at this argument for years since those nursery school

children got murdered by a deranged "Christian" in Los Angeles because he thought they were Jews. If you are an honest gun owner you will attempt to be part of the solution, not part of the problem.

[hack89]

87. I support most gun control with only two exceptions

And I will always challenge emotional hyperbole. I too have been at this argument for years "darling".

[Cleita]

89. Well, I'm a wimen and wese tend to be imoshonal about chillen being died and bloodied and

all that. That hyberbole you so speaks of, does it have anything to do with your black heart?

[hack89]

93. So disagreeing with you means I have a black heart? OK.

didn't realize you were the standard by which everyone else is judged

[BumRushDaShow]

75. What?

The U.S. is not a dictatorship and Executive Orders are not legislation. Executive Orders primarily direct federal agencies on how to carry out current law. Anything beyond that feeds RW fodder (which ran rampant earlier this year with ATF's proposal to reclassify a certain caliber/type of ammunition, causing the loons to go hog wild about Obama taking their gunz 'n ammo!!1!!11!).

Here is what he has signed related to gun safety (at least through 2013).

[Cleita]

81. If it's not a dictatorship, then why are we being ruled by a terrorist organization, the NRA?

The President can declare war against a terrorist organization. I think that's possible. You will not win this argument with me because I and many others are REALLY FED UP!

[BumRushDaShow]

92. "You will not win this argument with me"

Wow. I wish DUers had some more Civics knowledge as this type of nonsensical discourse would cease being routine. As a side note, a coup d'etat in the U.S. is also "possible" so have at it to get what you want!

[aikoaiko]

101. Even if he could, he wouldn't because it would ensure a RW White and Congress for 20 years

There is a reason he virtually ignored mass shootings during his first term (i.e., took no political action except some sympathetic words).

[Cleita]

102. I love all these crystal ball readings of what would happen when there is absolutely no

evidence that it would happen. Better yet, I wish he or some governors would declare the NRA a domestic terrorist organization because as far as I'm concerned they are no different than the IRA in Ireland or Al Queda in the ME. They are just a powerful lobby of armed crazy people terrorizing and inspiring mentally unbalanced people to kill children in schools and other public places.

[aikoaiko]

103. I like how you're willing to trash the 1st Amendment to get to the 2nd.

[tomm2thumbs]

66. in some irony, IKEA removes window blinds with cords

but guns.... no can touch

https://gma.yahoo.com/ikea-removes-window-blinds-hazardous-kids-122515344--abc-news-topstories.html

[daleanime]

68. Hell yes....

[ronnykmarshall]

79. and it's disgusting what happened to the Brady Bill.

How it was gutted by the Republicans and attacked by the NRA and their supporters.

[pinstikfartherin]

83. K&R nt

[Doctor_J]

88. Strange that he waited until he's a lame duck with zero political capital

He's gives a great speech, for sure. And, like most of his speeches, it will amount to nothing. As for getting things done, it's pretty much only corporate-friendly things.

[Phlem]

107. Yep.

[humbled_opinion]

106. Sure he is talking

and will continue to talk that isn't going to do anything if he wants my respect he will sign an executive order banning the sale and transfer of Ammunition or guns whatever is easiest. If he is not willing to risk everything on this issue than he is not going to get enough people to make an impact.

[melman]

112. Seven years in

and he has done NOTHING on this issue. Nothing.