63 Comments
Jun 13, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

This cynical attempt to negotiate a gun safety deal by the bipartisan group is yet another assault on our fragile democracy. It’s no more than a talking point for the midterms “see what we did for you”! Disgusting behavior by all involved. It only points out how feckless our “leaders” are in solving real world tragedies quickly and finally; to not ban assault rifles and grotesque rounds of ammunition in a civilized society is absurd. The love of the Gun. That will be our epitaph as a failed nation.

Never was it more revered and on display in our time than on Jan 6th. Morons with ammo and big guns at the ready deciding who was going to be our next President. Of course we should indict Trump! Embarrass the hell out of him and his cohorts and family that have acted like the noblesse oblige for far too long, with thugs and liars doing their bidding. I’m so sad Joe Biden had to inherit all that they dirtied in their time in office. He must have a deep faith in the possibility of recovery for all of us. I’m believing him. Thanks for all you are doing to encourage us to keep on keeping on as well.

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Jun 13, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Although I agree that the steps agreed upon for the gun c0ntrol legislation does not address al the concerns that I have, it is a start and to not pass it with Democratic votes would simply allow Republicans to say that they tried to enact legislation but were stymied by the other side. Compromise is meaningful and shows at least some progress. This would be the first meaningful legislation in years. Candidates for office can and should campaign for those actions not addressed in this legislation. I just hope this legislation is completed and voted on before the upcoming November elections. I also hope that voters who are concerned about gun control will now believe that all is done. I also believe that your position on January 6th matters is spot on. To not take action because you are not sure you can win is cowardice to the highest degree, We tend to do this too much and it needs t stop. "Wining" is not everything especially as in the two impeachments voting against was the wrong thing . When Garland was appointed Attorney General I was very hopeful that he would do the right things, but I have to admit that so far I am disappointed. As for the Supremes, They have lived down to all expectations and have made a farce of the court

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I was going to comment today. But you covered my reactions to todays Newsletter perfectly.

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thank you - great minds think alike! have a great day!

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Of course Democrats will have to vote for whatever bipartisan bill on gun violence is produced by the senate but they must make it abundantly clear that it is not anything close to what must be done.

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Jun 13, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

There will come a time when America's extra-ordinary level of deaths-by-gun will be recognized as curable outrage by a majority of Republicans. But we're not there yet. We have to view the currently proposed legislation as a bipartisan baby-step. Since it actually moves the ball so little, and infringes on high capacity gun ownership so little --- it will be very interesting to see who votes against it. I assume Ted Cruz will vote against it, and Josh Hawley, and others with Presidential aspirations. But I think time will show them to have been behind the times - and wholly owned by the NRA.

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Jun 13, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Depressing post, but thanks nevertheless. Nothing about trump and J6 is surprise. He is among the very worst. We know it.

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author

JB, thanks for the feedback. I will try to focus more positively on difficult news. My goal is not to depress anyone, but to motivate them despite depressing news.

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You are one of the most motivational writers on the subject. Keep doing what you do.

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Jun 13, 2022·edited Jun 13, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

I agree with you 1000%! I am so disappointed in Chris Murphy for falling prey to that GOP reward for nothing. If we put the blame on the troubled shooters, nothing will change. How could Murphy be a part of that? Banning assault rifles and criminalizing ownership of them is the bare MINIMUM! He's handed the GOP a powerful mid-term policy point. And for what? A dangerous, big, fat nothing. Those weapons are being collected by right wing militia getting ready for a civil war. It's not just the troubled shooters who are buying them; it's also the Proud Boys ilk. The NRA must love this distraction Is Murphy sleeping?

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All true. And I also agree with Dave's comment about ammunition. But let us get real here. The fact that ANYTHING could get through this bought and paid for Senate is amazing. There is nothing to be gained by voting against it. Dems can't oppose it - talk about a campaign gift! Any law about gun safety is a precedent. Take it. Then run with more solutions...

The fight for the removal of military weapons from civilian hands must resume. I find it astounding that other nations can legislate gun laws so quickly and completely. The UK banned "hand guns"! It's as if the collective intelligence and accomplishments (saving lives!) of other nations is completely lost on us. But you could say that about healthcare, too, right?

Americans have decided to live on another planet. One of reality denial. It's embarrassing. It is shameful. It is morally bankrupt. But we can't give up.

We need to get out the vote and change the Senate. Clear out the old white dead wood that keeps us from protecting Americans from the insanity of self slaughter.

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Jun 13, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

As one of our ministers said yesterday from the pulpit : "Set audacious goals and celebrate incremental victories." She was referring to LGBTQ+ rights, but this can also apply to gun control. (Yes, it's frustratingly slow)

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It's unclear though that the Congress has set any goal more audacious than riding the NRA gravy train.

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You're right Bill as is Janet in her comment below. The Democrats, because they've played intraparty games too long, have lodged themselves firmly between a rock and a hard place and the only way out will be by hoisting themselves on their own petard. What bothers me is that there is a clear expectation from Mr. Murphy's comments and others that we ought to be happy with their accomplishment and cheer them on for even meeting. At minimum, they should have gotten public commitments from the 10 Republicans to vote for the bill when, in its final form, it is brought to the floor of the Senate. A similar commitment from the leaders of both parties in the House would have been nice too. This is elementary politics even at the junior high school level; i.e. get your ducks in a row before you start shooting. It's not clear that these ducks are even in the same migratory path.

I don't think all Americans have chosen to live on that other planet or we wouldn't be having this conversation. We do, however, need to clean the rubble out of both houses of Congress and get some people who are familiar with the realities of life outside politics in there for a while.

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I'm not sure why, but this is a very metaphorical day. Maybe because the summer heat has just arrived in St. Louis.

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I think this will make it harder to take the Senate. To me, it was important not to compromise if to do so would do way too little while making the Republicans look reasonable. We may have won a tiny battle and allowed them to win the war. We had the public on our side with gun control. Now it looks like gun control, but its just regulations without gun control. Like the health warning on cigarettes--- a gift to the culpable. I predict it will pass and the GOP and the NRA will pop open champagne.

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I quibble only at your setting of the minimum acceptable. Limiting magazine capacity to 10 rounds and taking military grade ammunition out of the civilian market would be an acceptable and impactful first step.

As many of us have recognized, the notional action proposed by the 20 Senators is barely a start and less so because some of the Republicans have already announced reservations about voting in favor.

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The focus on ammunition is key. The ammunition used by the Uvalde and Buffalo killers is military grade designed to shatter and tumble on impact, inflicting horrendous damage (of the type no deer hunter would ever want to inflict on game).

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An ammunition that can literally decapitate a child should NOT be in the hands of the public.

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Exactly my thought Robert which is why I don't understand the congressional aversion to taking that and the high-capacity magazines out of the civilian market. I understand that it would cut into manufacturer's profits but the markup they get on military contracts is sufficient to offset that, at least for most reasonable people.

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Jun 13, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

I keep thinking that if Trump did go to trial that if a Trump sympathizers did end up on the jury pool that when presented with the facts and the evidence would change their minds. We have to remember that many people who still support him believe the big lie and are living in the Lala land of Fox and other conspiracy so called News outlets Is that too Pollyanna???

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Not 'Polyanna' Anita, but. the first thing the Court does is to let Prospective Jurors digest a '"Statement of the Case" & the 1st Question is typically, "Have any of you heard about this case? Etc. Prospective Jurors can be stricken from the Jury Pool per Court rules.This process is highly sophisticated these days. Prospective Jurors that "love" the Defendant or are "Special People" will not be sitting in the Jury Box.

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If there were a trial the evidence would have already been made public through the hearings and would be the excuse Trump attorneys would use against getting a fair trial and if he tried to rig the election who would not put it pass him to,try and rig the jury.

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Or change venue to Mar a Lago.

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Jun 13, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Given that the Supreme Court seems about to eviscerate (or worse) New York’s gun safety law, I am motivated to ask why the originalists do not interpret the Second Amendment to say that the right of the people to keep and bear muzzle-loading flintlocks shall not be abridged.

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Jun 13, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

I'm appreciating the use of the word "feckless" (in Diane's comment below, & in Robert's description of Justice Roberts, and could well be applied to too many of our "leaders")):

Careless and irresponsible.

Feeble or ineffective.

Spiritless; weak; worthless.

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"Gutless Wonders"?

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President Franklin D. Roosevelt said “ We have nothing to fear but fear itself. We as a country cannot fear in any shape, form, or matter the prosecution of those individuals who actively participated in the planning and execution of the January 6th coup attempt. The notion of retaliation for actions the D’s will take against the overthrow of our government is not a valid reason to do nothing it’s being fearful. Everyone is focused on Trump but there were many other individuals who participated that also need to be tried and convicted. Trump could not overthrow the government himself he needed help and the more of those members who are indicted and removed from office the less powerful Trump becomes. Let’s make Trump and his coup member fearful of the consequences of their actions instead of us.

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Jun 13, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

I completely agree. This seems like the only sustainable opton too. The only others I see are to 1) expose multiple democracy-ending crimes by Team Trump and simply say "oh my, that was bad"; or 2) prosecute them fully, and watch helplessly if/when the GOP seeks "revenge" down the road. If either of those happens, America is - IMO - lost for at least a generation. As Robt. stresses repeatedly, this is a longterm fight that will require millions of us to say "Hell No" to the fascist revolutionaries.

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There is so much work to do and so many challenges that it often feels overwhelming and discouraging. However, I urge all to take every small victory wherever it can be found, but keep working for more after taking the changes possible. Please remember that all of this, all of it, and much more, is a multi-generational struggle for change, to make the world a more free, safer, healthier, more equitable, and more tolerant space for all. We are not going to get everything we would like to see now, perhaps even for a much longer period of time and after many more struggles and a lot more work. But, be not discouraged and do not give up. Take the victories when they come and keep working and fighting for more. Please take the victories when possible.

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Jun 13, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

I agree with your letter today and with the comments I have read. We should not be cowed or stopped from moving forward and indicting TFG just because some spineless Republicans threaten retribution. That’s clearly all they have in their toolkit is threats because they have done absolutely nothing since TFG took office other than lower corporate taxes, impede trade, whine, filibuster, etc. I, for one, believe in my heart of hearts that Democrats will keep control of the House, gain control of the Senate and pass President Biden’s agenda. With all that is going on with massacres, anti-abortion, anti-Covid, anti-public schools, Americans are fed up and will show up at the polls. 🤞🏻🙏🏻

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Jun 13, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

What entitlement where people have the luxury of not being able to focus on past, present, and future calamity. Pathetic. GOP fosters a weeks worth of downtime after another mass shooting cause people forget and the focus is easily changed to some other nonsense. The present insanity continues churning where the extreme right says up is down and down is up and people just move on and the focus goes from one horror to the next. The future of our actual planet is in jeopardy and because it’s danger that is too far in the future people just can’t focus on it? FOCUS!

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Laws on gun safety need to include the word "gun". My minimum for the Senate was to raise the age to buy guns to 21 and wrote to Senator Cornyn on that. Now I'll write to him to congratulate him on doing as little as possible to keep his A+ rating with the NRA. What are a few children with Hispanic surnames with their heads blown off anything to do with guns? I'm holding the entire RPINO (Republican Party in Name Only) accountable by not voting for any of them local, state and federal.

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Agree with 100% "Laws on gun safety need to include the word "gun." AND I would add that "gun safety legislation" must actually regulate and address GUNS, not the victims of gun violence.

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It's always nice to hear a lawyer be 100% in agreement with me. At the corporation I worked for, they were looking for a new lawyer for the corporation. When the CEO was asked what kind of lawyer he was looking for, he answered "A one-handed lawyer -- someone that won't say "on the other hand." Guess that's an old joke but still a good one. On accountability, the gun manufacturers need some kind of liability. Another suggestion by Lawrence O'Donnell was to have the US give military contracts for guns only to those manufacturers that do not sell those guns to the public.

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Jun 13, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Peter Mancuso:

The elephant (the Senate) went into labor (deliberations) and gave birth to a mouse ("gun safety ").

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For gun manufacturers and its puppets NRA and GOP, it's all about gun sales. The proposed package of "gun safety" laws are carefully designed so as not to interfere with gun sales.

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Jun 13, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

This proposed "gun safety" bill is a bandaid, born of rush-to-market practices. A bill banning sales of all automatic and semi-automatic guns and ammunitions is what is needed.

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