August 06th, 2019

They're cowering while our country is dying

By Sen. Jeff Merkeley
  This weekend, we saw two mass shootings within 24 hours of each other.
  Like you, I've just had it. America doesn't have markedly more mental illness or poverty or more violent video games than other countries. What we do have? Way more guns. And violent white nationalism being encouraged from the White House. It's a toxic combination.
  Assault rifles are weapons of war. A semi-automatic rifle and high-capacity magazines are designed for carnage. The Dayton shooter killed and wounded three dozen people in only 30 seconds.
  We need to get these weapons off the street. We need to close the loopholes that let dangerous people arm themselves. These steps might not end all killings, but it's an NRA argument that if we can't stop all shootings, we shouldn't try to stop any.
  And that's really what it comes down to: Will Mitch McConnell, Donald Trump, and others in Washington ever decide that the lives of Americans take priority over the NRA?
And will other Republicans ever denounce white nationalism and commit the same kind of focused effort at fighting white nationalist terrorism that they're so eager to do when the terrorists come from the Middle East?
  I'm tired of the empty rhetoric and hollow promises. We need leaders who will put address this national crisis, and it they're not willing to, they need to go.
  Join me on Facebook. Say no more to this awfulness and commit to voting each and every person responsible out of office in 2020.
  Jeff