General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsBREAKING: House Democrats holding "sit-in" on House floor (literally)
I'm on the House floor with @repjohnlewis & Dems staging a sit-in to demand action on commonsense gun legislation
:large
femmocrat
(28,394 posts)Unfortunately, C-span is re-running trump's speech.
George II
(67,782 posts)...the House shut off.
L. Coyote
(51,129 posts)Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) leads his colleagues in taking action on gun violence on the House Floor
June 22, 2016
Thanks @SenFranken for joining us on the House floor to demand action on gun violence. #NoBillNoBreak
Congressman, Georgia's Fifth Congressional District
We are sitting-in so that our colleagues will stand up for the American people. #holdthefloor #goodtrouble
My colleagues & I have had enough. We are sitting-in on the House Floor until we get a vote to address gun violence.
L. Coyote
(51,129 posts)Happy to join my Colleagues on the House Floor to fight to bring a vote on gun control legislation. #NoBillNoBreak
KBC ?@jk15chef 3 minutes ago
.@RepSwalwell #Periscope: . We are staying. We were sent to keep all of us safe. Watch live. #NoBillNoBreak
elljay
(1,178 posts)feed to CSPAN is controlled by Paul Ryan, so he is the one who has killed it. Your Congress at work, a shining example of democracy.
es35
(132 posts)He's a real bad-ass as we used to say.
Iliyah
(25,111 posts)Enough!
flamingdem
(39,335 posts)BainsBane
(53,112 posts)Satch59
(1,353 posts)Hope they all join in.
femmocrat
(28,394 posts)Chellie PingreeVerified account ?@chelliepingree 4m4 minutes ago
As we started sit-in, GOP called recess & turned off cameras, but we're not moving #wheresthebill #nomoresilence
workinclasszero
(28,270 posts)and demanded that the cameras be shut down!
calimary
(81,565 posts)TOLL FREE Capitol Hill switchboard numbers conveniently located in my sig line below.
I've been using them all morning. They do still work - although sometimes you have to wait on the line for awhile. Must be a lot of phone traffic jamming things up today...
irisblue
(33,047 posts)It's serious time.
PoliticAverse
(26,366 posts)IronLionZion
(45,615 posts)they have ways to get off the list if it was erroneous. A lot of people were added by mistake back in the beginning because of common names or some such nonsense. Things have changed
Duckhunter935
(16,974 posts)IronLionZion
(45,615 posts)and go through their background investigation and identity verification process. It's doable
Ikonoklast
(23,973 posts)Secret government lists that violate due process are unconstitutional, yet that is what the House members participating in this sit-in are in favor of.
Secret government lists.
Eliminating Due Process.
These are NOT Democratic ideals, it's Fascism for chrissakes.
This is a travesty.
shenmue
(38,506 posts)Happyhippychick
(8,379 posts)This is what we should be paying our politicians to do, they need to shake things up.
femmocrat
(28,394 posts)99th_Monkey
(19,326 posts)NoMoreRepugs
(9,500 posts)along with a whole bunch of other Dem voters this and every other effort of the last 50-60 years will be wiped out by a T-RUMP Presidency
passiveporcupine
(8,175 posts)Hyperbole
We are a drop in the bucket.
NoMoreRepugs
(9,500 posts)DU is the largest forum I am involved with so I have to start somewhere....
bigwillq
(72,790 posts)K and R
asuhornets
(2,405 posts)smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)K&R !
BootinUp
(47,209 posts)ffr
(22,676 posts)THANK YOU!
THANK YOU!
THANK YOU!
This is why I vote for Democrats every election. Imagine what material legislation they could pass if all democrats voted!
ailsagirl
(22,904 posts)Show the bastards you aren't going to quietly disappear just because they voted down all four measures!!!!!!!
workinclasszero
(28,270 posts)GO DEMS!
F the NRA!!!!
MyOwnPeace
(16,949 posts)meow2u3
(24,775 posts)Sheepshank
(12,504 posts)so very proud to be a Dem!!!!!
yallerdawg
(16,104 posts)It's common sense!
'No fly, no buy' and background checks for every gun sale, including gun shows and online.
Just that simple!
Tell your Senators to support the Collins 'No fly, no buy' amendment in the Senate!
You know the rightwing NRA is calling and emailing! We have to match and exceed them!!!
Stinky The Clown
(67,838 posts). . . . the GOPeers are obstructionist do-nothings.
The fact that Ryan gaveled the House into a recess, which shuts off the cameras, makes the whole event that much MORE newsworthy. Cell phone images spirited out of the chamber, as if they were behind enemy lines.
I LOVE it!!!
irisblue
(33,047 posts)Joyce Beatty Ohio 3 is there too.
calimary
(81,565 posts)jimlup
(7,968 posts)Go congressional dems go!
Firebrand Gary
(5,044 posts)Bravo Democrats!
Scientific
(314 posts)RockaFowler
(7,429 posts)Rosa Luxemburg
(28,627 posts)irisblue
(33,047 posts)I hope Ryan is eating lots of tums
TygrBright
(20,776 posts)Zoonart
(11,896 posts)This is how the Revolution continues. We should all be out there right now, sitting-n in solidarity.
I am not young. Been payng attention to politics since the 60's and have NEVER seen this.
THIS IS THE REVOLUTION.
Grassy Knoll
(10,118 posts)annabanana
(52,791 posts)Is YOUR rep?
Cosmocat
(14,583 posts)dim witted dolt con in what would be one of the last districts to every turn over a sitting R.
lunatica
(53,410 posts)mcar
(42,439 posts)Loki
(3,825 posts)I am there with them in spirit.
nolabear
(42,001 posts)I'm so happy to see the Democratic Party begin to act as though we have the right to make demands.
TygrBright
(20,776 posts)etherealtruth
(22,165 posts)Loki
(3,825 posts)Who voted against these bills needs to CALL THEM right now. I just called Roy Blunts office in DC.
Duckhunter935
(16,974 posts)I hate selective outrage
Loki
(3,825 posts)What's your problem? I don't care what letter they have behind their name.
hamsterjill
(15,224 posts)Last edited Wed Jun 22, 2016, 03:12 PM - Edit history (1)
'Bout damn time! Way to go, Sheila Jackson Lee!!!!!!!
Edited to add that I'm told Joaquin Castro (Julian's twin brother and my own representative) is also participating.
RamblingRose
(1,043 posts)irisblue
(33,047 posts)Easy peasy. I also called Sen Portmans' office & let his staffer know I was not happy with him.
RamblingRose
(1,043 posts)during their speech for people to call. ?? Maybe just the switchboard?
Loki
(3,825 posts)First: 202 224-3121 got message that all lines are busy so this must be the congressional switchboard, or you can text Congress at 644-33 to Demand Action on Gun Legislation now!. The second one worked for me.
nadine_mn
(3,702 posts)Good for Sen Franken for coming by and bravo to Rep Ellison!
Maru Kitteh
(28,344 posts)DemonGoddess
(4,640 posts)THIS is why I'm a lifelong Democrat! Thank you Rep. John Lewis! THANK YOU!
vi5
(13,305 posts)that proves that Democrats CAN do something and CAN stand up when they want to?
So much for the "Well what can we do? 60 votes, blah blah blah."
This. This is what you can do.
Last week. Last week was what you can do.
All of this. This is what you should have been doing for years now.
Glad to see them finally wake up.
lunamagica
(9,967 posts)Maru Kitteh
(28,344 posts)leeroysphitz
(10,462 posts)mountain grammy
(26,663 posts)meow2u3
(24,775 posts)Scientific
(314 posts)Former House Speaker Denny Hastert (R) goes to jail today for perving high school kids; former Republican House Speaker Newtie (3 wives philanderer) Gingrich is all the rage on talk shows today as possible Republican VP nominee and "moral champion"; and today we find that Paulie Ryan - the current Republican Stooge-in-Charge - has done nothing to date for America. Nothing. Not a frikkin thing. He is leading the Republicans to wasting our time and our tax money. Not doing their jobs. He and Turtle McConnell are leading the whole freaking KNOW NOTHING DO NOTHING STUPID PARTY to a Twisted Ambein-drugged Land of Nightmarish CONSUMATION
By refusing Congress's fundamental responsibility to debate and to vote on the public record on important and timely legislation, current Speaker Ryan and his Republican cronies have betrayed America once again, and today sparked a Legislative ClusterWank of epic proportions.
Has any other political party in any precinct of any planet, throughout the vast galactic vortex-spinning eons of time, been more tragically malignant ?
calimary
(81,565 posts)Totally. Like 100%. They're the ones who refuse to cooperate. Refuse to do their jobs. They're too chicken to stand up on days of courage like today. All they know how to do is stand in the way.
We need to try to reinforce that fact, any time an opportunity arises.
To the complete and absolute BULLSHIT and lazy-ass quip - "meh, they're all the same. Both parties the same. No difference between the two major parties blah-blah-blah because whateverthefuck..."
Let us examine this just a wee bit.
Who's out there, sitting in on the floor of the House of Reps to insist on a House vote on gun controls, even as this particular list was being compiled? CONS or Dems?
Who's out there, today, Wednesday June 22nd, putting their necks (and in some cases their jobs) on the line to push SOME sort of common sense gun restrictions toward becoming law?
Who insists climate change is just some stupid lie that some stupid liberal made up?
Who remains hellbent on denying, restricting, and just plain ol' taking AWAY a woman's right to choose?
Who's making every effort to legalize voter suppression?
Who's steadfastly in favor of more tax cuts for the rich?
Who's trying to roll back the clock on LGBT rights?
Who's lining up to support legislation that would divide families and screw innocent little kids (and build that nice wall) just because they might be undocumented?
Who's still turning a blind eye to the needs of African Americans?
Who's still pushing to take away affordable health insurance that some 20 million Americans DID NOT HAVE, until the Affordable Care Act changed that?
Who's the gang that seems to think the only way to deal with other nations is to bully them or shoot at them?
Who's busy trying to force one narrow brand of religion on this secular nation?
Who's actually tried to shut down the government?
Who's the gang that conspired - on the very NIGHT of Barack Obama's first inauguration - to block everything he might come up with to solve America's problems? Which party obstructed EVERYTHING? Even if President Obama were to tell everybody the way to do it is vote republi-CON, I'll bet they'd obstruct it. ONLY because he's the one suggesting it.
WHICH party is it - that declares its hatred for government and does everything it can to make sure government is so hamstrung that it can't do anything at all?
Who's got the nominee who says wages are too high?
And as long as we bring him up - Who's got the nominee who routinely behaves like a spoiled, coddled, snot-nosed five-year-old bully on the playground (despite the fact that he's now 70-years-old)?
Let's make sure we give credit where credit is due! It's NOT that "both sides do it" or that "both sides are the same." It's ONE SIDE ONLY. Let's not tar 'n' feather both parties when only one has done this.
randome
(34,845 posts)gademocrat7
(10,680 posts)anigbrowl
(13,889 posts)lindysalsagal
(20,785 posts)calimary
(81,565 posts)Hers WOULD HAVE prevented the Orlando atrocity. Because hers was about keeping somebody WHO HAD BEEN ON the terrorist watch list ANY time in the past five years, from getting a gun, even if that person was presently NOT on that list. Which was the exact status of the mass murderer in Orlando at the very moment he opened fire.
DesertRat
(27,995 posts)Generic Brad
(14,276 posts)This is historical.
cry baby
(6,682 posts)gademocrat7
(10,680 posts)TygrBright
(20,776 posts)JennyMominFL
(218 posts)Just emailed and tweeted my congressman, Alan Grayson.
avaistheone1
(14,626 posts)I love them. Something finally energized these Dems.
Hekate
(90,978 posts)This is a moment of history.
Kablooie
(18,645 posts)I don't see how this could have any impact.
It will get some publicity for the issue but why would it convince anyone in the House to reconsider?
anigbrowl
(13,889 posts)They're going to have to explain to people why they wouldn't allow the topic to even come up for debate. the reality is they want to get out of having a vote so they don't have to defend their record of being stooges for the NRA during election season. Democrats, meanwhile, have realized that friends and families of gun violence victims are pissed and are gambling that more people care about saving innocent lives than maximizing gun rights.
Skittles
(153,261 posts)it is worthy
Takket
(21,679 posts)Seems like we've been watching the Dems play nice against the politics of right wing bullying and do nothingness for too long, now we are finally standing up and making the country take notice that WE are the party that will protect them, NOT the NRA bought and paid for right!!!!!!!!!!
Ccarmona
(1,180 posts)They have captured the proceedings via Periscope and are showing it live.
red dog 1
(27,903 posts)but they did about 2 minutes on other House activities that took place earlier,
and they gave Donald Trump a full minute to spout his lies
(They only gave HRC about 30 seconds)
Why did NPR's nightly news show completely ignore the sit-in?
NPR = Nice Polite Republicans
femmedem
(8,209 posts)So proud of him and the Dems today.
George II
(67,782 posts)femmedem
(8,209 posts)We do have a really good delegation.
klook
(12,174 posts)My Congressman.
His office voicemail box is full, so I sent him an email of support. I'm sure he is hearing from plenty of "gun enthusiasts" who don't even live in his district!
(Note - Hope he has some hand sanitizer to use before eating anything!)
kyburbonkid
(251 posts)Yarmuth is a champ. Too many guns that are too easy to get. Programs need to be developed to reduce gun numbers and make them harder to get. That is just pure plain old common sense.
Eric J in MN
(35,619 posts)George II
(67,782 posts)riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)The people will rally.
There's unprecedented anger at Congressional gridlock.
Bernie showed the people will support this.
Kudos John Lewis.
pnwmom
(109,021 posts)They held a similar protest about a bill to allow oil drilling off the coasts.
riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)pnwmom
(109,021 posts)in their similar protest, much more recently than Bernie's.
They might be regretting that now.
riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)Someone has to demonstrate that there's a supportive base out there .
Bernies done that.
pnwmom
(109,021 posts)Last edited Wed Jun 22, 2016, 11:41 PM - Edit history (2)
that exempted gun manufacturers and dealers from state liability laws.
So Bernie is not a leader on gun issues. But it's good that he's supporting people like John Lewis and Chris Murphy in this effort.
riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)I believe Bernie has inspired Dems to grow a spine. Kudos to John Lewis.
Bernie was there with House Dems on this.
Are you determined to fight the primary wars again?
pnwmom
(109,021 posts)Last edited Thu Jun 23, 2016, 12:32 AM - Edit history (2)
He's been standing tall his entire adult life. And he led the way in this protest.
http://www.americanswhotellthetruth.org/portraits/john-lewis
Despite more than forty arrests and serious injuries, John Lewis remains an unrelenting advocate of nonviolence. Serving as the Atlanta, Georgia representative in the US House of Representatives since 1986, his speeches, writings, and voting record show his commitment to a global vision in which all people can share in the wealth of the earth. In the prologue to his autobiography, Walking with the Wind, Lewis states that Children holding hands, walking with the wind...is America to me--not just the movement for civil rights but the endless struggle to respond with decency, dignity, and a sense of all the challenges that face us as a nation, as a whole. That is the story of my life, of the path to which Ive been committed since I turned from a boy to a man, and to which I remain committed today. It is a path that extends beyond the issue of race alone, and beyond class as well. And gender. And age. And every other distinction that tends to separate us as human beings rather than bring us together. That path...an ideal I discovered as a young man has guided me like a beacon ever since, a concept called the Beloved Community.
John Lewis has written: We, the men, women, and children of the civil rights movement, truly believed that if we adhered to the discipline and philosophy of nonviolence, we could help transform America. We wanted to realize
the Beloved Community, an all-inclusive, truly interracial democracy based on simple justice, which respects the dignity and worth of every human being.
riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)pnwmom
(109,021 posts)Democrats (with a notable exception) took in the Senate last week. That wasn't a filibuster by official rules, since it wasn't an effort to block a bill.
It was an effort to force a vote -- very much like the effort that is ongoing in the House.
And the horrific shootings of 100 more Americans by one hater with an assault weapon is what galvanized them.
https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-applauds-house-democrats-for-unprecedented-sit-in-demanding-votes-to-stem-gun-violence
WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) applauded the Connecticut delegation, U.S. Representative John Lewis, and the dozens of Democratic members of the House of Representatives on Wednesday during a sit-in demonstration demanding that the House stay in session to debate and vote on gun safety measures to expand background checks and prevent gun sales to suspected terrorists. Murphy joined his colleagues on the floor of the House to show his support.
John Lewis is a true hero. No one in Congress has done more throughout the course of their life to stand up for justice and righteousness, said Murphy. Im proud of my Democratic colleagues in the House today. We will not alter the way Congress responds to the mass slaughter of our constituents without ripping up the usual script and demanding change. We forced Senate Republicans to allow votes to keep guns away from dangerous people the House should not go on vacation until Speaker Ryan and House Republicans do the same.
riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)This isn't coincidental.
pnwmom
(109,021 posts)Though he did turn up in today's effort. Better late than never.
riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)Facts say yes. Your post is ambiguous imo.
He's moved the party into action. Bravo!
pnwmom
(109,021 posts)Both of my own Senators did, all the way from Washington State.
As I said, better late than never.
But Chris Murphy and John Lewis, the 76 year old leader of the Civil Rights movement, were the leaders of this effort. John Lewis didn't need anyone to help him "grow a spine."
What an insult that idea is to that great man.
L. Coyote
(51,129 posts)John Nichols @NicholsUprising
This is the face of failure. @SpeakerRyan sought to silence debate. Instead he inspired a #NoBillNoBreak movement.
The White House Retweeted
Rep. Barbara Lee ?@RepBarbaraLee 18 minutes ago
History being made on the House floor. Led by @RepJohnLewis, we sang "We Shall Overcome." #NoBillNoBreak
Senator Dick Durbin ?@SenatorDurbin 26 minutes ago
The @HouseDemocrats sit-in continues. Tweet your support and demand @SpeakerRyan allow a vote on gun reform #NoBillNoBreak
Steny Hoyer ?@WhipHoyer 53 minutes ago
Told supporters that Dems wont quit until we vote to address gun violence #NoBillNoBreak #HoldTheFloor
Maddow Blog ?@MaddowBlog 56 minutes ago
Rachel #Maddow will return to continue live coverage through the midnight ET hour on MSNBC.
#NoBillNoBreak
Elizabeth Warren ?@SenWarren 2 hours ago
Sorry about blocking the livestream for a sec there! Just happy to see my friend @RepDuckworth at #NoBillNoBreak.
DesertRat
(27,995 posts)chwaliszewski
(1,514 posts)you know I love Bernie and am no fan of Hillary, but it pales in comparison to my loathing of the worthless Republicans who refuse to do anything about the gun violence in this country. To all of the Democrats who participated in this event: About time!
Scientific
(314 posts)I hope someone with access to what's happening will start a Thursday Morning Congressional Sit-in Update thread.
Thinkingabout
(30,058 posts)It did not pass in the Senate but the house brought the repeal of ACA to vote over fifty times knowing it was not going to pass the Senate, really smart on Ryan's part, wrong thinking.