Oxfam: US signs historic Arms Trade Treaty

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. It's good the Executive has signed it; it'll take work to convert the senators scared of the NRA

It was adopted by the UN General Assembly in April on a 154-3 tally, with only Iran, Syria and North Korea voting no. Twenty-three countries abstained.

The accord confronts opposition in the U.S. Senate and has dim prospects for ratification there. In March, senators voted 53-46 for a symbolic measure opposing U.S. participation in the treaty. A two-thirds Senate majority is needed for ratification.

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-09-25/kerry-signs-arms-trade-treaty-opposed-by-majority-in-u-dot-s-dot-senate

You think that siding with Iran, Syria and North Korea would drive the Republicans to ratify it. But since even some Democratic senators opposed it symbolically earlier, the NRA has clearly put the wind up some of them. Or they're morons, of course. Two-thirds majority needed.

The March vote: http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=113&session=1&vote=00091

Every Republican voted against the treaty.