Wednesday was a bad day — no doubt about it. Not only a vocal minority of the gun lobby, but also an entrenched, well-funded minority of the US Senate, succeeded in frustrating the will of more than 90% of the American people. We’ll all have much to say about this later, as we ponder how to move legislation forward and move bad legislators out of office. In the meantime, here are things you CAN do now:
1. Come out in force this Saturday, April 20th at NOON as NYC for Action, NYAGV and other gun safety groups join together to thank New York Senators Gillibrand and Schumer for their hard, dedicated work, and pledge to work to make gun safety in America happen.
Sign up here.
2. Many people are calling senators who voted “Yes” on background checks to show their appreciation (The senators who voted to support a ban on assault weapons and limits on large-capacity magazines are truly golden.) A good suggestion is that you tweet your displeasure and disgust at all those senators, Democrats included, who voted “No.” Twitter handles are below. Please share widely to step up the pressure.
For reference: an excellent editorial and a moving expression of outrage by Gabby Giffords, from the New York Times.
TWITTER HANDLES OF THOSE WHO VOTED NO**Except Majority Leader Harry Reid, whose vote was on procedural grounds
- Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) — @SenAlexander
- Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) — @KellyAyotte
- Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) — @SenJohnBarrasso
- Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) — @MaxBaucus
- Sen. Mark Begich (D-Alaska) — @SenatorBegich
- Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) — @RoyBlunt
- Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.) — @JohnBoozeman
- Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) — @SenatorBurr
- Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) — @SaxbyChambliss
- Sen. Dan Coats (R-Ind.) — @SenDanCoats
- Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) — @TomCoburn
- Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) — @SenThadCochran
- Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) — @SenBobCorker
- Sen. Jon Cornyn (R-Texas) — @JohnCornyn
- Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) — @MikeCrapo
- Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) — @SenTedCruz
- Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) — @SenatorEnzi
- Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) — @SenatorFischer
- Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) — @JeffFlake
- Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) — @GrahamBlog
- Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) — @ChuckGrassley
- Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) — @SenOrrinHatch
- Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) — @SenatorHeitkamp
- Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) — @SenDeanHeller
- Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) — @SenJohnHoeven
- Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) — @jiminhofe
- Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) — @SenatorIsakson
- Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) — @Mike_Johanns
- Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) — @SenRonJohnson
- Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) — @SenMikeLee
- Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) — @McConnellPress
- Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) — @JerryMoran
- Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) — @lisamurkowski
- Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) — @SenRandPaul
- Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) — @robportman
- Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) — @SenMarkPryor
- Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho) — @SenatorRisch
- Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) — @SenPatRoberts
- Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) — @marcorubio
- Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) — @SenatorTimScott
- Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) — @SenatorSessions
- Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) — @SenShelbyPress
- Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) — @SenJohnThune
- Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) — @DavidVitter
- Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) — @SenatorWicker