Last night, Jon Stewart tore into the Senate GOP for blocking all gun safety legislation.
But along with the terrible stories are some uplifting stories, of so many heroes that have emerged from these tragedies, so we can take solace that those people are out there, and that our nation's leaders are also on the case.
NORAH O'DONNELL (4/18/2013): On Wednesday, the Senate blocked the most far-reaching gun control legislation in two decades.
I'm sorry, did I say "on the case"? I meant "killing my soul".
....
CHRIS MATTHEWS: The U.S. Senate has voted down the compromise deal on expanded background checks. ... The vote was 54 for the extended background checks, 46 against.
As to that last one, expanding background checks to cover gun show and Internet sales — only in the United States Senate, could take something that has 86% support of all Americans, and an 8-vote majority in the Senate itself, as a no. That's a no!
....
SEN. MIKE JOHANNS, R-NE (4/17/2013): I find it so incredibly ironic that its proponents think these weapons are a problem in the hands of law-abiding citizens, but apparently see no problem with the same weapons being glorified in Hollywood movies and video games ... where the game is interactive, violent, and you are literally shooting at people.
One, in video games, you are not literally shooting at people. What you are shooting at is a series of 0's and 1's that are organized into a 2-dimensional representation of a 3-dimensional.... Fuck it.
....
4/17/2013:
SEN. TED CRUZ, R-TX: In my opinion, adopting mandatory federal background checks for purely private transactions between law-abiding citizens puts us inexorably on the path to a push for universal... for a federal registry.
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER, D-NY: But my colleague hasn't detected any move of that as of yet.
SEN. TED CRUZ, R-TX: It is not currently proposed.
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER, D-NY: OK.
SEN. TED CRUZ, R-TX: But if the bill that is being considered were adopted, it would put us on that path.
What about the path we are actually on now? I believe it's at the corner of Carnage Road and Bang Bang Boulevard. You're saying we can't turn off because the exit ramp might merge into a government registry off-ramp that could, if you go far enough down, end on, I don't know, Stalin Avenue or Hitler Way? Or worse, the LIE, which really, really is bad.
But nothing embodied yesterday's cynical exercise in disingenuous debate more than this next line of argument.
4/17/2013:
SEN. RICHARD SHELBY, R-AL: I believe we should not restrict transactions between law-abiding citizens, especially when we will not prevent such transactions between criminals.
SEN. TOM COBURN, R-OK: We ought to recognize that we can't legislate away the evil that's about us.
SEN. CHUCK GRASSLEY, R-IA: People who steal guns do not submit to background checks.
Right! But people who steal guns do not submit to our rules about stealing! But we still have them. (wild audience cheering and applause)
Here's what's so crazy about this. The people in our country who've spent millions of dollars to get elected to a legislative body known as the Senate are making the argument, there's really no point in making laws, because criminals are just gonna end up breaking them! (wild audience cheering and applause)
Hey man, let me ask you a question to all the people in the Senate. Do your doors have locks on them? 'Cause my guess is most criminals don't go, (mimics criminals finding a door locked) "Oh, hey everybody... locked. Eh, let's let it go."
....
But I guess terror is different. I guess it makes sense, because terrorism has been a much greater threat to American safety over all these years.
CHRIS HAYES (4/17/2013): In the last 30 years, there have been 30,000 to 40,000 gun deaths in the United States per year, more than 900,000 people. In the last 40 years, since 1970, there have been about 3,400 terror-related deaths. ... A million gun fatalities in the 33 years since 1980, versus 3,400 terror fatalities since 1970, 43 years.
Holy shit! Well, thank God for Chris Hayes, cuz I'm not good at math. I'm so stupid, I still think 54 votes is more than 46! You know, I'm a fucking idiot! But I'm pretty sure that a million is more than 3,400.
And yet, to battle the evil of terror, we started two wars, tortured people, reorganized almost the entire federal government, disallowed the air trafficking of shampoo and conditioner, and OK'd the robot sky killing of American citizens if warranted by... someone.
Because one American life lost to terror is one too many. Which I agree with. But it seems to me we'll move heaven and earth to do whatever it takes to prevent weapons from falling into the hands of foreigners who might kill our citizens. Because apparently, we think killing our citizens is our job.
Video and full transcript below the fold.
As you know, this country has recently suffered horrific instances, from Boston's terrible tragedy to this explosion that just happened in West, Texas, your hearts go out. And of course, the continuing scourge of gun violence. But along with the terrible stories are some uplifting stories, of so many heroes that have emerged from these tragedies, so we can take solace that those people are out there, and that our nation's leaders are also on the case.
NORAH O'DONNELL (4/18/2013): On Wednesday, the Senate blocked the most far-reaching gun control legislation in two decades.
I'm sorry, did I say "on the case"? I meant "killing my soul".
4/17/2013:
KELLY O'DONNELL: Senators voted down an assault weapons ban.
LOU DOBBS: ... and against an amendment to ban high-capacity magazines.
C-SPAN3: The amendment, which would have dealt with trafficking and straw purchases...
CHRIS MATTHEWS: The U.S. Senate has voted down the compromise deal on expanded background checks. ... The vote was 54 for the extended background checks, 46 against.
As to that last one, expanding background checks to cover gun show and Internet sales — only in the United States Senate, could take something that has 86% support of all Americans, and an 8-vote majority in the Senate itself, as a no. That's a no! Did these cunt punters (wild audience laughter) — I think that's trademarked by Delta Gamma — really, you've already read the Internet? Gotta tell you, the Internet moves fast.
Did these guys pass anything of substance?
4/18/2013:
SEN. JOHN BARRASSO, R-WY: This amendment will ensure that gun owners across the nation do not have their private gun owner information publicly released.
SEN. CHRIS MURPHY, D-CT: The Yay's are 67, the Nay's are 30. ... The amendment is agreed to.
Wait, what? We can't publish where gun owners live? What am I going to do with my new magazine, Guns & Addresses?
Look, agree or disagree with that provision, it turns out the only amendment we've been able to constrict in the post-Newtown world is the First! Nyaaaah!
SEN. MIKE JOHANNS, R-NE (4/17/2013): I find it so incredibly ironic that its proponents think these weapons are a problem in the hands of law-abiding citizens, but apparently see no problem with the same weapons being glorified in Hollywood movies and video games ... where the game is interactive, violent, and you are literally shooting at people.
One, in video games, you are not literally shooting at people. What you are shooting at is a series of 0's and 1's that are organized into a 2-dimensional representation of a 3-dimensional.... Fuck it.
I guess I'm not considering the real world consequences of checking to see if someone buying a gun on the Internet is a convicted felon who moderates a Charlie Manson message board. "Hey guys, let's not get off topic. You know, you wanna talk about Live with Kelly and Michael, that's a different board. You gotta keep the conversation here Manson-related."
4/17/2013:
SEN. TED CRUZ, R-TX: In my opinion, adopting mandatory federal background checks for purely private transactions between law-abiding citizens puts us inexorably on the path to a push for universal... for a federal registry.
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER, D-NY: But my colleague hasn't detected any move of that as of yet.
SEN. TED CRUZ, R-TX: It is not currently proposed.
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER, D-NY: OK.
SEN. TED CRUZ, R-TX: But if the bill that is being considered were adopted, it would put us on that path.
What about the path we are actually on now? I believe it's at the corner of Carnage Road and Bang Bang Boulevard. You're saying we can't turn off because the exit ramp might merge into a government registry off-ramp that could, if you go far enough down, end on, I don't know, Stalin Avenue or Hitler Way? Or worse, the LIE, which really, really is bad.
But nothing embodied yesterday's cynical exercise in disingenuous debate more than this next line of argument.
4/17/2013:
SEN. RICHARD SHELBY, R-AL: I believe we should not restrict transactions between law-abiding citizens, especially when we will not prevent such transactions between criminals.
SEN. TOM COBURN, R-OK: We ought to recognize that we can't legislate away the evil that's about us.
SEN. CHUCK GRASSLEY, R-IA: People who steal guns do not submit to background checks.
Right! But people who steal guns do not submit to our rules about stealing! But we still have them. (wild audience cheering and applause)
Here's what's so crazy about this. The people in our country who've spent millions of dollars to get elected to a legislative body known as the Senate are making the argument, there's really no point in making laws, because criminals are just gonna end up breaking them! (wild audience cheering and applause)
Hey man, let me ask you a question to all the people in the Senate. Do your doors have locks on them? 'Cause my guess is most criminals don't go, (mimics criminals finding a door locked) "Oh, hey everybody... locked. Eh, let's let it go."
And you know, if these Senators were consistent in their fundamental assertion that evil cannot be legislated against, I would disagree with them, but I don't think I would have the same disdain for them. Because it turns out there are situations where the exact same people are much more willing to infringe upon Constitutional freedoms through the power of legislation.
SEN. MITCH McCONNELL, R-KY (1/1/2006): We need new techniques in the wake of 9/11 in order to protect us.
SEN. SAXBY CHAMBLISS, R-GA (3/8/2007): It's very important that we continue to give our law enforcement community every tool they need to protect Americans.
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM, R-SC (3/11/2007): The authority given to the FBI is a necessary change in our laws to combat the War on Terror.
SEN. JEFF SESSIONS, R-AL (10/29/2009): ... the capabilities it needed to detect and deter terrorism inside our border ...
SEN. CHUCK GRASSLEY, R-IA (5/23/2011): Important tools used to investigate and prevent terrorist attacks.
SEN. JOHN CORNYN, R-TX (12/20/2005): The President has a responsibility to use every legal means available to him to get intelligence that he can use to protect American lives.
But... (mumbling incoherently) so we can't legislate evil. I thought that was the whole point! But I guess terror is different. I guess it makes sense, because terrorism has been a much greater threat to American safety over all these years.
CHRIS HAYES (4/17/2013): In the last 30 years, there have been 30,000 to 40,000 gun deaths in the United States per year, more than 900,000 people. In the last 40 years, since 1970, there have been about 3,400 terror-related deaths. ... A million gun fatalities in the 33 years since 1980, versus 3,400 terror fatalities since 1970, 43 years.
Holy shit! Well, thank God for Chris Hayes, cuz I'm not good at math. I'm so stupid, I still think 54 votes is more than 46! You know, I'm a fucking idiot! But I'm pretty sure that a million is more than 3,400.
And yet, to battle the evil of terror, we started two wars, tortured people, reorganized almost the entire federal government, disallowed the air trafficking of shampoo and conditioner, and OK'd the robot sky killing of American citizens if warranted by... someone.
Because one American life lost to terror is one too many. Which I agree with. But it seems to me we'll move heaven and earth to do whatever it takes to prevent weapons from falling into the hands of foreigners who might kill our citizens. Because apparently, we think killing our citizens is our job. We'll be right back.
John Oliver then
talked with a psychotic Virginia gun nut, and challenged him with these things called facts.
Meanwhile, Stephen started off by showing how the
New York Post wrongly profiled an innocent teenager as the Boston Marathon bomber.
Stephen also covered how the
Senate GOP blocked gun control.
He also looked at how he could
go out into the streets of New York City without being mobbed... by having someone else do it for him.
Stephen talked with NBC correspondent Richard Engel, and Jon talked with author Mark Mazzetti, who wrote a book about the CIA, which went long. Here's the unedited interview in three parts.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3