1/ As we commemorate the 22nd anniversary of the shooting in Columbine High School today, it looks like there's a mass shooting event unfolding at a Stop & Shop in West Hempstead, NY. It appears that 3 people are shot, 1 may be dead, shooter got away: nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-c…
2/ We don't know all the details, but early reports suggest this may be workplace related. Unfortunately, such shootings are common
We just experienced the FedEx shooting in IN on Thursday, which left 8 dead. So far, we've had at least 16 shootings at workplaces in 2021
3/ We absolutely need Congressional action to strengthen our gun laws
Since Columbine 22 years ago, at least 748,192 people have died from guns...we've all waited long enough and frankly we refuse to wait any longer #TheTimeIsNow
4/ *Now* is the time for @POTUS and @SenSchumer to prioritize gun reform & figure out a credible path for getting (at the very least) a robust background check bill through the Senate...even if it requires modifying or eliminating the filibuster.
Our lives literally depend on it
@POTUS@SenSchumer 5/ I'm asking lawmakers to *fight* to strengthen gun laws b/c that's what they promise when they campaign for office
We've seen how leadership from @POTUS & @SenSchumer can get big things done -- against overwhelming opposition. We desperately need their leadership on gun reform
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And so I was surprised that when Senate gaveled back in at 3pm today, @SenSchumer took to the floor w/o mentioning these fatalities or a plan to end them...
@SenSchumer 2/ Following @SenSchumer's remarks, @DickDurbin took to the Senate floor & did address the public health crisis of gun violence, promising to hold more hearings in the Senate Judiciary Committee and urging Republicans to support gun reform measures
@SenSchumer@DickDurbin 3/ @DickDurbin noted @POTUS' 6 initial steps for reducing gun violence and celebrated the President's commitment to invest in community-based gun violence intervention programs
@POTUS 2/ I say this b/c that's what @POTUS promised us on the campaign trail.
He didn't run on urging the Senate to act, he ran on brining lawmakers together to get big things done -- including on gun reform.
@POTUS 3/ I'm asking him to live up to those promises & to treat gun violence reform w/ the same priority & engagement that he treated COVID & now infrastructure
1/ Gun violence is a public health crisis we can solve if leaders *live up to their campaign promises* & prioritize life-saving community investments and gun reform legislation
#TheTimeIsNow for our leaders to act and for us to hold them accountable to the promises they made us
1/ This story quotes an anonymous "Democratic strategist" who argues "voting on an assault weapons ban would help fuel Republican arguments that the Biden administration is coming to take their guns"
This 🧵explains why this kind of thinking isn't supported by data or facts
2/ Pundits have long recycled notion that lawmakers who support gun safety are minutes away from losing their seats. Narrative began after Dem loses in 1994 following Clinton's gun reform push
Do me a favor: ignore the pundits & ask the statisticians who actually study this...
3/ "The vote for gun control mattered, but the vote for the tax increase and healthcare were more important," says Gary Jacobson, who has done a statistical analysis of what votes affected the outcome of the 1994 election. More on that here: usnews.com/news/articles/…
1/ 🧵 I want to take a moment to talk about hate & abuse that's directed at those of us who work in progressive politics or policy....
2/ I'm struggling with how to frame this thread. I don't want to come off as just complaining about some nasty comments at a time when there are so many larger injustices that folks -- particularly women and people of color -- confront every single day
3/ But I also don't want to stay silent. I don't want to normalize coordinated online attacks against me for simply being who I am. I don't want to accept daily directed hate as part of the cost of speaking out in our democracy. I want to find a proactive way of combating it.
1/ I want to take a moment to highlight some of @POTUS' priorities for fighting the public health pandemic of gun violence in the administration's just-released skinny budget...they're really exciting! 🧵
@POTUS 2/ @POTUS is supporting existing programs to improve background check systems 👏
This is crucially important because the background check system has been strained by the surge in gun sales. (Note: during Trump, @FBI asked for more funding to keep up with the demand)
@POTUS@FBI 3/ @POTUS is seeking investment in new programs to incentivize State adoption of gun licensing laws.
10 states have licensing laws & we know that they're essential for ⬇️ gun violence & trafficking. (IE after CT implemented licensing, gun homicides ⬇️ 40%, gun suicides ⬇️ 15%)