I Guess He Would Think That

[Content Note: Guns; gun violence. Video may autoplay at link.]

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan thinks the Democrats' sit-in in protest of Republican obstructionism on gun reform is a "publicity stunt."

Paul Ryan called the Democratic lawmakers' sit-in Wednesday to protest inaction on gun laws a "publicity stunt," saying that House liberals were more interested in headlines than solving the problem.

..."This is nothing more than a publicity stunt," Ryan said, saying House Democrats would infringe on Second Amendment rights and do nothing to prevent terrorist attacks. "This is not about a solution to a problem. This is about trying to get attention."

Ryan said they would not take up gun bills that the Senate already voted down on Monday. He called on legislation to be drafted in a "calm and cool manner," not through sit-ins.

1. Fuck you.

2. Yes, Speaker Ryan, you're right in that the Democrats are "trying to get attention." YOUR ATTENTION. The attention of your party. They want to get your attention and direct it at the vast majority of US voters who desperately want their elected representatives to take meaningful action on gun reform. They want to direct your attention at the people who have been killed and injured by gun violence. They want to direct your attention to the fact that you're a bunch of pathetic minions of the NRA who put party above both country and your countrypeople's lives.

3. "Calm and cool." Don't be getting all hysterical about the need for gun reform, civil rights hero Rep. John Lewis! And all your colleagues! And all the people who are demanding change! Simmer down now. We've only had 13 mass shootings in the 10 days since the massacre in Orlando. What's with the urgency?

(In case I wasn't laying it on thick enough: That was sarcasm. Bitter, bitter sarcasm.)

Honestly, I just don't know how many more ways are there to say "there is blood on your hands for failing to act." ENOUGH.

I've got more at BNR: "We are at an unmistakable inflection point. A huge majority of the American people want action taken on guns. The Republicans flatly refuse. The Democrats are doing everything they can to make their opponents budge. ...The difference in the two parties could not be more stark. One party actually realizes that this is a matter of life and death, and one party doesn't. Or worse: Realizes it but doesn't care."