Although the title of the measure up for a Senate vote last night read: "A bill to designate the United States Courthouse and Federal Building located at 111 North Adams Street in Tallahassee, Florida, as the 'Joseph Woodrow Hatchett United States Courthouse and Federal Building,' and for other purposes," it was "and for other purposes" that made the vote noteworthy. It passed 64-34, all the Democrats voting yes, along with 14 Republicans. (A 15th GOP yes vote, Pat Toomey, who is retiring, was out of town).
Roy Blunt (R-MO), retiring
Richard Burr (R-NC), retiring
Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV)
Bill Cassidy (R-LA)
Susan Collins (R-ME)
John Cornyn (R-TX)
Joni Ernst (R-IA)
Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Rob Portman (R-OH), retiring
Mitt Romney (R-UT)
Thom Tillis (R-NC)
Todd Young (R-IN)
[Only Murkowski and Young are up for reelection in November.]
John Barrasso (R-WY), who would like to become leader of the Senate GOP if some NRA terrorist shoots his pal McConnell voted no and then issued a statement: "I do not support this legislation and will continue to vote against it. As a senator for Wyoming, I know the meaning of the Second Amendment. I will not vote for any legislation that would jeopardize the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens. My focus has been on mental health, school safety, and better-enforcement of our current laws. This legislation goes beyond that."
ALL the talk about why Republicans voted no, were about political calculations-- all of it. When asked why domestic terrorist-supporter Ted Cruz voted against the bill, for example, Cornyn said "I think people have their own political calculus about what it means." And when Cornyn was asked why Thune voted no: "I respect senators for their own political judgments." Except when posturing for the media, it's all politics and nothing about protecting American lives.
It was the first hurdle of passing the nothing-burger gun legislation that Chris Murphy (D-CT) and John Cornyn put together to make it appear that the senators are concerned about the NRA massacres taking place every week or so across the country. "Look at us, we're taking action." But there was almost nothing of any use on the bill whatsoever. The NY Times and mainstream media in general love it because it's bipartisan even if it won't prevent any NRA massacres.
Emily Cochrane and Annie Karni warte that "While the bill falls short of the sweeping gun control measures Democrats have long demanded, its approval would amount to the most significant action in decades to overhaul the nation’s gun laws.' Yes, it falls short... but of not just "sweeping gun control measures" but of any gun control measures. As Cornyn told the Texas GOP Convention in Houston over the weekend, "I fought and kept President Biden’s gun grabbing wish list off the table. Democrats pushed for an assault weapons ban, I said no. They tried to get a new three-week mandatory waiting period for all gun purchases, I said no. Universal background checks, magazine bans, licensing requirements, the list goes on and on and on. And I said no, no, 1,000 times no."
And as for "approval would amount to the most significant action in decades," since there has been NO action in decades... I suppose that that braindead statement is rhetorically correct, if completely misleading. Congratulations, Emily Cochrane, Annie Karni and the Old Gray Lady.
The 80-page nothing-burger is supposed to pass Saturday. "The National Rifle Association almost immediately announced its opposition, and the vast majority of Republican officeholders fell in line behind it." A typical response from the pathetic tribunes of the majority of Americans who want real action that will protect us from the gun mayhem was voiced by Derrick Johnson, president of the NAACP: "When school children, churchgoers and grocery store shoppers are being gunned down, the perfect cannot be the enemy of the good," as though to say this bogus legislation will save one school child, churchgoer or grocery store shopper.