McConnell says he has directed Cornyn to engage with Democrats on a 'bipartisan solution'on gun viol

[Ellipsis]

Source: CNN

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell told CNN on Thursday he met earlier in the day with Texas Sen. John Cornyn and encouraged the senior Republican senator to begin discussions with Democrats, including Sens. Chris Murphy of Connecticut and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, to see if they can find a middle ground on legislation to respond to the tragic Texas elementary school shooting.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are facing enormous pressure to take action in the wake of the horrific shooting, but members on both sides acknowledge the uphill battle to find common ground given the highly polarized political climate around gun legislation and widespread GOP opposition to stricter gun control.

It is significant, though, that McConnell has decided to weigh in and is giving a greenlight to a bipartisan effort on a potential legislative response to the shooting. But it still remains to be seen what, if anything, talks will amount to given that countless mass shootings in recent years have failed to break the partisan stalemate over the issue of gun policy in Congress.

McConnell would not say specifically what the contours of that legislation should be, instead signaling he wants Cornyn to be the one to negotiate.

“I met with Senator Cornyn this morning. As you know he went home yesterday to see the family members and begin the fact finding of this awful massacre and I have encouraged him to talk with Sen. Murphy and Sen. Sinema and others who are interested in trying to get an outcome that is directly related to the problem. I am hopeful that we could come up with a bipartisan solution,” McConnell told CNN.


Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/26/politics/mcconnell-cornyn-democrats-bipartisan-effort-gun-violence/index.html

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

1. McConnell's idea of 'middle ground' is 'do what we fucking want'

He's full of shit. He doesn't care.

[NCjack]

20. Cool the issue so Repukes can get thru the 2022 elections. If another massacre happens,

then blame the DEMs for not quickly accepting a GOP-do nothing patch.

[jalan48]

2. McConnell thinks, "This little maneuver should pacify the Democrats for awhile and then

we can get back to doing what we want."

[Lovie777]

3. Cornyn of all people . ..

Ugh. GQP acting like they care, they do not.

POC and Jews - the GQP senate voted against you.

[BumRushDaShow]

6. Probably "punishment" since it happened in Cornyn's state

and that lets the Carnival Cruz weasel, off the hook.

[BumRushDaShow]

4. "but members on both sides"

(below is not at you but at the article characterization)

NO! It's not "both sides". Democrats have promoted bill after bill after bill for "sensible gun control" since Bill Clinton signed both the "Brady Bill" (1993) and "Crime Bill" (1994) and when the assault weapons ban sunsetted in 2004, the GOP went into full gun humper mode and have BLOCKED any attempt to bring about a what was supposed to be a "well-regulated militia" in this country.

It has devolved into the "wild wild west" instead, where your law enforcement is outgunned.

[Ray Bruns]

5. reminds me of Mel Brooks in Blazing saddles saying

"We have to do something to protect our phony baloney jobs".

The republicans will do nothing. It's their MO.

[BumRushDaShow]

10. ...

[Turbineguy]

7. And then they can vote against it.

[machoneman]

8. Want to stop ANY legislation in its tracks? Form a committee!

[bucolic_frolic]

9. Cuz Republicans are cooked like a Christmas goose if nothing changes

Totally political move on Mitch's part.

[maxsolomon]

15. Really? Based on what?

Liberalization of Gun Laws is exactly what GQP voters want, and for the Senate, all you need is a R after your name in multiple rural states: AK, WY, MT. Gun Rights are more important to them than children's lives.

You are correct, this is McConnell "playing politics". He knows the GQP should be seen as reasonable.

[MontanaMama]

11. Is this why Cornyn backed out of the NRA gunluvfest

that's going down this weekend?

[leftieNanner]

23. He did?

I had not heard.

He gets 2/3 of a point for that anyway.

But we all know it's about optics and nothing else.

[MontanaMama]

29. Yes. Cornyn and Dan Crenshaw have said they will not appear at the convention.

I agree, it is all about optics.

https://www.businessinsider.com/republican-lawmakers-skip-nra-conference-citing-non-texas-massacre-reasons-2022-5

[LudwigPastorius]

32. Too bad.

Now they'll have to send a bag man to pick up all of those donations, instead of stuffing them directly into their own pants.

[Harker]

33. I'd like to see a copy of the speech he would have given.

Then again, he'll probably save it for next year.

[LeftInTX]

42. My hunch is: Cornyn would not be a speaker

He's pretty careful about his image.
He tries to talk both sides, but votes evil.

NRA wants fire breathers like Ted Cruz.

[LeftInTX]

41. Cornyn, who spent a good chunk of his adult life in San Antonio, has a bit of connection to the area

Cruz does not

Now, what the GOP has in mind will probably be something pretty worthless....

[pfitz59]

12. The House has already passed legislation

all the Senate has to do is vote. This is smoke and mirrors. Total BS. Killing time until the next diversion.

[Jilly_in_VA]

13. Cornyn engage with anyone?

it is to laugh.

[imavoter]

55. As much as I disagree with Cornyn unusually,

he's not the prick dick that Cruz is.
That's why Beto didn't want to run against
Cornyn after barely missing with Cruz.

[Jilly_in_VA]

56. NOBODY

is the dickweed that Rafaelito Cruz is. NOBODY. That doesn't make Cornyn any less of one.

[lastlib]

14. Watch for the knife, Dems.

"Sure, we'll pass gun safety measures--IF they include abortion bans, tax cuts for millionaires, welfare cuts......"

You get the idea.

[Javaman]

16. LOLOLOL!!!! cornhole??? that mindless asshole is my senator.

this is nothing more that a delay and distract tactic.

cornhole is part of the dumb fuck contingency of the texas "brain trust"

it's hard to believe but cornhole makes rick cement head perry look like a fucking Rhodes Scholar.

well, I hold less than zero hope for anything to be accomplished now.

aka business by the right wing as usual.

in fact, assigning cornhole, I consider fucking insulting

[Ellipsis]

22. heh.n/t

[IronLionZion]

17. Might as well just let the NRA write the bill

[Bok_Tukalo]

18. He's going to try and run out the attention span clock

[leftieNanner]

24. Precisely! nt

[Tom Kitten]

19. Whatever Trump says tomorrow

Trumps anything these clowns say today.

[larwdem]

21. bullshit

[Solly Mack]

25. "... interested in trying to get an outcome that is *directly related to the problem*"

All too easy access to guns v. ????

Let's see...

So far Republicans have claimed it to be mental illness (a term they use as a blanket covering for what is actually a complex subject), a lack of morals, a lack of god in school, a lack of prayer, meds, doors, lack of armed teachers, more police, too few guns in school, video games, illegal immigrants, trans people, liberals, socialism, "woke" curriculum...

I know there's often a combination of factors that lead up to a a person or persons committing a mass shooting but the all too easy availability of guns is the biggie. For example, a person experiencing a mental health crisis shouldn't be able to go out and buy a gun with ease. Yet they can and do, and often with disastrous results.

Not that having a mental health crisis should be conflated with having a mental illness. A lot of people live with mental illness and they don't go around murdering people. A lot of people who have never experienced a mental illness can experience a mental health crisis - a break in their thought process.

You just can't use the term "mental illness" as a blanket answer to the problem of mass shootings and think you've solved the problem - because you haven't even scratched the surface when you do.

But a person experiencing a mental health crisis might decide to go on a shooting rampage. And then you have to look at the lack of healthcare, the lack of stability in their life, the lack of access to mental health care, lack of jobs and opportunities- as well as a whole host of other social and economic problems - you have to look at what caused the break in their thought process as well as treating the break itself. And you have to do that before the mass shooting occurs and that requires having safety nets and programs already in place.

Still, the easy access to guns makes those breaks in their thinking that much more dangerous.

A diet of hate and ignorance can also lead to mass shooting/killings. Racism/hate/bigotry should be treated as a social ill that can and does cause mass death and is itself a type of a dangerous thought process - it is a break from rational thought but not a mental illness and it's not a mental health crisis either - it's a warped way to see the world and people that is constantly being reinforced as new generations are conditioned to think that way.

Get angry, buy a gun. Feel slighted, buy a gun. The world is out to get you, buy a gun. "They" are out to replace us, buy a gun.

Easy access. Quick access. Guns. Guns. Guns.

However, I don't think the entire list of usual suspects listed by right-wingers qualify as being "directly related to the problem".

So what will they - right-wingers - claim is "directly related to the problem"?

[geretogo]

26. Middle ground SHIT ! Sinema and Cornyn are two Rethugs . Where is a true Democrat not just in name

only . Just more Chess game playing by McConnel .

[Mr.Bill]

27. They need Sinema to be part of the discussion

because of her skills at changing her mind and moving the goalposts on a daily basis for long periods of time. Like until the next election.

[padah513]

28. Don't be fooled. This is like Tim Scott

Dealing with police reform after George Floyd's murder. They're trying to look like they're doing something without actually doing something

[vlyons]

30. at the very least write John Cornyn and demand

1. complete ban on assault type guns
2. background checks on all gun purchasers
3. minimum age of 21 to purchase

[LudwigPastorius]

31. Let me guess.

McConnell and Cornyn will propose the "Protecting Our Children's Schools Act of 2022", which will give tax breaks to gun manufacturers and loosen restrictions on purchasing fully automatic weapons.

[Bristlecone]

35. That sounds Orwellian enough for sure

[Voltaire2]

54. And provide federal funds for arming teachers

and increase funding for more military equipment for police.

For certain the minimal reform of closing background check loopholes will be off the table.

[Paladin]

34. Using John Cornyn as a point man is a guaranteed set-up for failure.

McConnell might as well be spitting on the graves of those dead children and teachers in Texas.

[hibbing]

36. hahahahahaahahhahahahaha n/t

[BillyBobBrilliant]

37. So Cornyn is McConnell's

Bitch? I thought he was supposed to work for those of us that live in Texas.

[3825-87867]

38. The check's in the mail...

I'll always love you...

yadda yadda yadda

[IcyPeas]

39. I knew it. now they will take all the credit for doing it.

[asiliveandbreathe]

40. Murphy okay, but sinema..I don't think so..she is as phony as they come..the cog in the

wheel..for ANYTHING..

[EarthFirst]

43. Grandstanding MF'er... nt

[Hekate]

44. Get everybody all cooled off, right Moscow Mitch? Drag your turtle feet until another session.

Sure, we trust you and your cohorts.

[RussBLib]

45. stall and delay

and then, walk away

[regnaD kciN]

46. You mean "to engage with Democrats to stall any bipartisan solution until the public has moved on?"

Fixed it for you.

[Skittles]

47. TRANSLATION

repukes are getting so much blow back for their usual post-mass shooting fucked up dog and pony show, they feel they have to at least PRETEND they fucking care

[Ellipsis]

48. It's the "Beto Effect". I see Abbott just canceled his NRA gig and is now going to Uvalde instead.

[BradAllison]

49. The usual group of frauds.

Tumour, Portajohn, Concerned Susie, Manshit, Drunk Cheer Mom, and Jerkowski will cook up a lukewarm bill that won't do shit, but they'll all pat each others asses while pushing it and then blame "far left libs" and Biden for it doing nothing.

[Withywindle]

50. Lucy, Charlie Brown, football, rinse and repeat n/t

[Samrob]

51. Worthless gesture. Just wasting more time. That's the GOP play. nt

[onetexan]

52. yup more lies from the snake

[Deminpenn]

53. McConnell is all about getting and keeping power.

It is his singular focus. The fact that he authorized Cornyn to negotiate with Dems tells me McConnell no longer sees gun control as a slam dunk winning issue for Rs. Sometimes it takes a lot of straw to break the camel's back, but this lastest mass shooting might just be the one that does it. Not because more kids were killed (Rs are ok with that), but because it completely exploded the GOP's mantra of a "good guy with a gun" stopping these killings and therefore more guns please. There were plenty of "good guys with guns" (cops, off-duty border guards) who knew how to use them and they did not cover themselves in glory. And, as they say "the tape don't lie".

[jmowreader]

57. Difference between Democratic and Republican gun violence bills

Democratic bill: background checks, red flag laws, gun violence made a federal crime, restricting magazine capacity.

Republican bill: require all gun stores to be open around the clock. Require every store to sell ammunition including supermarkets, toy stores, car dealers, lumberyards, cosmetics counters, shoe stores and of course mortuaries. Require everyone to own and carry a gun. Shut down all marijuana stores on the grounds that anyone who smokes weed can't own a gun and guns are more important than getting high. Add 500 hours range time to the elementary school curriculum nationwide. Require all business to have at least 10 armed individuals in publicly-accessible areas at all times.