General Discussion

former9thward

(31,997 posts) Mon Aug 22, 2016, 02:05 PM Aug 2016

Gabby Giffords’ Gun Control Group Endorses Two Republican Senators

The gun control group founded by Gabby Giffords and her husband, Mark Kelly, has endorsed two Republican Senators in tough re-election fights as it seeks to expand its outreach.

In an op-ed on CNN Monday, Americans for Responsible Solutions backed Sens. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania and Mark Kirk of Illinois, who are both facing tough re-election races in a year in which Democrats hope to regain control of the Senate.

The two sitting Senators voted in favor of gun control proposals after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, where 20 children were killed.

“In the wake of the tragedy at Sandy Hook, Republican Sens. Pat Toomey and Mark Kirk broke from the gun lobby and supported a bill to help prevent felons, domestic abusers and the dangerously mentally ill from obtaining firearms at gun shows and online,” wrote Giffords and Kelly in the op-ed.

http://time.com/4461211/gun-control-pat-toomey-mark-kirk-gabby-giffords/

19 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Gabby Giffords’ Gun Control Group Endorses Two Republican Senators (Original Post) former9thward Aug 2016 OP

Mark Kirk who called Obama a drug dealer and Toomey who got a A from the NRA MattP Aug 2016 #1

I am surprised with NRA giving him an A yeoman6987 Aug 2016 #6

If elections were decided on a single issue True Dough Aug 2016 #2

Ironically, that may cost them to lose their seats. JaneyVee Aug 2016 #3

Actually, that is a good idea! ncjustice80 Aug 2016 #4

Yeh. I've beem geting Toomey mails touting the gun control thing. HERVEPA Aug 2016 #5

What leads you to believe Gabby Giffords is a jerk? LanternWaste Aug 2016 #9

Gabby was my Rep panader0 Aug 2016 #11

See panader0's post below. HERVEPA Aug 2016 #13

I really don't see why Democrats feel compelled to support assholes That Guy 888 Aug 2016 #7

With respect to some of the above posters, flamin lib Aug 2016 #8

That is treading close to sarisataka Aug 2016 #10

MY GOODNESS! (you noticed, too?) Eleanors38 Aug 2016 #18

Also, is that what it is, sarisataka Aug 2016 #17

"(I)t's worth it". What absolute bullshit!: "Kirk Smears President Obama as ‘Drug Dealer In Chief'" friendly_iconoclast Aug 2016 #19

Do the Democrats running sarisataka Aug 2016 #12

The Democrat in PA certainly does not! HERVEPA Aug 2016 #14

A little quick research sarisataka Aug 2016 #15

Thanks for that! HERVEPA Aug 2016 #16

MattP

(3,304 posts)

1. Mark Kirk who called Obama a drug dealer and Toomey who got a A from the NRA

Reply to former9thward (Original post)

Mon Aug 22, 2016, 02:08 PM

Aug 2016

Wtf is wrong with these people!

yeoman6987

(14,449 posts)

6. I am surprised with NRA giving him an A

Reply to MattP (Reply #1)

Mon Aug 22, 2016, 02:41 PM

Aug 2016

Toomey is for gun control which is why they endorsed him. I can't vote in Pennsylvania, but can in Florida next week.

True Dough

(17,304 posts)

2. If elections were decided on a single issue

Reply to former9thward (Original post)

Mon Aug 22, 2016, 02:14 PM

Aug 2016

that might warrant endorsing Republican candidates, but that doesn't even seem to hold here, according to MattP''s post. A whole host of positions should be considered before casting a ballot, not just being pro-gun or for greater restrictions on guns.

JaneyVee

(19,877 posts)

3. Ironically, that may cost them to lose their seats.

Reply to former9thward (Original post)

Mon Aug 22, 2016, 02:24 PM

Aug 2016

ncjustice80

(948 posts)

4. Actually, that is a good idea!

Reply to former9thward (Original post)

Mon Aug 22, 2016, 02:26 PM

Aug 2016

Go to intentionally gun-humper heavy areas and loudly play up their support of gun control, make it sound like their biggest campaign point, watch their polls tank, easy win for the good guys

HERVEPA

(6,107 posts)

5. Yeh. I've beem geting Toomey mails touting the gun control thing.

Reply to former9thward (Original post)

Mon Aug 22, 2016, 02:33 PM

Aug 2016

Yeh, he's great

2010 National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund - Positions on Gun Rights A
2003 Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence - Lifetime Score 0%

Horrendous on abortion also.

He is a piece of crap and Giffords is a jerk. You can get shot and still be a jerk.

LanternWaste

(37,748 posts)

9. What leads you to believe Gabby Giffords is a jerk?

Reply to HERVEPA (Reply #5)

Mon Aug 22, 2016, 03:34 PM

Aug 2016

What leads you to believe Gabby Giffords is a jerk?

panader0

(25,816 posts)

11. Gabby was my Rep

Reply to LanternWaste (Reply #9)

Mon Aug 22, 2016, 03:39 PM

Aug 2016

I voted for her but was disappointed in her blue dog record.

HERVEPA

(6,107 posts)

13. See panader0's post below.

Reply to LanternWaste (Reply #9)

Mon Aug 22, 2016, 04:04 PM

Aug 2016

And endorsing Toomey is unconscionable given his horrendous record.

That Guy 888

(1,214 posts)

7. I really don't see why Democrats feel compelled to support assholes

Reply to former9thward (Original post)

Mon Aug 22, 2016, 02:46 PM

Aug 2016

...especially one who has an "A" rating from the NRA.

I'm not opposed to working with republicans(unfortunate fact in the House and Senate) or any other party, but endorsing them and by association, their ideas is horrible. The Democratic Party has been doing that since 1976 and I wish they would stop.

flamin lib

(14,559 posts)

8. With respect to some of the above posters,

Reply to former9thward (Original post)

Mon Aug 22, 2016, 03:31 PM

Aug 2016

it's about breaking the back of the NRA/ILA. Yeah, some of the positions taken by these candidates aren't great, but if the NRA mythology of invincibility can be broken it's worth it.

sarisataka

(18,633 posts)

10. That is treading close to

Reply to flamin lib (Reply #8)

Mon Aug 22, 2016, 03:37 PM

Aug 2016

a TOS violation- supporting Republicans over Democrats.

Is gun control a single issue that is more important than electing Democrats?

Eleanors38

(18,318 posts)

18. MY GOODNESS! (you noticed, too?)

Reply to sarisataka (Reply #10)

Mon Aug 22, 2016, 07:03 PM

Aug 2016

sarisataka

(18,633 posts)

17. Also, is that what it is,

Reply to flamin lib (Reply #8)

Mon Aug 22, 2016, 04:11 PM

Aug 2016

it's about breaking the back of the NRA/ILA. Yeah, some of the positions taken by these candidates aren't great, but if the NRA mythology of invincibility can be broken it's worth it.

I thought it was about electing Democrats so the entire platform can be advanced.

friendly_iconoclast

(15,333 posts)

19. "(I)t's worth it". What absolute bullshit!: "Kirk Smears President Obama as ‘Drug Dealer In Chief'"

Reply to flamin lib (Reply #8)

Mon Aug 22, 2016, 07:29 PM

Aug 2016

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10028116797

Republican Sen. Mark Kirk Smears President Obama as ‘Drug Dealer in Chief’

Mark Kirk is the Illinois senator poised to lose his seat to Tammy Duckworth this year. Sliming the president as ‘drug dealer in chief’ is a measure of how desperate he feels.

When you’re a Republican running to save your job, it might have seemed like a good idea to jump on the GOP bandwagon and falsely call the administration’s $400 million Iran payment a “ransom” — but it didn’t stop there.

“We can’t have the president of the United States acting like the drug dealer in chief,” Republican Mark Kirk told the editorial board of The State Journal-Register of Springfield.

DUer sarisataka pointed out some things about the two good Democrats you're willing
to kick to the curb:

(L)et's look at how the Democratic opposition stacks up.
-Tammy Duckworth, Democrat, combat vet, lost both legs in Iraq. Pro-choice, pro-ACA, supports comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship for those in the country illegally, would admit 100,000 Syrian refugees into the United States. Rated 7% by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun control voting record.

-Katie McGinty, Democrat, has not held an elected office. Served as an environmental advisor to Vice President Al Gore and President Bill Clinton, pro-business, supports gay marriage, Affordable Care Act, she is also pro-choice. Scored 100% on CeaseFire Pennsylvania survey, Expanding state background checks to cover the private sale of long guns, Requiring background checks for ammunition sales, Requiring firearms dealers to tell the police when a customer fails a background check