Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Nancy Pelosi Erupts at Reporter Who Asks Why She Didn't Bring the House Back in Session to Tackle Gun Control

Nancy Pelosi Erupts at Reporter Who Asks Why She Didn't Bring the House Back in Session to Tackle Gun Control
US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi speaks at the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) ceremony to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the first recorded forced arrival of enslaved Africans in the Emancipation Hall of the US Capitol in Washington, DC on September 10, 2019. (Photo by Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images)

We feel her frustration.

The Speaker of the House, Democrat Nancy Pelosi of California, put credit where it was due when asked about the lack of gun control legislation passed through Congress.

When a reporter asked Pelosi if she had regrets about not calling the House back from recess early to tackle gun control in the wake of more mass shootings and acts of White nationalist domestic terrorism she put the reporter in her place reminding her that the House has in fact passed gun control legislation and that her question was better asked of Senate Majority Leader McConnell.


Pelosi replied:

"Members [of Congress] had events all over the country [during the recess] to ask [the Senate] to bring up the bill. Don’t ask me what we haven’t done. We have done it."
"And if you are annoyed with my impatience, it’s because people are dying because Sen. McConnell hasn’t acted. Why don’t you go ask him if he has any regrets for all the people who died because he hasn’t?"

Watch Pelosi's remarks here:

McConnell, of course, has claimed his failure to bring any legislation forward was not due to obstruction, as he has often bragged of in the past with President Barack Obama, but rather because he intends only to advance legislation that President Donald Trump will sign.

However, the Constitution is not designed to have the executive branch pre-approve legislation.

Under the US Constitution, the legislative branch creates legislation as they decide it is needed regardless of presidential approval. If the President refuses to sign it—vetoes it, Congress can override his veto.

McConnell's model of the Senate as a body which only considers or approves bills given the green light by Trump effectively puts Trump in charge of all legislation. McConnell's model destroys the checks and balances set forth in the Constitution between the legislative and executive branches.

With McConnell's obstruction of all court nominees by President Obama and his push to get all of Trump's picks approved, some would say McConnell also worked to destroy the balance with the judicial branch as well. The Kentucky Republican boasted of his ability to obstruct anything President Obama proposed, most famously the Supreme Court nomination of Merrick Garland.

People agreed with Pelosi's assessment of why the lack of effective gun control legislation rested solely with McConnell.

Trump and McConnell's ties to the National Rifle Association were also a bone of contention with many. In 2018, financial disclosures put NRA donations to McConnell's coffers at $1,261,874.

The top 75 recipients of NRA funds were all members of the GOP. The first Democrat on the list received only $49,496 compared to the millions given to Republicans.

The fact the GOP controls the Senate and refused to pass gun control was not lost on the public.

Mitch McConnell joined the Senate in 1985—34 years ago—the Kentucky Senator faces reelection in 2020. His main challenger is retired US Marine Corps Lt. Col. Amy McGrath.

According to her website, McGrath's campaign slogan is:

"ANTI-CORRUPTION. ANTI-OBSTRUCTION. ANTI-B.S."

As of Wednesday, September 11, 2019, the 2020 election is 418 days away.

Think it's time to ditch Mitch? This shirt is available here.

Amazon

********

Listen to the first four episodes of George Takei's podcast, 'Oh Myyy Pod!' where we explore the racially charged videos that have taken the internet by storm.

Be sure to subscribe here and never miss an episode.

More from News

Ted Cruz; Kelvin Sampson
Alex Wroblewski/AFP via Getty Images; Alex Slitz/Getty Images

Houston Fans Livid After Ted Cruz 'Curse' Strikes Again At NCAA Basketball Championship

In 2013, 2016 and 2021, Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz was labeled the most hated man in Congress—by members of his own party. In 2023, Florida Republican Representative Matt Gaetz replaced him as the "most hated."

In a 2016 CNN interview, South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said:

Keep ReadingShow less
Harriet Tubman
Library of Congress/Getty Images

National Parks Website Restores Harriet Tubman Photo To 'Underground Railroad' Page After Backlash

Following significant backlash, the National Park Service restored a previously-erased photo of Harriet Tubman from a webpage dedicated to the history of the Underground Railroad, in which she led 13 missions to rescue enslaved people.

A spokesperson said the changes were not authorized by the agency's leadership.

Keep ReadingShow less
screenshot from Fox News of Jackie DeAngelis and Tommy Tuberville
Fox News

Tuberville Now Claims 'Entire Men's Teams' Are 'Turning Trans' To Play Against Women

Alabama Republican Senator Tommy "Coach" Tuberville appeared on Fox News Sunday to again spread unhinged misinformation about transgender athletes.

Speaking with guest host Jackie DeAngelis, Tuberville stated:

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot from Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver/YouTube

John Oliver Epically Calls Out Awkward Truth Behind Former NCAA Swimmer's Anti-Trans Tirades

On Sunday's episode of Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, the outspoken host devoted the entire program to the attack on trans girls and women who play sports by the GOP.

Oliver began the program saying:

Keep ReadingShow less
man in front of computer code
Chris Yang on Unsplash

Conspiracy Theories That Seem Believable The More You Look Into Them

We tend to think of conspiracy theories as a phenomenon of the digital age. But the internet and mobile devices only allow them to be created and spread faster.

Conspiracy theories have likely been around as long as human civilization has. They are, at their root, just another form of rumors and gossip.

Keep ReadingShow less