Of course, their "usual way" involves craven cowardice.
Before he became president, John F. Kennedy wrote a book, Profiles in Courage.
The library at the state capitol should include its sequel, Profiles in Cowardice; a book not yet written (I think), but when it is, it'll feature every member of the R caucus at the legislature.
My reason for believing that?
The behavior of the legislative Rs in the aftermath of the shooting.
The webpage with archived video of the lege in action (or, more to the point, inaction) is here.
As I haven't yet figured out how to save the video and embed it here, all time references will pertain to videos of the Senate and House floor sessions of 3/28.
In the AZSenate, Democratic Sen. Raquel Teran spoke about the mass shooting (starting at 1:06:45), not asking for any form of gun control that she listed, saying for that each of those, "That ask has gone unanswered."
At 1:10:10, she did ask for one thing -
"I ask this body and this nation find the courage to side with our children, our future generations, and
not the gun lobby, any longer."
Based on the lack of action from the Republicans in the lege, I'm guessing that ask will go unanswered, too.
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| Teran |
At 1:10:34, Republican Sen. Anthony Kern "rebutted" her statement (not someone most people want fronting for their "purity patrol; he has credibility issues), blaming LGBTQ people for the killing, and at 1:11:18 opining that the reason for the killing was that "we have taken God out of our schools."
So who wants to tell him that the targeted school was a private Christian school.
As bad as the Senate was, the House may have been more brazen in their cowardice.
In the AZ House, at 9:20 of the video, Democratic Rep. Jennifer Longdon moved HB2192.be considered immediately. (Disclosure time: I lived in Rep. Longdon's district and have voted for her, and am proud of those votes).
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| Longdon, proposing her motion |
The common sense bill would require that all firearms at home be kept under lock and key except when in use or on someone's person.
At 9:47, Republican Rep. Leo Biasucci moved a substitute (replacement) motion.
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| Biasucci making his own motion |
Every R voted for the substitute, killing Longdon's motion.
At 11:27, the House Speaker pro tem instructed his colleagues "If you support the substitute motion to go into the Committee of the Whole for the bills on the calendar, vote yes, if you oppose that motion, vote Aye."
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| The Republican House Speaker pro tem fixing the vote. OK, even I thought he misspoke, if only because the vote wasn't in need of fixing. |
