Want to pass background checks? Fix the Senate!

Below is an email from the organization Fix The Senate Now, which created a petition on SignOn.org, the nonprofit site that allows anyone to start their own online petition. If you have concerns or feedback about this petition, click here.

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Tell Senator Reid: Enough is enough. It's time to fix the Senate. Sign the Petition!

Dear MoveOn member,

Wednesday's vote on the amendment to expand background checks for gun purchases was a devastating blow to commonsense gun reform.

What it also showed is that the compromise on rules reform Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid made at the start of this Congressional session is clearly not working. 

Although 86% of Americans supported the amendment and 54 senators voted to pass it, the amendment failed because it was subject to the same 60-vote threshold ordinarily reserved for ending filibusters.

Enough is enough. 

Tell Senator Reid to enact meaningful filibuster reform so that we can end this obstructionism and restore accountability to the U.S. Senate.

Please sign the petition to Senator Harry Reid, which says:

The abuse of the filibuster to undermine policies that the minority cannot defeat through normal legislative channels represents a subversion of core democratic principles and Senate traditions, and should not continue. 

The defeat of the Manchin-Toomey amendment to expand background checks for gun sales at gun shows and over the Internet is just the latest example of the minority preventing action on legislation that has the strong support of the American public. 

Senators intent on blocking popular policies such as expanded background checks should be forced to hold the floor and keep at least 40 of their colleagues on the floor with them. Instead, Senate rules and procedures made opposing Manchin-Toomey essentially costless and accountability-free. 

We call on you, and all the members of the Senate, to reform the Senate rules to restore accountability and transparency to Senate debate.

Click here to add your name to this petition, and then pass it along to your friends.

Thanks!

–Fix The Senate Now

This petition was created on SignOn.org, the progressive, nonprofit petition site. SignOn.org is sponsored by MoveOn Civic Action, which is not responsible for the contents of this or other petitions posted on the site. Fix The Senate Now didn't pay us to send this email—we never rent or sell the MoveOn.org list.

 

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This email was sent to eddie alfaro on April 22, 2013. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.