Just as it is clear that our legislators place a value on all our lives with each and every vote they take, the opposite is also true. Our legislators place a value on all our lives with each and every vote they REFUSE to take.
Speaker Paul Ryan places a value on each of our lives every time he refuses to bring sensible gun legislation like universal background checks to the floor of the House for debate and vote. And it turns out that value is just 79 cents!
This morning, Congresswoman Robin Kelly, representing Illinois’ 2nd Congressional District, called out Speaker Ryan on the floor of the House of Representatives for letting the National Rifle Association buy his silence for 79 cents a life. She asked,
“Why can’t we get a vote on common sense, life-saving legislation that is supported by 90% of Americans and more than 70% of NRA members? Mr. Speaker, tragically, the answer is simple: greed.”
She continued, “Mr. Speaker, at what cost does your inaction come? It seems that $5,950 you took from the NRA matters more to you than the 7,490 Americans we’ve already lost this year to gun violence.
“Mr. Speaker, the American people deserve to know that just 79 cents for an American life is the cost of your silence and inaction.”
And then …
Congresswoman Kelly began peeling off one dollar bills as she spoke the names of 50 lives taken by gun violence. “Fifty Americans who left families sobbing and communities mourning because YOU (Speaker Ryan) refused to let us act. Fifty American lives that could have been saved were it not for your greed, Mr. Speaker.”
Women Against Gun Violence stands with Congresswoman Kelly.
Speaker Ryan as well as many other congressional representatives have been bought by the National Rifle Association. With every vote these Congressional Representatives take — to lessen background checks on gun purchases; to allow guns in schools; to allow the mentally ill to purchase guns; to weaken state laws that are strong and effective in protecting our safety — and with every vote they refuse to take — on universal background checks and the banning of assault weapons — they have placed a value on our lives that has been determined by the amount of dollars they have received by the National Rifle Association.
We have had enough! And we know you have had enough too!
Here’s What You Can Do To Help!
You can email Speaker Paul Ryan here with this simple message:
My life is worth more than 79 cents! Bring common sense, life-saving gun legislation supported by 90% of Americans and more than 70% of NRA members to the floor of the House for debate and vote!
or tweet Speaker Paul Ryan at @SpeakerRyan with this simple message:
@SpeakerRyan My life is worth more than 79 cents! Vote now for #gunsense #AtWhatCost @wagv
or call Speaker Paul Ryan at (202) 225-0600 with this simple message:
My life is worth more than 79 cents! Bring common sense, life-saving gun legislation supported by 90% of Americans and more than 70% of NRA members to the floor of the House for debate and vote!
After you’ve made your calls, please share this email with your family and friends!
By the way, the NRA contributed from than $30 million to help our current president get elected, more than any other outside group.