Update on the House Democrats' sit-in

House Democrats continued their sit-in throughout the night.   Around 10:00 pm, Paul Ryan brought Republicans back in, reopened the session for about an hour to ram through votes on other bills having nothing to do with gun safety. 

There was a lot of shouting, chanting -- with Republicans ignoring and talking through it all, introducing bills and holding votes on issues having nothing to do with gun safety.  Democrats did vote -- otherwise they would have had no voice in these bills' outcome -- but they kept up their protest.   Then Republicans left, only to come back into session at 1:00 am and then again at 2:30 am just long enough to announce a recess until July 5th -- meaning they were leaving town two days early for the holiday rather than do anything about gun safety.

By mid-morning, protestors decided they had made their point, had gotten great media coverage and public support (175,000 people, just from one gun control group, called Republican leaders demanding action),  With nothing further to gain at this time, they ended the sit-in around mid-day, after about 25 hours.   But they made clear that this is not over, and they will resume the demands for a vote when the House meets in two weeks.

Paul Ryan called it a "publicity stunt" and was determined not to let it set a precedent.    Critics countered that Democrats have to resort to stunts to expose the absolute obstructionist power wielded by the Republicans, including:  not allowing Democrats to speak in debate, not allowing them to introduce any legislation, or even hold any hearings.  Unlike the Senate, with its filibuster, the House rules give the minority party no power at all.    It's a lousy system, made worse by gerrymandering that practically guarantees incumbents get re-elected -- and this leads to extreme polarization, gridlock, and uncivility.

With this bold and unprecedented sit-in, following the 15 hour filibuster in the Senate, Democrats have made Republican intransigence even more a central issue for those in close election races.   Some of the discourse from the Democrats was personal and chilling:   one representative told about her brother being killed by gun violence;  Rep. Debbi Dingle very emotionally shared having grown up in a home with an abusive father who sometimes threatened her and her mother with a gun, and she hid in the closet praying that he would not hurt her.   It was riveting.

Rachel Maddow called it "an outbreak of spine" in the Democrats.

Ralph