According to Politico, Sen. Joe Manchin has until 5pm to cut a deal on gun control. If he doesn’t, Reid just starts moving what they have.
If you live in Pennsylvania, call Sen. Toomey’s office RIGHT NOW. We couldn’t get through to his DC office, so try his lead district office at (610) 434-1444. If that’s busy, try his other offices.
You will likely be told that he won’t vote for something bad, but send a polite warning. If you live in an area where Toomey will need help in 2016, say it. If you previously volunteered, say it.
This doesn’t mean to get angry with Toomey because we don’t know what he has been doing, but it is the time to remind him that we voted him in to stand up for our rights.
UPDATE: A report on our Facebook page says that Toomey’s staff was specifically using MAIG talking points to defend a possible deal.
Another media report notes that Toomey “rushed past” reporters asking for comment. They noted, however, that Joe Manchin launched into a full run away from reporters with arms flailing.
UPDATE II: Another Inquirer update says that Manchin & Schumer had a mini press conference after the deadline saying that they do not currently have a deal worked out, but that they are closer than ever. I don’t have any insight into what that means. It could be a way to buy some time. Toomey still won’t answer questions.
UPDATE III: Well, now we get the official confirmation that Pat Toomey is helping to write a gun control bill:
Toomey spox: “Senators Toomey and Manchin continue to work on final details but they appear close to a deal.”
— Jonathan Tamari (@JonathanTamari) April 9, 2013
There’s nothing on what deal he’s putting together, but Pennsylvania voters need to make every single phone in every single office ring loud and clear tomorrow. Every office that allows voicemails should have a completely full box by tomorrow morning.
Need a reminder for his numbers?
DC – (202) 224-4254
Allentown – (610) 434-1444
Erie – (814) 453-3010
Harrisburg – (717) 782-3951
Philadelphia – (215) 241-1090 (doesn’t have voicemail set up)
Pittsburgh – (412) 803-3501
Scranton – (570) 941-3540
Johnstown – (814) 266-5970
Called.
Called.
caled and talked to them at DC office also offered assistance on 2016 campaign. Expressed concern with Toomey working to expand laws with Dems
His district office is answering rather quickly. They wouldn’t tell me if they were getting swamped with calls or not.
Just tried calling and based on the recording I heard they were busy with other calls…
For our non-PA friends: they didn’t even ask me where I live. So light his phone lines up!
Red State is hearing that the GOP is caving, for reasons that make no sense to me, namely fear of another filibuster:
http://www.redstate.com/2013/04/09/breaking-sources-confirm-senate-republicans-set-to-cave-on-guns/
If the GOP caves, then we must start a third party!
Hitching gun rights to a third party is a terrible idea.
From the article:
Several Republican Senators intend to vote against the filibuster, but then vote against the overall bill.
I don’t know if they’re that stupid. I hope not.
I have issues with their report, especially in the headline that’s designed to make you think they are pushing gun control. That report is in regards to closing a filibuster, not on working out a deal. Those are two very different issues. There’s an argument that Republicans would like to force the Democratic senators to take a vote on the anti-gun bills so that either the lefty donors bail on them or they lose their elections in 2014. I would personally put a strict stand on guns over this kind of party optimism, but I’m a Second Amendment advocate, not a politician. :)
I’m not saying that they won’t cave, but I do think there’s a valid distinction between a strategic vote on a filibuster and actually crafting a gun control bill, which is what Toomey is rumored to be doing.
This is the same site that claimed that Boehner was planning to go to the Democrats to pass pretty much everything divisive. They seem to like using scare tactics.
It works for them. Look at the number of people who take every anonymously sourced report as gospel that Republicans have caved.
Called his main local office and got through on the first try.
Do Toomey and Manchin get to keep their NRA “A” ratings? Not an NRA hater, I genuinely want to know. How often does NRA update the ratings system? How badly can it be “gamed” so that headlines can read “NRA ‘A’ rated Senator Blah thinks UBCs are superdy duper, why don’t you?”
Fair question in a non-hostile assumption. We were just talking about a problem the other day where it’s been so long without a real gun control vote in Pennsylvania, that the grades are sometimes hard to gauge for who is really an advocate friend vs. someone who filled out a questionnaire and hasn’t been proven in any way, shape, or form.
Manchin is likely to be in trouble with his grade since he’s leading the effort to get any bill passed. He’s made pretty clear that it’s not his objections stalling things, it’s the GOP’s objections. However, I don’t know what any language will look like, nor do I know what votes will be cast. The votes themselves will likely be the deciding factor.
As for Toomey, it’s a tough call on his grade issues. Keep in mind that nothing is confirmed here, and we don’t know what, exactly, he has been doing with the negotiations. So, I guess the real answer is that I have no idea, and I’ll concede that it’s going to be a tough call for NRA to balance all of the behind-the-scenes stuff with actual language and actual votes.
I appreciate the insights, thank you very much.
I am reaching a point where I have so little faith in the system. Every time we get burned. We elect these assholes. And they stab us in the back.
I really think we need to bring back tar and feathering. Cause my vote sure as hell doesn’t count. Even when we win, we get !@#$.
Aren’t the ratings based on votes?
If that’s the sole criteria, then (as we can plainly see) the system can be seriously gamed.
This latest round of gun control/total warfare against gun owners has some new twists, and I’m glad to see NRA adapting to the new fight – and I hope they can manage to evolve their ratings system to better deal with the new battle.
Is there an executive briefing available? We’ve obviously run past the 5 p.m. deadline.
Nothing yet. Sebastian says there may be reports Manchin is close to a deal, but none of the sites I’ve checked have updated with any news.
*headdesk* And who needs gun control enemies when we can spend our energy complaining about our own instead?
There are no reports that have been updated in the last hour or two. Reid only gave them until 5. We should assume the Schumer bill is in.
This SOB. I called his office yesterday and they insisted that he was not working on anything it at was a rumor not based in any fact. Since the rumor is persistent and Toomey is not distancing himself from it, I assume Pat is just another tough talking constitutional campaigner and them flip flops on the talk after getting elected.
I am so sick of the old school GOP and the crap these guys pull.
They told me that not everything in the media reports is true, but certainly said enough to indicate he’s involved in a deal of some kind. I was just told that anything he’s doing isn’t “that bad.” Um, yeah, no thanks. I politely responded with the fact that Sen. Toomey needs people like me out working for him in a key area of the state, and they did seem to take me seriously.
Called the district office and spoke with staffer….she was polite and didn’t indicate either way how phone calls were breaking for/against. I explained to her that I was calling to encourage the Senator to vote no on expanded background checks…fix the old system 1st. She did ask me what county I was from and when I told her that I was from out of State, but since this was proposed Federal legislation potentially infringing on my rights, she seem kinda suprised. All you out of State people need to light them up….them seem to think only PA callers/voters matter or haven’t gotten alot of out of State calls.