Orlando

On Sunday, 49 people were killed and 53 injured in a gay nightclub by a man firing an "AR-15-style" rifle. The worst in recent U.S. history.

Congress will do what it does best. Senator Chris Murphy:

This phenomenon of near constant mass shootings happens only in America — nowhere else. Congress has become complicit in these murders by its total, unconscionable deafening silence. This doesn’t have to happen, but this epidemic will continue without end if Congress continues to sit on its hands and do nothing — again.

Update (June 15):  Senator Murphy and many Democratic colleagues are holding the floor of the Senate talking about gun violence.

Update (June 16):  After nearly 15 hours, Murphy has won an agreement to hold two votes.

One is an amendment that would bar people who are on terrorist watchlists from buying guns. Another would crack down on online and private gun sales that evade background checks.

Update (June 19):  Mark Sumner describes the Orlando killer as a domestic terrorist who "was simply, terribly a violent man who turned his hate and conflict outward".

[The Republican nominee] has his magic words of “radical Islamic extremist,” and a lot of people are finding them very handy. Handy for cutting off those who want to discuss the motivations behind [the killer's] actions or the ease with which he was able to kill so many people so quickly. They find the phrase convenient, because labeling [the killer] as a radical Islamic extremist gives them permission to do nothing. Or to do something they wanted to do in the first place, even if had nothing to do with the murders in Orlando.

Update (June 20):  As expected, the Senate failed to reach cloture on any modest gun control proposals, even ones sponsored by Republicans. But the Supreme Court declined to review lower court rulings upholding assault weapon bans in New York and Connecticut.

This perfectly encapsulates the modern Republican Party.

Update (June 22):  Led by Rep. John Lewis, at least 60 Democratic Senators and Members of Congress are staging a sit-in on the floor of the House of Representatives demanding votes on gun control legislation. Representative Lewis:

Not next month! Not next year! But now! Today! Sometimes you have to do something out of the ordinary. Sometimes you have to make a way out of no way. We have been too quiet for too long. There comes a time when you have to say something, when you have to make a little noise. When you have to move your feet. This is the time. Now is the time to get in the way. The time to act is now. We will be silent no more.

Update (June 23):  The sit-in is over for now.  Amanda Marcotte responds to criticism of "no fly, no buy". It was known from the outset that nothing would pass Congress. Marcotte:

So why offer up a bill that was destined always to fail? Two reasons: 1) To kickstart political momentum for more comprehensive gun control and 2) To cause political problems for Republicans in a year when they are already in disarray due to the [Republican nominee]. On both counts, this bill did what it was intended to do.

Update (July 7):  Ghost guns.

Update (October 2, 2017):  I guess we can't be surprised anymore, but that doesn't make it any less awful.

At least 59 people were killed and 527 wounded after a gunman unleashed a storm of bullets on an outdoor country music concert in Las Vegas late Sunday. It was the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.