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Thom's blog
Why does the US have such a high rate of gun murders?
The shooter in the Aurora theater massacre, James Holmes, purchased more than 6,000 rounds of ammunition in the weeks leading up to the shooting, spending roughly $3,000 on his arsenal. He also purchased a bullet-proof vest and other tactical gear to mimic a SWAT team member, and high-capacity magazines that would have been illegal under the Assault Weapons Ban or any number of pieces of gun control legislation that have stalled out in Congress. Holmes built up his unusually large collection of deadly weapons just before the shooting without once raising a red flag with authorities. Also, not once, was he required to submit a background check or register his name to the purchases.
Tragically, 12 people are dead now as a result of his rampage. And despite the obvious lessons here, which are the same lessons we learned from the last year’s Tucson massacre, that mentally unstable people can get a hold of extremely deadly weapons of war way too easy in this nation, don’t hold your breath for sensible gun control legislation. Already, President Obama abandoned a call for gun control, arguing that we need to prevent gun crimes by relying on “existing law.” And Democratic Governor of Colorado, John Hickenlooper, refused to endorse tougher gun control laws.
Even Conservative Commentator Bill Kristol argued that it was “foolish” for Democrats to not push for gun control. As Democratic Congresswoman, and strong supporter of gun control, Carolyn McCarthy bluntly said in an interview Sunday about her colleagues in Congress, “They don’t have the spine anymore. They pander to who’s giving them money.”
And that right there, folks, is what’s wrong with our nation. With money in control, common sense policies – like keeping assault weapons out of the hands of the mentally ill – are off the table. And instead, the crazies – those who think the massacre was a condemnation from God or staged by the Obama Administration to restrict gun rights – win the debate, simple because they also gladly accept money from the gun lobby that profits off more death and destruction in America. The Second Amendment is not a license to let mass murders continue without action.
-Thom
(Will anything change? Tell us here.) |
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Tonight on The Big Picture on RT TV at 9pm and 11pm... Does anyone in America really need an assault weapon? (check your local listings for stations or stream at RT, and catch past shows on Youtube)
Does anyone in America really need an assault weapon?- - Josh Horwitz, J.D., National Coalition to Stop Gun Violence 
Will SuperPACs be forced to reveal donors?- Lee Fang, RepublicReport.org
Police now firing on women & children at protest?- Rania Khalek, AlterNet
The Bigger Picture Panel:- Brian Darling, Heritage Foundation / Daily Caller and Townhall.com - S.E. Robinson, The Paul Revere Project / The Blaze - Karl Frisch, Progressive Strategist / Bullfight Strategies
Your Take / My Take:
Daily Take: Food fight - time to return to family farming?
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Monday on The Thom Hartmann Program, 3-6pm ET
Hour One: Does anyone in America really need an assault weapon?- Noel Flasterstein, Gun Rights For You.
Hour Two: How to kill 800,000 jobs...Romney tax plan- Curtis DuBay, Heritage Foundation
Hour Three: Food fight...time to return to family farming?
And, the best of the rest of the news and your calls right here on...
The Thom Hartmann Program...your media support group for "we the people"...TAG, YOU'RE IT!!!!!!!!! (OCCUPY SOMETHING!!!!!)
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Friday's Daily Stack 
Quote: "As Mankind becomes more liberal, they will be more apt to allow that all those who conduct themselves as worthy members of the community are equally entitled to the protections of civil government. I hope ever to see America among the foremost nations of justice and liberality." -- George Washington.
Hour One: If it's Friday, it's "Brunch With Bernie"... the honorable Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) joins Thom with all the news from our nation's capitol and as always he'll be spending the hour taking your calls and answering your questions too... Follow Bernie:    campaign site.
Site: Jill Stein, the Green Party presidential nominee.
Hour Two: Tragedy in Denver- Jeff Fard aka "Brother Jeff"
Hour Three: Anything Goes on Townhall Friday
Quote " "Yes, it is true, my wife and I are expecting. If it is a boy we will name him courage, and if it is a girl we will name her Integrity, but if, as I suspect, it is just gas, we will call it Chauncey Depew." by William Howard Taft". |
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Tuesday on The Thom Hartmann Program, 3-6pm ET
More details are coming out about the tragic mass shooting in Colorado and we'll have the latest information for you...
as well as everything you need to know from Capitol Hill and the campaign trail...
Plus, the best of the rest of the news and your calls right here on...
The Thom Hartmann Program...your media support group for "we the people"...TAG, YOU'RE IT!!!!!!!!! (OCCUPY SOMETHING!!!!!)
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Thom's Poll
Will the recent Colorado tragedy lead to sensible gun laws?
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Watch & Listen to Thom
How many more killed until sensible gun control?
Big Picture Rumble - Solutions to wealth inequality?
Conversations w/ Great Minds - Jeffrey Smith GMOs - Seeds of Deception P1
Conversations w/Great Minds - Jeffrey Smith GMOs - Seeds of Deception P2
Or watch the Full "Big Picture" Show...
Full Show 7/20/12: Conversations with Great Minds - Jeffrey Smith
For our Friday Conversations with Great Minds, Thom spoke to Jeffrey Smith. He's a leading consumer advocate in the fight against the use of genetically modified foods. Thom also spoke about the mass shooting in Colorado and the need for gun control here in the U.S. And in our Friday Rumble we discussed gun control and the growing wealth gap in the U.S.
Thom Hartmann on the News - July 20, 2012
Brunch with Bernie - July 20, 2012
Tragedy in Denver
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 Thom and Louise Hartmann founded the New England Salem Children's Village (NESCV) in New Hampshire in 1979. With states delaying payment for the children they entrust to the village, they need help with cash flow. Can you help? Now on Facebook. |
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Show Info
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Hello All