Today New York is expected to pass the toughest gun control law in the nation – and the first new gun law since the massacre at Sandy Hook elementary school. Under the new provision, which passed the state Senate Monday night, and will be taken up by the state Assembly today, any assault weapons with a “military rifle” feature will be banned.

Also, every single assault weapon sale, whether through a private dealer or not, will be subject to a background check – and internet sales of assault weapons will be banned altogether. The legal limit for ammo clips will be reduced from ten to seven bullets – and residents who own high-capacity magazines will have one-year to sell them out of state before they are in violation of this new law. Those who refuse could face a misdemeanor for possession of high-capacity ammo clips. There are also provisions to keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill who have made violent threats.

New York’s passage of tough gun control laws sets the stage for the national debate. According to the New York Times, President Obama will push for comprehensive gun control – and even endorse 19 specific executive actions he will take on his own – without Congress – to prevent weapons of war from ending up in the hands of the deranged. Among the President’s options include – restrictions on gun imports from overseas, better sharing of mental health records between federal agencies, and tougher background checks.

This fight is just getting started – and the safety of future generations is on the line. Stay tuned.

-Thom

(What do you think? Tell us here.)

WHAT: Progressive Central : The People's Inauguration

WHERE: UDC David A. Clarke School of Law | 5th Floor Moot Court Room | 4340 Connecticut Avenue NW | Washington, DC 20008

WHEN: Saturday, January 19, 2013 | 8:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m.

WHO: John Nichols (The Nation magazine writer, MSNBC contributor, author) will moderate a series of panel discussions focused on the most critical issues of today, with 18 guest speakers, including Thom Hartmann

HOW: Discover more (PDF)

Free excerpt, read book for free at Truthout, buy the book!

Monday's Daily Stack

Article: "News Conference by the President", January 14, 2013 (debt ceiling).

Article: "Economic Downturn and Bush Policies Continue to Drive Large Projected Deficits" by Kathy Ruffing and James R. Horney.

Article: "What’s Driving Projected Debt?" by Chad Stone.

Clip: "Iraq sits on top of 10 percent of the world’s oil reserves, very significant reserves, second only to Saudi Arabia." Vice President Dick Cheney, Meet the Press, September 14, 2003.

McChrystal on drones, guns and...groupies
- General Stanley McChrystal, Retired United States Army General / former Commander of the International Security Assistance Force and Commander of United States Forces Afghanistan / Author, memoirs "My Share of the Task"

Book: "My Share of the Task: A Memoir by Stanley A. McChrystal" by Stanley A. McChrystal.

Article: "Stanley McChrystal Book: Retired General Speaks Out, Takes Blame For Rolling Stone Article" by Kimberly Dozier.

Article: "Gen. McChrystal: Assault rifles are for battlefields, not schools" by Jane C. Timm.

Article: "Bush Rejects Taliban Bin Laden Offer" by Kathy Gannon, 13 October 2001.

Article: "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

Article: "The Runaway General: The Rolling Stone profile of Stanley McChrystal that changed history" by Michael Hastings, June 22, 2010.

Article: "I Was a Paid Internet Shill" by Ex-Shill, Above Top Secret.

Hour Two: Should we the people help each other out when disaster strikes?
- Nicole Gelinas, Searle Freedom Trust Fellow at the Manhattan Institute / City Journal

Article: "Manhattan Moment: Sandy and the entitled" by Nicole Gelinas.

Site: "FloodSmart.gov" (National Flood Insurance Program).

Article: "Boycott of Standardized Tests Spreads as Seattle Teachers Revolt" by Jon Queally.

Talk Radio News Segment:
- Victoria Jones, White House Correspondent

Site: "Goats for the old Goat".

Article: "Obama Demands Clean Debt Limit Increase" by Geoff Holtzman.

Article: "Obama says Biden presented sensible ways to reduce gun violence" by Reuters.

Article: "Rep. King livid over Sandy amendments" by Erik Wasson.

Article: "Aaron Swartz, a Spark in Life and Death" by Thom Hartmann and Sam Sacks.

Video: "The Big Picture: Should we have a closed or open internet? A heated debate/panel discussion with Seton Motley with Less Government and Aaron Swartz, Activist with Demand Progress.".

Article: "Internet Activist, a Creator of RSS, Is Dead at 26, Apparently a Suicide" by John Schwartz.

Article: "The Truth about Aaron Swartz’s “Crime”" by Alex Stamos.

Article: "Thomas Jefferson on Patents and Freedom of Ideas" by Scott Carpenter.

Article: "Aaron Swartz Faced A More Severe Prison Term Than Killers, Slave Dealers And Bank Robbers" by Ian Millhiser.

Article: "Were The Charges Against Internet Activist Aaron Swartz Too Severe?" by Gerry Smith.

Article: "Former C.I.A. Operative Pleads Guilty in Leak of Colleague’s Name" by Charlie Savage.

Site: Governor Don Siegelman.

Article: "Pot grower sentenced to 10 years for distributing marijuana" by Adolfo Flores.

Article: "O’Keefe Pleads Guilty In Landrieu Phone-Tampering Case, Gets Three Years Probation" by Justin Elliott.

The good: "Marijuana Advocates Elated After Bob Filner Tells San Diego Officials To End Crackdown" by Dennis Romero.

The bad: "Priebus: Republicans in blue states ‘ought to be’ rigging Electoral College" by David Edwards.

The very, very ugly: "Connie Mack in Newtown: ‘Impossible’ for gun control to stop ‘bad people’ so don’t even try" by David Edwards.

Article: "Constitution of the United States" Article 1, section 8: ...To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries...

Article: "Plan to Privatize Belle Isle Unveiled" by Mackinac Center.

Article: "Developer pitches $1B commonwealth for Belle Isle" by Louis Aguilar.

Site: "reddit".

Video: "The Twin Sides of the Fossil Fuel Coin - Guy MacPherson".

Video: "The Day the Earth Nearly Died" (BBC Horizon programme on the Permian Mass Extinction).

Article: "Today's Headlines: 503 children and teens shot since 113th Congress convened" by Children's Defense Fund.

Article: "Sales of Guns Soar in U.S. as Nation Weighs Tougher Limits" by Michael Cooper.

Article: "Obama Will Seek Citizenship Path in One Fast Push" by Julia Preston.

Article: "Treasury, Fed kill idea of $1 trillion platinum coins to avert debt crisis" by Steve Holland.

Hour Two: Nevermind the fiscal cliff, the fiscal is about to hit...
- Emily Wismer, Independent Women's Forum

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"...

We'll have the latest on the continuing debt ceiling debate...

Plus, Dr. Cornel West on poverty in America and what we can do about it...

And the best of the rest of the news along with your calls right here on...

The Thom Hartmann Program, Occupying The Media 3 hours a day 5 days a week" for "we the people"...Democracy is NOT a spectator sport...it begins with you...