I'm from Newtown. We deserve a vote

graphic by Lunchbreath, with permission Remarks by the President at Presentation of 2012 Presidential Citizens Medals:

And then when Dawn Hochsprung, and Mary Sherlach, Vicki Soto, Lauren Rousseau, Rachel D'Avino, Anne Marie Murphy -- when they showed up for work at Sandy Hook Elementary on December 14th of last year, they expected a day like any other -- doing what was right for their kids; spent a chilly morning readying classrooms and welcoming young students -- they had no idea that evil was about to strike.  And when it did, they could have taken shelter by themselves.  They could have focused on their own safety, on their own wellbeing.  But they didn't.  They gave their lives to protect the precious children in their care.  They gave all they had for the most innocent and helpless among us.  

And that's what we honor today -- the courageous heart, the selfless spirit, the inspiring actions of extraordinary Americans, extraordinary citizens.

When I think of Newtown, I think of the courage of those teachers, and the heroism and pain of the first responders on 12/14. And because of them and because of 20 first graders, I believe Newtown changed everything.

Even before the grieving is over (because that will take years), the question is what can we do so that others don't need to be awarded medals that their families never asked for and would trade in a heartbeat to get their loved ones back?

As it happens, we can do a lot. But we may need to do it one piece at a time.

Greg Sargent reports:

The bipartisan group of four Senators who are negotiating over a proposal to expand the gun background check system privately met this week to discuss where things stand, according to sources familiar with ongoing talks. One source tells me the four Senators are '95 percent of the way there.'

That's great news, because law enforcement officials and experts, and gun owners and advocates for change all agree that if there's one thing that would make a difference, it's this. Nothing is certain, and even background checks are controversial (everything about this topic is), but they are not only popular with law enforcement, they are popular with the public.

As the White House continues its campaign to build support for stronger national gun laws, a new poll shows that the overwhelming majority of Americans - 92 percent - support the idea of background checks for all gun buyers.

The Quinnipiac University poll, conducted among 1,772 registered voters from Jan. 30-Feb. 4, showed that support among those living in a gun-owning household was almost equally high: 91 percent of those voters said they support universal background checks.

"There is no significant voter opposition to requiring background checks for gun buyers," said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, in a statement. "And there is support for banning high volume ammunition clips and assault weapons, with the issue pretty much falling along party lines." The poll echoes similar findings in a CBS News/New York Times poll taken last month.

And when the bill reaches the Senate, the families of Newtown deserve a simple vote.


More on what needs to happen below the fold.