thenation.com – The charade of silence used to work for House Republicans. As the death toll from mass shootings rose, and rose, and rose, the feudal serfs of the NRA would engage in a moment of silence.

Then, satisfied that they had done something symbolic, they would do nothing of consequence to address the crisis.

On Monday night, however, the charade of silence did not work for Paul Ryan.

During the first House session following the worst mass shooting in modern American history—the attack on an LGBTQ nightclub in Orlando that left 49 dead and 53 wounded—Speaker Ryan literally sought to silence the House of Representatives.