Paul Waldman : But one of the salutary effects of this debate is how it has brought to wider public attention the kind of unhinged conspiracy theorizing , paranoia and outright hate most Americans would n't know about if they had n't been attending NRA meetings or reading pro-gun Web sites in recent years . Background check , another shameful day for a cowardly senator . Senate undemocratic , he says ; small rural states have little power . He says that Chuck Grassley spread lies to kill legislation . Waldman : This time , you get to see power of state - stoked paranoia .
Paul Waldman : Background check , another shameful day for a cowardly senator . Senate undemocratic , he says ; small rural states have little power . He says that Chuck Grassley spread lies to kill legislation . Waldman : This time , you get to see power of state - stoked paranoia .