In an email sent out over the weekend by the Democratic Party, President Barack Obama urges followers to join him in the effort to enact stricter gun laws."We have not gone more than eight days without a mass shooting in this country this year," Obama begins in the email. "That means that each week, more families are grieving, more communities are being pieced back together. As a nation, we're holding everyone affected by these heartbreaking events in our prayers."But, he adds, prayers aren't enough. The email links to a Democrats.org webpage where recipients can add their name to a petition to support the cause.

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Obama says there have been more than 300 mass shootings in the United States so far in 2015, killing nearly 400 and injuring 1,000."We can't sweep this problem under the rug, or allow ourselves to become numb to it, or accept that there's nothing we can do because 'stuff happens,'" a reference to a statement by GOP presidential candidate Jeb Bush after the October Oregon community college shootings."Let me be clear about this: Unless we do something – change our politics and change our laws – these painful tragedies will continue," Obama says.He does not lay out a specific strategy.

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Obama says the issue is not about the Second Amendment, but about "commonsense reform measures" the American people want.Despite his previous attempts at executive actions, Obama says, "I cannot change this by myself."I need members of Congress, state legislatures, and governors who will work with me," he says. "And I need people like you to stand up and say that enough is enough."The president cites such Democratic gains as Obamacare, same-sex marriage and climate change."But this is one thing we haven't been able to do," he said. "We have not reformed our gun laws to help reduce the unnecessary deaths we see in this country every single day."

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But it is not too late, he said, "by making sure we urge future leaders to act where we have been stalled."