A GOOD START ON LONG, LONG ROAD

It’s going to take more than a march to sweep National Rifle Association backed officials from Washington — a point not lost on young demonstrators rallying Saturday across the country. The student-led anti-gun effort included a contract enlisting the help of their parents and a sea of volunteers roaming Washington and other cities, clipboards in hand, encouraging passersby to register to vote. The contract (below), created by two students who survived the horrific Parkland, Fla., shooting, circulated in the streets on Saturday — and could cause some Republicans concern come November. Adam Buchwald and Zach Hibshman started the petition, called “Parent’s Promise to Kids,” created a website, a hashtag and encouraged other teens to enlist their parents to take the pledge. Those who sign the contract vow to “vote for legislative leaders who support our children’s safety over guns.” The hundreds of thousands who took to the streets across the country for the youth-led demonstrations — born in the wake of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas massacre last month — know they’ll need the help of older voters if they want to make a difference in November’s midterm elections. The GOP, the party of gun-rights and financial ties to the NRA, currently controls the House, the Senate and the White House. Despite the public pressure, many Republicans remained mum on the marches. President Trump, spending the weekend at his Florida estate, was uncharacteristically quiet as well. Trump stayed off Twitter as he spent the day at one of his namesake golf courses.