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In reply to the discussion: White House weighs broad gun-control agenda in wake of Newtown shootings [View all]Demo_Chris
(6,234 posts)So in that respect this pleases me. He is representing at least some of the people who voted for him. They asked for leadership on gun control and he is delivering it. That's where my pleasure with this ends.
Gun control is a divisive and dangerous issue. It is, for the right, what women's rights are to those of us on the left. They are just that passionate. If "legitimate rape" infuriated and inspired you, gun control infuriates them. The difference is that they are armed and many truly believe that their weapons are all that stands between liberty and tyranny -- so yes, they are dangerous. Ask Bill Clinton just how dangerous they are.
Worse, politically, is that there are a great many Democratic voters who are NOT in favor of gun control. This is not a left and right issue, it's not conservatives versus progressives, it's gun rights activists versus gun control activists. So even a win doesn't get you votes. Which is one reason why Pelosi, when she first assumed her role as speaker of the House, said publicly that gun control legislation was NOT on the table. Obviously gun control advocates don't care about this, but others might.
Finally, while I am thrilled to see Obama finally proposing SOMETHING that at least some of his voters seem to want, something at least sort-of left, I would far rather see him direct this energy and political capital towards addressing things like wealth and income inequality, social justice, poverty, healthcare, and our free trade disaster. One in five American kids doesn't have enough food to eat. Their parents are wage slaves at Walmart if they are lucky. Free Trade (thanks Bill) has destroyed our jobs, our wages, our unions, and our future. Healthcare costs are climbing so far and fast you'd think NASA had launched them on one of their deep space probes.
And the wealthy and wealth inequality are out of control. Seriously out of fucking control.
Twenty murdered kids is a horror, but ten MILLION kids going hungry apparently isn't even worthy of mention. I want to see Obama tackle those issues.