Another school shooting, multiple fatalities

[bae]

so how did we get to the current hysteria? NRA hysteria that any talk about background checks or raising age to buy guns= they want to abolish the second amendment
far left= banning certain weapons and so on

what is the sensible middle ground, or is it all or nothing? How can current laws be enforced if there are laws that are not being enforced?

Because the well of civil discourse has been poisoned, and it is no longer possible to have a sane discussion.

[flowerseverywhere]

Because the well of civil discourse has been poisoned, and it is no longer possible to have a sane discussion.

But normal people like us can do it, even though we have different levels of education, different life experiences and come from all over the place. No one here has said “fake news” or called someone “cadet bone spurs”, “liar” or anything. Most of this lack of civil discourse is driven by the media seizing on every little thing, thentweeter in Chief, social media making mountains out of molehills and the biggest of all Money. NRA gave $50,000,000 to elect it’s preferred candidates. How did we let this happen. Do our politicians really represent us?

[LDAHL]

Do our politicians really represent us?

Sadly, yes.

While it may be more comfortable to blame politicians as a class, or one in particular for our present situation, I think we need to face the reality of who sent them there.

[jp1]

Sadly, yes.

While it may be more comfortable to blame politicians as a class, or one in particular for our present situation, I think we need to face the reality of who sent them there.

Considering that in a survey last october 96% of people say they favor background checks for all purchases, 75% a 30 day waiting period and 70% that all privately-owned guns be registered I question whether politicians actually do represent us.

http://news.gallup.com/poll/1645/guns.aspx

[LDAHL]

Considering that in a survey last october 96% of people say they favor background checks for all purchases, 75% a 30 day waiting period and 70% that all privately-owned guns be registered I question whether politicians actually do represent us.

http://news.gallup.com/poll/1645/guns.aspx

But most of us don't vote based on single issues as measured by polls taken six months ago. For the most part, we vote out of habit or identification with a particular party or candidate. Sometimes, as with Trump, some of vote us out of spite. Some vote to "shake things up" out of pure boredom.

You can blame Fox News or the Russians or "the Rich" or hypocritical Christians or racists or patriarchs or lefty snowflakes or poor parenting or rampant political correctness fascism or omnipotent Big Data sorcery, but in the end each of us is free to vote his choice (or neglect voting at all) as he sees fit.

If we are brought to a choice of two types of liar, if our clowns become pundits and our pundits clowns, if we decide the people who disagree with us are idiots and liars, than the real fault lies with our own ignorance and neglect, not some designated scapegoat.

[dmc]

Considering that in a survey last october 96% of people say they favor background checks for all purchases, 75% a 30 day waiting period and 70% that all privately-owned guns be registered I question whether politicians actually do represent us.

http://news.gallup.com/poll/1645/guns.aspx

I’d have to question that poll some, I’m not saying that a majority might favor background checks, but not 96%. Of coarse the latest polls also put trumps approval rating above Obama’s for the sameness time in office. I’m sure you believe that also.