Then fix f@cking healthcare. Being “pro gun” doesn’t mean you’re against healthcare reform or even universal healthcare. But as for banning AR-15’s and the like... more people are killed by hammers and feet than riffles. A right wing think tank called “the FBI crime statistics report” supplies that fact. Riffles make up a very small number of deaths a year, even in mass shootings. If a gun is going to kill you it will probably be a pistol- but your odds of dying or preventable or treatable illness in America are much higher than death by all guns combined.
The people most at risk of dying by gun violence are people living in lower class and lower income environments- but like drug enforcement the problem doesn’t get serious attention until the middle class get a taste of fear that what is daily reality for the low class could be an unlikely but possible threat in their soccer games or shopping malls or suburban neighborhoods. What’s more- the measures against gun violence tend to focus on protecting the middle class while ignoring the vectors of threat to lower class neighborhoods. Keep guns out of colleges and $300 a ticket entertainment venues and the suburbs- laws aimed at middle class gun owners to prevent them from bringing crime to their own neighbors and peers- and the assumption that less guns in the suburbs will mean less guns on the streets the only thought given to the most plagued demographics.
So the collective consciousness and buckets of money get poured into a fight against scary black riffles that- again- don’t do most of the killing anyway. Politicians get elected on platforms of gun stance or even for just a vague sound bite about plans to ban one specific scary gun. And how sad is that our nation can’t get insulin and people are worried they’ll have to leave the country to get health care (many do- have for decades, Mexico, Hong Kong, etc. where a week of travel and shopping AND the medical care you seek can be the same quality and cheaper than here,)
And so our fear of guns beats the reality of our need for medical reform. The comparatively small number of gun deaths- especially rifle deaths, is inflated by our perceptions while the on paper and casually observable effects of poor healthcare availability rack up death tolls that belong in The Hague- and we keep feeding the beast.
All a politician has to do to stir some votes and keep in power and pay is rattle the gun cage. What do they care anyway about banning guns they don’t own, their body guards will still be armed even when no one else is. Even if it is largely a stalemate “fighting guns” keeps them busy all term. Blame the gun lobbies, call it a victory when a law passes than bans the civilian sale of a $10,000 ruffle that no criminal has ever used because... its $10,000 and weighs 70lbs and is 6’ ft long and bullets are $5 each (look up the story of Ronnie Berret and the LA council/ his letter to tHE LAPD. it’s funny but sad.)
Do all that- and keep getting paid. Vs taking on healthcare and pissing people of. Guns are pretty easy as most people are “for” or “against.” You read the popular vibes and back whichever side gives the most votes. You’ll piss off folks that have the opposite stance but they aren’t a majority in your base so you’re fine. If your side gets pissed that you aren’t doing enough you blame lobbyists and the legislature and blah blah. Do lots of rally’s. Be seen to care, point to any little victory you made and say “it isn’t what we wanted but it is progress and we will keep pushing!” Cheers. Applause. A job for life or until you use your position and connections to get set up for life in the private sector.
Health care is a fucking mine field. What should be covered? Who pays? How does it work? There are too many “camps” and it’s too complex. Taxes go up and even most of your base that wanted “free healthcare” revolts. Quality of care goes down and the spoiled classes feel a pinch and you lose your job. Increase work or hours, decrease earning or benefits- nurses get pissed and if you piss off the nurses... oh man. Never piss off a nurse.
Healthcare is hard. You can’t just collect a check and sit there yelling at people “guns good!” Or “guns bad!” Until someone gets tired of it or needs a favor from you and backs down and then your voters all cheer. People will care about the details. You’ll have to take money from SOMETHING be it schools or roads or the military or social security or new taxes. Millions or hundreds of millions will be very upset no matter what you do.
"more people are killed by hammers and feet than riffles." ...ok can you elaborate on that? Not the hammers part obviously, I'm curious about freaking feet. It feels like I'm having a brain fart and confusing feet with an other word, except I'm pretty sure I know what feet are and I don't see how they can kill people.
@guest_ I think the heart of this post is exactly what you said in the other gun control post. There’s a strong association with pro-gun and right wing politics.
The OP is likely pointing out the irony that the pro-gun poster is probably not a proponent of universal healthcare. Which may or may not be true.
And you’re right, regardless of gun politics, US healthcare system needs to be fixed.
@purplepumkin- in fairness- it was a bit of hyperbole. FBI crime statistics group feet along with clubs and certain blunt force homicides- which oddly hammers seems to fall under a different category in the report- so it’s actually “more people are murdered by feet, clubs,etc. than...” but I also did a double take on reading it and do- believe it or not- make some attempt to be mindful of my word count- so combined it was expedient and sounded funny while being partially factual but not comprehensive.
@roanoke- yeah. I agree. I figured they probably went with a spurious correlation and decided that surely someone who would say that must be against universal healthcare. John Adams, Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson all showed support for the idea of government mandated and even government ran healthcare. At least two of those guys signed the Declaration of Independence and worked on or approved the constitution... the one that defines owning guns as a basic right. Hamilton felt some way enough about guns to duel a man so there’s also that. Of course- you likely won’t hear the argument “the founding fathers had no idea how we’d advance healthcare since their time so their opinions are invalid in modern days...” but I digress. Those not aware of history are something something and another cliche for good measure.
The OP is likely pointing out the irony that the pro-gun poster is probably not a proponent of universal healthcare. Which may or may not be true.
And you’re right, regardless of gun politics, US healthcare system needs to be fixed.