Lax Gun Laws Make Security At Outdoor Events Impossible

The recent shooting at the Kansas City celebration of winning the Super Bowl highlights a sad reality in American life. It has become impossible to provide effective security for citizens attending large outdoor events.

It shouldn't be, and it can't be blamed on police efforts. They do everything they can to make those events safe. But our government's failure to curb who can buy a gun (and what kind of gun they can buy) has made it impossible. 

Years ago, the government passed a background check law on gun purchases, but that tepid law had many holes in it - so many holes that anyone can effectively buy any kind of gun they want without actually having their background checked.

That's not what the American people want. 80% to 90% of the public want a strict background check law (and that is true even of gun owners). An effective law would prevent any dangerous person from purchasing a gun or receiving one as a gift, but the U.S. Congress (mainly Republicans) have blocked all attempts to pass such a law. 

They consider the right to own a gun more important than protecting the lives of American citizens - even though a strict background check law would not prevent law-abiding citizens from purchasing or receiving a gun.

They have also refused to outlaw the possession of assault rifles (the most dangerous guns police have to face). A previous outlawing of these guns proved it could be effective in reducing mass shootings and save lives. But they refused to renew that law, and mass shooting have exploded in both number and size.

There are other reasonable and constitutional restrictions that could help with safety and security, but Republicans have refused to consider ANY gun restrictions.

Attend a large outdoor event if you wish, but understand that (thanks to Congress) you could be putting your life in danger because it is impossible for the police to provide adequate security.

Why Does The GOP Want Criminals To Legally Buy Guns?

The chart above is from the Gun Violence Archive.

Earlier this year Congress actually passed a measure concerning guns. It was a pathetic and toothless bill, and no one expected it to have any real effect on gun deaths and mass shootings. And that turned out to be true. It had no effect.

With a few days left in this year, the United States has had 650 mass shootings and experienced 42,253 gun deaths -- far more than any other developed country. It doesn't have to be this way.

Republicans try to convince voters that any gun law would violate the Second Amendment. That is simply a lie. The United States Supreme Court has never said the Second Amendment is unlimited. Just the opposite -- the court has ruled that reasonable restrictions are allowed (such as restricting where guns are allowed and restricting felons from possessing a gun).

One gun law that could actually be effective is a strict background check law. The U.S. already has a background check law, but it is weak and full of holes. Those holes allow anyone to purchase a gun without anyone checking their background -- and as many as 40% of gun sales may be done without a background check.

Over 80% of Americans, and a huge majority of gun owners, want to see a strict and effective background check law. The only thing stopping such a law are the Republicans in Congress.

Such a law would be constitutional, and it would go a long way toward keeping firearms out of the hands of dangerous people (like criminals). Why then do the Republicans oppose such a law? Do they really want to protect the right of a criminal to legally buy a gun?

A strict background check law would not impinge on the right of law-abiding citizens to buy and own a gun. They could easily pass a background check. The worst that could happen for law-abiding citizens is that they might have to wait a few days for the check to be completed, but they would be allowed a gun.

The only people affected by a strict background check are dangerous people -- criminals, terrorists, and the dangerously mentally ill. Those people should not have guns.

Some might say those people could still buy a gun on the black market. But it's much harder to buy a gun on the black market, and more dangerous because both the buyer and seller could go to prison for it. And it could be made even harder. It is not an excuse to allow dangerous people to easily and legally buy a gun.

A strict background check law could be effective in reducing both the number of gun deaths and the number of mass shootings. It could save thousands of innocent lives each year. But it won't happen until voters get serious about it, and vote the obstructionists out of office. 

I urge all voters of both parties to refuse to vote for any politician who opposes a strict background check law.

Two-Thirds Of Voters Want Stricter Gun Control Laws

 The chart above is from the Morning Consult Poll -- done between March 30th and April 2nd of a nationwide sample of 1,989 registered voters, with a 2 point margin of error.

Public Wants Change - Doesn't Expect Congress To Do it

 

The charts above are from a new Quinnipiac University Poll -- done between June 3rd and 6th of a national sample of 1,576 adults, with a 2.5 point margin of error.

M. McConaughey Makes Powerful Speech For Gun Laws

On Tuesday, Matthew McConaughey, a native of Uvalde, made a powerful speech pleading for reasonable and constitutional gun restrictions to save American lives. In the photo above, his wife holds the green Converse shoes of one of the victims of the Uvalde tragedy. Those shoes were the only way the tiny girls could be identified due to the awful damage the AR-15 rifle made to her body.

Here is what Mr. McConaughey had to say in the press conference held in the White House press room:

My wife and I — my wife and I — Camila — we spent most of last week on the ground with the families in Uvalde, Texas, and we shared stories, tears, and memories.

The common thread, independent of the anger and the confusion and sadness, it was the same: How can these families continue to honor these deaths by keeping the dreams of these children and teachers alive? 

Again, how can the loss of these lives matter?

So while we honor and acknowledge the victims, we need to recognize that this time it seems that something is different.  There is a sense that perhaps there is a viable path forward.  Responsible parties in this debate seem to at least be committed to sitting down and having a real conversation about a new and improved path forward — a path that can bring us closer together and make us safer as a country, a path that can actually get something done this time.

Camila and I came here to share my stories from my hometown of Uvalde.  I came here to take meetings with elected officials on both sides of the aisle.  We came here to speak to them, to speak with them, and to urge them to speak with each other — to remind and inspire them that the American people will continue to drive forward the mission of keeping our children safe, because it’s more than our right to do so, it’s our responsibility to do so.

I’m here today in the hopes of applying what energy, reason, and passion that I have into trying to turn this moment into a reality.  Because as I said, this moment is different.  We are in a window of opportunity right now that we have not been in before, a window where it seems like real change — real change can happen.

Uvalde, Texas, is where I was born.  It’s where my mom taught kindergarten less than a mile from Robb Elementary.  Uvalde is where I learned to master a Daisy BB gun.  I took that — that took two years before I graduated to a 410 shotgun.  Uvalde is where I was taught to revere the power and the capability of the tool that we call a gun.  Uvalde is where I learned responsible gun ownership.

And Uvalde called me on May 24th, when I learned the news of this devastating tragedy.  I had been out of cellular range working in the studio all day when I emerged and messages about a mass shooting in the town I was born in began flooding my inbox. 

In a bit of shock, I drove home, hugged my children a bit tighter and longer than the night before, and then the reality of what had happened that day in the town I was born in set in.

So the next morning, Camila, myself, and the kids, we loaded up the truck and drove to Uvalde.  And when we arrived a few hours later, I got to tell you, even from the inside of our vehicle, you could feel the shock in the town.  You could feel the pain, the denial, the disillusion, anger, blame, sadness, loss of lives, dreams halted.

We saw ministries.  We saw first responders, counselors, cooks, families trying to grieve without it being on the frontpage news.

We met with the local funeral director and countless morticians who — who hadn’t slept since the massacre the day before because they’d been working 24/7 trying to handle so many bodies at once — so many little, innocent bodies who had their entire lives still yet to live.

And that is there that we met two of the grieving parents, Ryan and Jessica Ramirez.  Their 10-year-old daughter, Alithia — she was one of the 19 children that were killed the day before.

Now, Alithia — her dream was to go to art school in Paris and one day share her art with the world.  Ryan and Jessica were eager to share Alithia’s art with us, and said if we could share it, then somehow maybe that would make Alithia smile in heaven.  They told us that showing someone else Alithia’s art would in some way keep her alive.

Now, this particular drawing is a — is a self-portrait of Alithia drawing, with her friend in heaven looking down on her drawing the very same picture.  Her mother said, of this drawing — she said, “You know, we never really talked to her about heaven before, but somehow she knew.” 

Alithia was 10 years old.

Her father, Ryan — this man was steady.  He was uncommonly together and calm.  When a frazzled friend of his came up and said, “How are you so calm?  I’d be going crazy,” Ryan told him — he said, “No, you wouldn’t.  No, you wouldn’t.  You’d be strong for your wife and kids, because if they see you go crazy, that will not help them.”

Just a week prior, Ryan got a full-time line job stringing powerlines from pole to pole.  And every day since landing that well-paying, full-time job, he reminded his daughter, Alithia — he said, “Girl, Daddy going to spoil you now.”  Told her every single night.  He said, “Daddy is going to take you to SeaWorld one day.

But he didn’t get to — he didn’t get to spoil his daughter, Alithia.  She did not get to go to SeaWorld.

We also met Ana and Dani- — Danilo, the mom and the stepdad of nine-year-old Maite Rodriguez.  And Maite wanted to be a marine biologist.  She was already in contact with Corpus Christi University of A&M for her future college enrollment.  Nine years old.

Maite cared for the environment so strongly that when the city asked her mother if they could release some balloons into the sky in her memory, her mom said, “Oh no, Maite wouldn’t want to litter.”

Maite wore green high-top Converse with a heart she had hand-drawn on the right toe because they represented her love of nature.

Camila has got these shoes.  Can you show these shoes, please? 

Wore these every day.  Green Converse with a heart on the right toe.  These are the same green Converse on her feet that turned out to be the only clear evidence that could identify her after the shooting.  How about that? 

Maite wrote a letter.  Her mom said if Maite’s letter could help someone accomplish her dream, that then her death would have an impact, and it would mean her dying had a point and wasn’t pointless — that it would make the loss of her life matter.

The letter reads: “Marine biologist.  I want to pass school to get to my dream college.  My dream college is in Corpus Christi, by the ocean.  I need to live next to the ocean because I want to be a marine biologist.  Marine biologists study animals and the water.  Most of the time, I will be in a lab.  Sometimes, I will be on TV.”

Then there was Ellie Garcia, a 10-year-old, and her parents, Steven and Jennifer.

Ellie loved to dance, and she loved church.  She even knew how to drive tractors and was already working with her dad and her uncle mowing yards.

“Ellie was always giving of her gifts, her time, even half-eaten food on her plate,” they said.  They said, “Around the house, we’d call her the ‘great re-gifter.’”  Smiling through tears, her family told us how Ellie loved to embrace.  Said she was the biggest hugger in the family.

Now, Ellie was born Catholic, but had been going to Baptist church with her uncle for the last couple of years.  Her mom and dad were proud of her because, they said, “She was learning to love God, no matter where.”

The week prior to her passing, she had been preparing to read a verse from the Bible for the next Wednesday night’s church service.  The verse was from Deuteronomy 6:5.  “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”

That’s who Ellie was becoming.  But she never got to read it.  Service is on a Wednesday night.

Then there was the fairytale love story of a teacher named Irma and her husband, Joe.  What a great family this was.  This was an amazing family.

Camila and I, we — we sat with about 20 of their family members in the living room, along with their four kids.  They were — the kids were 23, 19, 15, and 13.  They — they shared all these stories about Irma and Joe — served the community and would host all these parties, and how Irma and Joe were planning on getting a food truck together when they soon retired.

They were humble, hardworking people.  Irma was a teacher, who, her family said, “went above and beyond, and just couldn’t say no to any kind of teaching.”  Joe had been commuting to and from work 70 miles away in Del Rio for years.

Together, they were the glue of the family.  Both worked overtime to support their four kids.  Irma even worked every summer when school was out.  The money she had made two summers ago paid to — paid to paint the front of the house.  The money she made last summer paid to paint the sides of the house.  This summer’s work was going to pay to paint the back of the house.

Because Irma was one of the teachers who was gunned down in the classroom, Joe, her husband, literally died of heartache the very next day when he had a heart attack.

They never got to paint the back of the house, they never got to retire, and they never got to get that food truck together.

We also met a cosmetologist.  All right?  She was well versed in mortuary makeup.  That’s the task of making the victims appear as peaceful and natural as possible for their open-casket viewings.

These bodies were very different.  They needed much more than makeup to be presentable.  They needed extensive restoration.  Why?  Due to the exceptionally large exit wounds of an AR-15 rifle.  Most of the bodies so mutilated that only DNA tests or green Converse could identify them.  Many children were left not only dead, but hollow.

So yes, counselors are going to be needed in Uvalde for a long time.  Counselors are needed in all these places where these mass shooters have been for a long time.

I was told by many that it takes a good year before people even understand what to do next.  And even then, when they become se- — secure enough to take the first step forward, a lifetime is not going to heal those wounds.

Again, you know what every one of these parents wanted, what they asked us for?  What every parent separately expressed in their own way to Camila and me?  That they want their children’s dreams to live on.  That they want their children’s dreams to continue to accomplish something after they are gone.  They want to make their loss of life matter.

Look, we heard from — we heard from so many people, all right?  Families of the deceased — mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers.  Texas Rangers, hunters, Border Patrol, and responsible gun owners who won’t give up their Second Amendment right to bear arms.  And you know what they all said?  “We want secure and safe schools, and we want gun laws that won’t make it so easy for the bad guys to get these damn guns.”

So, we know what’s on the table.  We need to invest in mental healthcare.  We need safer schools.  We need to restrain sensationalized media coverage.  We need to restore our family values.  We need to restore our American values.  And we need responsible gun ownership — responsible gun ownership. 

We need background checks.  We need to raise the minimum age to purchase an AR-15 rifle to 21.  We need a waiting period for those rifles.  We need red-flag laws and consequences for those who abuse them.

These are reasonable, practical, tactical regulations to our nation, states, communities, schools, and homes.

Responsible gun owners are fed up with the Second Amendment being abused and hijacked by some deranged individuals. 

These regulations are not a step back; they’re a step forward for a civil society and — and the Second Amendment. 

Look, is this a cure-all?  Hell no. 

But people are hurting — families are, parents are.  And look, as — as divided as our country is, this gun responsibility issue is one that we agree on more than we don’t.  It really is.  But this should be a nonpartisan issue.  This should not be a partisan issue.

There is not a Democratic or Republican value in one single act of these shooters.  It’s not. 

But people in power have failed to act.  So we’re asking you and I’m asking you, will you please ask yourselves: Can both sides rise above?  Can both sides see beyond the political problem at hand and admit that we have a life preservation problem on our hands?

Because we got a chance right now to reach for and to grasp a higher ground above our political affiliations, a chance to make a choice that does more than protect your party, a chance to make a choice that protects our country now and for the next generation.

We got to take a sober, humble, and honest look in the mirror and re- — rebrand ourselves based on what we truly value.  What we truly value.

We got to get some real courage and honor our immortal obligations instead of our party affiliations. 

Enough with the counterpunching.  Enough of the invalidation of the other side.  Let’s come to the common table that represents the American people.  Find a mil- — middle ground, the place where most of us Americans live anyway, especially on this issue.

Because I promise you, America — you and me, who — we are not as divided as we’re being told we are.  No.

How about we get inspired?  Give ourselves just cause to revere our future again.  Maybe set an example for our children, give us reason to tell them, “Hey, listen and watch these men and women.  These are great American leaders right here.  Hope you grow up to be like them.”

And let’s admit it: We can’t truly be leaders if we’re only living for reelection.

Let’s be knowledgeable and wise, and act on what we truly believe.

Again, we got to look in the mirror, lead with humility, and acknowledge the values that are inherent to but also above politics.  We’ve got to make choices, make stands, embrace new ideas, and preserve the traditions that can create true — true progress for the next generation.

With real leadership, let’s start giving us — all of us, with real leadership — let’s start giving all of us good reason to believe that the American Dream is not an illusion.

So where do we start?  We start by making the right choices on the issue that is in front of us today.

We start by making laws that save innocent lives and don’t infringe on our Second Amendment rights.  We start right now by voting to pass policies that can keep us from having as many Columbines, Sandy Hooks, Parklands, Las Vegases, Buffaloes, and Uvaldes from here on.

We start by giving Alithia the chance to be spoiled by her dad. 

We start by giving Maite a chance to become a marine biologist.

We start by giving Ellie a chance to read her Bible verse at the Wednesday night service.

We start by giving Irma and Joe a chance to finish painting their house, maybe retire and get that food truck.

We start by giving Makenna, Layla, Maranda, Nevaeh, Jose, Xavier, Tess, Rojelio, Eliahna, Annabell, Jackie, Uziyah, Jayce, Jailah, Eva, Amerie, and Lexi — we start by giving all of them our promise that their dreams are not going to be forgotten. 

We start by making the loss of these lives matter.

Thank you.  Thank you.

Even Republicans Support Background Check Fix

 

The charts above are from a Morning Consult Poll -- done on May 25th of a national sample of 1,920 registered voters, with a 2 point margin of error.

There Have Been 537 Mass Shootings In The U.S. This Year

Yesterday, there was another shooting in an American school. This time it was a high school in Arlington, Texas. It started as a fight between two students, but when a teacher tried to break it up one of the students pulled a gun and started shooting. Three people were seriously wounded and hospitalized, and a fourth was injured but did not require hospitalization.

With four injured, this meets the definition of a mass shooting, and it marks the 537th mass shooting of this year in the United States. With nearly three months to go in the year, it looks like the country will easily surpass the 610 shooting of last year (which was record).

This doesn't happen in any other developed nation. That's because none of the others have as easy access to guns as the United States does. In the U.S., it's easy for anyone to acquire a gun -- even children, criminals, terrorists, and the dangerously mentally ill. That's because there are too many loopholes in our background check law.

The public overwhelmingly wants those loopholes closed (80% to 90%, including gun owners). But Congress still refuses to act. They have sold their souls (and votes) to the gun manufacturers and their biggest lobbyist -- the NRA.

This is not going to automatically get better. It will continue to get worse until reasonable action is taken to limit who can buy and possess a firearm.

Congress Is In A State Of "Depraved Political Stagnation"

The last two years in the United States has seen an average of more than one mass shootings for every day, and so far this year, the country is still averaging more than one mass shooting each day. One might think that in the midst of this gun violence epidemic, Congress would take action to at least curb the purchase of guns by dangerous people. But they have not. There are two bills to plug the holes in the background check law that have been passed by House Democrats, but it looks like those bills will die in the Senate -- as senators seem to care more about gun manufacturers than the lives of innocent Americans.

The post below is part of an op-ed by Charles Blow in The New York Times. I agree with what he has written.

Another mass shooting. Another round of recriminations. Another push for more gun control. Another pushback from Republicans in Congress doing the bidding of the gun lobby. Another reminder of the unlikelihood of any real federal legislative change.

As incessant as mass shootings have become in this country, so has the ritual in their wake to respond to them, a ritual that ultimately, inevitably unravels.

I hate to sound defeatist, but I feel defeated.

Yes, there are common-sense gun safety advocates who are making some headway, particularly on the state and local levels. But comprehensive federal gun legislation remains elusive, if not impossible.

Our anomalous gun culture and the shocking number of gun deaths and the prevalence of guns — including military-style weapons — in our society simply don’t seem to convince enough politicians to take action.

Nor are the tens of thousands of Americans we lose to guns each year enough to inspire action. We have, on some level, simply absorbed that abominable number of deaths as normal, or perhaps collateral damage, in a society with a gun culture like ours.

We know that we could do more to prevent these mass shootings and to reduce the number of people killed during them. But many politicians won’t budge and the people who elect them won’t hold them accountable for their intransigence. . . .

America is awash in blood and bullets and its leaders, Republicans for the most part, are bereft of the political courage and moral clarity to help.

They have adopted the gun lobby’s “slippery slope” positioning: That any new restrictions on gun ownership and usage open the door to more, inevitably leading to gun banning, gun registries and gun confiscations.

This extreme, existential position forces many progressives to repeat the idea that “no one is talking about taking anyone’s guns away.”

But, in truth, I must say that I want a society in which there are fewer guns sold and fewer guns in circulation. I want a society in which the ownership by individual citizens of weapons of war would be illegal. I want a society where gun ownership is highly regulated and where guns are required to be registered and insured. I want a society in which so-called “smart guns” are heavily promoted among those who buy guns, so that those guns can’t be used by people who aren’t the owners.

I want more gun regulation, severe gun regulation, the kind that most elected Democrats dare not speak of, the kind that scares the gun cult. I am honest about my desires and motivations, even if they confirm the gun lobby’s fears.

I know that it is not likely that I will ever see the kinds of gun restrictions that I want, but there are more modest gun restrictions upon which most of America agrees and we can’t even seem to achieve those. . . .

It is true that the vast majority of guns in this country belong to law-abiding citizens and will never be involved in a crime. But when a society has as many guns as ours does and guns are so easy to get, it only takes a tiny percentage to produce carnage.

It seems to me that to institute restrictions that might also limit access to people who aren’t criminals might be a reasonable sacrifice if those restrictions might mean that fewer people are killed.

The mass shootings in our society are not normal, nor are they inevitable. They are the outgrowth of inaction, cowardice and greed. They are the result of the callous policy of the gun lobby and the politicians kissing up to them. They are the result of a depraved political stagnation.

American Voters Want Stricter Laws On Sale Of Handguns

 This chart reflects the results of the new Economist / YouGov Poll -- done between March 20th and 23rd of a national sample of 1,267 registered voters, with a 3.1 point margin of error.

The Other Epidemic Killing Americans - Gun Violence

The Coronavirus pandemic is seizing all of the headlines these days from the media. And it should, since it is killing thousands of Americans unnecessarily (due to the failure of Republicans to adequately address it).

But it is not the only epidemic claiming thousands of lives in this country. Gun violence has claimed 25,257 American lives as of 8/8/20 (14,586 suicides and 10,671 homicides and accidents). Last year, the number of gun deaths topped 40,000, and it looks like that will happen again this year.

Some might have thought that the number of mass shootings in this country might have fallen in 2020, due to the shutdown of many businesses and schools. That has not happened. So far, there have been 352 mass shootings in the United States this year. That's about 1.59 mass shootings for each day of the year -- and that rate is significantly higher than in the past. Last year the rate was about 1.2 mass shootings for each day.

Like with the Coronavirus, Republicans must also shoulder the blame for failing to deal with the gun violence epidemic. They have been bought by the NRA, who funds their re-election campaigns -- and they follow the NRA's wishes to not have any kind of restrictions on guns. They won't even plug the loopholes in the background check law, which is supported by 90% of the public.

There was a bit of good news this week -- news that may have an impact on the gun violence epidemic. The New York Attorney General completed an investigation into the NRA, and filed charges in a New York Court to dissolve the NRA (which is registered as a charity in New York) and demand its four top executives pay back millions of dollars in NRA money they siphoned off for their own benefit (about $64 million in just the last three years). The NRA leadership was using the organization's funds as their personal piggy bank.

The NRA leadership has said they will fight the charges in court, but it looks like the Attorney General has plenty of evidence to back up her case. The NRA has also filed suit against the Attorney General's office, saying they were denying the NRA's First Amendment rights. That's ludicrous -- the First amendment doesn't protect stealing funds from a registered charity!

If the NRA is dissolved, and there is a good chance of that happening, then that will cut off the funding for those GOP congressmen and senators. It might free them to vote to save American lives, or give opponents a better chance to defeat them at the polls. Either way, it could mean the country could finally have some reasonable and constitutional gun restrictions. Let's hope so!

Mass Shootings Top 400 In U.S. This Year (New Record)

Mass shootings haven't been in the major media headlines for a few weeks now, but don't let that fool you. They have not stopped happening. It's just that the media only covers the worst ones nationally.

The chart above (using data from the Gun Violence Archive) shows the truth. The black line traces the actual number of mass shootings for each year (2014 through 2019), while the red line shows the trend over that time period. Mass shootings continue to happen in this country at a rate of more than one every day.

There were 407 mass shootings (a shooting in which at least four people were shot) in the United States through December 25th of 2019. That's a new record, and the trend line suggests we may top that in future years.

It does not have to be this way. No other developed country has anywhere near this number of mass shootings. It is because we make getting a gun very easy in the United States. Anyone (criminals, terrorists, the dangerously mentally ill, etc.) can get any kind of gun they want (and as much ammunition as they want) with very little effort.

The Democratic House of Representatives tried to do something this year. They passed a bill requiring a background check on ALL gun purchases (including at gun shows and private gun sales). But when the bill reached the Republican Senate, it died. It was not allowed to come to the floor for debate or a vote.

Those who want to reduce mass shootings and gun deaths (38,634 in 2019 through December 25th) should remember this when they go to vote next November. We will not have reasonable (and constitutional) restrictions on guns until the Republicans are voted out of power.

This is not about taking guns away from law-abiding citizens. They have a right to own guns. It is about not allowing easy access to guns for those who do not obey the law (and want to harm others).

Like Other States, Texans Want Stricter Gun Laws

The myth is that Texas is a gun-loving state, and wouldn't support stricter gun laws. But Texans are not so different from the rest of the country. They don't want guns easily bought by dangerous people.

About 84.4% of registered voters in Texas support requiring ALL people trying to purchase a gun to pass a background check. And 75.7% support a red flag law (which would allow a judge to take the guns away from a dangerous person).

By smaller, but still significant margins, Texans also support banning ammunition clips holding more than 10 bullets (61.1%), and banning the sale of assault weapons (59.4%).

The charts above reflect the results of a new University of Texas at Tyler Poll -- done between September 13th and 15th of 1,199 registered Texas voters, with a margin of error of 2.8 points.

Most Say Congress Will Do NOTHING About Gun Deaths

The four mass killings in the major news media recently (California, Ohio, and two in Texas) have some people saying it is time to finally do something about the huge number of both mass killings (an average of more than one every day) and gun deaths (nearly 40,000 last year) in this country.

Will Congress finally act? Trump is still claiming that he's negotiating with legislators about appropriate action. But he has said that before and nothing happened. Is this time any different?

Probably not. That's what nearly 7 out of 10 people think. About 68% of Americans think Congress will NOT pass any significant gun control legislation -- not even a background checks law (supported by about 90% of the population. Only 23% think Congress will finally act.

The chart above is from the recent USA Today / Suffolk University Poll -- done between August 20th and 25th of a national sample of registered voters, with a 3 point margin of error.

We need to keep this issue alive for the next year, and vote every politician (mainly Republicans) out of office if they don't support reasonable and constitutional restrictions on guns -- especially closing the loopholes on background checks, banning large ammunition clips, and banning assault-style weapons.

Public Still Strongly Supports New Gun Restrictions

The charts above are from the Washington Post / ABC News Poll -- done between September 2nd and 5th of a national sample of 1,003 adults, with a 3.5 point margin of error.

It shows substantial majorities of Americans support new gun restrictions -- and they trust the Democrats in Congress more than Donald Trump to accomplish that -- by a 15 point margin.

89% want a background check for all gun buyers, 86% support red flag law (allowing authorities to take guns away from dangerous people), 60% support a ban on ammunition clips holding more than 10 rounds, 56% support a ban on assault-style weapons, and 52% support a mandatory buy back program for those assault weapons.

It is unlikely that the Republicans in Congress will allow any of those things to happen, but it could become an election issue if they don't.

NRA / GOP Officials Are On The Wrong Side Of Gun Issues

These charts reflect the results of a new Quinnipiac University Poll -- done between August 21st and 26th of a national sample of 1,422 registered voters, with a margin of error of 3.1 points.

It shows that the NRA and the recalcitrant GOP members of Congress are on the wrong side of the gun issue. While they want to continue to block all efforts to pass stricter gun laws, that is not what a majority of registered voters want.

60% want stricter gun laws
93% want background checks required on all gun purchases
60% want a ban on the sale of assault weapons
80% support "red flag" laws to allow a judge to take guns away from a violent/dangerous person
82% want a license required to be able to buy a gun

In addition, 72% say Congress is not doing enough to control gun violence in this country.

The public wants action. They are sick of the numbers of mass shootings and gun deaths occurring in the United States -- numbers far greater than in any other developed nation.

The NRA Is Losing Its Influence Over Congress

Back in 2008, the NRA had an iron grip on Congress. They had that by doing two things -- grading each senator and representative on their opposition to gun restrictions (giving them a grade from A to F) and then donating campaign money to those given a A.

The charts above are from The New York Times (and they are accompanied in that paper by a very good article). They illustrate how the NRA is losing its influence over Congress.

The top chart shows the number of A's and F's (and other grades) in both 2008 and 2018. Note that in 2008 a majority of Congress received an A rating. In 2018, a majority receives an F rating.

The second chart shows the change over time in the number of A and F ratings. In 2008, about 52.1% of Congress had an A rating and only 33.8% had an F rating. By 2018, only 43.5% had an A rating, while 52.5 now have an F rating.

An A rating denotes those who can be depended on to tote the NRA line. An F rating denotes those who want sensible gun restrictions.

Most Republicans still get an A from the NRA. The shift has come from Democrats. The third chart shows the number of Democrats with ratings of A through F after elections from 2008 to 2018. In 2008, about 67 Democrats had an A rating and 157 had an F rating. By 2018, only 3 Democrats had an A rating, while 243 had an F rating.

The NRA is clearly losing influence in Congress, and most of it comes from Democrats. The NRA no longer controls the House, but now depends on the Senate to block gun legislation (especially Majority Leader "Moscow" Mitch McConnell). You can bet the NRA will be spending heavily to keep the GOP in control of the Senate in 2020. It's their only hope to retain any control over Congress.

This makes it very important for voters to flip the Senate in 2020 to Democratic control. Until that happens, the NRA will retain its control (and block all reasonable and constitutional gun laws).

Trump Is Backing Off Stricter Gun Laws - But The Public Isn't

These charts reflects the results of the newest NBC News / Wall Street Journal Poll -- done between August 10th and 14th of a national sample of 1,000 adults, with a margin of error of 3.1 points.

Right after the mass shooting by a white supremacist in El Paso, Donald Trump made some promises to get some restrictions on gun sales -- specifically to get a strict background check law passed. Now, only days later, he seems to be backing off that promise.

On Sunday, he told reporters that we already have some background checks, and the real cause of mass shootings is mental illness. We shouldn't be surprised that he is already backing down (after getting a call from the NRA). he did the same thing after the Parkland school shooting, and backed down after talking with the NRA.

The truth is that Trump doesn't really have a position on background checks (or any other gun restrictions). He just doesn't want to lose the money and support of the NRA, or the support of voters in the next election -- and he's not quite sure how to please everyone.

Well, he's not going to please everyone. He must choose -- either do what the NRA wants, or do what the American public wants. And the public has made it clear what they want in poll after poll. In this latest poll, 89% of the public wants a background check done on ALL gun sales and transfers, 76% want red flag laws to take guns out of the hands of dangerous people, and 62% want assault-style rifles banned.

Those are some substantial numbers. Trump, and his Republican cohorts, may think these feelings will go away by the next general election. I don't think they will. If they refuse to pass some sensible and constitutional gun laws, they will be punished at the polls in 2020.

Another Mass Shooting - When Will Congress Act?

There was another mass shooting on Wednesday. This time it was in Philadelphia, and the victims were six police officers. Thankfully, none of them were killed. But the mass shootings (a shooting with 4 or more victims) are happening far too often -- an average of more than one every day.

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said after the shooter was taken into custody:

"So whether it’s our six officers that were shot or it's some 15-, 17-, 20-year-old kid on the streets of Philadelphia who gets shot with guns that shouldn’t be in people’s hands — it's aggravating, it's saddening, and it's just something we need to do something about. Our officers deserve to be protected, and they don't deserve to be shot at by a guy for hours with an unlimited supply of weapons and an unlimited supply of bullets."

He is right. It doesn't matter who the victims are, we must take action to stem the epidemic of mass shootings (and other gun deaths) in this country. No other developed country has this problem. Many politicians want to blame mental illness, video games, violence on TV and in movies, or waning religion. But all other developed nations have those, and none of them have the number of mass shootings or gun deaths (about 40,000 a year) that we do.

Let's be honest. The real problem is the proliferation of guns in the U.S. (more guns than population), and the easy access to those guns by anyone -- even dangerous people who shouldn't be allowed to buy or own one.

One argument used is that gun deaths will still occur if action is taken. That may be true, but the number of those deaths could be drastically reduced if Congress would pass some reasonable and constitutional laws.

Making every person who wants to buy a gun pass a rigorous background check, and banning assault-style weapons (and ammunition clips holding more than 10 rounds) would be a very good start. And the Supreme Court has already ruled that these actions would not violate the Second Amendment to our Constitution.

It's time for Congress to act. Their pathetic "thoughts and prayers" are not getting the job done. And the people know this. They want real action. This is shown by every poll done. A good example is in the chart below. It is from a Fox News Poll that was done between August 11th and 13th of a national sample of 1,013 registered voters (with a 3 point margin of error).

U.S. Public Supports Stronger Gun Restrictions

These charts reflect the results of the new Economist / YouGov Poll -- done between August 10th and 13th of a national sample of 1,500 adults (including 1,127 registered voters). The margin of error for adults is 2.6 points, and for registered voters is 3 points.

It shows that the American public is sick of mass shootings and gun deaths. They want Congress to act. They support closing the loopholes in the background check law by a 68 margin, making laws on handgun sales more strict by a 33 point margin, banning semi-automatic weapons by a 28 point margin, and banning ammunition clips holding more than 10 round by a 38 point margin.

Will the congressional Republicans stop blocking constitutional restrictions on guns. Probably not. But if they don't, they may pay a price for it in the next election.

The Mass Shootings Continue As Congress Does Nothing

The photo at right is from Heavy.com. It is of Santino William Legan -- the young white supremacist sympathizer who shot up the Gilroy Garlic Festival in California. He killed three people -- a six year old boy, a thirteen year old girl, and a 22 year old man. Several more people were injured.

It was the 245th mass shooting in the United States this year -- and one more (in D.C.) has occurred since then, raising the total to 246. Since we are only 210 days into this year, that means there are more than one mass shooting every day. (With a mass shooting being defined as at least four people being shot.)

Will Congress spring into action? Once again, they are sending thoughts and prayers. In other words, they don't plan on doing anything at all to stop the epidemic of gun violence in this country. I'm talking about the congressional Republicans. Democrats would like to pass some sensible and constitutional gun laws, and they've started. The Democratic House passed a bill to plug the holes in the background check law for gun purchases, but the Republican Senate refuses to debate or vote on the bill.

This is not political cowardice. The voting public wants some sensible restrictions. A significant majority supports banning assault-style weapons (which the Gilroy shooter used, buying it in Nevada on July 9th), and an overwhelming majority (about 90%) supports requiring a background check on all gun sales (including sales between private individuals). No, the GOP is just worried they will lose the campaign money coming from the NRA and gun manufacturers.

So, the deaths from guns will continue unabated. There will likely be around 400 mass shootings by the end of this year, and about 40,000 gun deaths. Many of those shootings and deaths don't have to happen. They will happen because Congress won't do anything to stop them.

But Congress will send thoughts and prayers -- neither of which will do the victims (or future victims) any good at all.