Disaster WTF, Democratic Leadership?

https://archive.ph/e2K18

Democratic leaders in Congress, seriously, WTF is wrong with you? You let Republicans who oppose every single gun reform drive the “bi-partisan” gun reform bill. Genius idea. Put the guys who oppose every single gun reform measure in driver’s seat to create a bill that does absolutely nothing to prevent gun violence and gives them political cover to stand up with a straight face and say they did something about gun violence, negating a key talking point that moves the electorate toward voting for Democrats. What in the hell is wrong with you???

But of course Republicans can’t even bring themselves to do even the bare minimum window dressing of a bi-partisan gun reform bill. Seems they object to threatening boyfriends, mentally ill, and people who present a threat to others from having their God given second amendment rights even possibly slightly restricted in a weak sauce law that has more loopholes then Swiss cheese. Instead, Repubicans have delayed any action for weeks and now walked away from the bi-partisan bill, playing you Democratic leaders like a cheap fiddle once again…

The lead Republican negotiator for what would be the US Senate's first gun control bill in a generation has walked out of talks with Democrats.
Texas Senator John Cornyn has played a key role in drafting the framework of a proposed firearms bill following mass shootings in Texas and New York.
Leaving Washington, he said: "I'm through talking."
[...]

Senators say disagreements remain over incentives for states to enact so-called red flag laws, which allow police to seize guns from people deemed dangerous. Talks are also ongoing to close the "boyfriend loophole", which permits abusive partners to buy guns.

What is it with Democrats and messaging on issues that will move the needle? It’s just not that hard guys. Take charge for a change. Psst… Democrats do have the majority, remember??? Here’s the deal, it is abundantly clear that Americans are united on several key gun policy proposals that Democrats favor and Republicans hate. Write that bill.

“Oh, noes!” I can hear you superior adults saying as you move the powder to the drying room. “Silly progressive, we can’t pass such a law as the big bad Republicans will not let it pass in the Senate!”

Well, no shit genius. Get you nose out of your navel and stop sniveling. It doesn’t matter what will or won’t pass! Don’t you get that??? You can’t get a gun reform bill passed even if you let the damned Republicans write some weak ass political cover bill themselves. Nothing is going to pass. You’re being played. Again!!!

So, if nothing is going to pass, use that opportunity to Democratic advantage and make Republicans pay at the polls. Write a bill that includes the following measures supported by overwhelming majorities of Americans:

Mandatory Universal Background Checks: 80-90% of Americans Support
Mandatory Red-Flag Laws: 70%+ of Americans Support
Mental Health Restrictions: 85-90% of Americans Support
Ban AR-15s: 60% of Americans Support

Pass this in the House, then send it to the Senate and make Republicans vote against it or more likely filibuster it.

“See, silly progressive, what is the point? The bill will go no where!”

Honestly, you really don’t get this? No bill is going to pass. So define Republicans with it and energize your base by growing a spine. Dare Repubicans block it. They don’t think you have the stones. Then when they do, go on every news program on cable, on every Sunday talk show, and write Op-Eds in every newspaper from now until the midterms about how Republicans are blocking meaningful gun legislation. Say it in a few words without going into the weeds. Here’s an example:

Democrats have passed a common sense gun reform bill supported by the overwhelming majority of Americans. Repubicans have blocked it at every turn because they value guns more than the lives of our children. Republicans won’t even agree to debate it!

And for crying out loud, use the word “Republican.”

Not “Congress.”

Not “GOP.”

And for fuck sake, not “Our friends on the other side of the isle.”

Republicans.

Republicans are the hold up.

Republicans are extreme.

Republicans are why we can’t have nice things.

Republicans are why our kids are being slaughtered in our schools.

Honestly Democrats, its just not that fucking hard. Our kids are dying.

You want a true majority in the Senate not controlled by millionaire coal Barron Joe Manchin? Do this and maybe Democrats will have a chance.

Keep giving Republicans political cover and the ability to delay any action and we’re all toast.

 

[Anasûrimbor Kellhus]

It has been stated repeatedly, and journalists do not understand this but politicians definitely do, that Democratic voters pay lip service to gun control but Republican voters will punish anyone who dares implement it.

The support for gun control is soft. It doesn't translate to actual political power, whereas the people who oppose gun control will rip a 3 time Repulican incumbent out of office just for voting present on it.

Democratic voters who get frustrated that Democratic senators do nothing to restrict gun rights, you have to actually demonstrate that you care about the issue. Vote for Eric Swalwell and Beto O'Rourke. But no one does that. If restricting guns is so fucking popular, why is Beto O'Rourke, the person most open about gun control, a perpetual loser?

additionally from personal experience I've met many a gun nut democrat but I have yet to meet a single pro gun control republican in real life.

 

[The Repeated Meme]

Gun control doesn't fucking work. If you want to stop school shootings, let teachers carry guns and/or have a security guard. The more people who know how to use a gun properly, the less likely a person with less than honorable intention is to try and kill people for no good reason. See a security guard? That's a deterrent. Teachers packing? That's a deterrent. You have neither? You're an easy target.

This is so fucking obvious it's painful. Why does nobody understand this?

 

[Piss Clam]

The Democratic party voted against the Civil Rights Bill of 1964. They are the party of the KKK.

The democrats moved the niggers from the plantations in the south to the plantations in the cities and they got the nigger vote.

If you are decalred disabled by the government you get 841.00 dollars a month...that's what your democrates think of you. Don't bother with SSDI they will deny you.

The democratic party has made liberlism a slur...fuck the the so called democrats..this has been going on since I was born. Nothing new.

 

[Megaton Punch]

When the needle doesn't move, consider the problem is the base idea is unpopular, not that you just haven't preached it enough to the already-converted.

If nobody's dancing, try another record before you just crank up the volume.

Gun Control of the kind you favor is not popular, and no amount of "energizing" of your base can overcome that... too many people either support gun ownership as-is, or are at least too suspicious of the government's ability and motives to change it in any way that won't make it worse.

(becoming the official party of Drag Queen Story Time, $5 a gallon gas, and being unable to define "woman" makes a LOT of people wary of letting you mess with gun laws, who knew?)

It's not a voter apathy issue, it's that even with all the stops out, YOUR IDEA IS NOT POPULAR and people DON'T TRUST YOU to even try it.

You're talking to (or rather at) someone who believes that all of their opinions are the Avengers and everyone else's opinions are the Death Eaters. Or whoever the fucking bad guys are in The Avengers. In their mind, there is a very clear line, and everything on one side of the line is Good, and everything on the other side is Bad. Moving toward the line simply means adding more Bad. You've no doubt seen this mindset literally illustrated for you by them time after time after time after time.

All I had to do to find all those comics was search r/politicalhumor for the word "compromise"

It is not an exaggeration to say that they actually believe that being told to move toward the center is a suggestion that we should genocide half of the heckin blackerinos, because the Good side wants to kill none and the Bad side wants to kill all. That's how their mind works. So when you say "try another record", they hear "make America into an episode of The Handmaid's Tale where Hitler rapes all the handmaids at the same time while shooting a Native American baby in the head with an Assault Rifle Fifteen".

 

[TowinKarz]

It has been stated repeatedly, and journalists do not understand this but politicians definitely do, that Democratic voters pay lip service to gun control but Republican voters will punish anyone who dares implement it.

The support for gun control is soft. It doesn't translate to actual political power, whereas the people who oppose gun control will rip a 3 time Repulican incumbent out of office just for voting present on it.

Seriously, the author seems to think they're revealing some great secret when they point out that Republicans will attempt to gut any gun control legislation, assuming they can't outright kill it..... and furthermore, seems shocked that the constituent base of the Republicans have no issue with this.

I can't tell if they're more incredulous that the Democrats can't ram contentious and aggressive gun control proposals though Congress on a thin and soon-to-expire margin of control, or, that calling the opposition "baby killers" doesn't make them change their votes.

 

[he who has thus come/gone]

Why didn't you ever get a federal abortion statute? An abortion Constitutional amendment?

But you got those fundraising letters every year like clockwork about how 'abortion is danger!'

Imagine getting played this hard by basic bitch party politics.

You know how back in Skyrim early on you could place a pot on an NPC's head, steal the items in their shop, and then sell it back to them?

Dems are just like that, and it's why the NPC meme is so apropos. And why they hate it so much. It hits too close to home, like when you tell a journalist who's been shitcanned to learn to code.

 

[The Dude]

Seriously, the author seems to think they're revealing some great secret when they point out that Republicans will attempt to gut any gun control legislation, assuming they can't outright kill it..... and furthermore, seems shocked that the constituent base of the Republicans have no issue with this.

I can't tell if they're more incredulous that the Democrats can't ram contentious and aggressive gun control proposals though Congress on a thin and soon-to-expire margin of control, or, that calling the opposition "baby killers" doesn't make them change their votes.

Being called "baby killer" by people who are currently in the middle of a massive retard tantrum because the Supreme Court is going to kill Federal protections on their ability to literally kill unborn babies doesn't change my views on owning firearms and the right to self defense. It doesn't make me feel bad, or mad, or sad. All it does is make me chuckle a little and find joy in watching them melt down because they can't take away my evil black baby-killing machines of war.