Try results instead

by | May 27, 2022 | Editor's Blog | 7 comments

Earlier this month, I wrote that the pending decision to overturn Roe v. Wade could change the political landscape if Democrats handled the issue correctly. The tragedy in Uvalde, Texas could add to that shift in the dynamic heading into the mid-terms. In both instances, the Republican response is out of touch with mainstream America. Democrats need to respond in a way that reflects the views of most Americans while illustrating Republican extremism. 

America is reeling from the most deadly school shooting since Newtown and people want action. Conservatives reflexively denied that guns were the problem and GOP leaders immediately warned against taking any action that might remove them from the hands of killers. Instead, they offered a bunch of bad ideas like arming teachers and reducing entrances in school. They ignored prevention and instead called for making schools “hardened targets,” as if we’re in a war zone. That’s not the way Americans want to think about their schools.

Conservatives’ good-guy-with-a-gun argument took a huge hit. The school in Uvalde had an armed officer on duty who did not engage the shooter and then police apparently did not confront the shooter until he had been inside for an hour. More guns and armed police did not prevent more death.

Now, Democrats need to confront the issue of gun control in a way that builds support. They should address the concerns of the American people, not the agenda of the gun-control lobby. Simple first steps like universal background checks, red-flag laws, and regulating assault weapons would all have broad public support and could drive a wedge between a public that supports those measures and a GOP that opposes them. 

Democrats need to learn from their first whiff at addressing access to abortion. Instead introducing legislation that had broad support, the Senate offered a bill designed to keep the activists happy. Moderate supporters of Roe voted against the bill. A more modest bill would have gotten majority and bipartisan support, but stilled failed, giving Democrats a strong case for casting Republicans as extremists on the issue. 

Democrats have a hard time resisting trying to do too much with too little support. Their Build Back Better bill attempted transformational change despite Democrats holding the slimmest majorities. Their abortion bill alienated people who might have supported something more narrow. The party needs to resist those impulses when it comes to addressing gun violence. Get the win and paint Republicans as out of touch. They can then build on success instead of recovering from failure. The messaging bills aren’t working. They should try results instead. 

7 Comments

  1. Russ Becker

    One of the most stupid divergent proposals for gun control is to arm teachers. This last week, the principal who supervised the Colombine High School was interviewed on MSNBC. He said that if he had been armed and confronted one of the students who were killing students at his school, he didn’t know if he could have shot the shooter because that shooter had been a student of his. This is probably the case of most teachers. My mother retired as a 5th grade teacher. My brother and I were both hunters, and we once tried to just teach her to fire a .22–she was afraid of firearms enough so she just couldn’t fire a rifle correctly. It would be impossible for her to use a firearm to shoot anyone, especially if it was a former student who had mental problems. Let’s have REAL solutions to the problem.

  2. Mike Leonard

    Moscow Mitch was paid over a million dollars in 2019 to prevent any discussion of gun legislation in the Senate.

  3. Paul F Fogleman Jr

    I agree the timing is right for Democrats to reach out to mainstream Americans on the gun control issue. Timing is everything and the proposals should be crafted in language that is straight forward, without ambiguity.

  4. Phil Harris

    The following supports your position. To respond to chaboard, and Norma, no you will not necessarily get the GOP votes you need, but the goal is to replace those GOP votes with Democrats who will. https://theliberalpatriot.substack.com/p/democrats-and-the-abortion-issue?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjo2NjY0ODE1LCJwb3N0X2lkIjo1Njc1MTI5MCwiXyI6IjZDMjVtIiwiaWF0IjoxNjUzNjc0NjE1LCJleHAiOjE2NTM2NzgyMTUsImlzcyI6InB1Yi0yMzkwNTgiLCJzdWIiOiJwb3N0LXJlYWN0aW9uIn0.hhMXU4ykBnqqqdcRQdURUz9Fxhw8MooZ9fqjzTX8w84&s=r

  5. Norma Munn

    I understand the logic of the approach recommended, but the current GOP is absolutely NOT interested in any form of support for even modest abortion or gun control bills — nor much of anything else supported by the Democrats. They have repeatedly found ways around even voting on a host of issues and nitpicked moderate efforts to a draw. McConnell is only interested in returning to power and there are only three GOP Senators who even consider Democrat proposals. Compromise with absolutism ultimately means giving them what they want, which very few Democrats can do if they want to stay in office. As for Senators Manchin and Sinema, if the GOP doesn’t block it, they do.

    • Wray

      Precisely because of your last sentences is why we need to focus on passable legislation. It does not have to be “compromise” but results as Thomas is pleading Democrats to do. That will lease to more electable Dems and then we have a new ball game!

  6. chaboard

    Just as with abortion I’m finding it very difficult to imagine ANY serious bill getting ten Republican votes in the Senate.

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