Subject: Re: Background Checks
The whole point is to have chats. It gets frustrating when, after showing people their information is unreliable, they go right back to those same sources. Hard to resist the snark (though I try). I do agree it is important to see the concerns of others so you can see where they are coming from. Fear (of whatever), socio-economic, civil rights, etc. And we should be able to talk about it instead of scream at each other. I lose interest when the screaming starts.

****

Thank you. Please know that I would like the same. My snark will be there, but only with a few throwbacks from the ol days.


I had NO idea about the gun ownership rate in Switzerland. But what you describe - I am 100% all for it....and I wish the noise could be blocked out, and a conversation could be had with those inclined to own guns about how this would preserve the right - not further the cause of taking it away. Because I truly believe - tomorrow's ruling class will have grown up in this gun violence environment and just like "young conservatives" of today are fine with gay marriage, "young conservatives" of tomorrow will be far less zealous about being anti gun control.

Trouble is, much of our country - is 100% politics all the time. Maybe not you. Maybe not I. But many -- it's not just a vote now - it's a lifestyle, almost a religion and tribe and caste. What we eat, drink, how we talk, what we pursue or study, or dont. How we worship , or don't. So when one side tells it's already ginned up flock "they're gone take the guns" - well then even the NRA people you speak of, who support more checks - are gonna oppose it. It's all about tribe.


Back in the day - before it descended into pure tribalism, reporting posts, etc - I used to say with all seriousness, I wish America had a foreign-exchange-student program, within America. I wish folk from Alabama could bunk with a family in Manhattan. I wish someone from San Fran would do the same in Crawford, TX. Maybe then people would see AMERICANS....versus a toothless nazi hick on one side, or a snobby commie liberal on the other side and yes, I'm guilty of this also. I wish students at elite business colleges - had a one semester requirement to work on a factory floor or do the menial work - seriously, full time, a semester. Maybe learn that cutting a few bucks in pay, or jacking up a co-pay truly rocks the world for people in a negative way.

This is why - regardless the issue: Putin, Entitlements, Budgets, Guns, Immigration = until Americans - start seeing and communicating with one another - all this stuff will be stymied and many times, the most special-interest infected stuff *might* pass.

All I know is - we have throngs of people whose socioeconomic life and future - is in pure peril. I feel SOME of it is indeed the fault of the Establishment in both parties. And until some of this segment is brought into the fold - -- things cannot move forward.

That doesn't mean blank check.

It means listening, and compromise.

Hence - despite "my side" maybe not being simpatico -I am fine saying -yes to more immigration, yes to more background checks. But that does no good. If the other wise is willing to compromise, and not bat down every proposal then guess what - deals happen. Country moves forward. If we don't - then, America will be a first world nation - but, as I predicted long ago - with permanent, visible, and normalized 3rd world traits.

FYI not that you asked but my votes:

92 Perot. 96 Perot 00 W. 04 W 08 - no vote. 12 - no vote. 16 Trump. 20 Biden.

Haven't seen any cable news in 3 years - only exception is CNBC during the daytime which is mostly not politics.

The sole radio voice for me is Michael Smerconish - who is even down the middle, lambasted by both sides on a regular basis.

Final thought: Austin. Raleigh. Atlanta. Northern VA. Blue Cities....within Red States, or in VA's case, Red until it got purply. My point: Maybe there's a reason. Maybe some Red combined with some blue - in EACH of those instances thrive. While extreme Red in Alabama, or extreme Blue in Detroit - has a few issues to deal with.