A Perverse Marriage

An inspiring presentation by Moms Demand Action at a recent meeting of the Central OC Democratic Club inspired me to send the following message to all of my local, state, and federal representatives.  Disclaimer: the policy proposal I suggest in the message is entirely my own and does not reflect specific policies ordered by either Moms Demand Action or the Central OC Dems.

I have no illusions about the effectiveness of sending this message.  Current understanding of the 2^nd Amendment represented by the fetid by-products of plutocracy who sit as the extremist majority on the Supreme Court and in Congress has made it impossible to have meaningful gun reform.  So, in a context in which nothing meaningful can happen, you might as well ask for everything!

While the presentation by Moms Demand Action was powerful, there was one moment that made me smirk.  The presenter went out of her way to laud Congressional District 40 Representative Young Kim for co-sponsoring a bill that would provide tax breaks to those who might purchase gun safes that would reduce the number of accidental deaths that occur in households with unsecured firearms.  It raised the profound philosophical question of how many thimbles of water would it take to put out a forest fire?  I can think of no better example of the absurdity of the so-called “Problem Solvers Caucus.”  And there are many such examples.

Here’s the text of what I sent to my representatives:

“Stop the gun industry from profiting off the death and trauma caused by its products.  Tax the production, distribution, and sale of munitions so as to cover the ENTIRE cost of federal (FBI, ATF), state, and local police investigation of gun incidents.  The assessment should also include ALL costs related to the physical damage (funerals, hospitalization, rehabilitation) and emotional losses (counseling and medications).  End the perverse marriage between the capitalism of profits and the socialism of losses from which the gun industry benefits.”