Weasels: Our Current Leaders
By
Leonard Zwelling
America has the best government that money can buy.
What was clearly demonstrated in the debate surrounding health care reform and the ACA, and about which I write in my book Congressional Malpractice, due out on March 1, is that the Congress of the United States is bought by large corporate interests and influenced by the huge power of the lobbyists. The government is not of the people, by the people or for the people. It is up for sale. And the weasels (what Dave Letterman would call them) keep getting elected.
This dynamic is also true when it comes to the sane regulation of firearms.
On Wednesday, just one week after the latest carnage in a Florida high school, students and parents pressed some very prominent politicians to do something about the gun violence that is an epidemic in America and in America only.
The politicians included the current occupant of the White House whose idea of a solution is to arm gym coaches. The senators from Florida were also challenged by students and their parents. One of those men, Marco Rubio, takes a lot of money from the National Rifle Association, a group of ne’er-do-wells who claim to be fighting for your rights but who are really fighting for the rights of the gun manufacturers to make money.
There are simple things that can be done through executive order and surely through meaningful federal and state legislation to alter what seems to be this ineluctable course toward greater bloodshed in the high schools.
First, eliminate the ability of any citizen to buy an assault-style weapon. They are too dangerous and only weapons of war. The police may need them and soldiers certainly do. No citizen does unless he or she anticipates ISIS striking with an armored column in downtown Philadelphia.
Second, no high capacity magazines.
Third, no one can buy any gun until he or she is 21 years of age. You cannot drink. You cannot buy a gun. Good policy.
Fourth, deep and detailed background checks for ALL gun sales. If you sell a gun without it, you go to jail.
Fifth, no sales of guns or ammo on the internet. Period!
What is not a good idea: more guns in the schools. All we need to see is a gym teacher with a Glock 19 up against a Kevlar-coated helmeted mad boy with an AR-15 in the halls full of screaming, fleeing kids. Bad idea!
This stuff is not that tough. Mr. Trump could do half of it if he wanted to and he certainly could lead a charge for the rest.
I am going to guess that within ten years these changes will take place as the young people currently protesting make this a voting issue and drive gun rights advocates from the halls of Congress.
I have hope. Right now, that’s all I have.
