Democrats With Weak Knees

Bill Maher made a valid point on his show the other night. Saving his strongest rhetoric for the night for the Democrats he pointed out that when the Democrats try to make a political statement as relates to guns and the right wing they should first look in the mirror.

Why? Because over the last ten years the Democratic Party has given more and more ground to the NRA and the right wing. If you ask why you will get a very simple answer. Self Preservation. The fact is that guns are popular and the NRA flush with enough cash to make life difficult for anyone who disagrees with them has gotten stronger and stronger.

What is remarkable is that we used to debate Assault Rifles and the like. However when that Clinton era bill expired no one made any real effort to renew. The Democrats knew the votes were not there and chose not to make any effort to gain the votes.

The question becomes this. When is an act one of political expediency and when is an act one of cowardice. Of course there is such a thing as waiting to fight another day. Or as we used to say at my office do you want to die on that hill.

Still one must admire the NRA. The same way one must admire the Republican machine. What is it that makes those on the right so much better at fighting for their cause. It is their passion? Is it their belief in their cause? Is it that they are always willing to die on that hill? I certainly do not know but the results are clear.

Think about it. Shootings at Schools, army bases, Gabby Giffords, and of course the new neighborhood watch case in Florida. Now instead of debating assault weapons we talk about the ability to bring guns into colleges, state parks and churches. Permits to carry weapons both openly and concealed are up exponentially.

Why? What is the fear? To me this is all part of a bigger problem that no one wants to talk about. We are a divided country. One cannot look at an electoral map and not see this. A great plurality of the states are in the bag for either the blue or the red. Politicians are rewarded for having extreme positions. This being the case it is easy to see that division leads to distrust. Distrust leads to fear. Fear leads to people of good motives and good hearts feeling that they need to arm oneself.

I do not blame a person for wanting a gun. I grew up with hunters. I honor those who hunt and hunt safely. I believe in the right to bear arms. I think more often than not, especially here in a state like Maine, the desire to have a gun is one that is legitimate and for the right reasons.

There are folks who believe that when everything falls apart one will need a gun to protect themselves and their loved ones. What seems like a foolish thought to some folks seems very valid to others. I myself as a moderate Democrat do not think that anyone that looks at the divisions in this country between rich and poor, black and white, south and north, right and left and so on and thinks that a break in the normal discourse of this country is not possible and in fact becoming more and more likely might well be practicing avoidance of the facts.

If I who consider myself a reasonable, articulate, fairly intelligent, non- reactionary individual have legitmate concerns about this then what must some folks who are more on one of above sides mentioned above feel.

Democrats who could, perhaps by being those that disagree with the proliferation of guns in society, could at least provide and alternative viewpoint. But as Maher said they have capitulated. They have given up their arguemnt on the issue, moral and otherwise.

Why does this matter. In the wake of the Martin shooting when folks could be discussing many of the underlying issues of this shooting, including the profliferation of guns in the hands of a neighborhood watch captain of dubious intent.

We are not hearing that however. Race is easier. The other reason however is that we cannot have that debate, because Democrats have given up the cause. By putting up no fight at all they have just emboldened the NRA to become more and more extreme. In this the Democrats have failed and failed miserably.

I believe in individual gun rights. I think it is just a shame that the debate is over.