For at least the last decade or longer, there have been certain issues that get discussed often in Washington and in the media but which never seem to get resolved. For many of these issues, no progress at all is made. It's annoying and frustrating. Here are just a few:
1. Gun control -- For many decades, there have been debates about gun control. On the one side we have the pro-gun-control crowd that rarely tells us what they really want. They push for "common sense gun safety legislation" but stay silent about what that is. They vilify the opposition as some sort of evil group that kowtows to the money of the NRA (even though the NRA gives very little to political candidates compared to other groups.) They pop up every time there is an event in which a gun is used to hurt someone. On the other side, we have people who oppose any measure designed to curtail gun violence. They won't agree to any new restriction on gun ownership. As a result of this divide, no sensible moves get made. For example, 25 years ago a ban was passed on assault weapons. It was in place for years, but it had no noticeable effect on the level of gun violence. Those results don't matter, however. The gun control crowd is still pushing to put the ban back in place. Then there's bump stocks, the devices used by the shooter in Las Vegas to turn his rifle into automatic weapons. A proposal was made to outlaw bump stocks, and the response from the gun control crowd was to push to add limitations on magazines and other gun components. They pushed it too far, so the opposition grew and nothing got done.
2. Illegal Immigration -- in the 1980's, a bill was passed to grant amnesty to the illegals then in the country. It was supposed to be accompanied by better border security and restrictions that would prevent an influx of new illegals. Somehow, that security was never put in place, and we got the millions of illegals now here. The current debate on the subject is between two groups that do not even seem to hear the other side. For most Democrat politicians, talk of controlling illegal entry into the USA is denounced as racist. That may be idiotic, but it still works to shut down any rational discourse on the subject. On the other side, we have the people who oppose "amnesty". Any allowance to permit any illegal to stay in the USA is unacceptable. As a result, nothing gets done. Just look at the failure of the Senate to pass any bill to deal with DACA. Surely, there must be some proposal that would get the support of the American people. We know from polls that the public wants to find a way to allow the DACA folks to stay here legally. We also know from polls that the public disapproves of chain migration and the visa lottery. The divide on the border wall is much closer, but the public supports enhanced border security by other measures. One would think that senators would respect the views of the public enough to agree on some plan that achieves the public's view. Nope! We just get more fighting. The issues just stay issues; we get no resolution.
There are many more of these endless issues. Wouldn't it be nice if we had a few more pragmatists in DC. Just imagine if things were done rather than just talked about.
1. Gun control -- For many decades, there have been debates about gun control. On the one side we have the pro-gun-control crowd that rarely tells us what they really want. They push for "common sense gun safety legislation" but stay silent about what that is. They vilify the opposition as some sort of evil group that kowtows to the money of the NRA (even though the NRA gives very little to political candidates compared to other groups.) They pop up every time there is an event in which a gun is used to hurt someone. On the other side, we have people who oppose any measure designed to curtail gun violence. They won't agree to any new restriction on gun ownership. As a result of this divide, no sensible moves get made. For example, 25 years ago a ban was passed on assault weapons. It was in place for years, but it had no noticeable effect on the level of gun violence. Those results don't matter, however. The gun control crowd is still pushing to put the ban back in place. Then there's bump stocks, the devices used by the shooter in Las Vegas to turn his rifle into automatic weapons. A proposal was made to outlaw bump stocks, and the response from the gun control crowd was to push to add limitations on magazines and other gun components. They pushed it too far, so the opposition grew and nothing got done.
2. Illegal Immigration -- in the 1980's, a bill was passed to grant amnesty to the illegals then in the country. It was supposed to be accompanied by better border security and restrictions that would prevent an influx of new illegals. Somehow, that security was never put in place, and we got the millions of illegals now here. The current debate on the subject is between two groups that do not even seem to hear the other side. For most Democrat politicians, talk of controlling illegal entry into the USA is denounced as racist. That may be idiotic, but it still works to shut down any rational discourse on the subject. On the other side, we have the people who oppose "amnesty". Any allowance to permit any illegal to stay in the USA is unacceptable. As a result, nothing gets done. Just look at the failure of the Senate to pass any bill to deal with DACA. Surely, there must be some proposal that would get the support of the American people. We know from polls that the public wants to find a way to allow the DACA folks to stay here legally. We also know from polls that the public disapproves of chain migration and the visa lottery. The divide on the border wall is much closer, but the public supports enhanced border security by other measures. One would think that senators would respect the views of the public enough to agree on some plan that achieves the public's view. Nope! We just get more fighting. The issues just stay issues; we get no resolution.
There are many more of these endless issues. Wouldn't it be nice if we had a few more pragmatists in DC. Just imagine if things were done rather than just talked about.
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