The democratic controlled U.S. House passed legislation in February 2019 for universal background checks on the sale and transfer of firearms. It was the most sweeping comprehensive gun reform legislation in the last 25 years according to reports. It was a priority of the democratic party and the legislation took place one month after they won control of the HOUSE from the republican party who controlled the HOUSE the previous 8 years. Mitch McConnell and his republican controlled U.S. Senate has yet to take up the measure and intended to let it die in his chamber. They had an opportunity to act long before the shootings in El Paso and Dayton and failed to do so.
Then five months later the mass shootings took place. Five precious months were lost on an issue of great importance and need simply because the republican party are in lock step with the NRA and the gun lobby. Trump proved he is in lock step with them also when he anounced he opposed the HOUSE bill when it passed.
Now comes Ohio Governor Mike DeWine who announced after the mass shooting in his city of Dayton he would ask the republican controlled state legislature to approve legislation for background checks on the purchase of firearms. His republican legislature has already refused such legislation proposed by the democratic party in the past. And now the big hypocrite President Donald Trump says he supports background check legislation. Both DeWine and Trump had an opportunity to support such legislation in the U.S. House bill that passed but failed to do so. Trump also said after the shootings, he opposes a ban on assault type weapons.
The republican party's self proclamation of being the "tough on crime party" is as much fake news as their claim to be "fiscal conservatives." The Director of the FBI recently testified before congress and stated that the "white nationalist movement" is more of a threat to American security than foreign terrorists. Too bad Trump and his party are more aligned with the extremist and not with the moral values that helped shape America and made America the land of the free and the home of the brave.
America the Beautiful will triumph over the coward in the White House and his cowardly party in congress. Their lack of leadership, character and courage comes to the fore when America is challenged by the extremes.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
