The GOP and their conservative news media have exposed their plan to win back congress in the 2022 congressional elections. Every day its their false narrative that the democratic party supports the defend the police cry and that the party is weak on crime and the reasons the country is experiencing an increase in crime so far in 2021. So lets explore the past record concerning increases in violence.
Last year in 2020 the U.S. experienced its worst gun violence death rate in the last several decades as gun violence deaths increased 20% over 2019, per the Gun Violence Archives. Gun sales in 2020 were at its highest level ever which means more guns than ever were on the streets of America. And all of that took place on Trump and the GOP's watch while they were talking tough. In 2019 according the the Center for Disease Control and Prevention 24/7 Wall Street the 10 worst states for gun violence deaths per capita 100,000 people were as follows in order listed: (1) Alaska (Republican) (2) Mississippi (Republican) (3)Wyoming (Republican) (4) New Mexico (Democrat) (5) Alabama (Republican) (6) Louisiana (Democratic) (7) Mississippi (Republican) (8) South Carolina (Republican) (9) Arkansas (Republican (10) Montana (Democratic). Seven of those top 10 states were republican controlled and 3 were democratic controlled.
Gun violence deaths in Iowa in 2020 was up 23% over 2019, and new relaxed gun laws passed by Iowa's republican controlled legislature went into effect just this year. Iowa is a GOP governed state. Florida has a 32% increase in gun violence deaths since enacting "stand your ground legislation" in 2005. The republican controlled state legislature in Louisiana recently passed a relaxed gun measure concerning carrying concealed fire arms. Governor John B. Edwards rightly vetoed that bill.
According to a report by the Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics from 1993-2010 gun violence deaths decreased 39%. Non fatal gun crimes decreased 69%. It is worthy to note that the assault weapons ban was in place by the Clinton administration most of that time and that gun violence deaths and crimes decreased every year on President Clinton's watch during those years.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention 24/7 wall street also reported that the statistics verify that the states with the most relaxed gun laws tend to have the worst record for gun violence and that the states with the most stringent gun laws tend to have the lowest gun violence. And every one knows it is Republican governed states and republican controlled legislatures that have the most relaxed gun laws.
Police department around the country are having a tough time keeping up with all the guns on the streets of America. They opposed weakened and relaxed gun laws that put their lives in jeopardy. The liberal attitude of the GOP on weakening and relaxing sensible gun control measures has been worse for law enforcement than any slogan of "defund the police."
The facts tell us the GOP has no credibility when it comes to controlling violent crime. Democrats have better ideas and a clearer picture as to what needs to be done to reduce the violence. The predictions for 2021 tells us gun sales in the U.S. will break last years record. That does not bide well for America with all the relaxed gun laws that are on the books. History tells us we are a violent country and it takes place on both the Republican and Democratic watch.
This writer believes that President Biden's policies will reverse the violent trend with policies that work. They have not worked the last few years and the time is now for new thinking and actions. The GOP's policies of relaxed gun control laws have failed. The status quo has to be discarded for real action and for all of those who are in doubt because of the mis-information being fed on purpose, the democratic party will not defund the police.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
Note: There has been no break down of gun violence by states for the year 2020 yet. When it comes out, Politidose will publish same.
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