03-30-2018, 11:07 AM
(03-30-2018, 10:06 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: I see these kids right now as figureheads of an anti-gun movement, but not of the liberal base. Those are two different things. This is a single issue group that is going to force gun control to be discusses during the mid-terms, I have no doubt, but they aren't the figureheads of the left.
I think you're a bit out of step with the general consensus on this subject. Also, I don't think the entire left wants gun control, but the gun control side is definitely predominated by left leaning people.
Quote:Maybe I underestimate the celebrity issue because I don't dive into pop culture much nor care what celebrities have to say. I just still maintain I don't care what he has to say on the issue.
In a sense you're falling victim to your own bubble here. These kids are everywhere, they're on CNN every other hour (intentional exaggeration for the obtuse amongst us). They're ubiquitous at this point. In addition look at all the Democratic lawmakers who attended the rally. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Bill Warren of FL, Sen. Chris Van Hollen from MD were all at the DC rally. This doesn't mention others as well as politicians who attended at other locations like eternal gun grabber Blumenthal or the support from Obama and his wife. You show up at a political rally, or lend it your support, you are tied to the claims made at it.
Quote:I said it above, but I'll get into it again here a bit more. Yes, these kids and this event are going to force gun control to be a talking point in the election cycle. I don't see it going as far as they are going to want it, though. Their media attention will wane and cooler heads will prevail. This is just in time for primary season, which is usually when folks run to the edges, but by the time general elections come around, everyone will be taking more modest approaches.
I don't see them getting anything more at this point, they completely overplayed their hand. What they get isn't my point though, what they want, is. We've heard for years that "no one is trying to take away your guns". This was proven demonstrably false and the Dems are now crapping their pants because they know this will bring a wave of GOP, or just pro-gun owner, voters to the polls this year that otherwise may very well have stayed home. You're focusing too much on what's liable to happen right now as opposed to what the demonstrated end game for the anti-gun movement is.
Quote:If I were a political operative, I would be directing the DCCC, DLCC, and DSCC to tell candidates to focus on an economic message. It's what the people want right now, and you can bring into the fold the fact that the one thing that has the highest correlation to gun violence rates in this country is poverty. The higher the poverty rate, the higher the gun violence rate in a community.
A smart move to be sure, although I'm not sure how much an economic message will resonate unless the economy takes a dump. The general perception is that we're doing well and I think Trump has some high ground on this issue with the tax cuts. If I'm a GOP advisor I'm telling them to bring the "repeal the 2nd Amendment" argument and the "give us an inch and we'll take a mile" up at every opportunity. Lindsey Graham has already latched on to this, challenging every single Democrat in Congress to go on record as to whether they want to repeal the 2nd. The genie is out of the bottle on this one and for the Dems to do any sort of damage control they will have to sell out the Parkland kids to do it. They put a lot of political stock in the movement these kids spawned and now it's going to backfire big time.
Quote:But nobody wants opinions from wonks when it comes to political messaging.
Smart and informed people do, but they are an unfortunate minority.
