I'd say this is a fair point,but I'm not sure that it is. GLV: Those issues you do not agree with, do they harm you or other Americans? The fact that this doesn't change your vote (you as a voting block, not you personally) disincentives those in power to even consider you in their decision making about whether this matters to them or not. If they "could" lose you for at least an election cycle bc of this then they would come to the negotiating table and perhaps compromise.
I am not a one issue voter either, but at times one issue will overwhelm any other issue I have on the table. I am pro-choice, but would bend a bit on that issue if republican lawmakers gave the same thought to "sanctity of life" outside the womb as they do inside the womb.
I think this is a fair point and one that worth discussing.
While my heart breaks for these families, I dont think these proposed legislation options would fix all of this. Curb, maybe but I also believe these are part of a larger issue here with mental health and the overall way we treat each other as fellow Americans—and that starts with the tone of the dialog that comes from Washington DC.
I would find it more effective to work on those within my party who are in the way then just give up my beliefs to the other side. IMO, giving my vote blue in the hopes that they could take over the super-majority "just for this 1 cycle" as you put it, to fix "this one issue" would be incredibly damaging for the America I want to see. Because if that happened, we know it wouldn't be just this 1 issue, and our government is set up to keep that from happening. And in today's gov't there is no magical "negotiating table or compromise" as you put it if my party lost me (or massive amounts of me), it would be a sweeping power grab and race to reshape America. Our politicians don't take to "hints" or "threats" from us, they use bully tactics and fear mongering to keep their base in line.
But again, you ask me if I am "harmed" by the other side, thankfully no, not in the context of this tread. I do have children in these schools and also a wife who is a teacher, so school-related anything will be part of my life for a while. I myself am an adjunct professor at a college with 10000% less lock-down/security barriers to enter then my wife's elementary school.
However the main reason I cannot vote democrat, and I've said this in other threads, is that I dont personally align with pretty much anything this current brand of blue is championing for. I don't, and I dont see the America that I believe we should be in them or the majority of their followers. I believe that voting for and hoping for a Democratic super majority would do so much long term damage to this country and the people that we would never recover. It may sound hyperbole, but I look at those who disagree with me, on even the smallest of issues, and frankly it scares the hell out of me to give them any type of real control.
But bigger picture, I honestly don't believe many politicians want these types of issues solved. For too long, the left and right have built their careers and staying power blaming the other side. "Fixing issues" is something that can be taken credit for initially, but eventually fades away. I believe that Democrats need gun violence and racial tension just as much as Republicans need things like abortion and financial stress. Sorry, just being honest. I dont trust our current gov't to fix much of anything anymore. Too long these issues have lingered and ironically seem to pop up at convenient times.
So, no...giving my vote to the democratic party just for gun measures alone will not be happening anytime soon.
However, back to the orignial topic, looking at the numbers, there has been a huge spike in gun sales over the last few years. You cant tell me that there is an equal number of new "sportsmen." No, and IMO this is a total breakdown of the traditional society trust. Many of these new gun sales are going to people who have given up on expecting protection from their local law enforcement, are fearful of mass rioting and living in a time where we are being told not to trust our very neighbors. And this is all fueled by the continuous discourse by our leadership/poiticans and the media. Look at our local police, they have become every-day SWAT teams this their heavy armor vehicles, body armor and long rifles. Add in the mass hysteria from Covid and the broadcasted images of citizens being rounded up and taken from their homes/families to unknown wherever. Add in the dialog from between the Vax and Anti-this-vax groups where there was talk about how the unvaxed are threats to society and should be segregated by force.
All of this often leads to a "bunker down" mentality in some people and their only recourse is to arm themselves, therefore brining more firearms into circulation in otherwise residential areas. Its also adds feelings of lack of hope or outcome in certain situations. Just in the last 2 years look at how people with an outside view or differing opinions were treated—ostracized, slandered, called names and blamed for the larger issues. Where do you expect people with poor coping skills to go??