If the Republicans were to take the Presidency, House and Senate as they did in 2017, what do you suppose they would do first? The last time the first action they took was to pass a law making it easier for the mentally ill to buy guns.

Hardly anyone remembers that shortly after taking office Trump and the Republican Congress rolled back a regulation that would have made it harder for people with mental illness to buy guns. Trump signed the bill in February 2017 without any fanfare. This was after the House and Senate, both of which were Republican-controlled at the time, passed H.J. Res 40, which revoked the regulation. The irony of the passage of this act is Republicans always say we don’t need new gun laws, we just need to enforce the laws already on the books.

I doubt if anyone remembers Donald Trump, on August 6, 2019, responding to the El Paso and Dayton mass shootings that left at least 30 dead and horrified the nation, insisting that “mental illness pulls the trigger not the gun,” Of course, the National Rifle Association, after hearing Trump blame mental illness for pulling the trigger, said it welcomed the President's call to address the root causes of the horrific acts of violence.

Don't forget Trump did nothing to address mental illness while he was in office. His "brand new, beautiful health care” plan was all BS. At least this time around he's not promising any health care or infrastructure plan, or even building a wall. This time its all about exacting revenge on his enemies.

On the other hand, I can see why he would avoid addressing mental illness. A comprehensive insurance plan to address mental illness would flood our nation's mental health clinics with his supporters.

[Edited by Gunnar Emilsson (8/10/2023 10:34:22 AM)]