I googled this, and it turns out it's true. See: Abbott calls Texas school shooting a mental health issue but cut state spending for it .Abbott cut funding for mental health services in Texas by $211 million. https://t.co/23Tqlxrftq
— Kaivan Shroff (@KaivanShroff) May 7, 2023
...if I were the Democrat Party leadership, here's what I would do:
Full out embrace the mental health care aspect of it.
I know, I know, it's ridiculous. (As I pointed out after Sandy Hook, mental health issues are a problem in every country. We're the only country that has regular mass shootings.)
But gun control reform is not on the table yet. It's just not.
And Democrats have been wanting to get back funding for mental health ever since Reagan cut all government funding back in 1981 (W). So if Republicans are putting this on the table, why not take it?
Just say to the Republicans, "Fine, you guys win. I guess this was all about mental health all along after all. Let's just fund all those mental health hospitals just like you guys wanted to."
Then, not only could we get some much needed funding for mental health, also the next time there is a mass gun shooting (and there will be more), then we can say: "Okay, we tried your plan. Now let's try gun control."
Boy, was I naïve, huh? I guess that's why the Democratic Party doesn't pay me for my strategy suggestions. I never anticipated the very obvious ploy the Republicans would enact to foil this strategy. It goes in 4 easy parts.
1) Cut mental health services
2) Don't talk about gun control--Blame gun violence on mental health issues
3) Keep refusing to fund mental health services
4) Continue to blame gun violence on mental health issues
...and repeat ad infinitum. That way, you never get to a point where we can discuss gun control.
So simple, and yet such a brilliant strategy
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