Another Day, Another Shooting

Eleven days ago, the country watched in horror as yet another school shooting took place, this time in Parkland, Florida.  Yet again, young lives were cut short, with at least 17 dead and 15 injured as of this writing.  Yet again, the country cried out for justice, for change, for a stop to these tragedies.  Yet again, politicians around the country offered thoughts and prayers to the victims and their families while clearly showing they have no intention of actually doing anything.  So the cycle goes.

That I can even write these words shows the depth of this problem.  School shootings, along with other mass shootings, are becoming the norm.  We know exactly how things will play out in the days and weeks following them because we repeat the exact same cycle over and over again.

The Truth About Why the GOP Won't Stand Up to Trump

Since the Republican party nominated Trump in 2016, many have asked numerous questions about the GOP.  Why would they do this?  Do they no longer have any scruples?  Why are they deaf to their own constituents, who are among the growing number of people opposing Trump’s agenda?  Most of all, people ask why the GOP doesn’t stand up to Trump, particularly when his behavior is at its most egregious.  I’ve pondered this question a great deal myself, and I’ve only recently come to understand the answer.

Like many, my initial assumption had to do with the poison that is party politics.  As we are in a system ruled by political parties, loyalty to those parties is put above all else.  It is nearly impossible to rise through the ranks of a party, win an election, or accomplish anything of substance without the support of your party (which is precisely why political parties are so antithetical to the vision our founders had for this country).