Day 928: Trump is more focused on GOP talking points than mass shooting victims

Republicans have their gross playbook after mass shooting tragedies that they’re forced to drag out multiple times per year: blame everything and everyone except the weapon.

The GOP’s equation for less death and bloodshed: more thoughts, more prayers, more hugs, more guns, less video games.

Donald Trump has tried to stick to those talking points since the most recent mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio that left dozens dead and more wounded at the hands of two white domestic terrorists. During his first substantial public remarks since the shootings — he cowered at his private golf club in New Jersey all weekend — Trump read from prepared remarks and never once blamed guns. He even went out of his way to note that he wasn’t blaming guns.

It’s actually ludicrous to blame pulling a “trigger” while not blaming “the gun.”

Mental illness exists in other nations.

Video games exist in other nations.

Troubled youth exist in other nations.

Hate exists in other nations.

But mass shootings are a uniquely American problem in primarily because guns are far more prevalent in the U.S. than any other country in the world. Access is easy, loopholes abound and the gun lobby gives (primarily Republican) politicians millions of dollars every year to do their bidding and prevent any staunching of the flow of guns.

Trump — in addition to his speechwriters and aides — was so concerned about hitting the right talking points that he couldn’t even bother to get the name of the Ohio city correct. (Even if written wrong in the speech, Trump was unable to even offer an impromptu correction.)

Earlier in the day, Trump had the audacity to blame the media, despite the El Paso terrorist’s manifesto rhetoric mirroring Trump’s very talking points from Twitter and rallies about a Hispanic “invasion” into the U.S.

He also seemed to agree with the logic of the El Paso terrorist by trying to tie any potential gun legislation into completely unrelated immigration issues.

While the GOP begs for thoughts and prayers and time and kumbaya, the reality is they don’t care about this round of dead bodies or the next one. They’ll stick to their talking points by any means necessary.

928 days in, 534 to go

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