McCarthy’s Faux Concern for Children

As reported by the Associated Press, “House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Monday said Russia must pull out of Ukraine, blistering Russia’s ‘killing of the children’ and “emphatically stressing his support for Ukraine”. Responding to a Russian reporter, he said, “I do not support what your country has done to Ukraine, I do not support your killing of the children either.”

McCarthy’s Faux Concern for Children.

Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Since then according to Ukrinform.net, the Russian army has killed 477 children in Ukraine and left 955 others injured. That is terrible, as is the more than 19,000 Ukrainian children being held in Russian captivity according to Ukraine’s First Lady, Okena Zelenska.

But…back in the US of A, 578 children have died from gun violence thus far in 2023. That amounts to almost five per day!  And in 2022, 1631 children died from gun violence in the U.S.

So, in roughly the same time frame, 2, 209 children have lost their lives to gun violence in the U.S. compared to 477 children in Ukraine where there is an all-out war underway. Where is McCarthy’s concern for our own children?

Not sure, but I can tell you where it isn’t. It isn’t in his press releases:

“I am a strong supporter of our Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. I believe that law-abiding citizens should not have this right infringed upon by numerous and burdensome regulations designed to deter law-abiding citizens from purchasing firearms.” Read the rest of this 2007 press release here.

His Voting Record Shows He Cares About the Gun Lobby

It isn’t in his gun voting record. He voted NO on every bill (11) that came before the U.S. House of Representatives since 2006 that would have in any way contributed to more gun control. As you can guess, he voted YES on every bill (9) that expanded gun rights or prevented the authorization of any controls.

It isn’t in his willingness to take meaningful action as the Speaker. When asked whether he would put forth legislation on guns following the recent Nashville shooting, McCarthy answered “We want to see all the facts, we need to get the facts”. But, when pressed on what more “facts” he would need, he refused to answer and left.

The Time for Fact Gathering and Talking is Over

At another press conference, he said,

“I would say to the nation as a whole that the problem that we [have] today, it’s not just going to be legislation. We’ve go to have a severe conversation here with this country. We’ve got to deal with mental illness.”

Then he finished with,

“I don’t think one piece of legislation solves this. I think a nation together, working together, solves a problem that’s much bigger than us.”

WTF???? Deflect Much?

We elected and pay McCarthy and his 434 fellow House members and 100 members of the Senate, to work together to solve this. Yes, the fixes will not be implemented overnight and they will take the efforts of many. But, our elected officials at the highest levels must start the ball rolling with a display of backbone and a real commitment to keeping our children and our communities safe. Thoughts and prayers, waiting for more facts, throwing up hands, and deflecting responsibility might be the GOP way, but it isn’t the way to a solution.

Bottom Line

Gun violence is now the leading cause of death for American children. What a joke that rightfully must make us to the rest of the world and how pathetic our leaders won’t do something about it.