OPINION:
ANALYSIS/OPINION:
The Fat Lady can’t even begin to think about what dress rehearsal for election night will look like in 2020 — perhaps a politically correct rainbow affair for the inclusive crowd or a crimson gown for the conservatives.
Oh, the bother.
Donald Trump is the only potential nominee in a driver’s seat, and that’s because he’s president and the Democrats are treating him and Republicans as if he already has thrown his hat (er, locks) into the ring.
So, here’s the penultimate-penultimate question of the penultimate political decision: What’s the issue?
Don’t answer “the economy,” because “the economy” is always an issue, whether you’re a voter who casts ballots along color lines, are tired of progressive points of view, or are an optimistic, patriotic American and like what you see in your crystal ball and personal financial accounts.
Another certainty is that the Democrats have but one punching bag.
Democrats, indeed, continue to expend most of their energy beating up on Donald Trump, the Republican Party and conservatives of any stripe.
Their punching bag has worn it’s time for someone of consequence to ask what’s their bottom line?
The answer is clear: It’s distraction.
And you know why? We’ve got a very serious issue that’s not being addressed.
Politicians use the cloaks of criminal justice reform, immigration reform, education investments and civil rights to mask such long-ignored absence of anti-crime efforts.
Listen to the long list of Democratic candidates. Wouldn’t it be informative if Stephen Colbert pressed a Dem to detail his or her top three anti-crime efforts without mentioning weapons or bolstering police forces.
Mr. Colbert could ask New Jersey Sen. Cory A. Booker and California Sen. Kamala D. Harris, prefacing with “ladies first.”
Ms. Harris is the former chief law enforcer of her state, so none of her responses should bring a smile to her face — or yours.
For his part, Mr. Booker is the former mayor of Newark, so viewers would likely listen with intent. If you paid attention when he was mayor, then you probably already know that he bolstered that city’s police force.
The women of “The View” could give it a go, too. There’s always at least four of the co-hosts at the table, and any one of them could ask, “Sen. Elizabeth Warren, why do you think we should do to stop humans from killing other human beings?”
And Whoopi Goldberg could chime in, “killers, that is, who aren’t using guns?”
The point of this exercise is to see what the 2020 Democrats want to change about humanity, about saving lives.
We’re already well-briefed about the distraction, which in a nutshell is anti-gun rhetoric and mental health. First, blame the weapon and back that up with blaming mental health.
Well, we know it’s impossible to get rid of all firearms — handguns, rifles and shotguns. We know, as well, that it would be impossible to plan and construct enough looney bins to house gun violators. So let’s not even go there, either.
Besides, who would tend to all those “insane” people behind bars in the asylums?
Look, civil society is slowly slipping away as politicians — our elected leaders — depend more on social media to get their messages across. They are the Kim K’s and the Kim K’s are them.
They are the pots calling the kettles black.
They are the ones who poke with sticks, throws stones in glass houses and name-call as if they’re still in grade school.
The Fat Lady is interested only in what grown folk do next year.
Small wonder the Fat Lady doesn’t even want to think about a dressing gown amid all the froth, such as whether Roseanne Conner died or Roseanne Barr has returned to stand-up comedy or whether the Donald tweeted overnight.
Which superhero dies, though, will pique her interest.
She knows there are too few potential superheroes missing in action.
In other words, it’s not the guns, stupid. It’s the guns in the fight.
• Deborah Simmons can be contacted at dsimmons@washingtontimes.com.
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