Meanwhile, pro-gun people are one of the largest single-issue voting blocks in the county. So all the Dems are really doing is handing votes over to Republicans.

This is a point that cannot be stressed enough.

As of 2022, Iowa had a ballot initiative for codifying a strict scrutiny clause on restrictions on the right to bear arms in our state constitution. We have a ~3-way split of Democrat, Republican, and Independent voters. The measure passed with ~66% support.

On an entirely unrelated note, our Republican governor won her election with ~58% the vote against a Democrat pushing - admittedly mild - restrictions on firearms.

Blue team isn't going to lose blue team die-hard votes by dropping these points. They are, however, demonstrably alienating Independents who reject such restrictions.

Democrats don't hate firearms. They're ambivalent or even slightly favorable to firearms. They hate men, especially white men.

Gather up some actual American leftists, interrupt their busy day of adding stripes to the rainbow flag, and ask them the following questions and note their answers:

• What do you think of Andrew Tate?

• Why do you think so many young white men are drawn to Andrew Tate?

• What messaging do you have for young white men?

• Why should young white men be on board with your cause?

• What does your cause have to offer young white men?

The answers I would expect from them/have heard from them:

• He's a degenerate scumbag who should be in prison.

• Because all white men are just as evil as he is.

• Go die in a war.

• They shouldn't; the left isn't for them.

• Nothing; white men already have everything and deserve nothing.

To the left, white men are boogeymen. "Historical oppressors." Present-day Republicans. The patriarchy. And they apply this hatred to ALL white males including the unborn. "I'd have an abortion if I found out the fetus was male."

The actual problems that cause mass shooters are childhood trauma, isolation, lack of social safety nets. The right hates social safety nets because the yacht owning class has told them to for so long. The left loves social safety nets...except for white men.

Addressing the needs of white men, giving them actual help and care, devoting resources to them to allow them to lead healthy productive lives, overcome and escape trauma...unthinkable in either party. So the right says "that's what you get for sending your kids to school instead of church" and the left says "What about making the magazine release harder to push?"