Well I'm right here, but I don't know how to run for office and I probably would get crucified for entirely unrelated opinions (which I would be willing to change if given adequate reason). Probably a lot of people like me (and I assume you?) out there. We just aren't on the ballot, even if sometimes we might be entirely qualified.

Have you ever considered why there is a strong correlation between beliefs in healthcare, unions and college and a belief in gun control laws?

Show me someone who opposes single-payer healthcare, unions, affordable college costs but also believes that the second amendment did not and does not constitute an unfettered right to do more or less anything with guns. I'll wait. Until the right stops viewing the 2nd amendment as the benchmark issue, progressives will continue to see their position on it as just another part of their uniform opposition to a more modern society.

Then they can continue to lose the opportunity to do real, valuable reform by throwing a fit over a wedge issue.

Well that's exactly my point. People like you who think gun rights supercede everything else. It's ludicrous. Almost nobody needs a gun. Most other wealthy democracies have universal healthcare and near total bans on private gun ownership and they're doing way better than America. Proof is in the pudding.

But even so, your opinion is clearly colored by propaganda. Gun control isn't a popular topic on the left. The second amendment remains inviolable and has greatly expanded in the last twenty years. "They're coming to take our guns" is a cry of right wing media because they know it will scare people into voting irrationally.

> People like you who think gun rights supercede everything else. It's ludicrous. Almost nobody needs a gun.

> But even so, your opinion is clearly colored by propaganda.

> "They're coming to take our guns" is a cry of right wing media because they know it will scare people into voting irrationally.

Generally speaking, this is a poor way to convince someone. Comments like this are likely to embolden the parent's views. I say this as someone who holds neutral views on the matter.

Consider for a moment you have actually proved his point.

I honestly have no idea what would convince someone who is so bent on being irrational. But one thing I find does get people riled a bit is convincing them they've been tricked. And a lot of gun rights people definitely have been tricked.