I don’t need a study. I’ve got the raw data. Go to http://webappa.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/mortrate10_us.html

In 2014 there were 33,599.

For numbers before 1998 we need to go to http://webappa.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/mortrate9.html 1984: 31,331

That’s 30 years with really no change. I could say, “See! It went up!” but that would be cherry-picking data. There’s variation year to year (for example, it was 28k in 2000), but the important thing to know is that is isn’t going down.

I’d appreciate a bit less condescension. I’m not an idiot dragged around by the media.

The increase in violence in Australia had nothing to do with the gun laws. It’s a myth. The social changes were already in place that led to the change and the rate was already increasing prior to the gun laws change. The NRA and other anti-gun control groups cherry picks the data to present something they want you to believe. Stop believing it. It’s false.

I understand you want specific proposals from me. I don’t have the answers, but I do have two ideas.

First, force all gun sales, including private gun sales, to include background checks.

Second, get data. Part of the reason is the GOP made it impossible for us to research gun violence in this country. Throw open the research gates. Let everybody do research on guns, violence, crime, etc. When we have data,

Of course we also need to work on mental health, decreasing poverty, changing our nation’s attitudes towards violence, etc., but those are broader issues. We can do a lot by making it harder for people that want to do violence to get the best tools (guns) for that violence.