Once again, right-wing comment distorts and obsfucscates. Michael Barone, in his recent essay, RealClearPolitics – On Guns and Climate, the Elites Are Out of Touch, not only misses the point but peddles his usual soft-headed garbage.

Starting with the environment, Elites are not out of touch. Simply put, environmental degradation does not affect elites the most, it affects the poor and middle class disproportionately. Today, historically, always. Period. End of argument. Elites may be unwilling to give up their jets, but confronting global climate change helps everyone, especially the poor. And, Al Gore’s popularization of the issue is precisely about building a mass movement so that we all engage in solving the problem. If the masses are engaged in solving the problem, and are out front, then they’ll benefit more from the solution. And, by the way, the masses *are* leading environmental reform. Why do you think that the movement has been building momentum?

Oh, and by the way, the climate is getting warmer, and humans are playing a role. You can scream about it all you want, and throw up mock evidence to the contrary, but we (the masses) get it. And, thankfully, we want to build a nation that prepares for the future. Rather than one that reacts and overreacts to danger, well after it appears–isn’t that how you Republicans have handled Al Quaeda and terrorism? Criticize Democratic overreach in efforts to curtail terrorism, go to sleep at the watchtowers and allow an enemy to kill thousands of Americans, then overreact and make matters worse, including a disastrous war in Iraq.  I love how you guys operate.

As for guns, the story is similar. The social cost of guns–crime, accidental death, intentional killing–disproportionately affects the “masses.” Gun reform then will benefit the masses. And, guess what? The same that is true for the environment is true for guns. Efforts to reform guns come from the masses. Efforts for conceal/carry come from right wing-nuts and they pass because most people champion individual liberty, on a variety of issues. They don’t pass because everyone owns guns or wants to own guns or wants their ownership expanded. In fact, the opposite is true. Interestingly, Democrats have given up on gun control (which is too bad) because it is politically inexpedient. But, also, because Democrats are increasingly the party of idividual liberty–of expanded rights–unlike Republicans who have no interest in rights for anyone but the wealthy.

So, why does Barone raise the issue? Is it because right wing-nuts no longer have any issues but fear, fear of something and imaginary fears at that. The bogeyman will get you and the Democrats want to let it happen is their mantra. Please! When all you have to sell is fear, your wing-nutness grows shriller. And, by the way, Michael Barone, most crime is perpetrated not by strangers but by friends and family. Hard to sell that one ain’t it.

But, that’s how it is these days on the right. Knowledge is the danger; slogans of fear are their word of the day.