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Thursday, Jan. 10, 2013 | 2:01 a.m.
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Now that the pro-gun folks are insisting that we invest more in care for those with mental health issues, I would like to remind them that it was one of their own who began the process that ultimately forced these citizens to be prematurely released from government-supported care. Ronald Reagan, as governor of California, successfully decimated the state budgets that were used to provide for the identification, diagnosis, care and treatment of mental patients. I remember the outcry that such a step would lead to more homeless needing intervention. These people would also then be subject to incarceration as a response to their homelessness and involvement in crime.
The jails started filling up, costing taxpayers more money, with the expected insistence of conservatives to cut back on these costs as well. So, guess what, we ended up putting these sick people back on the street, with access to guns and other forms of mayhem.
Appropriate means of self-defense is a legitimate right of the American citizenry. So is access to proper mental health care. Some combination of government oversight for both would go a long way to mitigate the repetitive slaughter we are seeing today.
Nice try
Sidney million of people are mentally ill and need proper treatment
Sidney we do not just throw mentally ill into prison. Dumb idea.
Treatment with medicine is preferred with extreme case needing hospitalization
One of the biggest problem is the laws that prevent the family or State to force proper health care on people who do not understand they are sick.
This is a huge problem and Obamacare did not fix this problem
Obamacare does not address the need for families or the State to force healthcare on some people
By most conservative accounts, 20 percent of the US population suffer from mental and emotional disorders. Yet, sadly only 12 percent of these seek and get medical assistance for their conditions. Now put guns quickly and easily in the hands of those who don't and what happens? Well for the answer talk to Dr. Phil. 39 incidents of spree killings in the USA since 1974 and still growing.
CarmineD
So much in tune with how the left operates, Goodman cherry picks facts. Actually, it was that Commie inspired outfit, the American Criminal Liberties Union, and its nutty leaders who forced authorities to stop locking up the screwballs seen everyday on the streets of our cities. The taking them off the streets for evaluation and protection was deemed "unconstitutional" by the loons at the ACLU and it fought to end the practice. Now it takes a long drawn out process to get these mental midgets the help they need and can only be done with their "informed" consent. Imagine getting "informed" consent from a psycho. Of course, no "consent" is needed once they do a nasty deed such as assaulting, raping or killing someone, but by then it's too late. Hats off to the ACLU for being in partnership with the screwballs in their criminality. Instead of banning guns, let's ban the ACLU and deport the crazies who lead it!
Sidney......
Better mental health care is needed for
republicans.
After all, they have turned into the party of the
crazy people.
Who, in their right mind, would want to be a
republican?
@ lvfacts101....News flash, the ACLU doesn't write or pass laws in this country. The ACLU did no stop the practice of allowing families to lock their misbehaving sons, pregnant daughters or physically handicapped parents into mental institutions for mere convenience.
That practice was banned by the courts in their (how did you put it) 'Commie inspired' mission to enforce the 5th Amendment.
Your continued disdain for the Constitution has not gone unnoticed. The only mental midget round here seems to be you.
EXACTLY CORRECT MotorSports. That Republican Small Government God, Reagan, gutted the mental health system in the US!