Last night's news that pathetic, gun-pimping Gov. Greg "Abbadabba" Abbott (AR-15-TX) declined to appear in person at the National Rifle Rampage Association's sick convention in Houston is par for the course for this coward. Instead, he's scurrying down to Uvalde for another photo opportunity to feign sympathy for the 19 children murdered by an assault weapon-wielding teenager, instead opting to send the gun lobby loons a video message.
Abbott's law enforcement contingent has been trying to clean up the messaging and explaining why it took an hour to take down the shooter despite overwhelming police presence, and why the shooter was outside the school for 12 minutes firing off rounds before entering the school. Abbott's appearance in Uvalde will almost certainly be an effort to deflect from the questions about why an 18 year old is able to purchase two assault rifles so easily in that state. Rather, there will be talk about "mental health" issues* (even though the shooter had no documented history of mental illness) and locking exterior doors to create a "fortress" (despite the fact that the shooter was firing into the windows at one point).
Abbott knows he and his rotted-out Republican / Shooters / Great Replacement Party is on the wrong side of public opinion now more than ever, as people register their disgust and anger at the non-solutions offered by them. He's following the Republican strategy of trying to defer any action or discussion of changes to gun policy into the future, until the next rampage.
*BONUS: Yeah, about that "mental health issue" in Texas --
Gov. Greg Abbott said Wednesday that the Uvalde school shooter had a "mental health challenge" and the state needed to "do a better job with mental health" — yet in April he slashed $211 million from the department that oversees mental health programs.
In addition, Texas ranked last out of all 50 states and the District of Columbia for overall access to mental health care, according to the 2021 State of Mental Health in America report.
Scumbag weasel.
