Republicans Obstructing Data Gathering on Gun Violence

Source: Congress Still Bans CDC Scientists From Studying Gun Violence – Forbes

The reason we keep having the same ideological, emotional debate about the cause of gun violence is simple: We don’t have good data to guide us.

So anyone can promote their own pet theories with nothing to refute them except…someone else’s pet theory. The left and right seem equally guilty here.

But what is not equal on the left and right is the approach to solving this problem. Basically, the left wants to gather data, i.e. use science, to illuminate the issue, and the right is doing everything they can to stop that from happening.

• http://thehill.com/policy/finance/245983-gop-panel-votes-to-keep-funding-ban-for-gun-violence-research

• http://www.propublica.org/article/republicans-say-no-to-cdc-gun-violence-research

• http://www.thetakeaway.org/story/gop-rejects-gun-violence-research/

• http://www.politico.com/story/2015/06/gop-gun-violence-cdc-study-charleston-south-carolina-119384

Here’s my advice: if you know the answer to root cause analysis is gathering data, find the people who are keeping that from happening.

Those are the people who are afraid of what they data will show.