Here we are again, mourning the deaths of 49 innocent victims of gun violence. The news stations are all a buzz showing us photos of death, horror, fright, sadness, tears, flowers, trying to sensationalize this horrific act of terror, hatred, and bigotry. We will be bombarded by this for weeks to come. The media will dissect, analyzed, and turn facts upside down for a boost in ratings. Journalists will point fingers at the shooter’s ex wife (I heard a reporter ask her if she knew her husband—you know the guy she divorced 4 months after the blessed day—, was going to do something like this), his parents, co-workers, anyone who has had contact with him in the last year; The media will imply his acquaintances knew something was going to happen, should have alerted officials, and are as much to blame.

Heck I even heard GOP congressmen blame President Obama for not doing enough to stop ISIS (or as they call them Islamic Terrorists, another label), thereby paving the way for such murderous campaigns. The Trumpster (or Dumpster) is all over President Obama, but we would expect that behavior from him so it’s not all that news worthy.

Finger pointing abounds. Yet the real accomplices in these shootings rarely get the blame, rarely feel the public’s ire (well some do), and rarely are held accountable.They are the Congress men and women of the United States.

They are the true accomplices that help these crazies, inadvertently maybe, but never the less, they aid the crazies by not doing their job. Their non-performance makes it easy for murderers to acquire assault weapons, not shotguns or hunting rifles. Ever hear of a deer hunter taking an AK-47 to hunt deer or elk?

Congress ignores the public’s demand for stricter gun control. The demands have gone unheard for so long and always after an egregious attacks the alarm is high. Slowly but surely the NRA works its magic and the issue is voted down and we wait for the next assault, the next massacre, the next bloodbath of innocent Americans.

And this is just the sensational loss of life. Like the 9/11 tragedy, we only hear of the big news, big numbers, massive destruction, headline grabbing newsworthy stuff, ratings lifting stuff.

Then there is the other loss of life we don’t hear about. The loss of life that happens every day all across this country. There’s no big story. There’s no bloody mess. There’s no newsworthiness or ratings-grabbing loss of life, just death. Just family-upsetting loss of life. Maybe it’s a father or mother or maybe it’s an aunt or uncle, perhaps a Grandparent, or cousin, or maybe just a really close friend. Never the less the losses are painful, heart felt, upsetting, perhaps even financially troubling.

These are the 40,000 estimated deaths each year due to lack of health care. I have had carpenters working for me over the years who have been so badly broken up by their daily work yet when asked why they don’t go see a doctor they say they can’t afford it. How many millions of American citizens can’t afford health care? And what does our illustrious Congress do? Cut benefits, cut food stamps. They even want to cut Medicare and Medicaid. These are the programs that help the poor among us. Again, by their voting, they have made it more difficult, almost impossible to make a living in this country of ours. They have rejected raising the minimum wage like 7 times but have given themselves 4 raises in the same time frame.

(There is a movie starring Eddy Murphy called “The Distinguished Gentleman” that exemplifies exactly what we see happening in our government. Yes it is fiction, but the movie truly expresses what goes on in the halls of Congress. And we all know it, we all see it and feel it’s effects but we blame other states for electing those scallywags. It’s not our Senator or Representative it’s everyone else’s elected official not doing the right thing.)

So too is the Congress responsible for the 4000+ military members we lost in the unwarranted Iraq war and the 100s of thousands of Iraqis civilians and military personnel lost. Not to mention the untold numbers whose lives are ruined by what they saw and did during that chosen war. Still today the suicide rate of military personnel continues to climb.

Congress was also responsible, and still are, for the bankers and Wall Streeters free hand in creating a recession that brought the world’s economy to it’s knees. They have the power to regulate and protect the citizenry from these greedy bastards. But did they? No! Are they now after we have suffered the consequences of Wall Streets actions? No? Have they regulated the banks so they can’t gamble with taxpayer money? No!

What do they do? THEY SERVICE THE CORPORATIONS AND BUSINESSES THAT DONATE TO THEIR CAMPAIGNS! And in the meantime people lose their homes, lose their life savings, lose their retirement moneys, their freedom to pursue happiness, and, in too many cases, lose their lives.

Congress needs to take responsibility for their actions and in recent years their INACTION on matters that affect the citizens of this country. They need to be held liable just as you and I are held liable in our daily lives. They point fingers at everyone and everything else but avoid self-inspection.

I have a headache just thinking about their ineptitude. Do you?

If so….take two aspirin and call me in the morning.