Could somebody please explain to me how Democrats are constantly labeled "soft" on crime when NRA-backed, namecalling, Republicans insure that guns flow freely, and untraceably, on our city streets? It would take the magical thinking of a Mark Belling or Rush Limbaugh or Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner.

Leave it to a congressman who spends most of his time in Washington and the rest of it camped in Milwaukee's suburbs to support a bill that hamstrings law enforcement efforts to track "crime guns." Leave it then to the same politician to accuse Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett of being a "sissy."

We all know that politicians like to talk out of both sides of their mouths, but Sensenbrenner's remarks show a how truly blind he is to any reality except the reality that the NRA tells him exists. An NRA that refuses to allow accountability, or controls in the sale and manufacture of firearms. Our society regulates drinking water far more heavily than handguns and I hope most of us agree that handguns are far more dangerous. The only thing as dangerous as handguns is the Strangelove-esque worldview of the NRA. A bunker mentality that is more threatening than the governments that the organization is defending us from. I wonder how the NRA feels about the government wiretapping that their candidates support? Maybe they can shoot their phones.

Violence is a problem in Milwaukee. Mayor Barrett and Congressman Sensenbrenner I'm sure agree with each other in that debate. What is so puzzling is that a man who represents – I use that term very loosely – this region would be so flip about calling it "the murder capital of the US." If Sensenbrenner actually believes that statement then you would think that he would want to do everything in his power to reverse that trend. That would be logical. But when a politician supports single issue interest groups, logical thinking is generally the first thing that goes out the window. Especially when Sensenbrenner's support of the gun lobby trumps his support of his own constituents.