When politicians discuss their support of gun control, they all seem to follow a specific script. They (especially if male) talk about the guns that they own, their love of the 2nd Amendment, the role of guns in their family history, etc, etc. It is a form of rhetorical in-grouping---linking their identity with that of the audience with whom they want to communicate (the "responsible" gun owners, as they would probably say).
It is fascinating to see just how regularly politicians heap praise on the 2nd Amendment---even when they may ignore other parts of the Constitution quite regularly.
Anyways, the lovefest around the 2nd Amendment got me thinking about another one of our amendments, the 21st Amendment--that which repealed Prohibition.
I wonder if, when politicians were creating or strengthening drunk driving laws, they delivered paeans to the 21st Amendment--maybe like this:
"I am and have always been a strong champion of our 21st Amendment rights. I, myself, enjoy drinking alcoholic beverages--whether a glass of red wine with dinner or beer while watching a [Fill in local team name] game. My family members all drink and drinking is deeply rooted in the culture of my family, and the culture of my constituents. With the common sense legislation on drunk driving that we need, we are not taking away the ability of law-abiding, responsible adults to enjoy a drink. However, we need to find ways to sensibly balance our 21st Amendment rights and the needs of public safety."
The trolls may or may not have been worse.