House Speaker: Colorado shooting shows need for mental health reforms

[IDemo]

U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan said last week's shooting at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado showed that the United States needs to reform mental health care.

"The common theme with these kinds of shootings is mental illness," Ryan told a news briefing on Tuesday. "This is not something we should be ignoring. We need to overhaul our mental health system."

Ryan also said that he expected strong Republican majorities in House votes later this week on a major transportation funding bill and an education reform bill that hands more control back to U.S. states.

Read more at Reutershttp://www.reuters.com/article/2015/12/01/us-usa-congress-ryan-idUSKBN0TK51T20151201#M6pcX4VUyyUcHgUF.99

Case in point:

[jwirr]

1. Wonder what he wants to do? Institutions for anyone with

a mental health issue?

I have a better suggestion: Lock away all the heat and fear mongers that drive these ideas. Him included.

[moondust]

2. The "common theme" sure ain't the gunz!

It can't be the gunz cuz that's his boss's bidniss.

There always has been and always will be mental illness. There was mental illness in 1791 when the Second Amendment was ratified; some of the ratifiers may have suffered from mental illness themselves. Of course a musket in the wrong hands didn't pose the threat of mass casualties back then so it may not have been a concern. I'd be curious to know how many gun-related deaths there were in 1791.

Of course everything has changed mightily since the days of the musket with one notable exception being that silly old Amendment ensuring the common defense of a well-regulated militia.

[deminks]

3. Start with improving mental health in Congress

Set an example.

[hobbit709]

4. This is the same Republicans that have cut any health funding they can find?