After the Virginia Tech shootings, both sides of the gun-control issue lined up and took their usual firing positions. But don’t expect anything to happen.

Why not? Just look at the Commonwealth of Virginia. And the Democratic Party.

Democrats have a majority in the United States Senate today thanks to Jim Webb of Virginia.

Webb is the Senator whose aide was caught carrying a potent load of firearms into the Capitol. The guns apparently belonged to Senator Webb, who is a highly decorated Vietnam vet and former Secretary of the Navy under Ronald Reagan.

Webb is the kind of culturally conservative, pro-gun candidate that Democrats relied on so heavily in the 2006 elections. Like Heath Shuler of North Carolina and Jon Tester of Montana.

Plus, Democrats believe that gun issues caused Al Gore to lose Arkansas, Tennessee and West Virginia – and the Presidency – in 2000.

Plus, Democrats like John Edwards keep promising to break through with rural Southern and Western votes.

The result: Democrats won’t pick up that gun any time soon.

There is a fundamental divide in America between city people and country people. Most city people think of guns as things that only cops and criminals carry. Most country people have guns, use guns and care a lot about their guns.

The only way Democrats can bridge that divide is to leave the guns alone. So that’s what they’ll do.

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