Prediction: in the next few years we will see a mass murder epidemic...
When Barack Obama mourned the victims of Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown CT and vowed action on gun control, I saw it as a shot across the bow in a David vs Goliath struggle. The public at large is not thrilled about further gun regulation, 300,000,000 guns are owned by millions of owners, extensive lobbying efforts exert pressure on our govt, media and populace, and millions of our citizens liken any talk of gun control to be the beginning of a tyrannical government. Hardly a scenario that would breed a successful perspective. Even formation of a goalpost seems like a monumental task.
I also saw his actions to be quite threatening to the "tyrannical government" types. I imagined individuals and groups discussing how a bullet could take care of this "problem" as they stockpiled thousands of new rifles and hyperbolic volumes of ammo. I silently fear our president will become a martyr.
On the other hand, I see a very keen and savy political calculation. I know that Obama saw the eyes of his daughters in that classroom, saw the anguish of grief stricken parents, and wanted to find a solution. But he wasn't weighing insurmountable odds. He has his eyes on the future.
My prediction: In the next few years we will see a mass shooting epidemic unimagined by this countries populace and unheard of in western civilization. I think this is what Obama is imagining. He is not looking at the current scale tipped against him but imagining a scenario where he does nothing and pays the consequences of inaction. Weighing this he has no choice but to call for action. He correctly chose the tipping point and will carefully seize opportunities to exert pressure on the senate as public pressure mounts.
The NRA senses the writing on the walls as well. They are caught between the recognition of the high ground and calls to capitilize on a fearful public with an unquenchable desire to play the hero. They cannot win but they will make a mint and that is winning.
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Mass shootings, contrary to popular perception, are not on the rise. The rate has been more-or-less flat for three decades:
(source of data: DoJ Bureau of Crime Statistics)
What do you see as being the causal factors behind altering this trend and causing incidents to spike upward? I'm not necessarily disagreeing...I just want an insight into your reasoning.
#1. Sociologically. Go back to columbine. I clearly remember the essentisl disbelief was that the target and perpetrator was not what should be expected. Middle class suburban kids are supposed to be be the very height of the American dream at large. I remember there was a feeling that this just doesn't or shouldn't happen here. Why?
#2. Kinetic energy. Ie supply. The supply, dramatization, sensationalism and meaninglessness of gun murders has increased. It is the "what the fuck is going on effect". But take it a step further. This is the you tube generation, ie the generation in which a simple stupid video can give you your 15 minutes.
#3. It is simply not true that mass murders have remained static. Mass murders are an increasing phenomenon not only in fatalities and wounded but their sensationalism and senselessness. At one time going "postal" was somehow understood. "Who hasn't felt so mistreated at work that they wanted to shoot their boss". But why shoot your teachers and classmates in an "idyllic" situation much less the fire department coming to put out the fire next door. See here: 
#4. Materialism. Today everything is materialized. Everything is put into dollars and "sense". Little has any inherit meaning. It is easy to see things as victims vs perpetrator in this regard or just regard life as existentially void.
Multiply materialism by you tube by supply by meaninglessness and you have an hyperbolic, socially, devastating, phenomenon.
That site's definition is "multiple targets, chosen indiscriminately" - between the definition and the fact that some of the more 'irrelevant' ones (e.g., gang hits or the like) are probably slipping between the reportage cracks, I can totally believe that there've been twenty-five multiple shootings this year in the US that averaged out to six casualties per incident (which is different from "25 shootings of at least 6 people"
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