Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) said that New York "will take every action possible to end this senseless cycle of gun violence" in the aftermath of the shooting in Uvalde, Texas. Perhaps she can start by telling her own party it needs to try to keep criminals in jail.

In the last two months, New York City saw two high-profile subway shootings. The first was perpetrated by Frank James, who had a criminal history stretching from the 1990s to 2007 in New York and New Jersey. That history included making terroristic threats, but James was never charged with a felony and was able to legally purchase a gun four years after being arrested in New Jersey for trespassing, larceny, and disorderly conduct. He went on to kill 10 and injure 29.

More recently, Andrew Abdullah randomly, brazenly shot and killed Daniel Enriquez in the middle of the day. Abdullah then gave his firearm to a homeless man to try and get rid of it. He was a "known gang offender," according to police, with at least eight prior arrests. His criminal history includes felony assault, robbery, attempted murder, and an open gun charge from two years ago.

Abdullah had been arrested one month before the murder for "allegedly being in possession of a stolen motorcycle." Despite his criminal record, the judge gave him a nominal bail of $1, which left him free to commit the alleged murder.

The Democratic Party's core problem when it comes to gun control is its refusal to enforce laws. Democrats want gun control policies that will restrict law-abiding citizens. Meanwhile, many Democratic lawmakers and prosecutors go out of their way to make sure criminals get off easy for gun crimes and crimes that would prevent them from being able to own or purchase a firearm legally.

Woke district attorneys in Philadelphia and Los Angeles made it their goal to lessen prison time for criminals who used guns in their crimes. While campaigning, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg promised the same, saying he wouldn't prosecute people for possession unless they committed a violent crime, a position he has begun walking back. The brothers in the Sacramento shooting both had a history of violent crimes and gang affiliations, but both were treated with child's gloves by California's parole board and soft-on-crime attitude.

Add in those Democratic politicians that have actually moved to defund their cities' police departments, and — well, what's a law-abiding person to do?

Democrats are not serious about gun control because they don't enforce gun laws against criminals. Moreover, none of their proposals are responsive to the shootings that prompt them. For example, universal background checks could not have prevented a shooting by someone who passed a background check because of some Democratic prosecutor's refusal to pursue felony charges.

Meanwhile, they fight "mass incarceration" by making sure criminals avoid as much jail time as possible, even for crimes in which guns are used.

If Hochul and Democrats want to start acting serious about gun violence, they will have to begin with some self-reflection.