The inability of Congress to take meaningful action to control guns is a tragedy that continues to result in the deaths of innocent people, including little children.

That's the view of Baltimore novelist Amy Bernstein as expressed on The Lean to the Left Podcast.

"So many of us are so upset, so saddened. Our politicians have failed us completely," she says, blaming "the do-nothing party" (Republicans) as well as the Democrats for lacking the courage to tackle the issue head-on.

Pointing out that so many Americans buy into the argument that their right to own a gun is more important than the lives of innocent children, she says, "The empathy deficit in this country is horrifying I don't know how people can sleep at night."

Referring to the current rush by states to enact restrictive abortion laws, and to the expected overturn by the Supreme Court of Roe v. Wade, Bernstein comments:

"How do you explain that you want to protect a non-viable fetal embryo and call that life and you cannot protect a seven year-old who's gunned down in her class seat?"

"If men biologically carried fetuses, this is not where we would be," she adds.

A prolific writer, Bernstein's novels include The Potrero Complex, The Nighthawkers, Dreams of Song Times, and Fran, The Second Time Around. She is an award-winning journalist, speechwriter, playwright, and certified nonfiction book coach.

The interview begins with revealing discussions about her work, the details of creating and producing novels, with valuable advice for beginning writers of both fiction and non-fiction books. She reveals where her plot ideas come from and some of the challenges she experience along the way.

Then, at about 17 minutes into the 35-minute interview, the topic turns to those current issues that we all are dealing with today.

"This is a country that's heading in the wrong direction," she says.