"Terrorist" - official designation of a shooter or bomber who is one or more of the following: 

1. Dark-skinned
2. Born or living in a foreign country
3. A follower of a non-Christian religion

"Lone Wolf" - official designation of a shooter or bomber who is one or more of the following:

1. White
2. Born and living in America
3. A Christian

It's much easier for politicians and talking heads to ramp up fear, and the subsequent donations and Federal dollars, when the bad guy fits the "Terrorist" description. They immediately leap into (in)action, giving speeches about the need to increase military spending, tightening our borders, deportation, building walls, oh, and the need to further loosen gun laws.

They have no idea how to react when the murderer falls into the second category - that person could live next door, could be a relative, could be a voter. Calling them a "Lone Wolf" is a convenient, and cowardly, way to dismiss their actions as little more than an anomaly. A Lone Wolf isn't part of a larger organization out to get America. A Lone Wolf is crazy, (as if the other shooters are perfectly same). More investigation is focused on "Why" they committed this horrible act. Fingers will be pointed for political gain, and nothing will be done to prevent the next shooting, because there will be a next shooting.

Even if the shooter left a detailed explanation, speculation will abound - frightened, angry, and apathetic citizens will project rationalizations onto the shooter as a way to confirm their own existing biases. The shooter will eventually become the poster child for everything each person who speaks about him hates the most. Many others will search far and wide for a tangible evil to blame this on, without looking directly confronting the truth that surrounds them. These "Lone Wolves" are our neighbors. Our friends. Our relatives. And the reason they kill is simple - because America doesn't stop them. Because they can.

Billions upon billions of thoughts and prayers have done nothing to end the slaughter. The "Greatest Country in the World" should be able to stop its innocent citizens from becoming random victims of another's target practice.