Currently Browsing: Politics
May 9, 2012
Posted by Sebastian in 2012 Election | 9 comments
Jennifer has a long post on how she feels about this election:
Romney is a long way from who I want in office. But he’s not running for a single term. He doesn’t want to piss the rest of us off before his re-election. I don’t think he’s stupid either. He’ll pander, but I think we can be the people he panders to. And the more crap the left throws at him, the less I dislike him.
My decision isn’t set. I may find myself in agreement before November. But for now, I think the RINO is preferable.
I do not have high expectations of Romney, but he only needs to do a few things. My anxieties about him are my overall anxieties about the things Republican tend to do when they are in power. Romney, being an excellent vessel for the same people that George W. Bush was a vessel for, did a lot of things that pissed me off, but putting Roberts and Alito on the Court were not among them.
I can understand where Jennifer is coming from. The mandate that begins in 2014, absent intervention from the Court, creeps ever closer. Most of us are not better off than we were financially four years ago, myself included. Hell, I was better off ten years ago than now. While most of that would have happened no matter who was President, this President decided to stomp his foot on the accelerator on the road that takes us off the cliff. I don’t have high expectations of Romney, but I think on fiscal issues, I wouldn’t be surprised if he does better than many would give him credit for now. If he doesn’t? We can always give him the Dick Lugar treatment in 4 years.
Join the Conversation (9 comments)
May 9, 2012
Posted by Sebastian in 2012 Election | 35 comments
Jonathan Adler over at Volokh posts about assessing Gary Johnson. I think it’s a damned shame this guy disappeared from politics for so long, because when the GOP field first revealed itself, he was my guy. His candidacy didn’t last long, and to be honest, I didn’t expect it to. Dropping off the political scene entirely for ten years is essentially an end to a political career. Nonetheless, Johnson was a very successful and popular Governor of New Mexico, which is a tough state to be a Republican in.
This election he’ll be running on the Libertarian ticket now, which essentially means he doesn’t stand a chance of doing anything save winning Obama another eight years. I know when I say things like that, it pisses off a lot of Libertarian folks, but that is reality. I agree he’s the best Libertarian candidate I’ve seen in my lifetime, in terms of being a mainstream politician with actual executive experience at the state level. Presumably since he’s been a successful two term Governor, he also knows how to fund raise. But there are unfortunately, not enough libertarians in this country to carry a candidate to victory in a three way race. I could get excited about Johnson if the Democrats were fielding centrist candidates, but a surging Libertarian movement through the Libertarian party is going to mean the left get several more decades to drive the country closer to a European-style social democracy, which over the not-so-long run is going to mean the country goes bankrupt, and people will be burning money for warmth long before that.
The only way Libertarians can win elections in a winner-takes-all system is to coalition within one of the major parties. If we had a parliamentary system, that would happen as part of the government. In our system, it happens in extra-governmental political parties. Ron Paul was never going to accomplish that. Gary Johnson could have ten years ago, but not in 2012. I’m still waiting for our White Buffalo; someone who can carry libertarian principles and still hold on to social conservatives in the GOP, or someone who can forge a new movement for libertarian ideas in the Democratic party. That would take courage from a species of man who is normally uncourageous. It would take leadership from a type of people who are poor leaders. It will also take a willingness of libertarian-leaning people to understand there aren’t enough of them to carry majorities without forming coalitions with other interests. Can it happen? I think it could. But not this election.
Join the Conversation (35 comments)
May 9, 2012
Posted by Sebastian in Civil Liberties, Gun Rights | 5 comments
Tabs are getting pretty crowded, so I thought I’d go through some of the articles I’ve been collection. Late start on posting today, since I was up until 5AM doing an after-hours migration that took a lot longer than I anticipated, and I had already burned the bridge to get back:
E-bay is now allowing limited sales of gun parts. Disappointed about the 10+ round magazine restriction, but that’s probably rooted in them not wanting to monitor every sale, and train their staff on every state’s gun laws. Though, there are only, IIRC, 5 or six states that have magazine restrictions.
Knife rights are advancing in Georgia, with a state law to preempt local knife ordinances. Hey, knives are arms too. I think you can look to the folks at Knife Rights pushing this kind of preemption in other states as well. If you’re not a member of Knife Rights, you should join. I’ve talked to the folks behind this organization, and they really are trying to make things happen. It’s not just a fundraising setup. But they need members and funds badly, nonetheless.
The FBI wants internet companies to force every website to have a mandatory back door for wiretapping purposes. The FBI can go fsck themselves, as far as I’m concerned. This is an idea that is so monumentally stupid, it defies belief. Joe Huffman, also a tech guy, agrees. This would seriously compromise our national security. Why? Because backdoors are only a good idea until someone else gets the key, which makes them a stupid idea. Apparently the organization, founded by that great, honorable scoundrel, J. Edgar, hasn’t changed a bit. They don’t like that wiretapping on the Internet is difficult if not impossible. That’s a feature, guys, no a bug. My only worry is this is the kind of really stupid ass stuff that Republican’s eat up. The FBI is just more big government. F**k the FBI.
Extrano’s Alley look at whether Japan still has a low crime rate.
Clayton Cramer looks at how doing the right thing as a police officer will only get you fired. At least in New Jersey.
UPDATE: Forgot about Thirdpower, who is skeptical of the rumors of a Big Sis takeover by DHS, noting that it would be rough fighting a revolution only with .40S&W. I think it’s also wise to recall that the US Coast Guard is part of DHS, and they would be expected to go through a lot of ammo, and they do deploy .40S&W pistols.
Join the Conversation (5 comments)
May 8, 2012
Posted by Sebastian in 2012 Election | 5 comments
No matter what else happens this election cycle, there are at least politicians out there who’s uppance has finally come. Dick Lugar can now be added to that list. There was never any universe where Hoosiers needed to tolerate being represented by a guy who didn’t even think enough of the Second Amendment to sign on to the Heller brief.
UPDATE: Scott Walker is on the verge of doing better than the entire Democratic field in a Democratic primary.
UPDATE: While President Obama has won the West Virginia Primary, he did lose at least 40% of the vote and 5 7 whole counties to Democratic challenger Keith Judd, Federal Inmate number 11593-051, serving a federal prison sentence of 17 and a half years for extortion in the Federal Correctional Institution in Texarkana
UPDATE: Jim Geraghty of NRO: “I’m sure this night could have gone worse for Democrats, I’m just trying to think of how.”
Join the Conversation (5 comments)
May 8, 2012
Posted by Sebastian in 2012 Election, Gun Rights | 7 comments
They are threatening to veto the Rehberg Amendment, which blocks ATF from implementing multiple sales reporting.
President Obama has threatened to veto this appropriations bill because, among other things, it limits the gun control authority of ATF.
Yes, bring it on. I’d prefer a straight fight to all this sneaking around!
“Preventing the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives from requiring licensed firearms dealers in four border States to report information on the sale of multiple rifles or shotguns to the same person would hamper efforts to address the problem of illegal gun trafficking along the Southwest Border and in Mexico,” the Executive Office of the President said in a statement on the legislation.
Clearly the White House believes this is good ground to fight us on. Let’s see what else Obama might threaten to veto in this election year.
Join the Conversation (7 comments)
May 8, 2012
Posted by Sebastian in Gun Rights, Pennsylvania | 11 comments
Today is the 7th Annual Rally held in Harrisburg. Unfortunately, this is the second year in a row I haven’t been there, and the past couple times before that turnout has been nothing to write home about. This year, is looks to be about 100 people. I’m probably going to get raked over the coals for this, but I question the value of continuing to do a rally like this on an annual basis if it can’t draw the kinds of numbers it needs to really make a big impression on politicians.
For example, yesterday there was a rally for property tax reform that looks to have drawn a similar sized crowd compared to some of our low years. How many do you have to draw before it’s just another day, with another crowd at the capitol, with another interest they are lobbying for? I don’t think it’s in our interests to be, well, just another interest. We’re the gun lobby, and when we turn out, it ought to be with enough numbers put the fear of god into politicians. Is the rally turning out the numbers needed to accomplish that? I have seem some pretty good turnout in Harrisburg on rally day, but it’s pretty variable from year to year, from what I’ve been able to tell from my own experience.
But that’s not to say I think nothing works with 2A Rally Day. I believe breaking up into groups and having everyone go visit their legislators and key committee people who are sitting on whatever bill we want that year, is quite valuable. I also believe there needs to be more activities that benefit gun owners, to inform them, and teach them how to be better activists for the issue. It would be beneficial to them to hear how the political process works, so they can understand how they fit into that picture. I believe that would be more beneficial than listening to political speeches for several hours. In short, I think the rally needs to be more about the gun owners than the politicians, and in my several years of attending the rally, I’ve felt that the reverse was more true.
Should it be annual? Or should it only happen when we have a bill we need moved? I’m not sure I have an opinion on this. But I think it’s a tough sell to get gun owners to take a day off work every year, drive to Harrisburg at the crack of dawn to be there in time, just to listen to political speeches for several hours. That’s a lot to ask of people every year.
That said, I don’t particularly think I have all the answers on this topic, so if anyone has suggestions or criticism, I’m all ears in the comments. I’m particularly interested in hearing from Illinoisans who are involved with planning iGOLD, which has never, in any of the pictures I’ve seen, had problems with low turnout.
Join the Conversation (11 comments)
May 8, 2012
Posted by Sebastian in Civil Liberties | 3 comments
A politicians has finally come out for shutting down the TSA. From what I’ve seen so far, I like Rand a lot more than Ron. He would make a better standard bearer for the libertarianish wing of the GOP than Ron does.
Join the Conversation (3 comments)
May 8, 2012
Posted by Sebastian in 2012 Election, Gun Rights | 10 comments
Calling all Hoosiers! Calling all Hoosiers! It is time to send Dick Lugar packing. Don’t vote for a Lugar that hates your Luger! Vote for Richard Murdoch for Primary.
UPDATE: From Ken, in the comments:
Most of the commentary on Lugar neglects to mention the most important fact about him: he refused to sign onto the Heller amicus brief. He’s more left-wing on guns than Russ Feingold or Pat Leahy, IOW. It would have cost him nothing to do so, yet making an egregious insult toward gun owners, for him, outweighed the obvious political benefit of being on the same side as 75% of the American people. Lugar needs to go.
I had assumed that everyone knew Lugar had a horrible record on the Second Amendment, but I thought this comment drove the point home.
Join the Conversation (10 comments)
May 7, 2012
Posted by Sebastian in Military Stuff, Philadelphia | 13 comments
Philadelphia happens to host the oldest steel warship still afloat (for now). Bitter had never seen it, and since this weekend they were having special tours of the engine room (which in my several visits, I never had the opportunity to see), I decided now was time. She is a grand historic ship. Originally laid down in June of 1891, Commissioned in February of 1895, and finally decommissioned in December of 1922. She is a hero of the Spanish American War, having cruised into Manila Harbor and crushed the Spanish fleet. Her last active mission was to bring the remains of the Unknown Soldier from France to Arlington National Cemetery in October of 1921.
It was both a big disappointment and delightful for me to see the engine room. I had always looked down into it, but had never actually been in it, since it was not an area of the ship that often was open for tours. It was delightful to see it was actually in remarkable shape. But it was a disappointment to know, at the end of the day, it was still a dead museum ship.
While I like the fact that Olympia is a museum ship, and hope she finds the funds to continue being such, there is a large part of me that wishes I was wealthy enough to buy this ship outright from the Navy, and not only restore her to top notch museum quality ship, but enable her to once again steam under her own power. I think she could do that. I asked our naval tour guide about this, and he mentioned that many of the auxiliary steam engines can still turn easily by hand, and demonstrated such. I was surprised this would be the case on a 120 year old ship, where the boilers have been offline since 1922. But I saw it. I think I’d almost feel better if her engines were rusted hulks, which is where the disappointment comes in. It feels worse to consider some steam engines on a 120 year old ship, the oldest steel ship still in existence, can still be turned by hand, and yet she may still end up being fish habitat in a few years without proper funding.
Could you get a head of steam on the boilers? Could the system still hold steam? The screw’s main bearing still push a ship? If there was a problem, where would you get parts? I wish I was rich enough to find out.
I am not the kind of guy who is very much interested in taking a cruise, but I’d pay a lot of money to be a fly on the wall on Olympia under full steam. I’d love to try my hand at some of the guns. Could she be restored to full glory? Would it require too much replacement of vintage with modernity? I don’t know. But she deserves better than an uncertain fate, and possibly as a sunken marine habitat off Cape May, New Jersey, which is her fate if funds can’t be raised to save her. I’d hate to lose this unique bit of history.
Join the Conversation (13 comments)
May 4, 2012
Posted by Sebastian in Politics | 8 comments
If you’re a huckster like Morris Dees of the Southern Poverty Law Center, only some kinds of domestic terrorists are worthy of following closely. Others, not so much.
“We’re not really set up to cover the extreme Left,” they admit when, after several occupiers were busted in a plot to destroy a bridge, they are confronted with whether they plan to follow the Occupy movement.
A more honest answer would be that the people who bankroll the SPLC are far lefties, and “not really set up to cover the extreme Left,” means they don’t want to bite the hand that feeds them. But at least you know what SPLC is all about.
Join the Conversation (8 comments)
