And here I thought us knuckle dragging gun owners were the racists. People these days are often quick to cry racism when non exists or is intended. I’m not sure it was really intended here, but I can’t blame Blacks or Hispanics if they find these caricatures racially demeaning. I imagine it’s roughly similar to how we feel about this, this, and this.
Year: 2013
What Democracy Looks Like
From Albany:
Meanwhile, Cuomo wants to make technical amendments to the bill. The answer should be no. No fixes. Repeal is the only acceptable way forward. Cuomo rammed this through without so much as a peep of debate. He gets to live with it. He gets to wear the consequences.
Stay angry, my friends.
More Time to Mobilize
The Senate Judiciary Committee was set to possibly start moving gun control today, but they’ve decided to put it off for at least a week. They are waiting on a Tom Coburn/Chuck Schumer deal before they act. However, Sen. Grassley is saying that he thinks the universal background check bill could be passed without a deal. (Iowa, it sounds like you need to be making more phone calls…)
I’m happy with the delay since now it means I know I can go to the gun show this weekend and get lots of people signing postcards to Senators Bob Casey and Pat Toomey asking them to oppose gun control legislation. We’ll use the extra time to mobilize more people.
Spending More Bloomberg Money
Joe Baca is considering a rematch. Baca was made considerably weaker in redistricting when his majority hispanic district was redrawn, and he would have been pitted up against Maxine Waters in a primary. Baca decided that wasn’t going to be in the cards, he decided to run in the open primary for California’s 35th congressional district, against Gloria Negrete McLeod. Like a shark smelling blood in the water, Bloomberg dumped a ton of money into that race too:
“It seemed like Bloomberg was more interested in unseating me and in sacrificing the truth during that campaign,” he said. “Hopefully this time I run against [Negrete McLeod] and not against the mayor of New York.”
I don’t view Joe would have much of a chance in a primary against an incumbent, but I’d be happy to see him run again. Two million might be money found in the sofa to Bloomberg, but I don’t see any reason to make this struggle cheap for him. Like I said, he’s been taking easy bets.
Bloomberg in DC, Lobbying
Meeting with lawmakers while the Senate is considering new gun control. It’s critically important that people call their Senators (202-224-3121) and express opposition to new gun control.
Bloomberg also visited Capitol Hill on Wednesday, and talked about guns with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) and found the meetings productive. “While none of them made a specific commitment — so you can’t go back and say, ‘you told Bloomberg this’ — I walked away comfortable that they understand the issue and that they will be there,” he said.
Bloomberg and the media have been happy to spin the victory over Debbie Halvorson as his having bought that seat, but the Chicago Tribune thinks there’s more to it than that, and there certainly is. This was a long shot pickup possibility for us. I like making Bloomberg spend big money on long shots.
Also, the fact that McCain has been so non-committal on a private sale ban, instead of enthusiastically leading the charge, as you might expect, is surprising. I’m not certain he’s has a change of heart on the issue, but perhaps he realizes how bad it would damage the GOP if they are seen as caving to Bloomberg and the Administration on gun rights. If he doesn’t realize that, he should. And so should every other Republican.
We Have Come to This?
The left is basically tearing Bob Woodward to pieces, because, well, the White House asked them to, because he wrote a piece critical of the Administration’s position that the sequester is all the fault of the Republicans. I know what what has become of the journalism profession, but it is a very dark place they are in right now. The journalism profession is, in my opinion, the largest threat to the Republic currently. A sensible media, with strong values and a deep love and respect for our constitutional freedoms, would be circling the wagons around Woodward and ripping the White House to pieces. This is a sad spectacle for freedom.
The Sad Spectacle
I’ve cut the whole hearing to just the parts with our pro-Second Amendment panelists, and part of the Question and Answer. There was a lot of raw emotion on display, including one of the Newtown fathers, who we’ve seen before, and who could not testify without breaking down. It was truly a very unfortunate spectacle, and it was hard to watch. Nonetheless, while I can empathize with a grieving father, I can’t empathize with the politicians who engage in this kind of emotional blackmail with the intent to lambast me and those on my side as uncaring monsters. I think rights are important. I think constitutional rights are very important, and that’s a bigger issue than you, me, or anyone. That does not make us monsters, it makes us concerned Americans. First, the testimony of our people:
Next, the utter disrespect on display by the shameless anti-gun politicians here. You’ll also note that there were no murders in Philadelphia with rifles in 2012. None. Zip. Zero. Also note Blumenthal talking about how this is just a reasonable first step. What’s next Senator? Does anyone still believe these people aren’t going to ban your guns? Why wouldn’t they? They hate you, and make that abundantly clear:
So What if they Are?
We watched the full hearing organized by Senator Feinstein, and I managed to capture most of it for later presentment. I think the purpose of the hearing was so frustrated anti-gunners could yell at our witnesses and treat them disrespectfully, likely taking out their frustration that we’re beating them. Let us keep it up. The Washington Times covers one statement by the Wicked Witch of the West:
Assault weapons are “personal pleasure[s]†that should not take precedence over the good of the nation,†she said.
Yes, because we can only have personal pleasures, in Diane Feinstein’s world, at her pleasure. In her mind, we are not citizens, we are subjects. This is the same attitude that motivated insane moral crusaders like Carrie Nation. We all ought to have our own personal pleasures in life, and that is to the good of the nation, even of those pleasures are sometimes costly.
And furthermore, shooting is only a pleasure during normal circumstances. When things go pear shaped, it becomes a matter of life and death. I will have more video for you later. This hearing really was telling, and I want you to see the disdain they have for Americans. We have to toss these insufferable elites out on their tails.
Biden Continuing to Lobby in Colorado
Republicans are trying to make hay of it, but the fact is having the full weight of the White House behind and effort makes a huge difference, especially when the legislature is controlled by Democrats. I’ve never before in my life seen the issue this partisan. There were always pro-gun Democrats you could count on. I’m pleased the Republicans seem to be sticking with us so far, but how long will that last if we’re handed defeat after defeat? I know it sucks, but we’re going to have to be minutemen, ready to spring into action at a moments notice, for the next four years. I know it’s tiring, and I know it sucks, but if we don’t, we’re going to lose. It may be too late to stop what’s coming in Colorado, and that’s going to make a lot of people angry. But don’t get mad, get even. Throw the bums who vote for this stuff out on their tails.
Rumor about NY Safe Act
Two gun owners filed a lawsuit against the SAFE act. Rumor has it the state has been enjoined from enforcing SAFE. As best I can tell this is not the case. The judge handling the case has merely compelled the state to make a case:
The Hon. Deborah Chimes has signed an order against the State of New York and Governor Andrew Cuomo requiring Respondents to appear before the court on April 29th and provide good cause and reasons why the State should not be enjoined from enforcing any pnovision of the assault weapons ban.
That will be the date for a hearing on an injunction. Don’t crack out the shovels and start digging them back up yet, New Yorkers. The law is still in effect by my reading of this.