The Gift that Won’t Stop Giving

Ted Nugent, firm believer that there’s no such thing as bad publicity, is at it again.

I could go onto a rant about why the hell is this guy still getting nominated to the Board (I get he could run by petition and win, but why endorse it?). The only way we can expand our political power is to grow the tent. Some questions for people to discuss in the comments:

  1. Is Nugent helping keep the tent full, or is he driving more people away from it?
    Does the nonsense spewing from his maw actually accomplish something for us, and if so what?
  2. Does this kind of rhetoric bring in support from places we need it? Not all new NRA members are created equal. I’d rather have ten new NRA members where I live, in Northern Virginia, or in Columbus, Ohio than have 100 new NRA members in rural Oklahoma.
  3. The reason Nugent’s inane commentary gets amplified is because it gins up our opponents base and hardens their soft supporters. The other side has a bigger amplifier than we do. Does that mean we need to police our kooks harder than the other side needs to police theirs?

47 thoughts on “The Gift that Won’t Stop Giving”

  1. One the one hand, we have over-the-top people like Nugent.

    On the other, we have 2nd amendment “but” heads (I believe in the 2nd amendment, but …” “I’m a gun owner and grew up with guns, but …”)

    I’m not a fan of the former, but I think the latter are the worst of all.

    If we’re going to have a big tent we’re going to have a few clowns. Just gotta make sure we have enough normal people to balance them out.

  2. Ted Nugent is fighting back against the left, and their dirty “Khmer Rouge” tactics being vocalized by pigs like David Hogg and his Mrs. Fidel Castro wannabe, Emma Gonzalez. His comments about the radical left are dead on accurate, as they are not only looking to erase the 2nd Amendment, but the entire Constitution and Bill of Rights.

    Those 2 Parkland Students, Democrat Politicians, Democrat Party Political Advisors, and Leftwing Political Pundits are using the NRA as a stawman to dogwhistle to their base that American Gunowners are Political Dissidents that must be violently and forcefully purged from society.

    They’ve called us “Serial Killers”, “Child Murderers”, “Terrorists worse than ISIS”, and “Killers with the blood of children on their hands”.

    Ted Nugent is a flawed person, but he is more actively defending us in a more counter-offensive manner, and you know what, it’s better than What Laura Ingraham did, making the worst possible decision she could’ve made; extending her hand out to David Hogg and the radical left by “apologizing” to him for her criticism….BIG MISTAKE; AS David Hogg and his fellow pigs are becoming more vile and filthy in their attacks against us.

    We are in a “Culture-War” whether we like it or not, because the Left has made our body-politic centered around a culture-war that advocates overthrowing the Constitution and Bill of Rights, 2nd Amendment and all.

    1. Except he’s not actually shooting radical lefties, and I think few people would seriously argue for that. So how does this help?

      1. He’s fighting back and showing backbone. There’s nothing we can do regarding “compromising” with the Left on the 2nd Amendment, as well as the Constitution and Bill of Rights as a whole.

        I listened to Ted Nugent’s interview with Alex Jones and Infowars, as I listen to Infowars (I trust them a s***-storm more than garbage like CNN, MSNBC, WaPo, NYT, MSLSD).

        Ted Nugent is warning the 95-135 million gunowners of America about the following things:

        1). Get out and Vote, primary and general elelections. DO.NOT. become apathetic.

        2). Recognize that the Left wants to destroy you and there is no compromise with them.

        3). If we lose, you can kiss the entire Constitution and Bill of Rights goodbye; 2nd Amendment and all. Say hello to an actual Soviet System of Government in this Country.

        The truth hurts more than we can admit, but we have to admit to ourselves and accept the truth about the dire-straights we’re in.

      2. Hopefully he’ll move the Overton Window enough so some others will start killing these traitors.

        In a civil war, we are SURE to win. We have the veterans, the military, and the CiC on our side.

        Personally, I can’t wait.

  3. People who argue that a “big tent” justifies tolerance for everything that represents to be on “our side” ignore the possibility, nay probability, that a small, obnoxious crowd on one side of the tent can be causing several times more people to be quietly crawling out under the canvas on the far side of the tent. If the noxious crowd doesn’t have anything really useful to contribute, only bullshit and bluster, attracting yet more of the same quality people – while driving more people away – it will be a net loss to the movement.

    I have a practical but too-long political story that illustrates that. I’ll reduce it to, a “movement” wherein we made real, measurable political progress while not tolerating loony-tunes in our ranks, but that progress was totally erased (and today is long forgotten) when a new leadership went for head count, so embraced every loudmouth who would represent to be “one of us.” Shortly the loon minority were the only participants remaining.

    1. Give us an “abstract” of that political story…….I bet it has to do with……Donald Trump,……Right?!

      1. I can tell a similar story in the 2013 time frame. I watched it happen. I’ll describe it:

        A group of Tea Party types decided to use their lists to organize opposition to gun control after Sandy Hook. They were turning out 300-400 people to meetings. Even the local politicians were taking notice.

        Then the loons started controlling the group’s messaging. Those numbers then dropped. All that political power that was being built was pissed away on lunacy.

        1. The Tea Party got co-opted and assasinated by the Bush/Establish Wing of the GOP IN 2015. Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell, Lindsay Graham, John Boehner, etc. etc., assasinated the Tea Party movement.

          1. It’s more complicated than that, but that’s certainly part of the picture. The other part is that a lot of DC groups started milking the movement for money, and ended up coopting the brand. But none of those groups really had any vision for how to use it.

            1. Took the words right out of my mouth on the other point. I just couldn’t get it all together, but you certainly put better detail to it.

              The NRA actually called my household on Friday, and my wife answered the phone. They asked her “how can the NRA function better as an organization”? She had the phone on speaker so I could hear everything, but she took my thoughts on many ways to answer that question without me even needing to speak.

              One huge thing the wife told that NRA caller was; “Stop endorsing Establishment, Country-Club, Chamber of Commerce Loyal Republicans like Paul Ryan, Thom Tillis, Lindsay Graham, Mitch McConnell, Kevin McCarthy, Jon Cornyn, Bob Corker” etc. (She told off a massive list) or we will rip up our memberships and leave the organization”.

              We talked about these exact same things with fellow club members during our range outing on Sunday as well. We all belong to the Buckeye Firearms Association and Ohio Carry as well, and our membership and even upper figures with our State groups are fed up! with the Establishment GOP and the NRA backing them. Wayne Lapierre needs to be shown the door as well, as he’s part of that GOP Establishment.

              We should have National Reciprocity, the Hearing Protection Act, SHARE Act, repeal of the 1986 Hughes Amendment, and (one I really want), the removal of Short Barrel Rifles and Short Barrel Shotguns from the NFA. The GOP Establishment needs to go to hell.

              1. So what you told them is you care more about non-gun issues than you do about gun issues? You want them to be pure when it comes to conservative values.

                1. The Establishment GOP isn’t doing anything for us. They’re however, scuttling their Legislative Majorities to the Democrats for 2018, so that Trump can be impeached…..kiss 2020 goodbye, and say hello to a 2020 Democrat Landslide, WH, House, Senate, and Courts.

                  The wife and I told the NRA, to disconnect from the GOP Establishment, because that’s what’s killing us right now and beyond.

                  Also, and again, we are in a “Culture-War” whether we like it or not, because the Left has made our body-politic centered around a culture-war that advocates overthrowing the Constitution and Bill of Rights, 2nd Amendment and all; just to reiterate.

                  Our 2nd Amendment is apart of the horrible Culture War that we’re having to fight whether we like it or not.

                  1. What if those establishment GOP pols are squishy on a lot of issues, but are otherwise pretty pro-gun? You name Ryan, but Ryan brought up National Reciprocity and got it passed by the House.

                    1. McConnell has done nothing, and why isn’t Ryan calling out McConnell to the carpet for not taking it up in the Senate?…..Because, to me, it’s just a circus act.

                      You’ve been saying that there are to many GOP Politicians that aren’t “pro-gun enough”, and it’s the Establishment GOP are the ones you’re mad at too.

                      The Establishment GOP are our enemy. They’re on board with Open Borders and Amnesty that will ram-rod this Country’s Demographics to the Democrats, just as what happened to California in the late 80’s to mid-90’s.

                    2. Because you need 60 votes to pass anything in the Senate. Which means you need all 52 Republicans on board, and then 8 Dems on top of that. Where do those 8 dems come from?

                    3. Bring up the Bill and put the Democrats on record against National Reciprocity.

                      States like Michigan and Wisconsin would throw out Democrat Senators like Baldwin and Stabenow. Bob Casey (D-PA) Angus King (D-ME), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) would be guaranteed to be defeated, and even though he stabbed gun owners in the back, Rick Scott would be a guaranteed shoe-in to beat Bill Nelson in Florida.

                      Combine that with WV, MO, IN, ND, and Montana, whom are gonna elect GOP Senators, regardless of Trump’s approval rating, you now have 61 Senators to pass National Reciprocity.

                      Standing up on principle isn’t something Establishment Republicans can do because they have no principles.

                    4. All those people are already on record as being against it. I also lack your faith than “No” on NR would defeat Casey.

                    5. But you have to fight. Put the Democrats on record and let them filibuster, or end the filibuster and put it to an up or down vote.

                      Regarding the Filibuster, don’t you worry. When the Democrat Party recaptures the House and Senate Majorities after the 2018 Midterms, Chuck Schumer is gonna endvthat Filibuster, and with a Nancy Pelosi controlled House of Representatives, you can bet there will be an up or down vote on an Assault Weapons Ban that bans and confiscates all Semiautomatic Firearms and greater than 10 round Magazines through the Federal Legislature, to President Trump’s desk.

                      BTW, I’m afraid for you guys in Pennsylvania for 2019 and onward. If you guys are retarded enough to reelecte Tom Wolf and give him so much as 1 Chamber of the PA Legislature to the Democrats, he’s gonna do to you guys what Jim Florio, Jim McGreavy, and Jon Corzine did to New Jersey.

      2. “I bet it has to do with……Donald Trump,……Right?!”

        No. Not right. Double-digit years before Trump got into politics at all. Even with the Reform Party.

        But – it did inform my opinion of what would happen, when the latter day Trump phenomenon came along. The variation with Trump is, he’s the Bull-Goose-Loony who brought the rest out of the woodwork. Or maybe “Pied Piper” is a better metaphor?

        We still have a way to go before that plays out, completely, but the outcome I do not expect to be good. For gun owners or for anyone.

        1. If there’s one thing I will say is this:

          The mask is off the face of the Left. They’re in the open about wanting to overthrow the US Constitution and Bill of Rights.

          You’re looking at a Soviet Union style Government in this Country within the next 10-15 years……..That’s how bad I see it getting unless those of us on the Right get off our rears, stop getting apathetic, and turn on our actual grassroots potential.

          This Country is literally being robbed of the last tooth in it’s mouth.

          1. “They’re in the open about wanting to overthrow the US Constitution and Bill of Rights.”

            You are either making the same mistake, or using the identical tactic, as those on the left; characterizing the opposing side as a monolith that is collectively unmasked by what a few say or do.

            It probably can’t be quantified, but the left right now is doing it far more effectively by using the “alt-right”, white supremacists, and neo-Nazis to characterize “the right.” They have no shortage of data to make their case, with Trump as POTUS; almost all the unsavories love Trump, “the right” loves Trump, and therefore, voila’ everyone on the right fellow-travels with white supremacists and neo-Nazis.

            You can argue with it, and hate it, but it’s working.

            1. The MSM is effectively brainwashing people into believing what your saying, but you know what else;

              The Neo Nazi BS was effective in destroying the Reform Party that Ross Perot founded. David Duke conveniently reared his head to “support” the reform party, and essentially scuttle it. Jesse Ventura’s political career (as well as Ross Perot’s) was ruined too. This same thing is conveniently going on with Trump now.

              You see, the Neo Nazi KKK bullshit always rears it’s ugly head when the Left is in trouble. People like yourself believe the BULLSHIT Data about Trump being a closet-nazi, whom nazis support, and im turn with your statement “They have no shortage of data”, you’re surrendering

              Just remember, that Identity Politics is a Leftwing Political Characteristic. Nazism/Fascism descends from Fabian Socialism, and the Nazis and Fascists were students of Marxist Political Theory. The Democrat Party is fanning the flames of Tribal Identity Politics, and their Fascism is of 2 Colors, but White isn’t one of the 2.
              If our side would stop accepting the Liberal Media and their Nazi-Nazi-KKK BULLSHIT, we’d be beating them right now.

              Our side needs to be getting to people and breaking the cycle of the Liberal Media and their “Nazi-Nazi-KKK” screams, and how they are the real fascist monolith trying to destroy this Country.

              You can’t stop the fact that the Left has declared a Culture-War upon us.

  4. Does anybody really care? I read media of all political persuasion and I almost never see anything about him.

      1. OK, I concede your point, he does get covered. I guess I just filter out anything having to do with “celebrities”. The world would be a better place if everybody did that.

    1. “I read media of all political persuasion and I almost never see anything about him.”

      As Sebastian observes, The Hill is very mainstream, but the left wing news aggregators seem never to miss a Nugent antic wherever it’s documented.

      That is even more true when Nugent is caught on video. There are left wing YouTube channels that make a special effort to capture Nugent, verbatim and sans editing.

      1. I don’t do much video and the lefties are enemies who are against us no matter what. If you really won’t to get rid of the guy complain to Twitter and YouTube (pretending to be a leftist). It shouldn’t be hard to get him deplatformed.

  5. I care enough that I’ll be not voting for him when his name comes up on the NRA ballot.

  6. I’m so sick of that guy. Of course I want somebody who fights. But I don’t want Lleroy Jenkins. I want Jack Bauer.

  7. 10 out of 30 comments so far are from Joe. So one-third of this discussion is dominated by Joe. AGAIN.
    The only prediction more reliable than Joe drowning out everyone else on this blog is someone blaming this whole thing on Ack-Mac (since they are the company that arranges the celebrities).

    1. I’m also reluctant to make posting frequency a reason to ban someone. What’s a good way to deal with it? I’m really at a loss. I’ve always been open to all views here, and will only ban people for being nasty. Even then, I’ve historically given a lot of leeway. Maybe that needs to change?

      1. Posting frequency can be a difficult thing to measure, too. I’ve had times where I have made at least half of the posts (particularly for the news ones) because I’d read an article, then post a thought about that article, and had thoughts about half the articles.

        And what do you do about those posts that become back-and-forth arguments between two people, each of which are defending their points in good faith, and both are holding their own?

        On the other hand, every so often, someone dominates the comments section, being a little too repetitive…but their dominance can drive people away…so I agree that it can be a difficult thing to address…

      2. I don’t always agree with Joe but after you didn’t ban the obvious troll from a few months ago, I don’t see how you ban him.

      3. I think as long as a poster is adding to the discussion, and there is a back and forth to his comments (like in this thread), its okay. When its just one person commenting on every other post, then I’d recommend getting involved (doesn’t even have to be a ban at first). Its more of a feel than a science.

        1. That’s what I’m leaning toward. It just gets to a point where someone is basically using my comments to blog.

          It’s not so much the posting frequency, as it is borrowing someone else’s forum to promote your own viewpoint rather than trying to engage in discussion or commentary.

          But that’s a bit of a Potter Stewart test of “I know it when I see it.” At the end of the day, it’s my servers and bandwidth, so I don’t need clean line rules. But I’ve always been very concerned about creating an echo chamber. I worry about that on social media too, which is why I only tend to filter out the most pipe hittin’ meme sharers, rather than people who disagree with me.

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