Time to polish up on your shotgunning skills:
Merry Christmas everyone, I think. Hope you got some #4 bird shot in your stocking.
Venn Diagram of Santa
For your ho! ho! holiday enjoyment:
Recess Appointment?
The Senate didn’t act on Andrew Traver, so the question becomes, will Obama recess appoint him? My money will be on yes, which will indicate the time of detente with the White House may be over.
Glad I’m Not the Only One
I would only use my powers for Good. Such as calling in DPICM on those giant twenty-foot inflatable snowmen in people’s yards.
Yes. Bitter and I have been discussing whether it might be possible to train the local squirrel population to gnaw on these things. They seem to get bigger every year. One house on our street has one that could peer into the second story window. I kid you not. Fortunately, high winds have been keeping them at bay, which is good, because if a giant frosty goes floating by my window in the wind, it’s going to seriously freak me out.
My neighbor’s Santa Copter lighted lawn ornament is still in full display, and may be literally taking to the skies if the wind gets much worse around here. Hopefully Santa knows to give it some left pedal as he pulls up the the collective to avoid my car if he gets the proper clearance from the FAA.
Montana Senators Announce Opposition to ATF Power Grab
Both Baucus and Tester have spoken out against the requirement, arguing that such a regulation being proposed as the prerogative of Congress, not of ATF.
UPDATE: Denny Rehberg, Montana’s Congressman, has joined with a letter to ATF, co-signed by 33 other house members. You can find that letter here.
Worth noting that Montana’s Senators are both Democrats, and probably have the most to lose if the Democrats are visibly seen as pushing a gun control agenda.
Militia Crazy
The Sovereign Citizens are always the most entertaining:
Fast forward to December 15. The pre-trial hearing got off to a bad start when Cox refused to remove his trademark hat. Then a member of Cox’s militia entourage, Ken Thesing, announced that he was representing Cox, calling himself the militia leader’s “counsel before God.†Next, Cox attempted to serve the judge with a bundle of paperwork. “You’re now being treated as a criminal engaged in criminal activity, and you’re being served in that manner,†Cox told District Court Judge Patrick Hammers.
He’s the youngest, most clean cut guy I’ve noticed pulling this kind of stuff. Usually this kind of orneriness doesn’t set in until middle age. No word yet on whether the courtroom in question has a fringed flag, but they have already declared it an admiralty court.
NRA Holiday Catalog
Apparently it’s made Josh Sugarmann wet his pants. Good job guys!
Overhauling Hunter Ed
I’m glad to see NRA seeing the need here. I think the establishment of these classroom programs was a mistake, and has created a barrier to entry for hunting it can ill afford in the 21st century. Much better would be an apprenticeship program, with certification available for hunters who want to mentor new hunters. I strongly believe there need to be a variety of ways potential hunters can get educated. The one-size-fits-all approach isn’t working. NRA is pushing online courses, which apparently only Indiana is investigating, with other states threatening to cease recognizing Hoosier hunters as having completed the requirement in retaliation.
I suspect the greatest resistance to this will come from hunters themselves, who I’ve consistently believed are the greatest enemies of their own sport. It’s is very important for the shooting community to save hunting, but I’m not that optimistic. I think hunting will continue to decline, as previous generations of hunters reflexively resist change, and actively help hunting’s enemies to eliminate forms of the sport they don’t approve of. Sorry to be grim, but if there’s a survival instinct in the hunting community, I haven’t seen it.
Campaign Finances in Uncompetitive Districts
It would seem that spending can get rather lavish when candidates who run in uncompetitive districts have to spend their campaign money. Not something I think the government should regulate, but good on the Tribune-Review for pointing this out. It would make me think twice if I had been a campaign donor.
State Government Committee to Get Interesting?
John Micek reports all the committee chairmanships for the next session of the Pennsylvania House. Looks like State Government is going to be chaired by Rep. Daryl Metcalfe as majority chair and Rep. Babette Josephs as minority chair. Those of you who in your youth may have derived entertainment by throwing elemental sodium into water, or mixing up baking soda and vinegar, should appreciate this mix of characters.