Posts Tagged ‘Politics’
September 15, 2008
Dear Fellow Taxpayer,
The so-called “Gang of 20” Senate energy compromise will raise taxes on domestic energy production, and will cost America more than 600,000 jobs. That’s not all, because the bill raises corporate income taxes, it is a violation of the Taxpayer Protection Pledge sponsored by our organization, Americans for Tax Reform.
Currently, there are eight Pledge signers who are listed as supporters of the “Gang of 20” Senate Energy Plan; Senators Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), Norm Coleman (R-MN), Bob Corker (R-TN), Elizabeth Dole (R-NC), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Ben Nelson (D-NE), John Sununu (R-NH), and John Thune (R-SD). These eight Senators are in serious danger of breaking their Pledge to their constituents. All for an energy bill that will do almost nothing to increase the supply of oil, and which will cost American jobs.
Tell your Senators that raising taxes on energy production is a big mistake!
Tell them to abandon the fatally flawed “Gang of 20” energy plan.
And it gets even worse...the “Gang of 20” plan will also create a new permanent ban on offshore drilling forever. We need more domestic oil supplies, not less! (which is now set to expire on October 1st, 2008). This means that these Senators want to lock away the 115 billion barrels of oil domestically available
Tell your Senator to oppose and abandon the “Gang of 20” energy plan and instead allow the ban on offshore drilling to expire on October 1st!
Take Action Now!
Click Here
Onward,
Grover Norquist
President
Americans for Tax Reform
This is just plain bad politics…
Tags:Politics, Taxes
Posted in Economics, Editorial, Opinion, Education, News, Politics, Uncategorized, Wordpress Political Blogs | 2 Comments »
September 15, 2008
Friends,
Two weeks ago, conservatives let out a big cheer as we learned who John McCain has chosen as his running mate.
The cheering hasn’t stopped since.
Since the announcement, Governor Palin have energized Republicans across the nation and sent the Obama campaign into a tailspin.
Michael Reagan even said that Governor Palin is the next Reagan.
The Left has a different response. Barack Obama and his allies have unleashed a barrage of despicable smears and attacks on Governor Palin’s record, her background, and even her family. Obama has even implied that Governor Palin is a “pig.” There is debate if that is what he meant but as the video of his comments demonstrates, his liberal audience clearly took it as a reference to Governor Palin. The hateful speech from Obama must stop.
Get the truth about Sarah Palin by ordering her biography, Sarah: How a Hockey Mom Turned Alaska’s Political Establishment Upside Down, FREE with Townhall Magazine now.
The mainstream media has joined in the attacks. They have failed to separate truth from rumor and smear. They have applied a double-standard against Gov. Palin that no other candidate would have to endure. Just this past week, ABC’s Charlie Gibson looked down his nose in condescending fashion and mocked Palin’s seriousness as a candidate for Vice President.
So far Gov. Palin has fought back against the attacks, but the attacks will continue. The Left can’t afford for you to know the real Sarah Palin — they have to create a fictional story if they are going to defeat the biggest breath of fresh air to hit the national scene in decades.
source:
Jonathan Garthwaite
Editor-in-Chief, Townhall.com
For my part I am not at all happy with the implied name calling. I am also not happy when we who are against Obama are automatically classified racist. I oppose Obama for many reasons. His policy’s will destroy this nation, and quite possibly lead to full blown civil war. His personal associations are more than suspect: Criminals, racist preachers, and known unrepentant terrorist’s are but a few that I simply cannot allow to be brushed aside. It is said that “birds of a feather flock together.” Do we really want somebody like that as our President?
Do we genuinely want a person that has sworn to uphold the Constitution but has regularly used his power to try and undermine our inalienable rights? Do we really want a person with his track record as our President?
I think not!
Tags:Election 2008, Obama, Opinion, Politics
Posted in Economics, Editorial, Opinion, Education, Gun Control, Men's Issues, Politics, Uncategorized, Wordpress Political Blogs | 1 Comment »
September 13, 2008
I didn’t write about the tragedy of September eleventh the other day because, well? My Internet access just was not up to par that day. As many that have followed my writings here, and on forums over the years since the attack know. I had thirteen friends killed there that day. All of them were rescuers. Either Firefighters or EMS workers. Each and everyone of them gave their lives in helping those that could not help themselves, or attempting to do so.
There is another take on the event though. That of the survivor. Eric, over at Tygger Express did an in depth interview with one such person. It’s a very good read, and I urge you to follow the link.
My feelings have not changed a single iota when it comes to the perpetrators of the attacks. Kill every last one of them, and I don’t give a damn who in the world we anger by doing it. Get them wherever we can find them. Do it openly, and publicly, in full view of the world.
Tags:9/11, editorial, FDNY, NYEMS, Politics, Terrorism, War
Posted in Editorial, Opinion, Men's Issues, Politics, Uncategorized, Wordpress Political Blogs | Comments Off on About September eleventh
September 10, 2008
Outlaw federal agency BATFE continues to ignore the law of the land. Here is an update from GOA.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Gun owners across the nation are still rejoicing over the Supreme Court
decision that struck down portions of the DC gun ban as unconstitutional.
But the Heller decision has also signaled the beginning of a new major
assault by the anti-gun left.
Make no mistake, the anti-gun lobby is not going quietly into the night.
They are absolutely rabid over this decision -- and their friends in
Congress are in a strong position to legislate away those gun freedoms which
the Supreme Court has affirmed.
In the meantime, agencies like the federal BATFE (Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) appear to have no intention, whatsoever,
of stopping their attacks on law-abiding gun owners, gun dealers and
manufacturers.
In GOA's newsletter which recently landed in mailboxes (The Gun Owners,
August 18), we detailed the lengths to which the BATFE is going to trample
the rights of gun owners and dealers.
From using paid "informants" to provide false testimony, to
physically
altering firearms to turn them into "machine guns," to
abusing and harassing
mom and pop gun shops who cannot afford to legally defend themselves, this
agency appears not only to have little or no regards for the rights of
citizens, but is clearly willing even to ignore the rulings of the Supreme
Court.
As you know, Gun Owners is helping to defend David Olofson, a recent victim
of BATFE abuse who has been sentenced to 30 months in the Federal
Correctional Institute at Sandstone, Minnesota for the alleged crime of
knowingly transferring an unregistered machine gun.
GOA submitted an appeal on August 25, 2008, to get him released from prison,
and our brief is viewable at http://www.gunowners.org/fs0806.pdf on the GOA
website.
We took on the case when we learned that the so-called "machine
gun" that
Olofson owned was, in reality, one of thousands of ordinary semi-automatic
rifles made by Olympic Arms. It happened to misfire a few extra rounds when
a friend was using it at a range -- thus drawing the attention of the feds.
However, it only became a machine gun when the BATFE, behind closed doors,
mechanically tampered with the rifle.
Getting guns to malfunction is a favorite technique of the BATFE as it gives
them a great opportunity to rack up convictions on the possession or selling
of "machine guns," which requires a special type of license.
As a result, David Olofson has been robbed of all his freedom, not just his
right to keep and bear arms. He has lost his liberty, his family, and his
life outside of prison.
It is just a turn of fate that it is David Olofson -- not you or any other
semi-auto owner you know -- who is rotting away in prison.
And that's why GOA came to his aide, and we are pleased to report that you
guys have been a tremendous blessing to the Olofson family.
David's wife, Candy, told GOA Executive Director Larry Pratt last week that
contributions from GOA members have been a tremendous help. So much so,
that she does not need to take a second job, thus allowing her to spend time
with her children.
All of this has resulted from the many GOA members who are making monthly
contributions to help pay the Olofson family's mortgage and car payment.
By the way, a lawyer friend who lives near Candy told her that GOA's brief
was superb. One could could hear the encouragement in her voice that
resulted from what the attorney told her.
So, now that we have the Olofson family stabilized, we're asking you to help
us get stabilized. This case is very expensive, and we need your help to
continue pressing ahead for his release from prison.
The costs in taking on this case are huge, although it's a burden we gladly
bear because of the danger that it presents to ALL gun owners -- especially
those who own semi-automatic firearms. If this injustice stands, it will
give the ATF the green light to put millions of additional gun owners in
their cross hairs.
GOA also needs your financial help because we are using this experience to
work with a team of experts to develop written testing standards that could
be imposed on the BATFE by law. Such a law would protect individual gun
owners, manufacturers and dealers alike, and would be the next best thing to
getting rid of The Gang (aka, the BATFE).
So please help GOA to accomplish these worthwhile efforts.
You can help GOA continue fighting to defend David Olofson -- and all gun
owners like him -- by going to http://www.gunowners.org/ordergoamem.htm on
the GOA website. Thank you.
Tags:BATFE, David Olofson, Gun Control, Law, News, Politics, RKBA
Posted in Editorial, Opinion, Education, Gun Control, News, Politics, Uncategorized, Wordpress Political Blogs | Comments Off on Update: BATFE and David Olofson
September 8, 2008
First, I would like to thank Edger from Opposing Views for commenting.I looked over the debate there about guns, and if they make you safer or not. Vetted experts from both sides of this debate had free reign, and the discussion looks lively.
I may, or may not be considered an expert on this subject. My background is one that includes actually using a firearm to defend myself and others. As opposed to so many that talk about having frightened off an assailant with a firearm. I also spent more than twenty years in a major metropolitan area working as a Paramedic. That gave me a front row seat in the gun play scenario. Over the years I learned a few things from that experience. I also developed some pretty strong opinions after seeing things that happened to friends.
- I never once saw an instance where a person had his or her firearm taken from them and then used against them. This is an urban myth that the hopolophobes continue to toss around that has little if any basis in fact. Think otherwise? Fine, show us the numbers…
- I have known five women that were raped and had been denied the ability to effectively defend themselves. Read; they were denied the ability to own a firearm.
- I have known seven women that stopped an attempted sexual assault using a firearm. See the above for comparison.
- Kids with guns? Just last year a young man saved his mothers life when she was attacked by Pit Bulls that had already killed another woman in the Parker, Colorado area. While anecdotal many minors have saved family members from marauding bears in Canada.
- Kids harming themselves or others “playing” with guns are the result of poor parenting, period. Teach your kids about firearms and those things will not be happening as often as they do. Which is about five times a year on average.
- Gang Bangers’ are not kids playing with guns, they are criminals committing criminal acts. Learn to tell the difference.
- Submitting to an assault is more likely to result in debilitating injury or death than effectively resisting according to the FBI. Don’t believe me? Look it up for yourself. If you refuse to do that then your mind is made up already, and fact or logic will not change that.
- Shooting someone by mistake, such as a loved one is the result of poor, or no training. I recommend FRONT SIGHT or GUNSITE for the best training available in the world. Lacking that the NRA has low cost programs almost every where. Just remember, you get what you pay for.
I conclude with this statement: Guns save lives. Guns take lives. It is the person behind the weapon that is either good or evil, smart or stupid. A firearm is a tool. Nothing more.
Tags:Are guns safe?, Front Sight Training, Gun Control, Gun Owners of America, Gunsite, Hopolophobia, National Rifle Association, Politics, Rape, robbery
Posted in Editorial, Opinion, Education, Gun Control, Politics, Uncategorized, Wordpress Political Blogs | Comments Off on My response to a debate
August 25, 2008
“[Barack] Obama represents the merger of two of the worst aspects of Democratic politics—’60s radicalism and corrupt Chicago machine politics. With the addition of Slow Joe Biden to the ticket, Obama has added to his unsteady candidacy an epic amount of Beltway cluelessness and arrogance unsupported by anything except frequent flier miles and Delaware’s love for a chuckle-headed fellow with a big smile… I was worried that the Dems had pointed out to Obama that his serial gaffing had brought the campaign close to a break point and that he needed Hillary. I was worried he’d actually go find Anthony Zinni or Sam Nunn or someone of accomplishment and purposefulness in foreign affairs. [Jim] Webb would have been hell on the stump. [Tim] Kaine or [Evan] Bayh would have put different states into play. [Kathleen] Sebelius was a wild card. But Biden?… Put Biden’s obvious flaws aside and ask yourself how in the world Obama decided to go with Biden, and you’ll quickly realize that the Democratic nominee must have been impressed with Biden on the long campaign trail of 2007 and 2008—even though voters weren’t and even though Biden has no accomplishments of note after 36 years in the Senate. Biden talked a great game and dropped some very interesting place names—and this impressed Obama. Talking the talk has been the key to Obama’s success, and in Slow Joe he found an older, far better traveled but equally prolix gas bag… For Obama, it is all about politics and words, elections and poses. Slow Joe is the perfect running mate on a perfect ticket for a party betting on wind to solve the energy crisis.” —Hugh Hewitt
“There are two other issues with which Mr. Obama must grapple, and far from helping with any of these, Mr. Biden actually makes Mr. Obama’s path more difficult. The first is that Mr. Obama’s other big challenge is convincing moderate Americans he shares their values. He is already seen by many as a liberal, big-city politician who says people cling to guns and religion out of bitterness, associates with radicals, and attended a church with a radical theology. Mr. Biden is a fierce foe of gun rights, ardently opposes restrictions on abortion that have widespread support and promotes gay rights. He supports higher taxes, bigger government and socialized healthcare. That doesn’t exactly help Mr. Obama with blue-collar voters in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan. The second is Mr. Biden’s lack of executive experience. Not only has he never been a governor or a cabinet secretary, he has never been a mayor, an agency head, or served in any other executive role, not even prosecutor or military officer. Given that Mr. Obama also lacks that experience, having two career legislators heading the executive branch of our government might create doubts. … More broadly, it cuts against Mr. Obama’s central campaign theme of change. His message is Washington is broken, and the old establishment needs to be swept away in favor of new blood and a new vision. How does picking someone who has been in Washington a decade longer than Mr. McCain jive with Mr. Obama’s contention that Mr. McCain has been in Washington too long to change it?” —Ken Blackwell
“Alas, the abandonment of babies to suffer and die on the modern equivalent of a Spartan cliff did not require confronting evil when Obama saw it. Indeed, Obama turned a blind eye, leading the battle to defeat Illinois’ version of the federal Born-Alive Infants Protection Act, which would have treated babies living, albeit briefly, outside the womb as, well, babies. He opposed the bill in 2003 (as he had a similar one in 2001), saying it would undermine Roe v. Wade. But even after Roe-neutral language was included—wording good enough that it won support for the federal version of the bill from abortion-rights stalwart Sen. Barbara Boxer—Obama remained unmoved. Until this week, Obama denied that he ever took such a position. His campaign now admits that he was, in effect, lying when he said pro-lifers were lying about his record. But simultaneously, Obama defends a position that comes dismayingly close to the layman’s understanding of infanticide while claiming any other position would require him to play God.” —Jonah Goldberg
source
Tags:News, Obama, Politics
Posted in Editorial, Opinion, Education, News, Politics, Uncategorized, Wordpress Political Blogs | 3 Comments »
August 25, 2008
I have a bit of a different way of looking at this event apparently than most people that are bloging about it. Or at least it appears that way.
They see all the different parties, and I see all the imported hookers. They talk about “change.” I talk about all the new crack dealers on Colfax Avenue.
Then there will be the street closures. Getting home from work is going to be something else all this week. My detour will result in about a ten mile addition just to get home. Then there are all the delays that will interfere with my work throughout the day.I don’t mind all the added security. After all, these people that are in town are High Value Targets for so many diverse radical groups that to not have the security net tightened would be irresponsible.
Most everybody that I know will be going about their usual business. The only real difference will be that they will be armed all the time. I have to wonder if this convention is the main reason for so many people taking the concealed carry class recently, and getting the permit too.
One thing is for sure though, this week in Denver will be historic.
Tags:Denver, DNC, News, Obama, Politics
Posted in Editorial, Opinion, Local Politics Colorado, News, Politics, Uncategorized, Wordpress Political Blogs | 5 Comments »
August 20, 2008
Matt Fries is good for Colorado, as well as for Fort Collins. There are evil forces at work in the Colorado legislature. They seek to undermine your rights by trampling the Constitutions of the states of Colorado, as well as the United States day, night, and even on weekends.
Help stop the forces of misandry and overgrown government, vote, and donate to the Matt Fries campaign!
After graduating from Fort Collins High School, I worked for my parents full-time. It turned out to be the best education for me. My mom and dad would often share advice and offer their wisdom, hoping that I would take an easier path and avoid mistakes that they had made in their lives. I remember like it was yesterday, some twenty-five years ago, when my Dad came to work one day with a newspaper article he had clipped from one of the first issues of USA Today. The article was titled “Best Way to the Top….Work Hard….Think Smart“.
Tags:Colorado Politics, Election 2008, News, Politics
Posted in Editorial, Opinion, Gun Control, Local Politics Colorado, Men's Issues, News, Politics, Uncategorized, Wordpress Political Blogs | Comments Off on Colorado Politics: Elect Matt Fries
August 15, 2008
Capital flow, the minutia of macroeconomics that gives the science its appeal, is the key to economic growth. Communities compete with incentives including reduced taxes and discounted land with high capacity infrastructure to attract new capital flow for job creation. The trade off is that the tax base generated by the new industry will offset the initial cost of infrastructure and reduced tax revenues. This mode of operation extends to the state level as well, albeit on a larger scale.
However, state governments often appear bi-polar, with an Economic Development Division promoting the state as an excellent environment for investment while the Department of Revenue—at the behest of the state legislature—seeks to maximize the revenue from businesses. Michigan is a perfect case study, with its “Michigan Golf” radio promotions touting the state as a vacation destination while the business media reports on its one-state recession and the economic mismanagement of Democrat Gov. Jennifer Granholm. The taxation and regulation regimen proposed by Granholm and codified by the Michigan Legislature has spurred the flow of economic and intellectual capital away from Michigan over the last eight years, yielding increased unemployment, increased demand for public assistance and increased budget deficits.
For the better part of two decades business schools have drilled students in the portability of capital in information-driven economies. There are only two impediments to capital flow: lack of natural resources and the possibility of asset confiscation by local authorities. By their rhetoric, we know that Granholm of Michigan and Gov. David Paterson of New York have no qualms about wealth redistribution, but they don’t have the tools (or the guts) necessary to take it to the extreme of, say, Hugo Chavez in Venezuela. Instead, they will beseech Congress to increase its benevolence upon their respective states by increasing taxes on the whole of the country. Their political calculus is simple: Increase the regulatory and tax burden across the entire country, and then their respective states won’t look so bad.
source
Tags:Economics, Macroeconomics, News, Politics
Posted in Economics, Editorial, Opinion, Education, News, Politics, Uncategorized, Wordpress Political Blogs | Comments Off on Income Redistribution: Bailing out states
August 15, 2008
Looks like more of the same arrogance from elected, and appointed officials to me.
TSA Deciding On Whether To Ban Guns In Airports
Gun Owners of America
8001 Forbes Place Suite 102
Springfield VA 22151
Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408
http://www.gunowners.org
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
You may not have been watching the battle that is brewing over concealed
carry in the Hartsfield-Jackson airport in Atlanta, Georgia, but it may end
up affecting you where you live.
Because of what's happening in Atlanta, the Transportation Security Agency
could decide to allow airports across the country to ban firearms in areas
that currently allow for self-defense.
It all began when Georgia passed a new law allowing permit holders to carry
guns onto state parks, into restaurants that serve alcohol, and onto mass
transit (such as the non-surveillance areas in airports).
The Hartsfield-Jackson airport responded by defying the state law and
banning firearms throughout the entire airport, including areas where
drivers pick up passengers.
This has resulted in a court battle, where presently, a federal judge ruled
in favor of the airport's ban. Now, the TSA may step into the fray by
permitting airports across the entire country to ban firearms in those
locations that are outside of the boarding areas.
Federal law prevents passengers from bringing firearms past airport
checkpoints. But in many states, passengers are allowed to bring guns and
knives into areas such as the pick-up points and the main terminal. This is
what could change very soon.
"Any decisions we make that affect (Atlanta) could affect every other
airport in the country," said TSA spokesman Christopher White to
USA Today
(8/7/08).
What's at stake here is not the ability to take guns past surveillance
points. What's at stake is the right of self-defense outside of these areas
-- especially where drivers are either dropping off or picking up
passengers.
In other words, drivers who have permits are the ones who would be affected
the most because they would now have to leave their guns at home -- thus
contradicting the very reason they got a concealed carry permit in the first
place... the fact that they wanted to carry their guns outside of the house.
ACTION: Please urge President Bush to put the squeeze on the TSA. This
president should certainly understand the bad-politics of imposing a gun ban
right before an election.
You can visit the Gun Owners Legislative Action Center at
http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm to send Pres. Bush the pre-written
e-mail message below.
----- Pre-written letter -----
Dear Mr. President:
The August 7 issue of USA Today reports that the TSA is considering letting
airports across the country ban firearms in areas that currently allow for
self-defense.
What's at stake here is not the ability to take guns past surveillance
points. What's at stake is the right of self-defense outside of these areas
-- especially where drivers are either dropping off or picking up
passengers.
In other words, drivers who have permits are the ones who would be affected
the most because they would now have to leave their guns at home -- thus
contradicting the very reason they got a concealed carry permit in the first
place... the fact that they wanted to carry their guns outside of the house.
I hope that you will rein in the rogue TSA and prevent them from making such
a foolish decision -- if not for the Second Amendment, then for the sake of
your own administration and party. You must understand how harmful it
would be to impose a brand new gun ban in an election year, when the
campaigns of people like Al Gore and John Kerry have amply demonstrated
that the gun rights issue can cost a party dearly.
Sincerely,
Tags:Gun Control, Gun Owners of America, Law, Politics, TSA
Posted in Editorial, Opinion, Gun Control, Local Politics Colorado, News, Politics, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Conservative Libertarian Outpost 