Congressman Ross leads effort to keep gun control law at bay

An old girlfriend of mine lives in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. We remain in contact and she often send e-clippings from her local newspaper (which has an interesting name). The most recent is an article covering the same topic as one of my recent posts, and gives a little more in-depth information.

By Wendy Ledbetter
The Daily Siftings Herald
Thu Mar
26, 2009, 02:42 PM CDT

Prescott, Ark. -
PRESCOTT — U.S. Congressman Mike
Ross said a delegation of pro-gun Democrats was successful in stopping the possibility of reinstating a weapons ban that had expired five years ago.In a telephone interview Wednesday, Ross said he had led the effort, which included a 65-member delegation. The group wrote a letter in opposition to reinstating the weapons ban, which had recently been discussed by U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder.

Ross said his reasons for speaking out against the weapons ban are simple. “The Second Amendment to the Constitution gives us all the right to own firearms,” Ross said. Ross said that ownership of firearms for hunting is one aspect, but that owning firearms for personal protection is an equally important part of that right.

The weapons ban that had reportedly been discussed by Holder’s office was in effect from 1994 through 2004 when a sunset clause adopted at its passage came into effect, eliminating the law from the books. That law banned some types of weapons, reportedly aimed specifically at assault weapons. While it can be argued that the goal of that ban was to eliminate weapons typically used in crimes, there are some studies available that dispute the effectiveness of that claim.

The problem with that ban, according to Ross, is that crime didn’t go down. “Criminals will get guns whether we have gun control laws or not,” Ross said in a press release issued earlier this week. “Regulating guns will not keep guns out of the hands of criminals, but it will keep guns out of the hands of those trying to defend themselves from criminals.”

During the telephone interview, Ross said that he enjoys hunting and that the sport is a way of life for many in rural America. He said there is also a responsibility on those who hunt to share that with the next generation. “It’s not only part of our heritage, it’s a big part of what we are,” Ross said. “It is up to us to take our children hunting and teach them that this is an important part of our heritage and our tradition. I love to deer hunt, duck hunt. I take my son with me every chance I get.”

Ross said there have also been rumors that ammunition would be heavily taxed or unavailable. He said that has never been a part of any announced plan and that he would fight equally hard against such a plan.

Ross said he believes there is some question in the minds of the general public as to who among the members of Congress is pro-gun control. While he said that party affiliations are sometimes a factor, he said the “address” is also a factor. “It has more to do with who those people represent,” Ross said.

Ross said there are many who believe — as he does — in the “common sense” approach. The 65 who supported Ross’s plan to object to additional gun control is, according to Ross, proof of that.

The delegation has apparently put an effective end to any plan to reinstate the weapons ban. Ross said that both Holder and President Barack Obama have issued statements to that effect.

“I think we got their attention,” Ross said. “If they do (make an attempt at gun control laws), I’ll be there in force.”

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Loverly Bunch of Coconuts

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) is at it again. As I’ve pointed out before, this lady is a few French fries short of a happy meal. And in Glenn Beck, who I have also found reason to ridicule, she has an enabler in her most recent whacky quest.



Bachmann, following some comments made earlier this week by the Governor of China’s Central Bank, began spouting off about some global conspiracy that the world was bound for ruin and heading toward establishing a global currency, and that the U.S. would join in the move as early as the G-20 conference next week. China’s suggestion of replacing the U.S. dollar as the world’s reserve currency contained no language about Bachmann’s feared “unified global currency”, but that didn’t stop her from running off at the mouth yet again.



Beck is right about one thing; most Americans have no idea what Bachmann is talking about, but then neither does she.

Most countries hold financial reserves in various foreign currencies, or in gold, and right now a majority of countries hold mostly U.S. dollars. This is not exclusive, as Euros Yen and British Pounds are also popular. Our treasury does not hold our own dollars in reserve, but we do keep a bit of gold.

What the Chinese were referencing is that our currency the de facto global reserve currency, but the International Monetary Fund also issues International Reserve Assets, called Special Drawing Rights (SDR), which governments may use instead. The Chinese suggested that the world move away from dollars. The use of SDR’s, they suggested, would be more balanced and less vulnerable to changing U.S. policies.

How Bachmann made the leap from a mere banking policy suggestion to some global conspiracy is beyond me, and why Glenn Beck would find any value in enabling a kook defies reason. I thought Beck was crazy when he was with CNN, and the move to FOX only deepened his bizarre behavior. As for Bachmann, she should stick to more substantial issues, like Freedom of Choice for light bulbs.

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It's A Start

Texas has long been home to various religious billboards, and the North Texas plains cities of Dallas and Fort Worth have drawn more than an equal share. Dallas is one of several cities where, in 1999, an anonymous donor helped fund the now famous God Speaks billboards. The ads featured quirky little ditties signed by god, such as…

Clever, I must say, and apparently successful enough that the boards made a return engagement in 2005, eventually growing in number to some 5,000 signs around the nation. Still, I’ve always had a bit of a problem with the arrogance that would allow a mere mortal the authority to not only speak for the supreme being, but to sign his name to the “quotes.”

More recently a less arrogant, but enigmatic and equally mysterious campaign has posted billboards around the area. These signs feature sports stars, Hollywood celebrities and average people professing, “I Am Second”. Lou Costello would probably be asking, “Who’s on first?”

In addition to these well-funded campaigns, a drive down the byways and highways of North Texas treats the traveler to numerous amateur attempts at putting the name of god in the eyes of passersby.



So the god squad has their signs, and now those of us without the burden of belief have our own.



Starting the middle of next month, two billboards will be erected in the Metroplex. One along IH-35E near Loop 12 in Northwest Dallas, and the other in north Fort Worth at IH-35W and Braswell.

The sign’s message will encourage folks to visit www.dfwcor.org. The C.O.R stands for "Coalition of Reason," and the website will be ready for business coinciding with the unveiling of the billboards.

DFW isn’t the first area to see such signs. Similar billboards have been previously erected in Philadelphia and in Denver.

It’s good to know we aren’t alone.

Fox host apologizes for mocking Canadian military

Colbert is ain't.

This is the kind of crap that happens when FOX tries to do comedy. On the day this segment aired, the bodies of four Canadian troops were repatriated. I'm sure the families of the soldiers were very happy.

At least the idiot apologized.

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Signal to Noise Ratio

Do any of y’all ever read townhall.com and WorldNetDaily? If you ever want to feel better about yourself, you should visit one of these sites to see how sour old men and women behave.

World Net Daily bills itself as "an independent news company dedicated to uncompromising journalism, seeking truth and justice and revitalizing the role of the free press as a guardian of liberty." The site’s stated mission is “exposing wrongdoing, corruption and abuse of power." Journalistic giants one might find on the site include Pat Buchanan, Ann Coulter, David Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly, and literary genius, Chuck Norris.

Townhall.com is a web-based publication “primarily dedicated to conservative United States politics.” It was previously operated by the Heritage Foundation, but is now owned and operated by Salem Communications. The site features such notable wingnuts as Ann Coulter (she’s everywhere!), Robert Novak and Cal Thomas.

One of the sourest old men on both sites is a dude who was once a scriptwriter for television but kind of faded away. Now, because he can’t find anyone else to publish his mess, he writes for free and gets published on Townhall. He had a blog too (doesn’t everyone?), but it seems to have vanished.

Burt Preludsky was once a humor columnist for the Los Angeles Times and a movie critic for Los Angeles magazine. He freelanced for the New York Times, TV Guide, Sports Illustrated and some others. He wrote scripts for old TV, like Dragnet, McMillan & Wife, MASH, Mary Tyler Moore, Rhoda, Bob Newhart, Family Ties, Dr. Quinn and Diagnosis Murder. He also wrote scripts for several good movies.

But these days Burt is just a sour old man with a chip on his shoulder. Were that not the truth I don’t think we would see the kind of drivel that was published yesterday on townhall.com.

One is left to wonder how someone could live with so much bile in one’s gut.

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What Did You Know, and When Did You Know It?

For our reading pleasure, the House Financial Services Sub-committee offers the now infamous AIG employee retention agreement. The general public may now savor language protecting the excessive usurer’s bonuses for their high level of dedication to the company, and protection of the American public. Turn to pages 10 and 11 for the real meat of this contract.

You may notice that, by contract and with full approval of the U.S. government, the bonus pool cannot be reduced by more than $67.5 million annually. This effectively ensures a minimum bonus, regardless of company or employee performance, or even if the employee still works there.

And pay they did. According to AIG, the company paid retention bonuses totaling $165 million. Wallace Witkowski of WSJ’s MarketWatch reports that bonuses in excess of $1 million were paid to 73 AIG financial-products-unit employees, 11 of whom had already left the company. So much for retention.

So much for truth, too, as it appears that AIG’s Liddy lied about what they paid out. According to Witkowski, the actual figure was closer to $218 million. But Liddy isn’t the only liar in this mess.

What Did You Know, and When Did You Know It?

This is the big question, about which there has been plenty of debate. Aaron Task asks the question on Yahoo Finance. Who knew (or should have known) that AIG had rigged the bonus deal, and why did our Treasury feel it necessary to step in? From all I can tell, the following is a general timeline:

From the March 19, 2009 New York Times: "As early as December, two Democratic lawmakers had vociferously and repeatedly complained about the bonuses, and one of them went so far as to demand the resignation of A.I.G.’s chief executive,"

From the January 27, 2009 Bloomberg electronic edition, Reporter Hugh Son quotes Congressman Elijah Cummings and Senator Richard Shelby opining on the AIG retention bonuses. Obviously both houses were aware of the impending fiasco.

On February 28, 2009, Federal Reserve officials say they warned Treasury officials about the bonuses.

On March 3, 2009, in a hearing before the House Ways and Means Committee. New York Congressman Joe Crowley asks Treasury Secretary Geithner if anything could be done to stop the bonuses.

March 10, 2009: Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner says he just learned about the AIG bonuses.

March 15, 2009. AIG pays out $165 million in retention bonuses.

And they paid them with our money. Stinks, doesn’t it? It stinks even more considering the language may have been allowed due to the efforts of Geithner’s Treasury Dept.

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Gee, Democrat... Gee

From the NRA-ILA:

“[Wednesday] in a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, 65 Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives, led by Congressman Mike Ross (D-AR), expressed their opposition to the reinstatement of the failed 1994 ban on semi-automatic firearms and ammunition magazines.”

Actually quite a comprehensive document, demonstrative of a centrist turn in the Democratic Party.

Politics reflect the people and the people are swayed by current events. After the tragedies of Columbine High School, Virginia Tech University, and the Westroads Mall in Omaha there were outcries for gun control. Shooters followed with Second Amendment arguments and outcries for enforcement of existing laws.

There is little middle ground in the gun control issue, and Americans remain deeply divided when it comes to firearms ownership. However, it seems a greater number oppose stricter regulation than support the idea. Surveys consistently show that somewhere around three out of every four believe that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual the right to have a firearm. Gallup polls in 2006 and 2007 indicated that only 38 percent would combat Columbine-like events with stricter gun laws, and another 58 percent believe more should be done to enforce current laws instead. The numbers of Americans opposing an outright ban on handguns ranges somewhere around 70 percent.

Perhaps Democrats have finally taken notice, or perhaps they remember what happened the last time there was a major push for gun control. The Democratic-controlled Congress in 1993 passed the Brady bill, and a year later the same group banned the elusive “assault weapon”. Then in 1996 Democrats were turned out of office in droves, and Republicans won the next few election cycles by handy margins.

The gun issue didn’t fare well in the 2000 presidential campaign either. Al Gore stumped for limits on handgun sales, a crack down on gun shows, and support for state registration of firearms. Considering the close vote count that year, and the fact that he lost in every rural state, it was possibly that position which cost him the election.

In 2006, with the extreme right wing of the Party of Hoover behaving so badly, and with very little campaign rhetoric regarding gun control, Democrats again took control of the House. The only significant gun control legislation to pass muster in these past couple of years is an increase in funding for mental health background checks for potential gun purchasers. The Democrats seem to have found a centrist element.

Gun control is a losing issue, and salvation for the Democrats will be to maintain a moderate approach, leaning heavily on enforcing existing laws and getting tough on crime. Then candidate Barak Obama said as much a little over a year ago:

"We essentially have two realities when it comes to guns in this country.... We can reconcile those two realities by making sure the Second Amendment is respected and that people are able to lawfully own guns, but that we also start cracking down on the kinds of abuses of firearms that we see on the streets."

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