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Reply to #10:
I generally agree with you here. I believe Obama basically modelled his current budget on Simpson-Bowels (misspelling intentional) so he could give David Gregory the hardon he needs to challenge Boner on his show "The President has moved on entitlements, why will your party not move on Taxes?"
It's calling the GOP bluff. THEY asked for chained CPI and means testing. Not a very popular position, save among the beltway class like that boob Chris Matthews. Higher taxes on the rich? Well, now that is popluar, save among those same beltway talkers (unless of course we have "shared sacrifice" in their warped minds). Proves why the GOP lost in 2012 will likely lose more in 2014.
But Obama's third-rail bluff-calling feels like he's pointing a loaded gun at the middle class, especially with the economy the way it is. I think he owes an apology to us for all this riskly poker playing once he finally reaches his goal of driving the Tea Party permanently from political power.
Palindromedary: You hit upon it exactly when you used the word "deterrent". Guns need not be actually used to provide that benefit. Here in rural North Idaho there is relatively little home burglary or break-in crime precisely because would be perpetrators know that behind virtually every door there is a loaded gun and someone who knows how to use it. The same applies in a general way to would be oppressors. As you say "A well armed citizenry is a deterrent to oppression by the power elite". There are those who would twist the words of the Second Amendment to argue that "militia" was intended to mean only an on call group of armed citizens that could be conscripted in time of war. But the Founders knew the dangers of big government if left unchecked. The armed citizenry of this country is the principal thing that ensures the abuse of power by the authorities will never reach the level it has in many other countries. Let's hope nothing ever occurs to remove that deterrent.
I certainly agree with you, Outlook. Many of us, who believe that we should not have our guns taken away from us are not all card-carrying, right-wing nut, NRA members. And not all NRA members are card-carrying, right-wind nuts. Many liberals also own guns. It is just the gullible people who have bought into the scare propaganda put out by the ruling elite, and their toadies, who want to keep us placid, flaccid and compliant.
Part of our national identity, from the very inception of our country, was to have the ability to resist those who would impose upon us their narrow-minded belief systems and control of us through taxation without representation. But removal of that "founding father" identity is exactly what is happening in America. And if they don't get us through taxation, they'll just steal it right out of our savings accounts. Our runaway prison system and foreign wars are not draining our retirement nest eggs fast enough for these people, I guess.
And they are planning for massive resistance which is why they are trying to take away any means of resistance, our guns, even if they are merely "symbolic"...they are still a deterrent to those who want easy pickings in the total oppression of the masses. Stalin, Hitler, and Mao Tse Tung knew this!
A well armed citizenry is a deterrent to oppression by the power elite. Without them, all you have is a pathetic and impotent mass of hopelessly exploited slaves or automatons who may as well be brain dead peons slavishly toiling to serve the whims of the ruling elite.
Besides, we need our guns to protect us from the predators that roam our streets...pit bulls...or other dangerous creatures. And this is even more true in our homes. If home invaders never had to worry about being killed by well-armed residents then there would be a lot more home invasions and murders of people right in their homes. The police usually only show up after someone is murdered...and now, they are so overwhelmed by crime and lack of funds, due to corruption, illegal wars, etc, that they are laying police off from many cities. It's becoming a "criminals market". What do you expect, though, when our country's highest leaders are corrupt criminals themselves setting the example for everyone else to follow. And they are mass-murderers too!
DAnnemarc, I agree, somewhat, that cats are usually not as bothersome as dogs. They usually are very quiet except when you are awakened in the middle of the night by a cat in heat or cats fighting. And they usually are not very dangerous except if your neighbor's pet cat is a really big one...say a Tiger or Mountain Lion, perhaps. But Pit Bulls are more in the classification of "dangerous" as are those larger cats. And most city ordinances ban having those large cats as pets. And so they should ban Pit Bulls..and some other potentially dangerous dogs....some communities have begun banning them...which is about time, I'd say!
As for the smaller cats....there are a couple of "stray" cats that I have been feeding...at first, with the idea that if I fed them, they wouldn't eat my fish in my little fish pond. Well, I was wrong...they ate my fish anyway...actually, they didn't eat them...they just caught them and left them beside the pond.
The other thing about cats is they like to bury their crap in hard to find places beside the house. And some people might think this is more sanitary...except one usually doesn't discover the smelly cache except by discovery after a sizable, semi-buried pile has amassed. They will also pick places in a tilled garden, which is a problem for me. I have had to put up a chicken-wire fence around the garden to keep them out. Maybe I need to do that to my pond. I have tried buying cat litter, which they used until it rained.. soaking the cat litter. And now, they don't use dry cat litter anymore.
With a dog, they just go right out in the open where it is easy to spot and pick up. Sure, it smells but so does a cat's...especially a fermenting, half-buried pile of it. Now, hummingbirds are not much of a problem.
Now, it is easy to sensationalize things like Newtown, etal, especially when the media (major propagandists) are owned and controlled by the interests of the ruling elite. But, more people have been murdered in their homes than all those isolated, occasional , flare ups that grab all of the concentrated attention.
And it is not unfathomable that those who are desperately trying to subject the masses to their will, and squeeze them for all they have, would do all they could toward that endeavor. And what they could do, and would do, is manipulate the thinking of the masses through engineering levels of fear and confusion within the masses.
The Manchurian Candidate was a movie that was banned for quite a while for some good reason. It hit too close to home to what was possible by any government upon their people. MKULTRA was a reality and has morphed into other names, over the years, but the ability of a power group to control not only individuals but large masses of people is still quite apparent. I can't help but notice the same very odd, wide-eyed stare that pictures of these "perpetrators" have shown. All the same.
The trouble with the strict gun control meme is that it isn't a solution to gun violence. We should have discovered that about our society through the failure of (alcohol) Prohibition. We Americans think of ourselves as a "free people". As such, we demand access to goods and services that some other societies are denied, and if someone tells us we can't have something we simply go around the law. It's the reason we are the biggest retail market for recreational drugs in the world. So simply legislating some arbitrary class of firearm out of existence will only create a black market for it, as experience amply demonstrates.
The real root cause of incidents like Aurora and Newtown (and Ruby Ridge and Waco) is that we are fundamentally a violent society. It's in our national DNA. We have been exploiters from our inception, first of a continent and more recently of a planet. Violence takes many forms. It can be direct physical violence but it's more frequently experienced as economic abuse. We have a growing wealth gap in this country that's been taking its toll on the national psyche for almost two generations. This has resulted in a growing number of traumatized people on the fringes; displaced workers, young folks just out of school with no path forward, much less upward. Against this backdrop, we provide our youth violent video games with which to "entertain" themselves while they act out their violent fantasies. It's the catalytic effect of video game violence which, I believe, accounts for the recent spate of mass shootings
So when I hear politicians offering up gun control as the solution and people climbing on board that band wagon in droves, it makes me wonder if the number of people in this country that apparently lack critical thinking skills has finally reached "critical mass". It's easy and natural to want to find a simple solution. But "gun control" is not a solution at all, at least, not in this society. In fact, there is no "magic bullet". The solution, if it ever comes, will be long, difficult, and involve the reformation of an entire society. I'm not holding my breath on that one.
In the meantime, I have no intention of giving up the weapons I've acquired over a lifetime, nor do I think others that obey existing common sense laws should be required to. in the final analysis, the individual is his (or her) last line of defense, and guns were invented by a physically weak but intelligent species to "equalize" the odds. Whether that be against the moose that likes to hang out in my back yard in the winter months (but only if necessary of course) or a platoon of Canadian infantry sent down to enforce the building of another pipeline (joking, Kend) or a squad of black clad, jack booted cops sent to relieve me of my 30 round magazines (yes, I have them and no, I am not a member of the NRA), I'm both prepared and hopeful I'll never have to use my weapons in that way.
For anyone reading this that comes away feeling that I'm a dangerous and irrational paranoid, be my guest. Call me names like wacko gun nut. But I'd rather err on the safe side than be sorry later. I respect your right to exercise your own choices and ask only that you respect mine.
Moving back to Thom's original article....
I disagree. The repub.'s wanted to open debate because they will promote their pro nra agenda. It also is a no loose debate for them. All they have to do is proclaim how they are standing up for the rights of 'Mericuns and apple pie and how the big bad govt. is going to take your gun and then shoot you, and only they are on your side to save you from the God hating dems who want to take all your guns and money and rape your daughters and allow dogs and cats to sleep together....
Wake up Thom.
Gentlemen ~ I've never been particularly afraid of dogs, but I have had neighbor's dogs that have annoyed the hell out of me--trying to knock the fence over, snarling from behind the gate, and barking their heads off at all hours of the night. Personally, I refuse to own a dog out of simple respect for my neighbors. That goes for any breed, even the little ones. They make too much noise and leave surprises all over the yard. Cats are much easier on the owner, much cleaner on the environment, smell better, and don't bother the neighbors as much. They are also far smarter and not dangerous.
Even if you had voted for Gore...Bush would have "won"...the election was fixed...he had the right wing Stupremes on his side. And I'm not convinced that Gore would have been much different than Clinton or even Bush or even Obama. The whole system is corrupt and the cards are stacked against us. The Democrats have just played out their lies that they represent the people and end up screwing us anyway.
Sure, go ahead and vote for Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee of the Republican/Democrat empire. The system will never change that way. We'll always be stuck with a "just pretend" democracy. The wealthy in this country are counting on you, and others like you, to continue voting Democrat...they'd prefer you voted Republican...but, never mind, it time for plan B...the Democrats...they'll keep the dumbed-down and flaccid-minded people in line to serve the best interests of the wealthy.
The best magic tricks are when one hand distracts while the other sneaks in the "magic". Both the Republicans and the Democrats are the distraction while the wealthy stabs us all in the backs. It's either hit the streets and massively disrupt or we can try to shock the good-old-boy system of corruption by masses of people saying they are not going to be fooled anymore and vote for someone else next time.
But, the ruling regime knows the psychology of the people...they've been honing their propagandist skills for decades and they are not too afraid of an upset. You really think that the ruling elite are terribly upset that Democrats are "in power (yeah right!)". The Democrats are used as a "pressure relief valve" to keep the masses from rioting in the streets. They trick us by feeding us "hope we can(not) believe in" to keep people thinking they still have a chance...but they don't...not really. The ruling elite know that the people will swallow anything...any stupid belief...just use various tools...like fear...to keep them in line. People are just too afraid to take a chance.
And when people are dying and starving in the streets...that's when they'll rebel...but with what energy? They won't have any left...their spirit will have been destroyed. Their chances of a successful rebellion are when they are still able to resist...not when they have all been tricked out of giving up all their weapons or resolve to resist.
Wait till they do in the US what they are doing in Cyprus...the government stealing right out of people's savings accounts. What will happen then? A massive run on the banks? Bank accounts will be frozen and people won't be able to get their money (any large sums anyway) nor transfer it out. The richest people with inside knowledge, like in Cyprus, will sneak their money out before the government moves in, of course, leaving most of the smaller savers to lose their money.
Before, it was "bail-out" and tax payers had to pay....now, it's "bail-in"...steal it right out of our accounts. You don't think it will happen hear? Wait and see! FDIC insured? Ha! That's a laugh! You'll see! The dying empires, with no one else to screw, will go after the weakest...their own civilians...the ones without the guns.
I dont know anything about the class, i am here online, studying on line and then attend my classes and after every semester i give scores to my teachers and professors.
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Right on! Outback! One certainly has to protect oneself from being ripped to shreds. And if packing a weapon isn't acceptable...I suppose one could do what Steve Gibson (of the podcast Security Now) has done...he made a "Portable Dog Killer" out of some electronic parts. Of course it really doesn't "Kill" dogs but it sure has the effect of stopping dogs, even big vicious dogs, in their tracks and even scampering off in fear (maybe pain..probably). Steve created this PDK because he had a neighbor who had one of these Cujo Dogs that scared the bejesus out of everyone who passed by on the sidewalk (even though the dog was behind a tall fence). The dog rammed the gate so hard, Steve thought the dog would one day break through and hurt someone. His directional PDK sends out a very loud squealing sound at whatever it is pointed at. That dog no longer does that to people and minds his own business. And Steve didn't even have to shoot him....with bullets anyway. Very humane, I'd say. I don't think Steve is in the business of making PDKs for the market though. I don't think he is selling them.
In 2000 I voted Nader, then I realized every vote for Nader was as good as a vote for Bush. No thanks to me, Florida, and the Supreme Court Bush won by decree.
Hey Palindromedary, I can empathize. I live on a little acreage here in North Idaho, where people like to have their dogs. My neighbor has a pit bull that seems to believe his territory extends to anything within earshot. Several times I've been confronted by this beast on our communal road. Twice I've had him snarling at me in my own driveway and once he had me backed into my own garage. I've spoken to my neighbor about the dog, but nothing has changed. I've now taken to packing my Springfield 1911 9mm pistol with me when I walk the 1/4 mile down to the mailbox. I'm so very happy Dianne Feinstein hasn't made that a felony offense.... yet....
Why didn't you vote for a third party candidate...like Jill Stein or Rocky Anderson...really?! We will never break out of this corrupt system if you keep voting the way they want you to vote...ie: Republicants or Democants. You are just throwing your vote away when you vote for the corrupt two party system. Make your vote count...vote for someone else this time.
I had said, over and over again before 2012, that voting for Obama was just stupid because he had proven that he was not the person we thought we voted for in 2008. I believed then, as I still do, that Obama and many of the Democrats will continue to sell us out to the wealthy.
I voted for Jill Stein and I am glad I voted my conscience and better judgement. I feel good about myself because I know I wasn't suckered, once again, into being used as a "useful idiot" for a Party that has lost all credibility and who will continue down that road as long as they can scare you into voting for them. Both parties are "thick as thieves" because they both are just that... thieves... dishonest...spineless.. dishonorable.. and cowardly thieves. They have the revolving doors to riches and they will continue to screw us all.
You say you voted to keep the Republicans out but you missed a bunch...the ones that dress themselves as Democrats...who may utter a few Democrat or Progressive sounding words from time to time but then they sell us out in the end. Judge them by their deeds..not their hollow and insincere rhetoric.
First, ban Pit Bulls! A 38 year old woman was ripped to shreds by a Pit Bull and she died. Had she been armed with an AK47 with mega-round clips, she could have blown that monster away. When are they going to destroy that breed and those of other large ferocious dogs?
All dogs have the capacity to lose their tempers and bite but the amount of damage done by larger breeds..especially the ones that have been bred to fight..are very lethal.
Awww...I know...you probably know of, or even own one of these dogs, ones that are as "gentle as lambs". Dogs kill people and it is becoming more and more prevalent. I had a neighbor who had a couple of Pit Bulls and I was afraid they would break my fence down every time I went out to the back yard. I had to reinforce the fence. I even suspected that they were fighting those dogs because of some of the conversation I heard them say and the marks on the dog's back. I am so glad they moved! If you own a Pit Bull or other large dog that can do a lot of damage to people...know this....you most likely have neighbors who wish you'd move too.
If ever there was a good reason to carry a weapon wherever you go one would be to protect yourself against these ferocious monsters that stalk the neighborhood...and I've seen them many times just walking down the streets...lose...joggers and pedestrians beware!!! And keep your kids inside!
I think protesters against assault weapons should have cloth dolls painted to resemble a child shot by guns, then when the Fascist Wayne Pierre or any other Fascist pro-gun Republicanazi psycho stands up to talk, protesters file by the podium and put the dolls at his or her feet, or in his or her arms. Call them the Children of the NRA. That might shame the bat-crap crazy GOP into changing their stance, or at the very least give them targets with which they could practice on their shooting ranges.
I am just seeking knowledge about the VAT.
My current unstanding of the VAT is that at 50,000 feet it looks like a tariff, but up close it is not. I would like to provide an example of why it looks like a tariff.
Let us say we produce a chevrolet in the US and want to sell it for $40,000. When we export it to Germany, for example, they say because the US does not have a VAT they are going to add $5000. Thus is sells for $45,000 in Germany.
Now, up close, if we add a VAT in the US then the Germans will not add any tax when we export it. However, we will still have had to add $5000 due to our own VAT tax. Therefore, with regards to international competition, we have gained nothing.
Also, the VAT, like sales tax seems regressive.
wallywait ~ I agree with Outback, that was an excellent article; and, it is very disturbing that so many venues--including the Huffington Post--refused to print it. Mental Health issues are the causes of this problem, not guns. Until the root causes are addressed this problem will never be solved.
Highly recommended reading:
http://peterbrownhoffmeister.wordpress.com/2013/03/04/on-school-shooters-the-huffington-post-doesnt-want-you-to-read-this/
Only truly charitable or educational non-profits should receive tax-exempt status. Presently, the vast majority of religious entities don't qualify as non-profit organizations.
Touche! I could have voted for Romney and kept my fool status to once.
"Snake oil salesmen" come on Nachos what did I ever say to make you think that. I live in Alberta Canada, in the early 1990's we where 30 billion in debt. A great man named Ralph Klein was elected as Premier by saying he was going to reduce government and eliminate that huge debt it was the biggest austrarity program in N. America. The first thing he did was cut every government department including education and healthcare by 5%. No one even noticed. He privatized almost everything. The DMV, highway maintance, liqueur stores, etc. 15 years latter we had no debt no deficit, the highest standard of living in the country. The highest wages, lowest unemployment, people came from all over the country because of the tremendous opratunities here. We don't have to worry about minimum wage because the demand for workers is so great no one will work for the minium wage. Sadley Premier Klein passed away a couple of weeks ago but before that he was asked why he thought his party with its far right ideas held power for 40 years straight and going and he said "because we tried it and it worked".
I hope you understand why I say what I say. It's because I sincerely believe it is the right way to go.
Sorry, Mau, but there are many other options. Primarily import tariffs or VAT taxes. This is simple stuff. Our leaders of the past already figured these basic needs for surplus and balancing. Our problem is not "entitlement" programs that aren't even supposed to be a part of the budget -- even Reagan new that. All these corporations are using our infrastructure without paying for it or providing jobs in America -- like BP Oil, Carnival Cruises and Microsoft. What are we at...like 10% manufacturing now? So, get real. You can't suck water out of a rock (the poor and old) but you certainly can suck it out of a watermelon. Just look around at the countries in the present using ostentatious austerity measures. They've nearly become 3rd world countries and we are on their heels due to greed.
Yes, absolutely the rhetoric is a whole lot of noise in the wrong direction.
The Republicans are showing what Will Rodger said a long time ago; Republicans will screw up the government, just elect them and watch!
If ever there was a moment in time to observe stupid logic it is now. Totally agree the Social Security issues at hand sounds like noise. Social Security is O.K. and has the potential to get much, much better. I project the Social Security to double or triple in payouts amounts depending on citizenship guidelines. Yes, being a good citizen should count towards retirement. Those who can afford avoid paying taxes are exempt from Social Security. Possibly with assurance the citizen does not get convicted of any crime, especially political crimes, drugs, corruption!
As I mentioned before Social Security will likely merge with the Federal Reserve issuing a card. I would like to coin phrase in old English as the way Lincoln used the word, “score ", a word used to describe the number “20 ", One score or for the full period of a score for your retirement life. Credit cards issued for that score period paid for as in debit type cards in retirement.
No more risk of any political party economically terrorizing anyone. More over establish a surcharge the security and exchange transactions that are made in trading stocks and bonds that only the big hitter’s deal in right now. Those stock Transactions at blocks of 1000 or ten thousand and above can be surcharged with a small amount to fill the revenue needed for an advanced guaranteed retirement system. Moreover, let’s move the Wall Street to Main Street, twenty four hour sales anywhere. Internet included.
Whereas we the people need to vote for the right people in office to elevate and adjust for the prosperity and tranquility that is possible to achieve. Right now my personal view of the future is grim. For me to retire is to retire into what could be considered first level Social Security poverty. The last five decades of Congressional, Senate, policies have cornered me and my pension depleted because of business moves to Mexico, downsizing and bankruptcy. I am sure other Americans are in this category. I have to work I cannot retire. For me the American dream vanished with age, be careful it does not happen to you.
A Vietnam Veteran...