Category Archives: Politics

Washington AG responds to sanctuary sheriffs

Posted on by

The Washington State Attorney General, Bob Ferguson, sent an open letter to Washington’s sheriffs and police chiefs refusing to enforce Initiative 1639.

The response is not as bad as I was afraid it might be. He didn’t say he was going try to prosecute them or anything. The worst he said was:

I am deeply concerned that the failure of local law enforcement to perform Initiative 1639’s background check requirement will jeopardize public safety in our state by allowing the sale of semiautomatic assault rifles to dangerous individuals not lawfully allowed to own a gun.  State law provides immunity to local law enforcement officers who run these checks “in good faith.” However, in the event a police chief or sheriff refuses to perform the background check required by Initiative 1639, they could be held liable if there is a sale or transfer of a firearm to a dangerous individual prohibited from possessing a firearm and that individual uses that firearm to do harm. In short, the taxpayers of your city or county assume the financial risk of your decision to impose your personal views over the law.

I find it very telling that he doesn’t address the possibility of liability if someone is denied their right to keep and bear arms is harmed because they were unable to defend themselves.

Near the end of the letter he attempted to peg the irony meter:

Under Article 1, Section 1 of the Washington State Constitution, “All political power is inherent in the people, and governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, and are established to protect and maintain individual rights.” As public officers, our duty is to abide by the will of the people we serve, and implement and enforce the laws they adopt.

He acknowledges the purpose of the constitution is to protect the rights of the people then he claims it is the duty of public officers to infringe upon the right of the people.to keep and bear arms.

Analogies to marijuana and immigration law enforcement are misplaced. This is not a situation where the
federal government is trying to force the state to enforce federal laws.

So… is he saying that it would be acceptable if they were to refuse to enforce Federal gun laws?

He might have been inspired to write the letter because of this map:

51648759_2248972718754894_8468932744657764352_n

I’m keeping a copy of Ferguson’s letter in multiple places for use as evidence at his trial.

Quote of the day—Amy Sherman

Posted on by

Hastings said, “In 2018, we endured a school shooting nearly once a week.”

He arrived at that figure by looking at the 24 school shootings documented by Education Week and dividing that into a 180-day school year. (If we applied the same math to a calendar year, it would work out to half that amount.)

A statement about the number of school shootings warrants an explanation of what types of shootings were included. The Education Week database includes any K-12 shooting on a school property during school or a school event that resulted in injury or death. That means it includes both indiscriminate mass shootings as well as other types of incidents such as fights in a parking lot after a football game or an accidental shooting.

Hastings’ statement is partially accurate but leaves out important details about the database he cited. We rate this statement Half True.

Amy Sherman
February 11, 2019
Was there one school shooting a week in 2018, as a Florida lawmaker said?
[That’s being very generous to Hastings. It was a deliberate exaggeration to push a political agenda to infringe upon the specific enumerated right to keep and bear arms.

They lie. It’s part of their culture.—Joe]

Quote of the day—Doug Huffman

Posted on by

My grandfather, Cecil Huffman served in the Army with the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) Siberia.  On this day in February 1919, he wrote a letter to his parents that I have in my possession today.  All his letters were censored, and he knew the rules regarding what information he could send home, so none of his letters appear to have sections cut out or removed.  In his letters he often says there was nothing to write about even after he was involved in skirmishes with the Red Army led by Vladimir Lenin.  The attached letter is much like many others he wrote while in the Army.  On this day 100 years ago, Cecil wrote, “I know you expect to hear something in every letter, but there isn’t a thing to write about.”

The resolve of the people to fight the leftist forces of the communist revolution was not strong enough and resistance slowly folded as the Red Army advanced.  My grandfather and the rest of the AEF Siberia were pulled out of Vladivostok via transport ship in the fall of 1919.

In the decades that followed, Lenin and his successors went on to murder tens of millions of their own countrymen.  As communism spread in the 20th century, estimates are that up to 160 million people died worldwide through execution, starvation and politically motivated genocide under communist rule.  This happened in one nation after another as governments became too powerful, private industry was eliminated and free speech was restricted to only the politically correct line of thinking.

The majority of those supporting communism had no evil intent.  They fought for communism because they believed it would bring a better way of life for them and their children.

We must never forget the lessons of history.

1919-2-11 Cecil to Home (1)

1919-2-11 Cecil to Home

Doug Huffman
February 11, 2019
Email to extended family.
[I have nothing to add.—Joe]

Quote of the day—Benedict Rogers

Posted on by

Many prisoners of conscience—Falun Gong members, Uighur Muslims, Tibetan Buddhists and “underground” Christians—have been subjected to medical testing and had their organs forcibly removed. Those organs have fed an enormous trade in organ transplants.

Benedict Rogers
February 5, 2019
The Nightmare of Human Organ Harvesting in China
[Via email from Paul K.

Well, I guess that is one way to make true the communist claim of better health care than in capitalist countries. You can get your organ transplant in days instead of months or years.

Isn’t communism wonderful!? Aren’t you looking forward to government supplied health care so we can have the same benefits in our country?

Or as Paul put it, “It’s more like Larry Niven’s “organlegger” dystopian plot line.”—Joe]

Quote of the day—Brinda Karat

Posted on by

The tremendous achievements of the first Socialist State beckon us to understand what was possible and what is possible to create today. The Soviet Union created records, equally relevant today in wiping out poverty, backwardness, and illiteracy, in establishing equality among peoples and nationalities, between men and women. It is an inspiration of what was and what can be, and that is why we say that the era it established of the transition from capitalism to socialism is as relevant today. Capitalism is not the end of history.

Brinda Karat
November 9, 2017
The Russian Revolution Is Still Relevant Today
[Via email from Chet.

Delusions are often functional but I’m struggling to find the function in this whopper of a delusion. Perhaps Karat thinks they would be one of the leaders who would be in control.

I can’t imagine they believe conclusive evidence supports the claims they made. Just reading a few chapters of The Gulag Archipelago, 1918-1956: An Experiment in Literary Investigation (Volume One) would dissuade anyone of sound mind that this is a path a society as a whole would knowing and willing venture.

And yet, via another link from Chet, we have Teen Vogue discussing the differences between resistance, rebellion, and revolution while speaking fondly of the Russian and Cuban revolutions.

We live in interesting times.—Joe]

Quote of the day—Rep. Steve Scalise

Posted on by

Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing Wednesday on new gun control legislation Democrats plan to push on the American people. The top Republican on the committee, Doug Collins, R-Ga., asked committee Democrats if I could testify about this legislation in an appropriate setting to offer another perspective as both a survivor of a shooting attack and strong supporter of our Second Amendment rights. But the Democrats said no. While liberals may try to silence conservative voices, I will not be silenced. The American people deserve to hear all perspectives.

Rep. Steve Scalise
February 6, 2019
Rep. Steve Scalise: Democrats don’t want you to hear what I have to say about guns and the Second Amendment
[Socialists cannot tolerate the truth and must repress opposing points of view. Particularly when that point of view involves individual liberty. Socialism is about coercion. And an armed society is able to resist coercion and hence the view of people like Representative Scalise must be repressed.—Joe]

Quote of the day—James Woods‏ @RealJamesWoods

Posted on by

The raging communist moron Bernie Sanders and half of Hollywood held Venezuela up as the Utopia of the future just a few short years ago. These liberals are also classic gun grabbers. So please enjoy this video of “Venezuelans Without Guns…”

James Woods‏ @RealJamesWoods
Tweeted on January 31, 2019

[Never give up your guns.—Joe]

Quote of the day—CBMTTek

Posted on by

On one hand, the gun grabbers talk about how mandatory training is necessary, and that only the well trained should be able to own guns, etc…

Then they introduce a law that will prevent people from training.

CBMTTek
February 5, 2019
Comment to Connecticut State Representative admits gun control bill is to hurt target shooters
[See also what Sebastian has to say about this.

This reminds me of dealing with people with Borderline Personality Disorder. They create no-win situations. BPD people don’t consciously create these situations. Their messed up minds don’t recognize their own irrationality. I suspect many of the anti-gun people don’t recognize the conflict either. They just recognize every restriction hurts gun owners and that is a “good thing” in their mind.

On the other hand I’m certain some of them are truly evil and chortle as they come up with these ideas.—Joe]

Quote of the day—Sarah H. Hoyt

Posted on by

It’s going to continue ramping up. That the enemy gets a say, doesn’t mean we’ve lost the war.  Note the game is always the same they’ve played, only it’s working less now, now that us thought criminals know we’re not alone. They are not by and large, safe for the antifidiots resorting to physical violence. (And the antifidiots only operate in the cities where they feel safe.) They’re yellow under all the black paraphernalia. They are using what they always used: doxxing, whisper campaigns, mobbing and destruction of reputations and livelihoods.

They’ve done this my whole life. It’s their modus operandi. It’s just that now half of their campaigns (at least) fall apart and what they wish to keep under the rug comes flying out.  And we’re not alone. And we know we’re not alone.

My guess is that we’re so far from alone that the end-game for the US is the same as Romania, in terms of the worm turning (hopefully not in terms of the stupid afterwards, but that is up to all of us.)  One morning the “progressives” are riding high and by evening they’re cooling meat.

Sarah H. Hoyt
January 30, 2019
The Liberation Won’t Be On The Payroll
[I have nothing to add.—Joe]

Quote of the day—Dan Bongino‏ @dbongino

Posted on by

Socialism is the religion of the imbecile. Support for it is blind faith in a governing system so devoid of reason that it signals either your complete lack of intellect OR your thirst to subjugate others. ANYONE supporting socialism is an accomplice to the destruction it causes.

Dan Bongino‏ @dbongino
Tweeted on February 10, 2019
[In part, because of their deficiency in their ability and/or interest in using reason they are far more likely to use violence than those unaligned with socialism.—Joe]

Quote of the day—Defens

Posted on by

I really hope that the idiots pushing for this stuff wise up soon and get a clue about how far they’re pushing us. I drew my line in the sand back before 1994 – and currently considered legislation is driving up to that line with a bulldozer.

Defens
February 2, 2019
Comment to Quote of the day—Superkick Paulty @paulbensonsucks
[I have nothing to add.—Joe]

Quote of the day—Senator Kamala Harris

Posted on by

I think somebody should have required all those members of Congress to go in a room — in a locked room, no press, nobody else — and look at the autopsy photographs of those babies. And then you vote your conscience.

Senator Kamala Harris
(D., Calif.)
January 29, 2019
Harris: Lawmakers Should View ‘Autopsy Photographs’ of Dead Kids before Gun-Control Votes
[And what if those who want to expand gun restrictions and gun free zones were forced to do the same? But they were told this is what happens when you do not allow people to defend themselves and innocent life? These are the consequences of gun control.

They think we are heartless. We think they are evil.

Same screen. Different movies.—Joe]

Quote of the day—John Robb

Posted on by

In the past, winning meant having the largest army. That isn’t true anymore. Now, with new forms of warfare, any small group can successfully wage war. With simpler and more appealing goals almost any cause can raise an army. And they will.

John Robb
2007
Brave New War—The next stage of terrorism and the end of globalization, page 63
[What he says is possible hasn’t always become reality (see for example this description of how we might have fallen into civil war after the November 2016 election). But I have spent enough time in the security field and that I listen closely when he has something to say and I don’t think I have ever considered his ideas crazy or implausible.

In this book he tells how a society dependent upon vulnerable infrastructure can be brought to it knees with relatively few people and resources. The leverage exerted can be enormous. How much does the Molotov Cocktail cost versus the government vehicle it destroys? What is the cost to deliver it versus the cost to defend against it? What is the cost of a power outage versus the cost of a cutting torch to bring down a few transmission line towers? What does it cost to topple the towers versus the cost to defend them?

Go through the list of critical items in our world. Food, water, power, sanitation, communication, roads, bridges, etc. The list of leverage points is almost endless in a high tech society.—Joe]

Quote of the day—Michael Z. Williamson

Posted on by

You know why these people fear the myth of a Trump Death Camp™? Because they know they belong in one. They also know that’s their ultimate goal to do to others.

Michael Z. Williamson
January 24, 2019
We’re Ever Closer To The Gloves Coming Off
[I’m pretty sure most liberals (the definition used in his context for the above quote) don’t “know they belong in one”. And unless they were actively involved in the illegal deaths of one or more people they almost for certain don’t belong in one.

So, it’s a little overstated but a plausible explanation that I’m willing to accept for conversational purposes. Sprinkle similar caveats here and there as you read the rest of his post for some potentially useful gems.—Joe]

Quote of the day—Mayor Bill Peduto

Posted on by

Arrest me. I welcome him trying to put up a lawsuit that would arrest me if I sign this legislation.

Mayor Bill Peduto
January 22, 2019
Mayor Peduto calls out DA for gun control comments, says ‘arrest me’
[The Pittsburgh mayor was told by the, anti-gun, district attorney that proposed anti-gun laws are illegal because of a state preemption law.

This is the first time I have heard of a politician mentioning the possibility of being arrested for pursuing gun laws which are illegal. It’s way past time for it. They should be in constant fear of it. Let this be a good start on making that a reality.

While I’m not so sure the local DA could have him arrested it would seem plausible a Federal Prosecutor could using violation of 18 USC 242 as the justification for prosecution.

This politician, and countless others, thinks he is above the law. It’s way past time to arrest and successfully prosecute a bunch of them. They need to start having some respect for the law and it’s clear they are not going to unless there is vigorous enforcement.—Joe]

Quote of the day—Mariel Alper, Ph.D., and Lauren Glaze

Posted on by

An estimated 287,400 prisoners had possessed a firearm during their offense. Among these, more than half (56%) had either stolen it (6%), found it at the scene of the crime (7%), or obtained it of the street or from the underground market (43%). Most of the remainder (25%) had obtained it from a family member or friend, or as a gift. Seven percent had purchased it under their own name from a licensed firearm dealer.

SourceOfFirearms2016Table5

Mariel Alper, Ph.D., and Lauren Glaze
BJS Statisticians
January 2019
Source and Use of Firearms Involved in Crimes: Survey of Prison Inmates, 2016
NCJ 251776
U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Justice Programs
Bureau of Justice Statistics
[Using the percentages from Table 5, they add up to more than 100% (about 102%). I could find where this was explicitly stated but it seems this is because some prisoners (about 2.5%) obtained guns from multiple sources. Also note that it is possible, likely even, that those who obtained them from a gun store, gun show, or pawn shop were not prohibited persons when they purchased them.

So… the question is, “If anti-freedom people believe they can create a law to prevent gun possession by convicted felons what law would accomplish that?”

What would “Universal background checks” accomplish? At most, this would affect 25% (obtained from an individual) of the transfers. But how many of those transfers occurred before the person became a prohibited person? And if they are a prohibited person obtaining them from a friend or family is already against the law! Making it doubly illegal is nothing more than nonsensical.

And even if those transfers were completely stopped how many of those same criminals would then obtain their gun from different source such as the underground market or theft?

If the intent of “universal background checks” is to reduce access to guns by prohibited person it is clear it cannot make much, if any, difference. This is backed up by recent research as to the actual effects of background checks on violent crime. Hence, there are three possibilities:

  1. That is not the intent and these advocates are evil.
  2. The advocates are ignorant.
  3. The advocates are stupid.

Apply logical “and” and “or”s for the combinations of the possibilities however you deem appropriate.—Joe]

Translation of The Gods of the Copybook Headings

Posted on by

Via a comment from bob r is this translation into modern day English of Rudyard Kipling’s poem I quoted from yesterday:

The simple substitution of a couple phrases made a huge difference in my understanding of this poem. Listen and marvel at so much substance packed into so few words and rhyme.

Quote of the day—U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez

Posted on by

There is absolutely no reason at all for anyone to buy an assault weapon. These high power firearms have one sole purpose — to commit mass murder.

U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez
January 19, 2019
Gun control push is back in Washington, and N.J. lawmakers are all in
[Interesting. Since there are tens of millions of these guns in circulation in the U.S. and only about 400 murders committed each year with rifles of all types we have a limited number of possible conclusions:

  1. Those tens of millions of “assault weapons” are almost all being misused for peaceful purposes.
  2. Menendez is lying.
  3. Menendez is living in an alternate universe.

I’m going with #2 with the added extrapolation that he probably has evil intentions as his motivation to pursue this legislation.—Joe]

Quote of the day—Noah Smith

Posted on by

What if the government doesn’t have to pay back what it borrows, now or ever? This is the provocative thesis of an unorthodox economic theory that is rapidly gaining credence on the political left called modern monetary theory, or MMT.

Noah Smith
January 10, 2019
Don’t Be So Sure Hyperinflation Can’t Hit the U.S.
[Delusions are often functional. This particular delusion will give the political left a good shot at gaining absolute power over and destroying the United States.

Prepare for a civil war and/or buy gold and secure it in some other country.—Joe]

Quote of the day—Jacob Sullum

Posted on by

Once you realize that “assault weapons” are in the eye of the beholder, it’s hard to take seriously the extravagant promises of legislators who want to ban them. Feinstein claims her bill would “put a stop to mass shootings.” Yet even if it eliminated the millions of “assault weapons” that Americans already own (something it does not even purport to do), mass shooters would still have plenty of equally lethal alternatives.

After three decades of this nonsense, Americans may be starting to wise up. According to Gallup, support for legislation like Feinstein’s fell from a peak of 59 percent in 2000 to 40 percent last year.

Jacob Sullum
January 16, 2019
The Whimsical Illogic of ‘Assault Weapon’ Bans
[At a national scale I think we are making progress. At the state level we are losing. Ultimately it will be decided in Federal courts. I think we need to fight a holding action at the state level and put as much resources as we can into winning in the courts.—Joe]