Nation Terrorized with Back-To-Back Shootings

On August 4th & 5th, 2019, eighty people were shot resulting in thirty deaths. I want to say how sorry I am for the victims, survivors, their families and those impacted by the recent shootings in El Paso and Dayton. Most Americans understand shootings are extremely rare and "active" shooters are even more rare even though they are talked about non-stop by the cable news media for days, if not weeks leaving the impression that it's unsafe to go the mall, attend a place of worship, go to school or walk on our cities sidewalks.

Furthermore, I understand it's completely politically incorrect to point out basic facts. In a country with 330,000,000 people, mass shootings (four or more people shot) and expecially active shooters are extremely, actually, unbelievably rare. The FBI documented 27 total active shooting incidents in the United State in 2018.

This seems like a ton of cases but when you look at it as a nation it's not but the upward trend since 2000 is worthy of concern. This isn't an Obama or Trump thing. Something is changing with our young people and in many cases it's young, withdrawn, socially outcast, sexual inactive males.

Politicians and the media say mass shootings are on the rise and have become an "existential" threat to our country. However, politicians and the media continue to fail to acknowledge the numbers of gun shootings and deaths that occur daily in our large urban centers.

To put shootings in perspective 40,000 people die in car accidents and 60,000 due to drug overdose annually. Why, as a society, do we go on and on about mass shootings that killed 387 in 2018 but not the 100,000 that died on our roads and from drugs?

Maybe it's because shootings are random and that alone is terrifying?

Every year about 270 people are struck by lighting in the United States but rational people are NOT terrorized by seemingly random lighting strikes?

If the loss of life is the most important metric, wouldn't 100,000 people overdosing and dying in car accidents be the real story and "existential" threat to our nation?

By far the number one thing we as a nation could do to curb gun violence would be to change our Constitution. With the repeal of the 2nd Amendment we could ban guns and it's clear that a total ban on all guns would have a significant impact on gun violence. Would I feel safer giving up my shotgun and handgun? Honestly, I don't know... I've only had a handgun for twelve years and I didn't feel unsafe before I owned one.

Do I think the 2nd Amendment should be changed to prevent 387 annual deaths from mass shootings per year? Absolutely not, but to be intellectually honest all options must be considered.

I'm in favor of a nationwide licensing process for handguns. This would include a gun safety course, training that includes firing a handgun, fingerprints and a background check in order to own a handgun. Seems extreme but think of what you have to do to drive a car and cars kill 40,000 people a year... I'm okay with this change.

I'm also very much in favor of limiting magazine capacity to gun design. This would effectively make illegal huge clips, 100 round drums, etc... However, I think limiting my Glock 22 to 10 rounds from 15 is nonsense and puts me at a disadvantage when confronting a prepared shooter.

I'm in favor or banning bump stocks... DONE - The ban went into effect on March 26, 2019, by which owners of bump stocks were required to destroy them or surrender them to ATF, punishable by 10 years imprisonment and $250,000 fine.

Although the "Gun Show Loophole" like the "Assault Weapon Ban" is mostly bullshit, I think it makes sense to fill in a few gaps in the law. Right now if you sell one gun as a business you're require to have a Federal Firearms License (FFL). There are no exceptions to this law but amateur gunsmiths and now modern technology with 3D printing have muddled the waters. These loopholes need to be closed.

The lethality of the 5.56 NATO round needs to be addressed. The velocity of the 5.56 NATO round should be reviewed. Maybe a background check should be needed to purchase this type of ammo?

The FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) needs to be fully Internet based with all 50 states, DC and US Territories participating. Too many FFL's call into the system and read the ATF E-Form 4473 data. Potential gun buyers should be able to pre-fill their 4473 data and sign form 4473 in the presence of the FFL. If someone is not instantaneously approved there should be a way to find out why so they can address the problem. Furthermore, known felons, non-citizens, etc... who illegally attempt to buy firearms MUST be prosecuted.

Red flag laws need to be considered and implemented carefully so citizens constitutionally protected rights are not infringed.

Consider raising the age of gun ownership.

Consider requiring a licence to buy a gun. A license that requires a safety course, training, fingerprints and a background check would Gina long way to reducing gun violence. Again, if you need a license to drive a car is it unreasonable to require a license to buy a gun?

This list is NOT exhaustive. It's meant to provide food for thought from a gun owner. It's from a guy who has never been a member of the NRA and doesn't want law abiding citizens loosing the ability to protect them selves from enemies both foreign and domestic.

PS  The Democratic candidates and the media have come out bashing President Trump for his hateful rhetoric that although didn't directly cause the shooting was a contributing factor. One candidate actually called the President a White Nationalist. Turns out that Connor Betts, the suspect in the Dayton mass shooting has on social media described himself as a leftist, expressed “pro-Satan” views, and has stated support for Elizabeth Warren. Hummm I bet Mrs. Warren didn't see that one coming.

Connor Betts - Shooter

Only Old White Men Voted for Alabama Abortion Law - Wrong!

For starters the narrative that men, let alone old white men aren't qualified to vote on abortion legislation is fundamentally flawed.

First of all race doesn't matter and saying it does is racist.

Secondly, since when does being old mean unwise?

Thirdly, if men shouldn't vote on abortion then what about Roe v. Wade's 7-2 decision by an all male Supreme Court?

The Governor who signed Alabama's bill is a woman.  In November of 2018 Alabama voters approved "Amendment 2" which states an un-borne child has rights under Alabama law. This approval would  indicate that millions of Alabama women favored more restrictions on abortion. Furthermore, the Representative who sponsored the bill and brought it to the house floor is a woman. The Chairman of the Alabama Republican Party, who rallied for the vote, is a woman and finally nine of the eighteen women in the Alabama House of Representatives voted for the Bill.

The narrative that a bunch of old white men are trying to control women is a "prochoice" talking point that was repeated by a complicit media.

Women not men are behind this latest "Heart Beat" law that doesn't exempt rape or incest. There is little doubt it will be struck down by a Federal Court and it's unlikely the Supreme Court will chose to hear the case.

The narrative that these 25 men (Alabama State Senators) want to control women's reproductive "rights" in Alabama is misleading. Woman, not men are behind this law and saying it's just a bunch of old white men degrades the thoughts of millions of women!

Like Bill Clinton, I believe abortion should be safe, legal and rare. Unfortunately, abortion is NOT rare in the United States. Today roughly one out of every five pregnancies ends with an abortion. If you add up all the abortions in the United States since 1973 they would equal the entire population of Canada and Australia combined. No matter your religious beliefs, political leanings or other views it's hard to argue abortion is rare in the United States.

Note: Roughly 12,000 "pregnancies" past 20 weeks were aborted last year in the United States. Since 1973 there have been over 650,000 "late term" abortions and regardless of your politics there is absolutely no doubt that these were lives.

Note: To put things into perspective the number dead is the equivalent to dropping the largest bomb the US has (B83 with a thermonuclear yield of 1.2 Mt) on the city of Boston.

Identity Politics has to Stop

I've complained over the last few years about colleges having separate graduation ceremonies for blacks. I recently learned that some colleges are reverting back to segregated dormitories. The Supreme Court specifically ruled that separate but equal was not going to be the law of the land which is why "safe spaces" on college campuses where a person who lacks color is not welcome must be stopped immediately. The worst example has to be political events were white members of the press are not welcome.

Out of all the stupid things the "Left" has come up with in the last decade very few are more dangerous than identity politics. Basically, the Democratic party is now all in saying there is no difference between the sexes but the color of your skin is all important.

The Reverend Doctor King had it correct when he said his dream was for his children to be judged not by the color of the skin but the content of their character. Saying the sexes are equal is as stupid as thinking a man with slightly dark skin is any different than someone born with the white privilege of Appalachia.

I was just reading Thomas Sowell's book on basic economics where he explains how ignorant the French government was when declaring car insurance premiums must be the same for men and women when it's absolutely undeniable that young women are safer drivers than young men.

When we as a people ignore common sense and statistically backed evidence over what feels right it's time for things to change. The Left seems to think the future of our nation is a given or they will be just fine riding the decline of America. Maybe they are right but I'm not going to bet on their feelings.

Student Loan Program Federalized in 2010

In our busy lives we miss the signs that our democracy is slowly slipping away. Like a shrinking beach the changes are normally incremental and subtle with the occasional winter storm or hurricane causing massive erosion.

The 2010 complete federalization of the student loan program was a winter storm to the beach of our democracy. President Obama signed the Student Aid and Financial Responsibility Act which for all practical purposes eliminated private lending from the student loan marketplace and went largely unnoticed.

Even the chairwoman of the House Financial Services Committee didn't notice this significant change. How do you miss something that directly impacts 44 million students who collectively owe over 1.5 trillion to the government?

As of 2010 the guaranteed lending program was eliminated. Private banks nolonger participated in student loans a fact that clearly went unnoticed by chairwoman Maxine Waters as she grilled the heads of major banks on April 10th 2019.

Late Night With Seth Meyers

First of all I like Seth Meyers. The guy is funny, good hearted and really seems to enjoy what he does. He was brilliant on Saturday Night Live as a Weekend Update anchor. This morning I watched two episodes of Late Night (April 1st and 2nd) and was saddened.

Why two episodes? I just wanted to make sure the content that was so blatant in the 1st wasn't an aberration. Arggggggg, why does late night TV have to be so political? It was worse than watching MSNBC that jumped the shark the night Trump was elected.

Barack Obama's former Secretary of Homeland security recently said that anything more than 1,000 apprehensions a day is unmanageable and he doesn't know how DHS is processing 4,000. He called the current situation at our Southern boarder a crisis... Yet everything Trump is trying to do is a joke.

Making fun of the President is funny... The guy cheats at golf, says his dad was born in Germany and tweets out crazy shit at all hours of the night. It's funny, but the constant drum beat that he needs to be removed from office is just wrong. Continuing to insist the Russian's worked with his campaign to defraud Hillary Clinton in 2016 is seriously undercutting the administration and regardless of what you think not good for the country.

Maybe I'm delusional? Maybe I look at the administration in too positive of a light? I look at numbers for a living and the Trump administration has done things allowing businesses to grow at a level I didn't think was possible just two years ago. Matter of fact there were only a handful of economic experts who thought we would ever see 3% GDP growth again. Reducing corporate taxes, cutting out multiple layers of bureaucracy, encouraging overseas capital to repatriate, reducing small business and self-employed taxes by 20% was bold.

Everyone on the left and the mainstream media said the taxcut would bankrupt the country. That hasn't been the case.

US Treasury monthly revenues October 1980 to February 2019.

Good economic news, NATO paying more for its own defense, North Korea stopping its nuclear bomb and missile tests, two extremely qualified Supreme Court nominees, full employment in general and historical low unemployment for women and minorities is just part of a narrative you will not hear on Late Night.

The deep state or what I call the bureaucratic state has fought Trump at every turn and yet he keeps advancing his agenda. It's impossible to argue that the country is worse off now than it was just two years ago but yet the mainstream media and Seth Meyers believe that bashing in the President's head at every single opportunity is actually good for the country.

I wish the media, including late night hosts would read "Basic Economics" by Thomas Sowell. If more politicians and media pundits understood basic economic principles and how capitalism actually works the benefit would far outweigh the onslaught of visceral hatred of Donald Trump that spews forth on a daily basis.

Tax Remittances to Fund Border Security

Let me be absolutely clear, legal immigration is one of the greatest strengths of the United States. Immigrants who risk everything and desire to become Americans help drive our economy in so many immeasurable ways.

That said, in 2016 $116 billon dollars left the United States via money transfers. The bulk of these funds do great good for our neighbors to the South and shouldn't be restricted. However, I wonder how much of this money was taxed? How much is from criminal activity? How much is actually originates from government support payments?

If the funds collected by taxing remittances were used to offset boarder enforcement costs and improve the quality of our treatment of those who end up in custody at the boarder I'm all for it.

Oklahoma currently charges 1% for remittances and I suggest the federal government consider doing something similar. Charging 1-5% would have little impact on the good these funds do down south and would allow those living in the shadows in our country to pay their share.

PS Our asylum laws must be updated to reflect modern reality. Families traveling 2,000 thousand miles through Mexico to claim asylum in the United States is fraudulent at best. Furthermore, birthright citizenship should be re-evaluated as many countries in the world already have.

Venezuela Blockade and No-Fly Zone

America is the last remaining superpower but rarely do we act as such. It could be argued we are timid when it comes to flexing our economic and military might even though we typically flex it for the benefit of others.

Today things are a bit different. This week Russia landed approximately 100 troops in Venezuela and is clearly testing American influence in the region. The Monroe Doctrine, penned in 1823, is as valid today as ever and if South America is to remain peaceful, Russians (as well as Cubans) need to pack up and leave.

Since 1959 the United States, along with our South American friends, has conducted a maritime exercise called UNITAS for these situations. The United States should mobilize South America's Maritime defense in accordance with UNITAS training and blockade Venezuela. This blockade should extend to the air space above Venezuela. Venezuela should essentially become a no-fly zone.

At the same time the US, in coordination with the United Nations, should establish refugee camps along the boarders of Columbia, Brazil and Guyana.

The Venezuelan Constitution is very clear and the national Assembly has voted to declare the office of the President vacant. With the declaration of vacancy the leader of the national Assembly becomes interim president and this has been recognized by virtually every country in free world.

There are times it becomes important to go into harms way for the benefit of others and the stability of an entire region. This is one of those times. There are significant risks associated with action but the long term impact of no action must be weighed and Russia needs to understand Venezuela will not become another Crimea.

Many Airports Don't Use TSA

On November 19th, 2001 the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) became a government agency and it's time that we rethink its existence. Did you know many Airports with commercial flights do not use the TSA for security? Predictably their results are also consistently better than TSA. Some of the airports are: Rochester, Jackson Hole, Kansas City, Key West, Orlando, San Francisco, Sarasota, Sioux Falls and Seattle.

If the results of private airport security are consistently as good if not better than TSA why in the world do have a bloated government agency who's funding is at the whim of Congress or the pen of the President? It's likely the same reason we still have: The Rural Electrification Administration, The U.S. Geological Survey, The Economic Development Administration (EDA) which I just learned duplicates the activities of at least 62 other community development programs. The list goes on and the shear number of government agencies that Americans don't know exist and wouldn't miss is mind boggling.

Government isn't the solution... In my experience it's typically the problem and should get out of the way. George W. Bush was WRONG to establish the Department of Homeland Security and the TSA is just one of the reasons. It's time to rethink the existence of the TSA.

TSA Free Airports:

Atlantic City International Airport
Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport
Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport
Dawson Community Airport
Glacier Park International Airport
Greater Rochester International Airport
Havre City-County Airport
Jackson Hole Airport
Kansas City International Airport
Key West International Airport
L. M. Clayton Airport
Orlando Sanford International Airport
Portsmouth International Airport
Punta Gorda Airport
Roswell International Air Center     
San Francisco International Airport
Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport
Sidney-Richland Municipal Airport
Sioux Falls Regional Airport
Tupelo Regional Airport
Wokal Field/Glasgow International

The Deep State

I don't believe the "Deep State" is some official organization or even a group of leaders that get together and discuss how they want to run the country. It's the natural result of decades of government growth of an ever increasing bureaucracy. Once a department, agency, commission, board, etc... is created they are every increasingly impossible to eliminate.

Take for example the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) that was set up to regulate the railroads because fixed tracks didn't promote competition. This agency was "captured" by the industry to such an extent when the trucking industry was able to compete with trains they were regulated in such a way as to protect trains from competition. This lasted until 1980 when Congress eventually stepped in allowing trucks to compete. The result? Freight charges declined substantially with an increase in quality of service. Trucks became more dependable allowing those using their services to maintain smaller inventories which when applied to the entire country saved tens of billions of dollars.

Government Agencies

Government Departments

Official Executive Branch Websites  "This page contains Executive Branch sites only. With the time we have available, it is not possible to list every department agency..." Library of Congress

Every government agency, department, commission, board, etc... Should be required to have a website that concisely shows their legal mandate, mission, number of employees and annual budget each year. Furthermore, the public should be able to leave comments on these websites. Finally, significant rewards should be given to leaders, managers and workers who find a way to eliminate their jobs.

Hillary Never had a Government email Address?

HRC never used or even had a State Department email account?

Yep, I too am blown away that Hillary didn't have a State Department email address. Let me spell this out... she didn't have the ability to send emails from a goverment email server unless she went to the State Department's SCIF pronounced "skiff", which she loathed to do because it was a hassle.

Hillary repeatedly saying she did not send classified emails from her private server is akin to her statements about dodging sniper fire. Totally false, easy to verify and it's crystal clear she's not being truthful but yet repeatedly said over and over to the point I think it's fair to say she believes she is being truthful.

Why did the press give her a pass? Why did the lead FBI investigator (Peter Strzok) broom the investigation. Virtually anyone else doing this would spend time in jail... Seriously jail. Saying that it would be hard to prove she intended to break the law doesn't pass the smell test?

Only after her emails, server, devices, etc... Were subpoenaed by Congress did she take efforts delete 30,000 none work related emails, bleachbit the server and use hammers on her blackberries.

"There is evidence that they were extremely careless in their handling of very sensitive, highly classified information," Comey said of Clinton and her team.

Why did the FBI Director hold a press conference to make it clear the FBI was declining to prosecute Hillary Rodham Clinton? Seriously, that has to be one of the biggest overt broom jobs in the history of our Nation.

The truth will one day get out as it always does and I believe that when it does fair minded Americans will be shocked to the core while many will not even register the slightest out rage... As the mainstream media moves on to something more interesting than the overthrowing of our Democratic process.

What Exactly did Michael Cohen Plead Guilty To?

How many charges did Cohen actually plead guilty to? Nine charges? Eight Charges?

Lying to Congress about the Moscow real estate project was one and that was a bomb shell even though it's not really and Cohen never went to Moscow. Concealing more than $4 million of income from the IRS is pretty darn big. Lying to bankers about assets in order to obtain loans for which he otherwise wouldn't have qualified is a felony.

It seems the press is only interested in campaign finance violations because there salacious and implicate Trump. I was the treasurer of a congressional campaign and I had to learn the FEC rules and submit filings. The FEC campaign finance rules aren't that tough to understand if you remember their purpose is to provide transparency and hopefully prevent undue influence in our elections. The charges Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to were many but I'm pretty sure he didn't violate campaign finance law.

Can you follow the bias?

Michael Cohen sentenced to three years in prison for crimes committed while working for Trump - Washington Post

Michael Cohen, former Trump attorney, gets 3 years in prison for tax fraud, campaign finance violations, lying - Fox News

Michael Cohen Sentenced to 3 Years After Implicating Trump in Hush-Money Scandal - NYT

Michael Cohen sentenced to three years in prison after admitting he covered up Trump's 'dirty deeds' - CNN

Former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen sentenced to three years prison - Reuters

Cohen sentenced to three years in prison - The Hill

‘Dirty deeds’: Ex-Trump lawyer Cohen gets 3 years in prison - AP

Michael Cohen Sentenced To 3 Years In Prison Following Plea That Implicated Trump - NPR

Michael Cohen slams Trump as he’s sentenced to 3 years in prison - New York Post

Cohen gets 3 years in prison, blames Trump for his 'path of darkness' - ABC

Former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen sentenced to 3 years in prison - CBS

Michael Cohen sentenced to three years in federal prison - NBC

Michael Cohen gets 3 years in prison for tax fraud, campaign finance violations, lying to Congress, etc... - Dave Beemer

South Africa and Zimbabwe

In 2002 Zimbabwe confiscated white farmers land by gunpoint which resulted in a humanitarian catastrophe. By the end of March 2019, South Africa intends to repeat this while the West is silent.

Property rights are fundamental to democracy and I fear the world, specifically the West,  doesn't understand how significant this chain of events is going to be as the impact ripples through the world economy and psyche.

As always, I hope that there will come a day that skin color will matter as much as shoe size.

Trump is Anti Illegal Immigration?

I watch a lot of news and over and over I hear the same phrase... "Trump is anti immigration." Yep he hates immigration... Can't stand it and thinks it's destroying our country.

Wrong! Words matter and there is a big difference between illegal and legal immigration. His mom was born in Scotland and two of his three wives are foreign-born. It could safely be said that Donald Trump loves immigrants.

Why the disconnect?

The media HATES President Trump. They cried when he was elected and collectively they long since hung up their journalistic ethics. The mainstream media are to a person biased political hacks which seems like a crazy statement but for one fact... It's true.

STOP USING "IMMIGRATION" WHEN TALKING ABOUT "ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION." They are two completely different things.

Minimum Wage Should be $15.00 an Hour?

Bernie Sanders, God bless him, has a new book out and was on "CBS This Morning" pitching his progressive agenga to the unsuspecting American public. He was asked about the minimum wage and again stated that if you work 40 hours a week you shouldn't be living in poverty and the panel nods in agreement and some actually say yes.

It's so fustrating hearing this, seeing the polls showing Americans want this and knowing how totally wrong it is. Being willing to pay more for everything you buy so someone can have a living wage is compassionate. Not knowing that the opposite will happen is ignorant. Knowing an increase in the minimum wage will have the opposite result and still wanting to do it because it feels right is just wrong.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that new business models are eliminating low wage jobs. Left leaning politicians, progressives, elites, etc... that are pushing the minimum wage are either living in a bubble or not paying attention to what is going on the world.

With every increase in the minimum wage low skill jobs are phased out. Agricultural products are being harvested by machines. Workers are being replaced by robots. Wait staffs are being eliminated and kiosks are replacing order takers.

Low-wage jobs once educated and provided spending money for our nation's youth. These low wage jobs provided tempory employment and transition options for the recently unemployed but more and more they are being phased out.

Growing up in America and not understanding how a free-market economy works within a capitalistic system is beyond me. Bernie pleae stop using Sweden as an example of how democratic socialism can work... They haven't been socialist since the 60's when they figured out it doesn't work. Sweden, in many ways is more capitalistic than the United States and oh by the way they do not have ANY minimum wage laws.

"The Right Minimum Wage Should be Zero"

Admiral Mike Rogers Tells Trump He's Being Spied on!

In 2016, Admiral Mike Rogers, former Commander US 10th fleet, former commander US Cyber Command and while serving as Director of the Central Security Service & NSA Director ran an audit and discovered that the DOJ and FBI had been lying to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) to get warrants and had done so to watch Trump and his team. He went to the FISC and told them what he discovered.

Shortly after the election, Admiral Mike Rogers (without permission and without asking) went to see Trump. Note: It only took five days for NPR to smear the Admiral which indicates how damaging what he discovered likely was.

- On Thursday November 17th, 2016, NSA Director Mike Rogers traveled to New York and met with President-Elect Donald Trump.

"In a move apparently unprecedented for a military officer, Rogers, without notifying superiors, traveled to New York to meet with Trump on Thursday at Trump Tower. That caused consternation at senior levels of the Obama Administration, according to the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal personnel matters."

- On Friday November 18th, 2016 the Trump Transition team left Trump Towers for good and relocated to Trump's New Jersey golf club.

- On Friday November 18th The Washington Post reported on a recommendation that Mike Rogers be removed from his NSA position:  "The heads of the Pentagon and the nation’s intelligence community have recommended to President Obama that the director of the National Security Agency, Adm. Michael S. Rogers, be removed." Why? For cause as he was allegedly doing a poor job and lacked leadership... Admiral Rogers lacked leadership? Just to be clear that was total sarcasm.

The recommendation was made by Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter and Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper Jr., according to several U.S. officials familiar with the matter. The same Clapper who lied to Congress and the American people stating the NSA was not collecting massive amounts of data on millions of unsuspecting Americans.

On Saturday November 19th, 2018 Reuters also reported on the Washington Post story. They confirmed that the heads of the Pentagon and the U.S. intelligence community had requested President Obama fire Mike Rogers.

If you want a list of members of the "Deep State" you can start by determining who was asking for Mike Rogers head.

- Admiral Rogers continued on as the director of the NSA in the Trump Administration. Admiral Mike Rogers retired from active duty and Directer of the NSA on May 4th, 2018.

To this day James Clapper, CNN contributor, continues to embarrass himself and the intelligence community by making erroneous statements about what he did as director of national intelligence during the Obama years.

Silicone Valley Hard Core Liberals

A picture is worth a thousand words...

Letter to Angus King regarding SCOTUS

Sir, I've met you, heard you speak and live about 10 minutes from your home in Brunswick. I absolutely like you but I'm sorry I can't vote for you in November.

Some Americans are one issue voters. Never thought I belonged to that crowd but your Kavanaugh vote changed my mind.

The Republicans were so wrong not to hold hearings and vote on Merrick Garland. The Dems campaign of personal destruction and sitting on Dr. Ford's allegation was just as wrong and your no vote clearly wasn't advise and consent.

Sir, you're NOT independent and I'm sorry but you lost my vote this election cycle and I will actively campaign against you. I can only hope that hard working Mainers can offset all the folks "from away" that have settled in Portland, Lewiston, Auburn and Brunswick and show you the door.

Orchestrated Hit Job SCOTUS

The Polygraph of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford:

"The August 7 examination, held in a Maryland Hilton Hotel, consisted of a one-page, handwritten statement by Ford, an interview and two questions: Is any part of your statement false? And, Did you make up any part of your statement?"

Judge Kavanaugh was aggressively cross examined by the Democrats and I didn't see any miss steps other than not requesting a formal FBI investigation as repeatedly and aggressively requested by the Democrats. Dr. Ford was questioned, but not cross examined, yet holes in her story emerged. I don't mean her story of 36 years ago which was compelling and consistent. I mean of the last few months.

- She implied the polygraph took hours and was very stressful. In reality she wrote a one page statement of what happened (with corrections) answered a few baseline questions and then two questions about what happened. Keep in mind this was a friendly examer paid for by her lawyers, one of which was recommended by Senator Feinstein.

- She stated she didn't know who was paying for the exam.

- She stated she didn't know who was paying her lawyers.

- She was confused of when the exam happened even though it was in conjunction with her grandmother's funeral.

- She didn't know the Committee said they would meet with her any time any place including going to see her in California. Note - Some senators said the "Committee" which seemed to mean the actual members while the press reported "Committee" staff would interview her.

- She doesn't fly except to come East once a year, funerals, to surf in the South Pacific, vacation in Costa Rica and of course testify to Congress.

- The "date" or should I say years changed between her various statements and interviews up to being pinned down to the summer of 1982 by the time of her testimony.

- The number of boys and girls there also kept changing but finally settled on four boys and one another girl by the time of her testimony.

There are dozen or more discrepancies I could point out just watching Dr. Ford testify. Parts of me desperately wants to believe Dr. Ford like parts of me really wants to believe there was a 2nd shooter in the grassy knoll. My prediction is the FBI isn't going to find squat and weeks from now the nation will be even more divided.

PS The timing of Dr. Ford first mentioning of the sexual assault to her therapist is interesting. It seemingly aligns with a CNN story in September 2012 discussing that Judge Kavanaugh was being considered by Mitt Romney as a potential SCOTUS appointment if elected President.

Science is Not Based on Consensus

I used to support the global warming effort because I felt less CO2 would result in less actual air pollution and of course it was the safer path... No foul if wrong right?

Now I understand better... There is a massive cost in human suffering and world impacting pollution mostly in the developing nation's. Greenpeace's co-founder's writings and lectures were my turning point. That and someone actually pointing out the math...

A one in 10,000 change in total atmospheric CO2 is what all of this is about and maybe only half of the increase is manmade?

If 10,000 super balls were used to represent the atmosphere it would consist of:

7,809 blue - nitrogen
2,095 red - oxygen
93 pink  - argon
4 black - CO2

It seems the "entire" scientific world wants you to believe that going from 3 to 4 black balls is causing pretty much everything bad and nothing good.

Again finding out man's not responsible for 100% of the actual CO2 increase was my tipping point. That CO2, like the ocean levels and temperature had been trending up well before man's CO2 contribution was the nail in the coffin.

Something is going on... 6000+ scientists (an that's just the leadership) depending on research grants have skewed the science towards catastrophe. No matter what you have been lead to believe science isn't democratic. Scientists definitely don't make policy. Science doesn't care if 99% of all scientist agree on something, if they are wrong they are wrong.

Throughout history scientist and group think have come up short. The truth eventually comes out and the aha moment sometimes is painful. Time after time innovation and scientific advancement come at the expense of disproving previous well established beliefs.

10,000 balls... Can you see the four black ones?

"I Have a Dream"

It is my hope that one day everyone, regardless of their sex, color, sexual orientation, etc... will be judged upon their abilities and character. When you apply for a job, college, university or military academy the color of your skin, the shape of your eyes, you families wealth or lack thereof  will have as little impact towards your acceptance as the color of your hair. I believe we are all equal under God but our talents are as diverse as grains of sand.

To some this statement is racist and certain groups must be given a helping hand to level the playing field. That outcome, NOT opportunity must be equal. I reject this believing all "men" are created equal. That quotas based on race* are inherently racist and go against what Dr. King said 55 years ago today.

Listen to Speach

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

But 100 years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later...

The Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself in exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition. In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men - yes, black men as well as white men - would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked insufficient funds...

But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt...

We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice...

We have also come to his hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism...

Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time... to lift our nation from the quick sands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. 1963 is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual...

There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred...

We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny...

And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back.

There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, when will you be satisfied? We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities...

We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their selfhood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating: for whites only...

We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote...

No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream...

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our Northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends...

So even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal...

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today...

I have a dream that one day down in Alabama with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, one day right down in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today...

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day...

This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning: My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrims' pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania. Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado. Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California. But not only that, let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia. Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee. Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when we this happen, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: Free at last. Free at last. Thank God almighty, we are free at last.

*For example limiting the number of Asians who can attend MIT, Harvard, etc...

The Second Amendment is Not About Hunting

The AR-10 is a mean looking gun that works exactly the same as the much more demur Winchester .308 rifle. Matter of fact many parts are interchangeable and they use the same ammo.

If you use 10 round mags (5 round in Canada) it's  perfectly legal to hunt with an AR-10 in states that haven't passed laws against how something looks. Not kidding... Banning something based on how it looks and not functionality is typical of leftist thought.

I recently read the First Amendment closely. Studied the five rights it guarantees and concluded it's awesome and kinda the definition of what it is to be an American.

Then I read about the Second Amendment. Read about how it means this or means that as if I wasn't capable of understanding a sentence.

Then it dawned on me... The First Amendment is 1st for a reason. It's long, complicated and covers five extremely important and distinct freedoms. The second is one sentence and has nothing to do with hunting because that was a given. It has everything to do with protecting the First Amendment and our Democracy against enemies both foreign and domestic.

The breakthrough for me was realizing that a bunch of Afghanistan goat herders armed with essentally semi-automatic rifles could successfully standup against a world power for 17 years and counting.

That every able American has a shared responsibility to defend our Democracy. That there are forces on the left and right wearing masks who have showed their hand. Some are fomenting violence against various aspects of the First Amendment and seemingly seek to overthrow the duly elected government.

The Second Amendment isn't about hunting it's very much about protecting the First Amendment. The next time you see a riot pay attention to who is hitting whom. Who are sporting t-shirts with images of communist, Marxist or socialist revolutionaries. Better yet, break out the tequila and take a shot every time you see the hammer and sickle or five star red flag.

The Left Strives to Ban All Guns

"If a broad ban on firearms can be upheld based on conjecture that the public might feel safer (while being no safer at all), then the Second Amendment guarantees nothing." Justice Clarence Thomas

Although the rhetoric has died down gun violence has not. Shootings in the inner city haven't been reduced. Bump stocks, as far as I know are still legal in nearly all states while Democratic politicians are gearing up for the midterms using gun control as a rallying cry.

One thing that changed for me is the realization that a modern army can effectively be stopped by goat herders with small arms. Furthermore, the 2nd amendment is 2nd for a reason. Never thought about the order before. The 1st spells out our five freedoms and most would argue itsi the most important amendment while thd 2nd is just one sentence but clearly intended to protect the first.

Think about that the next time someone argues guns are for hunting and a well regulated militia is so 17th century.

The "Asault Weapons" Ban is Back?

When someone says let's ban "Assault Weapons" you know they are jumping the shark on so many levels and not serious about actually reducing crime or death by gun.

Recently some localities have passed laws banning "Assault Weapons" and reducing magazine size to 10 rounds...

Conduct a little research and it's clear the term Assault Weapon is a made up word. The inner workings of these type of weapons are the same as semiautomatic hunting rifles... Actually exactly the same to the extent of being interchangeable.

Furthermore, reducing magazine size to 10 rounds puts the defender at a disadvantage because planning and changing out mags is easy and fast but having extra mags on your person or for example in your purse is a hassle that few put up with. By the way criminals don't give a crap about laws so they are going to have the 40 round clip anyways.

One idea I could live with is adding 5 years to any "gun related crime" committed with a magazine greater than 10 rounds. Considering most crime is committed by known criminals this would probably save lives by keeping criminals in jail longer.

If handguns are by far the number one murder weapon why do so many well meaning politicians say they believe outlawing military "looking" semi-automatic rifles and high capacity magazines will reduce gun deaths? Futhermore, don't forget the most used gun in shootings are the cheap handguns that fit in your pocket.

How about makeing it harder to own hand guns? Maybe raise the age to 21 and require anyone who carries a handgun to get a carry permit. If you have a handgun on your person without a permit you're subject to arrest.

For the record I'm not a gun fan.

Although I was trained and carried a gun in the military I didn't own a handgun until 2007 and I've shot a lot of clay pigeons but never hunted.

The 2nd Amendment is NOT about home defense or hunting. It's about tyranny and keeping the government in check. Getting rid of the 2nd amendment would eventually end up being a very bad idea. Not right away mind you but when things go bad millions will die. It's happened in the past and it will happen again.

Fascism, communism, socialism, etc... These forms of government require revolution and then the real killing happens to consolidate power. Having an armed population provides a meaningful bulwark against these and other forms of tyrannical government.

Unarmed Black Men are Being Killed by Police, BUT...

Are unarmed blacks being killed by police?

Absolutely but so are whites and Hispanics.

If you're talking pure ratios such as the percentage of people in the US being black to the percentage of those being killed then unarmed blacks are infact being killed at a higher rate than unarmed whites.

However, this simplistic view isn't statistically accurate. For better or worse young black men commit more crime than whites and Hispanics combined.

A recent analysis by the Washington Post found 987 people were killed by police last year of which 68 were unarmed. Of those unarmed victims, 30 were white, 20 were black and 13 were Hispanic and 5 were of unknown or other race.

According to the US Census website whites, Hispanics and blacks make up 61.3, 17.8 and 13.3 of the US population. So the first clue the common narritive isn't correct is Hispanics are shot fewer times than blacks per capita.

Incarceration rates also fill in some blanks and yes I acknowledge and reject the notion that blacks get locked up at a higher rate. They are still committing crimes to end up in court. According to prison/jail data 4.7%, 1.8% and .7% of black, Hispanic and white males are incarcerated. FYI those numbers are scary high and clearly something isn't right.

This results in a prison population of roughly 40% white, 34% black and 20% Hispanic. Based on these numbers it would seem unarmed Hispanics are killed at a rate commiserate with the crimes they commit while whites are killed at a slightly higher rate and blacks are killed at a statistically measurable lower rate.

Regardless of what you are being feed by the media, it's clear to me the US doesn't have a problem with cops killing unarmed black men. Furthermore, I think it's important to note none of the major media outlets mentioned one of the cops in the recent shooting of Stephon Clark in Sacramento California was himself black.

Why wasn't this widely known? Because a black cop killing a unarmed young black man doesn't fit the racist profile being levied against police officers.

Police have a tough job and I would venture to say police working in crime-ridden inner-city areas are experiencing stress at the level experienced by a combat soldier.

ln 2016 state, local, university, college, etc... law enforcement agencies reported 57,180 officers were assaulted while performing their duties resulting in 66 police killed and 16,535 non-fatal injuries in the line of duty during felonious incidents.

Data from the 2016 FBI UCR LEOKA

So before you buy into the narrative that unarmed blacks are routinely being guned down by racist cops take a moment and ponder the statistics. A population of 326 million is being policed by roughly 1.1 million cops in uniform with so few incidents that when one unfortunately happens it's major news and more than likely will result in social unrest if not riots.

Latin America Democracy Crumbling

Latin American democracy is crumbling under corruption

I just read this story and Ed nailed it. A new book by Peter Schweizer "Secret Empires: How the American Political Class Hides Corruption and Enriches Family and Friends" looks at corruption in those who serve the federal government. Seems we are modeled after China which is modeled after the middle ages... History repeats.

The model is using your connections and power to benefit your children, spouses and in-laws that and $500,000 paid speaches. If you or anyone wants to understand who is corrupt in our government just follow the money.

That goes for politicians, their families as well as senior governmental officials. The Clinton's in total are now worth over a quarter billion after leaving the White House "basically" broke?

Most in the media seem angry that Andrew MaCabe lost part of his pension for being fired before retiring but don't feel sorry for him he's worth over ten million at the ripe old age of 50.

From Speaker Pelosi to Speaker Boehner... Many political insiders become rich beyond anything one would expect after decades of government salaries. Clearly corruption isn't solely limited to Latin America.

During my research it has become clear to me that Politics is corrupt beyond belief  presenting a clear and present danger to our democracy. It's also clear the Democrats are the worst abusers of the current system.