A gun as a tool

The discussion over at Post Politics regarding my prior post is getting interesting. In an excellent post, Mr. Kleinheider explains how a gun is considered a tool to many, no different "than a circular saw or a chainsaw." That's exactly how I have always seen it and how guns were treated at my house when I was a child. Maybe that is why rural kids seldom seem to be the ones who do foolish things like getting out the guns when parents aren't around. My desire to play with a gun as a kid was roughly equivalent to my desire to play with the lamp on the coffee table. We were taught early on that a gun has a purpose, much like a chainsaw has a purpose. We knew not to play with the chainsaws and knew not to play with the guns. We also knew that if we ever wanted to look at the guns or shoot them, all we had to do was ask. We knew what they were, how they worked and knew the damage they could cause. There is something about hunting with Dad that engenders respect for nature, for life, for death and for the gun. There was never any mystery surrounding the guns, nor should there have been.

The comments there continue to show ignorance and emotion.

Heyron writes

May 29th, 2009 4:05 pm
But you can’t mix driving a car with alcohol. Neither should you mix the latter with carrying a gun.

Despite all of the information out there on the subject, Heyron still hasn't figured out that it was, is, and will remain illegal for people to drink while carrying. Being in the same place where alcohol exists is hardly a "mix." If I am not drinking, what is the risk that I might do something stupid with my gun? Are you concerned that some punk might get up in my face and threaten to kill me and that I might respond with lethal force? If so, the laws of self-defense continue to apply [note that I am NOT suggesting that lethal force would be warranted in that situation]. Why should I not be able to lawfully defend myself if I reasonably fear that I am or another person is in danger of serious and imminent bodily harm or death just because I am in a bar or a restaurant that serves alcohol?

The anti-gun crowd also seems to conveniently forget that any restaurant or bar has the right to override the law simply by posting a sign at the entrance. Heyron and his ilk can go there for their beer, "feel safe" and depend on the police for protection. As for me, I prefer to depend on myself and will take my business elsewhere.

A Victim of the Restaurant Carry Ban Speaks Out

This is what can happen when you leave your gun in the car. Note to legislators: override Bredesen's veto. If it weren't already too late, I would suggest renaming the bill the "Benjamin Felix Goeser Self-Defense Act of 2009" in this man's memory.

Gas Prices: Bush vs. Clinton vs. Obama

Here's a comparison the media won't be making:

8 years of Bush - Gas prices up 25%
8 years of Clinton - Gas prices up 38%
4 months of Obama - Gas prices up 31.7%

Where is the media outrage?

This very good post from a couple of years ago inspired me to look at updated numbers.

When President Bush took office on January 20, 2001, the national average gas price was $1.46 per gallon. Six and a half years later, on August 27, 2007, the national average gas price had jumped to $2.76, roughly 89% higher. Compounded annually, this represents about a 10% jump each year Bush has been in office.

Now, let’s compare the numbers over the same time period for President Clinton. (emphasis added)

When Clinton took office on January 20, 1993, the national average gas price was $1.06 per gallon. six and a half years later, the national average gas price had jumped to $1.22, roughly 15% higher. Compounded annually, this represents about a 2% jump each year.

Fast forward to January 20, 2009 when Bush left office. At that time, the average price was $1.83 per gallon, roughly 25% higher. Over Bush's entire term of office, gas increased at a compounded annual rate of approximately 2.85% per year. Now, compare that for the entire Clinton term. Over Clinton's entire term, gas went from $1.06 to $1.46 per gallon, approximately 38% higher. Over Clinton's entire term, gas prices increased at a compounded annual rate of approximately 4.1% per year (an annual rate that is approximately 44% higher than under Bush). None of these numbers are adjusted for inflation, but that likely makes little difference.

Since King Barry's coronation, gasoline prices have risen from $1.83 to $2.41. That is 31.7% in only four months.

Does the President really have much influence over this? In my opinion, the answer is no, but don't tell that to Nancy Pelosi who was convinced that Bush was responsible for the high gas prices that were present during a portion of his term. Where are the Congressional hearings, Nancy? Where is the media outrage?

Johnson City Police Department Still Pushing Red Light Cameras

According to this article, the camera plan is still moving forward. What really annoys me is what I heard a couple of years ago at the little school that I had the privilege of attending as a result of allegedly speeding through one of Johnson City's notorious speed traps. The school was taught by a senior officer of the Johnson City Police Department. He told us that Johnson City had one of the highest accident rates in the state and that MOST of the accidents were rear-enders. He said that Johnson City was fortunate in that it did not have a high number of very serious accidents. Now, the JCPD wants to install red light cameras that are proven to increase the number of rear-ender accidents. Please do not tell me it is about safety. I think I will puke.

Ron Ramsey and Jason Mumpower Notably Absent

It seems that Ron Ramsey and Jason Mumpower are fine with the unconstitutional Tennessee plan for (s)electing judges. This does not make me happy with my legislators.

Bredesen Vetos Restaurant Carry Bill; Insures Future Invites from the Cocktail Party Crowd

Gov. Phil Bredesen has vetoed the restaurant carry bill. Here is part of is disingenuous statement:

As a young man growing up in a small town, I attended a gun safety class in my high school sponsored by the National Rifle Association. A basic tenet taught in that class was this: “Guns and alcohol don’t mix.” This seemingly common sense proposition is as true today as it was almost 50 years ago.

Either Phil didn't read the bill or he is just playing politics. The bill does not change the fact that it will still be illegal to consume alcohol while carrying. Kleinheider has it right. This is a widely popular bill and for good reason - it is nonsensical to require me to lock my gun in my car while I go eat at the Olive Garden. I'm not drinking; I'm eating.

The sad fact is that many permit holders who carry frequently have often become inadvertent violators of the current law. When you carry, at some point it becomes subconscious. It's like carrying your keys. The gun is simply one more tool in your pocket that you don't think about. It is easy to walk into a restaurant without even thinking about the gun and without even realizing they serve alcohol. If you don't regularly consume alcohol, a lot of times you do not realize that the restaurant serves it. As for the "guns in bars" angle loved by the left, the reality is that most people go to bars to drink. I suspect very few guns will end up in bars and even if they do, it is still illegal for the holder to drink while carrying. The practical effect of the bill for probably 99.9% of permit holders is that they can sit down and enjoy a meal without leaving their personal protection in a car to be stolen.

This would be the perfect bill for a veto override. I'm emailing legislators today and encourage all freedom lovers to do the same.

The Stimulation of the State

Mark Steyn has it spot on - the only thing being stimulated is the state.

At some point, the dwindling band of citizens still foolish enough to earn a living by making things, selling things or providing services other than government-funded program coordination will have to vote against not just taxes but specific agencies and programs – hundreds and thousands of them.

Grocery Stores to Nationalize

Wherever you read "food" in the article replace it with "health care." (h/t Boortz)

John Allison Has It Figured Out

John Allison, the Chairman of BB&T appeared on Bill Bennett's radio program this morning. It was an outstanding interview in an otherwise generally dry show. He explains the financial crisis and what can be done about it, including privatizing the financial system. The financial industry is the most heavily regulated industry and yet it fails. Could the problem be that the government is screwing things up? Here is a great video of John Allison going into greater detail. Hopefully, the Bennett show will post some excerpts.

Could this be the next BIG story broken by the Internet?

It seems that there may be a strange correlation between the donative tendencies of the Chrysler dealerships when compared to the ones that were allowed to remain open. It appears that the closed dealerships tended to give much, much, much more money to GOP candidates. If politics played into this, then we are in much bigger trouble than I thought when I saw the unions get ownership over supposedly secure creditors in complete abrogation of the rule of law.

I'm sure our official government media will go to great lengths to get to the bottom of this story as soon as possible. Just the same, I don't think I will hold my breath. (H/T Instapundit)

UPDATE: The Washington Examiner has picked it up. (via Instapundit).

Is Illinois Targeting Blacks With Speed Cameras?

The Illinois House has passed a bill approving speed cameras for the Martin Luther King, Jr. bridge in East St. Louis. Prior to making this post, I had no idea of the demographics of East St. Louis; however, my anecdotal experience suggests that bridges and roads named after Martin Luther King, Jr. are more typically found in areas with higher than average populations of blacks. It appears that my conclusion has some basis in reality, as the linked article notes that:

On average, black Georgians constitute approximately 47 percent of the population in a location with a street named for King. In more than 90 percent of places in the state with a Martin Luther King Jr. Street, the black community makes up at least 20 percent of the population. This pattern is consistent with that in other states and predictable given the role of black activists in initiating the street-naming process.

Could it be that Illinois is targeting a specific area of town in an effort to rip off certain segments of the population? According to Wikipedia (for whatever that is worth), the population of East St. Louis is over 97% black. This is an incredibly insidious use of these cameras, despite the politicians' claims that it is about "safety" on the bridge, if that is the case. The looter will always have a facially valid excuse for his games. "It's best for everyone," he will say.

This is just another reason why these cameras should be outlawed. They give politicians power to attack groups they do not like by placing cameras in areas where they travel.

The High Price of Bad Decisions

For the most part, people get where they are in life because of their decisions. There are, of course exceptions, such as people who are disabled or who become disabled due to no fault of their own. The Washington Post has an article entitled "Poor? Pay Up" which goes through a list of things that the poor must pay more for. It designed to show us rubes how tough it is to be poor and never suggests that the poor have some responsibility for being where they are and that part of the reason for the additional expenses still relates to making bad decisions.

You don't have a car to get to a supermarket, much less to Costco or Trader Joe's, where the middle class goes to save money. You don't have three hours to take the bus. So you buy groceries at the corner store, where a gallon of milk costs an extra dollar.

Ever thought of finding a friend and catching a ride? Where there is a will, there is a way. Could you find a way to get to the Costco or Trader Joe's if they were handing out checks for $15? The fact is, they are; it's just in the form of paying $15 less for your groceries.

When you are poor, you don't have the luxury of throwing a load into the washing machine and then taking your morning jog while it cycles. You wait until Monday afternoon . . . load a cart and drag it to the corner [laundromat]. . . . The four loads of laundry will take her about two hours.

You do something productive while waiting for your laundry to get done so you can make something better of yourself. Try reading a book you checked out from the library instead of watching the "soap opera [that] is playing loudly on the television hanging from the ceiling."

She buys bags of oranges or apples, but not the organic kind. "Organic is too much," she says.

Middle class moms everywhere just said "Duh."

The poor pay more in hassle: the calls from the bill collectors, the landlord, the utility company. So they spend money to avoid the hassle. The poor pay for caller identification because it gives them peace of mind to weed out calls from bill collectors.

Spending money you don't have to avoid a hassle is not very smart. Not answering the call only makes it worse because the bill collector will have to take more aggressive (and expensive) action.

A lot of people who are 'unbanked' pay $3 for a money order to pay their electric bill. They pay a 2 percent check-cashing fee because they don't have bank services.

Why do you not have bank services? Some don't have them because they have made bad decisions in the past, like writing bad checks. There is really no excuse for that. Most banks will open an account with very little money and many offer free checking accounts or savings accounts. That would, of course, require you to get off your tail and do something proactive.

He uses the check-cashing store to pay his telephone bill. The store charges 10 percent to take Blakeney's money and send the payment to the phone company. That 10 percent becomes what it costs him to get his payment to the telephone company on time. Ten percent is more than the cost of a stamp. But, Blakeney says: "I don't have time to mail it. You come here and get it done. Then you don't get charged with the late fee." . . . He has no criticism for the check-cashing place. "That's how they make their money," he says. "I don't care about the charge."

Poor decisions and poor attitude. How will you ever get out of poverty unless you start caring about what you pay for services. Another check cashing store customer was charged $15 to cash a $300 check. He lost his driver's license "and now his regular bank won't recognize [him] as human." I suppose he could get his license (or a photo id) if he needed one in order to get a government handout check. Another individual goes to the grocery store:

The clerk suggests that he use his "bonus card" for savings. Carter tells the clerk he has no such card.

Apparently, acquiring and retaining the bonus card would require too much work of Mr. Carter.

He sets aside $9 worth of hot fried chicken wings.

You're even considering $9 for hot fried chicken wings?! Fix them at home. They are much cheaper that way.

They say houses are better, cheaper. But how are you going to get in a house if you don't have any money for a down payment?

Start saving. Start making better decisions. Improve yourself. Get a better job. Get additional education. It's there if you want it badly enough.

No sense in trying to hurry when you are poor.

Yeah, because getting in a hurry would require some effort. Why should we expect people to make an effort? That would require responsibility and accountability and we can't have that around here!

UPDATE: How did that guy lose his license? I've got a feeling it was from making another bad decision!

Our Very Own State-Run TV

If the main stream media stops towing the line, King Barry has a backup plan.

Zero Tolerance Idiocy

There are so many things wrong with this story that I don't know where to begin. The student was expelled for having an eyebrow shaver a weapon after a "random search."

America now has its Wesley Mouch

Tim Geitner is Wesley Mouch.

Paid Vacation Act

Who does this moron think will pay for his Paid Vacation Act? Maybe Mickey Mouse will pay for it. Requiring employers to provide paid vacation will simply result in lower pay for the remainder of the weeks an employee works or will result in some other benefit cut.

Red State / Blue State American Idol

I don't watch American Idol, but I was struck by several articles over the past few days about how it was shaping up to be a battle of red states vs. blue states. I read several articles that almost assured that the blue-stater would likely win convincingly. I had to laugh out loud this morning when I heard the red-stater won. Reporters at the New York Times and the LA Times are undoubtedly crying this morning because they will have to bury the fabricated blue state/red state angle in reporting on this. I'm sure they would have loved nothing more to have come out and claimed that a victory by the little fairy man from the blue state somehow means something. Of course, victory by either of the contestants means nothing, but I am sure these folks will reach for something to sensationalize it. Perhaps they will go with something along the lines of how America "is still not ready" for a gay American Idol.

Ron Ramsey Has a Chance to Take a Stand

Terry Frank takes Ron Ramsey to task on the Tennessee plan for electing selecting judges. She points out how this is an opportunity for Ramsey to separate himself from the political class by taking a stand for "the people."

When you’re team isn’t getting it done, take the reins.

Let me tell you as a conservative who likes you—you AIN’T gettin’ it done.

Who are you trying to make happy? The judges? The lawyers?

Read the whole thing.

Small Poll Finds Support for Red Light Cameras

After surveying 800 people, a group called "Public Opinion Strategies" has determined there is vast support for red light cameras. First, I question this group and who funds them, but beyond that, I wouldn't be totally surprised if their results are somewhat accurate. After all, this nation is full of nanny-staters who think that more government is the solution to every problem. It is full of people who have a very limited understanding of the Constitution and have an even lesser understanding of the word "liberty." That's what you get when the government is in charge of education.

UPDATE: Public Opinion Strategies is known as a "Republican polling company." Their website notes: "We have extensive experience in polling both for AND against initiatives around the country, which provides us with an unmatched depth of understanding in translating polling data into winning campaign strategies." In other words, they know how to get the results their client seeks. So the question is, who is paying them to create this poll? Is it the camera companies or the municipalities who want to have another source of revenue? Someone else?

Gasoline Prices Continue to Soar

Gasoline prices are now up over 26% since King Barry's coronation. Still, no media panic.

If it's all about safety, why not use fake cameras?

I have heard various estimates of the cost to install red light cameras at intersections ranging from $100K to $500K per intersection. While those costs are likely set artifically high by the camera companies who want to install them "for free" in return for a revenue share, there is no doubt that there is some significant expense involved. Business owners have known for years that a cheap and effective way to deter shoplifters is to install fake cameras. These are simply pieces of plastic that appear to be cameras but are really there to deter shoplifting.

If red light cameras were really about safety and not revenue as the politicos claim, why isn't there a proliferation of fake cameras? Wouldn't this discourage the so-called bad behavior? If a town wanted to install red light cameras, why not install fakes at all of the non-monitored intersections? You know why. It's not about safety. It's about revenue. Fake cameras do not bring in any revenue but they would likely engender just as much compliance as the real cameras.

Is it the Intersections or the Drivers?

Why are some intersections more dangerous than others? Do the scofflaws pick which interesections and decide, by a statistical margin, to run those lights and not run others? Photoradarscam gives a good analysis of the effectiveness of red light cameras and answers these questions.

King Barry "Understands It," He Just Doesn't "Get It"

King Barry says the U.S. debt is unsustainable, that foreign countries will cease lending to us and that interest rates will rise and hurt consumers. That much, he understands. Then he goes on to say that “Most of what is driving us into debt is health care, so we have to drive down costs.” Are you kidding me? What planet is this guy on? No, health care is not what is driving this country into debt. A reckless government is driving this country into debt.

Another Reason To Vote Against Lamar

Apparently, Lamar Alexander is seeking a challenge in the Republican primary. He is the lone Republican Senator to vote against a bill that would allow concealed carry in national parks. Actually, I believe it is more accurate to say that the bill allows states to make the decision by virtue of their decision of whether to allow concealed carry. Interestingly, this puts Lamar! to the left of Arlen Specter.

Should Chrysler Hire a New Janitor

Perhaps we should ask King Barry.

OK for Government to Track You Without a Warrant

So says a Wisconsin court. The ACLU is dead right on this one. There is no way that the police should be able to attach a tracking device to a car without a warrant. Can you say "police state" anyone?

Doctors Weigh In on Single Payor System

Hugh Hewitt has posted some interesting commentary from doctors who oppose King Barry's healthcare proposal.

Finally, a word about the "uninsured". These folks, estimated to number ~46 million, are one of the big drivers pushing the nation to a one-payer system. Study after study has shown that most of these patients are 1) eligible for gov't programs already,2) transiently uninsured because of job change, 3) making good money but have elected not to buy insurance, 4) illegal aliens. The hardcore long-term uninsured only number 10 to 15 million. In a nation of 300 million, this really should not be a big problem. Providing some level of care for the 3-5% that are truly uninsurable should not be a justification for screwing things up for everybody else.

As they say in the big leagues, "read the whole thing."

The Hate Behind Hate Crimes Laws

Ben Cunningham expounds on Maryland's "hate crimes" law to "protect" homeless people. The purpose of these laws is to give more power to prosecutors, plain and simple. If have a weak case on what is already a crime, they can slather on a "hate crimes" violation to make the expected cost of a defeat go up. The accused is then more likely to plead guilty to a lesser charge in order to avoid a longer jail sentence in the off chance that he is convicted.

Something Should be Done About This Road

If 23,500 drivers are caught exceeding the speed limit with a speed camera on this "country road" in the UK, some say that "something should be done." Here is an idea - raise the speed limit; it is clearly too low. Study after study shows that drivers generally drive at a safe speed for the road conditions. It is clear that on this "quiet country road", a tremendous number of drivers feel perfectly safe exceeding the artifically low 30mph speed limit.

Red Light Camera Protest in Jonesborough

If this protest had been promoted a bit better, there might have been more people in attendance. Of course, the local safety director says "it's not about the money." Yeah, right.

I wish them all the best.

Perks for Politicians

Imagine a system where a company comes in and wines and dines the local politicos to convince them to purchase their service. They tell the politicos that, if you buy our service, it won't cost you anything and it will actually make you money. It's a can't lose situation for the politicos. They have more of your money to spend and they write the ordinances so that there is little you can do to successfully challenge a citation. That system exists - it's called the system of speed cameras and red light cameras.

We must stop this before it gets out of control.

Texas considering an end to red light cameras

House members gave the bill preliminary approval Friday after including amendments by Rep. Gary Elkins, R-Houston, to give the Texas Department of Transportation authority over red light cameras in the state.

“As soon as these contracts are up, (cameras) would have to come down,” Elkins told the Star-Telegram. "We’re just saying as a matter of public policy going forward, this state doesn’t want them." (emphasis added)

Following the Constitution is good public policy. Our founding fathers would be shocked at some of the ordinances that allow these revenue cameras.

Another Excuse for Higher Taxes in Carter County

Three officers at the Sheriff's Department went to work for the city of Elizabethton. Sheriff Chris Mathes will undoubtedly use this as another reason to try to force the County Commission to rip off the property owners by raising taxes. When is he up for re-election?

Gas Prices Continue To Rise

Here is an interesting chart that you can use to show where gas prices have been. Interestingly, since King Barry's coronation, it looks like gas prices have risen over 20%. Where's the outrage? Where are the hearings on Capitol Hill? Why haven't the oil executives been called up there to account for this? You know why.

Red Light Cameras Coming Down All over Georgia

When safety came to the forefront, revenue fell by the wayside and the cameras end up in the landfill. It's all about the revenue, folks.

Red Light Cameras Come Down in Dalton, GA

It seems they weren't making enough money and weren't impacting the number of accidents.

Speed Cameras Hurting Safety

Yet another article talks about how an overreliance on speed cameras is hurting road safety in the UK. It seems that drivers become distracted by worrying about the cameras and forget about watching out for important things (like cars, pedestrians, cyclists, etc.) Coming soon to a state near you!

Wesleyan Campus Shooting

If they only had a rule about not having guns on campus, this never would have happened. Oh, wait, they already have a rule. It looks like the rule just made it easier for the person who was bent on doing harm to be successful. What a shame. A beautiful girl and a beautiful life was cut short and she never had a chance to protect herself.

Montana Bans Red Light Cameras

The Great State of Montana has banned red light cameras. They actually want a police officer to witness the crime and go to court to prosecute it. What a concept!

Tennessee Passes "Texting While Driving Ban"

Texting while driving should be illegal, so Tennessee and Virginia have passed laws making it so. Leave it to the Bristol newspaper to cheer for another layer of laws. The problem I have with this is that, in Tennessee, we already have laws against distracted driving. Accordingly, texting while driving was already illegal. Rather than enforce the laws already on the books, our legislature would prefer some headlines. Here's an idea: How about enforcing the laws we already have before creating new ones? Texting while driving should be illegal. The fact is, it has been illegal since before texting was invented.

The Tennessee Supreme Court Turf War

David Fowler relates an interesting bit of Tennessee history - how the Democrats set up the yes/no retention voting scheme as a way to keep Republicans from running for the Supreme Court.

Until Tennessee does away with the "Tennessee plan" that is clearly in violation of the Tennessee Constitution, vote "no" on all retention votes.

Guilty Until Proven Innocent

I could have sworn that I heard King Barry say something along the lines of "If financial institutions won't cooperate with us, we will assume that they are sheltering money in tax havens and act accordingly." In other words, you are guilty until proven innocent. It starts with the mentality that allows red-light cameras and ends with the government tossing the Constitution out the window. Whatever happened to the Fifth Amendment? Whatever happened to the Fourth Amendment? The loons get so caught up in calling lap dances "free speech" that they forget about the important stuff.

Morristown Red Light Camera Fails to Prevent Crash

The first line of the Citizen Tribune's story says that "A red light camera on Highway 25E in Morristown wasn’t a factor in a T-bone crash Thursday afternoon that landed a man and woman in a medical helicopter bound for Knoxville, according to police." Wasn't a factor? Are they trying to deflect criticism from the camera? The fact is, the camera did not prevent the crash. Isn't that the bill of goods that we are being sold?

The fact is, the driver either intentionally ran the light or had his head buried in his rear end. That's what generally happens when people run red lights in such an egregious manner. Cameras will never stop that but they will steal your rights. No, I'm not saying you have the right to run a red light. The Constitution has a lot of protections for the accused and those are being tossed out of the window by the politicians who are supposed to uphold the Constitution because they want to spend more of your money and this is an easy way to get it.

Gary Stein Can't See the Forest for the Trees

Gary Stein has an editorial in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel where he essentially says that if you get a ticket from a red-light camera, you deserve it and stop whining about it. What Gary fails to realize that most people who oppose the cameras are not necessarily law breakers. Mr. Stein might as well say this: "If you get arrested, you are guilty and you should go to prison for as long as the government decides to send you." You see, the biggest problem with the cameras is a complete lack of due process. Most of the statutes are set up so that it costs you more to appeal and/or get a hearing than paying the ticket. Most of them are set up so that they do not even have to prove you are driving the car. Throw that on top of the obvious incentive to shorten yellow lights or just flatly commit fraud and you have a recipe for disaster. Most of the tickets are for rolling rights-on-red that seldom ever cause an accident and are seldom ever enforced by police because they know this and because they have the discretion to charge people with legitimate violations instead of "technical" violations.

I think we can all agree that someone who tears through the middle of an intersection, after a properly timed yellow, deserves to be punished. I've got not problem with that. I do have a problem with being guilty until proven innocent and then having the cost of proving my innocence exceed the cost of just laying down and writing the check to make it go away. That's what morons like Gary Stein just don't get.

Speed Cameras Aren't Helping in the UK

According to this article, the speed cameras are not reducing deaths at the same rate that is being seen in other countries who have fewer speed cameras. Of course, they are producing great streams of revenue for the government.

Taking Guns Could be as Easy as an Accusation

Someone in Tennessee wants to burn even more of the Constitution.