For Six Weeks Hillary Clinton Will Be In An Orthopedic Pants Suit (re: her recent fall)...Letterman
- And unclassified version of the report re: the attack on our consulate in Benghazi found serious bureaucratic mismanagement and inadequate security (gee, what a bunch of geniuses to figure that one out. Information that was available just hours after the attack yet we were told otherwise by the White House and the State Department).
- Specifically, the report found, "Systematic failures and leadership and management deficiencies..." These, according to the report, pointed to inadequate security at the mission (the State Department had been given reports by those on the ground months earlier regarding this very issue).
- The report also contradicted all of the initial claims by the Obama administration, e.g. it was spontaneous; it was the result of a reaction to the anti-Muslim film, etc.
- Now, this is where the coverup takes place. In spite of these disgraceful and disturbing findings, the panel found no one directly responsible for those failures. In other words, as one headline stated so well, "The Buck Stops...Nowhere."
- Hillary Clinton, Sect. of State, was to have testified to the panel yesterday. She cancelled due to a "concussion" sustained by a fall last week.
- As the nation struggles with what to do with gun violence (Chicago had 400 homicides this year. In 2001, almost 700 children were hit by gunfire, all from illegal gun use. NPR), the anti-gun activists continue to neglect to report on the Three Legged Stool. In short, gun violence is not only specific to the use of illegal weapons. If we're to have any meaningful discussion about gun violence, we need to also discuss the environment and the individuals responsible. But the so-called anti-gun folks keep focusing on the gun.
- As I wrote yesterday, serious consideration must also be given to mental health (but we also have to be careful not to demonize those with mental health issues. A vast majority of individuals with mental health problems are likely to be victims themselves). Nevertheless, when it comes to many of the mass rampage killings in recent years, it's clear those individuals had serious mental health issues. And that also must be addressed.
"...Gun control laws do not control guns. They simply disarm law-abiding citizens, while people bent on violence find firearms readily available." Thomas Sowell
- The selective outrage from anti-gun activists about gun violence is so conspicuous one has to wonder if they even recognize their own glaring hypocrisy. Or is it more than that? What am I talking about? I'm talking about the multiple shootings by illegal gun use that occur almost every weekend in many major cities that only get reported by the local news media. For example, how many people outside of New York City know on Labor Day weekend of last year, there were 67 people shot including two police officers. Let me repeat: 67 people were shot on one weekend. Two people died that day, one an innocent bystander. This past October, in Chicago, there were 24 people wounded and five killed from multiple shootings over one weekend. Just last Friday, 10 people were shot, four were teenagers. The murders in Connecticut last week were certainly more horrific because children were involved. But were is the outrage over the other mass killings that take place almost every weekend in our major cities? Could it be the media (and even many Americans) are so jaded about urban violent crime, they don't care---because it involves mostly blacks? In other words, the lives of black children---victims of violent crime as well---don't have as much value as the lives of white children? Hey, just askin'. And it's a question many should be asking of themselves.
- Moreover, there have been 12 mass-spree murders in less than a decade. Over 130 million people own guns. That breaks down to 1 in 10 million. That does not qualify as a national epidemic of mass killings. But the killings in our cities, as described above, involving the use of illegal weapons, does in my opinion.
- In 1997, a school student in Pearl, Miss., killed his mother and then went to Pearl H.S. and shot two more students. After that shooting, he started driving toward the town's junior high school, he was intercepted by the school's assistant principal who aimed his hand gun at the shooter and disarmed him until police arrived. The principal kept a legal firearm in his vehicle.
- In 2002, in a Grundy, Virginia law school, two off-duty police officers retrieved their weapons and confronted a shooter who had already killed three people, including the Dean of the school. The shooter was apprehended and arrested.
- In 2007, in a Colorado Springs church, a shooter killed two teenage girls until a retired police officer shot and wounded the gunman, who then killed himself.
- The fact is disturbed people will kill people. They've been doing it since the beginning of time. Before guns even existed, they used spears, knives, clubs and stones.
- The fact is most incidents like the one in Conn. last week, as well as other mass murders, have taken place in "gun free zones." In other words, an invitation for any of these lunatics to walk in and start murdering innocents since they know they will not be confronted by a well trained armed security guard or police officer
- What a wonderful world it would be if all citizens were disarmed---kinda like 1939 Germany where millions were murdered by the Nazi regime because they didn't have the means to defend themselves. What a wonderful world it would be if all citizens were disarmed---kinda like Cambodia in the 1970's when the Pol Pot regime murdered millions (known as the "Killing Fields."). What a wonderful world it would be if all citizens were disarmed---kinda like present day N. Korea. What a wonderful world it would be if there were more restrictive gun laws---kinda like Norway where a crazed gunman murdered over 80 teenagers and young adults on an island. What a wonderful day it would be if there more restrictive gun laws---kinda like NY City (some of the most restrictive in the country) where on Labor Day weekend of 2011, there were over 60 people shot. The same can be said of Chicago (10 shooting last Friday, including 4 teens), Detroit, Philadelphia and other major U.S. cities were illegal gun owners cause most of the crime.
- In short, what we're seeing from the anti-gun media and anti-gun activists is the exploitation of these type of tragedies while at the same time denying the fact that responsible gun owners can save lives.
- So I pose these questions to those oppose citizens being legally armed. Would you rather be armed or in the presence of trained armed personnel as some lunatic is walking down the isle in a theatre killing people? Would you rather be armed or in the presence of a trained armed guard while you start hearing gun shots down the hallway of the school in which you are teaching? Would you rather be armed or in the presence of armed security personnel while at your local mall and someone starts shooting (as happened in Portland, OR, this weekend when a legally armed 22 year old confronted a shooter. The 22 year old never pulled the trigger, because of other shoppers in the area {evidence of a responsible gun owner} but as soon as the shooter saw the young man pointing his gun at him, the shooter took his own life).
- I had the privilege of living a third of my life in NW Pennsylvania. I was literally surrounded by thousands and thousands of legal gun owners. Gun crime in that area was negligible. In fact, in the towns I lived in, there was one murder in several decades. In the last decade there have been no murders by any type of firearm committed in those towns.
- On occasion, I also go to Philadelphia, also known for its high crime. But in the primary tourist area of Independence Mall, there is little crime. Why? Because the scumbags know the area is populated with legal gun owners like the police, the FBI, the Federal Police, Homeland Security Agents, National Park Rangers, and legal carry gun owners.
- Gun control should not be the focus. The focus should be on those irresponsible and illegal gun owners. In other words, it's all about crime control not gun control.
- The facts also bear out that those states and municipalities that allow concealed carry permits, crime is lower. In fact, studies show that at a minimum of almost 110,000 incidents of defensive uses of firearms each year (some studies place the number much higher). In addition, most of those incidents did NOT involve the gun being fired. The legal gun owners simply had to show they were armed (The Atlantic).
- Of course, the fact is it's much easier to carry a concealed weapon for protection---cops are too heavy to carry.
- This debate will go on as it has for many more years. However, more schools should consider having armed security personnel or police officers in their schools (it's already being done in many of the nation's schools with enrollments exceeding 500 students). Israel did it in the 1970's in response to terrorist attacks on their schools. In fact, many Israeli citizens are armed. Street crime in Israel is rare and their murder rate is one of the lowest in the world. Simple question: would you attack any of the women in the image above?
A close friend of mine said his doctor gave him less than two weeks to live. But it turns out his doctor is Mayan. He says that to everybody...Leno
- In 1980, Solidarnos'c' (Solidarity), a free-trade, anti-Soviet social movement led by Lech Welesa, emerged in Communist controlled Poland after a long decade of rising food prices and stagnant wages (In the 1970's, about 28 workers were shot dead by government troops during the food riots). The Communist controlled government attempted to repress the union in the early 1980's. It failed. It failed because the non-violent social movement that had a huge impact on Poland's political scene as well as support from most of the Polish people, the Catholic Church, Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher, Britain's Prime Minister at the time. I know because I traveled to Poland often during the 1980's and early 1990's to visit my family.
- Many of today's American unions do not have that kind of support. They did decades ago (I was a member of several unions myself). But what are Americans witnessing today? As evidenced in MI this week and in WI earlier this year, unions resorted to violence. This kind of behavior does not bode well for public support.
- They've also seen how "union leaders have grown beefy feeding on its emaciated body," as Michael Walsh of the NY Post pointed out (Of the top ten unions, their executive salaries and benefits range from $170k per year to over $600k per year). Americans also see and feel how public sector unions are" leaving taxpayers with trillions of dollars and retiree health care liabilities." USA Today. In addition, today unions make up only 12% of the workforce (about 7% in the private sector). And the reasons are clear. Improved technology and globalization makes non-Right to Work states less competitive. Any surprise that most Right to Work states have higher employment rates than their counterparts? And just two weeks ago, we witnessed Hostess having to lay off 15,000 employees because their unions refused to be more flexible.
- As USA Today's editorial pointed out so well, "It (union movement) is going to have to change. Showing greater flexibility, and concern for people outside their ranks, would be a good place to start." {"Unions' Woes Are Largely Of Their Own Making."}.
- The fact is Americans now realize they cannot afford unions' unsustainable wages, benefits and pensions that now exceed a trillion dollars.
Slovenian 8th-Graders Surprised Even They Outperformed U.S. Students In Science...The Onion
- Before I begin, yesterday I wrote a piece about the "death of political comedy," pointing out how many comics don't take on Pres. Obama. I just checked the late night shows, there were still 4 or 5 jokes about Romney and one about Perry. As I also wrote yesterday, most of today's political comics are cowards.
- Let's be clear about what happened in Michigan yesterday (excluding the violence by some of the union thugs), collective bargaining remains. The only change involves freedom and choice for workers. Now in Michigan, as in 23 other Right to Work states, it simply means workers are now free whether they want to join a union or not. It means workers cannot be "forced" to pay union dues.
- In short, it is now illegal in MI to require financial support of a union as a condition of employment. That equals freedom of choice.
- Why does the left always resort to violence when they don't get what they want or when they lose? For example, as in political debates, when they lose a political debate---they resort to calling one a racist.
- Right to Work laws have little to do with economics, but a lot to do with politics. Those union dues largely get funneled into Democrat pockets, lobbying and union executive salaries (ranging from about $170k to over $600K a year among the top ten unions in the nation). OpenSecrets
- On the other hand, Right to Work laws help employees to a great degree. The University of Colorado reported that in Right to Work states, households enjoy over $4000 more in purchasing power than in non-Right to Work states. In addition, the Bureau of Economic Analysis found that employment grew an average of 12.5% in Right to Work states compared to non-Right to Work states. In addition, Right to Work states residents have an average disposable income of $36,900 compared to NY State, a non-Right to Work state, where average disposable income is $32,800. NY Post
- While I'm on Michigan (a state I resided in myself for 3 years), more bad news coming out of Detroit (yesterday it was reported only 7% of Detroit's 8th graders were proficient in reading), almost 35% of residents in Detroit are now on food stamps. Also, 257,000 Detroiters 16 or older, are out of work.
- Mali, in west Africa (bordered by Algeria and Niger) is now considered the new base for al-Qaeda. Heritage Foundation
- In ObamaCare there are some surprises. For example, if you sell your home and make a profit, you'll likely be paying a new 3.8% tax on the gain. In 2014, when you file you taxes, you will have to show proof that you are enrolled in a health care plan approved by the feds. And, for the first time in American history, the feds will control how doctors treat privately insured patients. So enjoy. Betsy McCaughey, author of "Decoding the Obama Health Law," is former Lt. Gov. of NY State.
- Today is 12.12.12. For those who are fascinated by numbers, the following QB's had 12 as a number: Terry Bradshaw (for the only 6 time Super Bowl Champs, Pittsburgh Steelers--hooah!), Tom Brady, Jim Kelly (Hall of Fame great, Bills), Joe Namath, Aaron Rodgers, Kenny "Snake" Stabler and Roger Staubach. So if you plan on playing ball, consider #12, looks like a lucky number to me.
Obama Paranoid Government Is Coming After His Guns...The Onion
- Progressive hypocrisy knows no bounds. Google has been a long time supporter of Obama. In 2008, its CEO put his full weight behind the Obama, the candidate. They've also donated money to Obama's campaign. Nothing wrong with that. It's their money and their prerogative. But in supporting Obama, one must conclude they also support the president's tax agenda; namely, taxing the wealthy. Why do I bring this up? Bloomberg News is now reporting that Google sheltered its vast wealth in no-tax Bermuda---up to $10 billion. By doing so, they were able to avoid over $2 billion in world-wide taxes. Again, like any other corporation, it's perfectly legal. Nevertheless, it's the height of hypocrisy.
Last week, Native Americans met with Pres. Obama at the White House. There was an awkward moment when Joe Biden walked in wearing a Redskins jersey... paraphrasing Leno
- If you want some idea how much farther Left Pres. Obama will turn, all you need to do is look at recent White House guests. Within the last two weeks, he invited the MSNBC crew to the White House to discuss fiscal issues (that alone has to make you either laugh your ass off or cry). One of those he invited was Al Sharpton. Now take a moment to consider this observation. Obama's point man on the fiscal cliff negotiations is Treasury Secretary Timmy Geithner, himself an admitted tax evader. Then we have Al Sharpton whose had a history of tax problems himself in addition to being a rabble-rousing, race-baiting thug.
- And regarding Susan Rice as being nominated for Sect. of State, why the outrage? Look at all the other competent people Obama has placed in positions of power and authority. In addition to Timmy Geithner, he has Eric Holder, the nation's top law enforcement officer, who lost over 2000 weapons that were freely given to Mexican drug cartels. Weapons that were probably used in murdering some of our own Homeland Security agents.
