November 2007 – Page 17 – Shall Not Be Questioned

Four Million Dollar Man

I have to offer congratulations to Congressman Ron Paul for raising more money in a single day than any of the other Republican candidates.Â I agree with Bitter that fund raising success won’t necessarily translate into electoral success, but it better at least signal to the Republican establishment that libertarian ideals, and a committed and passionate stand in favor of them can bring something to the table.

I am still a Fred Thompson supporter, but to be honest, I was expecting Fred to hit the ground running once he announced, and lately, it just kind of seems like he’s phoning it in.Â I’m not sure Fred is going to make it, and given the choice between Ron Paul, Guiliani, Romney, or registering as a Democrat to vote for Richardson, Ron Paul is starting to look better and better.

To be honest, if there weren’t a war going on, it wouldn’t even be a question, but there is.Â I elect a President with two major considerations; who they are going to put on the Supreme Court, and their foreign policy.Â I think I dig Ron Paul on the former, but his views on the latter scare me.Â But then again, this might end up just being a message to the Republican Party that I’m sick of their crap, and want something different.

How to Lose My Vote

John J. Kelly III, Middletown Township Supervisor, managed to send out a flyer this week that convinced me to vote for the guy. You see, John Kelly is apparently under the delusion that he lives in Utah:

I think a bar/restaurant there is a fine idea! I firmly believe that a person ought to have the freedom to start a small business without some local political worm telling them “Sorry, but I think there are too many bars in Middletown Township!” because he gets off on power.

And what’s with the Chuck E. Cheese reference? Last I checked, Chuck E. Cheese sold beer and had a liquor license. Don’t give me crap about protecting children. I’m not worried about the presence of a bar corrupting kids, but I’m very concerned about a citizen’s ability to start a small business.

Great job Middletown Township Republicans, you just convince me to vote for Democrats!

UPDATE: Breda thinks if these worms think a pub next to Chuck E. Cheese is a problem, Ireland would make their heads explode.

The Aging Shooting Sports

By all indications, the shooting sports are growing, with the exception of hunting, which has been in decline.Â But every time I go attend an event at my shooting club, I can’t help but wonder something: “Where the hell are all the young people?”Â Where are the guys in their 20s and 30s?Â If I go to a public range, I typically see a good mix of the young and the old.Â Same if I go to my local indoor range.

But all the club events I’ve gone to, it’s been like a geriatric festival.Â Are young people not into shotgun sports, silhouette or high power?Â What can we do to get young people more involved at the shooting sports and into shooting clubs?

I’m not sure I have the answer, but I suspect the reason is that the barrier to entry for a lot of these clubs is high.Â You typically have to know someone, and go through a process of being inducted into the club.Â I think if we’re to be evangelical in our enthusiasm for the shooting sports, we have to work on ways to lower barriers to entry.

I think our club actually does a pretty good job in this regard, and we’re not hurting for membership, but it’s discouraging to think that a lot of the shooting sports are aging, and young people don’t seem to be stepping up.Â I know the young shooters are out there, but I think a way must be found to bring them into the traditional shooting sports.

Apprehended

Looks like they caught Officer Chuck Cassidy’s killer:

Two days after the shooting, John Lewis had the audacity to appear in court for an unrelated drug possession case. Knowing full well that he just murdered a police officer, Lewis still appeared in court, surrounded by fellow officers. We did not know at the time that he was Chuck’s killer.

Chuck’s service weapon was recovered yesterday in his Lewis’ cousin’s residence on Fairhill Street. During his questioning, the cousin admitted he helped get Lewis flee the city by driving him to a bus station, and Lewis escaped to Miami, Florida.

I’m hoping the cousin is facing charges as well.Â I can’t believe he was stupid/arrogant enough to appear in court after the shooting.

More on Feldman

Both Ryan and Uncle have posts going today about this guy. Yesterday I pointed out the reason he was forced out was that he was willing to make too many deals, in order to reach a middle ground. I also feel I should point out that Feldman was big on being a media darling too. I managed to dig up an incident from 1998 that points this out:

Even before the summits began, Sarah Brady, Handgun Control Inc. (HCI), sent a note to Feldman, acknowledging his presence in town and challenging him to meet her in the emergency room of the District of Columbia General Hospital to see, in her words, the suffering caused by Feldman’s efforts on behalf of the gun industry.

Feldman accepted the challenge and arrived at the hospital at the appointed hour, but Brady did not show. There were, however, members of the news media present, waiting to record the showdown. Rather than touring the hospital, Feldman sent Brady a note stating he found it “inappropriate to subject the hospital’s patients to a media event which might cost lives. You, more than most, can appreciate the personal trauma of an injured or ill loved one, and how wrong it would be to be used as a media prop at this vulnerable time. An emergency room is not an appropriate place to debate solutions to our nation’s crime problem.”

The Brady’s played him like a harp, and delivered the gun manufacturers an embarrassing media faux pas. I’m not even a media person, and even I know that the proper response to something like that is to ignore it. I doubt Sarah Brady thought he’d actually be dumb enough to show, but he didn’t disappoint.

Election Day

It’s election day in Pennsylvania, which means I need to go vote, something I seldom enjoy doing.Â On the ballot are county and township offices, as well as Supreme Court, and Superior Court seats.Â I’ve decided to go Democrat at the township level, and you’ll see why later.Â Guns are off the table because of preemption, no need to worry about that.

County wide, I’m going Republican, mostly to fight this “regionalism” concept I keep hearing out of Democrats.Â Regionalism goes like this: The suburbs have been traditionally Republican and don’t often vote with the City of Philadelphia.Â The suburbs are increasing trending Democrats, and will soon start to vote more in line with the City of Philadelphia. Â Well, suburban Democrats, if that’s what you’re selling, I’m not buying it.Â I mean, the city politicians are doing such a bang up job!Â I want a my politicians to tell me “City politicians have turned Philadelphia into a sewer.Â Why do we want to bring that to the suburbs?” Â Of course, no one will say that, but screw it, I’m voting Republican to keep the county in Republican hands, so suburban Democrats don’t get any ideas. Â Silly, I know, but I don’t know the county candidates from a hole in the ground otherwise.

For the court stuff, I’m just going with the NRA endorsements.Â I don’t know anything else about these guys other than they have great families, and love kittens.Â That’s all court candidates ever talk about anyway.Â Plus, I’m still really mad about the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling the state police could keep a registry of firearms, even though there’s a state law that specifically forbids that.Â If you’re willing to do that, what does it say about your respect for the law?

Either way, off I go to push buttons on our newfangled electronic voting fraud machines. Â Fun fun!

Fun Toys I Can’t Have

Traction Control has a cross between an American 180 and an AR-15, called the AM-15, that looks like a fun toy.Â Check out how long it can sustain fire on the video.

No Billed

Dave Hardy informs us that a 21 year old man in Richmond, who shot a fleeing armed robber, won’t be facing charges.Â The grand jury refused to hand down an indictment in the case.Â Said the prosecutor:

“When the adrenaline is pumping and you’re scared, you weigh fear differently than when you’re behind your desk,” he added.

Still, the prosecutor said he had no regrets about presenting the case.

“This is an indication that the system works,” he said.

Pennsylvania doesn’t use grand juries, except in cases where the crime spans more than one county.Â It bothers me our state is lacking this key check on governmental power.Â I agree with the prosecution that this is an indication that the system works; the grand jury did the right thing.

I think it’s worth it for me to put up another post tomorrow discussing the defense of property issue, as it generated some good comments, and I want to clarify a few things.Â I do believe crime victims should be given a wide benefit of doubt when it comes to defending themselves from criminal attacks.Â I’m glad the jury was understanding.

Monday Night Trap

I decided to head over to the club tonight for the weekly trap tournament. My first time shooing trap formally. I did 21 the first round, and then gutter balled the second round with a 14. I’m not sure what I did on the second round. Clay shooting is one of those things where if I get out of my zone, I just start sucking. Second round started off bad when I was in front of a mic that wouldn’t throw the clay unless I practically screamed into it. Two, even three shouts of “pull!”, and I was off. When I start thinking too much about the shot, I start getting behind the bird and missing. When I relax, and just do it, without worrying “you gotta hit this one,” I do much better.

Hopefully next time I can score in the 20s both times.

The Madman Raves Again

Looks like Ace is back blogging again, and is now hitched.