Clayton Cramer thinks that Barack Obama is lying when he says he doesn’t want to take anyone’s guns. I think so too.
Year: 2008
More SHOT Show Coverage
From Call me Ahab, lots of cool stuff. The fact that Remington has made an AR for the hunting market says something about the anti-gunner’s claim that these have no sporting use doesn’t it?
It’s About Time
State Rep Stan Saylor, my new hero, is calling on the Philadelphia Parking Authority to be investigated for issuing bogus parking tickets:
Several Pennsylvania state legislators are tired of hearing complaints from constituents about bogus parking tickets. State Representative Stan Saylor (R-York) is calling for an investigation of the Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA) after the agency’s meter maids insisted a wheelchair-bound man, Frank Pinola, failed to feed a parking meter on June 21 and July 30. Before the issue drew public attention, the PPA had demanded $92 from Pinola, who was not driving on those occasions.
He’s introducing a bill that would require photographic evidence to accompany all parking violations. I would very much support this bill.  A friend of mine who lives in the city, but who had use of her father’s car while she was in college, got a 300 dollar ticket for an unregistered automobile, even though the automobile was lawfully registered to her father in Iowa, and insured. Because it had previously been titled in Pennsylvania (it used to be my car), the PPD issued her a ticket, sent to her previous (read my) address. They accused her of lying when she contested the ticket when the matter of the car being legally registered was brought up, and said the tag was stolen. She didn’t have money to fight it any further, and just paid the fine. The Philadelphia Parking Authority are thieves, pure and simple, and I’m happy to see someone finally doing something about it.
Six More Weeks
I wouldn’t be a good Pennsylvania blogger if I didn’t cover Phil’s prediction from Punxsutawney:
Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Here Ye!
On Gobbler’s Knob on this fabulous Groundhog Day, February 2nd, 2008 Punxsutawney Phil, the Seer of Seers, Prognosticator of all Prognosticators,
Rose to the call of President Bill Cooper and greeted his handlers, Ben Hughes and John Griffiths.After casting a weather eye toward thousands of his faithful followers, Phil consulted with President Cooper and directed him to the appropriate scroll, which proclaimed:
“As I look around me, a bright sky I see, and a shadow beside me. Six more weeks of winter it will be!”
You have to love any place called “Gobbler’s Knob”. This is most decidedly Pennsylvania at its weirdest. There’s video you can click on. See for yourself. It’s surprising PETA doesn’t show up at this thing. The movie Groundhog Day really isn’t really that far off.
Purity Uber Alles
That ought to be the mantra of the Libertarian Party, but we know exactly how much electoral success they’ve had over the years. I know I keep beating on this drum, but I think it’s important. Ed Morrissey is supporting Romney, but he also has this to say:
I’m supporting Mitt Romney because I think he is the better option. If Mitt doesn’t win the nomination, I plan to support John McCain. He will have won the support of more of the party, and that would make him the man to carry the banner. I will still oppose some of his policy stands and acknowledge his apparent animus at times to the party base, but he will still be a much better choice for the nation than Hillary Clinton.
Mitt is a little too unpredictable and wishy washy sleazy for my taste, but if he’s the nominee, I’ll vote for him. I won’t like it, but I guarantee I won’t like Hillary or Obama, combined with a Democratic Congress. The last time we had that, we all remember what happened, and I don’t think, this time, we can count on a perfect storm for Republicans sweeping them into power. Via Dr. Helen, I also found this excellent post:
It’s not that I think they must like McCain; I understand it if they don’t. And it’s not even that I think they have to vote for him if nominated by their party. Nor is it just that they are seriously out of touch with political reality in this country, although that’s certainly part of it.It’s that they have elevated party purity above considerations of the good of the country. In the end, not only is this bad for the country, but I think it’s bad for the Republican Party.
Many of the commenters on that thread have forgotten the Law of Thirds. What’s the Law of Thirds? I made it up, and described it here. The following is a short recap:
[M]y law refers to the fact that the populace of the US seems to be divided roughly into thirds, at least in the political sense: one-third on the entrenched left, one-third on the entrenched right, and one-third in between….Anyone from either radical third who thinks the American people will be happy to give his/her third a permanent ascendance in American political life is quite wrong, IMHO, and that person will be soundly rejected by said American people if he/she arrogantly and openly displays the hubris of thinking so…
The biggest mistake conservatives, and especially second amendment activists can make is not understanding that our specific political views are minority views. It’s not that other people don’t have sympathies to those views, or are indifferent to them, but people who care enough about the second amendment enough to vote for someone based on that issue are not numerous enough to win an election.  We can help win an election in coalition with other interests, and we can break that coalition by not voting with them, but that doesn’t mean the other factions will come crawling back. They very well may reform a majority coalition without gun owners in it by fronting candidates with a different balance of positions. Then where do we turn?
Dr. Helen has a useful observation about the notion that it’s only by the nation hitting rock bottom, will everyone realize the solution is found in conservatives: “alcoholics often hit rock bottom and stay there”
Snarlen Arlen Must Go
I agree with this assessment of what the NFL’s response should be to Arlen Specter’s threats to hold congressional hearings over the Patriots tapes of the New York Jets:
“Dear Sen. Specter: The rule that the Patriots violated is one that the NFL, not Congress, created. We are a private organization quite capable of enforcing our own rules. So butt out; this matter is none of your damn business. Sincerely….”
Seriously, can we get rid of this guy? If only the Democrats would nominate an acceptable replacement.
SHOT Show Coverage
Ahab has a summary of his first day at SHOT, which includes such fine guns as the KRISS Super V Vector Carbine. I would very much want one of those, except I’m hoping they sell barrels that would allow for conversion to an SBR. I’ll pay the NFA tax to have a shorter barrel. He also has some pictures of The Smith & Wesson “Night Guard”, which is a new line of carry revolvers, which look interesting. I’ve been thinking about one of their Airlight revolvers for coat carry, but one of these might do nicely.
Gun Pundit is running the SHOT coverage of several new EBRs. Check out the SIG 556 SWAT, the KRISS Super V Submachine gun, the Arsenal Miller Receiver AK, and the most interesting gun to me, the Magpul Masada, which will be made by Bushmaster, and sold as the Bushmaster ACR (Adaptive Combat Rifle). It’s available in second quarter 2008, which is handy, since that’ll be before the elections, where, since so many gun owners seem intent to stay home, the Democrats will take the White House, and sweep more Democrats into Congress. Hopefully the 2010 Assault Weapons Ban will have a grandfather clause too.
I Like
Looks like Ruger has a new subcompact out for the concealed carry market.
Read more coverage at Down Range TV. I have large hands, so subcompact pistols have never felt right in my hands. My regular carry piece is a Glock 19, which works great for appeasing my shooter side, by cramps my fashion sense, since the way you can dress is limited when you carry something that big. I am eager to take a closer look at this pistol, especially as summer approaches.
Rachel Lucas on McCain
This pretty much sums up my feelings on the matter. Feel free to tell me how crazy I am in the comments.
Big Spenders
Who are the biggest spenders in the Presidential race for 2008? Hillary and Obama are no surprise, but on the opposite side, while Ron Paul is no surprise, Rudy Giuliani is a close second.
Of the candidates who are still in the race, Romney’s budget would increase spending by 19.5 billion per year, McCain’s by 6.9 billion, and Huckabee’s by 54.2 billion. Ron Paul would cut 150.1 billion dollars from the federal budget. Obama’s budget is 287 billion dollars larger. Hillary’s is only 218.2 billion.