Year: 2009

Bias Much?

Open Secrets is usually pretty good about sticking to its mission, but they seem to be misrepresenting what the Amtrak bill is going to do.  Bitter takes them to task in the comments, but they seem to be standing by it:

Rather, the author clearly states that, 1.) The measure would force Amtrak to institute yet-to-be-crafted security measures and infrastructure to handle firearms, and 2.) Wednesday’s vote is but one step in a process toward the measure becoming law, and the matter likely won’t be resolved until it is resolved in the House of Representatives.

What yet to be crafted security measures?  The amendment doesn’t call for any security measures. Let me outline it for Mr. Levinthal, exactly how this transaction would proceed:

Gun Owner: Hi, I have a firearm to declare.
Amtrak: OK, could you please fill out this declaration attesting to the gun being unloaded, and the ammunition stored in appropriate containers, and sign it please?
Gun Owner: OK, here you go.
Amtrak: Go ahead and stick it on the train.
Gun Onwer: Thank you.

See how easy that was?  You’d think from this Amtrak had never taken guns on board prior to September 11th.  The bill does not mandate any extra security.  The burden is entirely on the person transporting the gun to comply with the transportation requirements, the same way it is on the airlines.  But let’s not let facts get in the way of the hysteria.

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Arlen Apparently Not Keen on NRA Grade

Here’s the vote breakdown on the Amtrak bill.  Senator Specter was among the no votes, along with a lot of other Democrats.  Keep in mind this is a bill so modest, even the Brady Campaign doesn’t have a problem with it.  No Republican voted against it.

I think it’s safe to say that Arlen Specter’s NRA grade is toast this election.  I hope, in fact, that NRA will endorse his opponent.

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Another Victory in the Senate

The Senate voted for Amtrak to allow firearms to be transported aboard trains as checked baggage, in the same manner as they are permitted on aircraft.  Amtrak is complaining they don’t have the manpower, but I don’t see what manpower they need.  Last time I took Amtrak, they didn’t exactly have elaborate security measures.  Most of what goes on in a train station is even more security theater than you see at airports.

UPDATE: Helmke:

Paul Helmke, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, said he “doesn’t have problems with people transporting guns on trains so long as steps are taken to make sure they’re secured and properly stowed.”

I guess this one was a little too reasonable for them to oppose.  It would be hard to argue against, considering security concerns are much higher on planes, and you can transport firearms on planes in checked baggage.

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FID & Purchase Permit Application Denials are Up

Cemetery reports that an attorney in New Jersey has noticed the trend:

More importantly however is that gun rights in New Jersey has taken a big step back.  Thus, I’m afraid that denials will spike and that they have actually already started.  I’ve been very, very successful with the many gun permit applications that I have handled.  However, I have noticed an increase in the amount of denials that other people have had.

I doubt the one-gun-a-month law, signed by Governor Corzine last month, has anything to do with it, since it does not go into effect until January. More likely there were many first time gun buyers motivated to go through an unfamiliar process during the Great Obama Gun Rush, and police departments are now getting around to denying a lot of applications which were improperly filled out.  New Jersey is one of those states where it probably makes sense to hire a lawyer to help you through the process.

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Primary Fail in New York

Richard Aborn, former head of the Brady Campaign, goes down in flames in the New York City District Attorney primary.   He ran his entire campaign on his record fighting for gun control, and came in dead last, despite raising a lot of money and having a ton of endorsements from the who’s who in New York City gun control politics.  Even in New York City, people really care more about other issues.

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I Can Sympathize

Marko seems to want a break from the noise:

I’m just a little off the rails today.  Maybe it’s the polarization of viewpoints online that has crept into every damn corner of my virtual hang-outs, or the continued mental strain that comes from having friends both in the conservative, gun-owning community, and the liberal publishing industry.

Here’s the thing: some of my friends are gun-owning small-government types.  Some of my friends are liberal writers or publishers.  The kicker is that none of them—of either political leaning—are idiots, or bad people, or heartless pricks, or racists, or out to destroy America.  They’re all generous, friendly, intelligent folks, regardless of political persuasion, and I wouldn’t consider them my friends if they weren’t.  I have my disagreements with my liberal friends and my conservative friends alike, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be my friends.

For some folks, I’m afraid it does.

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Get Ready for Media Cover for MAIG

This from the Yakima Herald in Yakima, Washington:

So he signed a pledge, as have more than 450 other mayors from 40 states across the nation, to find ways to keep illegal guns out of the hands of criminals, the mentally ill and juveniles.

Nothing wrong with that, right?

Not so fast. The National Rifle Association says the Mayors Against Illegal Guns, the nonpartisan group that Yakima’s mayor joined, is nothing more than another thinly veiled attempt to limit gun ownership — this time by trying to regulate private gun shows out of existence.

Except the Yakima Herald doesn’t seem to realize what a snow job Bloomberg has pulled over on these mayors.  His group has very little to do with illegal guns, and that’s apparent just looking at their issues list to anyone reasonably well researched in gun control policy. Lautenberg’s gun show bill, which they support, goes way farther than just regulating private sales, and is aimed solely at making gun shows, or any place where firearms are transferred, so legally risky as to effectively put them out of business.   That’s not even mentioning their support for eliminating your right to bear arms based on your presence on a secret government list with no due-process or recourse through the court system.

Gun owners need to call these mayors to task for supporting this nonsense.  Don’t let them get away with just repeating Bloomberg’s snow job.  Point out to your mayor exactly what they are doing in his or her name.   Definitely don’t be these guys:

“It’s like talking to a stone wall,” he said.

He’d prefer Brenner not be in the mayors’ group, he said, “but you know . . . that’s only one opinion.”

Ron Scheeler, an NRA member from Springettsbury Township, said he received the card, too, but didn’t call.

The retired state police commander said he still has a permit to carry a gun.

“I believe I have a right to do this,” he said. “I also believe people have a right to state their point of view also.”

These guys are why we lose.  Elected officials have a right to an opinion, but they don’t have a right to represent their opinions on behalf of your town, nor do they have a right to continue to serve in the capacity as mayor.  If your town has a MAIG mayor, make life difficult for them.  All it takes is a few squeaky wheels.

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Corbett Announces

I’m a few days late on this one, but Corbett is officially in the race now, running against 6th District Congressman Jim Gerlach.  I have nothing against Gerlach as a Congressman, but I’ll be honest, his candidacy for Governor never really made that much sense to me.  Corbett has a track record of being able to win state wide elections, even in years where it’s tough to be a Republican.  Gerlach is giving up his previously very tightly contested Congressional seat, meaning the GOP is going to have to pour money and resources into that district in order to keep it.

I understand politicians are ambitious, and Governor is an easier step to the Oval Office than Congress or Senate, but I think Gerlach is unlikely to capture the nomination. Still, Gerlach has a track record of winning tough elections too, so he is probably not to be underestimated. It should be an interesting race.

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You’ll Like It!

Countertop has an iPhone bleg.  I’ve been using PDA’s for a while now, the first being a Newton, then through the Graffiti years with Palm, onto the Treo, through the age of Windows Mobile and to the age of the Blackberry.  Most of them I’ve found crippled in one way or another, but I think Apple pretty much nailed what the smart phone ought to be with the iPhone.  But not all is rosy.  Here’s my impression about what the iPhone beats the Blackberry on:

  • Interface.  The iPhone has a far more intuitive interface, and is much easier to navigate.  There’s no little nubby mouse like creature on the iPhone, which I find annoying on the Blackberry.
  • Web browsing.  Except for the lack of flash, browsing on the iPhone is the same as on the desktop, pretty much.
  • Integration with Calendar, Contacts, E-Mail, etc, on an Exchange Server works much better than on a Crackberry, and without expensive enterprise software needed on the server end.  I think mail in general works better.
  • More apps.  There really is an app for everything.

But there are downsides to the iPhone:

  • AT&T is the crappiest provider I’ve ever been with, and I’ve been with both Sprint and T-Mobile.  It is the main reason to avoid the iPhone.  Expect dropped calls, poor coverage, and slow data connections.  AT&T’s call coverage isn’t too bad, but 3G coverage is poor.
  • It is a closed system.  Nothing gets installed on the iPhone without Apple and AT&T approval, unless you want to jailbreak your phone.
  • Some people don’t like Apple’s on screen keyboard.  I like it, but some hate it.
  • Battery life on a Crackberry is typically better than the iPhone.  Don’t forget your charger.
  • iPhone silence switch is easy, too easy, to hit casually.  You will miss calls by flipping it to silent accidentally.
  • Speakerphone on the iPhone is way too quiet.

I still prefer the iPhone, even with the downsides.  But it’ll be a much better platform if they make a CDMA version that can be used on other carriers.

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