In Tam’s neck of the woods, it looks like the powers that be are looking for excuses to not prosecute a local cop who, sauced up to .19BAC, killed some motorcyclists. Sadly this kind of thing goes on lots of places.
Month: August 2010
The Plot Uncovered
Joe reports that some guy on a forum has figured it all out, and that the NRA has been secretly funding the Brady Campaign. Code ten to HQ, repeat, code ten to HQ. Send in “The Piano Tuners”. If I were this guy, I would highly suggest building a bunker from all the fundraising letters you’ve received. Now you know what they are for. Not that it’s going to help!
A New Phenomenon
NPR, of all outlets, comments on a new trend: politicians featuring guns in their ads in an attempt to appeal to gun owners. It’s really nothing new, but years ago getting them into a duck blind, or posing with a shot gun at a clay range, was about the best you could hope for. Now we have politicians firing submachine guns and bragging about it. I consider this progress.
Someone Had to Do It
Presidential Pasttimes
Dave Kopel thinks people should lay off Obama for playing so much golf. Personally, if he’d rather golf than continue ruining the country, I’m fine with that. Presidents need hobbies. If I were elected President, you can be sure the media would be abuzz of the wasted taxpayer dollars and time loss associated with weekly Presidential submachine gun practice with the Secret Service. It’s fun for the whole cabinet.
The Bears Are Getting Hungry in Yellowstone
Scientists are saying people may not necessarily be off the menu. Remember that National Parks are peaceful, gentle places, and no place for firearms. Though the article points out that even high-powered rifles aren’t a perfect guarantee from bear attacks. Still, humans, before they developed a capacity to make weapons, were often called dinner. I’m not sure why some want us to voluntarily return to that state.
Attention Washington State Gunnies
This 2010 election is highly important, and there are some great opportunities to get involved. There’s a Senate where the anti-gun incumbent is vulnerable. Washington has always struck me as being similarly situated as Pennsylvania is regards to the gun issue. You have a large city with a lot of anti-gun D’s, new transplants from out of state who are against gun rights, and deteriorating support within the Democratic Party for gun rights, yet still a large number of people who will pull the the lever for the D candidate regardless of their position on the issue.
Quote of the Day
Far too many gunnies spend their time trying to be right, whether it’s compiling facts about private gun ownership and crime or digging up quotes from the Founding Fathers, and not nearly enough time on how to actually implement their ideas.  Anyone who has ever seen the floor debates on gun bills in Albany knows that a rational discussion on the facts never comes up from the other side.  Why worry about it then?  There is nothing wrong with simply telling a legislator to vote your way or else you will work against them next election cycle.
This is to a large degree true, but more  now that the philosophical ground work on the issue has largely been validated by the Supreme Court. I don’t think, however, you can completely ignore the philosophical roots of the issue, because that is the primary means you can use to persuade some people to your side and motivate them. That doesn’t work with everyone, however, and most politicians don’t really give a crap about your issue (whatever your issue is). They have a lot of competing interests to balance. If you want them to pay attention to you, the dynamic duo of votes and money works every time.
That’s not to say there aren’t true believers. But those are rare birds. Most politicians are true believers in areas where they have a specific self-interest. A shooter Congress Critter might have a heartfelt interest in protecting gun rights, a doctor critter might have strong feelings on health care, etc. But for the most part you’re going to be using the carrot and the stick when dealing with elected official more than facts, figures and persuasion.
The Impact of the “Philly Blogger License”
I know everyone has seen this story already. It’s being touted as though Philadelphia is requiring a blogging license – which is not true. Philadelphia is requiring bloggers who make money off of their sites (in the cited examples, pitifully little money) to set them up as businesses. City Paper notes that they have the same requirements for freelance writers in Philadelphia. Bloggers aren’t being unfairly targeted – anyone conducting any form of financial transaction is being targeted.
Most of the commentary I’ve seen focuses on discretion in applying the law. I can sympathize with that point because it’s what we call “common sense.” And the impact will be felt here in the blogosphere. Wyatt says he’ll quit blogging if they come after him, and but all he’s got is a tip jar. I find his True Detective Stories to be a real eye-opener in the law enforcement world. (I assume most officers are brilliant like Wyatt, but it’s always good to be reminded that there are a significant number who are not. We’ll just leave it at that before I get into too much trouble.) I would consider the loss of his blog a real loss in the realm of serious public discussions, even if the True Detective Stories just want to make beat your head against your desk. (We live in the suburbs. Suck it, Philly.)
The good news is that the original story (and not the abbreviated/quoted Examiner piece that’s been linked everywhere) highlights one potential correction that’s not just a matter of relying on bureaucrats to use a little common sense when they try to open your wallet & take their “fair share.”
But bloggers aren’t the only ones upset with the city’s tax structure. In June, City Council members Bill Green and Maria Quiñones-Sánchez unveiled a proposal to reform the city’s business privilege tax in an effort to make Philly a more attractive place for small businesses. If their bill passes, bloggers will still have to get a privilege license if their sites are designed to make money, but they would no longer have to pay taxes on their first $100,000 in profit. (If bloggers don’t want to fork over $300 for a lifetime license, Green suggests they take the city’s $50-a-year plan.)
Their bill will be officially introduced in September.
The paper rightly points out that it doesn’t fix the business license requirement, and it still may mean they would have to pay more in taxes than they earn if they aren’t a large site. That’s a legit concern, but just like most things, fixes will come a step at a time.
The other good news is that this was a Drudge headline for a while, so it should drum up enough anger around the country to shame Philadelphia bureaucrats into behaving like reasonable adults for the time being. But, for any bloggers looking to escape, there are some lovely houses for sale in our suburban neighborhood.
“An Entire Group of Reasonable People Expressing Their Constitutional Rights”
That’s what Jon Stewart calls NRA members.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Extremist Makeover – Homeland Edition | ||||
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Watch the clip, and wait for the entire segment. Â It is a great reminder of what a powerful speaker Charlton Heston really was when he was presiding over the NRA. Enjoy the video. You won’t hear top lefty entertainers say this too often: “The point is, I was wrong and Heston was right. … He’s still right.” (Video found via Radley.)