Clayton points to an article in the Washington Times that suggests the Obama Administration was walking guns to the jihadists. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof. Of course, I thought the same thing about walking guns to Mexico, and that turned out to be actually happening.
Category: Government
It’s a Far Cry from Hunting to Gun Rights
Apparently Justice Kagan is going to try to bag herself an antelope in Wyoming. I’d like to see Justice Kagan come around to the Second Amendment, but there are plenty of people who hunt who have a poor conception of the right. I’m not sure I’d read too much into this, but it is certainly encouraging.
Also, it would seem Dave Hardy has been a busy bee. Both articles sound quite interesting, and the former would certainly be a welcome addition to the cause.
DOJ & MMFA Collaboration: The Nature of Media Has Changed
I’ve read the Daily Caller story about the e-mails between DOJ and Media Matters for A Socialist America. I haven’t blogged about it until now because I just don’t think it’s the big deal a lot on the right think it is. You can read through all the e-mails here. In the past this might have been a big story, because the media operated on the pretense that it was objective. Does MMFA even make such a pretense? I don’t believe it does. They are partisan hacks, and fully admit to being as much. It’s not like they go through any great length to hide their biases, under the pretense of being objective.
So why is this a story? I would expect any Administration of either party to work with its relevant partisan media to spin stories. With the death of “objective” media, this is how things are going to be. What’s going to be the reaction when a Republican Administration is in the White House, and the left FOIAs documents that show the Administration working closely with the Daily Caller?
This would have been a story if they were seen in a cozy collaborative relationship with the Washington Post, or CNN, or any other outlet that still likes to pretend it’s an objective news outlet. That a partisan hack of a media outfit is helping out Administration flunkies is not shocking, it’s expected.
Today is Constitution Day
The day we pay our respects and celebrate a document we’ve never really taken that seriously. It was a radical document when the founders wrote it. Reconstruction era Republicans made it even more radical — so radical our ruling elite starting ignoring the parts of it that didn’t suit them. The progressives hijacked it for a time, and later decided they didn’t need to bother with it anymore.
Perhaps a better way to celebrate this radical document would be actually trying to follow it for once.
So Here’s a Question: M1 Tank Sales
Why are we selling more tanks to Egypt? I mean, I get that the export variants of the M1 Abrams have hobbled armor options compared to what our boys get to drive, but it’s still a better tank than anything they could buy from the Russians. I don’t see the logic in selling guns to the guy next door who has vowed to shoot you. I mean, not unless you’re suicidal.
It was one thing to sell one of the most advanced tanks in the world to Egypt back when we had a deal with their government for military and humanitarian aid, as long as they acted all nice with the Israelis. But now that the Muslim Brotherhood has taken over the country? Are we really going to keep doing this? Is this that “smart diplomacy” we keep hearing so much about? This is going to either come back to bite us in the ass, or bite the Israelis in the ass. The Administration should have to answer some questions about this, don’t you think?
ATF Given Expanded Forfeiture Powers
Apparently Holder thinks it’s fine for ATF to try out being able to seize large amounts of cash under the assumption that it’s clearly to be used for an illegal transaction. What could possibly go wrong? Are gun owners who take their money out of the bank and stuff it under the mattress going to find it at risk now? I mean, clearly they were going to use it to buy guns illegally.
Quote of the Day
Tam’s comment on the FAA reviewing policies on electronics use on planes:
While I’m sure it’s possible that playing with your vaccuum tube tester in the smoking section of a Convair 600 would mess with the LORAN-A receiver something fierce, it’s getting harder to buy into the whole idea that the tiniest electrical impulse in the cabin will send a modern jetliner veering wildly out of control to crash into the nearest orphanage or oil refinery when the pilot’s approach plates are on a frickin’ iPad.
We’d almoset have enough to run this experiment here at SNBQ. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen a LORAN receiver in Jason’s basement, and he probably has a vacuum tube tester somewhere down there too. Unfortunately, the smoking section on a Convair 600 is probably not to be found even sunning itself in a desert somewhere.
Government Ammo Purchases
Both NRA and NSSF seem to be trying to quash rumors about the government preparing for civil unrest (the charitable rumor) or building Obama’s army for him to seize permanent power after the election (the less charitable rumor). NRA’s fact sheet on ammo purchases can be found here, which is also echoed in NSSF’s release. The summary is that the ammo purchases are not that unusual, and aren’t ridiculous if you actually want your agents to do live fire training, which after seeing the NYPD shoot up midtown, I think we can all agree is important. The message here would seem to be that we want our people preparing for an election, not for a civil war.
More on the Fast and Furious Cover-Up
Dave Hardy has some interesting developments, but I’m still trying to wrap my head around this one:
It says he’s taking annual leave from the agency (apparently planning to retire once that runs out). This is quite unusual. You can always take your annual leave, but taking another job while on it is another question.
Man, I bet most of us wish our jobs had vacations policies this generous.
A Look at Why CU Police Didn’t Act on Theater Murderer
Apparently he would not qualify as “an imminent danger”. Clayton notes, “I suppose if you move from making threats, to loading a gun while making threats, you reach the ‘Imminent Risk’ category.” If the mental health bureaucracy is loaded with utter fail, I don’t see how our opponents expect just adding another layer of bureaucracy to try to patch over the fundamental problem is going to accomplish anything.