Shall Not Be Questioned – Page 1673 – The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State …

Arctic Survival Weekend

I’m heading out to do some camping/shooting, even though it’s going to be well below freezing.Â Going with a friend and blogger you’re all probably familiar with, and meeting up with one of my co-workers for the camping, and maybe the shooting (if they want to come along, her husband has an expert weapons qualification badge from when he was in the 82nd Airborne).Â This is in the mountains of Northern Pennsylvania: the Ricketts Glen area.Â Going along is the 16″ barreled AR-15, the AK-74, my 44 Magnum, and one other rifle, but I haven’t decided what yet.Â These are the hard questions in life.

Going to have to do some hiking too, naturally.Â Anyways… off to freeze to death!Â Have fun folks.

Most Likely Explanation

I’ve heard a lot of theories over the past few days about what would motivate Marion Barry to propose lifting the DC gun ban.Â I think Gun Law News came up with the most probable sounding:

Having spent 35 years in the D.C. area, I always had the impression that Barry was running on about 20 watts – not the brightest bulb in the pack. My suspicion is that Marion has sourced a gun for himself and just wants to be able to register it. Unfortunately, he is probably a prohibitted person due to his criminal convictions.

I have to agree here folks, setting up people for later confiscation, or trying to eliminate standing for the Parker case, I think is giving the former Mayor way too much credit.

Public Campaign Financing Pilot Program in PA

I’ve never been in favor of public financing of campaigns, because of one very simple reason:

Independents can also participate in the program, but would get less money.

And everyone thought that public financing will clean up politics.Â It will not.Â Â It’ll just allow the current set of politicians and government bureaucrats decide who will get the money.Â That’s too much power to have in the hands of government anyway.

The desire to get special interests out of politics is a desire of those in power to insulate themselves from criticism, and not have to work as hard to hold their seats.Â Everyone is a special interest, and we have a constitutional right to lobby our government, and I do believe that means I have a right to give however much money I want, either directly, or through interest groups, in support of candidates who agree with me on the issues.

If you want to get into law school….

but can’t pass the LSATs?Â Â Well, don’t try to bribe the LSAC employees for a copy of it.

Losing Liberty, One Step at a Time

Well, Philadelphia City Council passed the sucker:

Trans fats would be banned in Philadelphia eateries beginning in September under legislation unanimously approved by City Council Thursday.

City Council passed a bill sponsored by Councilman Juan Ramos 17-0, sending it to Mayor John F. Street. If signed into law, eating establishments would be banned from using oils, shortenings and margarine containing artificial trans fats for frying or in spreads on Sept. 1, and for all other uses the following year.

Or not:

Those who fail to comply would not be fined under the legislation, which Ramos’ office said was being used more as an educational campaign.

Seriously, I couldn’t make this crap up if I tried.

Candians Can Be Crazy Too

It’s not just Americans that can be total loons. This post, in the “Second Amendment” community on my old stomping grounds of LiveJournal, shows that Canadians can be just as batty. The LiveJournal guns community is actually worthwhile, though. It tends to focus more on the interest of shooting. than on the politics, which is refreshing sometimes.

In case you can’t tell, I’m at a loss for things to blog about today. Yesterday was bowling lunch hour with the coworkers. I scored 204 and 213, which beat them all handily (add that to Bitter’s meme of things people don’t know about me — I’m a reasonably decent bowler). After work it was happy hour with some other coworkers and former coworkers. Because of that, I don’t have much to say tonight.

“I forgot my diaper, and I have to pee.”

Norm Pattis has something out of the strange files, having questioned the low bail amount set for Lisa Marie Nowak, the Astronaut that stands accused of attempted murder and kidnapping.Â He managed to get a hold of the transcript:

Court:Â Ms. Nowak, you understand that you are required to appear in court for preliminary hearings and can be orderd rearrested if you fail to appear?

Ms. Nowak: Yes.

Court:Â The state is recommending a $1 million bond, but I think that is too high.

Ms. Nowak:Â I forgot my diaper, and I have to pee.

Court:Â One minute. Do you promise to appear as ordered?

Ms. Nowak: Yes.

Court:Â OK. Bond set at $25,000. Ms. Nowak is not to leave the planet.

Man, talk about weird.Â I don’t know if any of you read Crime and Federalism, but Norm and Mike both post some good stuff.Â Some of it is a bit esoteric for us non-lawyer types, but I’ve always enjoyed reading their blog.

DOJ Puts the Smackdown on Bloomberg

This is great!

The New York Daily News reported Thursday that Michael Battle, director of the executive office for United States Attorneys at the Department of Justice, sent the letter warning Bloombe rgâ€™s administration that it could face â€œpotential legal liabilitiesâ€ if such sting operations continue. Battle also said the Justice Department will not be filing criminal charges against any of the 15 gun dealers targeted by Bloombergâ€™s 2006 lawsuits over alleged â€œstraw manâ€ purchases. Such operations lack â€œproper law enforcement authority,â€ Battleâ€™s letter stated.

UPDATE: Original NYDN article here

According to a letter sent to City Hall, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and various U.S. attorneys’ offices have determined the city’s findings against the 15 dealers “do not rise to a level that would support a criminal prosecution.”

Great right? Well, maybe not:

Asked if the Bloomberg administration plans to stop conducting the sting operations, Deputy Mayor Ed Skyler said, “Not necessarily.”

“The city hasn’t violated any laws,” Skyler said defiantly, adding that the city will continue to pursue its civil lawsuits against the gun dealers.

I think the ATF needs to start arresting people if they try this stunt again. Starting with Bloomberg. It would seem hs administration isn’t taking this letter as fair warning.

Pelosi is a Liar

Anyone who thinks Nancy Pelosi cares about the environment or global warming is kidding themselves.Â We’ve all heard about her request for a C-32 (Boeing 757) aircraft for her own personal use.Â Her claim now is:

Hastert, an Illinois Republican, flew in a small commuter-sized jet. Pelosi and her aides say that because her congressional district is in California, her security would require a larger plane that can fly coast to coast without refueling.

“It’s not a question of size, it’s a question of distance,” Pelosi said Wednesday. “We want an aircraft that can reach California.”

You are so full of crap you reek, Nancy.Â The Air Force has several other more economical options, if you bothered to look, that have the range to make it to California unrefueled.Â Â But you probably did look didn’t you?Â Â You just want the C-32, because you’re Nancy Pelosi.Â Well, screw you.Â It’s my tax money that makes those birds fly, and as far as I’m concerned, your staffers and VIPs can fly commercial.

I barely buy the security argument that justifies Pelosi flying on air force jets.Â But if it’s going to happen, she can do with a lesser plane.Â If the C-21 was good enough for hauling Denny Hastert’s fat ass around, as far as I’m concerned, it’s good enough for Nancy Pelosi too.

GOP Enters Mayoral Race

Looks like the GOP has ponied up Al Taubenberger to run for Philadelphia Mayor.

City Councilman Frank Rizzo, a Republican who had considered a mayoral run on either party’s ticket, said yesterday that he expected Taubenberger to be the nominee. Rizzo said he backed off his own bid because “we have a good candidate in Al Taubenberger, who I’ll be working for, and on the Democratic side, we have some capable candidates also.”

The city’s registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by 5-1, and most GOP leaders concede that a mayoral victory is a long shot. No Republican mayor has been elected since 1947.

Anyone who knows Philadelphia knows the Rizzo name, but I don’t know much about Taubenberger, and we probably won’t get to know much about him, because, as the article says, the GOP has a snowballs chance in hell of winning the race. Â Of course, no one thought a Republican could win in New York City either, but they elected Giuliani (I don’t count Bloomberg. He’s a lifelong Democrat riding on Rudy’s coattails).Â I may have my issues with Giuliani as President, but he was a great mayor of New York City.Â Philadelphia is long overdue for it’s own Giuliani.Â Sadly, this guy probably ain’t it.