A Republic, if you can keep it

Sunday, June 24, 2007

Question Of The Week, 6/24/07

Good morning. This weeks Question Of The Week came to me right after I got home from work last night. It's one that I have ask before but I can't remember when, and I don't know what made me think of it now. What is the purpose of (reason for having) our Federal Government?

I'll post my answer in the Comment Section Monday night.

God Bless America, God Save The Republic.

Monday, June 18, 2007

Perhaps We Should Consider The Words Of President Lyndon B. Johnson

I'm sorry, there was no Question Of The Week posted this past Sunday. I had some family business that needed my attention. Please stop by this Sunday for the Question Of The Week.

I never thought very much of President Lyndon Johnson's policies but we should give him credit. He seemed to know we shouldn't trust politicians, "You do not examine legislation in the light of the benefits it will convey if properly administered, but in the light of the wrongs it would do and the harms it would cause if improperly administered." I'm afraid we're going to have some problems when (not if)HR 297 is improperly administered. The way this bill was passed should tell us it is going to bite us before it's over. Why don't our elected officials want us to know who voted in favor of this attack on the Second Amendment? Check out what the good folks over at Jews For The Preservation Of Firearms Ownership had to say about it.


April 24, 2007

Exploiting a Tragedy
The gun-prohibitionists are taking full advantage of last weeks' horrific killings at Virginia Tech University to push more "gun-control" legislation in the form of HR 297, The NICS Improvement Act of 2007. Introduced back in January by Representative Carolyn McCarthy (aka the "Queen of Gun Control"), HR 297 is intended among other things to dangerously broaden the definition of "mental illness" for the purpose of denying firearms purchases.

Section (102)(c)(3) states:

"The State shall make available to the Attorney General ... the name and other relevant identifying information of persons adjudicated as mentally defective or those committed to mental institutions to assist the Attorney General in enforcing section 922(g)(4) of title 18, United States Code."

Can you imagine? ANYONE who has been to a mental institution or "adjudicated as mentally defective" would have their name and identifying information sent to the federal government.

It doesn't matter if you needed assistance coping with the devastating loss of a loved one or combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder. It doesn't matter if you only stayed for a night to reassure a worried spouse. Regardless of circumstances, your information would be still be submitted and you would no longer be permitted to purchase a firearm.

The NRA is unabashedly enthusiastic about HR 297. They cheerfully assure us that the bill is designed to "fix problems" with recordkeeping while improving the availability of criminal history and "other" records for conducting background checks.

Perhaps they should consider the words of President Lyndon B. Johnson, who said, "You do not examine legislation in the light of the benefits it will convey if properly administered, but in the light of the wrongs it would do and the harms it would cause if improperly administered."

As an educational organization, JPFO is not permitted to have a particular stance on this or any other legislation, but we do know flawed logic when we see it. So does Gun Owners of America, who calls HR 297 a "bureaucratic fishing expedition into your private records, including your financial, employment, and hospital records."

In theory, if you were found not to have a mental illness, your name could be removed from the list. But in this day and age of such pyschiatric diagnoses as "Oppositional Defiance Disorder" and "Caffeine Dependence Syndrome", what's the likelihood of escaping without such a label?

The unintended consequences are obvious to any thinking person. As a result of HR 297, more people who do need mental help will avoid getting it. Fearing the consequent loss of their rights, individuals will refuse to visit a therapist or mental facility, and will therefore be MORE likely to "snap" when the pressure becomes too great to bear.

In one fell swoop, HR 297 will totally negate the decades of progress that have been made in de-stigmatizing mental therapy, while increasing the likelihood of repeating last Monday's slaughter.

Naturally, like any other "gun control" legislation, HR 297 would be enforced by the BATFE, giving them even more power to harrass and intimidate gun owners and dealers.

Way to go, Rep. McCarthy.

- The Liberty Crew


If HR 297 is the great fix we've needed for so long now why was it passed in darkness, as a back room deal instead of in the light of day on the House floor where we could all see who supported it? I'm sure you know the answer to that.

Thanks go to:
Jews For The Preservation Of Firearms Ownership.

God Bless America, God Save The Republic.

Monday, June 11, 2007

It Ain't Over

I've got a couple of e-mail messages over the past couple of days to remind me, the amnesty deal ain't dead yet. You might have seen them.


Dear WeNeedAFence.com supporters:

Our friend and coalition partner Roy Beck at NumbersUSA sent out the
following alert just a few minutes ago:

"Pres. Bush will meet personally with Republican Senators on Tuesday to
implore them to change their votes from last Thursday and support the
Bush/Kennedy S. 1348 Comprehensive Amnesty Bill in a possible re-vote.

This will be perhaps the most dangerous moment for us this summer.

Please ... PHONE your GOP Senators, plus last week's anti-amnesty
Democratic Senators at:

202-224-3121 (ask for the Senator by name). [Note to Friends of WNAF: We
have direct dial phone and fax numbers on our website.


The pro-amnesty forces have worked diligently all weekend to overturn the
Senate's rejection on Thursday of the Bush/Kennedy Comprehensive Amnesty
Bill.

Bush Administration officials are saying that the President will throw all
of his influence this week into persuading the 38 GOP Senators who voted
against amnesty last week that they were wrong.

Senate Democratic leaders are waiting to see if the President can twist
enough Republican arms before deciding whether to bring the S. 1348
amnesty back up for amendments and a final vote.


. ACTION 1: Phone the Republican Senators in your state and urge them to
stand firm against the President's entreaties on Tuesday.

. ACTION 2: If your state has a Democratic or Independent Senator who
voted NO on S. 1348 last week, phone them to resist any effort to persuade
them to help Pres. Bush achieve his top domestic goal.

. ACTION 3: For those of you who do NOT have a Senator in those first two
groups, I urge you to look for one or two of the smaller states that are
in your region of the country that do have Senators in those first two
groups, and call them.

Pres. Bush said this weekend that he understands that a lot of Americans
and Senators have trouble with a deal that allows legalization of 12-20
million illegal aliens in exchange for heavy-duty enforcement in the
future.

He says he understands that many Americans don't trust that the Federal
government will live up to the enforcement end of the bargain because of
past failure to do so.

But Pres. Bush says he will go to Capitol Hill Tuesday, look the
Republicans in the eye and assure them that they can trust him to see that
all enforcement happens.

There is something terribly strange about his whole argument.

It is as if the President who has refused to enforce most immigration laws
the last six years is somebody other than himself.

In addition, Pres. Bush appears to be saying, "You can trust me to enforce
the law if you approve the amnesty" but he is suggesting that without
passing the amnesty the illegal immigration problem is going to grow far
worse because the President won't be enforcing the law!""


There's more .. to see the entire message, go to NumbersUSA's website.

Colin


I agree, President Bush is going to offer all kinds of deals to the senators that opposed the amnesty plan in hope's of getting them on his amnesty team. That's the way the good ole boy network works. I hope you'll contact your senators that voted the right way (NO), thank them for representing you. Urge them to stand firm when Bush puts the pressure on.

Thanks go to:
We Need A Fence

God Bless America, God Save The Republic.

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Question Of The Week, 6/10/07

Good morning. I couldn't decide on a question when I got home from work earlier this morning, so I slept on it a while. This weeks question came to me while I was outside in the rain taking care of my dogs, and thinking about a woman in Saint Joseph, Missouri that had 64 of them in her house. This weeks Question Of The Week is. Many years from now when people are looking back on history what will President George W. Bush be remembered for?

I'll post my answer in the Comment Section Monday night.

God Bless America, God Save The Republic.

Sunday, June 03, 2007

Question Of The Week, 6/3/07

Good morning. I didn't have to look any farther than my local paper to come up with an idea for this weeks question. The article even comes with a comment from one of the paper's reader's.


Guest rallies states against Real ID Act

Alyson Raletz
State House Reporter

The end of Missouri's legislative session didn't stop a regional politician's fight against a national identification system. He's taking his show on the road.

Rep. Jim Guest, R-King City, said he hopes to visit all of the continental 48 states by January 2008 to spread the word about the federal Real ID Act of 2005.

Mr. Guest this winter formed Legislators Against Real ID, a coalition made up of members from 47 states that oppose national driver's licenses and is trying to pressure Congress for a repeal.

"This is building huge support," Mr. Guest said.

Maine was the first state to pass legislation that rejects the law, while Missouri last week passed a resolution that calls for a repeal. And in the next three weeks, Mr. Guest expects 17 more states to push through anti-Real ID legislation, but Mr. Guest said he wants to keep up the momentum since Senate hearings on a possible repeal have started in Washington.

"People are tired of the federal government stepping into their private lives," Mr. Guest said.

The law requires states to issue uniform IDs that meet federal criteria by May 2008 in order for citizens to board commercial airplanes, enter federal buildings, make transactions at banks or apply for federal benefits, such as Social Security.

Supporters say uniform guidelines are needed for a more secure nation, while Mr. Guest and other opponents have raised privacy concerns.

Mr. Guest, who spoke to Oklahoma legislators Monday, is planning trips to Nevada and Virginia this summer and is working to raise funds for other trips. He's paying for much of the transportation out of pocket, but has formed The Committee for America's Freedom to handle donations.

Mr. Guest already is planning to file more legislation in the Missouri Legislature for 2008. His effort for Missouri to reject the Real ID Act didn't fly in 2007, so next year he'll file a bill that would stop Missouri from participating in any national identification system.

For more information about Mr. Guest and his coalition, visit.



Reader Comments

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Posted: Saturday, June 02, 2007
Article comment by: sarah

Representative Guest is to be applauded for standing up against his party's knee jerk rush to make this country "safe". However, if you take a look at your new licenses, you will never know that as you received your shiny new photo, your face was being entered in a national experimental facial recognition computer. Believe me, as a former conservative, the year 1984 is truly upon us.



This weeks Question Of The Week is. Should the Federal Real ID Act of 2005 be repealed?

I'll post my answer in the Comment Section Monday night.

Thanks go to:
The Saint Joseph News-Press


God Bless America, God Save The Republic.