A Few Thoughts on "Common-sense Gun Reform"

 

After the recent school massacre at a Uvalde, Texas Elementary school, the White House issued a statement that President Biden is not considering 'doing anything' to get rid of the Second Amendment. Biden simply wants "common-sense gun reform".

I've been hearing the call for common-sense gun reform for quite some time, without any real understanding of what the term actually means.

Putting the term into a search engine, I found a few proposals.
Vermont Congressman Peter Welch
New York Congressman Joe Morelle
bradyunited.org
Mayors Against Illegal Guns.

Although there are some differences in the proposals, all seem to agree on

1) "red flag laws"
2) expanded background checks
3) a ban on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.

I'm sure these "common-sense gun reforms" will prevent some of the mass shootings plaguing the United States.

The so-called "red flag laws" would work only in those situations where a potential gun owner has exhibited certain types of behavior. There's no evidence that such a law would have prevented the Uvalde shooter from buying a gun. The same would apply to the expanded background check proposal. In this case, the killer passed the required background check in Texas. He had not committed a felony before purchasing the weapons and ammo.

I can't see any problem with the 3rd proposal - the ban on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. I've no objection to people owning weapons to protect home and family, but does anyone really need an assault weapon? I know, some will claim that citizens in the U.S. need military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines to guard against a rogue government, but does anyone believe they can withstand the full force of the U.S. military?

For its worth, IMHO, the first two proposals will prevent some, but not all mass killings. Proposal #3 seems reasonable to me.

UPDATE
Please check my post I Stand Corrected for further thoughts on "red flags".

CNN and Biden in Panic Over Texas Abortion Law

 

Joe Biden and CNN in panic mode over the Supreme Court's 5-4 vote leaving a Texas abortion ban in place.

John Roberts has lost control of the Supreme Court
Biden launches federal effort to respond to Texas law as he faces pressure to protect abortion
Congress could protect access to abortion. Here's why that's unlikely to happen.

Climate Scientist Jane Fonda

Climate scientist Jane Fonda is upset with President Joe Biden, who she says is not moving fast enough on climate change.

According to Fonda,
"He's done a lot and we're really grateful. But the crisis is too severe to do a few good things here and then not do anything where bad stuff is happening."

Climate scientist Jane Fonda is also quoted as saying
"The scientists say we have less than nine years to cut our emissions in half."

I'm sorry to say that it is impossible for the people on this planet to cut emissions in half in nine years. If what she says is correct then it's all over. If we only have nine years, as climate scientist Jane Fonda tells us, then you might as well kiss your ass goodbye.

Two Minute Hate

 

As I once mentioned in a post on another blog, with every U.S. Presidential election cycle, a reference to 1984 and Big Brother is leveled against one - or sometimes, both - candidates. In that post, I included images of Presidents Bush, Obama and Trump as Big Brother. The post also includes a similar image with Hillary Clinton.

In an earlier post on this blog, I wrote that I would be reading (and re-reading) a number of dystopian novels this month. I've just finished re-reading 1984 and I noticed something that has been frequently used in Presidential elections, but never mentioned out loud, as far as I can tell.

Early in the novel, Orwell writes of the Two Minutes Hate where Outer Party members of Oceania view a film of enemies of the State - usually Emmanuel Goldstein - and are encouraged to openly display their hatred for the enemy. While I was reading this section, I immediately thought of the Left's reaction to Donald Trump. The hatred is similarly coming from raw emotion, rather than logic.

It didn't take long for me to understand that not only were these "Two Minute Hates" recently directed at Trump, but had been used earlier by Republicans against Obama and Hillary Clinton. The Left had also used the same tactic against George W. Bush.

As I write this, I haven't noticed the same "Two Minute Hate" technique used against Biden. Perhaps because his persona as a tried old man works better for the Republicans.

Unfortunately, noticing this doesn't help stop it. Just more evidence of the U.S. going to Hell in a hand-basket.

Biden's Name Will Not Appear On Stimulus Checks

According to an article at  thehill.com , Biden's name will not appear on the upcoming round of stimulus checks. The article goes on to say that the stimulus checks sent out during Trump's term had President Trump's name on the memo line of the checks.

Having received the stimulus money thru direct deposit, I had no idea that Trump's name appeared anywhere on the check.

The article quotes White House press secretary Jen Psaki as saying:
"We are doing everything in our power to expedite the payments and not delay them, which is why the president’s name will not appear on the memo line of this round of [stimulus] checks."

Apparently, the checks will be signed by a career official at the Bureau of Fiscal Service.

First of all, will the checks actually be "signed" by anyone? I imagine the signature will be a facsimile. Even if the check did have Biden's name on them, he wouldn't be signing each individual check. The poor guy would get writer's cramp long before many of the checks was ready to mail out. Not having Biden's name on the stimulus checks will in no way speed up the process.

I think Trump's wanting his name on the check was typical, over the top Trump behavior. Biden's decision to go in the opposite direction is just a way of undoing anything Trumpish.

Gaga Dognapping Politically Motivated?

In West Hollywood, Lady Gaga's dogwalker was shot outside his home by suspects that police are identifying as two black men wearing baseball caps.

The suspects were able to steal two of the French Bulldogs, Koji and Gustavo, while a third dog, Miss Asia, managed to get away.

The FBI has been contacted because investigators theorize that the bulldogs may have been dognapped for "political" reasons.

Seriously?

LAPD were looking at two possible motives:
(1) The two black men may have shot the dogwalker and stolen the bulldogs as revenge for Lady Gaga having sung at Biden's inauguration.
(2) or, ransom.

Does anyone seriously believe Trump's only two black supporters in California were so angry at Gaga for supporting Biden that they'd steal her dogs?

Were the baseball caps worn by the suspects actually MAGA hats? If so, maybe the FBI should question the two black men involved in the Jussie Smollett case.

 

Squad Urges Biden to Commute Death Row Sentences

 

U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) and other members of the progressive "Squad" are doubling down on their call for President Biden to end Federal executions and commute the sentences of 49 death-row inmates currently in federal prisons.

This is, of course, a reaction to Trump's revival of federal executions and the 13 executions carried out in the final months of Trump's term as President. I can certainly agree with congresswoman Pressley's desire to stop capital punishment in the United States, but as I pointed out in a blog post written last month, I would feel much better if Pressley's idea of "pro-life" extended to the unborn as well.

I know it is difficult for some to feel merciful toward convicted murderers. Going that step forward isn't always easy. However, I cannot understand how one can feel compassion toward those on death row and still have a callous attitude toward unborn human beings.

In a letter to President Biden, Democrats wrote,

"We believe that rebuilding the dignity of America requires that we recommit ourselves to the tradition of due process, mercy, and judicial clemency when it comes to matters related to the criminal legal system". Yet, there is no "due process, mercy or clemency" for the unborn.

In their letter, Democrats also claimed that President Trump left behind a legacy of "carnage and unrestrained violence" because of the number of executions in the last months of his presidency. True enough, but do they not see the legacy of carnage in the 62 million abortions that have been carried out in the U.S. since the Roe vs Wade decision of 1973?

When Pressley's fellow Democrat, Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) expressed sympathy for the 13 death row inmates executed under Trump (including one self identified white supremacist) Bush's supporters applauded her for having a consistent approach to opposing the death penalty.

I wish her approach to all life was as consistent.

AOC Slams Biden's Stimulus Plan

Many of my friends on Facebook have stated that, after years of seeing the Left run down Trump without giving him a chance, they were not going to be kind to Joe Biden in any way what-so-ever.

I would usually respond to them by saying I would call out Biden whenever he did something I didn't like, but I would give him credit should he do something I agree with. I'd treat Biden the way they should have treated Donald Trump....and not the way they actually treated him.

On example might be that, because of the Democrat Party's overwhelming support of abortion, I could never vote for a Democrat for any office - local, State or Federal.

 However, it's been reported that Biden calls for more direct cash to Americans in new stimulus package by bumping up the $600 per person by $1400 for a total of $2000. I believe the increase is appropriate - it doesn't buy my vote, by any means, but I think it's the right thing to do.

You would think that with control of the House and Senate, Dems passing the bill would be a done deal. However, it's also being reported that Sandy Ocasio (AKA  AOC) already has a problem with Biden's stimulus plan. She says that "$2,000 means $2,000. $2,000 does not mean $1,400.″

She has a point, but if she wears a fashionable green ball cap, maybe no one will notice it.

Will Trump Run in 2024?

 

According to Daniel Dale at CNN, there is a Tweet making the rounds that claims Trump will be banned fron running in 2024 if he is impeached a second time, but Dale goes on to say No, impeachment itself would not ban Trump from a 2024 run.

The piece gives us these facts:

1) Trump would lose his post-presidency pension only if both the House voted to impeach him and then the Senate voted to remove him from office; impeachment itself, without removal, would not result in Trump being denied any benefits.
2) The law makes clear that presidents who have lifetime Secret Service protection never get a $1 million travel allowance.
3) It is unclear that Trump would lose lifetime Secret Service protection even if the Senate voted to remove him and prohibit him from running.
4) Even a Senate vote to remove Trump would not prohibit him from running in 2024; for the Senate to ban him from the presidency, it would have to hold an additional vote on this question.

While it may be legally possible for Trump to run in 2024, doing so would be a terrible mistake and certainly not good for the country. Of course, that wouldn't stop Trump.

Supposing Trump were to run again, I doubt the Republican Party would risk putting him on their ticket. He would have to run as a third party candidate.

Trump running again for POTUS would most assuredly lead to President Kamala Harris being reelected. I say President Harris and not Vice-President Harris, because we all know that Biden will either step down before his first (and only) term is finished, or he will be removed by via the 25th Amendment.

This talk of removing Trump with the 25th Amendment is actually a trial run on the real objective - removing Biden and putting in Harris.

If Trump really wants to Make American Great Again, he needs to stay out of politics.

Oh, Lord....Please Don't Let Me be Misunderstood

Least anyone think that following my blog post condemning Donald Trump, that I now support Joe Biden, I wish to say now that you'd be absolutely wrong to believe that.

I don't support the Trump followers who recently stormed the Capitol and I agree with Jonathan Turley's assessment that Trump’s legacy is ‘in tatters’ after supporters riot at Capitol.  Trump should have condemned the rioters.

That being said, Joe Biden is the same senile old coot today that he was when he was elected in November. It's a shame that Trump and the members of his cult are doing their best to make Biden look Presidential.

 

Ayanna Pressley's Contradictory Views on Human Life

 

There was a time,many years ago, when I supported the death penalty. I've changed my mind, thanks to the teachings of Pope John Paul II. Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis have followed his lead in condemning capital punishment.

Pope Francis wrote:

"Saint John Paul II stated clearly and firmly that the death penalty is inadequate from a moral standpoint and no longer necessary from that of penal justice. There can be no stepping back from this position. Today we state clearly that ‘the death penalty is inadmissible’ and the Church is firmly committed to calling for its abolition worldwide."

It's been recently reported that dozens of Democrats have called on the incoming Biden administration to end federal executions once Biden is inaugurated. Considering the fact that the US Justice Department has restarted the practice of federal executions after a 17-year hiatus, I see that as a step in the right direction. President Trump has done many positive things in the area of criminal justice reform, but restarting federal executions certainly wasn't one of those.

One of the Democrats calling for the end of federal executions is Massachusetts congresswoman Ayanna Pressley .

"Ending the barbaric and inhumane practice of government-sanctioned murder is a commonsense step that you can and must take to save lives," said Pressley in a letter to Joe Biden.

A link to Congresswoman Pressley's letter to the POTUS elect can be found on her Congressional webpage.

Unfortunately, also found the the Congresswoman's webpage is a letter calling for eliminating the Hyde Amendment. Sadly, in spite of her call for ending the death penalty, Ayanna Pressley is overwhelmingly pro-abortion. She believes abortion care is health care and that health care is a fundamental human right.

As someone who is pro-life, I know that it is difficult for many who oppose abortion to accept the killing of innocent human beings while ending the death penalty for obviously guilty offenders.

Pressley would get much more help from the pro-life community if her stance on abortion was as "pro-life" as her stance on capital punishment. Obviously, Pressley holds "two or more contradictory beliefs, ideas, or values at the same time" which would be a case of Cognitive dissonance if she felt any stress or anxiety over having those contradictory views.

A POTUS Who Quotes Poetry

 

In the opinion of poet Tess Taylor, when Joe Biden becomes President of the United States, "we are going to have a president who quotes poetry".

Being of Irish descent, perhaps he will regale us from time to time with a limerick.

One particular limerick, written by W.S. Gilbert, comes to mind. I think it would suit Biden's personality quite well.

There was an old man of St. Bees,
Who was stung in the arm by a wasp,
When asked, "Does it hurt?"
He replied, "No, it doesn't,
I'm so glad it wasn't a hornet."

President Biden?

As I write this, both Fox News and CNN show Biden to be ahead of President Trump in electoral votes - both projecting Biden to be closer to the magic 270, although the two networks disagree on the totals so far. Fox is giving Biden 264 with CNN giving Biden 253.

The election isn't over at this point, and either candidate can, in theory win. However, to my way of looking at the numbers, Biden has the much easier path to victory.

So, what can we expect from a Biden presidency? Probably not much.

It looks as though the Republicans have maintained control of the Senate, and Biden will have difficulty getting anything passed - much less something radically Leftist. Even if Biden wins the Electoral College, he will not have won 25 States, which shows that future control of the U.S. Senate by Democrats is unlikely.

The U.S. will remain divided in spite of Biden's claim that under his Presidency there will be no "blue States, no red States, just the United States". Biden has no original ideas, and he stole this line from Obama. It didn't come true under Obama, and it won't under Biden either.

I don't expect Biden, should he become POTUS, to survive the first term. If he wins, Kamala Harris will become the first female POTUS.

During the first year of a Biden/Harris presidency, the radical Democrats in the House will attempt to push their agenda onto the American public. This will probably lead to the Republicans flipping the House in 2022.

This election settles nothing.

President Pence or President Harris?

 

One of the many talking points put forward by the Right since it became clear that Joe Biden would become the Democrat candidate for POTUS, is that Biden is merely a Trojan Horse and not the real Presidential candidate the Dems will attempt to elect in November. Quite a few believe Biden will never complete a first term if elected, with some going so far as to say he won't finish 2021.

Contrary to what nearly everyone believed would happen at the first Presidential debate, Joe Biden did not melt down in an obvious display of senility that would wreck his chances of winning the election. That's not to say he's in fine health. It's very well possible that the meds he's taking simply kicked in at the proper moment.

Now that Trump has been diagnosed with covid 19, the President's health has become an issue as well. Being POTUS, he has access to the finest medical care available on the planet. Still, at 74 years old, the President falls within the group that is most vulnerable to covid. Although his weight is a problem, he doesn't appear to have any of the other risk factors. However, even if he survives covid, the disease can have a serious effect on his future overall health.

Trump is 74 and Biden will turn 78 on November 20th. All things considered, I doubt if anyone would be really surprised if neither of the two make it to January 20, 2021. This has been the year of surprises, after all.

All this makes the choice for Vice-President especially crucial this election. I will certainly be watching the Vice Presidential debate on Oct. 7 (Oct 8 here in Philippines).

There is a real possibility that we could have a President Pence or President Harris in the very near future.

My Only Comment on Trump vs Biden 2020

Normally, in a U.S. presidential election year, my blog posts increase. Although this particular blog was not around in 2016, I did write quite a lot about the election on my sorryalltheclevernamesaretaken blog.

Anyone familiar with that blog in 2016 will recall that I did not support either Clinton nor Trump in that election year. I very regularly compared choosing either candidate as choosing whether to have mustard or mayo on your shit sandwich. However, as I wrote the week after Trump won the election, I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt going forward. After four years, I have to say that I've generally supported Trump, although I'm not crazy about his personality.

Due to the unreliability of the Philippine postal system during these days of COVID, I won't even attempt to send in an absentee ballot this time around. If I was in the U.S. now, I feel like I'd have no other choice than to vote for Trump. I wouldn't be enthusiastic about casting my vote, but for the life of me I can't understand how anyone could hate Trump so much that they'd vote for Joe Biden....a man who has lost all common sense.

As I write this, I'm thinking this will be my only comment on the election this year. We'll see how that goes.