NRA still doesn't want public to know true gun violence statistics

The National Rifle Assn. pushed through the Dickey Amendment in 1996, gun legislation that prevents, "the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from using funds 'to advocate or promote gun control.'" Naturally it is in the best interest of this violence promoting organization to keep the true facts from the public. According to Health, "Of the 30 leading causes of death in the United States, gun violence is the least researched." And the Brady organization reports, on an average day 96 people die from gun violence. But the NRA refuses to accept these figures.

I have followed David Hemenway, director of the Harvard Injury Control Research Center for years and despite the NRA's head gun nut, Wayne LaPierre, he is making progress in documenting and publishing about gun violence. He regularly side-steps the Dickey Amendment which prevents "the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from using funds 'to advocate or promote gun control.'" It's a stupid law meant only to hide the facts that gun violence is completely out of control, to keep it all secret so a stupid Congress doesn't have to face the facts.

Actually, gun violence research has proliferated over the past few years thanks to people like David Hemenway and with the help of universities, think tanks and private philanthropy. Even states like California are beginning to recognize the problem and then "governors from six northeastern states and Puerto Rico announced plans to launch a research consortium to study the issue. "A gun in the home increases the risk of someone in that home dying from suicide maybe threefold, and the evidence is overwhelming," Hemenway says. The NRA, and the public, must face up to these facts.

Trump's bait and switch on reducing drug costs

Mouth open as usual but no substance

Bait and switch is alive and well in the Trump administration and, as usual, the American consumer is the loser. Instead of going direct to the source of ridiculously high U.S. drug prices, the greed of pharmaceutical companies, he appeals to foreign markets to adjust their prices, That has to be one of the stupidest  moves Donald Trump has made since entering office. Besides, health experts say it wouldn't work anyway because the American drug industry wouldn't cooperate. Why should they? As an example, Medicare, one of its largest markets, isn't required to negotiate its drug pricing.

After Trump's speech, shares of major drugmakers, insurers and PBMs, pharmacy benefit managers, rose. Warren Buffett called the cost of healthcare "insane," and he, along with Chase Bank and Amazon hope to, "create a health care system that costs less and gets better results." for its employees. Talk is that could even accommodate other companies in the future. And that brought down the stocks of insurers and pharmaceutical companies. This would bring to mind that competition is no longer fair in the business world, now favoring large corporations and the wealthy.

Has anyone doubted that for some time?

Not one iota of your life is private anymore

For years I labored as a privacy blogger to convince the public they should be concerned over the loss of their privacy. Protect your data, I would tell them, even going to the extent of suggesting individuals should own their personal information, companies having to get your permission to use it, paying you for the privilege. No one was interested and out of all this I coined the term, 'apathetics,' for the individuals who stood by indifferently, watching their private data collected in databases around the world.

I finally threw up my hands and said, 'If you don't give a shit, why should I,' and turned my interest to political blogging. I can assure you the time to protect your personal information is long past; given time, almost anyone can go to the Internet underground and buy your Social Security number for five bucks. I still refuse to give mine out just because of the principal of it. Now Google is talking about selling the future, "powered by your personal data." Facebook, because of the use of its users' private information is in trouble with the feds. I hate to say it, but I told you so.

John Bolton is a cautious enigma

John Bolton

With John Bolton now in Donald Trump's cabinet as the new national security adviser, one doesn't know whether to head for the bomb shelter or just hang around to see how long it takes
T-rump to fire him. In either case, he was a major factor in the decision to quit the Iran deal, but on that note itself, there is a modicum of doubt if the agreement really did any good. The question is, as it has been for some time, when it comes to these "rogue" states, do we go for regime change or continue to settle for diplomacy? Spectator/USA thinks Bolton's war mongering is overstated, even in Iran's proclamations, ‘Death to Israel’ and ‘Death to America.’ Only time will tell.

Immigration tops gun control in November voting

I know immigration reform is an issue that must be addressed, but currently more lives are at stake in the matter of getting guns off the street. Especially since much of the targeting has been children in respect to mass shootings. I was more than a little surprised to see a recent poll by Florida Atlantic University (FAU) Business and Economics Polling name immigration as the number one issue this fall. Now this is Florida voters in the state where the most recent gun violence massacre occurred, Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. You have to wonder if this is because Florida has such loose gun laws with the NRA's leading lobbyist, Marion Hammer, in residence, or is this predicting the familiar trend after major gun violence...back to public apathy.

Have democrats lost their edge? Not surprised!

A new CNN poll shows that the earlier held 18-point spread the Dems held for November is down to just 3. But then the results are qualified with the fact that the results follow closely with Trump's favorability, and the new average for Democrats is seven, not three on a generic ballot.

"The generic ballot is a poll question that asks voters whether they’ll vote for Democrats or Republicans for Congress, and historically it’s been a decent predictor of the House popular vote."     The NY Times

About 45% of the voting public feel enthusiastic about voting in November' the general turnout in midterm elections is 40%. The earlier figure is around the same for both Democrats and Republicans. A big consideration right now is Donald Trump's meeting with Kim Jong un. If it goes well--and we have to hope it does regardless---then we can expect T-rump's favorability to rise even more. To say the least, November will be interesting.

Parkland students think Oliver North perfect for NRA

Charlton Heston

Oliver North's sleezy background with Iran-Contra qualifies him as the devious type to be a leader for the National Rifle Assn. He'll obviously get more training from NRA head Wayne LaPierre, the leader in deviousness. Apparently, activists splashed fake blood at the house of Chris Cox, the NRA's chief lobbyist and leading purveyor of the organization's enormous trove of propaganda. This prompted North to call it "civil terrorism" adding, the NRA was the target of a “cyberwar.” I won't even begin to count the number of gun violence deaths just in 2018, but it takes 18 pages to cover all of them. I don't know who's worse, North or Charlton Heston, but I think most of us agree, the NRA has to go!

Why are young people dumping religion?

Pope Francis with lamb

Some of this can be attributed to Donald Trump's claims of being so Christian, when in fact he does nothing but un-Christian things. Like ceaseless lying and adultery. But E.J. Dionne thinks faith has taken its worse hit from the "Republican Party's alliance with the religious right." You're talking about 26% of the voting population, who recently witnessed Speaker Paul Ryan try to oust the House chaplain, a move that was typically Republican. I have an opinion that many folks out there now look up to Pope Francis as the kind of religious leader worth listening to, like Billy Graham was. However, most aren't willing to make the switch to Catholicism so they admire him like I do. There aren't too many like that left.

Monkey see Trump do, Monkey do like Trump

Kelly Sadler_Mouth open once too often

Special assistant Kelly Sadler, a Trump aide, showed she can demonstrate complete lack of class as much as her boss, Donald T-rump. When John McCain voiced opposition to Gina Haspel, as new CIA Director, Sadler commented, “It doesn’t matter, he’s dying anyway,” McCain has been diagnosed with brain cancer with an unknown future. It's hard to get any lower.

Internet will never be the same

The FTC has overturned 2015 rules governing net neutrality. Democrats think they have the votes to reverse the Republican move. Stay tuned to Nasty Jack for how new measure affects your Internet experience, starting June 11.

AI is scary but fun

HAL of Space Odyssey

I worked with AI, Artificial Intelligence, for several years in the junk mail business when I was creating computer models that would determine just where to find a catalog company's best and most profitable customers. Yes, it's been around for several years but wasn't really known outside that limited community of analysts and statisticians until recently. It worked. I purchased a computer program, all-told cost me $25,000, that literally did all my thinking in relation to telling my clients where to mail their catalogs. Output was very expensive, which limited those able to pay the price.

I tell you this to illustrate the fact that you can program a machine (most computers) to think like a human, draw conclusions and make valid predictions. In the same vein, it is possible for these same machines to perform normal household tasks, including what is in the Google AI article, making a call that sounds like a human being. Robots replaced human beings long ago on auto assembly lines, as well as other automated businesses. Remember HAL from Space Odyssey? Started out a team player but turns on his makers and controllers. This was 2001. We're way beyond this today.

Can't imagine an Internet without neutrality

Net neutrality, according to Google, is "the principle that Internet service providers should enable access to all content and applications regardless of the source, and without favoring or blocking particular products or websites." A Republican Congress wants to repeal...

"The rules, put in place in 2015 when the FCC was controlled by Democrats, prohibited internet-service providers from selling faster delivery of certain data, slowing speeds for specific content and blocking or otherwise discriminating against any legal online material."   from the LA Times.

Amazon, Facebook, Google and Netflix are all in favor of net neutrality, which would normally raise a red flag for consumers, but Consumers Union Calls FCC’s Net Neutrality Effort “Chilling.”   Jonathan Schwantes, senior policy counsel for Consumers Union says, “Protecting net neutrality means preserving the internet as it was designed — a free, open platform for all that has spurred tremendous competition and innovation." But some Republicans say the Democrats are just politicizing the issue, because they can never win against the House and Trump's signature.

Donald Trump and his GOP minions have been knocking off all programs that favor consumers to put the business community in complete control of our lives. One Republican, Susan Collins of Maine, thinks it's wrong and is part of the group fighting the loss of net neutrality. Here's a list of the numerous rights the voting public has lost under T-rump.

Iran decision just another in line of ending Obama programs

Trump and John Bolton

The man sitting in the Oval Office today is still as incompetent and dull-witted as the day he took office. No matter what success he has had in real estate--most of which is questionable--he is still a loser. He remains in office simply due to the poor, uninformed souls that support him and a Congress riddled with idiots and morons who are equally as incompetent as Donald Trump. It is all a travesty for this country, one that has set us back ages in the eyes of the rest of the world. And just yesterday he revoked another of Barack Obama's accomplishments, just because Obama's name was on it.

He tried this on Obamacare but some thoughtful congressional leaders wouldn't permit it. However, the Iran deal didn't require a vote of Congress so Donald dufus went on his merry way of destruction and repealed an action that many believe was keeping the Middle-East semi reticent. Was this the result of the recent addition of John Bolton to Trump's staff? This warmonger still believes the Iraq war was right and that "pre-emptive war with Iran and North Korea is the right call." I'll leave you with a list of now undone programs from past administrations. Basically, his only accomplishments.

Pro gun control folks must vote Democrat in November

Wayne LaPierre, NRA head executioner

National Public Radio has gone to a lot of trouble to compile a report on how state Senators and representatives have voted on gun control in the past, which is a fair indication of how you can expect them to vote in the future. With one exception. Since the Parkland, Florida gun massacre where 17 students and teachers were killed, the mood has changed slightly in Congress. Atlantic Magazine says Republicans are afraid of primary challengers to the gun lobby this election and "appear ready to abandon these concerns [fear of the NRA] in favor of a more proactive response to gun violence."

As an example, when you look at the NPR study, it is completely one-sided in votes on gun control, divided as you would expect with the left for and the right against. There was one particularly troubling item, mental health and gun control, where all but two Republican House members had voted against along with six Democrats. There was the same proportionate vote in the Senate. The point is, if you were convinced that Parkland was something that will definitely continue, and you want to stop it and all gun violence, pick your candidates carefully in November.

Between Trump and Giuliani, Stormy Daniels will end up President

Rudy Giuliani and MOUTH

Let's just look at this scenario. We have a famous porn queen that claims she had a tryst with Donald Trump, which he denies. She was paid $130,000 to keep quiet. And now enters former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani as Trump's top attorney, replacing someone with what looked like solid legal credentials, contrary to the mouth-only talent of Giuliani. The latest is the Oval Office lunatic is unhappy with Rudy, since he can't close the deal on Stormy. Folks, this is the President of the United States, supposedly the most powerful person in the world and not another episode of the soap opera As the World Turns. Trump supporters look at this and say, 'As long as Donald Trump does it, it is OK.' Congress looks at him and says, 'As long as he keeps doing these asinine things, we don't look so stupid.'

Wrong on both counts

John McCain "cunning promoter of his own self-interest"

John, Cindy McCain

The above is a line from Stephen Lemons in FrontPageConfidential. Lemons also writes for the Phoenix New Times and speaks his mind in a way that the informed among us understand. He said the above about McCain adding that he has, "a knack for playing both sides of an issue to his advantage." Like being for immigration and then being against it. He prevented efforts to repeal Obamacare and then voted for Trump's tax plan for the wealthy. He rails against campaign contributions from special interest groups, yet he rakes in contributions from those same groups. He is tops in money received from the National Rifle Assn. And he has a dark side you can see here in his quote from 1998...

Do you know why Chelsea Clinton is so ugly?
Because Janet Reno is her father

Another fact...

"Few know that he left his handicapped first wife for a fetching beer heiress whose father gave him a job and a leg up in politics."

John McCain's been a has-been for years and now for the sake of Arizona and the country, should resign from the Senate and spend his time left in beautiful Sedona enjoying life away from Washington. 

Marco Rubio partly right on tax cut

Rubio-Trump

There have been limited bonuses given, little real investment in the American worker, and employment has been in a steady cycle of improvement for awhile, but think Marco Rubio is on the right track, Donald Trump's tax bill still for the wealthy and corporations, not the workers. Rubio says after the weak corporate response above, “In fact, they bought back shares, a few gave out bonuses; there’s no evidence whatsoever that the money’s been massively poured back into the American worker.” And an interesting claim that everyone seems to be ignoring, sure we can bring back the car business to the U.S., but since it is almost all automated, it won't help the American work force.

Is boycotting NRA companies working

We quit buying from Amazon over 10 days ago after placing at least one order per week over the past year or so. We have actually found equitable quality and discounts elsewhere but not always free shipping as with Prime. Bloomberg says Jeff Bezos cares more about "free speech principles" in the fight to sever Amazon's relationship with the National Rifle Assn., than he does about what his customers think about the fact the NRA is responsible for so many childrens' deaths. Some would call that commendable. I call it cowardice because he is afraid of the NRA.

The Bloomberg article says to turn our attention away from boycotting companies like Amazon and concentrate on the people who make guns. Companies like Sturm Ruger, Remington Outdoor, Smith & Wesson, Glock, Big Sauer, O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Savage, Springfield Armory and others. These are the people who make the guns that the NRA works so hard to put thousands of on the street. Large chains like Dick's Sporting Goods, Walmart, LL Bean and REI taking a stand against guns is helping convince the public that firearms in general are bad for this country.

Sales of guns are down under Trump, probably because of the unknowns involved, and maybe even due to the possibility that a lot more people are coming to their senses, realizing that guns do kill. It won't bring back the hundreds of children that have lost their lives, and thousands of adults due to violence. But it could sure paint a much more optimistic picture for the future if we did start getting rid of guns. The time is now!

When Republicans back gun control you know you've won

VOTE NOVEMBER 6

We may not be all the way there yet but when six out of eleven incumbent Republican congressmen are running scared for November, you know your momentum is building. I am talking gun control, and I am referring to Republicans who have publicly embraced new gun control to save their butts in an upcoming election shaping up to be all about gun violence in this country. Gun control tops the list of public voter priorities for November, alongside immigration reform. Support for the issue is the highest ever at 70 percent.

Since the GOP will have to depend on moderates and Independents to win this Fall, it is expected that the Democrats will swoop right in with a renewed drive to take away these seats handily, considering they are so vulnerable after the Parkland, Fla. gun massacre. Yeah...sure. The Dems have completely forgotten how to swoop and they sure as hell don't have any drive. Now is the time for Bernie Sanders to get solidly behind gun control and bring all Progressives to the voting booth in November. If he doesn't, I will be very disappointed in the man and sorry I voted for him in 2016.

The NRA can be taken over by children. Here's how.

Why not? Children are the only age group that appears intelligent enough with the desire to pass reasonable gun control legislation. Certainly not the idiots that populate the U.S. Congress and absolutely not the lunatic in the White House. GQ reports it would take about 350,000 new members joining the National Rifle Assn. to out vote the bare 6 to 7 percent who currently vote on NRA issues. Enlist Michael Bloomberg founder of Everytown for Gun Safety to underwrite the $12,250,000 necessary to pay the dues of the 350,000,000. Once they are in they can take over the NRA by vote.

Call a vote and fire the current board, electing one from the new members. Then, the new board votes to oust its Executive V.P. Wayne LaPierre. Next, the board fires the staff of the National Rifle Assn., selling its building and other assets, donating it all to the cause of gun control. Some of the proceeds could be used to reimburse at least some of the $12.5 M Bloomberg extended for memberships. Finally, the board votes to dissolve the NRA and retires its name in a way it can never be used again. This could be a neat package to get rid of much of the gun violence by disposing of the NRA.

Whadda ya think? Gun nuts welcome.

Gun control tops list of voter 2018 demands

Yes, along with Immigration and Border Security, Gun Control draws largest percentage when asked what would affect your vote most for Congress in 2018. And the voting public doesn't want members in Congress who will cooperate with Donald Trump, rather, those who will fight him, 58% to 32%. A businessman even said, getting a Congress that would impeach Trump would be "pretty interesting." In another case, a Republican from Nebraska said it seemed so like the Democrats would win in November, they probably wouldn't bother to vote. Now that's a switch.

This all follows a recent CNN poll that found, "Support for stricter gun control laws in the U.S. is the highest it has been in a quarter of a century..." by 70 percent. According to Newsweek, it was only 52% after the October mass shooting in Las Vegas. And the blame is being placed exactly where it belongs, on the National Rifle Assn. and its leader Wayne LaPierre. Even people who live in a household that owns guns vote 50% for stricter gun laws. It is all fanfare by LaPierre and his NRA to sell more guns for the weapons manufacturers they represent, not NRA members.

Corporate America tells NRA to screw itself

It's happening all over the country right now with some of the largest industry giants deciding to sever all ties with the National Rifle Assn. after the Parkland, Fla., recent gun massacre. The NRA's response, a "shameful display of political and civic cowardice." It is beyond me how this organization can criticize anyone or any company with their record of killing so many innocent children and adults with the obstacles they have created for years that have prevented any reasonable gun control legislation. It all started with head gun nut Wayne LaPierre's reverence for the 2nd Amendment.

Most Americans believe the 2nd's protection of gun ownership is unquestionable, set in stone. It isn't. In fact, LaPierre's interpretation of the Amendment is far from what constitutional scholars say, even what the Supreme Court has ruled. And now the 2nd Amendment may have its day in court with the outcome a severe adjustment, or even repeal. We can only hope. Here are the companies that have dumped the NRA so far:

Alamo Rent a Car                                          
Allied Van Lines
Avis Budget Group
Best Western
Budget
Chubb Insurance
Delta Air Lines
Dick's Sporting Goods
Enterprise Rent-a-Car
First National Bank of Omaha
Hertz
MetLife
National Car Rental
North American Van Lines
Paramount Rx
SimpliSafe
Starkey Hearing Technologies
Symantec
TrueCar
United Airline

Recently Dicks Sporting Goods, LL Bean, Kroger's Meyers stores and Walmart took away the right to buy a gun under age 21. REI is refusing to sell to any company that supports the NRA. Recently Smith & Wesson reported a slump in gun sales starting in 2017 after years of steady increases. They're all running scared and the NRA leads the pack. Folks, guns have finally become the pariah they should have years ago. The question is whether or not Congress gets the message and turns away from the NRA and toward the 65% of Americans who favor more stringent gun laws.

Want to see how your Congress person has voted on gun bills? Go here.

The reason gun control legislation is not passing

Chuck Schumer-Nancy Pelosi-Completely out of touch

I have been saying this for over two years now, the Democratic Party is completely out of touch and should be replaced. Rolling Stone just clarified one primary reason this exists: The Dems have been the leading stumbling block in passing gun control legislation. After the Las Vegas gun massacre of 58 people, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee warned candidates not to "politicize" the shooting. Here are the exact words...

"You and your candidate will be understandably outraged and upset, as will your community. However, DO NOT POLITICIZE IT TODAY. There will be time for politics and policy discussion, but any message today should be on offering thoughts/prayers for victims and their families, and thanking 1st responders who saved lives."

Couldn't have been written any better by the National Rifle Assn., coming right from the mouth of Wayne LaPierre. My God, when is the time to talk about 58 innocent people who were shot by a maniac that shouldn't have had a gun, with a bump stock that shouldn't have ever been legalized in the first place. The wealthy Democrats who donate to the Party are afraid of going up against the 2nd Amendment. I say SCREW THE 2ND AMENDMENT! Should have been replaced long ago. Guns are not necessary, even for protection; I'm 85 years old and have never had the need for one.

The NRA has scared the wits out of most politicians with weak spines, which is the majority of this Congress, and the Democratic Party has followed suit with conservatives that prefer their gun rights over legislation that would prevent the vicious murder of children. To me it's a ridiculous choice: Take the guns off the street or allow 1,297 to die by a gun, 5,790 injured. To me it is a simple choice. It's up to the American public to make that choice, and if they don't do it soon, there will most certainly be a next time. And that number could be a hundred killed, maybe two-hundred. Pathetic!

God, I can't be agreeing with Donald Trump?

Maybe it's time to do this

Flying in the face of the 4th, 5th and 14th amendments, Donald Trump says re. Mike Pence's comment, "Allow due process, so that no one's rights are trampled,” [Trump]"take the firearms first and then go to court. Because a lot of times, by the time you go to court, it takes so long to go to court, to get the due process procedures." He thinks had this been the case, there might have been a different outcome in Parkland, Fla. Not so sure I disagree, since we are dealing with the lives of hundreds of people, adding up all the gun massacres. Especially when it comes to assault weapons.

I have no problem with taking away all the guns, but most certainly start with assault weapons. Let's just have a mass recovery of firearms in the U.S., make it mandatory, register each gun, then reissue to only those with the rightful need to own a firearm. Normal rifles for hunting would be returned to the appropriate owners but registered with the rest. There would be no concealed carry or open carry on the streets, except for those who have a need, like law enforcement, similar factions and the military. Look at Australia, Japan and the UK, minimum gun violence. We top the list.

Friday gun control wrap-up...You won't believe this

NO Discounts for the NRA

Delta flight 2567 is holding in a pattern--at least it was yesterday--over the Atlanta airport, the pilot professing his goal of staying there until, "...meaningful gun control laws are passed." He is following Delta's move to sever its ties with the National Rifle Assn. Think they should refuel this dude mid-air until the congressional idiots come to their senses.

FedEx hit a low blow to UPS when it accused UPS, "... of having a relationship with America's top gun lobby." They don't, except they deliver for the NRA online store, which "includes accessories such as ball caps, T-shirts, holsters and hunting and sporting goods merchandise." However, FedEx gladly continues to give discounts to NRA members.

While the U.S. won't even consider banning assault rifles, Australia was receiving many of these back in a three-month gun amnesty program that netted 57,000 total illegal firearms for the country. Aussies continued to make this decision after, "...tough gun laws were introduced in 1996. There are still an estimated 250,000 unlicensed guns in circulation in Australia, but at least they're working on it.

Gun massacres in the U.S. have absolutely no impact on lawmakers here but Norway has taken notice and, "...the Norwegian government now appears to have a majority for its plan to ban semiautomatic rifles." Another reason was when, right-wing gunman, Anders Behring Breivik, killed 77 people on Norway's Utoya island in 2011 with an assault rifle; most of the victims were children or teenagers. It seems U.S. gun violence influences only countries where the residents are sane. America is not one of those.