International gun control gets in the act

Probably most of us have not thought enough about international gun control when the situation is so bad in this country, far surpassing those of other industrialized nations like the U.S. As an example, this country had 3.85 gun deaths per 100,000 population in 2016 compared to Japan .04, China .06, United Kingdom .07, and Germany .12. There's more but you get the idea. The international conference was about eliminating the trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons, but has several other aspects to its agenda...

• Exert greater control over ammunition
• Support women’s participation in small arms control
• Crack down on illicit trade in small arms and ammunition
• Strengthen legislation to disarm domestic violence abusers

They also want to address things like guns in the home, a problem very prevalent in the U.S. since 1.7 million children live with unlocked, loaded guns in this country. Did you know that 91% of all children who die from firearms in high-income countries across the world come from the United States. So, the high level of gun violence and the need to fix it is not debatable. And since the Mary Stoneman massacre, the right button seems to have been pushed, and the gun control movement has gained a momentum that just may be both deep-rooted and enduring.

New Jersey has a grip on gun control

The 2nd Amendment gun nuts are all in a dither over the release by New Jersey of federal information on "near-real-time firearms trafficking data." They refer to the 1996 Dickey Amendment, which forbids using the feds budget to do gun violence research. The NRA and its brainless membership have been dreading this for some time, knowing full well that, with the brutal facts out in the open, the American public might come to their senses and take up opposition to gun violence. What is so pitiful is it has taken so many gun deaths, including hundreds of children, to get here.

"Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy unveiled the data Tuesday as part of a campaign promise to strengthen New Jersey's already-tight gun laws." One of the facts" "77 percent of guns used in crimes in New Jersey come from out of state." Which would indicate they are bringing in guns from states with the loosest gun laws like Arizona, Kansas, Mississippi, or closer Vermont. New Jersey has promised to release this information from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives on a monthly basis. More states should do this in line with enacting new gun control laws.

Did Facebook elect Donald Trump?

Typical Facebook 2016 Election ad

Headlines have proclaimed that thousands of ads were purchased by Russians, some posing as Americans, designed to elect Donald Trump in 2016. If the idea was to force the U.S. into chaos, then they accomplished their purpose. Facebook says they were actually purchased by the Kremlin and, even when considering 1st Amendment rights, it raises the question of whether or not this is considered an act of hostility against the American government. Of course, T-rump and his pathetic supporters would say no, it is just business as usual, in the good old Republican way.

Facebook even admits the ads were meant, "to sway public sentiment," and claims to be placing safeguards in place to prevent manipulation of future elections. But the question arises, is the American public so easily swayed, basically uninformed, so downright stupid that a Facebook ad could decide their vote? If so, this country has become a massive field of what I call apathetics, those who are completely out of tune, and really don't care. The most frightening side of the ads was their bent toward racism as well as to create unrest on gay rights and gun rights.

If Facebook did elect Donald Trump, we are in more trouble than we ever realized.

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.

Gun control gridlock

California gridlock

The gun control issue is like a California freeway gridlock, except that in the Sunshine State you eventually get there. The Republican Congress reminds me of a broken-down vehicle on a Los Angeles freeway--I used to live there--that can't move and someone has to step in to make it work right. That would be the Democrats this November for gun control when they take over the Senate and the House. If something isn't done by the left, then I predict the Democratic Party will be replaced and Progressives will finally do what's right for the country. It's about time.

Add FedEx to Amazon boycott

The boycott of Amazon is gaining momentum like the gun control movement in general is. Now, one of the nation's largest shippers has clearly stated that it will not give up its endorsement of the National Rifle Assn. With headquarters located in Memphis, Tenn., FedEx resides in a state that loves its guns. So, starting now, switch all your shipping needs to another company and as far as I know UPS does not support the NRA like FedEx and has equally favorable rates, if not better, and their service is great.

Ship with UPS today, not FedEx. 

Amazon still holding out on NRA-Hold your orders from Amazon

Hold your orders from Amazon until they come to their senses and drop the support of the NRA!

Yep, Jeff Bezos of Amazon continues to support the National Rifle Assn. at Amazon, but the boycott continues and so far these are the major companies who have severed ties with the NRA, companies you should do business with, if the need arises:

Enterprise
Alamo
NationalPro
FNBOmaha
Symantec
LifeLock
SimpliSafe
MetLife
Chubb
Hertz
Avis
Alliedvl
NorthAmericanVL
TrueCar
Delta

You can see the latest update on change.org and sign the petition if you haven't already.

By the way, we haven't purchased from Amazon since the boycott started and have found numerous sites in the meantime with similar pricing and free shipping. We may not even need Amazon anymore. You just have to look around.

The momentum is building against the NRA and for sensible gun control and we cannot let it waver for even a moment!

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Amazon supports the NRA-STOP THEM!

There is a new list out of those companies that are refusing to drop their support for the National Rifle Assn. (NRA),  following their continued promotion of more guns on the street after the school slaughter in Parkland, Fla., that you can see here. A prominent one is Amazon, a company that has reported record profits recently and can afford to dump this group of child killers. I wouldn't think Amazon head, Jeff Bezos, would want anything to do with scumbags like this. If he does, he does not deserve our business. Sign the petition here.

Maybe we should set aside one week to boycott Amazon and the other companies listed above, if they continue to refuse to drop the NRA. That's next.

Terrible, tragic and terrifying gun statistics

Since 1968 there have been 1,516,863 gun-related deaths on U.S. territory. Since the founding of our country there have been 1,396,733 war deaths. The latter includes lives lost in the Revolutionary War, the Mexican war, the Civil war (Union and Confederate), the Spanish American war, the First World war, the Second World war, the Korean war, the Vietnam war, the Gulf war, the Afghanistan war, the Iraq war, as well as other conflicts including in Lebanon, Grenada, Panama, Somalia and Haiti.

Folks, that's 120,130 more deaths by guns in the United States since just 1968, compared to dating all the way back to the Revolutionary war in 1775 for the war deaths. This is horrendous and if the American public can't understand that, then it has completely lost its ability to come to reasonable conclusions.

Congressional NRA gun pimps with blood on their hands

Wayne LaPierre

Paul Ryan, a Republican from Wisconsin and Speaker of the House, has received a total of $171,977 since 1990 from the National Rifle Assn. to vote against any legislation for gun control. What he voted against were laws that could have saved the lives of 17 students and teachers.

Paul Ryan

Congressional NRA gun pimps with blood on their hands

John McCain

John McCain, a Republican from Arizona, has received a total of $7.74 million from the National Rifle Assn. to vote against any legislation for gun control. What he voted against were laws that could have saved the lives of 17 students and teachers.

NRA head Wayne LaPierre

Florida congressional votes on gun legislation prior to massacre

Nikolas Cruz walked into the Marjory Stoneman Douglas school in Parkland, Florida on Wednesday, February 14, and massacred 17 students and teachers with an AR-15 assault rifle. For the record, Sen. Marco Rubio, a Republican, who has received $3.3 million from the National Rifle Assn. has voted across the board to loosen gun restrictions on mental health, the Feinstein Terror gap, background checks, gun shows and online background checks, and concealed carry reciprocity. Sen. Bill Nelson, a Florida Democrat, who regularly gets an "F" from the NRA, voted to add restrictions in all cases.

The Florida Representatives were no different. Out of 27 House members, 14 voted in the same manner as Rubio, all Republicans. The other 13 Democrats voted with Nelson. If you analyze the voting, tighter background checks and more stringent mental health laws could have prevented this tragedy. So, we can pay our thanks to the NRA for its assist in the killing of these students and teachers. And by the way, it is a very quiet and unresponsive NRA following this bloodbath that has nothing to say about the killings but will continue promoting more guns on the street.

If ever there was an organization that has gotten completely out of control, it is the Nation Rifle Assn. led by Wayne LaPierre. When you're dealing with a greedy Congress that will do anything for the contributions necessary to get reelected, you are simply dealing with a bunch of idiots. The latter is prevalent in everything this gang of deadbeats does, or rather, doesn't do. I am not as sure election reform is the answer; the NRA would just find another way to scare hell out of these nincompoops. We can only hope now that the Parkland young people will achieve their goals.

Best reason yet to ban all guns

James and Kimberly Snead

It seemed to be common knowledge that Nikolas Cruz was troubled to the point that he both needed mental therapy and at the very least ongoing close observation. He had been in trouble repeatedly at school and was known to torment animals and he regularly posted online about his quirky behavior. He came to the Snead household, where he lived when committing his atrocities, with a semi-arsenal of weapons including the AR-15 and two other rifles that James Snead said would be considered assault rifles, as well as knives, BB guns and pellet guns.

But this didn't impress Snead because...

"James, 48, a decorated Army veteran and military intelligence analyst who served in the Middle East, said he didn’t mind that Cruz had guns because he had plenty of weapons himself."

Supposedly Snead made Cruz lock up his weapons and took the key, not knowing the boy had kept a key for himself. Duh?

But apparently both he and his wife Kimberly were completely oblivious to Cruz's problems, as evidenced by this statement...

“Everything everybody seems to know, we didn’t know,” James Snead said. “It’s as simple as that.”

No, it isn't that simple since you, the Sneads, accepted the responsibility of this young man, knew he was obsessed with guns, and should have known more about his day-to-day activities. Not that it's a for-sure, but if this family had paid just a little more attention to what Nikolas Cruz was saying and doing, 17 people might still be alive today.

If I am correct in the above, and I believe I am, it illustrates a complete lack of responsibility by a gun owner and we have seen this kind of example before. Most notably with Adam Lanza, who killed 26 children and teachers at Sandy Hook in 2012 with his mother's AR-15. Nancy Lanza also ignored warnings about her son's mental problems and left the assault rifle unsecured. This is happening too often and banning all guns may be the only solution.

Can these young people force gun control laws?

Emma Gonzalez

Emma Gonzalez, a senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School does. That's the school in Parkland, Fla, where Nikolas Cruz fatally gunned down 17 students and teachers with an AR-15 he bought in Florida at age 18. The young people including Gonzalez and organizer junior Cameron Kasky announced they have banded together to compel lawmakers to pass gun control laws that will make their schools safer. They have planned "...a nationwide march on March 24th, dubbed the 'March For Our Lives.'"  If I were politicians, or anybody, I wouldn't get in their way.

Esquire reported in Ft. Lauderdale Emma Gonzalez exclaimed to a cheering crowd, “...'shame on you' directed towards all politicians who take NRA money." They are serious and have made several exclamations that they hope to make this the "last" school massacre. You can see the full transcript of Gonzalez's Ft. Lauderdale speech on CNN. The older groups failed to get anything done, no doubt because many of them own guns and are members of the NRA. The younger group, 30s to 40s, have some advocates for gun control but apparently not willing to fully get behind the program.

But when it happens in your school, and you are a community like Parkland, Fla, you do something, and that's what is happening. Maybe it takes a group of late teens like these students who are not yet a part of the American gun culture that has literally ruined this country since the resurrection of the 2nd Amendment, and they simply don't give a damn about guns. I don't either, never have, and hope like hell they succeed.

Why did this gun massacre happen in Florida?

Michael Tomasky of The Daily Best says it is because of its, "..."certifiably insane gun laws." All of them, of course, compliments of the National Rifle Assn. with its premiere gun lobbyist, Marion Hammer. Right now, Florida has 11 gun-related bills on the 2018 calendar. The ones that are pro-gun rights will pass. State Senator Greg Steube, R-Sarasota has filed five bills to make it easier to buy a gun. Can you believe that? Right now all you have to provide in Florida to purchase a weapon is a warm body. What could possibly make it easier.

These people are certifiably crazy, the epitome of gun nuts, and the ones behind the gun massacre in Parkland where 17 people were killed by an AR-15 assault rifle. They are totally responsible, along with lax restrictions on the mentally ill buying a gun, thanks to Donald Trump. Here's a quote from The Daily Beast...

"The gun laws of Florida are sick. Carry in vehicle? Yes. Must notify officer? No. Carry in state parks allowed? Of course. “No weapons” signs enforced? Nyet. Nearly 1.8 million Floridians have concealed carry permits, and 36 other states honor those permits."

This is the biggest problem in the U.S. today and if not dealt with soon, we could see schools close because the children's parents are afraid to let them attend. It's a threat worse than terrorism.

Thank NRA's Marion Hammer for Parkland, Fla gun massacre

NRA's Marion Hammer

As late as January of this year, Marion Hammer, the National Rifle Assn.'s elite Florida lobbyist, was railing at the Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times, "...

"...warning the sheriffs of Florida that they had no right to testify about pending firearm legislation. Not when their words conflicted with the positions of the National Rifle Association."

Can you believe this? And in the nation's bloodiest mass-shooting state where "...29-year-old Omar Mateen murdered 49 and wounded another 53 in a gun rampage at an Orlando nightclub." Followed by the encore last Wednesday at Parkland, Fla, where Nikolas Cruz gunned down 17 students and teachers with an AR-15 assault rifle he bought at age 18. All of this compliments of Marion Hammer making sure that Florida's gun laws allow anyone with a warm body to buy a gun. The woman has also spread her lunacy around the country promoting the NRA's gun rights.


Yet not one word from Hammer or the NRA's Wayne LaPierre on the Florida deaths. How long do we allow the NRA's killing machine this kind of power?

Complete gun control has become a MUST!

Nikolas Cruz with Atty

The Parkland, Florida gun massacre did it. An 18-year-old buys an AR-15 assault rifle after numerous warnings there were mental problems, he was violent and wanted to kill people, even two attempts to warn the FBI about Nikolas Cruz fell on dumb ears. Cruz kills 17 students and teachers in a quiet Florida town and not one member of Congress stands up to say...'We've had enough.' It has to end somewhere and the time is now!

And I just saw some dufus post on Facebook that we shouldn't blame guns nor the NRA, it's just a mental health problem. So, we also have the general public to thank for our gun violence. So, where do we turn? Someone please tell me before half the country is massacred.

I know you, the American public, don't give a damn about guns killing the innocent, but 5 people were killed and one wounded by guns early this morning at a western Pennsylvania car wash.