Pointman’s Page

“The Second Amendment is a recognition of the danger of standing armies. Its purpose is to recognize that every citizen has the right to keep and bear the same type of basic arms as a soldier in a modern military. A militia embodies all able-bodied men over the age of sixteen. Therefore, a militia will always outnumber a standing army by at least twenty to one. If this militia is armed with weapons similar to those used by the individuals comprising the standing army, it will be impossible for that standing army to inflict the will of a tyrannical government upon the people. The Second Amendment is the guarantee behind all the other articles in the Bill of Rights. It is the ultimate guarantee that citizens in the United States will remain free.”

John Ross, Unintended Consequences, 1996

As the UK waits to see if they’re going to triple dip we are informed how “austerity doesn’t work” and how it’s caused more damage rather than fixed anything because government cut backs slows the economy further by removing money from the government ecosystem and slows the economy.

What they don’t talk about is that the European version of “Austerity” includes “increasing revenue” into the government which is itself a sham.

First, “increasing revenue” for the government is done by increasing taxes and fees. This removes more money from the economy the consumers could have spent elsewhere.

Second, removing consumer money from the economy means less money spent by the consumer which translates into less money to business, less payroll, less VAT and ultimately drives DOWN revenue into the government coffers thereby compounding the problem they’re supposedly trying to fix.

We hear this same language here, that we need to reduce spending and increase taxes to get the government’s checkbook straightened out. But don’t fall for it… I’m reminded of an Einstein quote:

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

But that’s what it is. So if we know this is what happens why do it? Think about what those motives could be for a moment…. there aren’t many options.

So a college student is building top shelf airsoft air rifles in dorm room and what do the neighbors say?

"It’s very scary to know there were guns one floor below me. I had no idea," said one of Goal’s co-workers, who described him as pleasant and a hard worker. "But knowing Bernard I’m not scared."

Seriously? Afraid of an airsoft gun? Oh, I know why…

They have a range of about 140 to 300 feet and can cause flesh wounds at a close range, sources said.

Who were the sources, the Inquirer? The Psychic Hotline? Or maybe the Brady Bunch?

Six Misdemeanor charges for airguns and they wonder why we don’t believe it when they say “no one is going to come take your guns”…

Right……

I’m sensing we’ll soon be seeing calls for sword control since we can’t allow the sheep to defend themselves. Some may laugh but the UK did have to restrict or ban swords and some large kitchen knives after the junior thugs found illegal handguns out of their price range.

In the meantime, Bishop takes pawn.

While McCain is out front of the Senate Republican’s activities (or thinks he his) lets not lose sight of the fact that McCain is losing support in his home state.

The survey also shows that 67 percent of Arizona residents believe that the state needs to elect a senator with new ideas and interests, and just 21 percent think that McCain deserves a sixth term in the upper chamber.

New ideas, heck his ideas are just fine! if you’re a Democrat!

I hope Arizona Republicans are smart enough to retire McCain in the Primarys instead of having him lose to a Democrat. I’d wager Dick Lugar will make room for him on his park bench….

“While I recommend in the strongest terms to the respective officers, activity, vigilance and firmness, I feel no less solicitude that their deportment may be marked with prudence, moderation and good temper. . . They will bear in mind that their countrymen are freemen, and as such are impatient of everything that bears the least mark of domineering spirit. They will, therefore refrain, with the most guarded circumspection, from whatever has the semblance of hautiness, rudeness or insult. If obstacles occur, they will remember that they are under the particular protection of the laws and they can meet with nothing disagreeable in the execution of their duty which these will not severely reprehend. . . This reflection, and regard to the good of the service, will prevent at all times a spirit of irritation or resentment. They will endeavor to overcome difficulties, if any are experienced, by a cool and temperate perseverance in their duty — by address and moderation rather than by vehemence and violence.”

Alexander Hamilton to the first group of officers of the Revenue Marine, later the US Coast Guard.

As a young man the militarized police enforcer image had some appeal – the old POLICE officer over PEACE officer thing Hollywood did their level best (and still does) to propagandize. But a dozen years or so ago the implication of POLICE over PEACE has become readily apparent with some pretty outrageous abuses of police powers. Today there is an interesting article on the growing militarization of U.S. police that is worth some serious consideration on how do we de-escalate it? To me it is a grass roots, ground up type problem with local police and sheriff agencies that are more or less directly accountable to the people (Sheriff’s typipcally through direct election and police departments through mayors offices or councils).

But the abuses by Federal agencies are considerably harder to deal with as the Federal agencies have been consolidation their powers since Bill Clinton refused to rein in Janet Reno – not saying she was the first but one of the most notable at that level.

GW didn’t help much with the formation of Homeland Security which the Democrats only knocked until they were able to grab the reins for themselves. So this isn’t as much a Democrat or Republican thing as it is Statism vs Federalism. And though there are more Statists in the Democrat party there is certainly no shortage of them in the Republican party including a couple of recent failed Presidential contenders.

I keep hearing from the leftists that “no one is coming to take your guns” but then I read things like David Schmecker’s story… never trust a politician or person of authority to not abuse what ever authority they are given.

And the money quote:

"The global temperature standstill shows that climate models are diverging from observations," says David Whitehouse of the Global Warming Policy Foundation.

"If we have not passed it already, we are on the threshold of global observations becoming incompatible with the consensus theory of climate change," he says.

via The Australian.

Here is a case in Delaware which is a stark reminder that you must know your rights or you will lose them! No one is safe.