Its no straw man

Actually since it doesn’t address the point I made, it is. Deal with it.

with the current “sequestration”  Buffalo airport is going to lose its air controllers, among many other services.

And who was it that came up with sequestration? The government!

So much for Big Brother knows best.

Its time people stop agruing that we don’t need gov’t is necessary, before all the bridges come tumbling down (literally).

I never said it wasn’t necessary. I’m pointing out that the elitist and statist attitude that “Big Brother Knows Best” is demonsterably false. Whether you realize it or not, you came up with a remarkably good example which supports my point.

(But perhaps we shouldn’t complain. We voted idiots into office so we shouldn’t be surprised when they persist in acting like idiots.)

Since the sequester was raised, see http://news.yahoo.com/why-cant-washington-compromise-theyre-too-human-131324676.html

Big Brother does NOT know best.

Equal Opportunity Curmudgeon - 24 February 2013 07:17 AM

Since the sequester was raised, see http://news.yahoo.com/why-cant-washington-compromise-theyre-too-human-131324676.html

Big Brother does NOT know best.

True, but Big Brother Legislators should know “better”, but oddly they seem to get worse at every level of fed, state, local legislative branches.

We are not slowing down our progress, we are actually reversing those laws which at one time we held dear as an expression of American exceptionalism. Where America was once “a shiny beacon on the hill”,  locally we seem to be reverting to a “the Hills have Eyes” scenario.

But then once in awhile my faith is restored.

Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA) has just introduced two bills to amend the U.S. Constitution to overturn the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision.  Posted on January 31, 2013,  http://eslkevin.wordpress.com/2013/01/

Perhaps this may help restore a little sanity.

But then once in awhile my faith is restored.

I don’t do faith. These blokes don’t deserve it.

Perhaps this may help restore a little sanity.

Actually, it puts the cart before the horse.

- You don’t restore sanity by compromising on one’s rights.
- You don’t bring about sanity by the “Kollective Kulpability” mentality of punishing over a hundred million people who do no wrong because of the horrifically violent acts of an irredeemable evil few. All that does is breed contempt for the law by punishing the innocent who have never done harm and who have never been irresponsible.
- You don’t HAVE sanity when you think that government which has never been upstanding, compatent, wise, or morally upright about anything is suddenly the only entity which can be entrusted with a monopoly on deadly force. Given their track record for sheer stupidity, if any entity should be disarmed, it’s the government, not the private citizen.

You do restore sanity by avoiding blame shifting and actually holding the criminals accountable for their crimes. You can do even more by not permitting obvious sociopaths on the street. An example of that is the animal who ambushed those firemen on Long Island who was paroled when he should have been welded into a cell for life or executed. (He bludgeoned his own grandmother to death with a hammer.)

We would do even more to restore sanity if we paid attention to all the red flags nutters are throwing up for all to see. These guys who were going on rampages were known to have issues and it’s telling that the one person who refused to deal with Adam Lanza was the gun dealer who turned him down when he tried to buy weapons with false ID.

We could do even more if we just enforce the laws we have on the books with which nobody disagrees. With over 80,000 denials last year on background checks, one has to wonder why only 88 were prosecuted. (And why wasn’t Adam Lanza arrested when he tried to use false ID in the first place? Using false or stolen ID to illegally buy a weapon and falsifying government applications is a felony!)

Don’t talk to me about making new laws until we start using and enforcing the ones which make sense.

I won’t bother giving it a hearing.

We have had two incidents in the last year in my outer suburban neighborhood in the last years of gunfire from supposedly “law abiding gun ownes” firing off their guns for no particular reason and a two weeks ago of another “law abiding gun owner” cleaning his weapon when it fired and went through a neigbor’s kitchen while she was cooking. These are all being called “accidents!”  Why shouild I be afraid to walk down the street to protect the “rights” of those who need weapons to prove their manhood to themselves.

Can’t have fireworks because they are too dangerous, but guns are OK?

Ok off the subject of guns, government is a pratical necessity in the current world.  The problem is with who controls it.  A while back I believe you (usefully) challenged me to read the Wealth of Nations, which I did.  If you really want to find out what is wrong with gov’t in the US today I now challenge you to read The Price of Inequality by Joseph E. Stiglitz.  It shows the problem is mainly the wealthy who control it and there quest for own imediate gain rather than the long term health of the entire society.

“578.460. Any member of the general assembly who proposes a piece of legislation that further restricts the right of an individual to bear arms, as set forth under the second amendment of the Constitution of the United States, shall be guilty of a class D felony.”

That’s like saying if anyone restricts the speed of my car/bicycle/skateboard/push scooter (which is dangerous to others who are near-by) is a felon.  Or if anyone restricts my use of drugs (which are dangerous to family and friends of the drug addicts, and dangerous for themselves, obviously) is a felon.  Or if anyone restricts my way of touching children (dangerous to children because they can’t choose what they’re getting involved in, they are in danger of STDs, and in danger of further abuse) is a felon.  Or if anyone restricts my way of beating people with fists and clubs (dangerous, obviously) is a felon.  This idea is just stupid and ludicrous, who do they think can accept this idea?  Guns are weapons against people, plain and simple, that’s the primary reason why they exist.  Hunting is a side-effect and has never been as productive as gathering nor as agriculture.  And target shooting competitions are obviously just a side effect too.

Wayne LaPierre is a soft-spoken extremist, and doesn’t really even represent the NRA membership, as I hear it.  He gives the NRA a bad reputation, they could actually have a good reputation ya’ know.

If we want laws against tyranny, and who doesn’t, outlaw the destruction of people’s rights, the consolidation of powers, the destruction of the free press, the abolishment of peaceful gatherings, the beating and intimidation of peaceful protesters.  Look at how Mohammed Morsi of Egypt of Egypt, and Bashar Al Asad of Syria are acting and outlaw that behavior.