Growing impatient with the GOP

We need less rhetoric, more action from Republicans. Promises get tiring when results fail to follow.

Chris Muir's Day by Day Cartoon
February 29, 2012 

Guns, gold and political observations on the next Don and Doug

Don and I each spent time dealing with gun dealers in the past week. We'll share some observations. Don also stopped by the CMP store in Anniston, Alabama and saw racks of Garands ready for new homes. And I'll talk about my new "black rifle."

Don also had some interesting conversations at a coin dealer's shop this week. He'll fill us in.

And then there's politics. Tuesday's primary in Michigan had a light turn out - or was a near record breaker - all depends on who you talk to. After being fed so much spin for so many months, my hunch is a bunch of voters have reached their spin saturation points. How many won't even bother with Super Tuesday ballots?

There's some other political stuff we want to get to as well. Join us Thursday (March 1) at 1:00 pm EST for Don and Doug on TalkSouthRadio.com.  You can also listen direct by clicking here.

Update: The March 1st Don and Doug is now available from start-to-finish here.

Busy signal

My daughter tried to call our home phone, but then sent me a text saying the line was out of order. 

"The home phone isn't working. It's beeping." 

We don't have roll-over or voicemail on the home land line. At age 13, she just encountered her first busy signal.

Marlin 795 first range report

Had a few spare minutes today, so I popped into an indoor pistol range near my house with the new Marlin 795 I picked up last weekend.

Outstanding performance.

First target shows impact from the
Marlin's first rounds fired

I was primarily shooting to test function, not sighting. I'll be adding a set of Tech-Sights when they come.

But using the basic factory sights at 15 yards (close to the max distance at this pistol range), I was impressed. Groupings were very tight.

Again, I'll stress, I was shooting for function, not sight accuracy. I put three brands of ammo through the gun.

The first was Remington Thunderbolt .22 round nose. One failure to feed in 20 rounds. New gun, it may need breaking in.

After warming up, this is the
day's final target

Then I went to some Winchester bulk pack stuff a guy gave me at a range a couple years ago. The rounds would not feed through his AR's .22 adapter, and he became so frustrated he just wanted to dump the stuff. I haven't had much luck with with it either, it's jammed up every semi-auto I've tried. In the Marlin, it delivered two jams in fewer than ten rounds. I gave up (I haven't bought Winchester .22 rounds since I was a kid. I hope this box of 333 was simply a fluke, and not representative of current production. It works okay in .22 revolvers).

Finally, I moved on to shoot several mags of Blazer bulk pack stuff. No failures or hang-ups. Just perfect.

I'm very pleased with the new rifle. Can't wait for the better sights to arrive. And for an opportunity to try it at greater distance.

Obama energy policy

Block a pipeline that would deliver oil to us from Canada.

But approve a pipeline that makes it easier to get the oil we have out of the country.

Hope you're not planning to drive any significant distance should Obama win a second term.

I bought a 'black rifle' this weekend

Sort of.

Set me back $148 including tax.

That's only about $20 more than it cost to take my family of four to dinner at Red Lobster later the same night.

It's a Marlin 795. And, yes, it's all black!




This Marlin may not ever become a prized collectible. But with a five year warranty, it should be a dependable shooter for years to come. Big enough for an adult to shoot comfortably, it's also just the right size for young shooters in their tweens or early teens. And it shoots the still cheap and plentiful .22 long rifle rimfire cartridge.

Stores tell me there's plenty of demand for .22s lately. Experienced shooters are using 'em more because ammo prices have gone sky high for larger caliber stuff. And there are indications ammo (at least certain types) will get harder and harder to find this year.

I started looking for a used .22 at pawn shops, but they now want as much for used as new ones are going for.

I've seen new Ruger 10/22s advertised starting at around $200 (and going much higher depending on the options). Problem is, Ruger apparently can't keep up with demand, so it's hard to find 'em in stock at retailers. I've seen used ones, just like the ones advertised for $200 new, priced at $229 at gun stores.

One clerk told me his shop seldom priced a used .22 over a hundred dollars three or four years ago. Now any kind of repeater sells for at least $129. As late as last Christmas, I saw used .22s on the racks of one store priced at $99. Same guns, or ones just like 'em, now carry tags asking $129.

---

Out at the stores this weekend, what was another big seller? Shotguns. In two trips to a big box sporting goods store, spending about 30 minutes there, I saw four shotguns go out the door. Two of them were obviously intended for home defense, with emphasis on the wife/mom being able to use it. Among the guns chosen were short barrel Remington 870s.

I also saw women who appeared to be shopping alone browsing the ammo section, and picking up a box or two of shotgun shells. Guns are no longer just a guy thing.

Weiss warns on the Middle East

Martin Weiss makes the case this is an especially volatile time in the Middle East. 

I'm not endorsing his investment pitch at the article's conclusion (I didn't even click the link). But Weiss'  comments  leading up to it are a well focused assessment of where we stand in terms of Middle East dangers with emphasis on why this time is different than flare-ups of the past.

Adjustable sights on small guns

Adjustable sights on an older
Charter Arms Pathfinder .22

Over the years, I've heard lots of people mock adjustable sights on short barrel handguns. Especially on .22s.

Then last night, it hit me. Suppose you have a beefier .38 or .357 revolver with fixed sights, and it shoots just a tad  to the left, right, up or down? With practice, you learn to compensate. But what if you want to use a .22 as a stand-in for cheaper target practice?

With adjustable sights on .22s like the Taurus Model 94 or some Charter Arms Pathfinder models, if you like, you can set their sights to mimic the sights of your carry gun - including any error.

Just a thought.

Obama: Future lounge singer?

Almost looks like a White House party turned into a lounge act for Mr. Obama.


From: The White House via YouTube.com

Whoa. Ugly ol' Mick Jagger on hand for this event too?

For a president who tells us we should accept a more modest American dream, he and Mrs. Obama sure do throw some big bashes to amuse themselves and their elite list of friends and other guests.

More government intrusion, another government mandate

Republicans claim to be a party that favors less infringement on our liberty.

But, in practice, Republicans seem to love control over our lives as much as Democrats.

Here in Georgia, Republican lawmakers are pushing a mandate that requires all high school students take at least one on-line course in order to graduate.

Encouraging on-line learning is a good thing. Adding another item to the compulsory list of things government requires of its citizens is not. If Republicans really believe in a government that is less intrusive, why do they seem to go out of their way to find new stuff to demand from us?

More shoe trouble

Riot police were called after a brawl and melee were reported at what was supposed to be the release of a new shoe from Nike.

Orlando TV station WFTV reports the trouble took place outside Florida Mall.

More details and photos can also be found at the Orlando Sentinel.

What is it about ugly, over-priced Nike shoes that makes some people (apparently lots of them) go nuts?

Reminds me of an observation Herman Cain expressed during his presidential campaign: "Stupid people are ruining America."

High gas prices

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) wants you to believe speculators and Wall Street profiteering are to responsible for the current spike in gas prices.

Remember when Ms. Pelosi blamed rising gasoline prices on the president's "failure to enact a comprehensive energy strategy"?



Pelosi found it easy to blame the Bush administration in 2007. But Mr. Bush left office over three years ago. And gas prices in her district are much higher now than they were then. As of this morning, folks in San Francisco were paying about $4.25 for a gallon on regular.

Guns and ammo on today's "Don and Doug"

Coming up today at 1:00 pm EST on Don and Doug:

The Middle East keeps getting hotter.

Gas prices rise at the pump.

Republican presidential contenders target the next round of primaries.

And what was first seen as a Christmas surge in firearms sales continues to gain momemtum. Don and I will be talking guns and ammo for much of today's program. Some of our thinking goes against what you may have seen or heard elsewhere.

Join us today at 1:00 pm EST. You can access the live webcast through TalkSouthRadio.com or access the program directly by clicking here.

Update: This Don and Doug program can be heard from start to finish by clicking here. 

Can't make enough guns

I received an email this morning from an on-line firearms retailer. It began like this:

After spending the first six weeks of 2012 attending various firearms industry shows, including the NSSF Shot Show in Las Vegas with the highest dealer attendance of record, there was one obvious recurring theme from every manufacturer we visited with...."we just can't make enough firearms". Although we fully expected another surge later in 2012, it has already started as the ATF continues to report all time record highs in background/NICS checks as well as Conceal Carry/CCW permit applications.

I've started to see more out of stock notations next to gun and ammo offerings on various websites. What was first reported as a Christmas firearms buying surge appears to still be gaining momentum in late February.

It's Halftime in America - a parody

Here's one of the better parodies of Clint Eastwood's Chrysler commercial from the Super Bowl:


h/t karendecoster.com

I'm still waiting for someone to do one with clips from Gran Torino edited in. One of the scenes of Clint with the Garand or brandishing his .45 might be a nice touch. Could be, someone's already done it and I just haven't seen it yet. If it's out there, let me know.

Black guns aren't for everyone

People's fascination with black rifles. I don't get it.

I was in a gun store today. Being a holiday, business seemed busier than usual. And most the shoppers were spending most their time around the displays with AR-15s and their variants.

Checking the prices, I saw most were over a thousand dollars. Including used ones. Some way over a thousand.

When I've been shooting, I've seen guys strut into the range with an AR strapped across their backs. Or packing 'em in fancy cases. But when it came time to pull the trigger, they can't hit paper at 15 yards.

For the price of an AR, you can pick up a used Ruger Mini-14 and good .22 rifle for practice, and you will have a bunch of money left over. I priced used Minis today. Found 'em starting at $475 for one from the early 1980s in excellent condition. Last time I priced 'em, in November, I found one for under $400.

New Mini-14s now range from the high 500s into the 700-plus dollar range. But do you really need new?

If you're looking for a good semi-auto rifle in .223 (or 5.56) with detachable magazines, give the Mini a hard look. It's a simple design, easy to take down and clean, easy to reassemble. Chances are, under harsh conditions or when cleaning has been neglected, a Mini will keep firing long after an AR has begun having issues.

With the money saved on a Mini, you can buy several spare Ruger factory magazines. Yes, they are pricey. But they last. And you still have bucks left over for a bunch of ammo.

If you're into shooting, and have an AR, I'm not suggesting you go back. But if you're new to shooting, or want to get started, don't fall prey to black gun fever. A techie looking, tricked out rifle won't make you a better shot than you are. Start with the basics.

I'll repeat my suggestion of getting a .22 rifle. Either as first gun or, if you feel you must have more, in tandem with something bigger.

Most indoor ranges can allow .22 rifles. Many can't accommodate high powered rifle rounds. And .22s are still cheap to shoot. You can still get .22 ammo for around four cents a round. Expect to pay closer to 30 cents a round (or more) for the stuff an AR or a Mini eats.

If your biggest concern is for home defense, an AR or even a Mini is probably not the right choice. Start looking at 20 gauge shotguns instead. Brand new, they can be had for under $300. Another good home defense option is a .38 Special revolver. You can still find a good used .38 for around $300, and some new ones are still under $400.

Don Dickinson and I will be talking guns and ammo on our next Don and Doug on Thursday, February 23, at 1:00pm EST on TalkSouthRadio.com. Feel free to shoot us some questions ahead of time. Voicemail comments can be left at 404-981-1775. You can find me on Twitter as @TalkSouthRadio. For old fashion email, use Doug.TalkSouth@gmail.com.

"Sold Out"

Don and I are starting to see more "sold out" notations as we scout on-line websites for key ammo calibers. In most cases, you can still find what you're looking for. But you may have to look a little harder, and be open to some substitutions.

I shopped a local retailer tonight that seemed to have at least a few boxes in all calibers. But buying ammunition by the retailer's box of 20 or 50 rounds can get expensive. And you can burn through several boxes in just one time at the range.

We're gonna talk guns and ammo on our next Don and Doug this Thursday, February 23rd, at 1:00 pm EST on TalkSouthRadio.com.

I plan to have at least two other firearms related posts here on the blog between now and showtime.

Gun sales remain brisk

So says The Augusta Chronicle, which has a story that opens with:  "In the gun business, fear drives sales, and recently, sales have increased."

The Chronicle says demand for carry licenses is up on Richmond County, Georgia as well.

How long before America collapses?

Democrats and Republicans can read charts. They know it's coming.

So we get another proposed budget from the president that just kicks the can down road for another year.

And Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner seems just fine with that.


House Budget Committee via YouTube.com

A divided America can be conquered

More people are waking up to the Obama strategy.  From the CBS station in Tampa:

Is President Obama Using Race, Gender And Religion To Divide America For Political Gain?

Newt: "You can't put a gun rack in a Volt"

Newt strikes a chord with us old timers.


From: ConservARTive.com via YouTube.com

But Newt's comment also tells me how out of touch he is.

When was the last time you saw a gun rack in truck? Fifteen years ago? Twenty-five?

Sure, plenty of us still cling to our guns. And hearing Newt talk about gun racks makes me nostalgic for times decades ago, when nearly every truck (at least in the south) had a rack, and most those racks had something in 'em.

But I also hear a Newt Gingrich who's been inside the Beltway for so long, that when he tries to sound like one of us, he can easily miss the mark.

I like his sentiment. But I wish Newt had done more walking among us in the past decade or two.

Studying the Occupy movement for college credit

As progressive educators rush to Occupy movement under study in university classrooms, Glenn Reynolds, writing in the Wall Street Journal, suggests some conservative points that should be incorporated into the Occupy classroom curriculum.

His point about college loans seems especially on target:

1) The Higher Education Bubble and Debt Slavery Throughout History. Since ancient times, debt has been a tool used by rulers to enslave the ruled, which is why the Bible explains that the borrower is the slave to the lender. One complaint of many Occupy protesters involves their pursuit of expensive degrees that has left them burdened by student loans but unable to find suitable employment. This unit would compare the marketing of higher education and student debt to today's students with the techniques used to lure sharecroppers and coal miners into irredeemable indebtedness. Music to be provided by Tennessee Ernie Ford.

How many still remember Tennessee Ernie's 1955 hit with 16 Tons? 

How many collegians will only grow another day older and deeper in debt by taking an Occupy college course that, more likely than not, will be more about progressive indoctrination than anything else?

Vanishing primers!

Never experienced this before.

Spent case with disintegrated primer (left)
Round from the same lot that functioned normally (center)
Round from different manufacturer that functioned
without problem (right)

In shooting an SKS today, I had two rounds of six fired where cartridge primers apparently disintegrated. When it happened, smoke poured out of the rear of the rifle like the whole gun was internally on fire. Upon inspection, no damage. Just smoke.

I'd previously put 50 to 100 rounds through the rifle without a failure. The rifle is a Yugo 59/66 that, going by appearances, is in unissued condition.


I switched to ammo from another maker after today's trouble, the other maker's ammo worked just fine.

None of the rounds were military surplus. All were of commercial manufacture from Russian makers.

I'm trying to figure out if I have a batch of defective ammo. Or if I have a rifle that needs adjustment or alteration. Any suggestions?

Obama goes after Garands

M1 Garand in WWII training film

The popular and collectible Garand rifle that U.S. troops carried in World War Two and Korea appears to be coming under attack from the Obama administration.

Emily Miller writes in the Washington Times:

Mr. Obama’s budget contains other gun-grabbing surprises. The White House is looking to reclaim authority to destroy surplus M1 Garand rifles and M1 Carbines. For 30 years, the Defense Department has been blocked from scrapping these collectible firearms that served our soldiers well in World War II and the Korean War. The administration also wants to melt down the military’s spent brass casings, thwarting gun owners who have been buying and recycling the surplus materials.

In recent decades, surplus Garands have been returned to the U.S. Army from allied countries that used them for their own armies during the Cold War. As these guns were repatriated, our military turned them over the U.S. Civilian Marksmanship Program for sale to the public. Proceeds from the sales went to support the non-profit CMP which, when you include its predecessor organisations, has been advocate for and provider of marksmanship training since 1903.

In recent years, there have also been efforts by South Korea to sell aging Garands and M1 Carbines to commercial distributors in the U.S. Thus far under an Obama administration, the State Department has blocked efforts to repatriate the aging Korean stockpiles. 

Perception management

Do you blindly follow economic cheerleaders? Or do things like empty storefronts make you uneasy?

Charles Hugh Smith shares some thoughts on the economy over at Of Two Minds.

"Home Delivery"

From DaybyDayCartoon.com:

"Rombo"

The ad from Rick Santorum that has people talking.


From: Rick Santorum via YouTube.com

On today's Don and Doug: Nukes, rats and new rules

Just some of the things Don and I may talk about today...

Republicans in DC still don't see that compromise with Dems only takes us closer to collapse.

Have you seen the ten new rules for radicals? We've got the list.

Greece may be asked to cede some of its sovereignty if it wants financial rescue.

And the Obama team now talks about cutting U.S. nuclear warheads by up to 80 percent. Why not? They've already disarmed homeowners who face a domestic threat from rats. We'll explain today at 1:00 pm EST.

You can catch today's Don and Doug at TalkSouthRadio.com or just click here for a direct link.

Update: Today's show can be heard start-to-finish, in its entirety, here. 

"The true value of money"

From Charlie Brooker in the UK Guardian:

Money is broken, and until we admit that, any attempts to fix the economy seem doomed to fail. We're like passengers on a nosediving plane thinking if we all fart hard enough, we can lift it back into the sky. So should we be storming the cockpit or hunting for parachutes instead? I don't know: I ran out of metaphor after the fart gag. You're on your own from hereon in.

Best I can tell,  fixes tried to-date have only masked symptoms rather than restore any true economic soundness. How much longer will people continue to have faith in a crashing system?

Equal but separate

barackobama.com/african-americans

Anyone find it curious the president's reelection campaign website has adopted a separate portal for African-Americans?

Apparently the president and his team see African-Americans not as individuals, but as a voting block to be ushered in through their own separate door.


If a business set up a separate entrance for African-Americans, and labeled it as such, it would likely be taken as an attempt at segregation. But so far, the separate entrance to the Obama site seems to have received a free pass.

Drone falls to hostile gunfire in South Carolina

Such is the claim of the drone's owner. The drone was operated by an animal rights group that has just disrupted a hunt.

They probably say it's for our protection

The government now picks through kids' sack lunches.

Welcome to the era of state controlled lives.

Happy Valentine's Day

Before roses and chocolates, the name Valentine was associated with martyrs who chose faith in God over submission to the state.

Visit Starbucks

Why? Because gun control fanatics have called for a Starbuck's boycott.

A nationwide boycott of Starbucks stores and its products will be launched on
Valentine's Day 2012. It's goal is to elminate the risk of guns in public places
and ultimately bring sane gun laws to the U.S... 

Why Starbucks? Currently, Starbucks allows guns and assault weapons to
be openly carried in its stores (in 43 states) and concealed weapons carried
in its stores (in 49 states)...

In other words, Starbucks allows patrons to carry firearms in accordance with respective laws
in the states where they are located. Gun control advocates are outraged law abiding citizens
aren't forced to give up their rights when they enter coffee bars. Or any other public place.

Ever see an assault weapon at a Starbucks? Me neither. Nor have I heard of any incidents of a gun being used in an improper way by a lawful carrier in a Starbucks.

What's at stake

Chris Cox of the NRA via The Daily Caller:

"When Americans flock to the polls in 13 months, we will not simply decide which direction our country should take over the next four years. Rather, we will decide whether or not our fundamental, individual right to keep and bear arms will survive over the next several decades."

Truth Teams

Individuals apparently can't be trusted to determine the truth. In Barack Obama's world, the job of determining truth about his administration and campaign falls to select members of the Democrat party.

From an Obama campaign release: 

From: MyBarackObama.com

Truth Teams will be announced today in many states including Iowa, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina and Wisconsin with events being held in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Minnesota, Nevada, Ohio and Virginia.  National supporters including the National Education Association (NEA), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) and the United Steelworkers Union (USW) will be participating in this effort.

The Washington Post has details of the Virginia Truth Team. The roster includes a collection of local party officials, former convention delegates and elected Democrats.

Kinda strange. On the heels of declaring war on the Catholic Church over contraception, the Obama Team now wants you to honor its hand-picked disciples, backed by labor unions, as the new priests of truth in America today.  

About that CPAC straw poll...

Mitt Romney came in tops in a straw poll this weekend at CPAC.

Yes, attendees at CPAC, the Conservative Political Action Conference, favor a candidate who proclaimed  himself a moderate and progressive just a decade ago.

How many attending the conference are CINOs (Conservatives in Name Only)? Meanwhile, Rick Santorum brings up the possibility some of those participating in the straw poll vote may have been paid to play in their role as Romney advocates.

These circumstances beg the question: How much of CPAC is still about equipping conservatives, and how much of it is now used to co-opt them?

More government reach where it doesn't belong

It looks like President Obama wants to do more meddling with our money.

Early leaks of the president's proposed national budget say it will include billions to expand community colleges' industry-focused jobs training programs. And there will also be a call to spend additional millions on something Politico.com calls the Middle East and North Africa Incentive Fund to advance democratic and economic reforms in those regions.

Sorry, these don't cut it. 

More centralized control over community colleges will likely only make them less responsive to local needs. Inserting federal money, with strings attached, means these schools will need Washington to sign off as they try to move forward. Federally directed jobs training has a long, long history of failure. I say, leave control of community colleges where it belongs - with the local community.

As for the Middle East and North Africa? Will pouring more money into democracy efforts make things better? The administration repeatedly made the wrong calls in 2011. After watching the administration applaud the overthrow of Egypt's government, and seeing the results of Mr.Obama's gift of air support to murderous revolutionary thugs in Libya, does anyone expect Obama's team will do any better if it throws hundreds of millions of additional dollars at these regions going forward?

The broad powers of Obamacare's bureaucracy

More Americans are waking up to the invasive nature of the nation's 2010 health care reform act. But the dangers posed by the Democrats' health care grab should have been apparent from the start.

Mark Steyn observes:

As Philip Klein pointed out in the American Spectator two years ago, the Obamacare bill contained 700 references to the Secretary "shall," another 200 to the Secretary "may," and 139 to the Secretary "determines." So the Secretary may and shall determine pretty much anything she wants, as the Obamaphile rubes among the Catholic hierarchy are belatedly discovering. His Majesty King Barack "shall have full power and authority to visit, repress, redress, record, order, correct, restrain and amend all such errors, heresies, abuses, offenses, contempts and enormities whatsoever they be." In my latest book, I cite my personal favorite among the epic sweep of Commissar Sebelius' jurisdictional authority: 

"The Secretary shall develop oral healthcare components that shall include tooth-level surveillance."

In 2010, Nancy Pelosi told an audience that Congress would have to pass the health care bill to find out what's in it. She lied. 

The most damning parts of the bill is the power it bestows on an un-elected, unaccountable, agenda-driven  bureaucracy. And the Department of Health and Human Services is just beginning to roll out its health care decrees. 

Catholic Church objections to contraception mandates grab the headlines for now. But how many other costly and/or liberty-crushing mandates await us in the future under the guise of health care reform?

Choking on dollars

And those dollars fade in value even as we choke on 'em.

Suggestive marketing

Merchandising seems to be getting bolder with not-so-subtle messages that something big may be coming.

Cheaper Than Dirt via The Blaze

Pitch lines like A new revolution - Buy guns online or Zombie ammo: Just in case can sure grab your attention.

Do product makers and sellers really believe in the veiled messages they apparently intended to put in their marketing pitch? Or are they just pandering to a growing market that does?

You can't blame people if they sense something is brewing. The government seems to be operating under the same assumption.

Images of a sniper nest overlooking the Super Bowl do not convey a sense of normalcy.

With no credible threats concerning the Super Bowl, Homeland Security seemed to use its high profile armed presence in Indy as a public relations and marketing ploy for its ever growing state security apparatus.

Just like Hornady pitches Zombie ammo, Homeland Security seems to tell us we need unprecedented levels of invasive, armed, government-provided security just in case.

When government takes the lead and uses vast resources to pitch paranoia, it's not surprising commercial marketers also pick up on the theme.

From DHS video produced for showing at Walmart check-out lines (2010)

Super Bowl snipers

We apparently now have a government that believes it must have snipers to monitor fans at the Super Bowl. 


Our fundamentally transformed America grows ever more scary.

A Supreme Court Justice who doesn't like our Constitution

Report: Justice Ginsberg tells Egyptians to look elsewhere for guidance in crafting a constitution of their own.

Georgia House Committee takes up Constitutional Carry

The Georgia House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee held a hearing this morning on H.R. 679, the Constitutional Carry Act of 2012.

Among those speaking in favor of the bill was Patrick Parsons, executive director of Georgia Gun Owners.  A portion of Parsons' comments can be heard here.

Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills spoke in opposition, saying the Georgia Sheriffs Association membership took a vote that also reflects opposition. A portion of Sills' comments can be heard here.

No vote was taken at today's session, which had been advertised as a hearing.

The portion of today's committee hearing dealing with Constitutional Carry ran about 21 minutes. Audio from the entire segment can be heard here.


Note: Constitutional Carry will be part of today's Don and Doug on TalkSouthRadio today at 1:00 pm EST.

Ex-Congresswoman's lament

Oh, had she only known!

From The Weekly Standard:

Former Democratic congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper, a Catholic from Erie, Pennsylvania, cast a crucial vote in favor of Obamacare in 2010. She lost her seat that November in part because of her controversial support of Obamacare. But Dahlkemper said recently that she would have never voted for the health care bill had she known that the Department of Health and Human Services would require all private insurers, including Catholic charities and hospitals, to provide free coverage of contraception, sterilization procedures, and the "week-after" pill "ella" that can induce early abortions.

Dahlkemper voted for a bill she didn't understand. She didn't take time to question the dangers of leaving wide swaths of discretion and implementation in the hands of progressive bureaucrats. Now she says she'd have voted no?

Deservedly, Dahlkemper's constituents dumped her. But not before grave damage was done.

We need people in Congress who understand their votes shouldn't be about sucking up to party leaders, and that they shouldn't vote on what someone promised. We need people in Congress who understand the laws they pass impact real people in big ways. They need to know what's in the bill, and understand all the possible interpretations, before they vote.

Coming up on February 9th's 'Don and Doug'

Can the 2012 elections do anything to save America from itself?

Despite rosy government reports, there's still plenty of scary stuff hidden in the economic details. 

Another state's legislature considers "Consitutional Carry" for its citizens.

And we'll talk about how Detroit's become a city where life imitates a Clint Eastwood film.

Don Dickinson and I will be live at 1:00 pm Thursday (February 9th) on TalkSouthRadio.com.  Join us for the live 'cast if you can. If you don't catch us live, we put the show in replay 24/7 until the next one.


Update: The February 9th show, and other past programs, are available here. 

"ObamaCare's Great Awakening"

From The Wall Street Journal:  "HHS tells religious believers to go to hell. The public notices."

Remember when Nancy Pelosi tried to distance herself from what was being packed into the bill prior to its passage?

Dependence on government soars to all time high

Read The Heritage Foundation's latest assessment of the situation.

The dangers of disaster mythology and beyond

Widely held misconceptions about post-disaster behavior can shape public policy. The Penumbral Report says assessment of problems after Hurricane Katrina provided a warning:

 ...while a few of the reports of violence or property crimes were true, the vast majority were not.  What does this mean for those who live in urban areas, preppers, law enforcement, civil libertarians and those in disaster management?  There are two main problems with citizens and government both subscribing to the disaster mythology— misallocation of resources and further erosion of civil liberties.  In the case of Hurricane Katrina, we have quite a bit of empirical evidence to show that these two problems caused real damage to real people.

Taking things a step further, the government may have grown impatient waiting for the next disaster. Government now seems to manufacture, or at least greatly exaggerates, domestic threats as it seeks to justify greater and greater levels of surveillance and larger domestic security forces.

Think that's crazy? Yesterday, the FBI warned of alarming trends of anti-government behavior by so-called sovereign citizens. But statistically speaking, it's easy to dispute the kind of urgent threat the government claims.

And don't overlook how the Department of Homeland Security bragged of deploying unprecedented levels of security surrounding the Super Bowl despite no credible threats connected to the event.

Government will continue to make the case for greater and greater needs for policing. But its pitch probably has more to do with building bigger bureaucracies, and obtaining higher levels of control than it does any realistic threats from America's civilian population.

And you can't lay all the blame on bureaucrats. It was our president who, as a candidate, helped put this alarming trend in motion.

Michelle's always up to something...

How many other First Ladies have played tug-o-war in the White House?

First Lady Michelle Obama participates in a tug of war with Jimmy Fallon in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House during a “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” taping for the second anniversary of the "Let’s Move!" initiative, Jan. 25, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

Some stats and additional thoughts on Clint Eastwood's Super Bowl commercial

Last Sunday, Clint Eastwood gave us a Super Bowl halftime pitch telling us Detroit's "coming back." Eastwood went on to say Americans "find a way through tough times, and if we can't find a way, we make one."

Sorry, I couldn't shake it. Seeing Eastwood talk about Detroit triggered a replay of Gran Torino in my mind. In the film, Eastwood played Walt Kowalski, an aging Korean War vet and Detroit resident who stood up when he trouble came his way.

Fast forward to today, The Daily seems to tell us there's a bunch of Kowalskis in today's Motor City. Folks are keeping guns nearby, just in case:

Justifiable homicide in the city shot up 79 percent in 2011 from the previous year, as citizens in the long-suffering city armed themselves and took matters into their own hands. The local rate of self-defense killings now stands 2,200 percent above the national average. Residents, unable to rely on a dwindling police force to keep them safe, are fighting back against the criminal scourge on their own. And they’re offering no apologies.

Sunday night, I thought Chrysler goofed in picking Eastwood as a spokesman. Why was it associating its corporate image with a guy who's last starring role was about a Detroit vigilante? But now, based these stats, it makes more sense. Eastwood is a guy Detroiters can identify with.

For those needing a Gran Torino refresher, here's a couple of key scenes from film's trailer.

Related post: Halftime in America

Individuals be damned

Ben Bernanke's Federal Reserve policy of near-zero percent interest rates forces many retirees, and others who depend on savings income, to take more risk. Those who can least afford it are being herded out of their comfort zone.

The Fed focus is on energizing the larger collective economy, though its efforts to-date have not yielded the long-promised turn around. More danger lurks ahead. And individuals are pushed to take the most risk in the Fed's latest attempt to create at least the appearance of a normal, functioning economy.

Turn this ship around

Cute campaign ad out of Maryland conveys a strong message. It comes from Glenn Morton, one of three Republicans seeking to oust Democrat Steny Hoyer in Maryland's 5th Congressional District.

Morton describes himself as a former political independent who voted for Obama in 2008.



Looks to me like the ship is about to go over the falls. Is there still time to turn it around?

Halftime in America

Chrysler seeks to boost our national morale with a pep-talk from Clint Eastwood.

During Super Bowl halftime, Eastwood talks of Detroit, and comebacks, as America struggles through tough times:

Eastwood in Gran Torino

Who at Chrysler vetted this spot? Yes, the intent was to tell us America can rebound.

But in giving us Eastwood with a Detroit theme, you can't help but recall Eastwood's last film: Gran Torino. In it, Clint didn't save a Detroit neighborhood playing by the rules.

Does Chrysler expect us to play nice in the second half? By choosing Clint to make its pitch, how many may ponder whether it's time to dust off granddad's Garand?

Government Motors pitches apocalyptic survival

Chevy trucks. What you need to survive the end of the world as we know it?

Found this among this year's Chevy Super Bowl ads:


Chevrolet via YouTube.com

Yes, the ad has a Mayan Apocolypse reference. Chevy probably stuck that in to get past its government gate keepers (wink). There are many other scenarios afoot that might trigger an economic or societal downturn or even a meltdown.

I gotta tell ya, if things go really bad, you're gonna need far more than a fancy truck to get through it. But I doubt you'll see any Super Bowl ads for gold, guns, or canned goods. And I suspect a well maintained Ford is just as good as a Chevy if comes time to bug out and  (pardon the pun) get outta Dodge.

FAA told to prep for more drones in U.S. skies

The final version of House Bill 658, also know as the FAA Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2011, has  cleared conference committee, received final passed in the House, and now awaits the Senate's final nod.

The first FAA reauthorization bill passed by the Congress in eight years includes a call for greater drone access to U.S. airspace.

Section 324 of the bill gives specific attention to government operated drones including a special provision for public safety mini-drones like those now used for surveillance by some agencies:

(1) IN GENERAL- Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall enter into agreements with appropriate government agencies to simplify the process for issuing certificates of waiver or authorization with respect to applications seeking authorization to operate public unmanned aircraft systems in the national airspace system.

(2) CONTENTS- The agreements shall--

(A) with respect to an application described in paragraph (1)--

(i) provide for an expedited review of the application;

(ii) require a decision by the Administrator on approval or disapproval within 60 business days of the date of submission of the application; and

(iii) allow for an expedited appeal if the application is disapproved;

(B) allow for a one-time approval of similar operations carried out during a fixed period of time; and

(C) allow a government public safety agency to operate unmanned aircraft weighing 4.4 pounds or less, within the line of sight of the operator, less than 400 feet above the ground during daylight conditions, within Class G airspace, outside of 5 statute miles from any airport, heliport, seaplane base or spaceport, or any location with aviation activities.

The Congressional order for the FAA to integrate more "unmanned aircraft" into air traffic over the U.S. coincides with an expanding drone fleet operated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Smaller mini-drones are becoming popular with some local law enforcement agencies. A FEMA sponsored website offers a product profile of one such drone. 

The military also has plans for more drones in U.S. skies. Secrecy News reported last month the Army issued a directive regarding its growing use of drones at home for training missions and "domestic operations."

Super Bowl used to pitch gun control

The hypocrisy is amazing as the mayors of New York and Boston say they support the Second Amendment by pitching gun control:



The ad, sponsored by Mayors Against Illegal Guns, is scheduled to run in Sunday's Super Bowl telecast.

Despite the lack of any credible threats to the Super Bowl, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has deployed TSA VIPR teams around Indianapolis obstensively because there's a growing need for this kind of unprecedented heavily armed, anticipatory security in America.

Yet the mayors of New York and Boston want more hurdles put in place to keep law abiding Americans from acquiring and using firearms to protect themselves under the Second Amendment.

Yes, the mayors couch their ad by citing illegal guns. But you also have to weigh that, because of stiff local regs, an illegal gun in Boston, New York and or other left-leaning cities might be perfectly legal in many other jurisdictions around the USA.

It's an adjustment

Yesterday's drop in the unemployment rate got lots of headlines. But how much of it was real, how much was only due to statistical shuffling?

Deadlock appears to outperform stimulus

President Obama touts what he calls an accelerating pace of economic recovery.

And he issues an admonition: "So I want to send a clear message to Congress: Do not slow down the recovery that we're on. Don't muck it up. Keep it moving in the right direction."
Wait. Think about this. 

For the past year, Congress has been pretty much deadlocked. The GOP holds the House. The Dems hold the Senate. There's little movement toward compromise on either side. And now? The president declares the pace of recovery is speeding up!

Deadlock has apparently done more to revive the economy than hundreds of billions in stimulus dollars.

Don't muck it up, Congress. Ditch any thought of passing the President's so-called jobs bill. Steer clear of any new stimulus talk. Congress, if you want to do something constructive, make some real cuts to the federal budget. Otherwise, get out of the way, and let the private sector return to its rightful role as the engine of our economy.

Is this really necessary?

The Transportation Security Administration is beefing up staffing at Indianapolis International Airport for Super Bowl weekend. The TSA is also sending its mobile VIPR teams into action around the city. And, Government Security News reports, that's not all:

Additionally, TSA said over 8,000 stadium vendors, parking lot attendants, shuttle bus drivers, and other transportation professionals received the agency’s First Observer training for detecting and assessing indicators and planning tactics of potential terrorist activities.

Keep in mind, the Department of Homeland Security has said it has "no specific or credible" security threats regarding the Super Bowl or its host city. Yet our government brags its rolling out unprecedented levels of security.

Are we really more secure by this display of a massive control and compliance apparatus?

Have we become blind to the idea that greater and greater levels of state policing and state spying may actually be a detriment to a free nation's well being and to the liberty of its people?

Giving up, walking away

From: FDR Presidential Library

Government stats show unemployment has fallen to 8.3 percent. Government stats tout the creation of 243,000 new jobs.

But new jobs tell only part of the story behind this latest decline in official unemployment.

Some contend the perceived dip in unemployment only occurred because another 1.2 million Americans  have walked away from participating in the labor force.

Obama cites scripture to pitch higher taxes

Georgia Congressman Phil Gingrey, a Republican, walked out during President Obama's speech at the National Prayer Breakfast this week. Gingrey felt the president had cross the line, making comments of a partisan nature at what is supposed to be not partisan event.

It does seem Mr. Obama was reciting scripture in a pitch for higher taxes on the wealthy:

And when I talk about shared responsibility, it’s because I genuinely believe that in a time when many folks are struggling, at a time when we have enormous deficits, it’s hard for me to ask seniors on a fixed income, or young people with student loans, or middle-class families who can barely pay the bills to shoulder the burden alone. And I think to myself, if I’m willing to give something up as somebody who’s been extraordinarily blessed, and give up some of the tax breaks that I enjoy, I actually think that’s going to make economic sense. 

But for me as a Christian, it also coincides with Jesus’s teaching that “for unto whom much is given, much shall be required.” It mirrors the Islamic belief that those who’ve been blessed have an obligation to use those blessings to help others, or the Jewish doctrine of moderation and consideration for others.

Obama campaign flyer from 2008

Should we assume Mr. Obama' comments reflect his belief that the power of government should be used to force his religious interpretation on others? Certainly he understands the Christian practice of voluntary giving is separate from forced taxation.

Mr. Obama also uses Luke 12:48's “for unto whom much is given, much shall be required” in a collectivist context of unity, and he compares it with concepts of sharing found in other religions.

Does Mr. Obama have any clue what the Bible says in the verses that follow? Luke 12:49-53 reads like this in the New American Standard Bible:

"I have come to cast fire upon the earth; and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished! Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division; for from now on five members in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

Perhaps Mr.Obama sees Luke 12:49-53 as justification for his own politics of division and class war. By accident or design, the president many thought would be a uniter for our nation has evolved into one of the most polarizing in American history. 

The old dogs are tired of it

Conservatives' loyalty to the GOP begins to remind me of an abused dog repeatedly returning to the feet of a master only to be kicked again.

Even an old dog can get tired of being kicked, and move on, after a while.

A letter to a friend on the RNC

Today's Fast and Furious hearing

Here's a few highlights I took out of today's House Oversight hearing with Attorney General Holder:

Democrats speak as if they have all the information they need to dismiss concerns Fast and Furious had ties to top Department of Justice or other high administration officials.

Republicans question what may be hidden in tens of thousands of documents being withheld by the DOJ. I have to ask:  How can Democrats believe they have the whole picture if they've only seen a small fraction of the related material?

According to Eric Holder's testimony, top appointees in the Obama administration still refrain from discussing Fast and Furious among themselves, instead leaving any interaction to underlings. When you consider the broad implications on the scandal at home and in Mexico, this failure to communicate comes across like dereliction of duty. Sounds to me like a deliberate attempt to contain political damage.

Don and I will make comments from the hearing a part of today's Don and Doug at 1:00 pm EST on TalkSouthRadio.com.  Join us if you can!

'No respect' tops this week's Don and Doug

The GOP appears to be giving conservatives the Rodney Dangerfield treatment: No respect. Mitt Romney's win in Florida leaves some of 'em wondering what to do next.

Eric Holder is expected to testify before a House committee. Once again, he'll be pressed for details of how federal law enforcement and tax dollars played part in getting guns into the hands of drug cartels, and is expected to claim he and his top brass had little or no idea what was afoot. We'll have an update.

Greece is said to be nearing a deal to handle its debt. It's a claim we've heard before.

And have you noticed rising prices on household stuff you buy? A can of paint gave me sticker shock this week.

Don Dickinson and I will kick around these and other topics on the February 2nd Don and Doug on TalkSouthRadio.com. We're live beginning  at 1:00 pm EST.

Nothing to be proud of in Romney's Florida win

Thomas Sowell equates GOP tactics used against Newt Gingrich in Florida with other means of stealing an election:  Character assassination is just another form of voter fraud.

Holder being spared as Romney election prop?

Over at Sipsey Street Irregulars, Mike Vanderboegh, citing sources, says House Speaker John Boehner and his GOP House leaders are in no hurry for decisive action in the investigation of DOJ higher-up involvement in Fast and Furious. Some speculate Boehner's crew would rather wait, and then attempt an impeachment or some other theatrics closer to the November election.

Attorney General Eric Holder is scheduled to testify tomorrow before the House Government Oversight Committee. The committee plans to make a live stream of the session available here.