The NRA Picks a New Prez, and it’s Not Pretty!

If you thought Wayne LaPierre was a piece of work, you haven’t met Jim Porter, the incoming president of the NRA. Mr. Porter has been in the news in the past, following a speech he made a year ago to the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association. In that speech, this Alabaman referred to the Civil War as the “War of Northern Aggression”, and spoke about the need for citizens to own and know how to use guns, not for hunting, not for personal safety against criminals, but in order to be prepared to fight the tyranny of the US government: ‘… the organization [NRA] remains vital today to train civilians to use firearms so ‘when they’re ready to fight tyranny, they’re ready to do it. Also, when they’re ready to fight tyranny, they have the wherewithal and the weapons to do it.’”

He also referred to the President as a “fake President”, Continue reading

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I’m Very Tired of References to “Those Guys” As If They Were “Different”

We hear so much from gop elected officials and spokespersons, and commentators from all sides of the spectrum, referring to the outrageous statements and actions of some members of the extreme right, both during their campaigns for public offices, and in the course of exercising their duties as elected officials, as being “Those Guys”, those “Far Out Guys” who are not representative of the gop.

Bull crap.

“Those Guys” ARE the gop. Period. Continue reading

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Obama Budget a Slap in the Face to the Democratic Base

Next year, it may be “buy chicken instead of beef” for seniors, but in a few more years for some, it may well be “buy cat food instead of chicken”. THAT could be the eventual result of changing Social Security cost-of-living increases from Traditional CPI to “Chain” CPI, as President Obama’s budget proposal would have happen.

It was not that long ago that the President told the American people, Continue reading

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The Death of Margaret Thatcher

When a famous person dies, especially a politician, their fans shout out platitudes, while non-fans, including those with a more impartial view of the person’s accomplishments, are generally unwilling to say anything that would tend to downplay the deceased person’s memory, however misplaced the bromides may be.

Such is the case with Margaret Thatcher. True, a friend of the United States, and a popular figure among large numbers of Brits, but yet a politician who above all else followed a strict partisan political position, which, in the minds of many, forged a path for the UK that has led them to the extreme economic and social mess that their society has struggled with for several years.

We wrote about this in early 2012, and it is extremely relevant today: “A HoundDawg Political Quiz – Which Former World Leader …. ?”

Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan – two birds of a feather.

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Gun Nuts Want Felons, Mentally Ill to KEEP Their Guns!

After writing yesterday about SB 140 (“California’s Gun Lobby: Further Assault On Our Intelligence”), comments appeared here and on the LA Times Blog that show unequivocally how removed from reality so many gun nuts seem to be. They are actually opposed to efforts to finance the confiscation of firearms from people who legally purchased are, but then became ineligible for such ownership. Exactly how did they become ineligible? By virtue of one of the following: Continue reading

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California’s Gun Lobby: Further Assault On Our Intelligence

It never dawned on me that there were so many pro-gun lobbying groups in California. Among them are the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the California Assn. of Firearms Retailers, the California Rifle and Pistol Assn., Gun Owners of California, and of course, the NRA. So, what, he asks facetiously, do they all have in common? I’ll tell you, in a minute.

First, it so happens that people frequently make legal gun purchases in California, but sometime later, something happens that makes their continued gun ownership illegal. Frequently this happens because that gun owner has committed a serious crime, or they become mentally ill. It appears that the California State Department of Justice has determined that in our great state, as of March 1, 2013, 20,000 people now illegally posses 40,790 firearms, including 1,600 assault weapons. Continue reading

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More on Harold Simmons and the Power of Unlimited Campaign Financing

A few days ago we wrote about why in the world “… Does a Texas Billionaire Want to Elect the Next Mayor of Los Angeles?”. As Harold Simmons-financed TV ads extolling the virtues of conservative and former talk-show host Kevin James permeate the airwaves, more information about Harold Simmons has become available.

First, thanks to the LA Times, we now know that he DID NOT contribute around $20 M to 2012 gop election efforts. We now know that the sum of money he contributed to the likes of Karl Rove’s American Crossroads Super PAC exceeded $31 Million. We also know the following: Continue reading

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California’s Metro Express Ripoff

With one week’s notice, tens of thousands of Californians (maybe hundreds of thousands) were shocked this morning to receive a piece of mail with no return address, from a vague and amorphous entity identified only as “Metro”, informing them that beginning next Saturday, they would need to purchase equipment, pay to register that equipment, keep an open credit balance, and subject themselves to regular monthly charges, to continue to use free freeway lanes.

What kind of crap is this? Continue reading

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Sheriff Deputies Intentionally Burned Dorner Alive

It’s not enough that Los Angeles and Torrance police shot at innocent citizens with NO warning just because they drove trucks that looked a bit like Christopher Dorner’s truck, but now there is evidence that San Bernardino Sheriffs intentionally burned Dorner to death. Are we living in North Korea, or the post-war Soviet bloc?

Alternet.org has provided statements of SB Sheriff’s personnel made over police scanners at the time of the “standoff”, conclusively demonstrating the specific intent of the Sheriffs to execute Dorner by fire. Continue reading

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They Deserve a Vote

The highlight of President Barack Obama’s 2013 State of the Union address, as he tells America and the world, that now is the time for a Congressional vote on laws to help bring an end to gun violence:

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Fireworks at West Covina City Council Meeting

As a long-time resident of the city of West Covina, CA, I attend meetings of the City Council as often as I can. In the past, I’ve written posts about the efforts to recall long-time members of the conservative majority of the council, for their failures in acting for the benefit of the city and of the citizens of the community, about the embarrassing conduct of council members after the recall effort ended unsuccessfully, and also in a three part series about the issue of West Covina’s Big League Dreams Sportspark.

The council meeting held last Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2013, was easily the greatest embarrassment to the city and its residents in my 30 years here. Continue reading

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Follow UP: Photo of Aftermath of Torrance PD Shooting

A few hours ago I wrote about the outrageous conduct of LAPD and Torrance PD offices in firing, without warning, at innocent civilians, in two separate incidents. Shots were fired due to the sole fact that these individuals were driving dark-colored trucks. As stated, the cops who pulled the triggers must be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, and Chiefs of Police Charlie Beck and John Neu must be fired, for their fostering environments that either support or require this type of outrageous, dangerous behavior.

Innocent Civilian's Truck Following Torrance PD Shooting

Innocent Civilian’s Truck Following Torrance PD Shooting

In the second incident, Torrance police saw a black Honda truck (Dorner dove a blue Nissan truck), rammed their vehicle into it, and then fired three gunshots through the windshield, all with no warning and giving the driver no opportunity to surrender. The driver was a white man, on his way to the beach to surf. This is the innocent citizen’s truck following the Torrance PD shooting. Take a good look at the bullet holes in the windshield.

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