Good article by Michael Kinsley. The crux of the matter is this:

The test is simple, and built into the concept of a surge: Has it allowed us to reduce troop levels to below where they were when it started? The answer is no.

If not for Ralph, Al would have been president. Oh shit!...

Your tax dollars at work:

http://tinyurl.com/29ledc

"When you're finished watching the video of the strip search, go ask your favorite candidate of 'hope' and 'change' and all those other lies just exactly what he or she is going to do to end this rising nightmare of an authoritarian state. No, seriously. Don't find some reason why your choice for Heir to Empire is not responsible. He or she is. They all want to lead this country? Then let them explain precisely how they plan to lead it away from this mess. Ask those Democrats and Republicans running for office when enough will be enough. Ask them when they plan to stop spewing their sweet little nothings. Ask them if they will vow to their very God or perhaps even to that piece of paper we call the Constitution of the United States of America to take upon themselves the enormous task of putting every monster of this spreading blackness of sovereign violence-from George W. Bush and Dick V. Cheney all the way down to the very last, badge-wearing jackboot on the beat-into prison to rot."

Regular readers of the Blend know that I've been following the seemingly endless violent, sadistic Taser incidents involving law enforcement. Below is something equally heinous -- the disgusting strip search of a woman by police in Stark County, Ohio. (Raw Story):

Ask those Democrats and Republicans running for office when enough will be enough.

Obama pushed Illinois bill to videotape all capital interrogations

Here's an amusing blog post

Tellingly, Obama’s campaign only addresses the gun rights of hunters and specific shotgun-only shooting sports, and only then in vague terms.

.At no point does Obama recognize an individual right to own handguns, or explicitly recognize a right for Americans to use a firearm to defend themselves or others. The site explicitly states that Barack Obama recognizes civilian gun ownership for two just purposes, “hunting and target shooting.”

Hillary Clinton, almost as liberal as Obama on the issue of gun control, could not take advantage of Obama’s radical, out-of-the-mainstream position on firearm ownership because she, too, holds many of the same liberal ideas.

As America moves toward the general election, however, John McCain will have no such problems in discussing Obama’s distrust of his fellow Americans on this issue.

The last paragraph in my post above should also have been in quotes.

But check out this comment from this wingnut:

The site explicitly states that Barack Obama recognizes civilian gun ownership for two just purposes, “hunting and target shooting.”

And this is horrible because?...

Self Defense

Asshat,

Any weapon which could kill an animal could kill a human. What is this obsession that Americans have with killing people and this American paranoia?

Most hunting and target weapons are several feet long. Tough to fit in a holster or a purse.

Why do you think Americans have an obsession with killing people? I'd say, if anything, we have an obsession with not getting killed. If you do a Yahoo search of homeowners who defended themselves against an intruder, you'd see it's not paranoia.

Why do you think Americans have an obsession with killing people?

Iraq is the most recent example of this phemonmenon of Americans being so proud of military might instead of using diplomatic channels. Americans are obsessed with terrorists although deaths from terrorists pale in comparison to deaths due to other reasons. Americans are easily lead into a mentality of paranoia. Come one, we're not still living in the Wild Wild West, or are we?! lol

U.S. Leads Richest Nations In Gun Deaths

BY CHELSEA J. CARTER THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

U.S. leads richest nations in gun deaths

ATLANTA -- The United States has by far the highest rate of gun deaths -- murders, suicides and accidents -- among the world's 36 richest nations, a government study found.

Tough to fit in a holster or a purse.

Are you saying that we should all have a gun in our "holster" or purse? Oh shit!

Letter from Washington DC: Guns don't die. People do

The US has nearly 14 times Australia's population. It has 64 times Australia's total gun deaths, and 211 times its gun homicides. In the other direction we have Japan with the world's toughest gun laws. Japan has just over seven times Australia's population, but in 1992, enjoying the world's lowest homicide rate, it had just 60 people murdered with guns--nearly 30% less than Australia's recent annual average of 85 people murdered with guns. If Australia had the America's gun homicide rate, we would have 1894--more than five a day.

Most hunting and target weapons are several feet long. Tough to fit in a holster

LOL! I guess that the U.S. still is the Wild Wild West! LOL! We all run around with guns in our "holsters"...

oh fuck! oh shit!

I don't know whether to laugh or cry!

If you do a Yahoo search of homeowners who defended themselves against an intruder, you'd see it's not paranoia.

Homeowners have nothing to do with a gun in one's "holster" lol, or purse, for crying out loud!

"Are you saying that we should all have a gun in our "holster" or purse? Oh shit!"

Absolutely not! I am saying potential muggers, burglars, rapists etc... should be worried about getting shot by their victim or a nearby hero.

Example

Why are you obsessed with shit?

Absolutely not! I am saying potential muggers, burglars, rapists etc... should be worried about getting shot by their victim or a nearby hero

So you're saying that muggers should be worried because Merkans are all running around with guns in their holsters?

Why are you obsessed with shit?

I'm concerned about this "shit" because it's only too obvious how powerful that the propaganda from N.R.A. is... sigh...

And, Asshat, your mentality is perfect example of why Mitt Romney had to pretend to be a hunter, and although this turned out to be a bald-faced lie, he finally ended up saying that he had, afterall, killed "small varments" lol!

All-American Guy

Mitt may have killed some varments, but not to worry! Hillary has killed some ducks and has shot a few tin cans and some skeet... LOL!

All-American Guy:

The candidate took part in a goose hunt before swapping his camouflage gear for a business suit

LOL!

U.S.A.! U.S.A.!

lol

Mr Kerry bought a hunting licence when he was in the state at the weekend, allowing him to go after waterfowl on Thursday.

He can run - he can even run in camo [camouflage] - but he cannot hide

He returned, shotgun breached, without a bird in hand, insisting he had killed a goose but was "too lazy" to carry it

Once again, I don't know whether to laugh or cry!

You should be overjoyed JoAnn!

Obama is probably going to be our next president. He agrees with you, and all law-abiding citizens will turn in their weapons. Why would you laugh or cry?

Ralph shouldn't run. Only thing that man cares about is his ego. If we are going to have a functional third party, Nader will not be the one to start it.

As for guns, they should guarantee the rights of hunters and ban the sale of additional hand guns. If a hand gun cost more then one could expect to steel by using one, muggers would have knives.

2nd amendment was about the militia, and the militia was about some of the US military power residing with the people rather then the govt.

A little revolution is a good thing from time to time.

Obama is probably going to be our next president. He agrees with you, and all law-abiding citizens will turn in their weapons.

Now now. That's just silly. You know perfectly well that "law-abiding" citizens will still have many of their "weapons"... You have yet to comment to comment on this article.

I'm laughing/crying because of this ridiculous paranoid Wild Wild West mentality of so many of my fellow Americans...

2nd amendment was about the militia, and the militia was about some of the US military power residing with the people rather then the govt.

A little revolution is a good thing from time to time.

McVeigh would agree.

I've gotten in these gun arguments with other people too. On the one hand, you could fend off an "attacker". On the other, why would you assume you can trust anybody who is normally sane not to go batshit crazy in some conditions? Or that others should trust you as a sane person? Everybody loses it once in a while, and it's damn easier to cause irreparable harm with an easily available gun than with, say, a hammer or even a knife.

Also, gun proponents don't seen to wanna have any restrictions whatsoever. It is called gun control, not gun banning (though I myself would lean for banning except in exceptional circumstances, the Japan example expresses this). What bothers me the most is that the gun people's utopia seems to be a society in which everyone is in a personal cold war with each other.

JoAnn,

I see you're aiming for the commenter of the month award. I believe your lead is insurmountable.

Maybe this is because I'm Canadian, but why is everyone so afraid of guns?

Sure, on the one hand a lot of people are dangerously obsessed with "protecting themselves". And steps should be taken to prevent crazies from getting guns.

But aside from target shooting, I've never even heard a gunshot never mind seen any shooting, so I can't say I'm too interested in restricting gun rights.

I do see a lot of movies - some of them filmed near where I grew up - with protracted gun battles in them though. But aside from the fake gun battle (or two or three) filmed at the photogenic downtown library, I doubt that area has seen any real gun battles.

That is not to say shootings never happen. But in those same places and situations, knifings and beatings and muggings also happen in equal (or at least proportionate) measure; less guns won't make ghettos full of desperate poor people any safer.

So I have to say while I do think things could and should be done to keep people safer, because gun issues tend to generate so much bullshit and so little progress, they sit pretty low on my list of political priorities.

Nader again - sigh. Didn't he make some hints about this last Fall - Nov. or Dec.? My sense then was that if the Democratic nominee was Clinton, he'd run again, but maybe I was just too all about Edwards at the time to pay close enough attention to his intentions. Nader's done some great consumer advocacy and has some good points about policy, but I just can. NOT. see the man as a governor of any sort; he's a flame thrower, not an executive.

Thanks for the links to Kinsley and Colbert. Has "The Word" reappeared yet? That segment was primo.

Nader didn't cause Gore to lose... Electoral fraud, and Gore's campaign, caused Gore to lose.

A little revolution is a good thing from time to time.

McVeigh would agree.

Even a broken clock is right twice a day.

To chime in on the gun debate - I'd have to say I actually agree with asshat but for different reasons. Let me preface my reasons though with letting you know that I've had three times in my life where I've been on the wrong side of a gun and it is a terrifying experience. Fortunately I've never been shot. I also live in NYC and have seen my fair share of gun violence. So, I say this being very aware of the dangers of guns - in fact my first film was about gun violence and the way a normal person is often made to feel much more powerful and hostile with a gun in their possession. That said, I've had the opportunity to meet and talk to people who survived Nicaragua in the 80's, and I lived in Montana when the Freemen were attacked by our own government. The purpose of an armed citizenry is to keep the government in check. I don't feel it's nearly as valuable a tool as an educated and involved citizenry, nor is it as viable now days with entities such as Blackwater and the illegal yet common use of military control within our borders, but it is our last line of resistance. Talk to anyone from a failed state and you'll understand how important that can be. America has not been in such a state since the Wild West and the Civil War really, but who's to say it can't happen again? And if you've ever read Gore Vidal's "Perpetual War For Perpetual Peace" you'll know that Timothy McViegh is not nearly the crazed madman he's been made out by our "good'n'evil" ignorant mindset in this country. He war a decorated soldier and a patriot who lost his trust of our government after the murder of the Freemen, the folks in Waco and Ruby Ridge by our military forces who turned on American citizens. You don't have to agree with his methods of retaliation to understand his fear and frustration, just as any thinking human-being doesn't have to agree with terrorist attacks of any kind to understand the reasons behind them.

I chose not to own a gun because I don't like them and don't feel in danger from our government in that way at this time, but I do like knowing that if ever a time came for a choice between liberty or death, I would have a fighting chance at dying for liberty over dying without a fight. (I'm not dumb enough to think I'd have a prayer against a military or Blackwater assault). But that is my choice, just as many of our rights are choices with pros and cons. Free speech allows hate-mongers like Rush Limbaugh to speak to 20 million dittoheads a day, voting rights gives ignorant religious fundies the right to vote for Huckabee or David Duke or Pat Robertson or who ever they feel will bring Armageddon upon us.

Before you give up your right to bear arms, just think about the reason our Forefathers put that in the Constitution, and think about the authoritarian direction this country is going. It doesn't mean that we can't have controls just as we do with any dangerous equipment from cars to toxins to medicines (drugs) - it just means we need to be smart about it. Our gun violence doesn't come from guns, it comes from morons with guns (example: Canada - low violence, lots of guns). The failure of this nation is not violence, it's ignorance and greed.

yay for guns!-signed, "stupit git" and "asshat".

sorry fellas, nothing personal. i just felt i had to comment on the conflation of self-deprecating screen names or whatever they're called.

c'mon, it's pretty funny.

Jonathan,

It's funny, I just got a similar response at another site this evening. Though they agreed with the point I was making so they wanted me to change it. Don't know why I've always been so outwardly self-depricating other than as a way of masking the ego inside.

Glad you got a laugh though. Anytime I can help bring a joyful smile to someone's face it makes me feel good.

But aside from target shooting, I've never even heard a gunshot never mind seen any shooting, so I can't say I'm too interested in restricting gun rights.

Frenetic, usually we agree on a lot of issues, but I think this view is in part due to not living in a U.S. context. We have had several people in several locations--CO, OR, VA, IL--walk into public locations with full-automatic weapons and commit mass murder. No one wants to talk about banning such weapons because some view the second amendment of the constitution as protecting the "right" to own any kind of gun.

This is controversial. Some people in the U.S. oppose not guns but the lax requirements on getting guns, and the availability of certain kinds of weapons, such as assault rifles. Whenever these measures come before Congress, they are adamantly opposed by the NRA and other far-right agencies, on 2nd amendment grounds, which states:

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to bear arms shall not be infringed.

This is ambiguous between whether only those in militias or any citizen in general is entitled to own guns, depending on how one interprets the dependence relation between the clause "being necessary..." and "the right of the people". If the ancillary clause is is subordinate to the main clause, and qualifies its meaning, then the amendment does not guarantee the right of just any citizen to bear arms. If it is an independent of the main clause, in the sense of enumerating one group whom in addition to those specified in the main clause have a right to bear arms, then militias and citizens in general have a right to bear arms. (I personally think the latter reading is wildly implausible, but it's held up in U.S. courts, so...)

You do not need a fully automatic weapon to hunt--and if you've ever had one shoved in your face, it is very hard to disagree with the idea that they ought to be banned. Even if you support gun ownership, there is no reason to suppose anyone has the "right" to weapons whose central function is to commit massive slaughter.

You do not need a fully automatic weapon to hunt--and if you've ever had one shoved in your face, it is very hard to disagree with the idea that they ought to be banned.

forgive my ignorance. i live in a country where every 18 to 21 year old is issued a fully automatic weapon as part of a universal draft, and i have them shoved in my face all the time. especially on busses, where i'm more worried about the bus crashing or a fucking suicide bomber than the fact that the kid sitting behind me with his m16 jammed in the small of my back forgot to remove the clip. but do the pro-right-to-bear-arms people actually claim that they use machine guns for hunting? i also grew up in a major hunting state- west virginia- and i happen to know this just isn't the case. ahem.

automatic weopons are for hunting people. everyone knows that.

Adam,

The "right" to have a fully automatic weapon (correctly called 'select fire') is to keep the State free.

See, when the revolution with the British began, they immediately rounded up all the weapons. The first conflict came from colonists determined to stop them. This therefore become a key point in the early documents, namely that a government's attempt to control a population is hindered by a well armed population.

Your analysis of the Constitution is spot on. I would personally support a Militia Bill, whereas a member of that militia would be allowed to carry damn near anything, but normal folks would be restricted. This Militia would need to have some sort of quarterly training, with firearms specialists or the local Police to maintain the 'well regulated' bit.

For other folkes: The 2nd amendment has nothing to do with hunting, and it wierds me whenever that is brought up.

As for myself, I don't own any weapons, but frequent the local pistol range (it can be very focusing and calming, controlling your breathing etc, during the discharge). But I have fired a bunch of select fire weapons (m-4, m-16, ak-47, M1919 machine gun, m-60, glock 19 machine pistol, thompson machine gun, some others and of course a flamethrower. meek smile) But I make video games for a living, so it was called 'research' (no, seriously... we recorded everything). smile

I do know three peopel that have had thier lives saved by having a weapon at a particular moment though, so I am biased. *8)

"sorry fellas, nothing personal. i just felt i had to comment on the conflation of self-deprecating screen names or whatever they're called."

No offense taken Jon ;-)

You may have figured it out by now (I'm 90% sure JoAnn has), I am Syngas.

A little while back, Leftbanker told me if I were commenting at a conservative blog, I'd be just another right-wing asshat. I wasn't sure what an asshat was, so he told me. I thought it was funny, and so did JoAnn because she went on to refer to me as asshat on a later thread.

I'll probably go back to Syngas after a while, but for now, asshat is more fun.

My nickname in high school was Wheezy because of my asthma and Captain Space because I daydreamed a lot. It started out as an insult but I found that by embracing them, I gained far more acceptance and friendship than I would have if I it let it bother me.

i could work with capt. space. i was uncle buzz in high school. and yes, i suspected, i saw the "asshat" exchange.

full disclosure re: the gun issue. i taught riflery at a summer camp one summer (just because i more or less grew up with guns around, and was a good shot) and have carried automatic weapons as part of "neighborhood watch" type deals, israeli settlement style.

i hate the fucking things. i mean the automatic ones. don't trust 'em, or the people who, outside of a military context, like them or want them in the house. you click that "safety" one click too far and you and maybe a lot of other people will regret your mistake-or intention.

I think the Captain Space name came from a song by Disneyland After Dark. I don't remember ever hearing the song, but my teammates assured me it applied to me.

But I make video games for a living, so it was called 'research'

Anything I might have played?

i mean the automatic ones. don't trust 'em, or the people who, outside of a military context, like them or want them in the house. you click that "safety" one click too far and you and maybe a lot of other people will regret your mistake-or intention.

It's not an atom bomb, you do have to load cock and pull the triggger too. No doubt a dangerous toy to have around.

First, the "militias" mentioned in the 2nd amendment were not groups who wanted to overthrow the government, and there is no clause in the constitution that was intended to guarantee a right to arms for the express purpose of overthrowing a government. The "militias" were groups banded together at the state level before we had a fully regularized national military, and they did indeed fight in the revolutionary war--against the British.

full disclosure re: the gun issue. i taught riflery at a summer camp one summer (just because i more or less grew up with guns around, and was a good shot) and have carried automatic weapons as part of "neighborhood watch" type deals, israeli settlement style.

Jonathan, I did not mean to make a general statement about gun ownership but about the way the second amendment is used in the U.S. context, where I think it is at best an anachronism. I did not mean to imply there may be situations, in other countries, where it makes sense to own a gun, while acknowledging the dangers.

It's not an atom bomb

lol. right, i don't keep atom bombs in the house anymore either. child proof, that's my motto.

i do, however, own a telecaster, with which i can do everything from annoy the neighbors to wreaking untold havoc on an acre or so. :)

adam, i agree with you on your interpretation of the 2nd ammendment, and question the logical abilities, historical knowledge and maybe sanity of anyone who disagrees.

i just think with the current "facts on the ground" it should be easier to get assault rifles out of the hands of the zombie attack paranoids than to get the pistols out of the hands of joe homeowner. even though, as i said, i don't think joe homeowners right to self defense with his own gun is "enshrined" in the bill of rights.