(Politics) Anti-Government Tip Lines, Political Unrest, and Armed Revolutions?

Amid the recent tragedies the past couple years – Newtown, Aurora, Boston – tensions concerning security have never been higher in the United States. Notwithstanding many terror threats that have led to increased security, the creation of the TSA, and numerous other government programs, it seems that the threat of terrorism never seems to cease. Nevertheless, many Americans are skeptical of such events which have led to a growing opposition of the current administration, the encroachment on civil liberties, and namely, the entire U.S. Government as a whole.

In fact, a recent Public Mind poll by Fairleigh Dickenson University reported that 29% of voting Americans favor an armed uprising against the United States government, and see such a revolution to be an ominous necessity. With the nail hammered in the coffin with the re-signing of the NDAA, PIPA, SOPA, and just recently CISPA, it seems the current administration is busy – they are actively engaged in slowly winnowing away at basic inalienable rights that are guaranteed to all citizens by the Bill of Rights. Although there is much politicking, as peace, security, and safety are continually being promised to American citizens, it seems everything coming from Washington is nothing more than hot air. Deceptively hot, in fact.

Moreover, a recent proposal in the Florida House and Senate had budgeted a million dollars for a new “prevention intervention” anonymous tip line. The project, which would be headed up by Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, is being designed to avoid future disasters such as Newtown and Aurora. Although the security tip line is supposed to grab the powder kegs before they explode, the spirit of the program is not different from the Red Scare and McCarthyism through the Cold War, or the National Socialist laws mandating it a requirement to report suspected neighbors that were anti-government or Jewish sympathizers. “We want people to call us if they guy down the street says he hates the government,” stated Sheriff Bradshaw, as he is encouraging local citizens to “report their neighbors, friends, or family.”

Although the proposal can still be rejected by the Governor, Rick Scott, who has power of the line-item veto, the very idea has many citizens in an uproar with various privacy concerns. Furthermore, the actual man-power to regulate such a passed proposal has not been allotted as there may not even be enough police on the force to deal with all such tips and complaints coming through the hotline. Nevertheless, these are all details which Sheriff Bradshaw is working through as of now. Regardless of the complaints, other locals see the benefit of such a security precaution and are applauding the government for such a valiant proposal. 

Although concerns about funding have been raised, namely, by Bob Sharp, CEO of the Florida Council for Community and Mental Health, the proposal certainly has the support by key necessary individuals: such a practical idea might prove to be highly effective, and is at the bottom line, harmless. “Does it hurt,” Bradshaw concluded, “to have somebody knock on a door and [simply] ask, ‘Hey is everything OK?’ “

The Carnage Report // http://thecarnagereport.blogspot.com // 2013

Brent McCulley on Twitter // http://twitter.com/brentthewalrus

Notes

[1] Poll: 29% of Registered Voters Believe Armed Revolution Might Be Necessary in Next Few Years. http://cnsnews.com/blog/gregory-gwyn-williams-jr/poll-29-registered-voters-believe-armed-revolution-might-be-necessary

[2] Palm Beach County sheriff gets $1 million for violence prevention unit amid questions about civil liberties, care for mentally ill. http://www.mypalmbeachpost.com/news/news/state-regional-govt-politics/bradshaw-gets-1-million-for-violence-prevention-un/nXbs4/

 

 

(Politics) “Mansanto protection act” and assault weapons ban abandonment: two examples of why Americans have no faith in their political class

Congress has long been one of the most unpopular political bodies in the free world and in the last few weeks, it has earned it’s status as the body dropped the assault weapons bill and effectively gave a corporation a bye from reprimand should it’s products harm the American public .

There has much made of the fact of how beholden America’s political class is to the interest of big business to the detriment of their fellow citizens, but the actual protection of corporation from reprimand  if it’s products have adverse effects on the public’s health has to be one of the most shocking instances yet.

In an eager rush to get a funding bill passed or face a government shutdown, President Barack Obama signed the bill that had “language” that “effectively bars federal courts from being able to halt the sale or planting of GMO of GE crops and seeds, no matter what the health consequences from the consumption of these products”[1].

Food safety advocacy groups  have made their disgust for this bill clear as it serves as a major “gift to Monsanto Company (NYSE:MON) and other firms that produce genetically modified organisms (GMOs) or genetically engineered (GE) seeds and crops.”[2].They expected their government would be cognizant enough to spot devious ‘language’ buried in legalese but, no surprise to anybody paying attention over the last five years,  the public interest is the last thing on the minds of members of  it’s political class.

It’s safe to say that the US public are aware that their political leaders could care less about the public interest as congress’s approval rating, according to public policy polling, is only a shade more popular than  “Lindsay Lohan, the Ebola virus, the Kardashians and North Korea” and is bested by “Genghis Khan”[3].

Any dissenting doubt of this fact was quashed just several days before the Monsanto debacle as Senate majority leader Harry Reid publicly gave up on the assault weapons ban citing a lack of votes for the measure.  However this should be no shock to anybody as democrats already gave up on passing an assault weapon ban a month in advance.  Contrast the difficulties of getting votes for a assault weapons ban in the wake of multiple mass shooting s including the tragic events that took place in new town and the near consensus in both houses to protect Monsanto form legal reprimand goes to show where congress priorities lie. 

In sum, it has not been a very good week for congress as the body has shown why it is one of the most unpopular democratic bodies in the free world as it dropped the assault weapon ban in the face of  a number of tragic mass shooting and granted immunity for a corporation which goes to show that the political class are beholden to anything but the public interest.

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[1] C. A. Sheets, 2013, Farmers and food safety advocates lead Monsanto blacklash, http://www.salon.com/2013/03/27/farmers_and_food_safety_advocates_lead_monsanto_backlash_partner/

[2] Ibid

[3] J. Stephens, 2013, Congress Approval Rating Lower Than Cockroaches, Genghis Khan And Nickleback, Poll  finds,  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/08/congress-approval-rating-nickelback-cockroaches_n_2435601.html

(Politics) Leslie Graham on gun bill: Why Republicans are about to square up against 90% of the country

Republicans have gained a well-earned reputation of  being the ‘party of no’  to its detriment and with South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham stating his opposition to universal background checks , it may be become terminal.

Graham and indeed the GOP voting or filibustering universal background checks represents bad political strategy and near assured political suicide as according to a poll carried out by CBS and the New York Times, “ninety-two percent of Americans favour background checks for all potential gun buyers”[1]. The support for universal background checks is widespread crossing “party lines” as  “89 percent of Republicans and 93 percent of Democrats and independents were in favor, as well as 93 percent of gun households and 85 percent of those living in a household with a member of the National Rifle Association.”[2]

There is rarely, if ever, this extent of agreement on any issue in American politics or anywhere else in the world but the GOP look set to fight the Democrats and indeed the nation as universal background checks will be part of a gun bill to be introduced to the senate this month a number of Republicans have already stated their intent to oppose.

Graham stated the reason behind his opposition to the widely popular gun control measure on CNN citing that he thought that current laws in place were not being “enforced” thus the introduction of new laws buffering them would be unnecessary[3]. Graham also revealed his preference for further debate regarding “improving the system” but in light of pain still fresh from the sandy hook massacre that took place at the tail end of last year, many feel the time for talk has met the water’s edge of substantial legislative action[4].

While Gun control legislation will grip Washington this month, the larger debate that will have to take place is why a major political party is prepared to take on over ninety percent of Americans and answer is simple, there is a lot of money to be made in the sale and distribution of guns.

With the US gun industry being worth $33 billion and the employer of an incredible 220,000 Americans, Guns are going nowhere anytime soon as along as it has a demand so high the world’s largest gun manufacturer (United States) has to import guns to meet it[5]. If these numbers weren’t enough spell out why the GOP are prepared to stand against the whole country is that guns are more cultural artefact than anything else. It is hard to imagine an America were guns are properly regulated as even supporters of a gun control solution own guns as well as their opponents.

In sum, while Republicans will be committing political suicide by squaring up against the democrats and the majority of the country on universal background checks, The GOP can take solace in the fact that the proliferation of guns in America will continue whether they are against gun control or not.

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[1] S.Dutton et al, 2013,  9 in 10 back universal gun background checks, http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-34222_162-57564386-10391739/9-in-10-back-universal-gun-background-checks/

[2] Ibid

[3] J.Easely, 2013, Graham:senate gun bill ‘going nowhere’,

 http://thehill.com/video/senate/291103-graham-senate-dems-gun-bill-going-nowhere

[4] Ibid

[5] G. Hall, 2013,  Stubborn Facts: The Gun Industry employs twice as many Americans as GM (and that’s just the beginning), http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/03/26/nr-draft-how-important-are-guns-to-the-u-s-economy-for-starters-the-firearms-industry-employs-twice-as-many-americans-as-bailed-out-gm/

(Politics) Assault Weapons Ban: Democrats give up on Assault weapons ban

(Video) Dick Cheney: Who You Don't Ask When You Want A Reasoned Opinion Against Gun Control

(Video) Stay classy: Pro Gun advocates Heckle father of sandy hook massacre victim

(Video) Obama Gun Control statement: A War is a' Coming

President Obama lays out his plan for gun control at White house press conference.

(Opinion) Obama Inauguration: Second term prospects for Obama's policy success

While there is a lot of speculation about what President Obama’s second term will look like, it would be easy to argue is going to look pretty much like his first. Obama will do little about changing the United States drone policy or curbing the war on terror despite its destructive outcomes (and what looks set to escalate in the in light of the hostage tragedy in Algeria) or climate change as he can’t discuss climate change Republican party, who have many members in congress and among the rank and file who don’t believe it’s happening and think it’s a hoax.

Due to the tragedy at took place in Newtown, will have a an ugly fight with NRA and the Republicans in getting legislation through congress telling from the already ugly tone gun control  debate has taken already. The NRA, free of shame, went after the children of the President citing the false discrepancy between the protection his children get and opting not to put armed guards at every at school across the country as if the President and indeed his children are not the best targets for kidnapping or murder for any group looking hurt the country.  

It will be a draining but necessary fight but Obama, if he gets something done, will have some political capital to spend, and it is vital that he spends it trying to get to a jobs bill through congress.

While his election served as the first black swan against the maxim that presidents don’t get a second term in a bad economy, the Obama campaign were really successful at destroying Mitt Romney’s simple message of ‘are you better than you were four years ago’ by launching a successful character assassination against it messenger by portraying him as an aloof and cold-hearted plutocrat who could care less about the plights of working people.

There was no real talk about jobs as Obama has done very little about tackling America’s unemployment rate and in the recent negotiations preceding the media and congress created ‘fiscal cliff’, which would have saw the much despised bush era tax cuts expire, Obama saw to it that the tax cut hated by most of his party are now permanent in exchange for an small rise in the tax rate.

Obama will get somewhere in the almost certain fight about immigration as Republicans have woken up to the reality that the public is to the left on many of the social and cultural issues that plague the country.  He will get a lot of movement in getting the Dream Act passed and getting currently undocumented immigrants on a track leading to citizenship.

In sum, Obama Inauguration will be a joyous occasion as Americans will once again  bears witness to an African American taking the oath of office and also for all who love lofty speeches and the choreography of  American Politics in general. However when the music and the celebrations dampen, there is a great chance of Obama proving once and for all the trends of all politics is continuity, not change. 

(Opinion) Sandy Hook Massacre: Gun Control Legislation Cannot Be Denied Any Longer

This article will not recount the horror and carnage that took place on Friday December 14^th as the events that transpired on that day are seared into the collective American consciousness and beyond. What this article will address in length is the reaction to such a tragedy as all that can be done now is to remember and bury the 20 children and 7 adults who perished and do everything possible to make such an act doesn’t happen again.  

President Obama has accomplished much in his four years in office, he has made sure women are paid the same amount as men for the same work, he has rid this world of the menace of Osama Bin Laden and a played a large role in saving the American automotive industry but has been disappointingly silent on the need for gun control.

Gun control is a difficult issue to negotiate for democrats and republicans as the democrats appear not have to have the stomach for a showdown with the powerful and influential gun lobby and the republicans operate as wholly owned subsidiary of it. However after the Sandy Hook Massacre, such excuses will not quell the ground swell across the nation calling for something to be done on guns.

Political expediency is no excuse to do nothing in the face of great tragedy, while this not the first mass shooting the president has done little to combat, with the death of  27 people, most of which were children, president Obama surely does not want to be known as the president who did nothing in response to the cold blooded murder of 27 American citizens.

The president has had the opportunity to address prevalence of guns in American society but has shirked the opportunity to act or even comment at any length on the need for gun control. Four major mass shootings have taken place under Obama’s Presidency, which is, obviously four too many. He must do everything to prevent there being a fifth tragedy, making inaction an national travesty and personal shame on the president as he, through doing nothing reneges on his first duty as president of the united states, keep his fellow citizens safe from all threats foreign and domestic.  

Obama must take on the powerful gun lobby and pro-gun republicans in coming up with smart and needed gun control legislation starting with a ban on assault rifles and automatic weapons as such weapons have only one function: to kill and maim whatever and whoever they are aimed at.

In conclusion, there are no excuses for the Obama Whitehouse and congress not acting on putting together reasonable gun control legislation in the face of unspeakable horror and pain simply because time, the American people will except nothing less than bold action, the price for the failure to act will serve as a vindication of why political institutions in America are hated by it citizens. It will also be a personal shame on a president who promised so much back in 2008 who would been seen by fellow citizens to have reneged on his highest duty as president above all else; to keep fellow Americans safe.              

(Video) Mike Huckabee: God and Guns

(Video) President Obama Response to Sandy Hook Massacre: No More Excuses

The Young Turks give their take on Obama tearful reaction to the Sandy Hook Massacre.