until election day. You and I need to get bsuy before then, here is an example of why:
I would like to see a political party out there that agrees with me on the issues of our day, heck even one that agrees with me as to what constitutes the issues. I can say without a doubt that said party is not the Democratic Party, not by a long shot. Then again, I can also say, with some regret that it is not the Republican Party either. I have looked at the so called third parties, but those at which I have looked over the year all seem to be full of bigger kooks than those in the two mainstream parties. I guess the only one that truly comes close to be a viable political party of any merit is the Libertarian party, but as I pointed, there is a kook alert as regards third parties.
I would like to find a candidate for whom to vote, one who pretty much agrees with the way I see things on the issues. Again this seems to be a rather difficult thing especially here in New York, just outside of New York City. While I may have some pretty liberal ideas about some issues, I am much more conservative on others, probably so much so as to be called one who leans heavily to the right on those other issues.
Looks like there are not many, though I would vote for Tancredo if he ran for the presidency in 2008; but we are talking the current elections here, and I do not get a great choice in NYS.
Although I may be considered somewhat liberal on some issues, and fairly conservative on a greater number of issues than those on which I may be considered to the left (and on those I am fairly moderate not a leftist screaming loony), and even again I may be considered fairly far right on a select number of issues, I do not consider myself to be a middle of the road moderate, nor an extremist in anyway.
What I do consider myself to be is one who can look at an issue without the haze of any party affiliation getting in my way (though I am registered Republican now, for the great majority of my voting years I was an Independent, and I probably will give up my party affiliation once I figure out how to do it, maybe this year at the polling place they can give me the info). Back to the points, one of which is pretty much voting sensibly, even across party lines if need be, the other of which is to affect the politicians (both left and right) who are in office, and who aspire to office, to try to get things done the way I, and you, believe they should be done.
In order to vote sensibly, which is how I try to vote, one has to look at the issues before the voters. There are usually lots of issues flying around at election time, and it can get confusing what with the political ads, the media slants, and all the talk you hear wherever you hear it. Besides all of that, there are the issues that the politicians, media, and others would prefer that you do not consider during an election, ones they hope you will forget.
Let me give you an example of this last point.
Recently the Congress approved a 750 mile, or so, stretch of fence to be erected along our southern border to help stave off the flow of illegal aliens who enter the USA from Mexico. For months, heck for well over a year, Immigration, and illegal aliens, have been big in the news. Besides the amazing amount of illegals here who are taking our jobs, our tax dollars, and our services away from us (this is not rhetoric either, this is now proven fact), border security was made so much more relevant to each and everyone of us because of the chances of terrorists being able to illegally enter the USA from Mexico. As illegal entry of aliens into the US worked its way up to a high priority problem in the eyes of the nation, certain politicians wanted us to see it as a crime that leads to more crimes, and to depletion of our resources. Other politicians wanted us to see it as the desperate but noble struggle of those less fortunate who would come here to better their lives. Others wanted us to see the illegals, virtually all 12 million of them as folks who should be allowed to become US citizens and enjoy all the benefits of those others who have immigrated here legally after years of having waited to do so. Others just wanted us to deport or remove (there is a vast difference legally) them all. Others wanted us to see them as they who would re-conquer California and the southwestern USA.
The important thing to notice, and I am sure you noticed this as all of this was going on, is that the politicians were just trying to deflect the actual will of the people of the USA in order to fulfill their own political agendas and contracts. While the House of Representatives consistently voted for a fairly strong Immigration reform bill, the Senate consistently voted it down. This went across party lines in many instances, it was amazing. Yet when you came right down to it, they who most opposed the stronger Immigration laws, they who opposed tighter border security, they who most vociferously opposed removing the illegals from the US, were those of the ultra left such as Senator Ted Kennedy, Senator Charles Schumer, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, and others. Of course there were some on the right who also opposed this such as the president George W. Bush! As I said it went across party lines.
Remember though what I already pointed out as important, the politicians were deflecting, or maybe just ignoring, the will of the people. It was apparent in poll after poll, that the people of the United States of America, as in We The People, the U.S. Citizens, the legal resident aliens who immigrated here legally, were for the great majority of the same frame of mind. That frame of mind was that the illegals have got to go, and that border security has got to be tightened. Finally after months of being hammered by the press, AND BY REGULAR PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND I VIA EMAIL, TELEPHONE CALLS, AND REGULAR MAIL, the politicians who opposed tighter border security, at least many of them, changed their votes and voted for the border fence.
As soon as they did so, what happened? They got on the band wagon to tell you how wonderfully American they were by having voted for the fence. Why is that do you think? Sure I know that you know just as I do. It was to snag your votes in the upcoming elections this November 7. Now this is where I get to that part I talked about above about which you may have forgotten, or at least about which you may think I have forgotten, that whole thing about issues which the politicians hope you will not consider during an election, those things they hope you just don’t see, or that they hope you will forget.
I have to wonder, do they think we are stupid? I guess so. The reason I say this is because while the Senate turned its vote around and finally voted to erect the 750, or so, stretch of border fence on our southern border, they apparently forgot to do something. Maybe the House of Representatives, those guys who voted for the fence all along also forgot the same thing, though I tend to doubt it. The thing it seems that was forgotten regarding the building of this grand border fence was the funding for it! Isn’t that hilarious? No not really; in fact I think it is pretty shameful. I think it is shameful because I believe it to have been done purposefully. This way the senators who changed their votes wind up looking strong on border security. Since this was such a big issue, and since it apparently still will play big in the elections, they tried to put a slant on it to help themselves while really doing nothing on the issue. They help themselves by looking strong, when in fact they maintain their status quo among they who opposed the fence by having accomplished nothing toward actually building that fence. Why, because the fence is never going to be a reality unless it gets paid for!
This helps them because you, the legal voter, winds up thinking, ‘hey you know I was going to vote for the other guy’ but now I see my regular guy has turned around and seen the light on immigration reform. You think he is a flexible guy who can vote across party lines for the defense of our nation. You decide to vote for him, instead of the other guy who had been a diehard immigration reform guy all along. I lose, you lose, we all lose if the nasty sly foxes who tricked us like this win. They will only do it again and again and again, much as they have for years. Try to vote for guys who don’t do this underhanded type of thing. Yeah I know that will be very tough, but there is something easier to do about getting things done right even by the likes of them.
What you and I need to do, and do now, is to contact our elected representatives in the Congress, and then demand that they enact legislation to pay for the border fence before November 7. Now this they will never be able to do so, or so you may think. I think there is a good chance that funding for the fence could get approved if over the next week they received thousands of emails, phone calls and letters demanding such. It was amazing, how quickly the vote turned around in the Senate from massively opposing the fence, to massively supporting it, it happened overnight once the pressure got too tough. I guess the tough thing is not having them change their votes, the tough thing is getting the pressure to bear down on them enough. Don’t just contact them either, but be sure to contact those who are running and are not incumbents so they know what to expect if they are elected.
My little rant here will certainly not get that pressure percolating; but it may be a help. The few of you who read this can be a further help. Write to your senators and congressmen/women. Tell them you want the fence funded and you want the funding approved before the election. Heck, you don’t have to vote for them if they approve the funding, you don’t even have to make it sound as if you will; then again, you can always make it sound as if your vote for them depends on this one issue. You will see a change if enough of us do it. I will, just as I wrote time and time again before, and yes they do pay attention to email, they have joined the 20th century at least, if not the 21st.
Again though, as I said, my rant will do little except maybe in the case of my few readers. Here though is where you guys can really help. Once you read this, if you agree, then get the message out to others and get them to contact their elected representatives too. The more the merrier. Who knows, since every little bit helps, it may work if we do our part.
This works not only on issues like illegal aliens, border security, and immigration reform; but it will also work on the assuring we strengthen our Right to Keep and Bear Arms, tax reform (and I sure do not mean more taxes), stem cell research (and I sure do mean more of it, but only using cells they are not from aborted fetuses, though I am not necessarily anti-abortion in all cases), pulling out of the United Nations, supporting and strengthening the war against terrorism, ending NAFTA, strengthening our economy, and so on.
No, no one will ever agree with me on all the issues, and I will not agree with them on all the issues; but things like our Nation’s security have go to be at the forefront, and those recent polls show we
almost all agree on that one. Now send the message to your politicians, get that fence funded. Take part in the process other than just by casting a vote.
Who knows, maybe this tactic will work, heavens know that many others have failed me over the years. Yes, I have gotten deer, enough to keep me hopeful that I will score again. No blogging later today, nothing tomorrow, and maybe nothing on Sunday, at least until Sunday night. Sadly my son will not be coming with me for the openning day. He will go next weekend though, and I am hopeful he will score his first deer on his first deer hunt.
It was not any written content that fit those traits, but rather a photograph in the email. There was no copyright, and there were no credits, dates, names, web addresses or anything else associated with the picture; so I decided I would use it here. If I find out someone owns the rights to it, I will credit them appropriately or remove it from this site as he or she or they desire. For now though, here it is.
This little rifle may not look like much when you see this picture; but let me tell you it is GREAT. First of all I got it at a song of a price via an auction on GunBroker.com. I may have even given the 'buy it now' price instead of bidding, I cannot recall, but whatever I paid I do remember it was well below book value. Of course, that had me a bit concerned because you often get just for what you paid. In this case though I spent less than I should have for such a fine piece of Remington quality.
in that if ejects from the bottom of the receiver. The first time I shot it, I had a number of small scratches and burns where shell casings hit my wrist, so I quickly learned how to hold it so that would not happen again. Then again I am forgetful so it happens again now and then. No big deal but it takes some getting used to. The bolt operating handle is also at the bottom of the receiver.
Yes I think this one picture does achieve some level of justice, not enough for Kerry though, whom I believe should have to go to IraK, and even Afghanistan, to apologize in person. Though it certainly does show just how intelligent our military personnel can be if only because it takes wit to be humorous, and it takes intelligence to be witty. It also takes a certain amount of good taste to do this in a truly funny way without pushing the point way to far. My hat goes off to all of our brave service personnel, but I also bow to these brave eight for their accomplishment in the face of unwarranted criticism from the likes of John Kerry.
This pistol, the one in the pic, is the one that helped get me the moniker of Ballseye; yes the actual one indeed. The Beretta 92SB, was the precursor of the Beretta 92F series or the Beretta M9 (military speak for this gun).
