Sighting-In: Adjustments for Trajectory

When I first decided to create this blog, I'd had every intention of changing my formal affiliation from Independent to Republican and getting my apathetic @$$ more involved in party reform. Unfortunately, as I watch things continue to unfold, I'm no longer so sure there is anything worth saving.

More and more, I see the party leadership continue to betray its base and really show itself as only the flip-side of the same dysfunctional coin.

I think Ace also has a related, interesting point in his post On Hope and Change and Winning Elections:

Here's the political problem with the GOP: They can take all the polls they like, and compose all the spreadsheets they can, and can have expert consultants (Caveat: consultants are not experts in anything except consultation) type up white papers explaining all the reasons the base can't have what the base wishes to have.

But at the end of the day, people need Hope that things will actually Change if they undertake the efforts the party asks them to undertake.
...

No matter how clever you think your arguments are, and no matter how tight your statistical analysis is, if your strategy does not include some sort of pathway by which people can continue to cling to the illusion of Hope, it's an unsound strategy.

People will find such a pathway if it is permitted to exist at all. Just as people's minds naturally find patterns in unrelated events, people's minds are programmed by their Survival Instincts to find a pathway of hope.
...

I think this is where some of the anger is coming from: The GOP is not even permitting its True Believers to believe. It's not even leaving them the illusion of hope.

I don't think this is a sound strategy. You always have to let people believe. The GOP's analysis may be statistically sound, but it's psychologically infirm.

This is why the Tea Party continues to inspire passion while the GOP inspires little else but resignation. The Tea Party might be wrong about most things. I believe the GOP thinks they are wrong about most things, especially strategy. (And, honestly, the Tea Party's strategic thinking is not its strongest attribute.)
But one thing the Tea Party understands, on a gut level, is that there must be a sense of idealism and optimism about the future, and idea that things could change if we just make them change.

RTWT.

The further I go, the more damned I feel in trying to find any salvation in either of our well-established parties, the more atrophied and diminished I see our great republic becoming*, and the more libertarian I feel.

*I don't think we are too far off from witnessing the contemporary decline of the Roman Republic with our bread (unsustainable support for dependent masses), circuses (reality TV, vulgar sitcoms designed for their shock value rather than their message), and declining morals (although you could certainly call me a liberal on things like sex, I am against wanton promiscuity and the ongoing destruction of family units and all religious communities except for those considered the darling children du jour of the politically correct sheep).

Sighting-In: Yet Another Reason I Reject The Party of the Little Guy

Reading this article,Why are liberals so rude to the right? (H/T: Instapundit), made me think of a lot of encounters:

Liberals have no shame. A dinner guest in our home stood up at the table, clinked his wine glass and said, "It shows how stupid the American people are, they voted for Bush twice." He turned to me, smirking, and said, "I know you voted for him." A biochemist who had been too busy learning liberal doctrine instead of the basic manners of being a guest.

We also had dinner with a couple who spent the evening trashing Rudy Giulliani, claiming that the former mayor of New York had nothing to do with turning the city around, even though he took office in a crime-ridden city and stepped down when it was safe. It would have happened anyhow, they said. As we said goodnight in the driveway, one said with a grin, "We like you even if you are Republicans."

Upon proudly telling a good friend that I had just certified to teach NRA Basic Pistol, his immediate response was, "Oh, then I guess you'll be teaching the NRA's anti-Democrat agenda, as well." Thanks for the encouragement and way to sway me to your political side.

It really made me think back to an encounter my mother had during the 2004 election cycle.

She'd spent the morning back-road driving my sister, who no longer can drive and is terrified of highways, from Taunton into Boston for medical issues. She'd dropped Didda off at the entrance to the medical center and went out to find appropriate parking. Of course, my mom's ailing Rav-4 was sporting a Bush/Cheney 2004 bumper sticker.

As she was backing into a spot, she noticed a woman looking at her bumper sticker from the sidewalk. Steeling herself, my mom got out to feed the meter and the woman approached.

"I'm sure you don't mind that I spit on your sticker," she said.

My mom replied something along the lines of, "If that's what makes you happy, Toots."

The woman then proceeded to self-righteously lambast my mother as being some "...corporate wife, who's never had to work a day in her life!"

My mother was in her late 60s at the time, sported enough metal in one knee and shin to practically get her strip-searched by the TSA, raised 3 children (one of whom suffered a traumatic brain injury at age16, as a result of a nearly-blind elderly driver who never should've been on the road), helped put yours truly through college [note: I can never say thanks enough, mom & dad!], pretty much raised my sister's 3 children, continues to raise my sister in various ways, helps my eldest niece with the great-granddaughter, and continues to work as an ER nurse to this very day.

Look in the f#cking mirror, lady. Way to persuade my mom to your side of the argument, Toots.

Sighting-In: The "Ideologues" in Today's GOP (Or, Would Reagan Have Had a Place?)

Over at PJ Media, Rick Moran covers comments by Bob Dole to that effect:

Former Kansas senator and 1996 GOP candidate for President Bob Dole echoes a complaint from a lot of 1980′s era Republicans; the party has lurched too far to the right.

That the Republican party is more conservative today than it was 30 years ago is beyond dispute. Some might even argue that conservatism itself has been redefined to become far less inclusive, open minded, and tolerant than it was in Dole’s days as well.

But I think what Dole is really talking about is that today’s Republicans are simply too ideological; rigid, unyielding, and allowing passion to govern their intellects rather than logic and reason.

In a lot of ways it would appear to be that the "ideologues" have begun to hold the party hostage. I think, though, that the point is being missed by too many that this has become a legitimate response—a line in the sand, so to speak—by many who don't feel that we have to push ourselves further into the polarized right so much as begin to hold firm against too much:

• Cronyism;
• Placing the maintenance of the establishment over the common good;
• Lack of firm leadership and realistic adherence to common ideals; and,
• Excessive surrender of positions in a feckless guise of compromise (we keep giving half our cake while they offer nothing of similar value in return).

By its very nature, any act of drawing and holding to a set line or position is seen as extremist. It can be called by many things including, "making hard choices" and "tough love", depending on the circumstances.

I've always leaned Republican, as this has been the most viable party to realistically represent the more libertarian aspects of my nature. I'm not so sure anymore (although, by my previous posts, you've probably guessed one party I will not turn to with any consistency).

My issues aren't the horrors of Adam and Steve getting married and adopting pregnant teenager Eve's illegitimate baby. My issues are ensuring that said baby grows-up taken care of by a stable, loving household; has realistic access to good healthcare; goes to good, non-indoctrinating schools, where teachers educate based on merit and not union-enforced longevity; has the ability to seek good employment; and maintains the right to protect him/herself, family, friends, and community...

...And, all without a f#cking government, composed of nagging busybodies who all believe they know better than us, trying to intrude and dictate and regulate every minor aspect of this baby's life.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Sighting-In: Looking Downrange Towards Jindal 2016

Paul Mirengoff takes a little time for Appreciating Bobby Jindal over at Powerline:

Recently, Republicans have exhibited a fascination with the “flavor of the month” in presidential politics. Flavors have included Marco Rubio, Chris Christie, Herman Cain, and now Dr. Benjamin Carson.

The tendency towards such infatuation is understandable, especially given the Party’s tendency to nominate stale candidates like Robert Dole, John McCain, and (many would say) Mitt Romney. Unfortunately, though, a few speeches and appearances on conservative talk shows provide a dramatically insufficient basis for judging a person’s suitability for the presidency. We need to see a potential presidential candidate circle the track at least once before making such judgments.

...

Bobby Jindal was once a flavor of the month Republican. But now that he’s circling the track the second time, we’re in a better position to assess his leadership skills, his potential electoral appeal, and his conservative bona fides.

Overall, it's waaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too early to really start thinking about who may oppose Joe or Hillary in 2016; however, the one thing I do feel certain about, is that there will be no Ronnie to lead us out of the wilderness.

Sighting-In: Looking Downrange towards Christie 2016

I'll confess. I was a little bit enamored by Governor Christie when he first stormed onto the scene. That hasn't lasted for too long.

Now, we find out, courtesy of PJ Media's Bryan Preston, that In a conversation with a union leader, Christie allegedly made the jaw-dropping claim that he “probably” agrees with his Democratic New York counterpart on the vast majority of issues.

Gov. Cuomo II has just pushed a gun bill so sweeping and ill-considered that it put several law enforcement firearms outside the law. He is currently pushing an abortion bill that can best be described as radical. It’s pretty clear that Cuomo II is carrying water for the anti-gun activists on the one hand, and the abortion industry on the other. Does Chris Christie agree with him on these things, or do they happen to fall outside the 98% of stuff Christie and Cuomo II do agree on.

Late Night Thoughts: Why Blog? Why Write?

The Weewolfe had needed to go out. Unfortunately, it was right at what I usually consider bedtime and it turns out, she just wanted one last chance to romp in the fresh snow. No problems there, other than I came back to a house that felt too warm and couldn't sleep.

Wound-up reading some of the last posts available out there on my favorite blogs and doing a little research on handloads for .38 Special/.357.

As I perused several sites, blogs, and forums, this also got me thinking about that urge to write and the driving force to place so much time and energy into something that has a high likelihood of only being read by a few.

In the past, I've put such efforts into writing fiction [shameless self-promotion here or, for anachronists such as myself, here]. Focusing one's self into the dedication of time and thought to produce a 350-plus page book with limited readership should seem like the end-all of banging a creative head on the brick wall of futility and has certainly felt daunting at times.

So, you may ask, why go through this night-after-night, collecting thoughts and/or sharing online things that have impacted me over the course of a day—especially, when it's so easy to bank such strong expectations on only hearing the proverbial chirping of crickets?

Well, this verse from Anna Nalick's "Breathe (2 AM)" easily comes to mind:

2 AM and I'm still awake, writing a song
If I get it all down on paper, it's no longer inside of me,
Threatening the life it belongs to
And I feel like I'm naked in front of the crowd
Cause these words are my diary, screaming out loud
And I know that you'll use them, however you want to

This blog has been something I've wanted to do for a long time and finally found the overwhelming initiative to undertake after the 2012 elections. This is my chance to take all those thoughts, hopes, fears, sarcasm, and ire seething round the gray matter and bleed it off to see who may share similar thoughts or even open-up good discussions.

Although I may be more blunt and emphatic than in my everyday life, anything that I do say here I will not shirk from saying to anyone in person.

Initially, I'd hoped to focus more on general politics and sports and hunting and fishing; however, the events of December 14, 2012, and the looming backlash against gun owners has rather hijacked a lot of my focus. I am, afterall, a "Cold, Dead Fingers Second Amendmentist"—a key reason I moved away from Massachusetts and family after completing college—and, lately, this is my soapbox from which I will not go down quietly in defense of our constitutional rights. All of them.

I will not leave myself broken-souled for a lack of trying.

This is but one of many avenues down which I can strive to be seen, be heard, and stand firm.

This is my soapbox to get those thoughts outside of me and allow you, dear and precious reader, that opportunity to take them however you may want to.

Thanks for your ear!

Planting A Seed Of An Idea For Gun Owner Solidarity

I feel a little ghoulish even jumping on this so close to Friday; however, it needs to be done. We need to show our solidarity and, if you're reading and even partially agree with this, please forward it along to as many of your friends in the gun community as possible.

I'd originally thought about this as a potential response to send to our senators should the U.N. Small Arms Treaty have been (or still could be) moved forward; the point being to show our country just how many lawful and respectable gun owners are actually out there.

We are not a handful of red-necked hicks who throw lots of money at the NRA to do our dirty, gun industry-driven lobbying of pliable lawmakers for us. Perhaps, we could consider this a variation othe old "I'm the NRA" campaign from way back when?

The Idea:
A nation-wide show of solidarity by lawful gun owners. This would involve getting as many members of our community (and, remember, we are a community and not a "culture") to meet at the nation's capitol and our respective state capitol buildings at the same time on a given day.

The Possible Time:
Thursday, January 31, 2013. This should occur at exactly the same time across the country, so we could consider folks meeting in the Eastern timezone could meet at 2:00 pm, Central at 1:00 pm, Mountain 12:00 pm, Pacific 11:00 am, and Alaska 10:00 am.

It is extremely important that we show others that we are the respectable members of communities we know ourselves to be. The gun-control movement and media will be looking for any little slip-up to paint us with every negative possible. Remember how the Tea Party movement is continually treated. As such, I'd like to propose...

Some Possible Ground Rules:

1. Leave your political affiliations at the door. This is not a Democrat/Republican, liberal/conservative/libertarian thing. It is the gun community and, overall, it is a very big tent indeed.
2. Invite and encourage any of your congressmen, senators, state legislators, and municipal officials that you know are gun owners or otherwise sympathetic to gun ownership to attend.
3. No open carry. This is not the time or place to engage in "in your face" activism. If you such a strong need to fondle your gun in public, save it for the range. Think of how the media manipulated the footage of an African-American gentleman carrying his AR at a Tea Party Rally!
4. This is a gathering at the seats of our respective national and/or state capitols. Be aware of and respectful of the laws concerning concealed or any other form of carry on the premises and in the community at large. Plan to leave it either at home or otherwise safely locked-up.
5. This one's going to be more controversial and I am very open to alternatives: I recommend leaving off or minimizing the names of your favorite lobbying organizations. Hear me out. The point on this is to not give the antis any opportunity to paint us as puppets. We are anything but!
6. Keep any speeches, your overall language and, should you carry any, signs respectful.
7. Dress as the respectful citizens of our nation as we know ourselves to be.
8. If you feel the need to act like or otherwise portray yourself as the media's stereotypical portrayals of gun nuts, hicks, and bubbas, then stay home.
9. Finally: if you don't feel this is worthwhile or are otherwise unwilling (and, emphasis on unwilling) to participate, don't bother to gripe and complain at the next round of bans and other ridiculous regulation. You've effectively sealed your own lips and abrogated much of your rights.

Unfortunately, I won't be able to travel to D.C. myself; however, I do intend to show-up at the steps of the Capitol in Juneau, Alaska, at the appropriate day and time. I intend to even if I am there by myself. If you are interested in building this show of solidarity, I have established a specific email account, through which to start the first round of communications.

I can be reached to discuss and/or help coordinate this in any possible way at lawful_2a@yahoo.com.

Thank you!

Sighting-In: Letting the Barrel Cool

Taking a pause to make another confession amidst all the ranting and raving: back in my college, worshipping the almighty wisdom of Star Trek: TNG days, I fancied myself to be somewhat of what I've since learned was a trans-nationalist. Wouldn't a single identity have just been grand?

Good gravy, I actually thought the U.N. was something worthwhile (at least until things like Rwanda and Srebrenica occurred).

Yeah, please feel free to be sick. That was me in the early '90s.

That said, I'll leave you off with the lyrics of an appropriately idyllic little ditty:

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

 Words & music by John Lennon, brought to you courtesy of AZ Lyrics.

Sighting-In: The 4th Shot and Trying to Come Back on Target

It seems like I've been hearing all the right-leaning talking heads pine about who will be the next Reagan to lead the conservative cause going all the way back to before McCain was running against Obama in '08.

I've got some sad news for you, folks, President Reagan died June 5, 2004.

In getting back on track, keep it straight that there will never be another Ronald Regan. Ever!

I've got some more distressing news: Reagan never was part of the Good Ole Boys Network that seems to be running the GOP into Da Stoopid Partee these days.

Quit pining for the next Ronny. Quit holding all potential party leaders in his shadow.

Start seeking new blood and new ideas.

Yeah, I know, it's been said before. But, hey, this blog's my 2-cents and, you know what?

I don't think it's been said loud enough!

I  also don't think anyone's been willing to listen; instead, being more willing to curse the darkness rather than light the candle.

Sighting-In: the 2nd Shot from the Bench

I'm a good 11 days overdue from when I REALLY wanted to write this post. In retrospect, it's probably a good thing that I hadn't had the blog up and running. People who know me often don't realize I actually do have more than a touch of that cliched Irish temper. I've been pretty good at practicing something akin to the Buddhist "pause and breath", holding back for just a moment to put space around what has just triggered my emotions and allowing myself to cool down. It's probably kept me out of a lot of trouble throughout my 40-plus years.

Alaska being four hours behind the East Coast, I was watching an awful lot of the election results rolling-in, right there in prime time for me. Talk about losing your appetite for dinner!

Had I not had that enforced moment to "pause and breathe" as I reviewed the election results from the Scott Brown/Lizzie Warren race, I probably would've simply posted something aimed at those who either turned their backs or--especially-- those who entirely refused to show for Brown, along the lines of:

What the fuck were you thinking, you myopic morons?

Luckily, I've had time to cool down.

I'd followed Scott Brown's original campaign with a lot of excitement (and, dare I say, hope?) from up here in Alaska. It seemed miraculous that a [cue the sound of PDRM Party apparatchiks gagging--ed] Republican winning Ted's seat. Granted, I'd rate a PDRM Republican as somewhere equivalent to an Alaskan Democrat on the liberal-conservative spectrum; however, it seemed like the proles were finally waking-up and trying to leave the soviet. There appeared to be hope when it looked like we were plunging ever deeper...

I shared a lot of folk's trepidation when Senator Brown lived-up to his bipartisan promises, shall we say, a little more enthusiastically than most of us would've liked. I think he could've better picked a few battles and votes and I wholeheartedly agree he left many feeling like he may have turned his back on us.

You.Don't. Alienate.Your.Supporters!

I agree with feeling that you shouldn't continue to support someone who's left you feeling that all bets are off or has stabbed you in the back. Where I draw the line, though, is in refusing to show and letting the opposition run rough-shod. I can certainly understand doing this in cases where maybe the opponent was a worthwhile political investment but, come on folks, can you honestly say that about Fauxcahontus?

It was always "rumored" that a maternal great-grandfather of mine out in western Mass was native: he was left on a doorstep for adoption and was described as "looking like an indian and walking like an indian." My now Senator-elect Warren's genealogical analysis, I guess that should make me one-somethingorotherish part Native American and eligible for all that entails.

And. let's not forget her law practice. Professor Jacobson has done a phenomenal amount of research and expose in this matter and I would recommend checking out his articles over at his Legal Insurrection blog. As kind of a quick summary:

Warren represented not just Travelers, but numerous other companies starting in the late 1990s working out of and using her Harvard Law School office in Cambridge, which she listed as her office of record on briefs filed with various courts.  Warren, however, never has been licensed to practice law in Massachusetts.

Check him out. Good job, Professor Jacobson, Wish I could say more for PDRM voters.

I can understand this of the mindless Party proles.

If faced with an incumbent you can no longer support and, an ascending opponent that provides no viable options, you get out there and get involved. Volunteer with a party (more about that in a separate article, yet to come), get involved with organizing the base, and work it out in the primaries.

Don't.Refuse.To.Show. Silence is assent. If you don't participate, you can't complain. Falling into that later category, I think you can pretty well tell my opinion.

Luckily, I've calmed down a bit since the night of November 7th. And, in writing this article now, I can more politely rephrase my earlier knee-jerk reaction and summarize it as:

How could you be so selfish and misdirected, you myopic morons?

It's not just Massachusetts that I feel this attitude. I'm feeling it towards elements on the national stage, who may not have turned out because Romney wasn't X, Y, or Z enough. 

Don't disengage. Get active.

Sighting-In: The 1st Shot from the Bench

Um, yeah, okay...

As I get this thing up and running, all that I have to say for my first post is the fact that Massachusetts elected Lizzie Warren to the senate speaks volumes as to why I've considered myself an ex-pat from the People's Democratic Republic for the past 18-plus years.