Togetherness

On: By: admin

I have said before if the Senate Democrats put their egos aside, they would control the upper chamber and that would be the end of the Republicans. With Trump in office there is increasing pressure for the mainline Democrats and IDC to kiss and make up:

“… Members of the rogue Independent Democratic Conference in the New York State Senate are finally feeling the heat for cozying up to Republicans, as heightened awareness of the fragility of progressive policy gains has New Yorkers demanding bold action from local legislators … Since it first formed in 2010, the IDC has been the object of enormous frustration for mainline Democrats, who have consistently argued that it has only bolstered the power of what has long been a narrow Republican majority in the Senate …”

This is true.

It’s also true that enough Democrats including Governor Cuomo want it this way because the mainline conference is full of clowns.

Diane Savino says if the Democrats want unity they need real leadership:

“… “If the Democrats really wanted to unite the Senate Democratic Conference they would make Jeff Klein the chair,” said Savino, one of the IDC founding members.. “He is the only one who knows how to raise money, has chips to negotiate with the Assembly, Senate and the governor, has the legislative track record that rivals anybody in public office, and knows how to protect marginal members and win races. Over and over city members felt that city issues were more important and put the rural and suburban members at risk … They [Senate Democratic Conference] are dismissive of areas even in the city like Staten Island where I come from. They make like we should be cut off and float away to the sea. And they’re that way to South Brooklyn, too,” she added …”

This is true.

It’s also true that Klein & Company are almost as bad as the mainline Democrats in this regard pushing gun control crap like microstamping, then the SAFE Act, which are wildly unpopular outside the City and have negligible real support in the City.

This bears watching to see if something like reciprocity becoming law pushes the state Democrats together.

Cultural Libertarianism and Gun Culture 2.0

On: By: admin

A few years back the term “Gun Culture 2.0” started to appear basically to describe the new generation of gun owners. I think it is part of a broader shift towards cultural libertarianism that can be seen in how antigun activists are now treated by gunnies. Twenty years ago they were viewed as simply being ignorant about guns, but through education could come over to our side. Now they are routinely mocked and laughed at with #ShannonWattsTantrum being a good example.

Here is a video by Paul Joseph Watson describing how conservatism/cultural libertarianism, which Gun Culture 2.0 is a subset of, has become the new counter-culture to the progressive/gun control establishment:

Let’s make a deal

On: By: admin

Mark Cuban suggests Senate Democrats try to make a deal with Trump over Neil Gorsuch:


This is one of the reasons I didn’t vote for Trump, the possibility of him cutting deals because he lacks a philosophic commitment to limited government. I don’t see that happening right now for a couple of reasons:

  1. Democrats have not yet come to grips as to why Hillary lost.
  2. The leftwing base is going apeshit and would not tolerate any sort of deal.
  3. Trump is pissed at Democrats for obstructing his cabinet appointments.

This being said, depending upon how the political winds blow, I would not rule out either the Democrats or Trump deal-making should there be another opening on SCOTUS.

More motivation for reciprocity

On: By: admin

The latest outrage:

I’ve had a non-resident CT license for years. There’s no way I’m paying this.

Surprise from ATF

On: By: admin

The #2 official at ATF has written a proposal to reduce gun regulations, including removing silencers from the NFA.

It isn’t an official position statement by the ATF, just one persons opinion, but it should be helpful in generating support for the Hearing Protection Act of 2017, H.R. 367.

The bill now has two local sponsors with Lee Zeldin adding his name last week.

House votes to revoke Obama gun rule

On: By: admin

The House voted yesterday to revoke a rule put in place by the Obama administration last year banning certain Social Security recipients who use a representative payee from owning firearms.

The New York contingent voted as follows:  All the Democrats except Nydia Velazquez who was excused along with Republicans Dan Donovon and Pete King voted NO.  All the other Republicans voted YES.

Bill numbers are H.J. Res 40 and S.J. Res 14.

 

Trump nominates Gorsuch to SCOTUS

On: By: admin

The Donald nominated Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court.

While he has not directly ruled on a Second Amendment case, he has made supportive statements in the past.

Bloomberg’s proxy Everytown has started a petition asking Senators grill Gorsuch on gun control.

The Left is losing their collective minds over the nomination and pretty much everything else Trump has done thus far.  Most amusing was the several thousand protestors gathered outside Chuck Schumer’s apartment chanting, “What the fuck, Chuck?!”  The Post was extremely helpful in printing his home address.

H.R. 367

On: By: admin

H.R. 367, the Hearing Protection Act of 2017 has picked up one co-sponsor from New York, Rep. Chris Collins.

Senate companion is S. 59.

SCOTUS nomination coming

On: By: admin

The Donald has announced that he will naming his Supreme Court nominee next week.

Time has a list of his supposed top three contenders.  Of note is Thomas Hardiman:

“… Hardiman is known for protecting gun rights and taking an originalist approach to Second Amendment cases. In Drake v. Filko, which challenged a New Jersey law saying someone seeking a permit must show a “justifiable need” for a gun, Hardiman dissented against the ruling for the state. “Those who drafted and ratified the Second Amendment were undoubtedly aware that the right they were establishing carried a risk of misuse, and States have considerable latitude to regulate the exercise of the right in ways that will minimize that risk,” Hardiman wrote in his dissent. “But States may not seek to reduce the danger by curtailing the right itself.” Much of his dissent was based on the Supreme Court case District of Columbia v. Heller, which is a landmark case on gun rights and arguably Justice Scalia’s most famous majority opinion …”

Newsweek reports 7th Circuit Justice Diane Sykes is also a finalist. On guns:

“… Judge Diane Sykes … wrote a decision striking down a Chicago gun law. The decision found several city ordinances governing shooting ranges unconstitutional, according to the official opinion released Wednesday. Among other regulations, the city banned individuals under 18 from commercial ranges, and restricted their operation to manufacturing districts. Sykes wrote the opinion striking down the regulatory regime …”

Another one is Colorado Supreme Court Justice Allison Eid:

“… Among the judges he may be considering is Colorado Supreme Court Justice Allison H. Eid, who in 2012 wrote the unanimous opinion striking down a ban on licensed concealed handguns at the University of Colorado Denver. The ruling was in a lawsuit brought in 2008 by three CU Denver students seeking to have an existing gun ban lifted at the university. The ruling Eid wrote said that the state’s Concealed Carry Act allows permitted weapons to be carried “in all areas” with narrow exceptions, such as K-12 schools and courthouses, that don’t include college campuses …”

Whomever Trump ends up nominating, head clown Chuck Schumer has signaled his intent to be disruptive:

“… Schumer, who has pledged to block a doctrinaire conservative nominee, was among the senators attending an hour-long White House meeting with the president Tuesday. “I reiterated that view in our meeting today, and told him that Senate Democrats would fight any nominee that was outside of the mainstream,” said Schumer in a statement …”

To his credit, Trump isn’t shying away from a fight:

“… Trump and some Senate Republicans are now openly threatening to kill the filibuster for Supreme Court nominees — a pronouncement sure to inflame a brewing battle with Democrats over Trump’s choice to replace the late Antonin Scalia. Trump said Thursday that he would encourage Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to deploy the “nuclear option” — changing Senate rules on a majority vote — if Democrats block his Supreme Court pick. The president’s stance could amplify pressure on McConnell — a Senate institutionalist who is reluctant to further erode the chamber’s supermajority rules — to barrel through Democratic resistance by any means necessary …”

This is exactly what needs to be done.  Republicans have a long history of preemptive surrender. They need to go on an all-out offensive, call B.S. on Schumer, Pelosi and company, and move court nominees and legislation through Congress over their objections.

IDC rising

On: By: admin

Senator Jose Peralta is switching from the mainline Democrat conference to the IDC:

“… The Independent Democratic Conference will increase its membership to eight lawmakers with the addition of Queens Sen. Jose Peralta … Peralta in the interview said he was “at a crossroads” when making his decision to leave the mainline conference for the IDC, led by Bronx Sen. Jeff Klein. The mainline Democratic conference in a statement blasted the move, though did not mention Peralta by name …”

If the Democrats had their shit together they would control the upper chamber.  For all their faults, the Republicans generally act in unity while the Democrats are all over the place.  Their egos, arrogance, selfishness and stupidity are what keeps them divided.

“… The IDC is retaining a coalition with Republicans in the state Senate, whose conference retains a majority with the inclusion of Sen. Simcha Felder, a Brooklyn Democrat who sits with the GOP in the chamber.”

This simply cannot continue indefinitely.

At some point something is going to happen to permanently shift power to Democrats and that will be the end of the GOP as a major party in the state.  It might be Governor Cuomo will get tired of the Republicans, or maybe Klein and company will.  Demographics could continue to shift or perhaps one or more of the old farts simply drops dead.  Unless there is an immediate, coordinated, 180° shift in policy by the Republicans, doom is in their future.