Editor’s note: This article was written by Maybell Nieves, a professional physician from Venezuela.
Dealing with this subject has been quite difficult for me. Both the concept of the state stripping you of everything and the SHTF concept have as many backgrounds as diverse interpretations, so trying to approach this from a single point of view is a complicated task.
In my country, Venezuela, after 20 years of “revolution,” we have bottomed out and learned to live in situations we never imagined (so much so that I was able to write an article on survival techniques I never imagined myself using on daily basis).
It’s not that the governments before Hugo Chavez were much better. But there was a much more stable political and economic situation with access to the international market.
In 1999, when Chávez’s government was instated, oil prices were the highest in Venezuela’s history. The newly born Communist policy in the country was hardly felt and had very few repercussions on the professional citizens who lived on a monthly salary.
That’s probably why those first few years didn’t really feel like something was taken away from us. In addition, the newly elected president had a 60% popular approval rating and promised endless opportunities for the neediest people.
One of the first economic policies was the implementation of exchange control, currently in effect. Any operation with foreign currency was managed by the state. Later came the control of the prices of basic products, which caused the disappearance of those items and initiated a black market that is also very much in force to this day.
The real problem began in 2004 with the accelerated decrease in oil prices that translated into a lower income for the government. Remember that we are talking about an oil-reliant country.
The decay was soon seen in many aspects. There was no longer maintenance on public roads, and public services failed often until reaching the point of constant failures of electric service, even for days.
The public health situation is also getting worse and worse. As a health professional, I have seen this deterioration for the last 10 years.
I am an oncologic breast surgeon. In Venezuela, breast cancer is the main cause of death from cancer in women. However, in the hospital where I work, the most important hospital in Caracas, there are no basic services for this issue. No chemotherapy, the radiotherapy equipment has been inoperative since 2015, and surgical procedures are suspended every week.
For me, as a doctor, it is frustrating not to be able to help my patients in any way. Just last week two breast cancer patients who were going to the operating room were suspended for the fourth time in a row. This time the anesthesia machine was failing.
The purchasing power of the Venezuelan citizen also decreased. It seemed to have happened from one day to the next, but if you look at the political situation since 1988, the decline took a long time; all that was left was to hit rock bottom.
Finding ourselves in extreme situations makes our defense system act in a primitive way. This means activating the fight or flight response at any time within any context—and yes, the state takes advantage of that.
Related: How To Become Invisible In A Crisis
The state will rip you off, but it doesn’t happen all of a sudden. There are a lot of logistics; it takes a long time to develop the kind of policy that makes citizens totally dependent on the state.
You start by losing something unimportant, like some kind of monetary bonus now given to you as government-run grocery store credits, and you end up losing your freedom and all kinds of rights, including freedom of speech and protest, but these issues are so extensive that they require an article of their own to explain them properly.
The state has taken charge, with great success I must say, and you are now living in fear of the so-called public authorities, meaning police and military police, since they serve as pro-government forces of repression.
Many of us have lost the incentive to go out and protest. We did it for more than 10 years. However, I have seen the evolution of the manifestations before and now.
I remember 2003 when repression was minimal, almost non-existent. Today many friends who still have the strength to continue have gotten gas masks in order to defend themselves from the hundreds of tear gas grenades used by the authorities that should be defending people.
Related: What’s the Limit of Your Morality in a Crisis?
In any public protest, savage repression is a constant. That violence is what we Venezuelans have become used to.
When there is no public or social security, when the devaluation of the currency is occurring on a daily basis, and when you don’t know if the bakery on the corner is going to be broken into tomorrow, at that moment, the debacle has already occurred.
Defending oneself from these kinds of problems is as difficult as trying to explain them. Many have chosen to leave and seek a future in other countries. That way the state even strips you of your own country by causing you to become self-exiled.
I don’t blame them. We all have more than one family member or close friend who has been kidnapped or stolen from violently, and sadly, all we can say is “You should be thankful you weren’t killed”.
Personal security becomes a problem of epic proportions, to the extent that going out on the street is considered a risky activity—a risk to which, unfortunately, you have to get used to in order to live a normal life.
Living in that state of continuous stress in which your rights are violated, in cities where, despite paying high taxes, everything seems to be in ruins, is part of that hopelessness that the state achieves in the individual.
Living in a place where a good monthly salary fora top executive, for example, does not reach $100 a month, is not easy, especially taking into consideration that a basic shopping list for a family of four can cost up to $140 monthly.
So the mismanagement of incompetent and corrupt civil servants results in the deep separation of three social classes: extreme poverty, which represents more than 80% of the population and is totally dependent on the government; the working middle class, which manages to subsist through one or two basic incomes plus the economic help of family members abroad; and those who do business with the government and can live in a very comfortable, ideal world that has nothing to do with reality.
Of course, there are exceptions to this, and some people have high incomes without being involved in dubious businesses.
It is sad to see how fourth-level professionals, trained in the country, must leave in order to provide for their families.
I know it is not a unique situation in the world—it has happened and will continue to happen—but it is very different to read about it than to see it sitting in the front row or even being the leading character.
Nowadays it is the common denominator, and more and more qualified professionals and technicians step into the international airport in search of a better quality of life.
That’s why there is a whole generation that has no kind of roots in their country and only waits for the opportunity to leave.
I think the worst part of all this is the desolation sown in all of us. It seems to be an endless story, with the political disqualification of opposition leaders, political prisoners, and many more vexations.
Writing all this is not easy, but it makes me reflect. It is an exercise in introspection. Without a doubt, the state strips you of everything in its eagerness to stay in charge. That’s the way they do it.
There comes a point at which the only thing in your mind is to know if you will return home alive. Everything else is secondary. At that point, the state has already massacred you internally. You can never be the same again. I’m sure I am not.
Even if you are a person who is not involved in politics, an “apolitical” citizen, in this state of anarchy, you have to fix your position.
As Desmond Tutu said, “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.”
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Here in the United states. We been watching our rights be taken away as well. Anti gun trump and the rest of the Democrats and Republicans will destroy this country. All they do is make laws against each other.
Trump is NOT anti-gun.
Kindly wake-up, Kat2009. After every mass-shooting, Trump blows with the wind.
Exactly WHO banned the bump-stocks and now has Ivanka behind the scenes meeting with RINOs allegedly out to ban AR15 pistol braces and maybe binary triggers.
Current POTUS is wishy-washy on many issues, including gun rights. He WAS solidly anti-gun before becoming President. Let that sink in.
Yes, Trump has not kept his campaign promises on many things but he is still better than Serial Killary.
We have been sold out by both political parties on many issues. IMO, if what’s left of America is to be saved it’s going to be up to citizens to do it. Government has already proves they will not. AS to IF citizens will do this is anyone’s guess. I’m not holding my breath.
I wish I had your confidence in Mr. Trump. Unfortunately, in my opinion, he is like every other politician. He has no real opinions. He has no truths that he holds sacred except his own importance. He stands with his finger constantly in the wind trying to detect what stance will get him re-elected in 2020. As with every other politician, his attention span is no more distant than the next election.
Look at his actions on the bump stock. While I think it is a piece of junk and wouldn’t waste my money on one, it is like a Lamborghini. Same thing. Why buy a car that will go over 150 miles an hour if you are not going to use it on a track? The answer is simple: Because you want one. Same thing with a bump stock. I am interested in aimed shots, not spraying bullets hither and yon so I am not interested but if that is what floats your boat, as long as you don’t interfere with my enjoyment at the range, knock yourself out. As long as you don’t endanger other people and others’ property, I don’t care if you burn up $200 worth of ammo in five minutes and burn out your barrel.
But Mr. Trump directed the BATF to change their opinion and rule that the bump stock made a semi-automatic rifle magically automatic.
Just my personal opinion, but I think the Founding Fathers would not have had any objection to citizens owning fully automatic rifles. If the military has 155 mm cannons, I think the Founding Fathers would not have had any objection to citizens having 155 mm cannons. What they feared was big government. We now have their worst fears. We have an overweening, overbearing, monolithic monster in our lives.
I think you should not place too much confidence in Mr. Trump’s support for the Second Amendment — or any other of the Ten Amendments. If you are correct in your trust, that is well and good. If not, then I will be sorry that you trusted him.
LCC,
first, let me say that I agree with you regarding most of what you are saying.
Unfortunately, what most people seem to miss is that we are not free sovereigns of the American Republic – that ship sailed over 150 years ago when the globalists re-wrote our constitution, and initiated a civil war in our fledgling country.
If we are going to take back our republic – then we will have to educate ourselves and others regarding our true history and condition. Obviously, there have been dozens of books written on these subjects, so it is not just a simple subject that I can just outline here in any kind of a convincing way.
We are fighting almost 200 years of lies, and revisionist history… patriots do what we can, but when people are locked into a particular world view – it is a slow process in which they fight you every step of the way, and will simply shut down if you move too fast..
Trump has to try an appease everyone. He outlawed the bump stock cause it really doesn’t matter to anyone the knows how to shoot. The democrats wanted ALL semiautomatic guns rifles and pistols alike outlawed. So I’ll take Trumps alternative
So it’s ok to Infiringe on someone rights because you don’t like. Wow that’s wonderful thinking here. What a great mind to be free. Oh wait because that didn’t do damn thing to slow them down. When you grow up and see that both sides want to take your guns and enslave you
Remember if you do nothing when they knock on your neighbor’s door to the left and to the right there is no one left to do anything when your door is knocked on.
True make sure you fight them before they get to your neighborhood.
“Political Scientist” much???
Might need to check how many amendments there are Einstein.
Raven Tactical – you need to educate yourself on what is really going on in this country and not fall for the propaganda.
Trump is doing everything that he can to drain the swamp and make America great again just as he promised in his campaign.
I understand that you are probably fairly young, and your BS detector may not be fully functional – but you need to at least realize that if every deep state, globalist, and socialist, operative is working diligently to get rid of him that he must be doing something to have them in fear of losing power.
The border wall is being built, the economy is strong, the jobs and manufacturing are coming back from overseas, and slowly but surely the swamp rats are being weeded out and removed — all promises kept.
What other elected official has kept even one campaign promise to the American people in the last 50 years?
dp: Well, I am fairly old and by bs detector is fully engaged. In my opinion there is no politician who gives a rat’s about the electorate. Their only concern is to get elected in the next election. They give lip service to those who donate the most money to them to enable that to happen.
While Trump is a maverick and is dismaying all the imbedded politicians who have spent their whole lifetime feeding at the public trough, his main effort is re-election in 2020 and he will abandon any position that looks like it will endanger that position.
I don’t believe he has a real urge to dismantle the government and I believe without a total change of everyone in the federal legislature, it can’t happen. Too many of the folks in congress use government departments to bolster their own egos. Why do you think there is the mad scramble to be chairman of the transportation committee or the energy committee? It means more perks. It means more people you can order around. If you have a long list of committee chairs behind your name it indicates how much power you wield in the district of corruption and we have all heard how much power corrupts.
I am afraid it is you whose bs meter had become dulled. In my opinion, Mr. Trump is different from the other pols because he is new to the game but his self-interest is no different from any other pol.
By the way, I voted for him, not because he was the best candidate but because he was the least worst candidate. From what I have seen so far of the candidates, I will probably vote for him again in 2020 for the same reason.
LCC, I voted for him for basically the same reason, however, the two items that I mentioned in my previous post are why I am a supporter of our president.
I recognize that he is not perfect, hee hee, that is an understatement – he is keeping his promises, and he is decimating the rank and file of the swamp.
Those two things alone would get him my support, but his war on pedophiles, taxes, and the globalists – more than offset his massive ego, and his ties to organized crime IMO.
Only time will tell if he is the real deal, but so far he has been the best president that we have had since JFK was assassinated by the Bush crime family and the globalists.
You are entitled to your own opinion – you are not entitled to your own facts. 🙂
Facts ? He is the swamp. The economy is ready to collapse. He out spends obama and hasn’t done jack to remove the illegals. Mexico was supposed to pay for the wall.
His anti gun bullshit is the reasons many won’t vote for him.
You’re about the only one here who gets it.
Trump IS the Swamp
Trump IS the Deep State
Trump IS (as they all are, via Epstein-like Mossad blackmail) OWNED BY ISRAEL
Trump IS taking away EVERY amendment/right. Like Bush, Clinton, Obama.
Trump has done EVERYTHING for apartheid/racist/genocide Israel. and NOTHING for Americans
The bumpstock? How many of you here even realize that what you heard in that staged fraud of Vegas was a belt-fed, 7.62 weapon? M240B. This was a STAGED EVENT, like all of them, to take away your guns. Only 5.56 used was those from whoever shot up the lobbies of the Strip hotels to distract. DIDN’T HEAR ABOUT THAT ON MSM, DIDJA’???
They want ALL the weapons gone – eventually – because Israel wants to US disarmed, docile, and obedient.
New Zealand? Do you realize how fake that was? No? Well, it figures. They simply parade lies and a CGI video on MSM, and you all fall for it. You can’t BELIEVE how fake that was. Pathetic. But you all fell for it. ‘A nation with a collective, room-temp IQ’ doesn’t begin to describe it.
New Zealand IS the ‘run-to’ spot for the 1% and politicians when this bubble turns to a nightmare bubble. They ALL bought big spreads with landing strips, but KNEW that NZ’ers would hunt them down for effing’ the world, so a False Flag/scripted even was enacted, and viola’; No more guns.
I don’t expect any of you to grasp, understand, nor accept this, but the facts and evidence outweigh the stories you fall for. Over and over and over.
You will soon lose ALL your Rights. Remember my ‘crazy conspiracy theories’ when you finally realize they’re all true
And ‘voting’? Puuuuulleeeeassse. It makes no dif which puppets lies to you’. Israel runs the US, plain and simple.
To vote is to consent to the treason and usurpation’s of your Bill of Rights. Anyone still voting is complicit in the ongoing crime of this criminal, occupying force, period.
You’ll ‘get it’ – when it’s too late. When people ALWAYS do get it.
Sorry for the truth, gang. Which means this comment will probably be censored. Can’t have sheep waking up!
.
You sir. are just a young punk.
You just put down your nintendodo system – and you just got “WOKE”
You have not yet learned to get past the trauma that actually comes with being WOKE.
So – forgive me for assuming,
but you look like a brand new puppie that wants to claim the rule of the show… suddenly you are going to tell people that have been here for decades.
Suddenly, you are a genius.
You are going to tell Claude, a REAL man who built this site for over 10 years — You are going to tell Claude, and all of the patriots that post here what dumb asses we are????
You are a child… Congratulations on FINALLY waking up.
EVERY ONE HERE HAS BEEN WOKE FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
What you are just now discovering — You fucking PUP….
We have been working against for over 30 years.
How dare you disrespect us like that??????
Go attack your communist college professors, and leave us alone you fucking troll.
dp,
Your command of the English language should be better, and allow you to put people (or trolls) in their place without foul language being needed; but, I otherwise agree with your sentiment.
When posters like Occams spew assertions right out of the Alex Jones playbook, I find it more sad than offensive. Hopefully one day these kids will grow up, and realize that their warnings, like those going back decades, are fantasies, meant to make them feel important. My hope for those people is that when their predictions fail to come true, they can face the fact that they were wrong, and continue living without too much doubt, disappointment, or sadness in their lives.
Personally I’ve been hearing these apocalyptic assertions going back nearly 50 years and not one has come true yet.
Wont vote for a 2a traitor
Raven tactical,
That will free up some time for you, because you’ll not have to take any time voting this year, since there are definitely no 2A folks on the other side.
Unfortunately compromise is always required in politics and the Dems want none of that.
Those who would sell freedoms for safety will have neither.
You dont compromise on your God given rights. You might because you still think voting makes a difference.
Raven tactical,
Nice paraphrase of Ben Franklin and still true when he said: “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”
I’m not giving it up; but, do realize that often the better, more tolerable candidate may not be the best, when the field contains people like the democrats are now presenting; but, unless you simply walk away you have to choose someone.
One should not compromise and should fight as best they can; but, voting is still better than throwing down and being annihilated with overwhelming force.
If you do not vote, you allow other to determine your destiny.
If you do vote, you have some part in making the process better.
In my community I have seen local issues winning or losing by only a few votes in a field of sometimes less than 200 total votes cast. Voting counts unless you think just bitching works better.
The Ohio Prepper,
Very well said, sir.
The truth is that the left will vote in the next presidential election. While I agree that neither party would be my party of choice – there is a clear difference between the parties, and the Republican party is getting better every year as moderates, RINOs, and blackmailed puppet republiCAN’Ts are replaced with patriotic new republiCANs.
I also don’t care for our current two party system, but not voting, or voting for a candidate who is never going to win – is not an option.
I pray that Donald Trump gets his second term, and if nothing changes or no one gets charged with a crime – then it is still better than any of the traitors on the other side becoming president…
Let me know what changes. The two party system has poisoned our government and nothing else can get voted in.
Such a fool. Of course he wants to be reelected because when he is in the floodgates will open. He will have absolute freedom to get everything done with no fear of his status to the electorate. You will see cross state reciprocity and so many other things conservatives will love. He is a very strategic man and has long term plans.
Kpacvt,
Amen brother. These fools don’t seem to realize that Trump is just a willing puppet. He is a willing puppet of American patriots that have…
Planned the work, and now they work the plan.
These civilians have no clue that Trump is just the puppet of the military patriots… he gets to claim the glory for the work of 1000’s of military patriots that have waited patiently, and that have made a plan for these traitors.
These foolish bickering folks are the offspring of 1960’s hippies. They are not to blame for their ignorance.
I am an Army Brat. When these wanna be hippies were protesting why our country was going off the rails – my father was leading military intelligence for 20 years… Since Vietnam, Since JFK was murdered, for all of this time we are a close knit patriotic people… and we make long range plans.
Revenge is a dish best served COLD…
The instant gratification generation will never understand this, but they will claim credit once the plan bears fruit.
“I knew it the whole time.” will be the battle cry of the weakling wanna be patriots, but only after the final victory has been won.
I get tired of telling people – The truth is out there – if you are truly a patriot – then do your due diligence… educate yourself first, and then educate others.
My god you really you are delusional drinking the maga juice. Trump isnt brilliant the guy was just asking if they could drop nukes into a hurricane.
He doesn’t support your rights and has yet to get anything done.
Absolutley. He loves this country, his family and patriots. He doesn’t smoke, drink, do drugs. Lives on diet coke and Big Macs lol. Works 18 hours a day 7 days a week. Learned business in NYC real estate. He’s smart, tough and fearless. He needs the second term to finish his job and make America great, period.
No one has ever wanted to take your guns, they want to make sure the mentally unstable and violent people can’t get a hold of them.
But the Republican government is already taking away our rights. All for controlling people and of course GREED.
Every side wants your guns and you have zero right to take them from them. Shall not infringe is clear. You dont get to be safe in country that has freedoms. Defend yourself or move out.
Lisa,
I don’t know where you live or how old you are; but, at both the state and federal level, we have been fighting restrictive gun legislation since the 1968 gun control act and many in the democrat party blatantly tell us what they really want. Feinstein in 1995: ‘Mr. and Mrs. America, Turn Them All In’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffI-tWh37UY
They of course now call this stuff ”Gun Safety” Legislation to fool the naive and ignorant masses like you.
And by ignorant, I don’t mean to offend, since it’s often just uneducated innocence, curable with your eyes open and some research.
Can you tell us the rights that have been taken, since I’m seeing none of mine gone or going.
As for controlling people and greed, look what the Dems did to us with the horrible lie called the Affordable Care Act. Worst health insurance I’ve ever had with $1400 per month premiums and $8000 deductible for the Bronze plan.
The premiums drained my savings and we’re still paying back some medical providers.
Another full of shiit anti-trumper! Dime a dozen!
Coming soon to an America near you.
Over my Dead Body
Yeah, that’s what has me worried … what they may do and what they may do over our dead bodies if need be …
Thankyou for sharing to us. Hope and pray things turn around there. This is a poster child example of communism. Ruins countries 100% of the time. And this is what Bernie the commie Sanders wants for America. Ain’t it grand.
No one has ever wanted to take your guns, they want to make sure the mentally unstable and violent people can’t get a hold of them.
But the Republican government is already taking away our rights. All for controlling people and of course GREED.
Ha Ha Ha Ha…
Oh, you were being serious?
http://gunssavelives.net/blog/gun-laws/no-one-wants-to-ban-or-confiscate-guns-huh-these-quotes-from-anti-gun-leaders-say-otherwise/
https://www.louderwithcrowder.com/liberals-now-openly-admit-must-destroy-second-amendment/
https://thepoliticalinsider.com/must-see-5-specific-times-democrats-wanted-confiscate-guns/
There have been hundreds of times that liberals admitted publicly that they want to ban, forced “buy back”, or confiscate all firearms.
You are either completely ignorant, completely naive, or a troll – which is it?
That will never happen as democrats buy and own guns, and they are all mentally unstable. If they were stable people they would never vote for any demoncrat.
of course it would happen… .and i don’t see anyone more less unstable … the same loony libs also blindly follow and believe trump is going to save us all on the right..
I think you need to hear Bernie Speak before passing judgement on him. He’s for healthcare, education, and equality.
Lol yeah ok he’s a straight up socialist and he would tax you to death
Lisa,
you really are special, aren’t you?
I hate to break it to you, but socialism/communism does not work, there is no Santa Clause, and no Easter Bunny either.
Lisa, I have heard Bernie speak, many times. And every time he opens that empty pie hole of his he is talking about taking money from everyone who works and giving it to those who don’t. Please don’t give me this hogwash about oh my everyone needs health care and education because we are not all equal. Here is the equality every American has protected and guaranteed under the constitution. LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. Life because no one can just walk up to you and shoot you or kidnap you or imprison you(which by the way all are happening in Venezuela by their government). Liberty because you can think freely for yourself on how to live or come and go(don’t need a passport or special papers to be anywhere in the USA at any time). And the pursuit of happiness because you can do anything you want that is legal to make a living. If that is not equality then I do t know what is. Bernie wants the Venezuelan model, he wants the Russian model. Hey, did you know Bernie and his wife took their honeymoon in Moscow?
Lisa,
• Healthcare Sure but no way to pay for it except more debt like all socialists, spending Other People’s Money until it quickly runs out.
• Education Free college, if of course you can get the teachers to teach for no pay and the students working in cold dark classrooms by candle light while using their chalkboards with no books.
• Equality As in all socialist schemes, we would all be equal in our poverty except for Bernie and his 3 large houses and the $1.7M he and his wife earned in the past 2 years. I suspect he’ll be donating that to the treasury and when that happens, perhaps you could come here and tell us.
And BTW, except for his book deal he has been on the public dole for most of his life as one or more elected official and wanna be overlord, after of course his honeymoon in the Soviet Union.
I heard Bernie FINALLY admit that EVERYONE, across the board, will be taxed 75% of their wages in order for HIM to GIVE AWAY all he wants to for FREE. And when the interviewer said that a 75% tax increase, across the board, would not cover the bottom line of all his “FREE STUFF” giveaway……..Squirmy, Squirrelly Bernie shouted then I’ll raise taxes to 90%!!
Maybell Nieves – thank you for the insight.
Anything else you’d like to contribute would be most appreciated.
Trump is NOT anti-gun.
Bump stock ban
Red flag laws
Background checks
Yeah anti gun
Just a liberal like everyone in Gov. Nobody is pro gun
Raven tactical, does anyone please you? What is your idea of a president?
None voting has become pointless neither side supports free Patriots and the constitution. It’s all a game to see who can make more laws and tax you to death. Its just has become voting for a slave master who promises to attack the other slaves.
The gov’t will not be able take our guns away because guns are a mainstay here. What they will do is cut off the ammo or restrict is so severely that we will be buying bullets in single packaging. They’ll start with all of the wildcat rounds and move up from there. Brush up on your archery skills folks.
I already have (Crossbow w/ 202 lbs kinetic energy, 645 grain blots fly 350 fps)
Hard to fight tyranny with a long bow
Too many folks that reload ammo here for that tactic to work. Ammo may become a black market commodity and reloading a cottage industry though…
Besides, that is why we continuously buy ammo now. Just don’t keep everything in one place…
Kind of like a woman’s right to choose.
Actually no you dont get to choose to murder a human that didn’t attack you.
Lisa,
A woman who is pregnant and was not forcibly raped, has already chosen; but, now wants another chance to kill a baby.
While I’m not 100% pro-life, since a ”real medical nessecity” might need an exception,, there are too many of these procedures used instead of will power or proper planning.
Why is it that “Planned Parenthood” is more interested in stopping people from becoming parents, than coaching them on how to be good ones?
Yet another carefully worded lie like the ”Affordable Care Act”
If there IS a medical necessity, either a c-section can be done or labor can be induced, & the baby is born early, but is not murdered. The baby can be saved, or can get palliative care & die w/ the least suffering. But if there is an abortion, the baby is killed by poison or by being cut or torn to pieces while alive & feeling. (The people calling for that are people who think THEY will never be the ones dying of poisoning or dismemberment!) And the mother is wounded by the abortion too. So actual abortion can never be justified.
Trump is not “Anti-Gun”, the “Red Flag Laws” are to target those who have displayed unstable behavior (more than 50% of mass shootings had individuals w/ obvious unstable behavior- WATCH everyone around you when in Public areas
Trump is anti gun.
Bump stock ban is infringing
Red flag laws is a unconstitutional thought crime that destroys your 1st 2nd 4th and 5th amendments
He’s anti suppressor
He supports the awb
He supports background checks
Yeah let me know what’s pro gun about him
You have to be 21 to buy cigarettes, and show ID to buy a Benedryle.
I think you shouldn’t have to show I’d for either
I am not sure which Article of the Bill of Rights insures your right to smoke cigarettes and which Article guarantees your right to buy Benedryl. I wonder if you would be kind enough to point out the Articles to me and perhaps print in caps the specific wording you have reference to
LCC: It’s the 9th Amendment: “The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people,” i.e. supposedly we’re free to do anything the Const. doesn’t prohibit, but look how well that’s working out for us! ; ) The govt does whatever it can get away w/. More & more infringement all the time. Everyone should read the Decl. of Indp. & compare the govt today: guilty of practically all the long train of abuses & usurpations, but much worse than King George did, + more. For example…
1. Refused…Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good, e.g. commerce w/i colonies—but we have the Interstate Commerce Clause which has been used to penalize people for NOT engaging in INTRAstate commerce.
2. Forbidden…Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance—the “Supreme” Ct overrules those now. (That “supreme” is blasphemous.)
3. Refused…the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature—now there’s gerrymandering, & how could I, a Christian monarchist, be represented, in a republic, by someone who doesn’t know me & doesn’t have the right to know me anyway, someone who is supposed to represent also atheists, pagans, republicans, & democrats, at the same time? Their interests are at odds w/ mine.
4. Called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records—it was 15 mi. away (Boston to Salem), but now we have D.C., > 1000 mi. away from > ½ the country.
5. Dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly—no longer necessary b/c only party-approved choices are allowed. Meta-thought is double-plus ungood. XD
6. [Allowing the] State [to remain] exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within: illegal aliens are overrunning much of the country, & “Antifa” (Fascists) riots & race riots are unsuppressed.
7. Obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners—those are largely destroyed/ineffective now.
8. Obstructed the Administration of Justice—judges were not elected anymore but appointed, & they were paid from taxes given to the central govt; describes the “Supreme” Ct.
9. Erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance, & imposing Taxes on us without our Consent—just single stamp-distributors, in stamp-offices, & sales taxes, albeit on a lot of stuff; all distributors resigned, there was a govt shut-down, & almost all taxes were lifted. Now we have so many govt offices, the govt itself cannot count them, they all harrass everyone, the TSA molests even children, the IRS eats out our substance, taxes are multiplied, & govt shut-down is implied to be a civilization shut-down.
10. Quartering large bodies of armed troops, Standing Armies, among us, in times of peace, without the Consent of our legislatures—kept in their houses; now standing armies are kept in bases we’re forced to fund (& separation increases the cost of living), regardless of the consent of the people. (Legislators are given protection that we aren’t, so their consent is irrelevant.)
11. Affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power—& now, “The government has nukes.” —military death-threat from Rep. Eric Swalwell.
12. Combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution—by setting up a Trade Board; now we’re subjected to NAFTA et al.
13. Protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States—I read in American Free Press about lots of raids people have been killed in, doesn’t look like any justice is done.
14. Transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences—so extraordinary rendition, which we know.
15. Abolishing the free System of English Laws—the revolutionaries broke the Treason Act, & the govt they set up has repeatedly suspended Habeas Corpus & ignored the Riot Act. …among others.
16. Waging War against us, plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people—“Civil” War w/ scorched earth & rape.
17. Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny—govt contractors.
18. Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation—cruelty & perfidy SURPASSED by bombing of Dresden, Hiroshima, & Nagasaki.
19. Excited domestic insurrections amongst us—racialized brainwashing in schools, resulting in riots.
20. Endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions—now merciless ½-Indian savages: Mexican gangsters.
Everyone should read also Liberty: The God that Failed.
Lisa,
I think here in Ohio it’s only 18; but, what’s your point?
You also have to show ID to purchase pseudoephedrine; but, that only takes an extra few seconds.
And once again, 21 & ID for purchasing alcohol for beverages.
But i’m sure you’re all for a ban on abortion. Its the same thing. guns with bump stocks kill a lot of people, abortion kills people but just by a doctor. no difference, yet folks want to ban abortion. I’m pro-choice, and if I want an abortion, Ill have one,.
Lisa, the number of babies murdered through abortion since 1973 in America is up to 50,000,000. That’s roughly a third of the United States. The number of people killed by a gun with a bump stock is 58, and bump stocks have been around since the eighties I believe. I am both against murdering babies through abortion and murdering people with a gun bump stock or not. You see it’s not the gun it is the person behind the gun with evil intent to murder people. Just like it is evil intent for a baby to be murdered through abortion. That may be hard to hear but it is truth.
Lisa,
Owning a gun is a protected constitutional right and killing people with one is illegal, with certain rare exceptions (like self defense).
However killing an innocent when done by a doctor is OK in your ethical and moral system?
Can that same doctor just go shoot someone?
And can you tell me the number of people killed with bump stocks compared with the number killed by abortion?
There is no legitimate comparison.
Perhaps because the first right enumerated in the constitution is “Life and liberty and happiness are not possible without it.
I am very happy for you that your mother did not have the same attitude.
Trump is whatever his handlers tell him to be. He was very anti-gun before running, then his GOP handlers told him he had to be pro-gun to get votes.
After one of the mass shootings, he was anti-gun again, until Wayne La P.U. showed up at the White House and told him to be pro-gun again.
Trump is for himself anf for the highest bidder, not for you or me.
Red flag laws are a violation of every basic right we have. Somebody files a complaint with the authorities. The police, the district attorney, whoever, goes before a judge for an ex parte order. That’s a legal term that means it will be granted on just the wishes of the asking party. You as the “red flagee” will receive no notice of what is happening. The first thing you know about the order being issued is when the local swat team bursts through your front door at 0300 demanding that you get on the floor. They will be dressed in their ninja outfits with face masks on. How you will be able to distinguish them from a bunch of bandits using a forced entry for a home invasion is beyond me. Remember, you will have been awoken from a sound sleep at 0300 unless you were up using the toilet.
If you survive the encounter with the swat team, your firearms will be seized and your home wrecked while they search for firearms and ammunition.
Your weapons will not be returned to you unless you hire a lawyer (minimum retainer fee $5000+ and more if you actually have to go to trial.) and petition the court to have the ex parte order lifted.
Did you notice that you were presumed to be a danger without any notice and without a chance to defend yourself and to face your accuser and that your property was seized without a trial? That’s a violation of several articles in the Bill of Rights.
Now I have no problem with red flag laws under the following circumstances: 1. The matter is scheduled as a priority matter in a court of record. 2. You are afforded defense counsel at public expense. 3. There is a hearing conducted in accordance with the evidentiary rules in force in your state. 4. You are allowed to cross-examine all witnesses against you and the complaining witness must appear in court to be cross-examined. 5. The burden of proof must be beyond a reasonable doubt and to a moral certainty. 6. The hearing must be held either before a jury or a 3-judge panel, one judge chosen by the prosecution, one by the defense and the third chosen by the two judges. 7. The ruling must be made at the conclusion of the evidence and oral arguments. In a jury trial a two-thirds majority much reach the same conclusion. In a court trial, two out of the three judges must reach the same conclusion. 8. At the rendering of the verdict, if the ex parte order is not sustained, then the property seized must be returned immediately so that the defendant is able to leave the courthouse with his property. 9. In the event the ex parte order is not sustained, all costs associated with the proceedings must be born by the complaining party.
With those safeguards in place, I might not have any objections to some red flag law. As they are being presently written I can’t see them standing up to any supreme court scrutiny. Unfortunately, however, getting the supremes to rule in your favor is a long, lengthy process and unless you can get some public legal defense organization to underwrite the cost, you just plain can’t afford to take a case to the supremes.
Before you start supporting any infringement of our rights, you should give careful consideration to what you are giving up. You know the old saying about the Nazis,”First they came for the Jews. I wasn’t Jewish so I didn’t say anything. Then they came for the mentally defective. I didn’t have relatives like that so I didn’t say anything. Then they came for the Catholics. I wasn’t Catholic so I didn’t say anything.” The litany goes on and ends, “Then they came for me but there was no one left to say anything.”
Ask yourself how long it will be before you are the nut job down the street getting your home broken into at 0300 some dark morning.
With the name of “left coast chuck” I was a bit surprised.
Even tho I am a life long member of the NRA (such as it is) I recognize that red flag laws do have some appeal. I dont want insane folks getting thier hands on guns any more than the rest of us.
I dont want to be turning my head left and right walking into walmart with my wife to do some shopping constantly looking out for some crazy guy with a gun. I ahve been overseas and ahd to endure that kind of “situational awareness” cosntantly and it gets tiring.
The various protections in this comment by left coast chuck are well thought out and seem to provide a fair way of the “accused” to clear his name. But I would respectfully add some kind of deadline to force local courts and law enforcemnt agencies to hear the case within two weeks or something. There should be a penalty to the local courts if they fail to get this hearing wihtin the time frame allowed.
Taking away a persons rights should be, BYTHE WRITTEN LAW, should be rare and backed with proof, and be able to be undone within a set amount of time.
Just my two cents.
Spoken like a true nra fudd.
Selling freedoms for safety and getting neither.
Raven: I most definitely feel that Wayne LaPierre is like a lot of pols, did some good in the beginning, but he has been in the job too long.
While I have a lot of gripes about the NRA, there is no doubt in my mind that it is the most effective lobbying organization in Washington. It is true there are others, but the NRA has the clout when they choose to use it. Unfortunately, in my opinion, they are too “reasonable” when it comes to the Second Amendment.
I believe our Founding Fathers fully intended that citizens have armed superiority over any federal army. They certainly would have been strongly against a semi-military, more heavily armed than citizens police force. I believe the midnight raids with masked ninjas wielding true military style weapons in the service of misdemeanor warrants would cause them to erupt in furor.
It is my opinion that the NRA should have vigorously opposed the 1938 law requiring permission from bureaucrats in Washington to own automatic weapons or cannons or any other piece of ordinance that the citizen wants to own and in more recent times should have actively worked to have it repealed. I think they should have more vigorously fought against the 1968 gun control act and all subsequent gun control legislation at both the national and state level.
That said, I still believe they are the most potent anti-gun lobbying group we have. I support them with an endowment membership. I also support California Gun Owners Assoc, California Rifle and Pistol Association, the Second Amendment Group, GOA, Jews for the Preservation of Gun Ownership and the California Duck group. If I had David Koch’s money, I would support them more strongly.
I am very careful regarding which candidates for office I support with my money. When it comes to voting, however, too many times as I stated previously, it is a vote cast for the least worst candidate. Even though I may feel like vomiting when I cast the vote, I never abstain from voting because a vote not cast is a vote for the other candidate. My protest vote comes in the primaries. That’s where I cast the protest vote. When it comes to the general election, I feel a protest vote for a weak third or fourth party candidate is a wasted vote. This last general election was the first election where there were some offices for which I cast no vote as there were two ultra liberal candidates running for the office and I couldn’t in good conscience vote for either one of them. My protest was one less vote tallied.
I believe the NRA should have vigorously opposed the silly ban on bump stocks which apparently magically turn an ordinary semi-automatic rifle into a fully automatic rifle by the stroke of a pen.
I believe they hand out A ratings to legislators who deserve nothing more than a C.
I believe there are no “reasonable” gun control laws.
I believe all gun control laws are racist, sexist or elitist.
The first gun control laws were passed in the south to prohibit Negroes from owning guns. After all, if you are out terrorizing Negro farmers, you don’t want them to be armed. You might get hurt.
The infamous Sullivan Law was passed by Tammany Hall at the instigation of the Irish gangsters to keep the Eyetalian mob from having guns. Irish gangsters never had any problem obtaining guns. Frequently they wore police uniforms.
I could go on, but I think readers get the picture.
Well, I have explained my philosophy. I hope you will rethink your position regarding the NRA. I agree with you to the extent that it could and should be a more rigorous defender of our Second Amendment rights. I agree that it seems like the management has become like the politicians we abhor, in it for their own gain and with little regard for the wishes of the membership. I believe some of the board members are not serving for their own gain but they are outnumbered and if too outspoken, don’t get the nominating committee nod again when they are up for re-election. But like some candidates I vote for, sometimes you just have to hold your nose, wear rubber gloves and try to move the glacier.
LCC,
at a risk of drawing your wrath. lol I agree with you 100% (as far as I have read your very lengthy comments) EXCEPT:
Except: that the NRA has shot themselves in the foot.. The new king of the hill as far as defending the 2A is the GOA.
The Gun Owners of America (GOA) never back down, they never compromise, and they take the fight right to the traitors against our republic (lawyers, and the usual suspects — go figure. lol) in their own kangaroo courts.
I don’t mean any harm. I love it when my fellow patriots get “riled-up” and just say what they know to be true.
May God Bless You, Brother. 🙂
DP: Not knocking GOA. I also support them, but in the last six months how many politicians and leftist gun grabbers have you heard screaming about the undue influence GOA has with congress? How many are screaming about the blood of innocents being on NRA’s hands? Here on the left coast with limited access to the capital building, it is hard for me to count how much good any one organization is doing. All I can do is look at favorable court decisions and which organization’s lawyers were the lead counsel on the case. Who is drawing all the heat for being the “best lobbying organization in the country? Who is supposed to have most of congress in their back pocket?
The Second Amendment Foundation is also doing good work in court.
California Rifle and Pistol Association with Chuck Michel as president is doing yeoman work in this state against a massive flood tide of repressive legislation.
I just wish I had more money to assist in their good works.
I will be happy when the NRA collapse and is forced to close down after spending the money on themselves. They are scrambling because they ran it for profit and used the money for whatever they wanted to buy themselves.
They sold us out and truly I dont care how many fudds support them for clay shooting. They can crash and burn and let some other group take over.
Oh, yeah, when I said a priority item, I meant that it had to take precedence over every other case on the calendar. It had to be heard the very next day after the ex parte order was granted. No continuances due to counsel unpreparedness; no continuances due to witness unavailability; no continuances due to illness of counsel. It is the first item on calendar the very next day and nothing else proceeds until that ex parte case is commenced. The whole courthouse comes to a standstill until the ex parte case commences. Any request for continuance on the part of the prosecution means the case is immediately dismissed and the seized items returned forthwith.
Since my first post I have thought about it some more and the seizing officer must list in detail every item seized complete with serial number and condition of the item. If the person having his goods seized objects to the officer’s statement of condition, that objection must be noted on the receipt. A legible copy must be given to the “defendant’ for lack of a better word before the items are removed.
The items must be stored in appropriate humidity and temperature controlled environments. No dumping the firearms in a barrel in a room subject to flooding. If the firearms are not so stored the defendant is entitled to treble damages determined by three firearms appraisers, one selected by the prosecution, one selected by the defendant and one selected by the two appraisers. If the two selected appraisers cannot agree on a third appraiser, a list of qualified appraisers will be drawn up and the names placed in a container and the third name drawn from the container.
I too want to get firearms out of the hands of obvious nut jobs, but that is a very thin line to walk and I want to ensure that every right of the accused is protected and I don’t want any games by law enforcement. Any hint of impropriety by law enforcement, either police or DA should result in instant dismissal of the ex parte order and return of the goods to the accused.
You can’t depend on the courts acting against the DA or the PD. I have reported cases where it was clear that the police officer was lying but the judge just accepted his testimony without question if the defense counsel didn’t raise any question. I am not biased against police. I worked with them on a daily basis, but despite the DA always arguing that they don’t have an axe to grind in the case, that is also a lie. They made the arrest. They went to the DA with the evidence. If they didn’t think you were guilty, they wouldn’t have bothered with all the extra work. Of all the professional witnesses who appear in court, they are among the top professional witnesses who appear. They know how they must testify in order to secure a conviction.
RED FLAG LAWS have ZERO appeal…
WE already have laws for nutjobs and dangerous people. So when a person is suspected of being dangerous, they don’t come and look to take away any OBJECTS!!!, They take the PERSON away for observation!!! RED FLAG LAWS are a SCAM by lefty jerkoffs to back door our rights!! A BIG FAT NO!!
Red Flag laws sound great, until you figure out that the people behind them are also those that will define “unstable” and “a threat”. They will never affect those that are lone wolves who keep their noses clean until they perform the action they have been contemplating for years. They will affect those that the government considers a threat by what they post on social media and other places. Even an innocent offhand remark to the wrong person will get you a Red Flag. Red Flag laws are anathema to the Constitution and anyone that understands it.
Red Flag Laws ARE unconstitutional and immoral. They ARE a “backdoor to “confiscation.
The 2nd Amendment states, “SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED”, meaning NO restrictions or limitations.
American informed, that’s just what red flag laws will turn into. Everybody watching everybody especially a pissed off ex wife who hates her husband and calls Jim in as an unstable person who she fears for her life. And the slippery slope continues from there. It cuts out due process as guaranteed in the constitution. Innocent until proven guilty is the law of the land
Don’t be fooled with “red flag laws” because this type of law removes your ability to challenge the allegations in open court. It removes your right to a fair trial and your 2nd Amendment rights all at once.
We’ve seen our Constitutional rights chipped away for quite awhile. The Patriot Act was a big one that just took away our rights to privacy without trial and without Supreme Court oversight. Big government did that in the name of keeping us safe. Just like communist governments in South America, and are doing it here, just slowly.
Don’t we have enough laws already? Do we really need more?
Bandit: I believe you have hit the nail squarely on the head.
Red flag laws will be just like “child endangerment” laws.
They will allow any coward with an ax to grind to hide (anonymous tip) behind, and to use government force to discredit and attack their “enemy.”
The only options to restore your reputation and your rights will be at the expense of the accused, and the false accuser will never face any kind of backlash or prosecution.
Of course, this is all according to plan for the globalists who’s goal is to destroy the family unit, and to disarm the people.
They put the law into place “for the children”, or for “public safety” – because they know that there is no shortage of vindictive cowards who will do the dirty work of filing the false report for them.
We were subjected to this, TWICE. The accusations were absurd, e.g. our son had an unset broken arm. He’s never hurt his arm at all; he had broken his collarbone once though (our dog pulled too hard on the leash & he fell), & was taken immediately to the doctor, given a sling, healed up, etc. He’s always been super-healthy, & is now a journeyman meat-cutter & apprentice electrician. Even when the accusations are demonstrated to be false, & there is no way it was bona fide, you can never find out who made the accusations! So you have at least 1 secret enemy out there, holding power over you. You tend to worry that it could be worse next time, that it could end up 1 of those cases where children are taken away from innocent parents. So you think you may have to restrict your freedom of speech, freedom to homeschool, freedom of religion… There are invisible boundaries around & you’re not sure when you might cross 1.
Greta, just for future reference posts can take up to several hours to show up… try to be patient.
I’m not sure the exact reason, but if I had to guess the system probably didn’t recognize your email address and put the post into the possible spam folder until Claude can personally OK it… just a guess.
Dp,
This is not always the case; but, is variable. I sometimes see my posts immediately, and other times have to check back.
Another problem that often happens is am email comment arrives; but, is not yet available on the site, so there is also a timing issue.
When the site owner sets up the system posting parameters, they can set criteria where the post is held for moderation. This can be a specific person, the size of the post, inclusion of a URL, and other things that can hold the post for the owner to approve before allowing it to be seen by others.
What I do when I post and it disappears, is just leave that browser instance alone, come back now and then and refresh, and eventually it appears.
This will only happen on a large scale in third world countries.
Now I know a lot of folks would say it is happening here. What they don’y say is that more and more states are adopting Constitutional Carry laws and other self defense laws. More guns are being sold every year( especially to Liberals) and no one will give them up voluntarily.
Logistically, forced Gun confiscation in America is impossible.
All of the Military. Police and Politicians know it. But it makes good press and good talking points.
It is past the time to keep dragging this nonsense up. All it does is create divisions, that will lead to a Civil War.
But then, that is the point that all of this is created to achieve.
Once it becomes a felony with 10 years for using or owning it. 90 percent will turn it in.
You won’t be able to train or use them without getting sent to prison and destroying your family .
Raven tactical,
There are examples in California where 100 or more folks would show up to a range with their banned AR’s & illegal magazines for a shoot, and law enforcement just left them alone.
If it’s a federal law, many local LEO’s will simply ignore it or at the very least, not render mutual aid for an activity still legal in their jurisdiction.
Just as there are sanctuary jurisdictions who won’t work with ICE, there are an increasing number of those that will not violate the 2nd.
Can you say, “California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, New Mexico, Massachusetts, New York City, New Jersey, Maryland, Washington DC, soon Virginia, Chicago”?
I can’t speak to New York City or Baltimore because I haven’t been in those cities for decades.
I can speak to California which has become Venezuela North. I can speak to Oregon and Washington which have been infected with Californiaitis. I can speak to Nevada which is in danger of becoming infected with the dreaded California disease. Any state where the urban population grossly outnumbers the rural population is in danger of becoming Kalifornicated.
I have voted in every election in this state since 1960 and it hasn’t made a bit of difference. Even republican candidates who were supposed to be different turned out to be stamped out of the same mold as the other party. Silly me, when I voted for term limits I thought the pols once termed out of office would go back home and get a real job. Ha! Once they taste the power they are corrupted forever. The only thing that will get them out of government is if they keel over from a heart attack or die of syphilis.
The cause of this malaise? Indifference. When was the last time anyone reading this post made a political contribution to a candidate? Worked on his campaign? Even minimally put a sign on the lawn? I know, it is hard to generate enthusiasm for a candidate who is the least worst candidate. I’m glad I’m old. This isn’t the country I was born in. California definitely isn’t the state I chose to live in in 1959. I wait for the date I pass on or my family circumstances change so that I can leave this state like a speeding bullet.
Heed this lady’s words. It is where we are headed in my opinion.
left coast chuck,
First of all my comment on the article.
The article reads as one would expect if you have studied any history at all and anyone who would seriously consider Warren or Sanders for the ”free stuff” they are offering, needs to read “The Road to Serfdom” by Friedrich Hayek. Available here: https://mises.org/sites/default/files/Road%20to%20serfdom.pdf
I can; but, can you say Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming all with constitutional carry with both Ohio & Pennsylvania having very simple requirements for their concealed carry. I recently renewed my CHL for the 3rd time after 15 years and the wife her first after 5 years with no problems.
Not necessarily,
Ohio for instance has an estimated population of 11,690,000 people (2018) with 2,353,000 or about 20%living in rural areas; but, we have been able to keep the cities from stepping on our rights, since all in all, this is an agricultural state. The problem is when urban populations from places like the PDRK move to Texas and other free states and then demand the same things they left behind.
1960? That makes you a bit older than me by 10 or more years; but, I think your problem is that the state in which you live was lost long ago, since the weather alone draws too many of the leisurely types not looking for hard work with the possible exception of immigrants who make the farms work.
I have and have not missed voting in any election in some 45 years.
A few times.
Nearly every year, since we have a lot of traffic past our location. I have also removed a few signs, put there without my consent or support.
I wish you lucj in you travels.
As an engineer for more than 40 years I had occasion to visit your state on business a few times (Long Beach, Marysville, and Roseville)’ but, turned down numerous job offers, since I knew that what I gained in weather, I would lose in other areas like freedom and cost of living.
Our 8 acres with the 3000 ft2 house, 2 large barns and 3 other outbuildings with a creek meandering through the property, cost us $40,000.00 back in 1986. I can’t imagine what that cost would have been in your state, even back then.
I don’t think it’s too late to stop such things as long as we can stop the kids from voting for the socialists and their free stuff; but, even on this forum, people blast Trump, imperfect; but, IMHO trying his best to deal with the swamp creatures better than all but a few in my lifetime.
Okay, so that is two readers on the list are politically semi-active.
About 1986 the median price of a house in my town was $150,000. A burned out lot in the fire area sold this month for $300,000. I haven’t bothered to go by the lot to see what is on it and what has to be done to start construction, but it is what is left after the “hazardous waste hauler” finished with the lot, I would imagine. I don’t know if they ripped up the pad, but with the house burned to the ground, I would imagine the concrete is spalled and cannot be used even for a patio.
As one final comment tonight, I would urge both Trump supporters and Trump slammers to read David Codrea’s article “2020 Is Trump’s To Blow With Gun Owners.”
It is in the September issue of Firearms News (used to be Shotgun News) Volume 17 and starts on page 76. I think it is a well-reasoned piece and he posits some interesting conundrums for the Second Amendment crowd. I highly recommend it.
LCC,
I agree with most of what you have said, but I think that the real problem came up when corporations (and by extension lobbyists) were allowed to legally bribe our politicians… at that point they were no longer working for the people.
Term limits are a joke. a couple of terms as mayor followed by a term or two as, state legislator, followed by a term or two as congressman, then a term or two as state senator, and you have already stolen enough money to retire with a full government pension to boot. lol
No, the real solution is to hang them from the nearest tree when they break their oath of office… it won’t take long for corruption to become a rarity. 😛 lol
Dp,
This has been forever and quite often lobbying is beneficial, when used as counter lobbying, such as the NRA and it’s 5+ million members vs. ”Everytown for Gun Safety” funded almost in it’s entirety by billionaire Michael Bloomberg. Where the NRA wins in this battle is the 5+ million voters amplified by nonmember friends, family, and those on whom we have influence.
I disagree and it’s not about stolen monies as much as power and the ability to change the course of the country, as in gun control, environmental regulations, taxation, etc.
What term limits can accomplish is breaking up the political dynasties, making individuals start over with their relationships, and allowing the opposition the chance to influence things.
Donald J Trump beating Hillary Clinton is an example that shows how disruptive this breaking of normal deep state swamp politics can be, and why we need more of it, something that term limits could I think help with.
This article should be required reading, along with a course in the constitution from Hillsdale college for every HS and college student.
Excellent article.
I’m 60’ish, and I had to take (and pass) a Constitution test as a high school requirement…….
Oh how far we have fallen.
Dp,
I wholeheartedly concur.
I’ve taken that course as anyone can, since Hillsdale offers numerous free online courses @ https://www.hillsdale.edu/academics/free-online-courses/
They quote Thomas Jefferson as a reason they do this, since our educational system has been woefully inadequate. Here’s the one that applies:
If one does not know and understand the mission (Declaration of independence) and rules (constitution) then we will be drawn away from it with no idea it has even happened.
This is what Bernie and his ilk are counting on, and like all despots, the water will be boiling before you know you’re drowning.
Our Family has already decided that We will not tolerate this from our government!
When the government comes for us, We will not go gently into that bad night!
We will take a lot of them with us!!!
you just signed up for a RED FLAG
If I remember correctly the whole reason they were raided to begin with was because he sold an illegal shotgun being sawed off too short. And about twenty five agents, and two dead family members it was all over. The mom was shot and killed while holding her baby.
My recollection is that it was government entrapment wherein they got a neighbor or friend to talk him into sawing off a shotgun for them. I don’t believe that money changed hands, and the other person already owned the shotgun.
I could be wrong since it has been a long time since I have read the book by Gerry Spence – who was the defense attorney in the case.
http://www.ruby-ridge.com/gspence.htm
ATf trapped him into cutting down a shotgun to short by a half a inch and wanted him to infiltrate the kkk.
Yeah they murdered his son the dog and his wife
Dp,
&
Raven tactical,
You both have it correct. It happened in 1992. I met Randy Weaver at an expo in 1996 and he seemed like a decent guy who was a separatist and not the supremacist he was falsely label by the ignorant or downright vindictive media.
The surviving members of his family received $3.1M in 1995 to settle the civil suit brought against the government for wrongful deaths of his wife Vicki and his 14 year old son Sam. As I recall Sam was on the hill with his dog when the dog noticed the agents in hiding and started barking at them. One of the agents shot the dog and Sam being shot at, returned fire and was then killed by an agent.
Family Friend Kevin Harris who was also wounded received $380,000 in 2000.
The sniper was never held accountable (along with others)
Ted: Remember Ruby Ridge? Five days ago was the 27th anniversary of the massacre at Ruby Ridge. If you don’t recall, ammo.com has a write up on the episode and how went down.
Remember Waco? All they wanted to do is be left alone. Like Randy Weaver, they didn’t want to interact with society in general.
In both cases the local law enforcement didn’t want to be involved. They had no problem with either Weaver or the Waco bunch. In Waco the local sheriff said that any time he wanted to talk to David Koresh, he just walked up to the gate and asked for him and David came to the gate and they talked. He never had to use force or coercion to get to talk to David. He was quoted that he felt the warrant could have been executed without any violence at all.
It’s not against the law to be a hermit. It’s not against the law to refuse to be a fink for a governmental agency.
It’s not against the law to have religious beliefs that are not mainstream. Yet in both those cases, those were the precipitating causes of the deaths at the hands of federal agents.
It worse now than it was in 1992 and whenever Waco took place. Now even the local cops are armed up like storm troopers. I am sure the gestapo would have liked to have the equipment that the local p.d. has at its disposal.
Even if you are in an armed compound, you will be taken out. The neighbors won’t come to your rescue because they will have been fed a bunch of lies about you being some kind of terrorist or child molester or major drug dealer or running a pedophile ring with all the children in your compound being victims and the feds are going to rescue them even it means killing every last one of the children.
Remember the picture of Elean Gonzalez being “rescued” by the storm trooper in full battle rattle, pointing his fully automatic weapon at the terrified little boy hiding in the closet?
Don’t think it has changed a bit — well, it has. It worse now than it was only 25 years ago. Now we have “The Patriot Act.” Well, Patriot Act sells better than Schutzstaffel Act.
Read between the lines – Doc was a liberal elitist that wasn’t exactly against the communist take over – until it became inconvenient – he’s not any different than the Hollywierds and liberal millenniums that are banging on the anti-Trump drum currently in the US …
Don’t feel sorry for Doc or any of Venezuelans that didn’t get their socialistic Utopia – there’s been decades of that system’s failures to know better …
Unless given names are really different in Venezuela, the Doc is a female. Johnny Cash may have been a boy named Sue, but Maybelle is pretty much a female name. Now, the whole name business may well be a pseudonym to protect the identity. Otherwise I agree with your comments. Things were hunky dory until they ran out of other people’s money to spend.
The Snowflakes, The Liberals, and the Socialists are destroying America.
So are Republicans ben
But mostly its the Snowflakes, the Liberals, and the Socialists who are destroying America. Sadder times are just ahead.
Well, Claude, if you wanted to get a lot of hits with this post you have reached your goal. These types of topics are always hot button issues and generate lots of discussion.
The Government can, has always, and will, do whatever they decide to. The best defense “We The People” have is electing people who don’t already harbor anti-freedom and anti-liberty agendas.
Ben their is nobody to elect and the entire thing is poisoned. No matter what fresh water you add to the poisoned well it’s still poisoned
Raven tactical, sadly you are correct. We all have to prepare the best we can for the worse and hope for the best.
Raven tactical,
I also held that position at one time, but I am holding out hope that DJ Trump is going to turn things around. It is easy to look at only the negative, but try to look at the positives.
I suggest that you look up the X22 report on You-tube, and watch his reports on the Q drops going back for a few months. Maybe it won’t change your mind, but it will give you more of an insider perspective on world events, and especially why DJT does some of the things that he does.
You are a smart and dedicated patriot, and we need all of the folks like yourself that we can working on and supporting our efforts to change the system – rather than just giving up the fight and waiting on the shooting to start. God Bless you, dude.
Yeah I don’t have time for bs q garbage just retired folks who could be training. Getting suckered into double speak
Well the war is coming and doesn’t matter what side you choose. Trump isnt going to save you . He out spends Obama and hates you having guns. Their is very little difference between Republicans and Democrats. Just left and right cheeks of the same ass
For those who would like a refresher course on the events at Ruby Ridge, go too ammo.com. Select “Library” on the heading board at the top of their home page. Go down five subjects in the library index on the left hand side of the page. Ruby Ridge is the last on in the fifth selection which I believe is labeled “History”.
Ammo.com is one of the leaders in informing citizens in what is happening. They happen to side with believers in the Second Amendment.
I have not detected any blatant B.S. in any of their articles and some of you who have read my posts know that I am not shy about pointing out B.S. in articles.
Yeah, I’m trying to get the last word in. This is one of the most difficult topics for people to discuss, and discussions on line about guns usefully become spiteful, irrational, and downright embarrassing, but I admire everybody on here for being serious, thoughtful, and earnest on this topic, way to go!
IvyMike,
I agree and usually my first thoughts on a firearms related article are ”Here we go again”.
I’ve been shooting for nearly 60 years and training people for nearly 30 as a certified instructor, and from my perspective the best gun is one you can afford, that fits your needs and that you can handle and shoot well.
Anything beyond that gets into ego or people trying to justify their selection, that in the end really doesn’t matter all that much.
I also agree that this article and the responses were quite civil.
Well, it’s beginning already. Read the article and determine for yourself if this is Constitutional or not
https://www.foxnews.com/us/former-marines-weapons-seized-under-oregons-red-flag-law-after-remarks-about-antifa-report
I Am a member of THE TRUMP TEAM
I am Q – get over yourself.
We are Q we are going to raise our Republic…
And all of the weak ass millennials that will die – just bad children of bad hippies
Hippies – just a mind game on your weak ass parents by the CIA and other MKULTRA Satanists.
Weak ass punks… you deserve to die, with JESUS WINNING…. you are weak. You sold out….
Think you all should rad history of the world and what has happened in all dictatorships and expect another world war and going back to the early 1800s when the world collapses. Things are headed that way and man cannot stop it. Each country is headed for a real new beginning and hopefully will have learned from their history and make a real new world if we don’t completely destroy it.
here we are in 2022 with Biden as President! A Political Pandemic almost over according to the CDC. On the verge of a war, with a country that no one can protect because of political NATO. Stores are empty, no one wants to work because of all the free shit they’ve gotten in the last 2 years, Opened the Boarder and let in hundreds of thousands of illegals, and gave them a bunch of free shit. I’m still talking about Biden here. Forced vaccinations of an experimental drug. Mandates, mandates, and more mandates! Still Biden! We have a POTUS that can’t face the Nation without a teleprompter, walk-A- Way Joe won’t answer any questions, Nancy Pelosi the Clapper, and VP Kamala Harris with the eternal “I will follow Joe anywhere” smile, when she’s not cackling. Still talking about Biden! Boy, Do I Miss Trump!!!!!
this article is a real-world account of what the USA is heading towards if We The People continue to allow the degradation of our Constitutional Republic. A most recent example here in the US and all over the world are the illegal mandates based upon a fraudulently propagandized “Pandemic”, and those that honestly and peacefully protest legitimate grievances are being subjected to unconstitutional government forces of repression. Be prepared, be ready to make hard decisions, be willing to defend yourselves and all you care about.
https://ammo.com/
they finally caught Dale eh
https://patriots4freedom.com/2022/04/fauci-has-no-respect-for-the-constitution/
republicans don’t either.
voters are catching on to this and sending constitution loving politicians – hopefully not too late (:
Only if voting made a difference
The way to fix it is to run for office.
Local office… school board or city counsel sheriff etc.
bottom up is the only way to fix it. these traitors are entrenched and following the communist plan of corrupting the next generation… voting doesn’t work because they corrupted the last generation — parents didn’t do their job they let traitors and satanists take over the schools which the parents used as a daycare – your #1 job as a parent is to instill moral value in your children and they failed in their job. It is not the traitor’s fault it is the parents fault. 🙁
Running for office won’t work. Only thing that will Is letting it collapse and resetting it
I hate to have to agree with you, but I am coming to the belief that there is no other way to fix our government. Not only the politicians, but the bureaucrats that are running the various departments.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww47bR86wSc&ab_channel=Sprouts
dp, good video. I wonder if that is where the phrase “you can’t fix stupid” got its start.
https://newswithviews.com/the-real-war/
Merrick Garland’s Department Of Justice Is A Threat To The Republic
3 years later and things aren’t getting any better. Insane inflation this year bumping prices on everything:food, gas, ammo. Hell, even gun cleaning kits almost doubled in price compared to 2019. Folks, this is not looking good