Barack Obama called Hillary Clinton “Annie Oakley” in 2008 for what he portrayed as her diffidence about gun control. This year she has embraced it with vigor, and is now engaging the issue against Donald Trump, who just secured the NRA endorsement.
The voter breakdown: Hillary is now depending on a coalition of non-white voters and college educated white women who mostly back gun control. Trump is aiming for non-college and non-urban white voters who are passionately against gun control.
Going back to Al Gore 2000 and Bill Clinton’s disastrous first-term Midterm (following the ban on assault weapons) Democrats have not done well when tackling this issue. The Clinton-Trump match up is shaping up as a test for whether voters have shifted to the left on this one, enough to make Hillary’s stand the winning position.
please, please, let us use the term “gun safety” which encompasses most of what most of us want including most gun owners. here again the media have played into the hands of the nra by being addicted to the word “control” which, of course, has negative overtones.
craig, you are right on about: “VN vets should get credit for their sacrifice that allowed LBJ to get the votes for Medicare, Medicaid, and all the domestic good that he did. It’s their unwitting legacy.” never heard anyone make that connection.
many of us owe a lot to lbj’s successes. most of us in fact. iow, women, 51% of America.
🙂
No politician will ever be brave enough to state the obvious: the only people who should have access to guns are the military & the police. Sorry, not sorry, hunters: there is no sport in killing. Only killing. We will never evolve as a species until we get that fact.
If Newtown didn’t change minds, or at least hearts, at a loss on what would. Sad indictment on who we are as a Country that to state that is political suicide.
some pundit on cnn just suggested jim webb as trump’s vp.
osh…I heard and saw the same thing here in New Mexico. When I arise early, I have the closed captioning on the tv to keep the sound low or off…saw Jim Webb’s name floated as a potential VP pick for Trump. It has been on the internets since March. Craig working with Trump. : O And on Faux News? Venezuela!! FN is going after the Sanders voters…telling them if they stick with Bern they will have us looking like Venezuela! Holy inflation!!!
oldseahag,
I wonder what the ratio of pundits to viewers is nowadays. Whenever any network goes all Brady Bunch boxes re: “contributors” I tune out. So much mindless chatter, too little actual wisdom.
My brain hurts Mr Gumby!
Click.
Great point about VN Vets, Craig…Chuck Hagel also deserves the credit for adding PTSD for VN Vets. Reagan was the one who punished VN Vets…fed them to the concrete amid a flourishing mental health crisis. Decades later, at least the VN Vets can get treatment for PTSD. In my state? That means medical marijuana, not serotonin re-uptake drugs — which are the real killers.
Ironically, it was the VN Vets who introduced a lot of marijuana to the USA when coming back from tour…I remember Thai sticks on campus in 1972, returning vets on the GI bill hanging with the coeds. Bringing pot home…drug use was rampant in Vietnam. Marijuana was the lesser of evils when compared to heroin.
Sanders pushing his agenda at the DNC? Amounts to trashing HRC and nothing more. I have been trying to put the old coot in a jar with Jane, Jeff, Chuck and Tad and put them on a shelf. They are an annoyance designed to take HRC down to what end? The other side, of course. If Bern can’t have the presidency without any executive experience? No dem can. I keep pushing him and his nonsense to the fringe. A spoiler.
yep, webb or huntsman sound like the likely veepers to be. whichever is the one that makes drumpf look better in photo ops (that is can’t be as tall or taller and can’t have more hair). if that’s possible. Christie filled the bill as pit bull and as the comic side-kick, but not enough dc and global experience as webb and humtsman.
off topic tho’t: who passes the “like to have a beer with” test. if they’re honest about it, media probably would pick Hillary. at least she has a sense of humor, a great laugh and drinks the stuff. can’t imagine spending a glassful let alone a pitcherful of suds with drumpf the teetotling gun toting blowhard.
Bernie Loses His Halo
Even progressives are criticizing him now after he’s shown a harder edge.
By Bill Scher
pogo, you’ll enjoy the part starting at 12:30 minutes in where oliver reaffirms all your math about Hillary getting more votes no matter how they’re toted up.
Let’s get rid of DWS because she is stupid about marijuana — one of the bigger anti-mj in the House
I’m getting bored with Bernie, last week he became the obvious political incompetent that a number of us knew he was.
sjwny, The NRA loves you, I doubt that there are a handful of politicians who believe as you do and for obvious reasons they are smart enough to keep their mouths shut.
As to Webb I’ve become so cynical about him that nothing would surprise me. As He is a friend of Craigs out of politeness I won’t go any farther.
Trump really needs a mainstream Republican, a Rubio, Bush or Kaisich . I doubt if any are dumb enough to take the job. But some of the second tear wannabes might. The Gov of Florida might.
Jack
I don’t think that there are a lot of votes to be had on the gun issue. In the wake of numerous massacres we have been unable to get even modest gun safety legislation passed. It is just a non starter for too many people, and for too many of those people it is a single issue proposition.
Jace
I look for it to an issue for the NRA against HRC and I expect some targeted ads against Trump as he is not really a strong gun rights advocate.
A good way to show him as the “tell you anything to get your vote” candidate.
Combine that with an ad about Trump “the New York City hustler” …….
Jack
Craig… a big THANK YOU for that wonderful picture of Patsi on the sidebar.
I live in hunting country… both of Rick’s brothers are avid hunters. They love deer meat and look forward to a freezer full every year. I have no problem with them owning guns. I also have no problem with women that live alone in cities that want handguns for their protection. And lastly, I agree with Jack…. them that say no guns are playing right into the NRA’s hands.
Jack,
The NRA would attack HRC regardless of her position. I applaud her for bringing it up and drawing the distinction between herself and Trump.
If this was going to be the 40 state blowout that so many predict I would say go hard on the gun issue. I fear that it will be a nail biter hence she needs to soft peddle the matter. More votes to be lost on gun control than there are to be gained.
Among the many concerns voiced by the ‘take our country back’ crowd in the wake of Obama’s election in 2008 were that he was a Muslim socialist who was going to take away our bibles and our guns.
It seems that both are still in abundance and readily available.
Yes RR, I like her pose and expression in that pic, as if she’s watching over us ready to pounce.
If Burnie is the nominee, I will not cast a vote for president this year. I will vote the down ballot candidates/issues.
We soldiers who served in Vietnam as part of the first bunch during ’65 and’66 were not witless about Johnson. We realized that this was not his war, it was McNamara’s. We knew he wasn’t a sophisticated man, and we knew that was part of the reason that he was Kennedy’s VP. He was a Texan. He legitimized a patrician in the White House.
Later on when his son-in-law reported for duty as an enlisted man working in one of the Air Force bomb dumps in Vietnam, we knew he had his priorities straight–what was good for the goose was good for the gander. About the only special benefit the kid got was when the president called, got him on the line, and passed the phone to his daughter. Nice.
Vietnam was the first war in which our forces were fully integrated. That was nice, too. I expect the racist Mr Johnson had something to do with that. And, I expect Lady Bird, the Texas patrician, brought out the best in LBJ when it counted.
sj, I agree with Renee and with jace. Whether you like hunting or not and gun ownership for self defense, those things are here to stay. The 2nd amendment issue is important, but I doubt that it will get a lot of votes. The best that could be done IMHO is to press for expansion of background checks, restriction of military type weapons, fight open carry and concealed carry law expansion and keep gun free zones for schools and government buildings. And I would hit hard on Mar Lago and Trump National staff reports of their no gun policies and Trump’s inconsistencies on guns.
And for you football fans (Renee particularly) Tom Brady is appealing for an en banc review of his suspension with the Second Circuit.
And I’m sure now that the apocalypse is upon us. In addition to the wacky weather ( floods and storms), Trump a legitimate contender for president – now the cicada have arrived in force.
Here in SC we have a very stringent CGP (Concealed Carry Permit) policy and licensing program. Required are a combination of classroom and firing range training involving safety, statutory prohibitions within the program, common sense, sorting out of why the applicant wants the permit, fingerprinting for the background check, etc.
Places where carry is prohibited are churches, government facilities, medical establishment, places where you are imbibing, establishments with prescribed placards on the entrance doors.
Applicants are told to expect a 45-day waiting period for the background check process to wind its way through from start to finish. Here, the State Law Enforcement Division is the responsible entity. Mine took just about a month.
I do have a loaded revolver in the car and accessible loaded weapons, out of view, in the house.
Pogo,
Guessing Deflategate will become a campaign issue before all is said and done.
Pogo… of course Brady is appealing. If the 2nd circuit turns him down, he’ll appeal to the Supreme Court. He didn’t bring on Ted Olson to his defense team for nothing. He’s going to fight this as hard as he can for as long as he can. If he’s lucky, he’ll retire before his options are fully exhausted. If not… the Patriots will see if Garoppolo can really play. Either way… it’s all good for the Patriots.
Jace… it’ll be Trump who makes it one. Trump is friends with Brady, coach Belichick, and owner Robert Kraft. I expect most sports stars are in his camp. Most are rich, full of machismo, and very religious.
HRC says she won’t pander to the NRA, one of the most powerful lobbies in Washington.
So, there is a group to whom she will not pander, after all.
Flatus,
Responsible gun owners like yourself have no problem with waiting periods and background checks. If that is what it takes to get a conceal\ carry permit, why should it be any different for a firearms purchase? In the end anyone who wants a gun and is not a nut case or a felon can get one. When I bought my first shotgun it probably took me at least 45 days to oo and ah over which one to buy. That was part of the fun.
Jace,
Here, a simple weapons purchase involves filling out the federal form, waiting for seller to make the phone call with the decision, and pay the damages. Less than 15-minutes total.
I did see one guy being told that his application was denied; he was not happy and had the obvious questions for the seller as to why which the seller didn’t know the answer. He was given the website URL where he could follow-up. He left disappointed but not shrill and irrational.
RR,
I’m not surprised, The Tom Bradeys of the world are so competitive that they simply refuse to take no for an answer. That’s what makes them so good.
Flatus,
Hopefully the guy had some recourse if he was wrongly denied. I’m not planning on buying any guns but I would be really annoyed if that happened to me.
Jace
I’m sure that was what the website was for. The denial would obviously be tied to his ssan forever. As you said, if he was wrongly denied, he must be provided an avenue to set the record straight and to consummate the purchase at the same store with the same clerk.
Flatus,
No doubt you’re right. The system should have a way to correct glitches.
I’d hate to be denied on the basis of an unpaid parking ticket. LOL
Flatus, of all the things SC seems to get wrong, it sounds like they have firearm licensing right.
Pogo
I agree. SC realizes that we are concerned about two completely different ordnance categories:
–Family Firearms, those firearms used exclusively for target practice and hunting.
–Weapons, firearms intended for military, police, and self-defense use. They are not well suited to recreational use.
If I were wise enough to sit on a bench and I was asked to rule if someone using a Family Firearm was covered by the 2d Amendment, I would say, don’t waste the court’s time, their usage does not constitute keeping and bearing arms. Let them be.
In the second case, Weapons. I would ask if the government had any reason to believe that an individual holding such weapons was mentally incompetent, etc. If so, bring said persons before the court for adjudication. Otherwise people owning weapons are allowed to keep and bear them subject to reasonable regulation.
flatus, pogo, jace, renee re simple gun purchase what’s your opinion on a gun seller turning down a customer that is drunk? or that he was overheard joking about killing someone/wife/boss/gov’t official by another customer who warned the clerk? or was obviously depressed and the seller suspected he was suicidal? or a person with the buyer was obviously frightened of the buyer?
who hunts with an ak47
another question: in your opinion does requiring minimal gun safety training (proper storage, handling, child safety locks etc.) prior to purchase seem a violation to you of 2nd amdt rts?
wall st jrnl washington wire:
Mr. Trump stands at 43.4% as of Monday morning, compared with 43.2% for Mrs. Clinton, according to the Real Clear Politics average of recent polls of the likely matchup. Early last month, Mrs. Clinton had a lead of as much as 10 points in the average.
At the same time, according to PredictWise, which tracks prediction markets, the chances of the Democratic candidate being elected president stand at 67%, compared with 33% for the Republican. That’s down from about 75% at its high in April.
David Rothschild, who runs PredictWise, said Mr. Trump’s improved showing in opinion polls reflects a bounce from the exit of other GOP contenders — and that Mrs. Clinton should expect to see a similar bounce in the polls when and if she defeats party rival Bernie Sanders. Also, he said, poll averages show Mrs. Clinton performing strongly in polls of key swing states — important in winning the electoral college. Both of these serve to explain why political markets still see her as the favorite.
A new WSJ/NBC News poll out this weekend has Mrs. Clinton leading the New York businessman, 46% to 43%.
Pat, all the new weapons that I have bought over the past several years have included very detailed instructions for dumb parents and caretakers on how to keep others safe from their weapon. And each of the weapons arrived, as packaged, with a cable safety device that prevents a round from being chambered and fired if the owner uses it and locks it and removes the key.The lock is an integral part of the assembly.
My position is, only a paranoid government would consider family recreational firearms as requiring 2nd Amendment protection. That doesn’t remove the burden from parents and caretakers from securing their weapons, in safes if appropriate, teaching everyone in the household best practices, and being wise in their use.
Weapons, as I described them earlier, clearly come under the 2nd Amendment. If I fire my weapon I will be sure of my target. If firing my weapon is necessary I will not shoot to wound.
salon: We beat Donald Trump by mocking Donald Trump: What Bill Maher and Barak Obama understand about whipping a bully.
Trump’s weakness is ridicule.
Of course guns & hunting are here to stay. Just saying too bad we’ll never be a truly enlightened society. All animals, whether two or four legged, are fair game to some, so to speak.
Best decision I ever made was to go vegetarian. Health wise, conscience wise. But that’s just me & my own morals & ethics. My father was the worst (or best) farmer ever because he couldn’t kill the animals he raised. Damn that pesky compassion & decency.
As long as the NRA is around & they can make money off of death, they’ll be there, & shame on those who take their money.
As I said earlier: If Newtown didn’t change minds or hearts, what a despicable society we are. We never learn.
Shame.
I say a fried baloney sandwich in every pot…. YUM!… 🙂
I’m serious btw, about going vegetarian: At one time I was very overweight & could hardly go up a flight of stairs without losing my breath. Eliminating meat saved my life – made it better. I weigh half what I did before. Some families have “meatless Mondays.” Try it. It can’t hurt. Saves money 😉 Might actually help you stay around longer. And that would definitely be a major plus because I want all of you here.
Even Rebellious Renee. Especially Rebellious Renee 😉
Meatless Monday would be fine…. as long as I could also make it Margarita Monday…
Rebellious Renee,
I’ll drink to that 🙂
The Wall Street Democrats like Obama, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Patrick Murphy, and the Clintons consider Wall Street too big to jail for criminal activity.
Hilary Clinton said “My husband, who I’m going to put in charge of revitalizing the economy, cause you know he knows how to do it.” This is ‘like a fox guarding the henhouse’ or putting Wall Street in charge of the Economy.
Time Magazine has Bill Clinton as the first in line for 25 People to Blame for the Financial Crisis. A mythology has developed around the economics of the Clinton era. According to the mythology, the policies designed by Clinton’s Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin laid the basis for the prosperity of the late 1990s. This is nice mythology, but it is almost completely at odds with the reality. The growth burst of the late 1990s had little to do with deficit reduction (at least directly) and had everything to do with two unsustainable bubbles – a stock market bubble and a dollar bubble. The Clinton administration chose to ride the prosperity from these bubbles, even though it should have recognized that this prosperity was artificial, and would inevitably lead to a crash, followed by a painful adjustment process.
SEC Conference Features Former Official Calling for Fraudsters to be Protected from Career Harm
Posted on May 23, 2016 by Yves Smith
The SEC showed its true colors yet again at a panel at Stanford Law School at the end of March, although not as dramatically as last year. In last spring’s SEC panel at Stanford, the then head of examinations, Andrew Bowden, made such fawning remarks about private equity, including repeatedly saying he’d really like his son to work in the industry, that he resigned three weeks after we publicized the segment. Nevertheless, this conference was another demonstration of depth of regulatory capture at the agency.
As before, the real action came in when the audience members asked questions. They were all fielded by Andrew Ceresney, a former Debevoise & Plympton partner, now head of enforcement. We’re going to look at two questions in succession.
This one, the second in the Q&A section, has an individual investor reiterating objections that Elizabeth Warren, as well as SEC commissioners Kara Stein and Luis Aguilar, made about the SEC’s practice of being far too willing to waive an automatic sanction, that of the loss of “well known security issuer” status for serious violators. Kara Stein’s stinging 2015 dissent to a Deutsche Bank waiver gives a flavor for how the SEC is all too willing to go easy in the face of criminality
meatless Monday is a great idea and if the carnivores in your family can’t go one meal…fry ’em up a sausage to stick on the plate
I’m amazed that Bill Clinton is pursuing the release-your-tax-forms-Donald-Trump attack.
It gives Trump the opportunity to counter with saying Hillary should release the transcripts of her Wall Street speeches, and, remind folks of the huge number of emails she deleted.
Meatless 6 years and counting, here.
Me thinks the Clinton camp has no better idea how to handle Trump than the 16 or so GOP foes he defeated. Too many different attacks from various sources, not a consolidated targeted effort, stepping all over their own message. In politics a well aimed rifle shot one at a time beats a scatter gun that just makes noise and usually misses the target.
Clinton camp launched too many attacks on Trump last several days, diluting the message, what happens in a campaign run by committee. Misogyny, unqualified, dangerous, gun nut — should have been spread out on a calendar one by one. I see chaos, not method, in their actions.
Well all those things are true
Craig,
I think that they are throwing a bag of marbles on the floor. Trump can’t put his foot down with out stepping on one.
Renee
You are so funny! I laughed outloud :0)
Lov you and your comments too…..
Craig
Thanks for the nice pic of Patsi on open.
Really brings back nice and funny times.. I think about how glad and proud she would be seeing Hillary shine as she does. Oh and on her way to the Whitehouse. ?
Why all the Hillary haters?
Jack Ohman
The media continue to suck
only someone like Newtie will run with Trump –nothing to lose
Jace, tossing all the marbles at once means none left to toss.
it’s trump no running out of marbles
Hillary
I say focus on the rascal competing for the nomination of your own party. Destroy Sanders once and for all. His programs are unaffordable–tell people that. Destroy him in Jersey and California. So what if it costs money. It will earn respect from those who consider you a wimp. The dyed-in-the-wool Bernistas aren’t going to vote for you anyhow. Bernie’s going to do nothing but sabotage you at every turn; time for a political stake of reality through his heart.
Flatus
I agree with Flatus
And use the Bernie bro’s to do it, they are obnoxious twerps. The violence they use needs to be condemned and Sanders is giving them free rein.
Bernie bros are reminding the non affiliated what they really hate about the Democratic party. So any stand she takes will strengthen her.
Jack
Hillary Clinton Warns Trump ‘Could Bankrupt America Like He’s Bankrupted His Companies’
LIZ KREUTZ