Casual Observation

5 Comments

1. 

   Brendan Skwire on April 20, 2013 at 9:11 pm

   At thus point, I detest them all, D and R alike. We have a saying in the blue grass world: “we eat our own.”

   I love seeing it play out in politics.

2. 

   Phil Perspective on April 20, 2013 at 9:26 pm

   Something really crawled up Bill Daley’s butt. It’s kind of rich of him to accuse a sitting senator of ignoring the voters and listening to corporate donors.

   Did the irony meter explode when he said that?

3. 

   Jordan Orlando on April 20, 2013 at 9:37 pm

   The American public really needs to learn the concept of “astroturf.”

   The NRA is probably the ultimate “astroturf” organization: after their 1979 power struggle, the views of the “voting members” became entirely irrelevant and their policy was determined by an impenetrable “black box” governing board comprised entirely of big donors and weapons manufacturing executives.

   Next up is the “tea party” — similar remarks. Created to give the impression of a popular movement.

   The more people see concrete examples of their will being suborned — the more they see themselves as, essentially, window-dressing — the better off this country will ultimately be.

   • 

     Alice on April 21, 2013 at 7:22 am

     How about the AARP?  As soon as you’re old enough to want to buy insurance you get a membership card in the mail.

4. 

   Arthur Gilroy on April 21, 2013 at 5:29 am

   When you vote against what 94% of your constituents want, you are advertising for all to see that your vote is for sale to the highest bidder.

   Where did you get that 94% figure, Booman? From The Hill, a neo-liberal political cheatshit…err, ahhhh…chatsheet.

   Daley pointed to polling suggesting that 94 percent of the state’s residents supported the amendment.

   And from whom did “The Hill” get it?

   From this article in The North Dakota Free Press, more than likely.

   Recent polls by Mayors Against Illegal Guns showed likely voters in a wide range of states and congressional districts overwhelmingly support background checks for all gun sales. The average support for background checks for all gun sales among 41 congressional district polls was 89 percent; the average among 21 statewide polls was 86 percent.  In North Dakota, 94 percent support background checks.

   94% of all North Dakotans want gun control legislation similar to the proposal that went down in flames this week?

   So says the organization “Mayors Against Illegal Guns,” whatever that is. (I’d like it better if the name was “Mayors Against Gun Use” or “Mayors Against Shooting People,” but I guess you can’t have everything. How about “Mayors Against Corruption?” Dream on, son, dream on.) I am sure that a poll taken by the NRA would contradict that finding. Polls lie. Everywhere and always. So do White House Chiefs of Staff and Secretaries of Commerce. (Daley’s political posts, among many others) That’s their job. Common sense, however doesn’t lie. My own common sense suggests to me that “94%” of any largely rural population in the U.S. does not want gun control legislation of any kind. Maybe 50% or 60%? Maybe, maybe not.

   Now I am all for gun control, myself. Especially in the hands of our armed forces. But that’s another matter entirely.

   Or is it?

   Oh well…

   Poll on.

   AG

   P.S. Here is Senator Heitkamp’s statement on the matter from the same newspaper:

   Opinion: Heitkamp Statement on Bloomberg Attacks in North Dakota

   By NDFreePress Staff on March 26, 2013

   North Dakota continues to have one the highest rates of gun ownership and lowest incidences of gun crime in the country. Yet New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg insists on taking gun driven crime statistics in his city and from other major cities and trying to force those numbers into a narrative that just does not fit in North Dakota. Frankly, there are far better uses for Mayor Bloomberg’s $156,000, than buying ads attacking a way of life he clearly does not understand.

   Gun ownership in North Dakota comes down to growing up in a culture where those rights come with an ingrained responsibility taught at a young age. We are proud of our outdoor heritage and will continue to protect the rights our hunters and sport shooter, the rights of our farmers and ranchers to protect their crops and livestock from wildlife, and the rights of responsible, law abiding citizens to protect themselves and their homes.

   We must keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the dangerously mentally ill. That is why I support each state fully reporting into the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System.

   As the former attorney general of North Dakota, I do not need someone from New York City to tell me how to handle crime in our state, I know that we can go after and prosecute criminals without the need to infringe upon the second amendment rights of law abiding North Dakotans. I believe in using every tool available to find and prosecute criminals to the fullest extent of the law, and that includes criminals purchasing firearms or in the possession of firearms.

   I wouldn’t expect Mayor Bloomberg to follow my advice on how to run a major east coast city of over 8 million people, and I don’t plan to follow his advice on what is best for North Dakotans.

   Is she in the pocket of the NRA? Maybe. It takes lots of money to get elected to the U.S. Senate. What U.S. Senator is not “in the pocket” of one or another big money organization>?

   Name one, please.

   And while I am at it…in whose “pockets” does Bill Daley reside?

   William Michael “Bill” Daley (born August 9, 1948) is an American lawyer and former banker.[1] He served as White House Chief of Staff to President Barack Obama from January 2011 to January 2012. He also served as U.S. Secretary of Commerce from 1997 to 2000 under President Bill Clinton. His private-sector positions included membership on the Executive Committee of JPMorgan Chase & Co.

   He was born in Chicago, Illinois, the seventh and youngest child of the late Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley and Eleanor “Sis” Daley. He is the brother of former Illinois legislator John P. Daley and former Chicago mayor Richard M. Daley.

   Oh.

   Nice bloodline, eh?

   He became associated with Amalgamated Bank of Chicago, where he was first vice chairman (1989-1990) and then president and chief operating officer (1990-1993). Daley returned to the practice of law, as a partner with the firm Mayer Brown (then Mayer, Brown & Platt) from 1993 to 1997.

   Daley was appointed to the board of Fannie Mae in 1993 by President Bill Clinton,[2][3] serving until 1997.

   In December 2001, following his service as U.S. Secretary of Commerce under President Clinton, he was appointed President of SBC Communications to help reform the company’s image. In May 2004, Daley was made the Midwest Chairman of JPMorgan Chase, following its acquisition of Bank One Corporation, to oversee its operations from Chicago. Daley formerly served on the Board of Directors of Boeing, Merck & Co., Boston Properties, and Loyola University Chicago. He is currently a trustee of Northwestern University and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

   Oh.

   He’s a bigtime corporate banker and lawyer.

   Translation?

   Sure.

   He’s a legal thief, part and parcel of the system that has bankrupted this country.

   He’s a one-percenter’s one-percenter.

   Something crawled up Bill Daley’s butt?

   Yup.

   Bet on it.

   The PermaGov.

   Frankly, I’d rather take my chances with Heidi Heitkamp.  At least she a relative small-timer.