Categories
Second Amendment rights

Sheriff Control

If you’re going to advocate gun-backed force to violate the individual’s right to bear arms — the form of people control also known as “gun control” — why not also try to strong-arm opponents of gun control into silence?

Sheriff Terry Maketa of El Paso County, Colorado, went on the Jeff Crank Show, a radio program, to report that Colorado Democrats are using their power to try to silence sheriffs.

Maketa and a few dozen other sheriffs in Colorado had made the trip to the state legislature to publicly testify against a gun control bill. In his view, the legislation “is emotionally driven and has no backing.”

At least two aspects of lawmakers’ conduct in the debate bother him. One is that, contrary to past procedure, only one sheriff was allowed to speak on the bill. Maketa could testify “but [many] who made the trip . . . never had their voice heard.”

After the sheriffs appeared against the bill, the Colorado association representing county sheriffs (CSOC) alerted members that angry senate Democrats were indicating that they wouldn’t act favorably on proposed increases in sheriff salaries unless the sheriffs “reconsider our positions.” The CSOC’s email went on to say that they didn’t believe that supporting Senate Bill 197 would violate the sheriffs’ principles.

Sheriff Maketa finds both the threat and the advice to submit outrageous. Who can disagree, except persons who think we should give up our rights without a peep of protest?

Or give up our protest if the money is right.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.

Categories
Thought

Jean-Baptiste Say

The wealthy are generally impressed with an idea, that they shall never stand in need of public charitable relief; but a little less confidence would become them better.

Categories
Thought

Jean-Baptiste Say

The command of a large sum is a dangerous temptation to a national administration. Though accumulated at their expense, the people rarely, if ever profit by it: yet in point of fact, all value, and consequently, all wealth, originates with the people.

Categories
Accountability national politics & policies too much government

Sequester Squeezes Solons

The deep, excruciating pain inflicted by the infamous sequester’s automatic $85 billion in spending cuts is beginning to crush the spirit of our glorious leaders.

Every stroke of the pen hurts, as congressional budgets are slashed a mindless 8.2 percent. The resultant chaos, we are told, presents a fatal threat to our survival as a nation.

A recent Washington Post exposé revealed more than a few of the budget-cutting horrors:

  • Congressional offices are wantonly canceling magazine subscriptions. Magazines contain important facts desperately needed by those entrusted with governing every aspect of our existence. Denied essential reading material, national literacy levels could plummet.
  • Communication between congressional representatives and their constituents is being disrupted as offices increasingly respond through low cost e-mail, instead of mailing through the more expensive U.S. Post Office.
  • Foreign junkets are also getting scrutinized. For instance, the congressional delegation sent to Rome to welcome the new pope dared the indignity of flying commercial.

It has gotten so bad that U.S. Rep. John Campbell (R-Calif.) was forced to actually look into the phone bill paid by his congressional office. He found he could save $200 a month.

The sickening reality of budget cuts? They always hit our poor leaders hardest. But somehow, without magazines or lavish junkets, forced to use email and fly commercial and occasionally peruse a bill, our solons bravely carry on.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.

Categories
Thought

Jean-Baptiste Say

Is it possible for princes and ministers to be enlightened, when private individuals are not so?

Categories
links

Townhall: Subverting Democracy to Subsidize Billionaires

This weekend’s column over at Townhall.com looks at something we see too often everywhere: politicians subsidizing rich people’s sporting endeavors . . . on the backs of normal folks. Come back here for sources and resources, if not recourses:

Categories
Thought

James Madison

I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.

Categories
video

Video: Stossel on Why the Media Hates Business

Fascinating interview:

Categories
Thought

James Madison

Ambition must be made to counteract ambition.

Categories
ballot access initiative, referendum, and recall

Running the Asylum

After an election in Idaho wherein legislators saw three of their laws rejected by citizen-initiated referendums, Senate Bill 1108 passed the senate and headed its way to the House. It would impose draconian new requirements to qualify a referendum or citizen initiative.

“There’s a perception that this relates to Props 1, 2 and 3,” explained the bill’s author, Sen. Curtis McKenzie (R-Nampa). “This doesn’t have anything to do with that.”

Voters in Maryland approved the three legislative enactments petitioned to statewide referendum votes last November. But why risk a veto from the people, eh? Legislation has been introduced to dramatically increase signature requirements, restrict pay for petition circulators, and block websites from providing online help to those wishing to sign referendum petitions.

Sadly, the federal government’s executive branch seems no fonder of citizen input than do state legislators. The White House petition website recently hiked the signature requirement up four-fold to get an official response — from 25,000 people to 100,000 folks.

“Raising the threshold so steeply and so suddenly,” Rachael Larimore wrote in Slate, “sends the message that maybe the White House doesn’t really want to be bothered with the problems of the people.”

Obviously, the White Houses isn’t alone among political power centers in opposing citizen involvement. To keep track of assaults on the initiative, referendum and recall, please consult Citizens in Charge’s 2013 Legislative Tracker.

I’ll keep it updated; you keep your local “representatives” checked.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.