You are right Chicago has a high rate of gun violence and also has strict gun control laws. Why is that? The criminals just cross the state border and go to a gun show with cash and buy anything they want no questions asked. This is why we need Universal background checks on all gun purchases to try and stop criminals, terrorists and nut cases from getting a lethal weapon. Is it fool proof? Heavens no but with a September 11 almost every month with nearly 3000 gun deaths something is better than nothing. If law abiding citizens can get a background check when they go to a licensed dealer why not everyone else. This does not infringe on the 2nd Amendment at all as was affirmed by Judge Scalia of the Supreme Court many years ago. Just yesterday two 4 year old's got a hold of a weapon and one killed his Mother and the other mortally shot another 6 year old child. Who let this happen?
The US has the most guns in the world and in turn the highest rate of gun violence. Only Mexico (thanks to Americans selling weapons to the drug cartels) and Yemen have a higher rate. Our rate is 4 to 10 times higher than every Western country. Twenty years ago Australia had the same problem we are having and they instituted Universal background checks and the rate of gun violence dropped 60 %.
The big problem is that this is not a 2nd Amendment issue it is a money issue. The gun makers are making record profits and they fund the NRA who in turn funds the politicians with blood money. This is why the NRA has changed its position over the last few years. Just 10 years ago they were in favor of Universal background checks. Gun violence is out of control and something must be done and Universal background checks is a reasonable common sense start to prevent little children from being gunned down before they have a chance to exercise their RIGHT to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. They deserve a VOTE!
Last month at Vet's week everyone could have seen Mr. Cheney's legacy first hand. One of the young men there had lost both legs and one arm in Iraq. He is one of the tens of thousand of Americans who lost their lives or where disabled thanks to this man who led the march to war in Iraq. These brave souls or their families live everyday with this burden thanks to Mr. Cheney. His friends in the Defense Industry especially Halliburton laughed all the way to the bank and our troops paid the price. He is famous for telling us we would have a mushroom cloud here if we didn't invade because Sadam had bought nuclear material in Africa. What he left out was the CIA had told him months earlier that this was false yet he had Pres. Bush use it in his State of the Union address in 2003. This was used as the reason to go to war. This is just one of his false statements that led to the deaths of so many Americans. I would rather see him in Gitmo not Steamboat.
.
Percentage wise Reagan had the largest deficit increase in history, over 300%. Bush over 100% and Obama 70%(so far). Look where this country was in Jan. 2001. The deficit was supposed to be zero by 2012 according to the CBO but instead look what happened and who got the runaway spending going. Defense spending alone was up 91%. One F-35 costs $250 million plus engine and they ordered 2400, The F-22 costs $350 million each and so far they have built 195. The Taliban Air Force must be shaking in their boots. Military foreign aid to Egypt, Pakistan, Israel etc. is in the $10's of billions a year which we have to borrow from China. Tomorrow the House will approve a $60 Billion dollar package for relief for Hurricane Sandy which will have to be borrowed but at least that is for Americans not the Middle East.
Mark
The Left loves deficit spending?
Where where you from Jan.2001 to Jan 2009. The Federal Budget grew from $1.8 Trillion to $3.2 Trillion and who was in charge? The CONSERVATIVES. Did you forget 2 unpaid for wars. Medicare part D, Wall St.Bailout, a $5 Trillion unneeded tax cut etc. You can even go back to 1981 to 1989 when the deficit grew from $900 Billion(with a B) to over $ 3 Trillion (with a T). and who was in charge-Reagan.
There is plenty of blame to go around and both parties are at fault.
What is interesting is that more people are gunned down in a city like LA in one day than in one year in Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan etc. The US has 2% of the world population and 50% of all the firearms. Gun deaths now have surpassed traffic deaths in a year. We have become the most violent country outside of the Middle East in the world. The other countries see the same movies and video games and many allow their citizens to bear arms yet they have nowhere near the gun violence that we have which has exploded in the last 20 years. Why?
If the NRA wants to fund(the country is broke remember) security guards in all schools let them however they better be Navy Seal or Army Ranger trained and armed because a 9 mm is no match for a madman with an assault weapon who is planning on dying anyway which is exactly what happened at Virginia Tech and Columbine. . Next we will be sending our children to school in body armor and helmets. This is not the country I grew up in. Pretty damn sad!
Unfortunately people who call themselves "Pro-life" do not want anything to do with that child when it comes out of the womb because now it is called Socialism. These same people want us to go to war with any country that will not do what we tell them but they won't serve or pay for that war. They want to make available to any nut case an assault weapon and execute as many people as we can so they can say they are tough on crime..
The basic problem is most laws are made by men who can't get pregnant. If men could become pregnant there would be an abortion clinic in every town and they would sell birth control at every 7-eleven.
Now we have MEN redefining rape to suit their so called "pro-life" agenda which is a joke. If we are going to be a truly free country then women need to make their own decisions about their bodies and the rest of society needs to mind their own business including a mean spirited loudmouth idiot like Coulter. Then and only then will we be a better country. .
When the great Ronald Reagan took office in 1981 the Federal Debt was $900 Billion. When he left office it had tripled to $3 Trillion thanks to tax cuts and Defense Spending.In 2001 when George W. Bush took office the yearly Federal Budget was $1.8 Trillion with a $250 Billion Surplus(a $5 Trillion total). When he left office it was $3.2 Trillion with a $1 Trillion Deficit (almost $11 Trillion total) thanks to 2 tax cuts, 2 unfunded wars, a 100% increase in Defense Spending and a new entitlement program called Medicare Part D. This type of growth of Government must be good because it was done by Conservatives.
What I find interesting is that the people calling for a war with Iran have very short memories. An attack on Iran will ignite a massive retaliation that will cost Trillions and tens of thousands of lives. Oil prices will go through the roof and the stock market will go through the floor which will last many years. Who will pay for this crusade? We haven't paid for the $2 Trillion from Iraq and Afghanistan yet. I guess another war calls for another tax cut.
I find it interesting only 29% of Israelis agree with Bibi to go to war which is why he wants us to do it. Considering Israel all ready receives more foreign aid than all other countries added together they should make their own decision and leave us out of it.
Most of those calling for war never wore the uniform of this country and in fact did everything possible to avoid the Draft during Vietnam. Gingrich, Chaney used student deferments and Romney hid in France for 3 years until they went to the lottery system and he got a high number and felt safe to come home. If we are going to have another war reinstate the Draft and those of the richest families will be the first to go. If we did that there would be no war.
Having spent many years in the military and the Middle East I believe the most dangerous country is Pakistan and they already have nukes.
Robert Huron 2 months, 1 week ago on Travis Brown: Gun control
Travis Brown: Gun control
As Republican Senator Toomey said today " Background checks is NOT gun control it is just plain common sense".
Robert Huron 2 months, 1 week ago on Travis Brown: Gun control
Travis Brown: Gun control
You are right Chicago has a high rate of gun violence and also has strict gun control laws. Why is that? The criminals just cross the state border and go to a gun show with cash and buy anything they want no questions asked. This is why we need Universal background checks on all gun purchases to try and stop criminals, terrorists and nut cases from getting a lethal weapon. Is it fool proof? Heavens no but with a September 11 almost every month with nearly 3000 gun deaths something is better than nothing. If law abiding citizens can get a background check when they go to a licensed dealer why not everyone else. This does not infringe on the 2nd Amendment at all as was affirmed by Judge Scalia of the Supreme Court many years ago. Just yesterday two 4 year old's got a hold of a weapon and one killed his Mother and the other mortally shot another 6 year old child. Who let this happen? The US has the most guns in the world and in turn the highest rate of gun violence. Only Mexico (thanks to Americans selling weapons to the drug cartels) and Yemen have a higher rate. Our rate is 4 to 10 times higher than every Western country. Twenty years ago Australia had the same problem we are having and they instituted Universal background checks and the rate of gun violence dropped 60 %.
The big problem is that this is not a 2nd Amendment issue it is a money issue. The gun makers are making record profits and they fund the NRA who in turn funds the politicians with blood money. This is why the NRA has changed its position over the last few years. Just 10 years ago they were in favor of Universal background checks. Gun violence is out of control and something must be done and Universal background checks is a reasonable common sense start to prevent little children from being gunned down before they have a chance to exercise their RIGHT to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. They deserve a VOTE!
Robert Huron 3 months, 3 weeks ago on Steamboat Institute announces Dick and Liz Cheney as keynote speakers at Freedom Conference
Steamboat Institute announces Dick and Liz Cheney as keynote speakers at Freedom Conference
Last month at Vet's week everyone could have seen Mr. Cheney's legacy first hand. One of the young men there had lost both legs and one arm in Iraq. He is one of the tens of thousand of Americans who lost their lives or where disabled thanks to this man who led the march to war in Iraq. These brave souls or their families live everyday with this burden thanks to Mr. Cheney. His friends in the Defense Industry especially Halliburton laughed all the way to the bank and our troops paid the price. He is famous for telling us we would have a mushroom cloud here if we didn't invade because Sadam had bought nuclear material in Africa. What he left out was the CIA had told him months earlier that this was false yet he had Pres. Bush use it in his State of the Union address in 2003. This was used as the reason to go to war. This is just one of his false statements that led to the deaths of so many Americans. I would rather see him in Gitmo not Steamboat. .
Robert Huron 5 months, 2 weeks ago on Elizabeth Rawlings: Put armed officers in schools
Elizabeth Rawlings: Put armed officers in schools
Percentage wise Reagan had the largest deficit increase in history, over 300%. Bush over 100% and Obama 70%(so far). Look where this country was in Jan. 2001. The deficit was supposed to be zero by 2012 according to the CBO but instead look what happened and who got the runaway spending going. Defense spending alone was up 91%. One F-35 costs $250 million plus engine and they ordered 2400, The F-22 costs $350 million each and so far they have built 195. The Taliban Air Force must be shaking in their boots. Military foreign aid to Egypt, Pakistan, Israel etc. is in the $10's of billions a year which we have to borrow from China. Tomorrow the House will approve a $60 Billion dollar package for relief for Hurricane Sandy which will have to be borrowed but at least that is for Americans not the Middle East.
Robert Huron 5 months, 2 weeks ago on Elizabeth Rawlings: Put armed officers in schools
Elizabeth Rawlings: Put armed officers in schools
Mark The Left loves deficit spending? Where where you from Jan.2001 to Jan 2009. The Federal Budget grew from $1.8 Trillion to $3.2 Trillion and who was in charge? The CONSERVATIVES. Did you forget 2 unpaid for wars. Medicare part D, Wall St.Bailout, a $5 Trillion unneeded tax cut etc. You can even go back to 1981 to 1989 when the deficit grew from $900 Billion(with a B) to over $ 3 Trillion (with a T). and who was in charge-Reagan.
There is plenty of blame to go around and both parties are at fault.
Robert Huron 5 months, 2 weeks ago on Elizabeth Rawlings: Put armed officers in schools
Elizabeth Rawlings: Put armed officers in schools
What is interesting is that more people are gunned down in a city like LA in one day than in one year in Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan etc. The US has 2% of the world population and 50% of all the firearms. Gun deaths now have surpassed traffic deaths in a year. We have become the most violent country outside of the Middle East in the world. The other countries see the same movies and video games and many allow their citizens to bear arms yet they have nowhere near the gun violence that we have which has exploded in the last 20 years. Why? If the NRA wants to fund(the country is broke remember) security guards in all schools let them however they better be Navy Seal or Army Ranger trained and armed because a 9 mm is no match for a madman with an assault weapon who is planning on dying anyway which is exactly what happened at Virginia Tech and Columbine. . Next we will be sending our children to school in body armor and helmets. This is not the country I grew up in. Pretty damn sad!
Robert Huron 7 months, 2 weeks ago on Rob Douglas: Are we not better than this?
Rob Douglas: Are we not better than this?
Unfortunately people who call themselves "Pro-life" do not want anything to do with that child when it comes out of the womb because now it is called Socialism. These same people want us to go to war with any country that will not do what we tell them but they won't serve or pay for that war. They want to make available to any nut case an assault weapon and execute as many people as we can so they can say they are tough on crime..
The basic problem is most laws are made by men who can't get pregnant. If men could become pregnant there would be an abortion clinic in every town and they would sell birth control at every 7-eleven. Now we have MEN redefining rape to suit their so called "pro-life" agenda which is a joke. If we are going to be a truly free country then women need to make their own decisions about their bodies and the rest of society needs to mind their own business including a mean spirited loudmouth idiot like Coulter. Then and only then will we be a better country. .
Robert Huron 8 months, 1 week ago on Rick Akin: Whom do you trust?
Rick Akin: Whom do you trust?
To answer Rick's question "Who do you trust?" That is easy-NEITHER.
Robert Huron 8 months, 1 week ago on Rick Akin: Whom do you trust?
Rick Akin: Whom do you trust?
When the great Ronald Reagan took office in 1981 the Federal Debt was $900 Billion. When he left office it had tripled to $3 Trillion thanks to tax cuts and Defense Spending.In 2001 when George W. Bush took office the yearly Federal Budget was $1.8 Trillion with a $250 Billion Surplus(a $5 Trillion total). When he left office it was $3.2 Trillion with a $1 Trillion Deficit (almost $11 Trillion total) thanks to 2 tax cuts, 2 unfunded wars, a 100% increase in Defense Spending and a new entitlement program called Medicare Part D. This type of growth of Government must be good because it was done by Conservatives.
Robert Huron 8 months, 3 weeks ago on Paul Bonnifield: Statesmanship, not war
Paul Bonnifield: Statesmanship, not war
What I find interesting is that the people calling for a war with Iran have very short memories. An attack on Iran will ignite a massive retaliation that will cost Trillions and tens of thousands of lives. Oil prices will go through the roof and the stock market will go through the floor which will last many years. Who will pay for this crusade? We haven't paid for the $2 Trillion from Iraq and Afghanistan yet. I guess another war calls for another tax cut. I find it interesting only 29% of Israelis agree with Bibi to go to war which is why he wants us to do it. Considering Israel all ready receives more foreign aid than all other countries added together they should make their own decision and leave us out of it. Most of those calling for war never wore the uniform of this country and in fact did everything possible to avoid the Draft during Vietnam. Gingrich, Chaney used student deferments and Romney hid in France for 3 years until they went to the lottery system and he got a high number and felt safe to come home. If we are going to have another war reinstate the Draft and those of the richest families will be the first to go. If we did that there would be no war.
Having spent many years in the military and the Middle East I believe the most dangerous country is Pakistan and they already have nukes.