Tag: Government

Question, Answered

Gummint, Legal Stuff

Seen at Insty, a thought from Randy Barnett concerning this issue:

Argument: Allowing the Prez to remove administrative officials will transfer an enormous amount of power to the Prez.

Question: Transfer from whom? Who currently has all that power?

One more question:  And where in the Constitution does it grant those executive powers outside the Presidency?

Ipse dixit.

Corollary thought:  if Trump wanted to make a serious difference to the Judiciary, he’d nominate Randy Barnett to the Supreme Court when one of the current super-lawyers retires or croaks.

Scum & Villains

Rights, Taxes and Theft

Given the state concerned, one has to wonder what John and Sam Adams (not to mention John Hancock) would have thought of this piece of theft and anti-Constitutional skulduggery (brought to my attention by Reader Mike L., who is inexplicably resident* in said state):

A Beacon Hill committee met on Monday to discuss a proposed excise tax on firearms and ammunition, aimed at enhancing public safety in Massachusetts.

The proposed bill, introduced by western Massachusetts Representative Mindy Domb, seeks to increase the excise tax on firearms and ammunition, with the revenue directed to a Public Health and Safety Fund. This fund would support community-based research, public health interventions, and services for gun violence survivors and victims’ families.

“Tragic gun deaths and catastrophic gun injuries cost the great state of Massachusetts an astounding 3.5 billion dollars each year, of which 85.4 million dollars is paid by taxpayers,” said a testifier, Matthew Nugent, during the hearing.

The proposed excise tax is set at 4.75% of the wholesale value of each firearm and individual round of ammunition. If implemented, Massachusetts would join states like California and Colorado in using gun tax revenue for violence prevention and support services.

Now I’m not proposing — what does the Left call it?  oh yeah — direct action (a.k.a. violence) should be brought to bear against the people who are supporting this un-Constitutional and illegal theft.

All I’m saying is that Sam Adams (he — and  brother  cousin John both — of Sons of Liberty fame) would by now be firing up the tar barrels and plucking a few geese, and yea even preparing a few firebrands to be tossed into some houses.  Because if they were prepared to go all fire, tar & feathers on people over a tax on paper, imagine how they’d feel about a tax on guns.

But this is modern-day Massachusetts, not the pre-Revolutionary state where the whole thing started over taxes.

More’s the pity.

*Mike, my longtime Friend & Reader:  GTFO, willya?

Rejected (Again), With Prejudice

Old Age

I have told the story before about how, in the days after 9/11, I called up an acquaintance who worked at the Pentagon to see how I could volunteer for the National Guard or similar, to patrol airports or do something equivalent that would involve protecting something or someone.

As it happened, he was busy brushing concrete dust from his hair, in a manner of speaking, and he told me a) that if the ragheads attacked the North Side of Chicago, I’d get a call from him, and b) to fuck off and stop bothering him because he had better things to do than deal with a cranky overweight old fart who couldn’t patrol a living room without frequent rest stops.  (I was 47 years old at the time.)

I mention this tale of woe only because of this development:

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced that Immigration and Customs Enforcement is now waiving age limits for new applicants “so even more patriots will qualify to join ICE in its mission to arrest murderers, pedophiles, gang members, rapists, and other criminal illegal aliens from America’s streets.”

Well, even though I’m now a sprightly youngster of 70 — soon to be 71 — that magic phrase “waiving age limits” was like a spur to my civic consciousness, and I thought, “Why the hell not?”

Surely I could do something for the cause, even if it was just working a desk or driving a vehicle, thus freeing up some younger guy to perform, shall we say, more energetic activities?

Alas.  The very next statement from the lovely Kristi ended that little dream:

“All ICE law enforcement recruits will be required to go through medical screening, drug screening, and complete a physical fitness test.”

Ah, shit.  Medical screening:  no problem.  My doctor has assured me that I am, if anything, healthier than I’ve been in over a decade.  Drug screening:  forget that, unless a positive test for BP meds or statins is a disqualifier, I’m good to go.

But a physical fitness test?  Aw, shit.  No way will I get through that, because even though I’ve lost considerable weight (thankee Ozempic), I doubt whether I could do more than a few pushups, and as for running some distance longer than, say, running to catch a bus to the pub, I’m screwed.

As the saying goes:  the spirit may be willing, but the flesh is weak — in my case, beyond redemption.

I think I’ll go to the range.

Tearing Sounds

Illegal immigrants, Law and Order, Resistance

I sent Mr. Free Market this link a couple of days back, seeking his perspective on the matter:

The British government said that it is urgently important to restore the “social fabric” of the country amid warnings that anti-mass migration sentiment could see another summer of riots break out in the country.

His only response was this report, sent without comment:

Police not ready for summer of unrest:  Officers will be diverted away from local duties, bosses warn, as protests over mass migration grow.

After days of protests against mass migration outside asylum hotels, with more planned in the coming weeks, there are fears the UK could be heading for another summer of violent disorder.

The gloomy background scenario aside, I can’t help but think that the Britcops should have no staffing issues at all.  Perhaps they might consider releasing thousands of their rozzers from monitoring social media for “hate speech”, but that would probably be too much to ask.

What I’ve seen in various other reports is that the number of “sickies” (sick days) in the force seems to be on the rise.  Perhaps the rank-and-file don’t have the heart to do what their superiors will be asking them to do.

An interesting situation.