Sipsey Street Irregulars

Sipsey Street Exclusive: BREAKING. White House dumps 500 plus pages of documents tonight! Emails from Burke to Holder's office regarding Terry murder and Fast & Furious weapons?

2012-01-27T20:01:00.000-08:00

Sipsey Street Irregulars has learned that the Department of Justice, at the direction of the White House, has dumped more than 500 pages of documents including emails on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee chaired by Darrell Issa tonight. Sources say that among these are at least one email on 15 December 2010 from then US Attorney Dennis K. Burke to Monty Wilkinson, aide to Eric Holder, informing the Attorney General office of the murder of Brian Terry and, later that day, of the seizure at the scene of Fast and Furious weapons. More shortly.

LATER: NPR was apparently the preferred outlet for the dump. Go here -- http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2012/01/27/146010135/emails-show-how-fast-and-furious-ambush-news-unfolded-at-justice-dept
They also have the emails posted. Holder is screwed. Of course the only reason they're doing this is to further the modified limited hangout, which now apparently includes Eric Holder. Remember, these are the emails that the WH WANTED to release. What does that tell us? That they're protecting the White House and are willing to dispose of Holder to do it.

On the ground across the river from Mordor-on-the-Potomac

2012-01-27T14:50:00.000-08:00

Interesting times. Plane had to do an abort landing because of cross winds. Got down on the second try after what appeared to be much religious conversion going on around me. I was whistling "Garryowen" and people looked at me like I was nuts. When we finally touched down, the cabin erupted in cheers. I just finished the chorus of Garryowen. As Churchill said, nothing is so exciting as to be shot at without result, or words to that effect. Miscommunication and poor assumptions caused pick-up arrangements to fail. Rented a car I didn't want to have to rent. Overnight accomodations failed for same reason, so it looks like a motel for Mrs. Vanderboegh's blacksheep son tonight. But still, I'm here. Will have more later. And if the fellow who gave me that Armor of God medal from the Pentagon gift shop wants to give me a call, my cell phone is still the same but I've lost your number. Short on blood suger, I'm headed out to get something to eat. May God bless you all who made this trip possible.

Autopsy of Injustice. Let the dead teach the living in the Gunwalker Scandal.

2012-01-27T04:12:00.000-08:00

"So that is where we are, as far as I know. The committee may have a rabbit in their hat. In fact, if they've been doing what they claim to have been doing they should have a whole warren of embarrassing rabbits for Eric Holder, Janet Napolitano and the sitting president of the United States. If. . . Maybe. . . Or, the fix is in, which means they have decided to try to save their rotten system and not the country."

The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp by Rembrandt van Rijn

It is early on the morning I fly out to Mordor-on-the-Potomac. I awoke too soon from my sleep with this essay almost fully formed in my head, and so I present it you, gentle readers, as a follow-on to the previous post, including the words above, which I am told has excited some consternation and displeasure at the Issa committee.

The term "autopsy" in its modern sense dates from the the 1650s or thereabouts. It derives from the Greek "autopsia" which means "a seeing with one's own eyes," and its spirit is embodied in the Latin phrase "Mortui vivos docent," or, "Let the dead teach the living."

There are those, and they are not only folks working for Darrell Issa, who believe that I am being too harsh, too suspicious, of the year-long investigation. Various people called me yesterday to chide me for a lack of faith and respect. "Why did you have to embarrass the Congressman about Davos?" one asked.

Truth be told, I don't care whether the independently wealthy Darrell Issa goes to Davos. Good on him, both for making the money and having the ability to jet around the world. I mentioned it only because I knew it would get their attention, these people who almost consistently refuse to answer my questions directly. Heck, I even understand that, knowing what Rachel Madcow or "Bloody Hands" Cummings would do with the knowledge to try to discredit the investigation with guilt by association.

I poked them about Davos, not because I think Issa is hobnobbing with George Soros in some grand, Alex Jones conspiracy or simply out of pique that the committee has mystified me and other more mainstream journalists with their actions (or, in most cases, inactions), but rather because I have had almost two decades of "autopsia" when it comes to federal law enforcement scandals and, perhaps more than any other observer of this, the worst of such scandals, I believe that the dead should teach the living.

(Sidenote: It is no small thing that the committee has for many weeks cut off the flow of information to "mainstream" journalists who, unlike me, actually have a pay grade. Have you noticed how many Gunwalker stories Sharyl Attkisson of CBS has done lately? Zero. Zip. Nada. Bupkus. You know why? I have no specific knowledge, but I can tell you that editors -- especially editors who are made nervous by the threat that this scandal poses to their Dear Leader's regime -- do not keep reporters on stories where the sources dry up. And the committee has in great measure dried up the flow of information on what it is that they are doing. If they are now upset that people wonder why that is and what it portends, even to the point of making unfair guesses, well . . . they have only themselves to blame.)

"Mortui vivos docent."

The Randy Weaver family. The ATF wanted to make him an informant against the Aryan Nations. He refused. In the end, the U.S. Marshals killed his 14 year old son Sammy with a shot in the back and the FBI "accidentally" shot his wife Vicki in the head as she held their 10-month-old daughter Elishiba. With optics that FBI sniper Lon Horiuchi used, he could have seen Vicki Weaver's back teeth, even firing through the door glass as he did. As Wikipedia notes, "A Justice Department review later found this second shot was unconstitutional and the lack of a request to surrender was 'inexcusable', since Harris and the two Weavers were running for cover and could not pose an imminent threat." The FBI dubbed their temporary camp "Camp Vicki" and during the ensuing ten-day standoff negotiators taunted the survivors with "Vicki, come on out, we have blueberry pancakes." The negotiators later claimed they didn't know Vicki was dead, but Lon Horiuchi certainly did.

Politicians of both parties saw to that Lon Horiuchi was protected from legal consequences. FBI Assistant Director Larry Potts (a "FOL" -- "Friend of Louie," FBI Director Louis Freeh -- was censured for his role and in the subsequent cover-up. He was allowed to retire in 1997, after also participating in the command decision at Waco.

"Mortui vivos docent."

Some of the kids at Waco before their encounter with the FBI Hostage Roasting Team.

Here's some views of the end result of your tax dollars at work:

No one -- NO ONE -- was ever punished or even inconvenienced by what they did to these children at Waco. Eric Holder was instrumental in covering up the circumstances of the Waco inferno, including the prosecution of U.S. Attorney Bill Johnston, the only federal employee who seemed remotely interested in getting to the bottom of what actually happened. In this, Holder had bi-partisan help from the GOP. (See This Is Not An Assault: Penetrating the Web of Official Lies Regarding the Waco Incident by David T. Hardy & Rex Kimball.)

This bi-partisan cover-up cooperation continued to pay Eric Holder dividends into the 21st Century. From an article by Tommy Witherspoon in the Waco Tribune, 16 January 2009:

U.S. attorney general nominee Eric Holder not questioned about Waco Branch Davidian siege.
U.S. Attorney General-designate Eric Holder was prepared to be bombarded during his Senate confirmation hearings Thursday with a host of questions about a variety of topics, including his role as acting attorney general during a special investigation into the 1993 Branch Davidian debacle.
While he fielded questions about waterboarding terrorist suspects and the 2001 pardon of fugitive financier Marc Rich, Senate Judiciary Committee members didn’t get around to asking about the Branch Davidian investigation.
Former Attorney General Janet Reno recused herself from a special investigation that was conducted by former U.S. Sen. John Danforth into how the fire started in April 1993 in which Branch Davidian leader David Koresh and 75 of his followers perished.
Reno’s recusal left Holder, then No. 2 at the Justice Department, as acting attorney general for the purposes of Danforth’s 14-month, $17 million investigation.
Sen. Arlen Specter — ranking Republican on Senate Judiciary — indicated earlier this week that the Branch Davidian siege and Holder’s involvement in Danforth’s investigation might be a topic discussed during Holder’s confirmation hearings. Internet blogs have been rife with speculation about possible Holder testimony on the siege.
Danforth said this week that he supports Holder’s nomination and thinks he will be an excellent attorney general. He said as acting attorney general, Holder was the person to whom Danforth and his investigators submitted requests for information.
“He was very good and played it straight,” Danforth said. “I think that, oftentimes, the reaction to people in agencies or departments where there is an investigation going on is to circle the wagons. But that was not him at all. He was very forthcoming and very cooperative with us and provided the information we needed.”
Waco attorney Bill Johnston, a former assistant U.S. attorney who helped prosecute 11 Branch Davidians on murder charges, was the only person prosecuted as a result of Danforth’s investigation.
Johnston admitted that he failed to turn over his personal notes to investigators that they said revealed Johnston knew at least by 1994 that the FBI used tear-gas devices capable of sparking a fire on the final day of the 51-day standoff with Koresh.
They said Johnston also lied to a special grand jury in St. Louis about his level of cooperation.

"Mortui vivos docent."

Baylee Almon, barely alive, pulled from the rubble of the Murrah Building, Oklahoma City, 19 April 1995. She died shortly afterward.

"Mortui vivos docent."

Kenny Trentadue.

The official explanation of the bombing -- what Oklahoma investigative journalist J.D. Cash derisively called "The Lone Bomber Theory" -- was seriously complicated by credible reports of "others unknown." As I wrote recently:

A U.S. Attorney in Arizona made the proffer to McVeigh associate Michael Fortier in order to flesh out the "lone bomber theory" and divert attention away from Elohim City, the Aryan Republican Army and federal undercover informant Andreas Carl Strassmeier.
The name of that United States Attorney was Janet Napolitano.

The Oklahoma City Bombing, we now know, was at least influenced by and at worst executed by participants in a larger FBI operation called PATCON (See here and here. PATCON, and the cover-up of its deadly offshoots, was carried out under administrations of both parties. Eric Holder and Janet Napolitano are both long-time players in this cover-up, but then it has its GOP participants as well.

"Mortui vivos docent."

Brian Terry, Killed in Action, 15 December 2010, Peck Canyon, Arizona.

Let the dead teach the living. And what do these hundreds of dead -- thousands if you count the Mexican victims of Gunwalker, and I do -- as a result of federal law enforcement actions over the past two decades teach us? What do the bi-partisan cover-ups in all these cases teach us? They teach us that trusting anyone in the federal government when they utter the phrase "we will get to the bottom of it" is folly. They teach us that the Eric Holders of the world -- these evil men who commit crimes under color of law, violating the Constitution that they swore an oath to uphold -- could not succeed in their crimes without the urbane and sophisticated John Danforths of the world who cover for them.

My problem is that I have seen with my own eyes too much. I no longer trust. I can no longer be patient. For we who have trusted and been patient in our previous searches for federal justice have always been betrayed by the same people who claimed to be determined to "get to the bottom of it."

If my long education in bi-partisan perfidy in the cover-up of federal murder and mass murder has made me impatient, abrasive, untrusting and cynical, I make no apology. If we do see a complete and honest investigation of the Gunwalker Conspiracy, it would be a triumph of faint hope over jaded experience.

But that's not the way to bet.

"Mortui vivos docent."

-- Mike Vanderboegh

I can understand why he wants to get out of town. Darrell Issa flies off to Davos to hobnob with the global elite, leaving us to wonder just what the hell he has in mind for Eric Holder.

2012-01-26T11:56:00.000-08:00

No, I didn't make that headline up. Issa has flown off to Davos to hobnob with the international elites this weekend. That, at least, is what I'm being told. This is a marvelous turn of events for the New World Order conspiracists. Shortwave millennialists will be going nuts. Much is being made today in various places of Issa's latest letters to Holder here and here.

Here's the Daily Caller's story and interview with Issa.

Here is David Codrea's take, which lays out succinctly the public facts as known.

Last night, I was floated some rumors that Morrissey and Hurley, Cunningham's fellow myrmidons working under Dennis Burke on the Fast and Furious clandestine operation, were also going to plead the Fifth along with Cunningham. This was obviously far too optimistic, and perhaps I was meant to jump at it, but I waited for confirmation. A good thing. I announced rightly that the committee was going to have an announcement this morning. But I didn't expect how truly wimpy it would be. Morrissey has until 5 o'clock Eastern today to respond to the committee. No one expects him to come forward, even though he is a Bush appointee. And why should he? Where are the threats of contempt of congress? Where is the plain talk of doing unto Holder as he has been doing unto them?

So I understand why the Three Amigos in the Phoenix U.S. Attorney's office are clamming up. What do they gain by coming forward now? The committee has made much sound and fury, but so far indications are that it signifies nothing. Recall that I previously reported that the Issa people have even cut off the flow information to Grassley's office. Recall that the committee made much noise in letters about going after Kevin O'Reilly and seeking information about the March 2009 meeting between Newell and the White House. None of that, I am told, will be mentioned at the upcoming hearing. Believe me when I tell you that I am not the only reporter, mainstream or Internet, that is wondering just what the hell is going on here. The frustration is palpable, and we compare notes in mutual mystification.

I sent this email to a number of participants in the investigation today.

From: georgemason1776
To: REDACTED (Congressional staffer)
Sent: Thu, Jan 26, 2012 11:05 am
Subject: Just between you and me. A cry in the dark . . .
So, Issa flies off to Davos while his chief counsel crafts a small solution which points to Phoenix -- except the stonewall on Phoenix is still holding. No follow up (apparently) on O'Reilly, March 2009 meeting, etc. So what's the plan? Get Holder up there and swing their limp dicks around trying to hit him? What is there in this that will do anything but discredit the whole investigation in the eyes of people who are paying attention? WHAT IS THERE EVIDENCED IN ANY OF THIS BESIDES A REASONABLE CONCLUSION THAT THE FIX IS IN?
Don't they understand that their (your) whole system is in a crisis of legitimacy?
I'm not being just rhetorical here and would very much appreciate some sort of hopeful input.

I just checked my email -- no one has responded as yet.

So that is where we are, as far as I know. The committee may have a rabbit in their hat. In fact, if they've been doing what they claim to have been doing they should have a whole warren of embarrassing rabbits for Eric Holder, Janet Napolitano and the sitting president of the United States. If. . . Maybe. . . Or, the fix is in, which means they have decided to try to save their rotten system and not the country.

I suppose we could ask Darrell Issa, but he's flown off to Davos.

I'm getting on a plane tomorrow morning, dear readers, to see if I can sniff out the truth. Either way, you'll read about it here, on Sipsey Street.

Praxis: Take-down AK coming. Now I LIKE this idea.

2012-01-26T04:20:00.000-08:00

First Look: US Palm Takedown AK47.

Self-described "Educated elitists" for Romney.

2012-01-26T04:08:00.001-08:00

"Florida primary pits tea party vs. cocktail party."

The death of reloading? New polymer cases. The latest in a long line of "miracle" inventions, if you keep track of them as they go by.

2012-01-26T03:49:00.001-08:00

Polymer Casings: The Future of Ammo?

Attack of the Killer Green Windows.

2012-01-26T03:30:00.000-08:00

Woman Claims Neighbor’s Energy Efficient Windows Are Melting Her Toyota Prius. I don't know why, but this struck me as funny. "Green" window attacks "green" hybrid car.

Kurt Hofmann: "Blocked funding for ATF's planned shotgun import ban already paying dividends."

2012-01-26T02:37:00.000-08:00

The "sporting purposes" clause still needs to go (and despite rumors to the contrary, it has not yet done so).

Two from David Codrea: "What have been effects of politics and new media on 'Gunwalker'?" and "Ignorant or lying? An open letter to Rep. Hank Johnson."

2012-01-26T02:29:00.000-08:00

"Gunwalker is a milestone of sorts, because it truly is a major story that had to be brought to the networks and newspapers, and they still resist reporting on it at all, let alone not embedding their reporting with their own agenda."

Stupid and venal is as stupid and venal does.

Sipsey Street Exclusive: Fifth Amendment Theater. A Whole Flock of Designated Goats. The Issa Committee will have an announcement in the morning.

2012-01-25T18:06:00.000-08:00

Why is this man smiling? He's taking the Fifth, of course.

There are rumors floating about regarding the three Assistant U.S. Attorneys in Phoenix during the Fast and Furious clandestine operation, one of whom, Patrick Cunningham, has already resigned and claimed Fifth Amendment protections. I am reliably informed by an investigation insider that the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee will have an announcement on this in the morning. Look for it to involve some real Fifth Amendment Theater.

Folly responds.

2012-01-25T15:30:00.000-08:00

Mordechai Rumkowski, Head Judenrat of the Lodz Ghetto. The Nazis called him a "Useful Jew."

Just received this email:

From: Jeff Folloder
To: georgemason1776
Sent: Wed, Jan 25, 2012 4:30 pm
Subject: Really?
Vandy,
(And I use that because I have no idea how to correctly pronounce your name...) If you are going to be getting all lathered up over me, you really do need to make sure your "facts" are a bit more accurate. I've no desire to sue you for libel, slander or otherwise because your not really worth the effort. I counted many factual errors in your latest rant and even pointed out a few of them in the comments section. Nice to know I have now hit your radar. I'll make sure to salute you when I censor the next post on SubGuns. The folks over there are going to be so pleased to know that I run the place. Really good stuff!
B'bye now. Please don't get too worked up.
--
Jeff Folloder
NFA Trade and Collectors Association
Website: www.nfatca.org
Direct: 281.492.8288

My reply:

From: georgemason1776
To: jeff.folloder
Cc: lensavag ; gunlaw
Sent: Wed, Jan 25, 2012 5:22 pm
Subject: Fwd: Really?
Dear "Useful Jew,"
Well, Folly, if you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas. I'll be posting your response, but in the meantime I'm also forwarding it to two of the victims of YOUR campaign of slander and lies, Len Savage and Bob Sanders.
The old NFATCA board's symbiotic relationship with ATF is crumbling and you are now despised by a growing portion of the membership as well as the Feds you sucked up to, who in truth never looked upon you as anything but useful idiots anyway. Truth will out.
For Ramsey A. Bear,
Mike Vanderboegh.

Attack of the "Useful Jews." The ATF Snitch Anti-Defamation League raises its "pragmatic" head. A Jeremiad from "Folly." Don't ever say that an ATF snitch is without ANY friends.

2012-01-25T12:13:00.000-08:00

Jeff "Folly" Folloder about to be struck by reality in the case of U.S. vs. Clark.

Remember this post? What they did, and didn't, talk about at the NFATCA public meeting at the SHOT Show. Whispers of ATF snitches and U.S. vs. Clark. Apparently Sipsey Street is getting under some folks' skins for writing home truths like ths:

(A) little bird tells me that there was a lot of gossip and grumbling behind the scenes about NFATCA President John Brown's recent outing as an ATF snitch and just exactly how he is getting sweetheart (i.e., teflon) status in the soon-to-implode case of U.S. vs. Clark. Inquiring minds, it seems, want to know. The background noise of grumbling among NFATCA members is growing. The commoners don't like the "special status" of the Lairds and are wondering how much Brown and his former compadre Dan Shea (a source tells Sipsey Street that the former friends have had a falling out) told the ATF bigwigs like Rick Vasquez about THEM. (See here and here for previous Sipsey Street revelations about Mr. Shea.)

Just how long is the NFATCA going to tolerate a federal confidential informant as their "leader"? Inquiring minds want to know.

Well, this elicited a response from Jeff Folloder at the official NFATCA site.

The report from SHOT and a Response to the Voices of Discontent. . .
First things first... The allegation that John Brown (or Dan Shea) is a confidential informant. Just because Savage or Vandy or even a lawyer claims it to be so doesn't necessarily make it a fact. Being a CI is a tremendously complicated process and is not something that is undertaken casually. Have a look at the guide: http://www.justice.gov/ag/readingroom/ciguidelines.htm
So Bob Sanders states in a motion that he believes through his own discovery that John is a CI... That's just an opinion. And it is done to cloud the issues surrounding the pending issues against his client. It's a sound tactic, whether it is true or not. Unfortunately, it isn't true. And what's worse, Bob Sanders represented John and the NFATCA, so there may even be some doubt as to whether ethics and propriety were violated by such a disclosure, true or not. It's called conflict of interest. I wonder what will be flipped on who when Bob gets his next client?
As for ATF, it is now a holy charlie foxtrot. Sure, life would be easier if the ATF did not exist. Crappy legislation was given to a bunch of folks for interpretation and enforcement and then those folks have had to wing it on their own without leadership and with political agendas. It's not a good mix. But ATF isn't really going away any time soon so we chose to figure out how to push the ball forward instead of just banging the drum for their demise. It was a pragmatic and practical approach. We needed to get things done. And we met with initial rebuff, but eventually became an effective agency for change. It was an era of cooperation. At least with us.

"Vandy," huh?

Ah, yes, the "pragmatic" nest of snitches. As opposed to the "I-got-mine-but-I-need-some-mutual-favors-done-for-me-and-you" nest of snitches, no doubt.

Questions:

Perhaps Folly can explain how John Brown got caught forwarding emails regarding Len Savage's case to the ATF, giving them an inside look at Len's positions?

Perhaps Folly can explain the strange case of Ramsey A. Bear and how it was Dan Shea who ratted out that stuffed child toy to the ATF -- a subject that has been established under oath in court depositions?

Perhaps Folly can explain the hows and whys of the internal investigation of ATF Firearms Technology Branch personnel who were close personal friends of Shea's and Brown's?

Perhaps Folly can explain how he, who folks tell me doesn't even have an FFL, got the job of rewriting the testing procedures of the Firearms Technology Branch which will affect not only the entire industry of which he is NOT, repeat not, a part but also defendants in criminal cases brought by the ATF?

And did you get this part?

And we met with initial rebuff, but eventually became an effective agency for change. It was an era of cooperation. At least with us.

Well, that's an admission, isn't it? "At least with us"? Isn't that the core of the allegations? That Brown and Shea and, by his own admission, Folly were getting special considerations from ATF by having their own concerns addressed? It is no secret that the NFACTCA board under Brown and Shea's leadership have been more than willing to throw the interests of their membership under the bus. For his part, Folly has routinely censored any complaints about Brown, Shea, the NFATCA board and the ATF at the SubGuns message board that he runs.

As for the rambling critique of "my" report on the NFATCA meeting results, that was straight from a linked article at an attorney's website. I will let Bob Sanders answer Folly's criticism of him directly, but an attorney I talked said Folly's attack on Sanders was "ignorant of the law and stupid in the first degree."

As for me, I can only extend the invitation, as I have several times in the past, to Brown, Shea and now, by dint of his volunteer ATF Snitch Anti-Defamation League work, Mr. Jeff "Folly" Folloder, that, if any or all of them believe that I have libeled, slandered or defamed them under the laws existing today, they can sue me. It is an open invitation. I stand by my sources. And I also am certain that I will enjoy the discovery process far more than they will, the guilty modern day Rumkowski's, who sell out their membership for the privileges of being "useful Jews."

"This horrible conduct." Interesting agitprop from Missouri.

2012-01-25T10:54:00.000-08:00

Agitprop:
from Russian: агитпроп
Derived from agitation and propaganda, and describes stage plays, pamphlets, motion pictures and other art forms with an explicitly political message.

Gun target stickers found at Mo. Capitol offices.

Authorities in Missouri were investigating the discovery Tuesday of small stickers resembling gun targets that were found near the office doors of several state lawmakers.
Senators widely condemned the orange, round stickers displaying crosshairs as an affront to their safety, and police appeared to step up their presence in the Capitol hallways. The stickers were placed next to the doors of at least five Democratic state senators. The House clerk said a sticker also was found next to the doorway of at least one House Republican office.
The point of the stickers was not immediately clear. However, their discovery came as the Senate was debating legislation on whether Missouri should implement a portion of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. Several Democrats were leading the opposition to the Republican-backed bill, which would require approval from the state Legislature or voters before Missouri can take steps to create a state-run health-insurance exchange.

Dave Workman: "New term for gun prohibitionists doesn’t change their agenda." Taking a page from Pappy "Pass the Biscuits" O'Daniel's campaign advisers on "reform."

2012-01-25T05:47:00.000-08:00

The evolving collectivist language misuse to conceal an agenda. The word for gun confiscation is now "gun reform." Like Pappy "Pass the Biscuits" O'Daniel's campaign advisers, they apparently think they need to get them a little "reform." Now if they can just get Dapper Dan to help out.

Link.

Praxis: On the necessity of training. Copy this, cut it out, and tape it in the upper right corner of your bathroom mirror where you encounter your lovely face every morning. "A people who had to fight to become independent must not relinquish this independence without fighting."

2012-01-25T05:22:00.000-08:00

Henri Guisan, commander-in-chief of the Swiss army and militia during WWII, inspects the troops.

A people who had to fight to become independent must not relinquish this independence without fighting. Those who are cowards and renounce their freedom will not find the strength to gain it back under more favorable circumstances. Those who are brave never think that a war is hopeless. Being brave is not only a matter of an individual's courage when he faces danger but to the same extent a matter of the expertise that he has gained through hard work, pain, and sacrifices to boost his self-confidence. We must acquire this expertise by working constantly and consistently. We lack combat experience. Hence, we shall hold our own against a battle-tried opponent only if we learn what is relevant from developments (in the war abroad) and then apply our insights with extensive training. -- Lieutenant General Herbert Constam, "Instructions on Combat Tactics," January 1941. Quoted in Stephen Halbrook's The Swiss and the Nazis, page 151.

"Shovel ready."

2012-01-25T05:00:00.000-08:00

"U.S. Bridges, Roads Being Built by Chinese Firms."

Missed this back in September when it first ran.

Remember that behind every call for arms confiscation lies the deadly threat -- "We will take your firearms if we have to get the government to kill you to do it."

2012-01-25T04:48:00.000-08:00

The execution of citizens of the town of Bochnia by the Germans during the occupation of Poland, 18 December 1939. Fifty-six people were executed that day in an exercise of "government monopoly of violence."

Three Death Penalties for Prohibited Arms Possession.

A special German court in Zamość [near Krakow] sentenced to death 19 year-old Franciszek Pokrywka of Powieki, 27 year-old Iwan Zilnyk and 35 year-old Paweł Huzar, both of Ułazów, for prohibited possession of firearms as well as for violating the duty to report possession of firearms.

Pokrywka had an automatic pistol with six cartridges and, despite the universally-known order about surrendering the arms, he did not give it up. Sometime later he sold the pistol to Zilnyk, who a few days after that offered the firearm for sale to Huzar, who, though he did not buy it, still failed to fulfill his duty to report it to the proper authorities.

The above-mentioned death sentences have already been carried out. -- Nowy Kurjer Warszawski [New Warsaw Courier], Jan. 22, 1941, quoted in Stephen Halbrook's Citizens in Arms.

I've been scanning a lot of Stephen Halbrook's work lately, trying to find the right chapter heading quotes for Absolved. Particularly impressive is his The Swiss & The Nazis: How the Alpine Republic Survived in the Shadow of the Third Reich.

In the process I encountered the dry newspaper announcement above. You know, I have been criticized mightily across the political spectrum for my response to an an impatient gun grabber, "If you try to take our firearms, we will kill you." But the thing is, those who propose to take our liberty and our property have already decided -- in their ignorance of the unintended consequences -- that it is worth it to them (or, at least, inconsequential) if we are killed in the process.

As I observed in my call to break Democrat Party headquarters windows in advance of the passage of the tyrannical Obamacare mandate:

Nancy Pelosi's Intolerable Act is within days of passage by devious means so corrupt and twisted that even members of her own party recoil in disgust.
This act will order all of us to play or pay, and if we do not wish to, we will be fined.
If we refuse to pay the fine out of principle, we will be jailed.
If we resist arrest, we will be killed.
They will send the Internal Revenue Service and other federal police to do this in thousands of small Wacos, if that is what it takes to force us to submit.
This arrogant elite pretends that this oppression is for our own good, while everyone else understands that this is about their selfish, insatiable appetite for control over our liberty, our money, our property and our lives.

All gun confiscation proposals come from the same motivation. Thus, if we say, "If you try to take our firearms we will kill you," it is important to remember that this is a threat of defensive violence to counter their original threat of offensive violence.

Properly formulated, shorn of all bushwah and pretense, what these people are saying to us first is this:

"We will take your firearms if we have to get the government to kill you to do it."

Such people will be insulted if you call them National Socialists, but is there a functional difference in the exercise of their demands?

You could ask Franciszek Pokrywka, Iwan Zilnyk and Paweł Huzar -- three human beings executed for the knowledge and possession of just one pistol -- if they thought so. Oh, that's right, they're long dead, killed by the exercise of that "government monopoly of force" that the gun grabbers of CSGV are so proud to advocate.

Praxis: Sipsey Street Irregulars Improvisation Contest.

2012-01-24T16:24:00.000-08:00

Today, while I was still struggling with on-line problems and cell phone disconnectivity, I stopped by a thrift store to ease my frustration and found some Crown Products totes for a dime a piece. I bought 75. They are similar to the "natural color" tan one in the illustration above, 13-3/4" in height by 11-3/4" in width with about a 3-1/2" gusset. These are produced to put a customer's logo on and are often used as sales show giveaway bags. These, however, are plain without logo, just all-over coyote brown. So why did I buy them?

The material is thin which suggested bandoleer to me. Anyway, I thought I'd offer them to any of you "improvise, adapt and overcome" guys and gals out there who might have a bit of skill with a sewing machine. Drop me a line by email (GeorgeMason1776ATaol.com)or snail mail (PO Box 926, Pinson AL 35126) and I'll send you 4 each of these to play with to you heart's content -- no charge. The only thing is, if you come up with a good idea, you must have documented it and the creative process so others can duplicate. When we get all the submissions in, I'll make a grand praxis post. So, bandoleers? Drum mag carry pouches? Claymore bags? Let your imagination wander. And if you need more than four for whatever you're attempting, let me know. This ought to be fun.

Still struggling with virus/email hack but you need to know this. Tweet the SOTU.

2012-01-24T15:51:00.000-08:00

Tweet the State of the Union

WTF?!?

2012-01-24T04:51:00.000-08:00

Now I can't send an email without getting this shit:

The message was not sent because of an error. Your message was not sent. Please click on the URL below, complete the image puzzle, and then resend your message.http://challenge.aol.com/en/us/spam.html

What the hell is this? Another virus?

I'll have more later, if I can figure this shit out.

What they did, and didn't, talk about at the NFATCA public meeting at the SHOT Show. Whispers of ATF snitches and U.S. vs. Clark.

2012-01-24T04:37:00.000-08:00

"Hot topics."

During the NFATCA meeting, it was disclosed that the ATF, as of last week, has changed its opinion regarding the proper procedure for deactivating a barrel for importation. Previously, ATF issued a letter stating that drilling three holes into the barrel was sufficient. While destroying the functionality of the barrel, it allowed for the barrel to be used in a dummy-gun for a collector, who basically desired a non-functioning replica of a particular firearm. ATF has now announced that it is requiring any such imported barrel to be torch cut in three locations.
Also, ATF has now stated that after having the Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) review 18 U.S.C. § 922, it has been decided by OLC that a manufacture may stockpile as many post-86 machineguns as that manufacturer sees fit; however, only the manufacturer may manufacture the post-86 machinegun. What this means, is that it is no longer acceptable or legal, even if the manufacturer has a variance approving the following, for one manufacturer to manufacture the receiver, register the receiver on a Form 2, and then transfer the receiver on a Form 3 to another manufacturer for completion. The OLC has determined that the only transfer of a post-86 machinegun is to a law enforcement agency. There are clearly other concerning issues with regards to this that I will not address, in the hopes that they have eluded ATF.
Lastly, the NFATCA informed everyone that ATF is under specific direction that anything less than 100% during a compliance inspection must result in some form of administrative action. ATF will be conducting compliance inspections of all dealers within 36 months; the days of not having a compliance inspection for 10 years are a thing of the past.
And that is pretty much all the hot topics from the ATF Town Hall meeting and NFATCA meeting.

Well, no, not actually, because a little bird tells me that there was a lot of gossip and grumbling behind the scenes about NFATCA President John Brown's recent outing as an ATF snitch and just exactly how he is getting sweetheart (i.e., teflon) status in the soon-to-implode case of U.S. vs. Clark. Inquiring minds, it seems, want to know. The background noise of grumbling among NFATCA members is growing. The commoners don't like the "special status" of the Lairds and are wondering how much Brown and his former compadre Dan Shea (a source tells Sipsey Street that the former friends have had a falling out) told the ATF bigwigs like Rick Vasquez about THEM. (See here and here for previous Sipsey Street revelations about Mr. Shea.)

Just how long is the NFATCA going to tolerate a federal confidential informant as their "leader"? Inquiring minds want to know.

Newt misses opportunity.

2012-01-24T04:09:00.000-08:00

I didn't watch much of the debate. Actually I fell asleep on the couch. But I did spot one golden -- but missed -- opportunity to shatter Mitt's glass jaw, and it could have been by any of the other three, although it would have been more effective if Newt had delivered the line. When somebody starts out from jump street savaging you, the best way to deal with it is with humor. After Mitt delivered his first broadside, Newt should have grinned wryly throughout the jeremiad and then replied, "Boy, Mitt, your inevitability cloak is slipping. Your loss in South Carolina must have stung pretty badly, huh?" The audience would have roared and come to their feet, despite the rules. Then he could have gone on to try to refute the charges (by whatever legerdemain he can). In any case, the look on Mitt's face would probably win Newt another three states with all the free media he'd get on THAT one. Not endorsing Newt by a country mile, just sayin'.

The horror! The horror!

2012-01-24T03:54:00.000-08:00

Citizens killing criminals in righteous self-defense in Detroit. And some guy wants more cops instead. Why not just arm more citizens and give out bounties on dead crooks?

Dr. Evil is betting against the house of western civilization, and loving it. George Soros as survivalist.

2012-01-24T03:41:00.000-08:00

"George Soros on the Coming U.S. Class War."

Sitting in his 33rd-floor corner office high above Seventh Avenue in New York, preparing for his trip to Davos, he is more concerned with surviving than staying rich. “At times like these, survival is the most important thing,” he says, peering through his owlish glasses and brushing wisps of gray hair off his forehead. He doesn’t just mean it’s time to protect your assets. He means it’s time to stave off disaster. As he sees it, the world faces one of the most dangerous periods of modern history—a period of “evil.” Europe is confronting a descent into chaos and conflict. In America he predicts riots on the streets that will lead to a brutal clampdown that will dramatically curtail civil liberties. The global economic system could even collapse altogether. . .
Critics already allege he is stoking the fires by funding the Occupy movement through Adbusters, the Canadian provocateurs who sparked the movement. . .
Occupy Wall Street “is an inchoate, leaderless manifestation of protest,” but it will grow. It has “put on the agenda issues that the institutional left has failed to put on the agenda for a quarter of a century.” He reaches for analysis, produced by the political blog ThinkProgress.org, that shows how the Occupy movement has pushed issues of unemployment up the agenda of major news organizations, including MSNBC, CNN, and Fox News. It reveals that in one week in July of last year the word “debt” was mentioned more than 7,000 times on major U.S. TV news networks. By October, mentions of the word “debt” had dropped to 398 over the course of a week, while “occupy” was mentioned 1,278 times, “Wall Street” 2,378 times, and “jobs” 2,738 times. You can’t keep a financier away from his metrics.
As anger rises, riots on the streets of American cities are inevitable. “Yes, yes, yes,” he says, almost gleefully. The response to the unrest could be more damaging than the violence itself. “It will be an excuse for cracking down and using strong-arm tactics to maintain law and order, which, carried to an extreme, could bring about a repressive political system, a society where individual liberty is much more constrained, which would be a break with the tradition of the United States.”

Praxis: Sportsman's Guide has Australian 7.62 NATO bandoleers for forty five cents each!

2012-01-23T15:30:00.000-08:00

As we have a large reloading project scheduled for when he comes back to CONUS, my son Matt sent me 90 of these from Sportsman's Guide today. SG has them listed as "Austrian" but they are in fact Vietnam-era Australian bandos.

These are excellent bandoleers, much sturdier than the USGI thin ones, although they only have five pockets and not six (thus hold 50 rounds, not 60), but the snaps are very useful in retaining the ammo until you are ready to use it. The combination of the thicker material and the snaps make the whole array quieter, even without cardboards. At $.45 each plus shipping for a pack of 30 they are a steal. They should also fit Garand clips, but I haven't taken the time to try them yet. Quantities are limited. Get them while you can.

Nazi airport thugs mess with Senator Paul.

2012-01-23T12:16:00.000-08:00

Sen. Rand Paul ‘detained’ by TSA in Nashville, TSA denies.

Still here.

2012-01-23T12:03:00.000-08:00

Well, God was watching out after your's truly last night. The track of the beast as far as the television weather showed was predicted to go directly through our neighborhood. At the last moment it tracked just to the south of us and then took a left turn around my neighborhood and tore the hell out of a neighborhood in Clay about two miles away as the wicked witch flies. (We live between Pinson and Clay in an unincorporated tiny slice of the county that is rumored to be unwanted by both municipalities because I live in it and they just don't want the hassle from me at city council meetings.)

It took us two hours to find a way to Rosey's work in Moody, AL -- Pinson north to Oneonta, east to Ashville, south on I59 to Springville, again east to on AL174 to Odenville, then south to Moody. Check it out on a map. All the direct routes were blocked by downed tress, power lines, debris, etc. I stuck around Rosey's work area to take her out to lunch and try to replace her contacts (she's down to one and I refer to her lovingly as the Cyclops). Afterward (about noon central) I tried to get home and got here about an hour and a half later by probing back ways and reversing course rather more often than not. The way I found took me past the destroyed neighborhood on Deerfoot Parkway where the 16 year old girl was killed. The neighborhood is still swarming with search and rescue volunteers, emergency vehicles, and helicopters floating overhead.

The neighborhood itself used to be shielded from the road by trees. Trees are gone. So, in large measure, is the neighborhood. The carnage is a textbook example of the weaknesses inherent in American cheap frame construction of the "up-scale" variety. It used to be a very nice neighborhood, before nature's version of the 155 howitzer time-on-target barrage got through with it. A cautionary tale for those of us who believe that we can ride out in such structures whatever is coming in this darker century's immediate future.

I'd like to thank all the Irregulars who called me to find out if I was doing okay. Especially Jerry, Eric and the Dogtown Rangers. Cell coverage is a little uncovered right now in this area, so I can only use the phone when I am out of this immediate area.

(Correction: Rosey just called me to see if I made it home and there was power, so I guess the system is coming back on line at least a little bit.)

Other Irregulars are out helping with the recovery, especially the SAR guys from the old 1ACR. May God bless them and keep them, along with all the victims and family members trying to recover from this violent storm.

Big-ass tornado cell said to be bearing down upon us.

2012-01-23T01:40:00.000-08:00

Will sign off as the thing approaches.

Dorothy and my ex-wife's great aunt.

In case you were wondering, yes, the foxes are guarding the hen house.

2012-01-23T01:38:00.000-08:00

From Reuters, in Huffington Post, no less: "U.S. AG Eric Holder, DoJ Head Lanny Breuer Linked To Banks Accused Of Foreclosure Fraud."

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Lanny Breuer, head of the Justice Department's criminal division, were partners for years at a Washington law firm that represented a Who's Who of big banks and other companies at the center of alleged foreclosure fraud, a Reuters inquiry shows.
The firm, Covington & Burling, is one of Washington's biggest white shoe law firms. Law professors and other federal ethics experts said that federal conflict of interest rules required Holder and Breuer to recuse themselves from any Justice Department decisions relating to law firm clients they personally had done work for.
Both the Justice Department and Covington declined to say if either official had personally worked on matters for the big mortgage industry clients. Justice Department spokeswoman Tracy Schmaler said Holder and Breuer had complied fully with conflict of interest regulations, but she declined to say if they had recused themselves from any matters related to the former clients. . .

In an interview in late 2011, Raymond Brescia, a visiting professor at Yale Law School who has written about foreclosure practices said, "I think it's difficult to find a fraud of this size on the U.S. court system in U.S. history."
Holder has resisted calls for a criminal investigation since October 2010, when evidence of widespread "robo-signing" first surfaced. That involved mortgage servicer employees falsely signing and swearing to massive numbers of affidavits and other foreclosure documents that they had never read or checked for accuracy.
Recent calls for a wide-ranging criminal investigation of the mortgage servicing industry have come from members of Congress, including Senator Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., state officials, and county clerks. In recent months clerks from around the country have examined mortgage and foreclosure records filed with them and reported finding high percentages of apparently fraudulent documents.
On Wednesday, John O'Brien Jr., register of deeds in Salem, Mass., announced that he had sent 31,897 allegedly fraudulent foreclosure-related documents to Holder. O'Brien said he asked for a criminal investigation of servicers and their law firms that had filed the documents because they "show a pattern of fraud," forgery and false notarizations.

David Codrea: Santorum gives insight on Romney judicial nominees

2012-01-22T18:02:00.000-08:00

More of what we knew already.

Dave Workman: "The earthquake irony of ‘Taking the Fifth’ in Fast & Furious."

2012-01-22T17:59:00.000-08:00

“You take the Fifth when you are about to be charged with a crime or are potentially guilty of a crime.”

Crapton of Bradleys moving by rail.

2012-01-22T17:56:00.000-08:00

Over a hundred in woodland paint scheme. Now if any of you Irregulars send me a video like this. Kindly note the time, place and direction for travel just to keep the curious old fat man happy.

Don't know enough neighbors to put together a neighborhood watch?

2012-01-22T17:52:00.001-08:00

Technology is an amazing thing.

Another Absolved work day.

2012-01-22T04:27:00.000-08:00

Maybe more tonight.

The Winter War -- A Movie Review.

2012-01-21T03:59:00.000-08:00

One of my Christmas gifts was a DVD of a 1989 Finnish movie, Talvisota (The Winter War). Made during the 50th anniversary year of the attack on Finland by the Soviet Union, Talvisota details the stories of some local Finnish boys from their call-up as Civil Guards (organized militia formations) through the horrors of war until the armistice.

Those who are unfamiliar with the history of the Winter War can find an excellent overview article at Wikipedia here.

When I unwrapped the gift and popped it in the DVD player, I noted that it had come from South Korea and there were but two choices for subtitles -- Korean and English. I suppose this is natural, since South Koreans can certainly identify with the story of a free people in a small country attacked by Bolshevist hordes.

Although it is a great movie, a human story, I was disappointed to see that the narrative presented only the desperate trench warfare of the Mannerheim Line and did not cover some of the more tactically interesting (to me) Suomussalmi–Raate double operation (see the Wikipedia citation) or the exploits of legendary Finnish sniper Simo Hayha in the battles in Ladoga Karelia. The movie thus becomes an advertisement for all of the evils of attrition warfare -- sort of a Finnish All Quiet on the Western Front.

Still, there are some items of interest that stood out to me, the first one being the individual payback of preparedness to the Civil Guards, compared to the last-minute volunteers. So short were the Finnish logistics that only the regular army formations and the Civil Guards sent into battle equipped as soldiers with uniforms and equipment. Johnny-come-lately's were issued a rifle (of indifferent quality), a cartridge belt and a cockade button to put in their civilian hats to identify them as Finnish troops. There is a scene in the beginning of the movie where the newbies are grousing that they have not been issued the same gear as the Civil Guards, who as volunteers bought their gear (and improved upon it) in the years before the outbreak of war. Civil Guards also had the advantage of arsenal reworked Moisin-Nagant rifle, captured in the 1918 Civil War and painstakingly redone to Finnish specs (the Finnish Moisins remain a highly collectible item even today).

As the war progressed, the Finns did their best to issue gear to everyone, but in some cases the armistice was declared before some volunteers got all their uniforms and gear. Capture of weapons and gear from the Russians was an obvious way to remedy shortfalls, and the Russian felt boots were particularly prized.

The role of faith in the struggle of the Finn's is also highlighted at points throughout the film. For most Finns this really was a holy war for existence. They were also very conscious of their role as a free people who intended to remain free.

So, previously stated disappointments at what was not shown aside, I highly recommend this movie.

Best description of the origins and evils of SOPA and PIPA I have seen.

2012-01-21T02:49:00.000-08:00

Link by way of Global Guerrillas.

Here's John Robb's take -- "The Copyright Cartel's Enforcers: The FBI."

Kurt Hofmann: "Condemning anti-rights activism--not 'mocking' grief."

2012-01-21T02:37:00.000-08:00

Light a candle and curse the darkness.

About bloody time.

2012-01-21T02:34:00.000-08:00

"State to Feds: We're going to investigate Fast and Furious, too." Of course they're going to run into the same problems that plagued the local investigation of the OKC bombing, the Feds will use their on the ground lackeys to delay, disrupt and discredit the effort. Getting evidence will be hell. Still, it is worth trying.

Patrick Cunningham training video

2012-01-20T17:57:00.000-08:00

Link.

David Codrea's take on the Cunningham invocation of the Fifth Amendment.

2012-01-20T17:49:00.000-08:00

Patrick Cunningham in happier days. (He ain't smilin' now.)

"AZ US Attorney Criminal Division Chief to plead the Fifth."

More political crap about procurement of a replacement for the M-4 Carbine. Drum roll, please. And the winner is, the M-4 Carbine! Huh?

2012-01-20T17:46:00.000-08:00

"Gun Firms Fear Army Carbine Fait Accompli."

Now this is funny.

2012-01-20T17:43:00.001-08:00

Chuck Norris endorses Newt Gingrich.

Praxis: How to Choose a Water Bottle.

2012-01-20T14:01:00.000-08:00

A lot of folks, including the "gray men," choose to avoid military gear in their search for urban camouflage. So, for those of you for whom canteens aren't an option, here's an excellent discussion on "sports bottles." And remember, as I've written before, your local thrift store usually has these for a little bit of nothing. I pick up stainless steel ones for newbies for about a quarter to a buck each.

Panhandling for DC.

2012-01-20T11:14:00.000-08:00

As an economic enterprise, I'm still an embarrassed failure. I hate to do this once more, but I've got to ask for subscription donations to get to DC and spend a week there for the 2 February hearing. I'm as low budget as I can be, as usual, with donated tickets and friends for lodgings, but it still costs money. May God bless and keep all of you who have donated in the past and those who continue to support the work of the Sipsey Street Irregulars.

Mike

III

The Donkey Whisperer.

2012-01-20T11:02:00.000-08:00

Never let a good crisis go to waste, even if you have to manufacture one.

2012-01-20T10:46:00.000-08:00

"Never let a serious crisis go to waste. What I mean by that is it's an opportunity to do things you couldn't do before." -- White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel in November, 2008.

Our old friend Rahm Emanuel is at it again. Readers may recall my story from 18 March of last year,
The Gunwalker Scandal: Why? Where did it start? How high does it go? Darrell Issa should ask Rahm Emanuel.
I concluded it with these observations:
My sources indicate that between March and December of 2009, there were a number of meetings, including Eric Holder, Rahm Emanuel and various subordinates. And the bloody-minded policy developed at those meetings proceeded along very nicely, thank you, until the death of Brian Terry, and would have after that, except for some brave ATF whistleblowers.
"A deliberate attempt by policymakers at the highest levels of the Obama administration to subvert the Second Amendment and further diminish the free exercise of firearm rights of honest citizens."
Frustrated by the limitations of politics, the Obama administration decided to change the paradigm. And it worked. Oh, boy, did it work. But in the end, perhaps not the way they intended -- thanks entirely to the whistleblowers.
One of the first people Darrell Issa should call to his hearings is Rahm Emanuel. Provided, of course, that the failed state of Chicago still recognizes extradition to the United States.

Now ensconced in his new kingdom, Rahm is once again showing us his ability to exploit a crisis, even if he has to manufacture one. The lefty Guardian reports -- "Outlawing dissent: Rahm Emanuel's new regime."

On the pretext of policing upcoming G8 and Nato summits, Chicago's mayor has awarded himself draconian new powers.
It's almost as if Rahm Emanuel was lifting a page from Naomi Klein's Shock Doctrine – as if he was reading her account of Milton Friedman's "Chicago Boys" as a cookbook recipe, rather than as the ominous episode that it was. In record time, Emanuel successfully exploited the fact that Chicago will host the upcoming G8 and Nato summit meetings to increase his police powers and extend police surveillance, to outsource city services and privatize financial gains, and to make permanent new limitations on political dissent. It all happened – very rapidly and without time for dissent – with the passage of rushed security and anti-protest measures adopted by the city council on 18 January 2012.
Sadly, we are all too familiar with the recipe by now: first, hype up and blow out of proportion a crisis (and if there isn't a real crisis, as in Chicago, then create one), call in the heavy artillery and rapidly seize the opportunity to expand executive power, to redistribute wealth for private gain and to suppress political dissent.

The tyrant's playbook has a limited number of pages and common themes run through all such regimes. Rahm, the crisis maker/exploiter, may be understood in that context. He does what he is.

Rahmses, Pharaoh of Chicago.

I found the above illustration at Driftglass, along with a reference to this Chicago Times editorial which contained this:

In a remarkable victory Tuesday, Rahm Emanuel trounced five opponents. Emanuel won 55 percent of the votes, besting even the most pie-in-the-sky projections. Emanuel is now mayor-elect, poised to take over a dramatically different city from the one Daley first encountered as mayor in 1989. Though a fast and furious five-month sprint, this campaign offered a real education.

"A fast and furious five-month sprint." My, what an ironic choice of phrase.

"Decoding the Murder Rituals of the Mexican Drug Trafficker."

2012-01-20T09:56:00.000-08:00

"The killing of a Juarez policeman who was burned alive on a city street could signify a new escalation of “narco-horror,” with criminals committing ever more grotesque acts in order to intimidate their rivals -- and for fun."

FINALLY. Fifth Amendment Time in the Gunwalker Scandal. FOX breaks the story I knew was coming yesterday: "Federal official in Arizona to plead the fifth and not answer questions on 'furious'" But, is the fix in? Issa staff reported to have witheld information from Grassley. "The roach motel of press inquiries."

2012-01-20T05:06:00.000-08:00

William La Jeunesse reports:

The chief of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Arizona is refusing to testify before Congress regarding Operation Fast and Furious, the federal gun-running scandal that sent U.S. weapons to Mexico.
Patrick J. Cunningham informed the House Oversight Committee late Thursday through his attorney that he will use the Fifth Amendment protection.
Cunningham was ordered Wednesday to appear before Chairman Darrell Issa and the House Oversight Committee regarding his role in the operation that sent more than 2,000 guns to the Sinaloa Cartel. Guns from the failed operation were found at the murder scene of Border Agent Brian Terry.
The letter from Cunningham’s Washington DC attorney stunned congressional staff. Last week, Cunningham, the second highest ranking U.S. Attorney in Arizona, was scheduled to appear before Issa‘s committee voluntarily. Then, he declined and Issa issued a subpoena.
Cunningham is represented by Tobin Romero of Williams and Connolly who is a specialist in white collar crime. In the letter, he suggests witnesses from the Department of Justice in Washington, who have spoken in support of Attorney General Eric Holder, are wrong or lying.
“Department of Justice officials have reported to the Committee that my client relayed inaccurate information to the Department upon which it relied in preparing its initial response to Congress. If, as you claim, Department officials have blamed my client, they have blamed him unfairly,” the letter to Issa says.
Romero claims Cunningham did nothing wrong and acted in good faith, but the Department of Justice in Washington is making him the fall guy, claiming he failed to accurately provide the Oversight Committee with information on the execution of Fast and Furious.
"To avoid needless preparation by the Committee and its staff for a deposition next week, I am writing to advise you that my client is going to assert his constitutional privilege not to be compelled to be a witness against himself." Romero told Issa.
This schism is the first big break in what has been a unified front in the government’s defense of itself in the gun-running scandal. Cunningham claims he is a victim of a conflict between two branches of government and will not be compelled to be a witnesses against himself, and make a statement that could be later used by a grand jury or special prosecutor to indict him on criminal charges.

Readers may well wonder why we didn't cover the subpoena of reluctant witness Patrick Cunningham, chief of the Criminal Division in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, whose resignation on 27 January was broken by David Codrea on Wednesday. The reason is both simple and complex.

It is simple in that I knew more was coming on the story of Cunningham and didn't want to go until I had something to write about. It is complex because this event comes at what may be a critical juncture in the investigation which some are interpreting as a reluctance on the part of the Issa committee to fully explore the many leads they have already developed because of their political sensitivity.

"I won't say that the fix is in, but the Committee seems to be buying into the 'Made-in-Phoenix' line pushed by the White House," said one source with inside knowledge of the investigator's work. This seems to be reflected in the subpoena letter from Issa to Cunningham. From the Politico story linked above:

“Senior Justice Department officials have recently told the Committee that you relayed inaccurate and misleading information to the Department in preparation for its initial response to Congress,” wrote Issa. “These officials told us that even after Congress began investigating Fast and Furious, you continued to insist that no unacceptable tactics were used.”

The White House is happy for Issa to go after Cunningham for this is consistent with their denial that the White House had anything to do with gunwalking. Indeed, from the evidence above it would seem that the White House has determined Cunningham to be one of the designated sacrificial goats to that end.

This also comes at a time when journalists -- "mainstream" and despised bloggers alike -- have for weeks encountered a black hole when it comes to trying to find out what the Committee is working on and whether the story is progressing. "They've become the roach motel of press inquiries," said one. "Inquiries go in, but nothing comes out."

"The Issa Committee has always played their cards very close to the vest, but now," said a journalist, "they won't even admit they're in the game." One source described what he called "the lame excuse" floated by one Committee insider that the strategy was to get Holder "by not letting him know that they know what he knows." At this, I blurted out in response, "What? Like Holder and Company don't know what crimes they committed? Don't know the evidentiary trail -- the emails, the meetings? They're the CRIMINALS for Pete's sake, and believe me by now they understand exactly how well they are compromised by leaks and whistleblowers."

I added, "What they don't know is the political will of the GOP to pursue the trail to the end." The source agreed. The exact extent of the willed purpose of the Issa investigators is brought into greater suspicion by reports that they are no longer sharing all their information with the staff of Senator Charles Grassley. Requests by this reporter, both directly and indirectly, of committee staffers have yielded no reply beyond silence.

Another source familiar with the Issa investigation shared his fears about the direction and speed of the investigation. "They are afraid of the FBI" and are unwilling to really go after the Brian Terry murder cover-up and the use of FBI paid informants to buy weapons from the straw-buyers, he said. "They are afraid of the White House, too," indicating a reluctance to go after certain players in the early meetings such as that one held in March 2009 between ATF SAC Bill Newell and White House and DHS operatives, including, according to one report, Dennis Burke.

If it is true that Burke participated in the March 2009 meeting -- and I hasten to add that I have not confirmed it -- that predates his appointment as U.S. Attorney for Arizona when he was still Janet Napolitano's right-hand guy on terrorism and border issues. That is hugely significant, given Burke's predilection for gun control. (See "Personnel is Policy" Part One and Part Two.)

The Issa Committee investigators may indeed simply be playing a deep game here with the final goal of taking on all of the powerful players in the Gunwalker Conspiracy. Or, it could be that the fix is in for the "modified, limited hangout." Time, and the actions of the committee, will tell.

But for the moment at least, the committee isn't telling.

As long as they understand that the entire legitimacy of their two-party system hangs in the balance, with ghastly consequences if they fail, I suppose we can do nothing but wait, uneasily. Saying a prayer wouldn't hurt either.

David Codrea: "McCain ‘opposition research’ gives further insights into Romney on guns."

2012-01-19T09:44:00.000-08:00

"Of particular interest to Gun Rights Examiner readers—what they came up with on guns."

Personal milestone: 19 January 1979

2012-01-19T04:38:00.000-08:00

My son, SGT Matthew Bradley Vanderboegh, was born on this date 33 years ago. Proudest day of my life up to that time, especially since I had to intervene in the process to make sure he didn't die in delivery. (Long story, not enough time to tell it now.)

Happy birthday, Matt. And send me some better pictures of you, Nicole, Mason, Gabriel and Olivia.

"Civilization in reverse."

2012-01-19T04:05:00.000-08:00

Victor Davis Hanson writes:

Civilization is fragile. Its continuance requires respect for the law, tough-minded education, collective thrift, private investment, individual self-reliance, and common codes of behavior and civility -- and exempts no one from those rules. Such knowledge and patterns of civilized behavior, slowly accrued over centuries, can be lost in a single generation.

OZYMANDIAS by Percy Bysshe Shelley

I MET a Traveler from an antique land,
Who said, “Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read,
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed:
And on the pedestal these words appear:
“My name is OZYMANDIAS, King of Kings.
Look on my works ye Mighty, and despair!"
No thing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that Colossal Wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

And, on a related note, "Why U.S. Gun Sales Are Shooting For The Moon."

Got militia?

So much for "electability." Politics ain't beanbag as ABC rips large holes in GOP candidates. Romney's off-shore accounts and Gingrich's second ex-wife.

2012-01-19T03:46:00.000-08:00

"Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned," spoken by Zara in Act III, Scene VIII of The Mourning Bride, William Congreve, 1697.

ABC catches Romney with money in the Grand Caymans and tonight will interview Newt Gingrich's second ex-wife. Ouch. Of course, I'm happy for Romney to avoid all the taxes he can from this stupid system, but the Obamanoids are going to hand this schmuck his head if he becomes the nominee. So much for "electability."

Although it is not apparent on his financial disclosure form, Mitt Romney has millions of dollars of his personal wealth in investment funds set up in the Cayman Islands, a notorious Caribbean tax haven.
A spokesperson for the Romney campaign says Romney follows all tax laws and he would pay the same in taxes regardless of where the funds are based.
As the race for the Republican nomination heats up, Mitt Romney is finding it increasingly difficult to maintain a shroud of secrecy around the details about his vast personal wealth, including, as ABC News has discovered, his investment in funds located offshore and his ability to pay a lower tax rate.

Excellent article from the Foreign Policy Blogs by Kathleen Millar. Brian Terry, Jesus Diaz, Dakota Meyer: Justice in 2012?

2012-01-18T17:00:00.000-08:00

"Who Prosecutes the Prosecutors?"

Read this, folks. All the way through.

LATER: reaction from Alvin Wombat --

I did read it all the way through. Twice. Very prescient, written by somebody who knows the system inside out. It will be interesting to see how long the charades persist, because they are in fact to the death. And the Obama Administration exhibits no signs of blinking. So the next step is putting this whole shebang into the Presidential campaigns---and see how far it goes in those venues. Get them talking about it, the media will have to cover it. That's a strategy.

Darrell Issa's statement on the SOPA protests.

2012-01-18T12:48:00.000-08:00

Just received this via email:

WASHINGTON, DC – House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) today issued the following statement on the blackouts of many popular websites – including Wikipedia, Craigslist, Google and thousands of others– in response to the serious threats to an open Internet and digital innovation in America posed by the Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA) and the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA):
“The Protect IP Act and SOPA are threats to the openness, freedom, and innovation of the Internet. I applaud the Internet community, including the thousands of blogs and websites that have decided to go dark today, for participating in our democracy and opening up the debate on legislation to the public.
“This unprecedented effort has turned the tide against a backroom lobbying effort by interests that aren’t use to being told ‘no.’ I know suspending and changing access to sites was not necessarily an easy decision, but this a responsible and transparent exercise of freedom of speech. I applaud those participating in today’s protest for their sturdy defense of American innovation, openness and Internet freedom.”
The Oversight Committee had originally scheduled a hearing on DNS blocking for today. The hearing was postponed after assurances from Leader Cantor and the removal of DNS blocking provisions from SOPA were made. Even with this alteration, Chairman Issa continues to oppose SOPA as well as PIPA.

Getting their marching orders from their federal masters, apparently.

2012-01-18T12:45:00.000-08:00

Police chiefs to discuss terrorism at White House.

The Obama administration is providing senior state and local police officials with its analysis of homegrown terrorism incidents, including common signs law enforcement can use to identify violent extremists.
The warning signs identified for police include someone joining a group advocating violence, receiving support from a network that plans attacks or seeking out charismatic leaders who encourage violence. The analysis was conducted by the Homeland Security Department, the FBI and the National Counterterrorism Center. An overview of the findings was shared with The Associated Press.
The conference Wednesday at the White House marks the first time this unclassified analysis will be presented to 46 senior federal, state and local law enforcement officials, many of whom are police chiefs and sheriffs. The conference will also include sessions on other programs the federal government has for countering violent extremism and a briefing from a deputy chief of the Los Angeles Police Department about what the city has done on this front.
"Engaging local communities is critical to our nation's effort to counter violent extremism and violent crime, and this meeting brings together many of our partners," Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said. Napolitano, Attorney General Eric Holder and the president's counterterrorism adviser, John Brennan, planned to attend the White House conference.

John Brennan. Huh. That name came up just the other day in a story I'm doing about the early days of the Gunwalker Conspiracy. And then there's this:

Analysts from the FBI, Homeland Security Department and National Counterterrorism Center reviewed 62 cases of homegrown violent extremists and found basic similarities. The cases included violent extremists who adhered to a mix of ideologies, including people who ascribed to white supremacist beliefs and people inspired by a violent interpretation of Islam. The analysis is not a psychological profile of a homegrown terrorist, but instead offers similarities among cases that could help local law enforcement better understand and detect threats.
In the 62 cases reviewed, the subjects increasingly spoke out against the government, blamed the government for perceived problems and did so in a way that caught the attention of other people in their communities, according to the senior counterterrorism official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private White House event. Subjects became active on the Internet to espouse extremist views. In some cases, the subjects purchased weapons, ammunition or explosive materials.

Huh. Must be thinking about that "blood-soaked novelist" again.

How come this never happens to me? The last line of the story is hysterically funny.

2012-01-18T12:32:00.000-08:00

"Gun found in Publix."

LEE COUNTY, GA -- An employee at the Lee County Publix found a .40-caliber handgun with 12 rounds inside on a sink in the men’s bathroom.
The employee notified store management who called the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. At this time it’s not known who left the gun, but authorities are running the serial number through the ATF data base to see if they can figure out how the gun got there.
No one was injured by the weapon.

Why doesn't this ever happen to me? I mean, people dump machine guns in creeks in Alabama, but never in one I'm looking at. Even ATF agents like Jody Keeku leave their duty weapons in airport bathrooms, and the sheep who find them just turn them over. And that last line. "No one was injured by the weapon." What?!? It didn't jump up and shoot somebody all on its own? How could that be? I thought they were intrinsically evil?

David Codrea: Media Matters’ desperation to smear NRA comes out in election hit piece.

2012-01-18T12:25:00.000-08:00

"Typical national socialists—ever deceptive and always projecting."

Now some might file this under logistics and some under investment. . . Me, I'd file it under both.

2012-01-18T12:20:00.000-08:00

Ammoman has GI crates of .40 S&W Expanding Full Metal Jacket! One can, 650 rounds, for $249.00 delivered or a crate of two cans, 1,300 rounds, for $450.00 delivered:

40 S/W EFMJ 165 GRAIN
EXPANDING FULL METAL JACKET
SEALED MILITARY AMMO CANS
13 BOXES OF 50 ROUNDS EACH
650 ROUNDS PER CAN

I don't have a .40 and I don't have any money, but even if I had the money and not the pistol, I'd still buy these as an investment.

Well, defecate and shove me in it! Is Obama trying to get re-elected, or what?

2012-01-18T12:02:00.000-08:00

Korea Times Exclusive: US allows import of 86,000 M1 rifles from Korea.

Washington has agreed to allow the importation of M1 Garand rifles from Seoul, reversing its earlier decision to ban the shipping of the weapon used by South Korean and U.S. soldiers during the 1950-53 Korean War, a senior defense official said Wednesday.
“The U.S. government approved the imports of some 86,000 of the rifles,” said Lee Sun-chul, deputy defense minister for force and resources management.
“The historic firearms are expected to be sold to American Korean War veterans and their families in time for the 62nd anniversary of the Korean War, which falls on June 25 this year.”
Kim Mi-sung, an official of the force and resources management office, said the defense ministry received an approval letter from the United States on Sept. 2 last year that stated Washington agreed to allow the importation of the M1s.
She noted that the U.S. government, however, rejected Seoul’s proposal to export some 600,000 M1 Carbines, which were also used in the Korean War, as they come with a magazine that can carry multiple rounds unlike the Garands.
“We plan to announce a bid later this month or in February for the selection of agencies to sell the M1 rifles to Americans,” Kim said. “The U.S. has been reviewing legal procedures for the approval of a third party transfer.”
The official said Korea plans to purchase locally developed K2 rifles with the money raised by selling the M1s.
The Obama administration blocked the purchase of 87,310 M1 Garands and 770,160 M1 Carbines in 2010, saying the American-made antique rifles could “potentially be exploited by individuals seeking firearms for illicit purposes.”

But, there is one last caveat:

A senior defense ministry official, however, raised the possibility that the U.S. government may cancel the plan to allow the purchase the M1s, saying Seoul has yet to finalize negotiations with Washington.
``We have yet to receive confirmation from the United States over our proposal,” he said. “The U.S. government may change its position at the last minute due to political considerations.”

If. . . Maybe . . . Of course if M-1 Garands were the "weapon of choice" of Mexican drug cartels?

Willie and Joe at least will be happy.

When a turd insults a fart, what position should the nose take?

2012-01-18T05:28:00.000-08:00

An enemy of liberty is no friend of mine. I do not owe respect to anyone who would enslave me by government force, nor is it wise for such a person to expect it. -- Isaiah Amberay

You know, I was recently put in a bit of a philosophical hard spot because of this jeremiad by the government monopoly of force advocates at CSGV: Pro-Gun Jerks Find Humor in Tucson Shooting Anniversary. Contained therein was this:

Christie Caywood (AKA "Bitterb"), the girlfriend of fellow NRA volunteer election coordinator Keith Milligan of Langhorne, Pennsylvania (AKA "Sebastian"), found the vigils hilarious. Along with Milligan, she co-authors the blog “Shall Not Be Questioned.” On December 19, she mocked the “Too Many Victims” tributes, writing, “Yes, they want you to light a candle. Because candles will stop violence ... If candles can stop bullets, then they can do anything in this season of holiday miracles, right?” On Twitter, she said the following about gun violence prevention activists holding candlelight vigils: "We should report them as arsonists." Caywood and Milligan also shared a laugh about Joan Peterson's loss of her sister to gun violence. Milligan Tweeted that he won a bet with his girlfriend that Peterson would ring a bell instead of lighting a candle at the vigil. He hash-tagged the Tweet #toomanyfools. Milligan was referring to bell-ringing ceremonies held by the group Protect Minnesota, of which Joan is member. Gun violence survivors step forward to ring a bell once for each loved one they have lost to gun violence. Caywood loved it. "I didn't bet against you dear," she Tweeted back.
Milligan also issued the following warning to victims and survivors of gun violence: "Once your grief crosses over into trying to remove my freedoms and shred part of the Bill of Rights you can no longer claim the right to be left alone." "These aren’t people who are just concerned citizens," Milligan declared. "They are hate filled people out to destroy lives. How are these people different from a bigot who would enjoy the idea if a black man got an ass beating because he was visiting Mississippi in 1954, and didn’t know certain fountains weren’t for his kind? I posit they are no different in terms of their corrupt character, only in the form of bigotry they have chosen."

Keith Milligan, aka General Sebastian Snowflake, Chief Apologist and Public Information Officer for the Grand Army of the NRA's Lairds of Fairfax, Electronic Battlespace Division.

Now my clashes with "Sebastian" and his consort "Bitter Bitch" (now toning it down as "Bitterb") are legendary ever since they first denounced me as a "lunatic" (Sebastian) and an "asshole" (Bitter Bitch) for "scaring the white people" (one of their commenters) with this letter to the Madison Times in July 2008 (unfortunately the link is broken so here is the letter in its entirety):

Dear Editor:
Joe Bialek from Cleveland proposes the licensing and registration of all weapons currently in civilian hands. My question is, how exactly do you propose to do that, Joe?
There are some of us "cold dead hands" types, perhaps 3 percent of gun owners, who would kill anyone who tried to further restrict our God-given liberty. Don't extrapolate from your own cowardice and assume that just because you would do anything the government told you to do that we would.
Are you proposing to come yourself, or do you want someone else's son or daughter in federal service to take the risk? Are you truly prepared to stack up the bodies necessary to accomplish your plan? Seems a strange way to make a "safer society." More to the point, are you willing to risk your sorry hide to do it? No? I thought not.
Then quit proposing the next American civil war. We're done being pushed back from our natural rights without a fight. Be careful what you wish for.
Mike Vanderboegh
Pinson, Ala.

This letter scared the self-described "pragmatists" such as Sebastian and Bitter Bitch, so they both denounced me (they weren't the only ones of course). I shot back at their public flaccidity when it came to firearm rights, and the long-simmering mutual disdain party was on.

Which continues to today thanks to Bitter Bitch's latest "The Truth About Mitt Romney's Record on Guns," an apologia in advance for Mitt Romney's sorry record on guns. You know, the "he's the candidate we got so we'd better compromise again now before we lose" sort of logic.

So, I'm torn by the question, "When a turd insults a fart, what position should the nose take?" As for Sebastian, he's already decided to take on CSGV and has demanded satisfaction at the offense to his "honor" in the way seems most comfortable to him: another exercise in limp dickery.

Newsweak tweaked.

2012-01-17T22:00:00.000-08:00

Now this is just funny: Photoshoppery: Newsweek Cover Edition.

Newsweek pissed off quite a few people with this cover story about how stupid Obama's opponents are.

In return Redstate called for a photoshop contest. Here's a couple:

Go to the link above to see the winner.

Praxis: Small Unit Logisitics Link

2012-01-17T21:50:00.000-08:00

Putting all your eggs in a nice big basket. "During a search-and-destroy mission, U.S. Navy SEALs discover a large cache of munitions in one of more than 50 caves explored in the Zhawar Kili area. Used by al Qaeda and Taliban forces, the caves and above-ground complexes were subsequently destroyed through air strikes called in by the SEALs. Navy special operations forces were conducting missions in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Navy photo."

Politics being what they are these days, it strikes me that now is the time to repost this link on small unit logistics from 2008. And remember, if you're going to cache, don't make the mistake these mokes did.

Arguably the most significant, certainly the most spectacular, mission conducted by Task Force K-Bar occurred in January 2002 in a narrow canyon in Paktika province in eastern Afghanistan, about 16 kilometers southwest of Khost and four kilometers from the Pakistani border. The place was called Zhawar Kili.
Created by the mujahideen guerrillas fighting the Soviet Army during the Soviet-Afghanistan War (1978-92), Zhawar Kili was initially used as a training base. Because of its strategic location close to the Pakistani border, it soon expanded into a major base for supplies and combat operation planning as well. At its height during that war, it contained at least 11 major tunnels, some extending as far as 500 meters into the mountain, and facilities included a hotel, a mosque, arms depots, repair shops, a garage, a small hospital, a communications center, and a kitchen. Following the rise of the Taliban, intelligence determined that the canyon had subsequently become an al Qaeda base of operations. In 1998, U.S. cruise missiles had been launched against the complex in response to al Qaeda’s bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. Though intelligence had determined that there were multiple targets of interest in Zhawar Kili, the extent of al Qaeda’s use of the canyon was unknown.

What happened to these huge caches stacked up, more or less conveniently, in one place? Why Navy SEALS found them and blew them up.

"A Navy SEAL observes munitions being destroyed. The SEALs discovered the munitions while conducting a Sensitive Site Exploitation (SSE) mission in Eastern Afghanistan. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 1st Class Tim Turner"

Two from David Codrea.

2012-01-17T12:57:00.000-08:00

"Lawmaker thief a perfect representative for gun-grabbing rights thieves."

"Holder position on voter ID exposes racial discrimination against gun ownership."

Mitt Romney: The Last Republican President?

2012-01-17T12:55:00.000-08:00

"This is the last hurrah of the Republican establishment."

Sorry for lack of posts this morning.

2012-01-17T12:34:00.001-08:00

Got up late and had to head to the south of the county. More later.

Praxis: The M1 Garand for Homeland Defense

2012-01-17T11:44:00.000-08:00

Interesting discussion.

"Fast & Furious, From A Law Enforcement Perspective."

2012-01-16T21:23:00.001-08:00

Excellent analysis.

Praxis: Another Garand LBE solution from an Irregular which has the advantage of being affordable.

2012-01-16T21:19:00.000-08:00

MOLLE Woodland Grenade Pouch

Just received this email from an Irregular:

Mike,

I have found that the MOLLE grenade pouches will hold two Garand clips PERFECTLY. They are held tightly so that they don't rattle but not so tight that they can't be easily withdrawn. Combine the pouches with a USGI MOLLE Vest and you have a rig that is easily configured and cheap. The pouches typically run about $1-2 apiece or so on Ebay, the vests $10+/-.

For less than $25 you can carry twice as much ammo as a WWII grunt and have MOLLE space left over for a FAK, Camelbak, knife, pistol holster- whatever and it's easily configured or reconfigured. Makes a great "grab and go".

Jeff

MOLLE Vest, Woodland, before installation of pouches and other gear.

I actually like this solution better than anything I've seen so far for the Garand-armed militiaman. Now if we can just get those South Korean Garands back in the country . . .

The Decline and Fall of the Chicago Empire.

2012-01-16T16:10:00.000-08:00

Party guests from left to right: Tim Geithner, John Kerry, KSM, Oprah, Nancy Pelosi, Joe Biden, Axelrod, Barack Obama, Michelle Obama,Hillary Clinton, Party Crashers #1, Rahm Emanuel, Eric Holder, Party Crashers #2, Harry Reid, John Edwards, Bluto, Andy Stern, Bill Clinton, Chris Matthews, Keith Olbermann, Barney Frank, Kevin Jennings

Statues left to right: Che Guevara, Saul Alinsky, Obama, Chairman Mao, Lenin

The Rise of the Praetorian Class and a critique by a current-serving military man.

2012-01-16T15:39:00.000-08:00

Many of you have sent me a link to The Rise of the Praetorian Class By Pete Kofod. Not having the time to critique it myself, I passed it on to several folks who are current-serving military officers and NCOs. Here is one review:

The author owns an estate (or at least significant property) in Argentina? Seriously? As if the Argentinian government's (ruling class's) depredations against its citizens aren't as bad, if not worse than, those in America?

I find that interesting.

As for his premise, well, I could argue its specific sociological characterizations with contrary examples and alternate sociological perspectives, but that would be niggling at the edges. In the main I think his fundamental premise ("The Praetorian Class is formed and grown to defend the Political Class and in time becomes the dragon that rules its master.") has some, albeit limited, merit. However, the development of the Praetorian Class is not a cause of societal decline, it is a symptom. Further, in this country at least, the militarization of the police, and the explosion of armed governmental agents, is supportive of his Praetorian Class argument, whereas the armed forces do not have a daily, direct role in the oppression of the economic class. He does not understand this contrast, lumping all into his Praetorian Class. To be sure, the American military does guarantee the system overall and undertakes the necessary foreign adventures ... but I would have respected the argument more had the author differentiated the two roles. Incipient Praetorians though they may be, the American Military is not yet an agent of government control over the citizenry.

That said, the more significant error on Kofod's part is the lack of discussion of the underlying nature of society. His class distinctions only work within an environment of Western-style 'free' democracies (in the modern parlance). Ceding this unstated assumption, nevertheless I find that his argument suffers form a lack of discussion of underlying philosophy, of the ideological premises of the Political Class vs the Economic Class. In this respect a far better perspective is gained by Angelo M. Codevilla's "America's Ruling Class -- and the Perils of Revolution" (July-August 2010 American Spectator). Codevilla's article posits the great divide in American society between the Ruling Class and the Country Class - in short the Transnational Socialists vs. Traditional Americans. These characterizations fit, with very little error on the margins, with Kofod's Political and Economic Class descriptions. Kofod's Praetorian Class is just an aspect of the Ruling Class's mechanisms of control - I do not think the characterization as a distinct class is fundamentally correct. It is but one aspect of the hangers-on and fellow-travelers of the Ruling Class.

I was disappointed that he ended the discussion rather abruptly. And for whatever reason, it seems the author has determined to get out of America and flee to Argentina (or has at least prepared a property to flee to). This does not bode well.

Resolve.

2012-01-16T15:32:00.000-08:00

From a Three Percenter:

Well, now, ain't this interesting? So, who was manipulating whom?

2012-01-16T15:27:00.000-08:00

"Federal agents had visited White supremacists before Scottsdale bombing."

Off to the doctor.

2012-01-16T04:46:00.001-08:00

More later.

Ralph Peters -- Dumb Marines, Delighted Media: The Left's nostalgia for My Lai is forever

2012-01-16T04:43:00.000-08:00

It seems many people are upset about this image of Marines pissing on Taliban dead.

If I could provide a little history and context . . .

The image above was found here. There is little doubt that had the Taliban fighters taken the Marines and been given the leisure to deal with them, such beheadings would not be off the table, were the Marines alive or dead. American soldiers have run into such enemies before. This is one of the most famous photos of the Pacific War, 1941-1945.

Japanese officer beheading American soldier.

For their part, although there is no evidence that American soldiers and Marines returned the favor and beheaded live Japanese prisoners, what happened after they were dead was apparently fair game. Here are a few images of such instances:

Japanese head staked out in front of destroyed position.

Japanese head used as a trail marker.

Japanese head hung in a tree by an American serviceman.

Here's one mounted on a Navy vessel.

Original Caption: Defense worker N. Nickolson writes to her sweetheart thanking him for his letter and "souvenir." This skull of a Japanese soldier bears the inscription: "Here is a good Jap -- a dead one!"

Just a little history and context.

Another Absolved working day . . .

2012-01-15T04:51:00.000-08:00

Maybe some posts later this afternoon. Maybe not. Sorry.

Praxis: Garand Grab and Go.

2012-01-14T13:37:00.000-08:00

Trying to find a USGI surplus Garand belt these days is tough and getting tougher.

Reproduction belts like the one below are available, but for a pretty price.

Now here's a piece of gear from Olongapo Outfitters.

Olongapo Outfitters rig for Garand. It ain't cheap but looks like it may be worth it.

The product description is as follows: 8" in height by 14 1/2" wide, this "grab and go" rig holds 12 en bloc clips -- one clip per pouch. The pouch flaps are double-thickness, 2" wide nylon webbing, with pull tabs sewn in. It is made out of 1000d Cordura, with a rear map pouch. The map pouch has two drain holes.

Here is a link to a Brownells video that covers similar rigs.

Praxis: Charging cell phones with water.

2012-01-14T12:41:00.000-08:00

Mobile phone charger that runs on water invented for 'people who spend time away from the electricity grid'

Black-robed scoundrels strike again, upholding Demand Letter #3.

2012-01-14T06:51:00.000-08:00

"U.S. judge backs ATF multiple rifle sales reporting." She's a Dubya appointee. More "compassionate conservatism," no doubt. The Gunwalker Plot is still succeeding in small ways, despite having its cover blown.

Day by Day Cartoon by Chris Muir. I really like this one. Obscure but pointed.

2012-01-14T06:46:00.001-08:00

Well, whaddaya know? Somebody noticed. Outstanding editorial on ATF "rule making."

2012-01-14T06:34:00.000-08:00

From the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review -- "ATF's blind shot: Fix the regulations."

Firearms makers aiming to confirm the legality of new weapons need a clear target. Instead, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives forces them to shoot blindly by denying them guidance from prior industry hits and misses.
ATF's regulations for weapons manufacturers are maddeningly unclear. And its arbitrary, ambiguous process for determining whether new firearms are legal only compounds that problem, too often costing manufacturers big bucks.
The process results in "letter rulings." The Washington Times reports they're "sometimes contradictory," with nearly identical prototype firearms "approved for one manufacturer but denied for another."
Only a new weapon's maker gets the letter. Thus, prior letter rulings provide no guidance for the industry as a whole and no way for it -- or the American people -- to know when a new letter ruling contradicts a past one.
U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey, R-Ga., has a bill in House committees to require that ATF document its new-firearms tests on video. That might help. But we doubt it would solve the problem.
What's needed are clear, unambiguous standards that pose no puzzles and need no interpretive videos -- with all rulings on the public record to guide gun makers.
Sans such a commonsense solution, reasonable people might be left to conclude that ATF's confusing approval system is by design.

By design indeed. See previous post on U.S. vs. Clark below.

Holder in Salt Lake City. As a Threeper does some guerrilla picketing, Eric thanks his lickspittle Shurtleff.

2012-01-14T06:26:00.000-08:00

Eric Holder on Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff: "He is more of what we need in this country. . . He has become a good friend." No doubt.

The Deseret News reports on Eric Holder's speech: "Nation has not yet reached 'promised land,' U.S. attorney general tells Utah audience." Well, sure. The promised land of the Founders will happen when such criminal men as Holder who prey on the liberty and property of the people under color of law are routinely tried and punished as traitors.

Holder also spent time with recently appointed U.S. Attorney for Utah David Barlow and his staff.
Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff called Holder's first visit to Utah a historic moment. Of the four or five U.S. attorneys general he has worked with over the years, Shurtleff said Holder has been the most accessible.
Holder also expressed admiration for Shurtleff.
"He is more of what we need in this country," he said of the Utah Republican. "He has become a good friend."
Since Holder took office in February 2009, Shurtleff has had several meetings with him and his chief deputies on issues such as the college football Bowl Championship Series, illegal immigration, mortgage fraud and Internet safety. The Department of Justice sued the state in November over its illegal immigration enforcement law.

Shurtleff is being sued by Holder, but he's the best thing since sliced bread? These two guys should get a room. I wonder if Dolly is jealous?

"Sniff. . . Never have an affair with a politician."

Meanwhile, we have this report on Threeper Agent J on an excellent little agitprop he performed at the event.

Interesting morning, even though I bugged out early due to agitprop. I showed up to the Sheraton around 10:30, asked the manager if I could give hand-outs (attached) to the attendees. Sidenote: I knew to call them hand-outs, not flyers or other commercial names since city ordinance prohibits handbills, flyers etc. He came back a few minutes later and told me the contract they had signed prohibited anyone else giving out handouts or media to attendees except the room renter and I would have to protest from the street sidewalk. I asked if I could not hand them out at the main lobby entrance door and he gave the private property speech. I did remind him it was an event the public had been invited to but decided not to push it. Onward and forward!
Set up the 3 fold presentation board sign I had made saying: HOLDER LIED . . . AGT. BRIAN TERRY MURDER COVER-UP . . . OPERATION FAST & FURIOUS . . . KENNETH TRENTADUE MURDER COVER-UP . . . FBI PATCON OKBOMB. At the entrance driveway to the parking lot I smiled, greeting incoming guests and offered hand-outs. Then I got lucky and scored a minor coup: a school bus full of High School kids pulled up and started to unload on the street curb. I quickly positioned myself by the bus door and greeted each student with "Welcome to the Drum Major Awards" as I gave them a hand-out. Some helpful students even passed them around.
Just before 11 am, a small group arrived bearing printed yellow signs 'UNFAIR SHERATON' and a small Hispanic man dressed as a mariachi who was rather 'light in the shorts' as my buddy with the camera observed began placing about 10 lawn signs and organizing where the protesters would stand. Mexican flags and US flags came out, El Zorro put on his zorro mask and more and more homeless people with yellow signs showed up over the next few minutes. A La Raza flag came out but they wouldn't answer who they were or what they were protesting. Capitan El Zorro wouldn't look at me as I asked who he was or what group this was and the homeless people with the yellow signs said they were protesting a lay off of an old lady housekeeper but didn't know anything about her or couldn't say anything 'for legal reasons'. In ten minutes there were thirty of them parading up and down and I was feeling pretty isolated, me with my sign and my buddy with the camera to document if law enforcement got aggressive.
One of SLC's finest came out and sized up the group and I made sure to point out to him that I was not with the 'yellow signs' and he asked me where my permit was - I told him I was on the sidewalk (permits are for street use). I had my buddy with the camera keep a weather eye out since I felt like things were going south and I was being set up. Another school bus pulled up to the curb and I again quickly positioned myself to greet and hand-out but this time the teachers got off first because of all the protesters and made a corridor for the students. It looked like a private school for minorities since the age group ranged from elementary to high school. I greeted the teachers, offered a hand-out and was rebuffed. I pleaded quietly with them, told them I respected the Drum Major Awards, that I was being respectful, and asked to be able to give it to the older kids as they got off the bus. One teacher was adamant NO, but I kept asking 'please' and another teacher gave a tiny nod when the first had walked a few paces away. I managed to give about 7 hand-outs until the NO teacher came back and got mad, so I told him that I hoped they did enjoy the awards and have a nice day.
Just a couple minutes later my buddy warned me that the manager and several officers kept coming to the front door and talking. El Zorro was jumping around waving the Mexican flag and the 'yellow sign' younger toughs (not the homeless guys, more like young union types) were getting pretty animated. Then the FBI guys did a 'first bump'. The cheap suits, sunglasses, lapel pins and earpieces were classic 'look at me I'm a federal agent'. They cruised down the sidewalk ignoring the yellow signs very much zoned in on me. I greeted them cheerfully to the Drum Major Awards handed them my hand out and my buddy on my signal went to get the car. He's 50% disabled from back injury but can walk usually without a cane and they came within inches of running him down, but he just stopped and stared at the guy and made him jump aside rather than run over him.
We bugged out before I could get blamed for the 'yellow sign' agitation and had a cheap burger at Sonic. All in all a successful day, and a decent guerilla operation, but next time I definitely won't go it alone. I'll send pics when I can.

It is unfortunate that, aside from the cameraman, he was the only one there, but J gets points for proceeding with the task at hand. Well done, J.

Yours in liberty,

Creaking along. . .

2012-01-14T04:47:00.000-08:00

Still here. Using an unfamiliar borrowed laptop at the moment because I can't get mine to work at home even though we have AT&T wifi. It is slower than molasses in January, but faster than my box which is still on the operating table trying to pull through the virus attack. Thanks to all of you who are worried about my health. I'm feeling a bit better, although still hacking my lungs out. I actually got a fair amount of sleep last night for the first time in a while. I very much appreciate all the prayers. And thanks, too, to "Johannes Gutenberg of Mainz" and others whose snail mail subscriptions reached me at exactly the right moment to fit the medicine need. God bless you and yours.

Sipsey Street Exclusive: The curious case of Serial Number A6042075. What exactly did the ATF & DOJ tell the grand jury in U.S. vs. Clark? A tale of machine guns, a well placed protected snitch, insider influence, contradictory rule making, doctored reports and double-standard "justice."

2012-01-13T08:54:00.000-08:00

U.S. Attorney General Homer S. Cummings, FDR's federal law enforcement empire builder and father of the 1934 National Firearms Act.

Sipsey Street Exclusive: The curious case of Serial Number A6042075. What exactly did the ATF & DOJ tell the grand jury in U.S. vs. Clark? A tale of machine guns, a well placed protected snitch, insider influence, contradictory rule making, doctored reports and double-standard "justice."

By Mike Vanderboegh and "Ramsey A. Bear."

The assertion of federal power over guns and crime fit perfectly with Franklin D. Rossevelt's philosophy of using the government to protect ordinary American's from the hazards of modern society. . . the New Deal was nothing less than a radical retructuring of American government . . . Roosevelt portrayed gun control and crime fighting as simply one more element of the Neweal -- indeed, of the new America. . . "As a component part of that larger objective we include our constant struggle against the attacks of the lawless and criminal elements of our own populations." Because crime drained the economy, federal crime control, we argued, was essential for national recovery.
Roosevelt understood that, like many of his other New Deal reforms, a federal push in the field of guns and crime would face opposition from traditionalists committed to states' rights. . . The situation required a "New Deal for Crime." Just as Rossevelt sought to expand the power and reach of the federal government over the economy, he determined to expand its power and reach over criminals and their weapons. The man Roosevelt tapped to to lead the push was his attorney general, Homer Cummings. A bald man with a round face and piercing blue eyes, Cummings was a close confidant of the president. He wasn't the first person you'd expect to lead a revolution. One of Roosevelt's speechwriters called Cummings "the least dramatic man in the whole world." A a three-time former mayor and former chair of the Democratic National Committee, however, Cummings was well versed in politics, and Roosevelt knew he wouldn't back down in the face of public or political opposition. . .
Cummings realized that he needed troops to wage war -- in this case, a truly effective federal police force. The Justice Department aqlready had what passed for law enforcement agents in the Bureau of Prohibition and the Bureau of Investigation. Yet the former was being disbanded in the wake of the legalization of liquor and the latter was an underfunded agency devoted mainly to information gathering. The agencies were also hamstrung by the states' rights tradition. Because policing was a state function, federal agents didn't have the power to arrest people and weren't allowed to carry guns. Soldiers in a war on crime couldn't be effective armed with only notepads. . . Cummings lobbied for a significant reorganization of the Bureau of Investigation . . . Two years later, Cummings had the agency itself renamed the Federal Bureau of Investigation to emphasize the new role of the federal government in fighting crime . . .
Gun control required legislation, not just good public relations. Prior to being elected president, FDR had served on the executive committee of the National Crime Commission . . . (which was) an early advocate for the creation of a federal police force and the passage of federal gun control laws . . . As Homer Cummings knew too well, there was ample precedent for the Supreme Court to strike down federal regulation . . . During the first three years of Cummings' tenure as attorney general, the Supreme Court struck down numerous landmark bills enacted to speed economic recovery. It was this dilemma that led Roosevelt in 1937 to propose his infamous Court-packing plan. The idea, which turned into a major embarrassment, was originally suggested by Homer Cummings. . .
Needing to find a way to restrict criminals' access to guns without being overturned by the Supreme Court, Cummings ingeniously proposed raising taxes on firearms. . . while Congress didn't have the power to ban guns directly, Cummings knew that . . . "the power to tax involves the power to destroy." . . . The gun control law adopted by Congress was entitled the National Firearms Act of 1934. The law imposed an onerous tax on machine guns and on short-barreled (or "sawed off") shotguns and rifles. . . Few law-abiding people had much interest in machine guns or short barreled shotguns, especially when the tax almost doiubled the price. Legitimate sales of these guns dried up almost immediately. . . It also required that owners of machine guns and short-barreled long-guns register with federal authorities and submit to fingerprinting within sixty days. -- Adam Winkler, Gun Fight: The Battle Over the Right to Bear Arms in America, Norton, 2011, pp.196-204.

FDR, with Homer Cummings and J. Edgar Hoover looking on, signs the NFA of 1934.

The requirement to register machine guns was embodied in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (known by the shorthand NFRTR). This list is the arbiter of legal machine gun ownership. If your weapon and name are on the list, you may play with your expensive toy to your heart's content. If not, you go to the graybar hotel for many years and pay an onerous fine. The errors in the NFRTR are legendary in the machine gun collecting community, which is represented, NRA-like, by the National Firearms Act Trade & Collectors Association (NFATCA). The current president of the NFATCA is John Brown. Other board members are Teresa Starnes, Jeff Folloder, Curt Wolf, Robert Landies, Dan Shea, Robert Segel and John Tibbetts. (Readers will recall that Dan Shea has appeared many times previously in the pages of Sipsey Street, most spectacularly in The True Story of the Life of "R.A. Bear": Inception & impregnation into the minds of the ATF via a highly placed snitch named Dan Shea of the NFATCA.)

Ramsey A. Bear & Friend. It is estimated that the ATF devoted two years and more than a million dollars to the search for this "vicious gun criminal" who was thought to assist (courtesy of confidential informants like Dan Shea) Georgia firearm designer and manufacturer Len Savage, whose court room testimony inconvenienced the ATF in several court cases. R.A. Bear stands ready to be called as a witness in the next ATF congressional oversight hearing.

These NFRTR errors were famously compounded by clerks who, over the years, would throw paperwork in the trash when their in-boxes overflowed. The ATF has previously been caught out as instructing its agents to testify that the NFRTR is "100 percent correct" even though they admit to each other within the agency that this is surely incorrect. Most recently, the Friesen case blew up in the ATF's face when it became evident that the accuracy of the NFRTR was going to be a central tenet of the defense's case. The DOJ folded and allowed Doug Friesen to essentially "pay fifty dollars and pick up the garbage" on a minor paperwork violation. The last thing the ATF/DOJ wanted was to have to defend the accuracy of the NFRTR in court, simply because it can't be done. And yet people are put in jail every week -- for long sentences with heavy fines -- based on the allegation that the weapons they are found in possession of are not listed on the NFRTR.

Such defendants can be found in the strange case of U.S. vs, Clark. Recall that U.S. vs. Clark is a Phoenix case, investigated and prosecuted by the same cast of tax-paid malefactors as Fast and Furious. An interesting motion was filed the other day in U.S. vs. Clark, with some relevant portions below:

Defendants Randolph B. Rodman, Hal Paul Goldstein, Lorren Marc Kalish and Idan C. Greenberg, by and through Counsel, respectfully move the Court for its Order authorizing disclosure of the minutes of the proceedings of the grand jury or juries returning the indictment in this case. As grounds for this motion, Counsel have a good faith belief that grand jurors were provided with erroneous and ambiguous guidance regarding the law of the case. Failure to provide accurate interpretations of the law eliminated the grand jury’s ability to return a true and fair indictment. Errors are found in the text of Count One and are set forth in more detail below. The transcripts will enable a review for context and the ability to assess the cumulative effect of the error.
Prior to indictment, this case was investigated as a conspiracy to violate Section 922(o) of Title 18. As part of the investigation and before an indictment, every machinegun identified in the indictment was submitted to the Firearms Technology Branch (FTB), the official Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) laboratory in West Virginia. There, the machineguns were examined and tested for the sole purpose of determining whether modifications made to 34 machineguns by Defendant Clark constituted new manufactures. No opinion as to the date of manufacture of any of the machineguns was rendered by any of the FTB experts who examined and tested the machineguns. The presence of substantive § 922(o) counts in the indictment means that the grand jury found probable cause without a single expert opinion.
Currently, a year and a half after indictment, there is good reason to believe that Count One will be prosecuted as a conspiracy to violate § 922(o) of Title 18. Count One is the keystone of this 106 count prosecution. Without conviction on Count One, very few of the remaining substantive counts survive. Access to the transcripts will permit timely and thoroughly briefed objections to the Conspiracy and substantive § 922(o) counts. Dismissal of an indictment is appropriate where violations of grand jury procedures “substantially influenced the grand jury’s decision to indict,” or raised a “grave doubt as to whether it had such an effect.”

What?!? Lying by omission or commission to a grand jury? Say it ain't so, Rick Vasquez! There is, according to my sources, an internal investigation of Mr. Vasquez and his relationships with confidential informants John Brown and Dan Shea. There is a larger investigation of the question of whether those two worthies transferred automatic weapons to employees of of the ATF in return for favors. Thus, I was more than a little interesting is this portion of the motion:

THE ATF CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION
The origin of the criminal investigation was unusual. In contrast to the opening of most investigations, it was ATF employees of the NFA Branch and the FTB lab (government employees not authorized to conduct criminal investigations) who first became suspicious of theexistence of a possible violations of law. After the performance of several investigatory tasks (5), the matter was referred first to the Washington DC (Falls Church) Criminal Division and later to the Phoenix ATF Criminal Division for criminal investigation.
The matter was referred to the Phoenix Special Agent in Charge by way of a memorandum dated November 16, 2006 from an ATF Deputy Assistant Director at ATF Headquarters (The Office of Enforcement Programs and Services) (6). Prior thereto, faceless and nameless ATF employees of the NFA Branch and the Firearms Technology Branch had already interviewed ATF employees about the matter, had numerous contacts with the person in possession of SN A6042075, a suspected contraband machinegun; they had conducted an alleged laboratory test of the suspect gun; and had also returned the gun to the registrant after determining it was contraband and was illegal to possess. All this took place before the formal referral for criminal investigation on November 16, 2006.
The referral memo of the Deputy Assistant Director included the following points
_________________________________
5 The significance of this is that such conduct violates ATF internal procedures. When persons unfamiliar with criminal procedures conduct interviews or handle property in a criminal matter there is risk that evidence will contaminated. ATF employees other than Special Agents, are not authorized, trained or otherwise qualified to conduct criminal interviews of suspects, seize property, receive abandoned property, collect and preserve evidence, or submit property for a determination of its potential evidentiary value, etc.
6 This position, despite its title, is a regulatory function that oversees the programs andServices that support the main functions of ATF, including such service providers as the NFABranch and the FTB Branch supra., and others. MOTION USGJ TRANSCRIPTS FINAL 011012.wpd Page 12 of 18

supporting the need for a criminal investigation in Phoenix:
1. George Clark, a Special Occupational Taxpayer in Arizona since 1993, converted MAC Models 10 and 11 machineguns into Browning Model 1919 machineguns;
2. Applications (7) to transfer the converted guns from Clark to various parties were found to have constant make and model designations but the caliber, barrel and overall lengths were at variance with descriptions in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (NFRTR);
3. One of the suspected machineguns, SN A6042075, caliber 9mm/45 cal., barrel lengths 5.57 inches and overall length 11 inches was then registered to a Virginia FFL, John Brown, DBA Battlefield Sports and that Mr. Brown transported this machinegun to the FTB lab in West Virginia for examination;
4. Significantly, the memo failed to disclose that prior to being in possession of SN A6042075, Brown had bought and sold at least two other M1919 machineguns and was a party in eight (8) applications to transfer models 1919 that had been converted from MAC models by Clark. It was also learned in review of discovery material that Brown was an ATF Confidential Informant;
5. The examination and testing of SN A6042075 was alleged to have been performed on October 31, 2006 by Richard Vasquez, the Deputy Chief of FTB; and
6. Vasquez concluded that the MAC Model 10 machinegun had been destroyed in the conversion process and that the Model 1919 was a new manufacture which triggered a requirement for Clark to file a Form 2 (notice of manufacture of a new machinegun). Since the Model 1919 was not registered, it was a contraband unregistered machinegun.
There are major problems with statements in the referral memo:
1. The memo cites neither to a statute, a regulation, a ruling nor any case law for the principle that the conversion of an NFA registered machinegun to another model constitutes the manufacture of a new machinegun and therefore requires a new registration. The conversion process described in the memo is a zero sum game. The MAC Model 10 machinegun that was converted was one machinegunlawfully registered and possessed before the conversion. Following the conversion, it was the same one machinegun albeit in a different configuration but nevertheless still one machinegun. The NFA is a tax statute and assesses tax on “machineguns,” per se, not models. The tax assessed and collected on every make, model, design, configuration of machinegun is set at the same uniform rate– $200.00 to register and $200.00 to transfer;
2. The Report of an Official Examination and Testing of SN A6042075 on October 31, 2006 is a canard, a complete, from whole cloth fabrication. Like a unicorn,
__________________________
7 At the time, 11/16/06, Ms. Stucko reported that 22 such suspect applications to transfer had been identified from a search of the NFRTR. The actual number charged in the indictment is 34 as others were discovered through investigation.

because it is impossible to find, it does not exist. The ATF FTB Laboratory has no record of receiving SN A6042075 for testing and examination on or about October 31, 2006. There is no report of such an examination in the FTB official system of records. The non-existence of A6042075's receipt in the FTB evidence log on October 31 and the non-existence of an FTB lab report was concealed from defendants throughout the discovery period. It was discovered only after Counsel’s specific requests for disclosure of the report were ignored for over a year. Finally, in October, 2011, Defendants received definitive proof that FTB has no record of receipt of that machinegun on or about that date. That fact was made known in response to a request for collateral items, i.e., for the pages of FTB’s evidence logs for October 31, 2006 and for any other entries in the FTB’s system of records. An agency capable of persisting in such deceit, patently false statements in a criminal investigation by top level ATF Headquarters Executives, is capable of much worse. (8)
THE ATF TECHNICAL EXAMINATIONS AND LAB REPORTS
Every machinegun in the indictment (approximately 80) was sent to the FTB lab for testing. Each was found to be a machinegun. However, they had been submitted to the lab for a determination whether they were manufactured after May 19, 1986. Such a finding is the ultimate proof at issue for a violation of § 922(o). The state of the government’s scientific evidence at the time of indictment was that it did not possess a single expert opinion about any machinegun submitted to FTB for testing (approximately 400) as to the date of manufacture, the place of manufacture and the identity of the manufacturer.
After the Court ordered deadline for completion of discovery had passed, on October 13, 2011, the government disclosed an undated report labeled “Supplemental Report of FTB 2008-514-KEM/FTB 2009-114-KEM.” (Supplemental Report). This report was prepared by Richard Vasquez, the government’s designated Firearms Expert Witness and purports (9) to supplement the time, these statements support an inference that government attorneys and witnesses polluted the grand jury process by the entry of erroneous statements of law. Taken at best, these remarks represent a profound misunderstanding of the rights and privileges, duties and obligations of a person in the status of a licensed manufacturer of firearms and a Special Occupational Taxpayer.
_______________________________
8 For more than a year, Defendants have requested confirmation of the existence of an internal investigation of ATF employees and regulated persons involved in this case and/or disclosure of the report of that investigation.(the ATF Office of Internal Affairs or Office of Professional Responsibility) Unlike a unicorn, the report of such an investigation does exist and it can be found.
9 The timing, authenticity and certification of this Report has not yet been challenged nor has the government provided any reasoning or authority for shifting lab reports. This is a Mr. Vasquez’s third modification of the official reports of another and bears no indicia that it is an official record of the ATF Firearms Technology Branch. The earlier official versions of the two reports contain no opinion that the conversions constituted a new manufacture.firearms expert. (One of the supplemented reports had been amended in February of 2011). Further, the report is not dated and bears no indicia that it is an official record of the ATF Firearms Technology Branch. The earlier official versions of the two reports contain no opinion that the conversions constituted a new manufacture.

Vasquez is in "a heap o' trouble," according to our sources. So, too, is the ATF. Insiders predict that the Clark case will go the way of the Friesen case, with all serious charges dismissed, afters years of investigation time and millions of dollars spent. A member of the Coalition of Willing Lilliputians, Alvin Wombat, provides this analysis:

I did a bit of serious nosing and reliably determined the following:

There is, absolutely, a sub rosa agenda by SOME people at ATF (I am not using a broad brush here) to systematically remove all of the registered/existing machine guns from civilians. The interpretation by SOME at ATF, fostered equally by ATF Counsel and SOME ATF Special Agents, is that the law was not enacted to preserve ownership of these existing machine guns, but instead to forcibly reduce the existing supply of transferable machine guns until it reaches zero.

There is some genuine sympathy developing for what Len terms ATF's "enforcement by ambush," i.e., concocting interpretations of what constitute violations of law; not publishing them or otherwise making them known; and "announcing" them by arresting people for serious felony (there is no other kind) violations of the NFA. David T. Hardy's recent observation in a blog on his site that ATF ought to, at a minimum based on the Administrative Procedures Act, make all of its pertinent Letter Rulings available to the public, including putting copies of them in a public Reading Room. The fact that ATF has issued many contradictory Letter Rulings is raising troubling legal issues.

It would be worth thumping Congressional washtubs to get the Congressional Research Service to once again address the Letter Ruling issue, in context of H.R. 126 (Fairness in Firearms Testing Act), because that would constitute a legislative approach to the issue/problem. The key to getting THAT done, in addition to the washtub thumping, is (A) getting some action on H.R. 126, and (B) getting somebody on the House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security to take an interest in these aspects of enforcement.

I recognize that an important agenda is for the Congress to address the serious mismanagement of ATF from the top down, particularly the jacking around of ATF personnel---the retaliation, the increasingly crazy/contradictory enforcement. The "enforcement by ambush" aspect is just another example of ATF Counsel and top management abuse and failure to professionally administer the law.

5. In reading some of the Clark materials, it is impossible to conclude that the U.S. Attorney understands the law, and that ATF (through ATF Counsel) is not deliberately misrepresenting the law. The fact that this involves machine guns makes it politically dicey.

6. An angle to mess with this may be to put the ATF Letter Rulings in context with the Fairness in Firearms Testing Act; in particular, the practice of ATF to concoct standards to bring certain firearms into NFA status; like the re-testing in the Olofson case; and the crazy prosecution of Friesen (which revolved around what amounted to a firearm description).

Alvin Wombat.

The Gunwalker Conspirators' Lame Excuse #3: The NRA made them do it.

2012-01-12T12:11:00.000-08:00

"Mexican Roulette: A deadly gun-running gamble just cost America's ATF chief his job. But the gun lobby gave him little choice but to try."

Nice. Surrendering local sovereignty to the feds.

2012-01-12T12:07:00.000-08:00

Feds Expected To Get Involved To Deal With Crime Wave.

David Codrea: Romney SHOULD make ‘conservatives squirm’

2012-01-12T12:05:00.000-08:00

"No one is squirming more than gun owners."

Coming soon -- under oath -- to a theater near you.

2012-01-12T10:43:00.001-08:00

This email alert just in . . . It explains a lot.

2012-01-12T10:37:00.000-08:00

The year is 1947
Some of you will recall that on July 8, 1947, 65 years ago, witnesses claim that an unidentified flying object (UFO) with five aliens aboard crashed onto a sheep and mule ranch just outside Roswell , New Mexico . This is a well known incident that many say has long been covered up by the U.S. Air Force and other federal agencies and organizations.
However, what you may NOT know is that in the month of April 1948, nine months after that historic day, the following people were born:
Albert A. Gore, Jr.
Hillary Rodham
John F. Kerry
William J. Clinton
Howard Dean
Nancy Pelosi
Dianne Feinstein
Charles E. Schumer
Barbara Boxer
See what happens when aliens breed with sheep and jackasses? I certainly hope this bit of information clears up a lot of things for you. It did for me.
No wonder they support the bill to help illegal aliens!

A matter of legitimacy.

2012-01-12T04:15:00.000-08:00

Forwarded by Ranger Rick we have Continuity plan.

Still sick, not so disgusted. Computer virus attack persists.

2012-01-12T04:04:00.000-08:00

Using my laptop and a tenuous wi-fi signal, I'm creakily and very slowly back in business. Still sick, but less discouraged and disgusted. Taking box to expert today to see if he can lay hands on it and drive the demons out. I will have a couple of posts this morning (I hope) and then more this afternoon.

Sick and disgusted, I'm taking a break the rest of the day.

2012-01-11T08:00:00.000-08:00

Spent most of yesterday resting, in the throes of an ear infection and what is probably strep throat. This morning in the middle of the first post, a virus shut down my computer at home (again) to the point where I can't even get on the net. I am posting this (and the other two posts below) at the Trussville library. I continue to get emails about what a "fraud" and "fake" I am for not yet delivering Absolved. The rains are flooding the basement library again. I've had it, for today anyway. I'm going home to mop up my basement. Probably be back tomorrow (from the library again). I'm not having a pity party, but at the moment I'm just undeniably beat, sick and disgusted.

LATER: Just before I shut down the computer at the library, somebody sent me this, which includes this comment from Mitchum:

Nobody with 2 brain cells to rub together are going to believe anything Vanderboegh or Codrea have to say. They are the Dumb and Dumber of the Gun Nutter World.

Just right now, for a whole lot of reasons, I'm not going to waste time and energy arguing the point.

Some records in the Terry murder case could be unsealed. Some, maybe, if. . .

2012-01-11T07:48:00.000-08:00

Some records in border agent's slaying could be unsealed

"Frenemies," Big Daddy Catfish and The Rosey Test.

2012-01-11T07:41:00.000-08:00

A "Big Daddy" 102 pound Alabama Catfish

Michelle Malkin writes:

Michael Corleone said to "keep your friends close, but your enemies closer." But what, pray tell, do we do with our frenemies? This is the awful election-year quandary of movement conservatives. And everything you need to know about our heartache can be summed up in one image: 2008 presidential election loser John McCain and Mitt Romney together on the campaign trail.
When they're together, they look like they're holding each other (and the rest of us) hostage. Their toxic chemistry makes seething, ex-newlyweds Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries look like Fred and Ginger. In New Hampshire last week, after Romney's Iowa caucus squeaker, an overly giddy McCain mocked his endorsee for his "landslide victory." Awkward.
Then in South Carolina on Friday, McCain mistakenly referred to Romney as "President Obama" -- as Romney and South Carolina GOP Gov. Nikki Haley rushed to correct the gaffe. Freudian slip? Senior moment? Sabotage? All of the above?
Of course, if you choose to pal around with a double-talking, big government barnacle, you get what you deserve.

Elitists of all stripes -- both within the GOP and without -- are convinced that once Mitt Romney gets the nomination he will naturally get the votes of all of those who despise Obama -- i.e., the Tea Partiers, libertarians, firearm rights advocates, evangelicals, etc. "Who else are they going to vote for?" they opine smugly, sure (as they always are) in their analysis.

Such people have convinced themselves that the Tea Party, that powerful popular movement that brought the GOP out of the wilderness in 2010 and thrust them into power in the House, was reacting to the presidency of Barack Obama and all he threatened. In fact, the Tea Party was made up of cumulative frustration at the political failures of principle represented by the GOP, the Bush presidency and the big government, go-along-to-get-along Beltway Elites who call themselves "Republicans." (A term that has always, I must admit as a small "r" republican, chapped my ass, for they long ago turned their backs on the constitutional Republic of the Founders.)

The Tea Partiers were disgusted by the unprincipled candidates of the GOP, whether they were elected or not, and decided to give the two-party system one last try. They would try to take over the GOP from the bottom up, and 2010 was the result. Two years on, they are beginning to understand how stacked is the two-party deck against them. But remember this: they don't blame Obama or his party for that. They quite rightly blame the people whose failures pissed them off in the first place -- the GOP elitists who are desperately trying to cram Mitt Romney down their throats.

Down here in Alabama, we've got a lot of dams. At the base of those dams, way down deep, there are big catfish who grow to their incredible size because all they do is sit where the water requires minimal effort to stay stationary while the ever-flowing river stuffs food in their mouths. That's all they do. They sit still, even sleep with their maws open, every now and then they procreate, and just get bigger and bigger. A fisherman friend of mine calls 'em "big daddies."

The big daddy catfish are invested in the dam. If they were sentient beings and could vote, they would make sure that no politician threatened that dam in the interest of the other fish who might want to swim free upstream. That is exactly and precisely what the GOP elitists are, big daddies. They are invested in the dam of big federal government and uninterested in free navigation. They would rather be the big daddies in a small lake, as long as the dam feeds them.

If there were Tea Party fish who proposed that life was better before the dam, when all fish could swim free, I'm sure the big daddies would ignore them and wish them gone. If it looked like they might succeed in their reforms, I'm sure the big daddies would turn on them and kill them to remove the threat to their way of life.

The thing about today's very human elitists of the GOP and their "who else are they going to vote?" analysis is that they fail the Rosey test.

My wife Rosey has been paying particular attention to the GOP race for president this year. She watches EVERY debate and switches the television back and forth between FOX and MSNBC. Rosey's first vote for a GOP presidential candidate was for Ronald Reagan. Since then, she has always tried to vote for "the lesser of two evils." Not this year. This year, she told me, if the GOP picks Romney she will be voting for whatever third party candidate seems best or for "None of the Above."

I rather suspect that that's what the majority of the Tea Partiers who, with their money and enthusiasm, put the GOP in the catbird seat in the House in 2010 will do this year. They will sit on their hands, or vote third party, but they will not vote for "Windsock Mitt" Romney.

The big daddies will not particularly mind this, of course, since in any case, they've still got theirs. At least until somebody decides their rotten system no longer has even a fig leaf of legitimacy and decides to blow up the dam and watch as all of the big daddies of both parties get sucked downstream and dashed to death on the rocks and debris below.

This just in from Sean: Closeout on Gunwalker Teeshirts.

2012-01-10T20:14:00.000-08:00

Guys,
I'm trying to get rid of the last 100 or so shirts. I have and overstock on Pink shirts, so they are getting marked down to $11 per shirt, any size, any quantity. Strictly limited quantity in larger pink shirts. Even manly men like blogger JayG can wear pink: http://stuckinmassachusetts.blogspot.com/2011/11/i-got-mine-did-you-get-yours.html

I also have an overstock in Regular 2XL black tees. They are being marked down to $16, the same price as the small through 1XL shirts even though they cost me about $2 each more to get.

Quantities are limited, and once they are gone, they are gone forever. I'm still offering free shipping on orders of 12 or more.

Here's the link to purchase: http://ncguns.blogspot.com/p/gunwalker-t-shirts.html

Sean

David Codrea: Indian leopard attack shows anti-human nature of ‘gun control’

2012-01-10T10:32:00.000-08:00

“Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the Act depriving a whole nation of arms, as the blackest,” Mahatma Gandhi wrote.

"Homeland Security Given Green Light to Monitor American Journalists."

2012-01-10T10:28:00.000-08:00

RT reports it. The Blaze mirrors it.

Freedom of speech might allow journalists to get away with a lot in America, but the Department of Homeland Security is on the ready to make sure that the government is keeping dibs on who is saying what.

All I can say is, "Welcome to the party, pals!

PATCON, the gift that keeps on giving. "Oh, sweet Jesus! I'm f--ked!" Dennis Mahon always did have a big mouth and compulsion to brag.

2012-01-10T10:06:00.000-08:00

Dennis Mahon and ATF informant Carol Howe, back during the ubermenschen White Aryan Resistance salad days, when Dennis was introducing Carol to all the racist collectivist terror trash -- and a few FBI informants and provocateurs (but then, I repeat myself) -- at Elohim City, Oklahoma.

"How The Feds Brought Down Arizona’s Suspected White Supremacist ‘Serial’ Bombing Brothers." Back in the 90s, I vividly recall, J.D. Cash sat Dennis Mahon -- a frequent visitor to Elohim City -- down on a couch and explained to him about Andreas Carl Strassmeier being a federal provocateur, whereupon he leaped to his feet and yelled, "Oh, sweet Jesus! I'm f--ked!" I myself had a chance to chat with Mahon on the phone during my John Doe Times period, when he assured me that I should be very afraid of Michael Brescia, Strassmeier's roommate at Elohim City and the Aryan Republican Army bank robber who we embarrassed the FBI into arresting with a poster campaign.

Mahon, his brother and Tom Metzger, the public faces of White Aryan Resistance, were three others who had this weird protective envelope around them. J.D. told me later that Metzger and both the Mahons had made their own "snitch peace" with the FBI, which was typical in the PATCON period, where the FBI had the racist collectivist organizations thoroughly penetrated, if not controlled.

Now it seems that Mahon, having learned nothing about his experiences with the ATF confidential informant Carol Howe, has once again played beast to beauty.

Carol Howe, ATF informant who gave strategic warning of the Oklahoma City Bombing and Andreas Strassmeier. In late February 1995, ATF was planning to raid Elohim City where Strassmeier was "security chief," when they were told by the FBI and DOJ to "back off," saying "Elohim City is our operation." A little over six weeks later, the Murrah Building was bombed.

The only real question is, now that the feds have given him less to lose than before, what can Dennis tell us about the Oklahoma City bombing?

Fruits of an Obama re-election: "Dodos," "The Chicago Way," "The Chinese Model" and civil war.

2012-01-10T05:13:00.000-08:00

The dodo (Raphus cucullatus) was a flightless bird endemic to the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius. It stood about a meter (3.3 feet) tall, weighing about 20 kilograms (44 lb). The dodo lost the power of flight because food was abundant and predators were absent on Mauritius. It was related to pigeons and doves, and its closest relative was the Rodrigues Solitaire, which is also extinct.
The dodo was first mentioned by Dutch sailors in 1598. By 1681, all dodos had been killed by hungry sailors or their domesticated animals. This was not realized at the time, since the dodo barely left any traces after its extinction, and was later believed to have simply been a mythological creature until the 19th century, when research was conducted on some of the few surviving remains of specimens that had been taken to Europe in the 17th century. . . The dodo was made well-known to the public due to a notable role in Alice In Wonderland, and it has since become a fixture in popular culture. Its name has subsequently become associated with the notion of extinction and obsolescence. -- Wikipedia.

Best modern reconstruction of what a dodo bird looked like.

Fred Siegel and Joel Kotkin write in City Journal about "The New Authoritarianism: A firm hand for a 'nation of dodos'" The title refers to this comment from Time magazine columnist Joe Klein, who cried out in frustration when the American people didn't seem to appreciate what was being done for them, or to them, with the stimulus package:

It is very difficult to have a democracy without citizens. It is impossible to be a citizen if you don’t make an effort to understand the most basic activities of your government. It is very difficult to thrive in an increasingly competitive world if you’re a nation of dodos.

So, Siegel and Kotkin write, if people won't do what their betters want, the "new clerisy" of collectivist Mandarins will force them to.

Much of the administration’s approach has to do with a change in the nature of liberal politics. Today’s progressives cannot be viewed primarily as pragmatic Truman- or Clinton-style majoritarians. Rather, they resemble the medieval clerical class. Their goal is governmental control over everything from what sort of climate science is permissible to how we choose to live our lives. Many of today’s progressives can be as dogmatic in their beliefs as the most strident evangelical minister or mullah. Like Al Gore declaring the debate over climate change closed, despite the Climategate e-mails and widespread skepticism, the clerisy takes its beliefs as based on absolute truth. Critics lie beyond the pale.
The problem for the clerisy lies in political reality. The country’s largely suburban and increasingly Southern electorate does not see big government as its friend or wise liberal mandarins as the source of its salvation. This sets up a potential political crisis between those who know what’s good and a presumptively ignorant majority. Obama is burdened, says Joe Klein of Time, by governing a “nation of dodos” that is “too dumb to thrive,” as the title of his story puts it, without the guidance of our president. But if the people are too deluded to cooperate, elements in the progressive tradition have a solution: European-style governance by a largely unelected bureaucratic class. . .
After the 2010 thrashing, progressives seemed uninterested in moderating their agenda. Left-wing standard bearers Katrina vanden Heuvel of The Nation and Robert Borosage of the Institute for Policy Studies went so far as to argue that Obama should bypass Congress whenever necessary and govern using his executive authority over the government’s regulatory agencies. This autocratic agenda of enhanced executive authority has strong support with people close to White House, such as John Podesta of the Center for American Progress, a left-liberal think tank. “The U.S. Constitution and the laws of our nation grant the president significant authority to make and implement policy,” Podesta has written. “These authorities can be used to ensure positive progress on many of the key issues facing the country.”
Podesta has proposed what amounts to a national, more ideological variant of what in Obama’s home state is known as “The Chicago Way.” Under that system, John Kass of the Chicago Tribune explains, “citizens, even Republicans, are expected to take what big government gives them. If the political boss suggests that you purchase some expensive wrought-iron fence to decorate your corporate headquarters, and the guy selling insurance to the wrought-iron boys is the boss’ little brother, you write the check.” But the American clerisy isn’t merely a bunch of corrupt politicians and bureaucratic lifers, and the United States isn’t one-party Chicago. The clerisy are more like an ideological vanguard, one based largely in academe and the media as well as part of the high-tech community.
Their authoritarian progressivism — at odds with the democratic, pluralistic traditions within liberalism — tends to evoke science, however contested, to justify its authority. The progressives themselves are, in Daniel Bell’s telling phrase, “the priests of the machine.” Their views are fairly uniform and can be seen in “progressive legal theory,” which displaces the seeming plain meaning of the Constitution with constructions derived from the perceived needs of a changing political environment. Belief in affirmative action, environmental justice, health-care reform, and redistribution from the middle class to the poor all find foundation there. More important still is a radical environmental agenda fervently committed to the idea that climate change has a human origin—a kind of secular notion of original sin. But these ideas are not widely shared by most people.

"Not widely shared by most people." That's one way of putting it. But even though unpopular with a majority of people, Obama may still be reelected, with results that the authors are frankly frightened of. As well they should be, even if they don't take their fears to the logical conclusion.

Despite the president’s clear political weaknesses—his job-approval ratings remain below 50 percent - he retains a reasonable shot at reelection. In the coming months, he will likely avoid pushing too hard on such things as overregulating business, particularly on the environmental front, which would undermine the nascent recovery and stir too much opposition from corporate donors. American voters may also be less than enthusiastic about the Republican alternatives topping the ticket. And one should never underestimate the power of even a less-than-popular president. Obama can count on a strong chorus of support from the media and many of the top high-tech firms, which have enjoyed lavish subsidies and government loans for “green” projects.
If Obama does win, 2013 could possibly bring something approaching a constitutional crisis. With the House and perhaps the Senate in Republican hands, Obama’s clerisy may be tempted to use the full range of executive power. The logic for running the country from the executive has been laid out already. Republican control of just the House, argues Chicago congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr., has made America ungovernable. Obama, he said during the fight over the debt limit, needed to bypass the Constitution because, as in 1861, the South (in this case, the Southern Republicans) was “in a state of rebellion” against lawful authority. Beverley Perdue, the Democratic governor of North Carolina, concurred: she wanted to have elections suspended for a stretch. (Perdue’s office later insisted this was a joke, but most jokes aren’t told deadpan or punctuated with “I really hope someone can agree with me on that.” Also: Nobody laughed.)
The Left’s growing support for a soft authoritarianism is reminiscent of the 1930s, when many on both right and left looked favorably at either Stalin’s Soviet experiment or its fascist and National Socialist rivals. Tom Friedman of the New York Times recently praised Chinese-style authoritarianism for advancing the green agenda. The “reasonably enlightened group” running China, he asserted, was superior to our messy democracy in such things as subsidizing green industry. Steven Rattner, the investment banker and former Obama car czar, dismisses the problems posed by China’s economic and environmental foibles and declares himself “staunchly optimistic” about the future of that country’s Communist Party dictatorship. And it’s not just the gentry liberals identifying China as their model: labor leader Andy Stern, formerly the president of the Service Employees International Union and a close ally of the White House, celebrates Chinese authoritarianism and says that our capitalistic pluralism is headed for “the trash heap of history.” The Chinese, Stern argues, get things done.
A victorious Obama administration could embrace a soft version of the Chinese model. The mechanisms of control already exist. The bureaucratic apparatus, the array of policy czars and regulatory enforcers commissioned by the executive branch, has grown dramatically under Obama. Their ability to control and prosecute people for violations relating to issues like labor and the environment—once largely the province of states and localities—can be further enhanced. In the post-election environment, the president, using agencies like the EPA, could successfully strangle whole industries—notably the burgeoning oil and natural gas sector—and drag whole regions into recession. The newly announced EPA rules on extremely small levels of mercury and other toxins, for example, will sharply raise electricity rates in much of the country, particularly in the industrial heartland; greenhouse-gas policy, including, perhaps, an administratively imposed “cap and trade,” would greatly impact entrepreneurs and new investors forced to purchase credits from existing polluters. On a host of social issues, the new progressive regime could employ the Justice Department to impose national rulings well out of sync with local sentiments. Expansions of affirmative action, gay rights, and abortion rights could become mandated from Washington even in areas, such as the South, where such views are anathema.

Not to mention gun control, and thus:

A nightmare scenario would be a constitutional crisis pitting a relentless executive power against a disgruntled, alienated opposition lacking strong, intelligent leadership. Over time, the new authoritarians would elicit even more opposition from the “dodos” who make up the majority of Americans residing in the great landmass outside the coastal strips and Chicago. The legacy of the Obama years — once so breathlessly associated with hope and reconciliation — may instead be growing pessimism and polarization.

Well, there are "dodos" and then there are dodos. Certainly a great portion of Americans these days resemble the dodo, a bird which "lost the power of flight because food was abundant and predators were absent." But I rather suspect that a lot of folks that these elitists consider to be dodos are in fact raptors best left alone. Enough, in fact, to prove that that the elitists are themselves dodos of a sort, stupid to the point of provoking a civil war that will mean their extinction.

Remember, Utahns, Gunwalker Conspirator Eric Holder's coming to SLC on Friday. Lickspittle Mark Shurtleff is already pre-orgasmic.

2012-01-10T04:04:00.000-08:00

Federal lickspittle Mark Shurtleff plying his trade, hoping for a lifetime-appointment federal judgeship nomination when Utahns turn him out of office.

"Shurtleff said Holder's visit to Utah is 'huge for our community, not just for our growing minority community but for all of Utah. He is the first African-American attorney general to serve our nation.'"

Maybe Shurtleff will introduce Holder to his love ewe, Dolly.

LATER: Here is the announcement for Holder's appearance at the 2012 Annual Drum Major Awards Luncheon, which advises:

January 13, 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM; (Meet and greet from 11:00 am to 11:50 am, the program will follow at 12:00 noon. Purchase tickets in advance. )

The Utah Martin Luther King, Jr. Human Rights Commission presents the 2012 Annual Drum Major Awards Luncheon. The purpose of this event is to commemorate the life and legacy of the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and to acknowledge our own community members and organizations that carry King's vision and do their part to make the dream a reality.
The US Attorney General, Eric Holder, will deliver the keynote address. The event is Friday, January 13, 2012 at the Sheraton Hotel, downtown Salt Lake City from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. There will be a meet and greet from 11:00 am - 11:50 am and the program will follow at 12:00 noon.
We highly recommend that you RSVP as soon as possible due to the limited seating. RSVP to Debra Charleston via email at dcharleston@utah.gov. Suggested $10 minimum donation for the event. Direct any questions to Dr. Roderic R. Land via email at roderic.land@yahoo.com

Remember to get your tickets early and then go to the "Meet and Greet" with your best Gunwalker tee shirt on.