Skip to main content
The National Rifle Association-backed gun advocates claim that passing this law or that law wouldn't have prevented this mass shooting or that mass shooting.  It's a completely false argument.  It's like saying that passing this election reform law or that election reform law wouldn't have prevented Donald Trump or Mitch McConnell or Paul Ryan from being elected.  It may be true, but it would be a good start.

- Pete Barkett
  02/22/18

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

  The Trump Legend        What is the Trump story?   It will be quite different for followers and detractors.   I believe the reason that so many people can have completely opposite views of the same person and events lies in great part to our American, and perhaps human, myths.       I had occasion once to be watching a televangelist in the company of some fundamentalist in-laws.   Seeing this person crying while singing a hymn, I thought he was the phoniest person I had ever seen.   But one of my wife's aunts turned to me and said, "Isn't he the most sincere person you've ever seen?"   I didn't answer, but it occurred to me that we were sitting in the same room watching the same event with completely opposite views.   I love studying history, but I am now more careful to try and research the historian.       Some of us like to believe in heroic leaders following their ...
I believe in god - my god.   I believe partly because my parents believed and raised me to believe.   But mostly because of my mortality.   My tenuous existence drives me to believe in a god or gods, or life forces, in outerworldly notions unsupported by any evidence other than the similar language or desires of others. Since the affirmation of others is the only support I have, I seek out affirmation in as many places and ways as I can find.   I try to spread the joy and comfort I experience from affirmation to others, claiming that I want them to share in what I have found, but actually needing to reaffirm my belief. The more people I can find or persuade toward my belief, the better. If I am insecure in my belief, I may become more adamant in my desire to spread my belief. I may become a missionary to teach my word.   If that is not enough, I may threaten those who disagree.   I may chastise or condemn them.   I may shun them.   I may imp...
That's How the Light Gets In On Economic Perspective $Million per day My argument in today's blog is that the rich, especially the ultra-rich do not need protection from people advocating redistribution of wealth downward.   I'm recalling "Joe, the Plumber", (who was not named Joe and was not a plumber) who was used by a conservative Presidential candidate to exemplify that liberals would try to tax away the opportunity to start a business and become wealthy.  Also, I've been accused of being a conspiracy theorist when I've complained that the ultra-wealthy collude to protect and increase their massive wealth.    So, I'll address three issues at once: 1.  Are we trying to deprive the wealthy of their lifestyle? 2.  Do ultra-wealthy have the time, resources, and inclination to conspire to strongly influence politics and economics? 3.  To get an idea of economics in general, it helps to have an understanding of wealth. ...