Well, I'm Back...

Mike announced he's in Ohio, so I won't be letting any cats out of the bag.  I just got back from going to see him, as he's @ 2+ hours away.  I went down to see him because (A), I wanted to, and (B) two hot ones we're working on required it.  He looks good, better than I'd expected.  Dropping some weight has had other beneficial effects.

More later--I have a magazine article to finish, a piece of certified mail to get off (and it's a doozy), a ton of emails to address, a ton of chores for our upcoming Independence Day bash where we'll host several dozen relatives, a cousin to pick up at the airport...meanwhile, I do have a couple immediate blog posts I want to get up.

Oh, hell, I'd better get those out of the way right now:

• I was on Armed American Radio last night, starting in the last half of the second hour and all of the third.  Go here and scroll down the right side for Hour 1, 2 and 3 podcasts.
• Per Tom Skoch, editor of The Morning Journal: "It was Terry’s death in December 2010 that prompted whistleblowers to reveal the operation. The mainstream media ignored the story for a year. Meanwhile, a group of bloggers, notably Mike Vanderboegh, David Codrea and Dave Workman, kept the revelations coming and spurred the congressional investigation by Republican Rep. Darrell Issa, along with Sen. Chuck Grassley, that led to Thursday’s vote, which the mainstream media couldn’t ignore."

There's not enough of me, although I understand if some will argue otherwise.

Is It Time Yet? To Even Talk, I Mean...?

A friend who sends noteworthy news links and commentary to his list of influential Second Amendment scholars, lawyers, shakers and movers, names we've all heard of, just sent them the link to Media Matters' latest hit piece on Vanderboegh. Rather than decry leftist stoogemedia, his comment was reserved for Mike, as he sent the link under the title "This is the kind of talk we don't need."

Questions: Will it ever be time to talk that way? When? What's the purpose of having the capability to require it of them if we're afraid to warn aggressors to back off?

There's no way those who promote individual liberty and oppose the fascist collective could couch their arguments or make enough concessions that would induce the mouthpieces of tyranny like Media Matters to portray us as anything other than extremists, haters, racists... and really, with those hive insects, why even try? Who doesn't understand that some of the regressive fanatics may be misguided, but the effect of their efforts is...evil?

We hear all kinds of rhetoric about the ultimate purpose of the Second Amendment ("From my cold dead hands!" "Yayyyy!!!!") and we nod in assent at the plain language in the Declaration about a long train of abuses. Now the courts have been closed off, and if anyone truly believes Romney will save us...

What intolerable acts did King George impose that were so much more tyrannical than what our government is doing now in terms of intrusion on liberty, on ruling us, on sending hither swarms of officers, on...tolerability?

Would those now proclaiming this is the kind of talk we don't need have said the same thing about the "Don't Tread on Me" rattler, that gave benefit of warning before striking?

What would they have said about the rhetoric that preceded rebellion at the founding?

Would that even have happened had theirs been the voices to prevail?

Do those who recoil at such talk, who not only believe it makes us all look bad but go out of their way to marginalize it, and men like Mike, have a line in the sand where they would talk that way as a last-ditch desperation move?

If so, what is it that would bring out their inner firebrand?

And if not, don't you think they ought to at least admit it as a qualifier to their pronouncements, so we can make our decision accordingly on whether theirs is a voice we should heed?

This Day in History: July 2

I thought it necessary, however, to suggest to you the preparing an arrangement of officers for the men; for, though they are to supply our battalions, yet, as our whole line officers, almost, are in captivity, I suppose some temporary provision must be made. [More]

Justice: Holder Above the Law

If the Congress is looking to use its Constitutional powers under Article. I., Section. 8., "To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union," I'm in. [Read]

Report points to Clinton-era gunwalking

It does lead to some interesting questions, particularly for those demanding to expand investigations to include the Bush-era “Operation Wide Receiver” program and his then-Attorney General Michael Mukasey. The Twin Cities operation took place under Janet Reno’s watch under President Bill Clinton. [More]

Today's Gun Rights Examiner report wonders if it's also fair to asks what did they knowand when did they know it?

My Congressman

We just talked about this worthless lump here.

And now I see this:

LaTourette votes no on Holder contempt

Seeing as how entrusting him with political power results in his refusal to represent my interests, I will do what I can to retire this useless RINO, even if it means giving up his seat to a damn Democrat. That will only be a temporary and endurable pain, as opposed to continually allowing these worthless GOP hacks to get away with unpunished betrayals.

Politically execute a few and the rest will take notice--if not out of principle then out of a sense of survival. We should have been doing this all along, instead of falling for the "who else they gonna vote for?" fear tactic they rely on to keep the fearful returning them to office. That's a big part of the reason we're in the mess we are.

UPDATE: John Richardson tells us about his useless lump,  who at least has the "excuse" of being a Democrat.

Everything You Need to Know

...botched Fast and Furious gun-running operation...flashpoint for the conservative blogosphere...partisan theatrics and escalating conspiracy theories...A thoroughly-researched new expose from Fortune reporter Katherine Eban... [More]

Yeah, right, lady. Whatever you say.

I love these people who have absolutely no track record with digging out original revelations on this story, and with absolutely no agency insider sources, suddenly set themselves up as the 11th-hour experts, presuming themselves qualified to teach, but in reality, not having earned the prerequisites to sit in the advanced class.

SOTG 3.0

New developments will be happening soon. [Watch]

Update: He also released "Mediocrity: How to fail and feel good about it."

"I Am Robert Heyer"

That kind of reminded me of "I'm Spartacus."  What this is about is Brian Terry's cousin engaging with people on Reddit.  [Read] 

One of the questions raised in this thread was to the effect that if it hadn't been walked guns found at the murder scene, the killers would have still been able to get other guns.  That's been argued to me before, too.

It's bullshit, and here's why--a very specific set of circumstances, any of which not happening would have led to a different specific outcome for agent Terry on that particular night --led up to the firefight in Peck Canyon. Change one element in that timeline and you change what happens downstream--and the further back in the timeline you go, the more opportunity for widening the divergence of events.

True, he could have encountered criminals armed with other weapons. But that's not what happened. Had he not encountered those criminals, armed with those weapons, there's every possibility he would not have been killed that night.

Frogmarching Eric

David Hardy tells us about an unused dungeon under the big dome. [Read]

Too bad no one has the guts to follow through, but in theory it could result in an armed standoff between the House Sergeant at Arms and DOJ--although I don't imagine tanks pumping CS gas into the monolith at 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW is a possibility at the moment...

Meanwhile, the AG is doing his best Jimmy Cagney "You lousy coppers will never take me alive!"  impersonation.

I'm not sure how the process works, but they passed a resolution authorizing their House attorney to take the matter to court, and we could see the federal bench in DC side with the administration. Then all SCOTUS has to do is nothing--refuse to hear it...

I'm just guessing here.  If you can enlighten us on a more likely process, please do.

Houston Liberty Festival Encore Presentation

From American Trigger Sports Network:

Host James B. Towle and the Trigger Sports TV crew return to American Shooting Centers in Houston, Texas for the Houston Liberty Festival, a spectacular sporting clays event benefiting "Homes for Our Troops", an organization that builds specialty homes for returning wounded veterans. This event has grown into more than just a sporting clays tournament, with parades, flyovers, reenactments from civil war, western shootouts and Vietnam, along with cook competitions, carnival, shooting exhibitions with U.S. Army and Travis Mears, flag retirement ceremonies and much, much more! Watch TONIGHT to see an overview of the fun and the tournament and see what this wonderful organization is doing for our veterans.

It's one of two Silver Telly Award episodes we helped make happen, and for which James send his thanks. It will be on the Pursuit Channel tonight at 6:00pm Pacific/7:00pm Mountain/8:00pm Central/9:00pm Eastern on DirecTV Channel 608 PRST and DISH Network Channel 240 HUNT.

This Day in History: June 29

When Benedict Arnold wrote this letter to John André, he was still in Philadelphia. General George Washington had agreed to let Arnold have command of West Point on June 29, 1780. [More]

For He's a Jolly Good Fellow

He has said that he and a fellow blogger... [More] 

"Fellow blogger..."? What am I, chopped liver? They always attack Mike and leave me all jealous 'n stuff...

The Media Matters crowd really are a bunch of anemic panty-wringers, are they not?  Time for Brock to break out the paddle again, and give those boys some eagerly-awaited ankle-grabbin' discipline!

A Minor Footnote to History

[Click to enlarge]

Congressional Research Service acts as an issues "think tank" for Congress--their reports are generally not made available to the public, despite our tax dollars funding them (and some are working to get around that).  Be that as it may, a source provided this to Mike and me, and it's kind of fun seeing our  names in a government document that isn't a no-knock warrant or an executive order to take us out with drones.

I posted the complete report to my Scribd account.  Feel free to look at some of the other docs I've posted haphazardly there in support of stuff I've written.

And Now for Something Completely Different

If only they would disarm you and me...[Watch]

Where the Wild Things Are

All around us.

They call themselves "progressives."

And they make no secret of craving a "monopoly of violence".

Is Anyone Surprised?

It's not like that puppet Roberts hasn't been sending out signals. [Read]

Anybody think it's mere coincidence that the contempt vote will be cast while all eyes are focused elsewhere?

This certainly doesn't help the "You must vote  Republican because of Supreme Court nominees" argument.

With Malice Aforethought

"Fireworks this serious require safety training and licensing from the state to legally handle them," Marshall said. People selling the explosives might not have the same malicious intent as, say, gun dealers, but their products can be just as dangerous, he added. [More]

Yeah, every time I've ever dealt with a gun dealer, they're always twirling the end of their mustache going "NYA-ha-haaa...!"

[Via Dave Licht]

Oversight Committee releases resolution, report for today’s contempt vote

As to when this historic vote that all eyes are watching will take place, that’s a story in itself.  [More]

Today's Gun Rights Examiner report notes there is nothing too simple for the bureaucracy to screw up.

This Day in History: June 28

Early on the morning of June 28th, when the British were leaving the village of Monmouth, New Jersey (today known as Freehold), these 6,000 men under General Lee attacked the British rear guard. General Clinton's men were able to react quickly and forced the Patriots to retreat. General Lee did not have good control of his men and there was much disorganization. [More]