Gun Laws and Sales Take Unique Twists.

     If there is any logic to American gun laws, past and present, I’d love to hear it.

     The irony and flexibility between different states and communities provide both a progressive and paranoid picture. The United States Senate panel on gun control is considering specific steps forward this week.

     State officials may be battling the federal government soon because the conflicts and confusion provide for an enormous undertaking for a comprehensive plan. It’s impossible.

     But the one thing that isn’t complicated is the enhancement of state revenues through gun sales. State officials are lining up to find a “sin tax” revenue source, and they may have found the butter for their bread. Maryland officials want a 50 percent ammunition tax and Massachusetts wants to impose a 25 percent sales tax on all gun purchases. Nevada officials are considering a $25 tax per gun sale, which would include all gun shows in Las Vegas.

     And the most persistent legislation is coming out of California. House of Representatives member Linda Sanchez, D-California, wants a 10 percent tax on all concealable weapons purchased in the United States to go toward a federal buyback program to get guns off the streets. Meanwhile, the state legislature in California is considering a 5 percent tax on every bullet sold in the state towards a mental health screening program for children.

      In Congress, the Senate legislature would target a new ban on semi-automatic weapons modeled after military assault rifles. It would consider imposing the 1996 ban on all assault weapons that expired a decade later.

     But would it make a real difference in America’s fight against violence?

     Experts say there are already somewhere between 280 million and 320 million guns in the country today. Director of gun policy and research for the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Jon Vernick says research doesn’t find any evidence gun buyback programs reduce crime.

     The powerful National Rifle Association would have you believe we need more guns in America to fight criminals. The NRA released figures recently showing more than 500,000 new members have signed up since the 26 educators and children were shot to death at an elementary school massacre by a lone gunman last December in Newtown, Connecticut.

     The General Social Survey at the University of Chicago says gun ownership in households has actually declined steadily over the past four decades. The survey also says household gun ownership rates have declined from 50 percent in the 1970s to about 35 percent since the year 2000. The national survey is the only one of its kind and is funded by the National Science Foundation.

     But those figures differ with FBI statistics as well as Gallup Research Surveys which show nearly half the households in America have a firearm.

     The Second Amendment of the Constitution allows for the right of the people to keep and bear arms, and that right shall not be infringed.

     To what logic that freedom is allowed is a good question.

     Two small communities in Georgia and Maine have taken a unique but perhaps worrisome approach to the growing gun violence dilemma.

     The City Council of Nelson, Ga., has written a Family Protection Ordinance to be considered in April.

      The two-paragraph proposal reads, "In order to provide for the emergency management of the city, and further, in order to provide for and protect the safety, security, and general welfare of the city and its inhabitants, every head of household residing in the city limits is required to maintain a firearm, together with ammunition therefore."

     As explained by city officials, the rule would mirror one passed in nearby Kennesaw back in 1982. It would mandate gun ownership in every household. It is also supported by the police chief of Nelson, a city of just 1,300 residents, who has offered free gun safety classes and gun checks, if the law passes.

     “It’s a great idea,’’ said Police Chief Heath Mitchell. “Obviously, if you cannot afford it, don’t believe in it, or are a convicted felon or are handicapped, you are exempt from the mandate.”

     Nelson residents believe it is a great deterrent from crime. They believe criminals will bypass their small town just north of Atlanta, if the bad guys “don’t know what’s on the other side of the front door of the house.”

     Despite the national and international media attention the city of Nelson has received with the proposal, it turns out it isn’t that unique. Similar laws have been passed in Utah, Minnesota, and Idaho since 2000, and a small town in Maine is also currently considering such a proposal. Monday the town of Byron, Maine unanimously rejected a proposal to require every household to own a firearm, but city officials in the 140-resident town plan to bring the issue up again next month.

     Colorado state officials are barking for stricter gun laws. That state has seen two of the worst mass murders in recent American history. Last July, a lone gunman with an assault rifle stormed into a theatre and killed 12 people and injured 58 others in Aurora.

     In 1999, two students shot and killed 13 and wounded 23 others during the Columbine High School massacre in Littleton.

     Yet, just south of Colorado in Arizona, state officials passed a 2009 law that allows residents to enter bars with loaded firearms. Tucson officials recently took in 200 guns in a citywide buyback program with the idea of destroying those guns. State officials are discussing a law that would mandate any guns received in such buyback programs be resold.

     As if we don’t have enough guns without the sale one more in America. The Federal Bureau of Investigation statistics show there are 310 million guns in America which include 114 million handguns, 110 rifles, and 86 million shotguns. After nearly 17 million background checks since 1998, the FBI has denied about 900,000 individual gun sales. In the past year, the FBI denied 7,879 sales due to mental health issues.

     But firearm sales are a $5 billion annual industry in America, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation. And that insures America continues its prominence as the most gun violent country per capita in the world.

Sequestration May Be a Castration of Society.

     Wake up this weekend and consider your federal government has yet to act on gun control laws, despite months of debate. But, by not acting Friday on the so-called sequester, Congress may have put hundreds of thousands of children in jeopardy.

     The American public has not put enough pressure on politicians to solve problems in Washington, DC.

     We are to blame for the stalemate that led us down this path. Very soon, we’ll feel the pain of the budget cuts in federal services because of our lack of involvement. We have allowed this dilemma to happen.

      We haven’t gotten involved enough to realize how fast the federal government ship is sinking in the wrong direction. We are hiding in the closet, waiting for Christmas presents that will not arrive. We are suffering a slow death by gridlock. There is very little problem-solving because there is almost no debate for answers in the White House.

     The officials in power talked for just 45 minutes Friday before giving up and simply allowing this “sequestration” to go into effect. The average American worked an eight-hour shift the same day. Millions have been unemployed for at least a year and are still searching for a job.

     The most disturbing news since last December’s Newtown massacre is a half a million Americans have joined the National Rifle Association. The most disturbing news Friday was the sequestration in America that may deny more than 700,000 low-income children the right to the early childhood Head Start program.

     More guns in this country is clearly not the answer to our violence epidemic. Giving children a fair chance of succeeding is a step in the right direction.

     Arming teachers in our schools isn’t a solution, but arming pre-school youngsters with toothbrushes is.

     Allowing guns in houses of worship as recently approved in the state of Arkansas doesn’t deter gun violence, but identifying mental health resources and those who need it just might save lives in our communities.

     So what is really happening in this country?

      A deal was cooked up by both the Democrats and Republicans in 2011 that included a plan for about 85 billion in federal budget cuts March 1^st. They signed it in writing believing the date would never come and everything would be made happy well before Friday. We waited and waited. They barked and pointed fingers. We re-elected politicians and expected different results.

     Here are some facts that should spoil your milk.

     Almost 1,000 human beings have been murdered in Chicago since that 2011 deal was struck. The city of Detroit is in such financial disarray, the state has recently taken over the 14 billion debt tab, due to mismanagement and corruption. According to the FBI, another major city, Miami, is leading the nation in identity theft, mostly by gangs made up of 20-something adults who hack into American lifestyles with sophisticated technology, force, and violence.

     So the federal government’s answer is to do nothing. By not acting, the 2011 deal goes into effect. It is an irresponsible debt reduction plan called a sequestration, which cuts federal programs to save budget issues, such as the United States’ $16 trillion debt.

     The result will be 13 percent cuts in military programs and a broad 9 percent federal programs cut across America. Those cuts are prompted by the inability of Congress to come up with ideas. And that is what we elect politicians for.

     President Barack Obama says, “We will get through this. This is not going to be the apocalypse, as some people have said. It’s just dumb, and it’s going to hurt.”

     Republican House of Representatives speaker John Boehner added, “There are smarter ways to cut spending.”

     I’ll offer a hint you probably figured out by now. These two guys won’t be hurt by the cuts. But everyday Americans who are concerned with national security, domestic programs, and core government functions will feel the lack in services.

     And that brings us back to the Head Start Program for children. These are the most vulnerable humans in our nation. Children who may not find their way to learning how to brush their teeth, or solving eyesight or hearing problems because of the cuts to this vital federal program. The program identifies special needs for youngsters so that they have a fair chance to learn before it is too late. A chance to succeed instead of turning to violence.

Political Corruption Reaches Courtrooms.

      What does Chicago, one of the largest cities in the country, and the tiny, impoverished municipality of Bell, California have in common?

      Corrupt politicians begging for mercy this past week before courtroom judges.

      Both settings provided tragic examples of our political structure crumbling before the American public's eyes. Instead of watching like a hawk, we naively click away to the next controversy for more juice and sensationalism.

      Just what were Chicago's attractive darlings, Jesse Jr. and Sandi Jackson, thinking during their political tenures?

      Perhaps they fantasized about a royal reality show as king and queen of the windy city.

    In real life, the power couple faces prison dates this summer after both pled guilty Wednesday to siphoning roughly $750,000—three-quarters of a million dollars—in campaign funds into personal accounts for their lavish personal and political lifestyles.

      Jesse Jr., veteran U. S. Congressman and son of the famous Reverend Jesse Jackson, and his wife Sandi, a Chicago city alderman, stonewalled the public for nearly a year. But they ran out of excuses Wednesday in separate courtrooms and entered guilty pleas to agreements afforded them by the U. S. Justice Department.

      More specifically, they lied to the IRS and the public they supposedly served.

      Will they receive the maximum sentence or just a pat on the wrist in U. S. District Court?

      The plea agreements with federal authorities are troubling.

      Jesse Jackson Jr. was reeled into the Justice Department investigation of former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, currently serving a 14-year prison sentence on bribery charges. Those charges included the selling of President Barack Obama's Illinois Senate seat when Obama was elected to the Presidency in 2008. Feds had caught Blagojevich on tape offering a trade of campaign money in exchange for the U. S. Senate appointment. Jackson was identified as the candidate offered the dirty deal.

      But Jackson was allowed to stall his own investigation, citing a six-month absence for "health problems" up through the 2012 elections, and he retained his 17-year Congressional seat before resigning after last November's election.

      What legitimate legal system remains here in the United States?

      Friday, the citizens of Bell, California, asked that very question while observing a political corruption trial too unbelievable to sensationalize.

      The two year-old Bell story, broken by a pair of investigative reporters at the Los Angeles Times, is just one more tale of the American political system failing because the public wasn't in tune with public meetings, albeit through ignorance and apathy.

      In the four week-old trial currently in the jury's hands, six Bell city council members Luis Artiga, Victor Bello, George Cole, Oscar Hernandez, Teresa Jacobo, and George Mirabal are charged with financially raping the city and its 40,000 citizens in Los Angeles County of more than $10 million worth of inflated salaries, bogus contracts, and outrageous fees.

      The apparent mastermind behind the whole scheme that had played out over a six-year period is former city administrator Ron Rizzo who, along with his assistant Angela Spaccia, will go on trial separately this summer.
     They forged signatures on contracts. Approved contracts in private closed-door meetings. Gave themselves $100,000 annual salaries without voters’ knowledge or approval, and also wrote up lucrative pensions.
      The Bell fiasco was so secretive and complex, California state judges had to nullify the contracts written and signed by the former office holders before the state could bring them up on trial and prosecute them.
      The real key in American government is the domino effect here. If indeed 9 of 10 United States cities are considered by experts to be "financially stressed", where does this road leave city citizens tomorrow?
      It is just a matter of time before another municipality falls under the bridge, due to corrupt politicians operating behind closed doors. Six like-size California municipalities and their office holders are currently under investigation in southern California. And the cry for public election campaign reforms has fallen on deaf ears in Washington, DC for decades.
      Ask yourself if we can afford the next scandal.      

Citizens Should Expose Drone Controversy.

     The robotic age may step on us before we realize it unless we decide to stand up and account for ourselves first.

     The controversy surrounding the use of drones both in the United States and abroad has reached a zenith where the lack of transparency is truly a dilemma for debate.

     Are we ready for a privacy invasion?

   The next time you’re in the backyard barbequing, and you see a hummingbird, consider it may be a drone in disguise. It may be a conduit for the government or local law enforcement agency to spy on you. To invade your space. It may be assembling data on your leisure life, calculating your wants and needs, or even marketing you for a future merchandising blitz.

     So, let's talk transparency. Drones as military devices during international conflicts are a much needed and valuable commodity. They are equalizers in the fight against terrorism, particularly the past two years. They have proven to save lives, particularly American lives.

     But, with the advent of technology that requires little more than a Double A battery to manipulate, drones are becoming a smaller and more common machine here at home.

     And that presents United States citizens with the challenge of a lifetime.

     What do we do with drones here in America? Use them as spies? Law enforcement agents? Killing machines? Butlers and maids?

     Eleven states are already considering legislation on measures to restrict and/or prohibit drones from said territorial air space. The city of Charlottesville, Virginia recently became the first municipality in the United States to declare itself essentially a "drone free" zone within its city limits.

     It appears as if this drone controversy could reach the U. S. Supreme Court to decide how drones are used in America and under what authority.

     Why wait for that upcoming controversial decision? Why not allow the people to decide  how drones will be used in the U. S., via a national referendum and a short questionnaire? Why not empower the public with this major step forward for mankind?

     About two years ago, the White House started a secret program from a military base in Saudi Arabia designed to thwart al-Qaida terrorists on international grounds. The so-called "kill list" opened eyes and really got attention in Congress when the story relating to these missile-firing drones broke in the media. The drones have killed three United States citizens abroad, and that news has prompted even more controversy.

     So now the debate hits closer to home. On our own territory. As technology advances, so does private industry marketing these drones in all sorts of different shapes and sizes to government agencies, law enforcement, and even private corporations.

     A drone surveying a public park from the air and instantly sending data back to local law agencies sounds like a marketable idea to fight crime. A drone spying on someone's living room or bedroom habits does not.

     It sounds like the perfect issue to start a public movement toward national referendums. Allow the voting populace a chance to voice their opinions on how drones should and should not be restricted within U. S. boundaries. It would also give the government an opportunity to revamp an election voting system that, in all candor, could really use some revamping and outside expertise.

     This is not rocket science, folks. It's a matter of getting enough Americans involved in what is good for the future of our nation. The drone issue could become the first stepping stone toward revitalizing a healthy society. Consider taking action. Write or talk to your local politicians today.

     If drone strikes disturb Congress, just wait until the American public gets its fair share of attention from eyes in the sky.

Manhunt Adds to America's Gun War.

     Are Americans frustrated enough with the wave of recent mass murders and mental health dramas to act?

     Are we willing to sit down and resolve the very uncivil issues destroying our communities and this country, or are we merely clicking the control button toward the next television episode?

     It may be time for all of us to make that decision.

     The largest manhunt on the west coast continues today. This one defies logic but could explode into epic proportions. The Los Angeles Police Department have called upon more than 100 law enforcement officials to canvas Southern California and neighboring Nevada to find one of their own.

     Former LAPD and Navy Lieutenant Jordan Dorner has killed two people Sunday and shot three LAPD officers on Thursday, killing one, before vanishing into the mountains. After literally igniting a raging fire of terror in the greater LA area and beyond, he remains at large.

     Considered deranged and dangerous with a 6,000-word “manifesto” to his credit, Dorner has hit the Los Angeles area so hard, his own former bosses are holding press conferences underground in heavily secured buildings.

     It may surprise you to learn more cops committed suicide in 2012 than were gunned down by fugitives. It might not surprise you Dorner, who was fired by the LAPD in 2008 and possesses vast military and weaponry skills, is considered a one-man army.

     The real question is whether this is the start of something worse in society. Survivalists taking on the very community they either serve or reside in. More guns, more anger, more mental health issues, and even support from the area’s disaffected.

     “We look at the police differently from the way you look at police in your community,” Hodari Sabadu, a 56 year-old South Central Los Angeles resident told the New York Times.

     “In your community, the police is there to protect and serve. In my community, the police are there to harass and insult and to kill if they get a chance.”

     There are more than 100 law enforcement agents, including SWAT, along with some of the most sophisticated weaponry and surveillance in the United States trying to track Dorner down. And folks, that effort in itself, day by day, costs a lot of money, man-hours, and worry.

     People were outraged when a single gunman killed 20 children and six adults in the Newtown massacre in December.

     That’s old news.

     This latest western madman is creating a dire frenzy throughout the third largest police force in the nation and, to date, law enforcement officials have been unable to capture him.

     Now that is a terrorist by every definition.

     He says in his manifesto he plans to strike again. The professionals hunting him say he has the equipment to start a small war.

     When will Americans wise up and realize we are at war? We are at war with mental health issues, poverty, unemployment, and immigration within our own communities. We are at war with our neighbors who we believe will stay across the street forever. We are at war with the very people who are assigned to protect us. We are at war with our youth who do not have the proper tools or opportunities to deal with the future.

     Will new gun laws be a start toward ending the day by day violence in America?

     A recent Quinnipiac University poll released this week showed that 92 percent of the respondents support expanding background checks to all gun sales, including gun shows now exempt from background checks. Earlier in the week, a Pew Research Center Poll showed 85 percent of Americans back universal background checks on gun sales. Yet, Congress continues to stall.

     We hide our heads in the sand and believe it won’t happen to us. And then when it does, we cry wolf and want justice.

     On Friday, Black Bear Lake Mayor Jay Obernolte openly joked at a press conference that the ski resorts will remain open and residents aren’t panicking or worried. He actually told everyone to enjoy their stay while in the well-known affluent resort community. That was the same day police found Dorner’s truck abandoned and burned.

     If and when Dorner strikes again, the mayor might not be as happy.

     Dorner is believed to be on foot and hiding along the San Bernardino mountainside with up to thirty weapons at his disposal. The police are checking all of the dwellings in the Big Bear Lake community. Let’s hope the mayor won’t be eating his own words real soon.