SWISS GUN FREEDOMS

The dozens of military vehicles in this museum, including this modern-day Leapord I Main Battle Tank, are all fully operational, including the 105-mm cannon.

This guy has more firepower in his barn and basement than a US Army Infantry Company.

Ben's little article got me to thinking, since I do have a bit of a connection with Switzerland. Through in-laws and friends of in-laws, the last time I visited I got to tour the Swiss military museum (while it was closed for the winter) and visit a guy who has two tanks in his barn and a host of other military vehicles and more real-live machine guns that you can shake a stick at.

Here's the kicker. In "Freedom-land USA", even the these pieces at GOVERNMENT museums have to be de-activated. The tanks, they weld the gun barrel and breechblock shut, remove the power-pack, etc. The musuem firearms have to be de-activated if they are classified as a nasty machine gun. And you sure as hell can't have fully-operational tanks and anti-aircraft guns out in the barn.

All the goodies I'm talking about over yonder there 'cross the pond, they are all fully-operational, both the privately-held ones and the museum pieces. They could fill 'em up with diesel, stock the ammo racks, and go to war tommorrow. Every Swiss man has to serve a stint in their Army, and when they are done they take their field gear, uniforms, and STG-90 rifle home with them so they are instantly ready to answer a reserve call-up.So almost every Swiss home has at least a rifle in it.

Yet despite all this, I have never heard of a tank, anti-aircraft gun, or machine gun crime spree in Switzerland. In fact, I haven't heard of any incidents at all, with the one exception of a recently discharged serviceman going on a shooting spree with his GOVERNMENT-ISSUED STG-90 service rifle.

The way the Brady Bunch talks, though, you'd think the streets of Switzerland would be running knee-deep in blood and anarchy would reign. Instead, the Swiss have always had some of the lowest crime rates in the world. Hmmmmm.

Following the Swiss Example

Here is a good article about the Swiss socio-economic model titled "Cuckoo for Switzerland" by John Fund at The American magazine's website.

While America is still the cat's meow in this blogger's humble opinion, we could learn a thing or three from little Switzerland. The article mostly focuses on the laissez-faire Swiss economy, but also mentions it's semi-direct democracy and federalist system (with powers divvied up between Swiss cantons rather than just accumulated at the national level).

Other Swiss policies that look good to us libertarians, but not mentioned in the article, include:

• Foreign Policy: Strictly neutral, Switzerland has no need to hemorrhage blood and treasure into foreign lands. Don't get the idea that they're isolationist though. The Swiss have lead the way in international charity (ever hear of the Red Cross?), humanitarian work, and as a neutral arbitrator between warring countries. Also, don't let this fool you into believing the Swiss are pushovers. They may not fight you in your country, but they'll damned sure fight you in theirs. Even Nazi Germany shied away from invading this hornet's nest.


• Right to Keep and Bear Arms: Part of the reason they weren't invaded is because the Swiss people are armed to the teeth. Gun rights supporters like to point out that even automatic weapons are kept at home and yet Switzerland has some of the lowest crime rates in Europe.

All in all, Switzerland is an island of classical liberalism (the good kind of liberalism) in a European sea of socialist pussies. Let's hope that that sea never rises to Swiss peaks.

Link to article

April Fool's Day Joke Suggestions

Only two days until April Fool's Day. If you're out of ideas for practical jokes, here's a few suggestions:

• Try on clothes at Wal-Mart. When you leave the changing booth, politely inform the attendant that it is out of toilet paper.
• Call the McCain campaign and say that you're a conservative and you're very excited about supporting him.
• Egg a henhouse. Observe to see if the irony is lost on the chickens.
• Call your local convenience store and ask if they have Prince Albert in a can. If they say no, threaten to firebomb the building.
• Schedule a visit with a military recruiter. Show up wearing a turban and white robes, then skip in the door holding hands with a same-sex friend. (Warning: This joke may backfire and they might sign you up.)

If you have any suggestions, post them below.

Time to Listen to Ron Paul?

A Fox business reporter thinks we should listen to Ron Paul's economic warnings.
http://emac.blogs.foxbusiness.com/2008/03/26/time-to-listen-to-ron-paul/

FURTHER PROOF

Yes ladies and gentlemen, here is further proof of the Brady Bunch's assertation that only government agents are professional enough, smart enough, and well-trained enough to be allowed to have guns.






If that's not enough for you, here's an oldie but a goodie, the DEA's "Mr. Gun Safety Guy" showing students how to shoot one's own foot. "I'm the only one here professional enough to handle the Glock...BANG!"

http://youtube.com/watch?v=mhIJOVD8hwY

REAL ID REAL ODIOUS

God bless Montana. State officials here are once again butting heads with Fedgov, this time over the assinine "Real ID" that will do absolutely nothing to keep us safe from "terror" since it only applies to law-abiding citizens and those here legally.

http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/montana_battles_homeland_security_over_national_id_plan/2693/

Fiery Montana Democratic Governor Brian Schweitzer calls the mandatory, Orwellian edict from the Feds, among other things, a "hare-brained scheme" and a "Faustian bargain"...that's a "deal with the Devil" to those of you in Rio Lindo. Freshman Democratic Senator John Tester refered to Real ID as a "Beltway blunder" and senior Democratic Senator Max Baucus applauded state officials for their resistance and called the deadline threatened by Fedgov "arbitrary and ineffective." Only REPUBLICAN Representative Denny Rehberg has caved to the Feds and is bleating for Montana to surrender to Big Brother.

Montana's plan of action? Basically, we're just going to ignore Big Brother and his odious power grabs. To quote Schweitzer again, "...we've found it best just to tell them to go to hell, and run your state the way you want to run your state."

So Homeland Security continues to bully United States citizens and individual states, while standing on the sunken grave of the Tenth Amendment, all in the name of "security". If the evil clowns out in Sodom on Potomac actually wanted to do SOMETHING that might in some way actually secure us against terrorism, all they need to do is look to the south. Border Patrol statistics have shown that it's not just Mexicans sneaking into the United States these days; a significant and rapidly growing portion of border crossers are (surprise!) Islamic males of Middle-Eastern descent. Hmmm. Now what possible reason could they have to enter the country illegally?

When questioned about this, Homeland Security Deputy Unterofficer Adolph Stalin replied, "Actung! Silence! How dare you question our authority?!?!? Vere are your papers? I vill beat you mit my truncheon, schweinhund! Just vait until ve haff das gulags built."

Armed For Liberty

Alan Gura and Robert A. Levy, two lawyers on the right side of the DC gun case have a good article in today's Legal Times Online. Alan Gura is a partner at Gura & Possessky in Alexandria, Va. Robert A. Levy is senior fellow in constitutional studies at the Cato Institute in Washington, D.C. Gura, Levy, and Clark Neily are co-counsel to Heller.

Gun Nut Roundup

Story 1

Ron Paul Reminds Us Why We Like Him

U.S. Congressman and Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul has introduced three bills in the U.S. House of Representatives that target various disarmed victim zones (a.k.a "gun free zones") created by the federal government.

HR-2424, the "Citizens Protection Act," would repeal the dumb law that bans possession of a firearm in school zones. "The Gun-Free School Zones Act" was passed in 1990 and every famous school shooting you can think of has happened after it was in effect. Despite the ban, at least three famous school shootings (off the top of my head) have been stopped by armed civilians confronting the gunman. (That part of the stories never "grew legs" with the national media. Go figure.) The Supreme Court ruled the Gun-Free School Zones Act unconstitutional, so Congress reworded it and reinstated the same damned thing again later. HR-2424 would squash it again.

HR-1897, the "Nat'l Park 2nd Amendment Restoration and Personal Protection Act," would get rid of the ban on firearms in national parks. Instead, the gun laws of the state where the park is located would be enforced. This is how it is on Forest Service land and has never been a problem. Bawb may be able to speak with more authority on this topic, since he's a denizen of "grizzly country," with lots of federal land and knows how dumb it is to have to ditch your gun because you just stepped across an invisible line in the forest.

Finally, HR-3305, the "Anti-Terrorism Act," would allow specially-trained airline pilots, copilots, navigators or law enforcement personnel, specifically detailed for protection of an aircraft, to carry a firearm. While an armed pilots program was implemented by Congress after 9-11, the Bush administration allowed a left-over bureaucrat from the Clinton Administration to sandbag the program. HR-3305 would allow the airlines to decide who can protect their planes, although numerous other state and federal laws would still be in effect.

Gun owners (and any surviving fiscal conservatives out there) NEED guys like Ron Paul in Congress, if not the Whitehouse. Whether you live in his Texas district or not, let's do what we can to support his re-election to the U.S. House. His presidential campaign site is to the left, in the "Important Links" section.

Story 2

Supreme Court Showdown Is Set

Mark March 18 on your calenders, gun nuts! That's when the Supremes will hear oral arguments in the DC vs. Heller case, which may decide the fate of the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms.

Most of you probably know that outgoing President Bush decided to wave his naughty parts in the face of America's gun owners one (hopefully) last time by filing a brief with the Supreme Court that, essentially, threw the Second Amendment under the bus. Robert D. Novak wrote a good article detailing the goings-on and analysing the Bush administrations possible political "strategery" for allowing its Solicitor General to file the anti-Second Amendment brief. My own thoughtful and reasoned analysis is: Bush allowed it, so up his!

Bush has been a lackluster friend to American gun owners from the start. Even the official view of Bush's Attorney General John Ashcroft, that the Second protects an individual right to keep and bear arms, which was lauded by gun rights supporters, was not radically different than the Clinton administration's interpretation:

Clinton Administrations Interpretation-
1. The 2nd Amendment protects a collective right of states to arm their militias.
2. Therefore, state and federal government can restrict civilian gun ownership any way they see fit.
3. So, ha ha ha!

Bush Administrations Interpretation-
1. The 2nd Amendment protects an individual right to keep and bear arms.
2. But, state and federal government can restrict that right in any way they see fit.
3. So, ha ha ha!

The only bright spot in this story is that Vice President and noted shotgun marksman Dick Cheney proceeded to wave his naughty parts in Bush's face by signing a pro-Second Amendment amicus (friend of the court) brief in the case, along with 55 Senators and 250 Representatives. Also 31 states, numerous military officers, and more scholars than you can shake a stick at have also filed similar pro-individual rights briefs with the court, defending the Second Amendment.

Story 3

New Name For Iowa Weapons Bill

A good bill seeking to provide uniformity to Iowa's concealed weapons permit system has changed its nomenclature. Formerly called HF 2092, the newly amended bill is now called HF 2613. (You can read Ben's brilliant analysis of the bill here.) It has cleared committee and IowaCarry.org expects a House vote on the bill during the week of March 17-20. If it passes the House this week it will go on to the Senate. If you write your Iowa reps to support the bill, remember it's now called HF 2613.

Iowa Weapons Bill Clears 1st Hurdle

Last week was "funnel week" in the Iowa legislature. During funnel week all bills that haven't been approved by the respective committee considering them are dead for the year. Bills that have been approved then proceed to the full House of Representatives or Senate to be voted on.

Among the survivors of this winnowing process is HF 2092, the bill seeking to provide uniformity to Iowa's concealed weapons permit system. [I wrote about this bill previously.] Passing the committee by an impressive 18 to 3 majority, IowaCarry.org reports that the bill will probably be voted on by the full membership of the House within the next two weeks.

Iowans who care about this issue are encouraged to contact their state representative and urge them to support House File 2092. Click here to find your Iowa representative. Snail mail can be addressed:

Representative "So-and-So"

State Capitol

Des Moines IA 50319

The House switchboard number is 515-281-3221, where you can leave a short message for your rep. Be sure to give your name and address, so they know that you live and vote in their district.

McCain-[Your Name Here]

A Paid Advertisement-

Attention Liberal-Democrat Senators!

Are you tired of having your socialist dreams get shot down because they're "too liberal?" Senator John McCain can help!*

Having McCain co-author your bill will rubber-stamp the term "bipartisan" all over even your most liberal scheme. Any liberal Senator who's anybody has co-authored legislation with Senator McCain.

Still not convinced? Check out these testimonials from satisfied liberals:

Senator Ted Kennedy (McCain-Kennedy Alien Amnesty Bill 2005):

"I uh, used to think that a Republican senator would try to stand in the way of my socialist agenda. Not anymore! I like John McCain better than a stiff belt of scotch and broad with big, buoyant boobies. I look forward to hyphenating my name with him again in the future."

Senator Russ Feingold (McCain-Feingold Incumbent Protection Act 2002):

"Me and McCain work great together. I have a new common sense gun-safety bill, which would require gun owners to have their tongues cut out and be sodomized with broom handles. I think McCain's name would look spiffy in the title."

Senator Joe Lieberman ( McCain-Lieberman Hot Air Bill 2003):

"Suah, the consoyvatives might think he's a meshuggener, but Senator McCain has chutzpah! My plan to hamstring the U.S. economy in the name of global warming would have gone nowhere without him. Thank you Senator McCain!"

Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY)

"Oh, that Johnny can bring a smile to my face faster than the thought of a writhing fetus. No, I haven't co-authored legislation with Senator McCain... but I'd like to."

What does Senator McCain ask in return? Only for you liberals to like him! That's right: No bills, no fees. Just like him!

Don't spit on John McCain or call him "Baby-killer" like you did when he came back from 'Nam. You guys were the cool kids back then, with your dope and your rock and roll, but when he co-authors your bill, he'll show you that John McCain is pretty cool too, buster! Please like him!

All he's asking for is a knowing wink from across the aisle. Or maybe someone could sit with John McCain in the Senate lunchroom. No more pantsing John McCain in the cloakroom! Just like him. You don't even have to mean it, just pretend to like him.

To get in on this bargain just dial:

1-800-STATIST

John McCain is standing by... alone... in a dark room with a bottle of bourbon and his Navy-issue .45... awaiting your call. For the love of God, dial quickly!

This desperate plea for approval brought to you by:

Senator John McCain

"Making Democrat dreams come true since 1987"

*Offer only extended to liberal Democrats. Conservatives are invited to go f*ck themselves.