Shame on Congress

NY Daily News headline Mar 20, 2013

Shame on us indeed.  Redundant to say the least . . .What the hell is going on with Congress?  Is Harry Reid crazy?  The Dems have allowed him to jettison the Assault Weapons portion of the bill.  

We watched a movie, "End of Watch", last night.  It was not a movie I would have picked but my husband more or less does all the Netflix research and he usually picks winners.  This film is about the police and gang violence in Compton, CA aka "South Central".  (I actually got lost there a few years ago.  My car was on fumes & I had to go to the bathroom.  I thought I was heading to Long Beach...but that's another story).

Anyway, the movie is well done and  the performances compelling.  One is particularly struck by the weapons the gangs prefer, automatic assault, and the preventive measure the cops take to keep from getting killed.  It again brings home the ridiculous availability of these weapons to the public.  Yes, I know.  If a criminal wants one for the wrong reasons, they'll get them anyway.  But why make it easy?  Why does anyone need one at all?  We aren't supplying weapons of mass destruction to criminals (well, we are overseas thank you DOD) or making a case for the availability of same.  Why honor the NRA's insistence on keeping the availability of these types of weapons and not requiring registration, background checks, waiting periods, etc?  

Look at those faces above.  How many more innocent babes will be gunned down by a lunatic with a gun? 

Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper signed a "gun control" packaged bill yesterday after the executive director of the Colorado Corrections Dept was gunned down at his home yesterday morning.

Congress should be made to stare at these faces day in and out until they grow some balls and ban assault weapons.  It would be a start.

"Game Change" a Page Turner

I haven't finished the book, "Game Change" yet but it is a page turner like no other political tome I've read.  If you were into the 2008 presidential race, this is the book for you.  I began reading it last Wednesday.

It's been criticized on a number of levels as it is without footnotes or references, all stories being delivered from sources the authors deem reliable, those with whom they've worked for years.  The authors' contention is that few, if any, would be forthcoming about behind-the-scenes campaign experiences if they had to be publicity outed.  As such, the caveat emptor here is "grain of salt".  Be that as it may, it reads like a suspense novel.  You cannot put it down.

Not sure why it's been characterized as critical of Hillary.  I think the portrait of her seems balanced and fair.  Who the hell would run for president & not be overwhelmed, exhausted &/or arrogant from time to time?  The remark Harry Reid made about then Sen. Obama's light skin & speaking abilities (lacking a dialect) seems taken out of the context in which he spoke.  I have no love for Harry Reid.  He's a pompous ass.  But I doubt if what he said was much different than what most of the cognoscenti said when considering Obama's chances as a black presidential candidate.  It's all about electability.

The most surprising thing I've learned, thus far,besides the Elizabeth Edwards revelations, is how long the candidates prepare to be candidates.  It is years in the making.  I'm not talking about the youthful yearnings to be POTUS; I'm talking about the years during which potential candidates lay the groundwork themselves in their policy no matter their political standing or office (or no office) at the time.  They assemble their teams years in advance to assess the landscape.  They begin to raise money furtively.  Talk about your well-oiled machine.