**** of the walk.

Israelis Will Soon Be Mass Producing AK-47s for the U.S. Market

The symbolism of a Kalashnikov on U.S. soil isn’t lost on CAA either. “For the intelligent [weapons] consumer, what do they want? They want an M-16, or [its close cousin] the AR-15, they want a shotgun, some want an [Israeli] Uzi, some get a Beretta [Italian]—and now you can buy a Russian Kalashnikov,” Oz observed, ticking off the names of the gun world’s strongest brands.

Technically not a firing but President Obama got rid of Petraeus (known as Betrayus by his troops).

On June 30, 2011, Petraeus was unanimously confirmed as the Director of the CIA by the U.S. Senate 94–0. Petraeus relinquished command of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan on July 18, 2011, and retired from the U.S. Army on August 31, 2011. On November 9, 2012, General Petraeus resigned from his position as Director of the CIA, citing his extramarital affair, which was reportedly discovered in the course of an FBI investigation. In January 2015, officials reported the FBI and Justice Department prosecutors had recommended bringing felony charges against Petraeus for allegedly providing classified information to his biographer, Paula Broadwell (with whom he was having an affair), while serving as Director of the CIA. Eventually, Petraeus pled guilty to one misdemeanor charge of mishandling classified information.

It's hard to estimate who gave away more classified material, Petraeus or Flynn.

Queue up the circus music.

President Trump wants to put on a show. Governing matters less.

“If you’re ever confused about Trump’s motives, go to showman first.”

And the circus music keeps blaring.



Trump’s Cabinet has to work as a cleanup crew

This public and often yawning gulf between Trump and his agency heads has added to the sense of chaos and turmoil emanating from the White House, sending his secretaries scrambling to interpret their boss’s exact positions and leaving other nations confused as to who, exactly, speaks on behalf of the administration.

Can't beat my 12 gauge pump Mossberg with 18 in barrel.

Mark:
George Washington
Abe Lincoln
Ronald Reagan
Did not hate Obama, just thought he was not up to the job.

Back to the Beach.

(Mikey, slight overcast, but a beautiful day. You should be out or on the water)

What’s the matter with Kansas?

That phrase has been around a while, thanks to Thomas Frank’s book that explored why the state is so conservative. Now, however, the question applies in a more direct sense, as in: why is the state’s budget in the crapper, and why is its economy one of the worst performing in the country, both in terms of jobs and overall growth? (Kansas’s economy actually contracted in the last two quarters of 2016—when the state fell, in technical terms, into recession.)

The answer is simple: conservative Republicans got their way. Now the Jayhawk is coming home to roost.

Meanwhile in Ninny's favorite state...

Golden State voters elected a Democratic governor, Jerry Brown, and elected huge Democratic majorities. The state’s budget was in shambles when Brown took over from Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger, with a deficit of $25 billion in fiscal year 2011-12.

What did Democrats do?

They raised taxes on the wealthiest households, and their plan brought the budget into balance, paid down huge debts from past deficits, and has even run surpluses the last couple of years. At the same time, California’s economic growth rate has been very strong. In the most recent year for which we have data, it was more than double the average for the country, and was in fact tied for the highest rate with Oregon—another state with a Democratic governor and Democratic majorities in both houses of the state legislature. California may have to make some adjustments going forward, but overall the liberal tax and budget policies implemented a few years ago have been a real success.


Democrats need to show the American people that governing is about results, about delivering for them. And liberal policies do that a hell of a lot better than conservative ones.

Todd? Todd?? Yoooooohooooooooooooo, Todd!!

ah... the issue is not if you hated obama.... Or thought he failed at the job.

The question was... Given the backgrounds of the last couple of presidents... and your stance that generals are great. What track record gave you the best chance to be commander in chief... ie a civilian politician in control of the military and why?

I consider the media to be indispensable to democracy. We need an independent media to hold people like me to account. Power can be very addictive, and it can be corrosive.
---President George W. Bush

Popular vote loser voters having second thoughts? Naaaaaaaaaaaaaa...

These Iowans voted for Trump. Many of them are already disappointed.

Tom Godat, a union electrician who has always voted for Democrats, cast his ballot for Donald Trump last year as “the lesser of two evils” compared to Hillary Clinton. He’s already a little embarrassed about it. “It seems almost like a dictatorship at times. He’s got a lot of controversial stuff going on and rather than thinking it through, I’m afraid that he’s jumping into the frying pan with both feet.”

Mark, I am not a military strategist. Last job on active duty was Battalion S-2/S-3, a long time ago. However, the President is the Commander in Chief. He must have a strong Team of Military and Civilian Advisors and be able to listen to them, and make the final decision. Think Washington, Lincoln, Truman and Reagan.

Back to the Beach, only a couple more days before returning to the snow.

Caleb, I am also not a military strategist... just a voter.

You seem to elevate Reagan as a great commander in chief. Why?

What attributes or results inform that opinion. Mind you.... this is not really military strategy as much as foreign policy!

I get flagged when you highlight words like... "must listen to the generals" usually that means... do what the current general in charge is spinning or you are not respecting the military.
I have a big problem with this.

Two points... we have lots of generals with a complete spectrum of views. (See GWB era... I need 300k.... versus... I need 100 k in troops) Cherry picking your general is FINE (see Lincoln) so long as you, as president, completely own the decision. (Did Bush own this FUBAR in Irag or Afgan?)

The buck stops with the president and you will be second guessed for eternity. You better grow a pair when you take hard choices that don't fit American folk lore. We venerate winning generals and neuter the loosers. We celebrate our colonization period where we could kick some a$$. (Remember. the trope we were fed as kids... America never loses a war... America never starts a war... but will damn well finish it) The president has to own the choice and so he damn better be ready. the modern world does not yield white flags and surrender ceremonies very often. (See Dayton but also see Korea)!

Trump causes a lot of upset when he opines that American soldiers don't win wars anymore. Really?... do you think the volunteer force and the generals he just appointed have f'd it up over the last 60 years since Truman?

given the number of generals now in charge and trumps record, speech and behavior... Its a good time to take a careful look at your assumptions!

Today's Spirit of America rallies draw massive support for the popular vote loser.


There would have been more but they were busy knocking grave stones over.


Why do they all look so depressed?

The guy on the left was promised donuts.


Needed a wide angle lens to fit them all in.

[img]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C5sXSzEXMAAa-6b.jpg[/img]
[img]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C5sXUjCXEAcAjCR.jpg[/img]

[img]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C5sa5gmXMAEwNAk.jpg[/img]
Maybe call it the man-on-a-million-corners rally?

[img]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C5sa8VHXEAAhjSd.jpg[/img]
Get your Trump University graduation picture right here!

[img]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C5r5N_wWYAAEUbB.jpg[/img]
Break time! I hope that fat guy didn't Hoover all the donuts.

Fake news. Right Schwantz?

Prison for 2 who threatened violence at black child’s party

Douglasville judge says Confederate flag case was a hate crime

To make their point about their right to fly the battle flag and what they thought of African-Americans, they threatened black motorists with epithets and a gun, heckled black customers at a Paulding County Wal-Mart with the same epithet, and repeated their actions at a convenience store. The store manager called 911.

Then they happened upon the outdoor birthday party for an 8-year-old African-American child at his grandmother’s house in Douglasville. The confrontation that ensued, and its aftermath, culminated Monday with lengthy prison sentences for Torres and Norton.

[...]
Assistant District Attorney David Emadi detailed how the group had gone on a drunken, two-county spree July 24 and July 25. Emadi said that by the time the group reached the birthday party, they pulled a black, tactical pump shotgun out of one of the trucks. The shotgun matched one found in Torres’ truck later, Emadi said.

Emadi said Torres and two others passed the gun around, holding it as they and the others taunted not only the adults but the children.

“‘We’re going to kill some (racial epithet)s today,’” Emadi said, quoting witnesses present during the standoff. “We’ll blow the head off the little bastards. We’ll kill all the little (racial epithet)s.”

Someone passed ammunition to Torres and he leveled the shotgun at the group and yelled, “I’ll kill all of you (racial epithet)s,” Emadi said.

What happens when gun manufacturers project lower revenues? Trot out Krazy Wayne of course.

The NRA’s new gun-sales pitch: America is a war zone and the “violent left” is coming for you

Perhaps LaPierre is really pissing in his pants, afraid of leftist protesters. But the gun-safety advocates I spoke with took a more cynical view, arguing that LaPierre’s be-afraid-buy-guns speech is better understood as a marketing move.

The number of Americans who own guns has been declining for years, creating a serious marketing problem for the gun industry. With fewer owners out there, the gun industry has to convince the people who do own then to buy more and ideally build up a massive and expensive stockpile of weaponry.

Will Chumlee buy more pieces? If he can unload his Beck gold coins...

“So, I start to think to myself: Oh, I think this guy is trying to let people know I’m a Jew. And I think to myself, ‘Doesn’t my face do that?’” recalled Stewart at the benefit. “Honestly! Where have you seen this face other than a poster for Yentl? In what world are people like, ‘Stewart? That’s a Scottish name! But there’s something about that fella that looks a little schmear-y.’ It would be funny if it wasn’t so toxically fuckin’ crude and horrible.”

Revisiting Donald Trump’s Anti-Semitic Attacks Against Jon Stewart

Steven Goldstein, the executive director of the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect, said it best: “Trump quacks, walks, and talks like an anti-Semite. That makes him an anti-Semite.”

You Can’t Spell America Without ME: The Really Tremendous Inside Story of My Fantastic First Year as President Donald J. Trump

Alec Baldwin and Kurt Andersen are writing a Trump book together. Sad.

Coming in November.

Just wondering how many people are killed in the US by guns kept in homes. Do they keep these kinds of figures for say the last 12 months?

Posted Feb. 28.

As of “press time,” 20 people had accidentally shot themselves during the week beginning February 5. That’s a little on the high end, but not very far out of keeping with routine. The week’s list also included six minors accidentally shot (and three shootings by kids under age six, not including those who accidentally shot themselves), five accidental gun fatalities, five people who accidentally fired guns they were cleaning, and five people who accidentally fired guns while they were out and about with the rest of us, shopping, dining, staying at hotels, etc. And, as usual, there were multiple incidents of members of the military and law enforcement officers involved in GunFAIL incidents of various kinds, hunting accidents, and “home invasion shootings,” where friendly gun enthusiasts (accidentally) include their neighbors in their activities, sending discharged bullets into their homes and properties without waiting for an invitation.

Speaking of accidentally firing into a neighboring property, and of accidentally firing your guns while you’re out shopping with the rest of us, Florida has got us covered on both counts. On February 10, in Seminole, a 19-year-old girl was shot in the back while getting a pedicure at Dara’s Nail Salon and Day Spa. I may have the wrong picture in my head, but it seems like getting shot in the back during a pedicure isn’t all that easy. And as it happens, this one had to be pulled off by accidentally firing a .45 through the wall of the gun shop next door. Be aware of who your neighbors are, I guess! Though the owners of the nail salon here could certainly be forgiven for believing the NRA’s propaganda, telling them that the gun shop next door was the safest neighbor anyone could have. If they’re not GunFAIL readers, that is.

The next day, on the opposite coast, a friendly Responsible Gun OwnerTM and concealed carry permit holder accidentally dropped his little friend in the Dunkin’ Donuts in Coconut Creek. The floor of the donut shop, which is not licensed to carry firearms irresponsibly fired the weapon, striking a 55-year-old woman, more likely there for donut holes than bullet holes. But what’s a patriotic citizen to do? The concealed carry permit holder was merely exercising his right to keep drop and bear accidentally discharge arms. And at least he did what his concealed carry permit required him to do in such a situation. That is, carry his gun out of the establishment, and conceal himself elsewhere, before the police arrived.

Alternative Facts
At his Jan. 10 Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing, Sessions was asked by Sen. Al Franken, a Minnesota Democrat, what he would do if he learned of any evidence that anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government in the course of the 2016 campaign.

“I’m not aware of any of those activities,” he responded. He added: “I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians.”

Facts
Then-Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) spoke twice last year with Russia’s ambassador to the United States, Justice Department officials said, encounters he did not disclose when asked about possible contacts between members of President Trump’s campaign and representatives of Moscow during Sessions’s confirmation hearing to become attorney general.

One of the meetings was a private conversation between Sessions and Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak that took place in September in the senator’s office, at the height of what U.S. intelligence officials say was a Russian cyber campaign to upend the U.S. presidential race.

The previously undisclosed discussions could fuel new congressional calls for the appointment of a special counsel to investigate Russia’s alleged role in the 2016 presidential election. As attorney general, Sessions oversees the Justice Department and the FBI, which have been leading investigations into Russian meddling and any links to Trump’s associates. He has so far resisted calls to recuse himself.

Sessions met with Russian envoy twice last year, encounters he later did not disclose

Well bless his heart.