The Gathering Storm

[calsdad]

This guy isn't what you could call hopeful about our prospects under Obama.

The Gathering Storm
by Michael Gaddy




A man is no less a slave because he is allowed to choose a new master once in a term of years.
~ Lysander Spooner

Critical decisions, based purely on emotions, at the expense of reason, are at the very least, dangerous in the extreme. The emotional hysteria involving the coronation of our new president is frightening indeed and should be seen by those who truly believe in the Bill of Rights, especially the Second Amendment (2A), as a gathering storm. This type of intense worship and adulation for a statist leader has not been witnessed since the 1930s in Europe.

The deck is stacked against liberty and personal freedom: the President is anti-gun, the Vice-President is anti-gun, the Speaker of the House of Representatives is anti-gun, the Senate Majority leader is anti-gun, the Attorney General is anti-gun, as is the majority of congress.

The group that claims it protects our 2A freedoms, the NRA, has compromised citizens into a terribly weak position as concerns our 2A rights. A staunch supporter of the NRA wrote the following when I confronted him with evidence of support by NRA leadership for multiple infringements of the very freedoms the NRA claims to defend.

"In your examples, I'm dubious that Baker and LaPierre really believed what they were saying. Political BS, trying to keep the votes lined up. Doing their own con-job efforts on Congressional neutrals."

How can anyone justify supporting an NRA leadership that lies? Can anyone be sure whom else these leaders have lied to, and for what reason? Have they also lied to their members about supporting 2A?

This same reader stated the NRA could not support Congressman Ron Paul (A+ GOA rating) for president because he did not have a chance at winning and instead supported Senator John McCain who had an F– rating on 2A issues as rated by Gun Owners of America. Is it not completely obvious that the NRA cares more about being on the winning (republican) team than it does about defending the 2A? Money sent to these traitors would be better spent on ammo.

What should frighten everyone about the NRA is their enthusiastic support for a federal agency (BATFE), an agency that perpetrated a raid on innocent men, women and children at Waco that led to the deaths of over 75 members of that church, including 21 children, and then lied to Congress about the particulars of that raid. The agency claimed the raid was necessary to protect the well-being of the children the state eventually killed. The BATFE has taught its agents to perjure themselves in court, has declared a shoestring to be a machine gun, and routinely abuses citizens in their homes and businesses.

Republicans, don’t even start blaming the loss of freedoms on those "damn liberals." You supported a candidate for president with a terrible record on supporting the Bill of Rights, ignoring the only candidate (Ron Paul) who stands for everything you claim to believe in. You continued in your support for a criminal administration just because they called themselves "conservative" and you could align yourself with a "winner." You supported mass murder in Iraq and Afghanistan and the seizing of freedoms in this country in the name of "security." Your support of this continuing madness led to the massive emotional turnout for the Chi Town Hustler. If you are looking for sympathy, it falls between shame and syphilis in the dictionary.

I believe there to be no political solution to the infringements on our liberty by the tyrannical state. Money sent to organizations that basically pay elected representatives to honor their oaths to the Constitution is money wasted.

Now, for the scenario that will precede a rush to confiscate all weapons presently in the hands of American citizens: history tells us that first a madman, who has been previously diagnosed with mental problems, who is taking legal, across the counter, mind-altering drugs, will enter a "gun-free zone" and kill a large number of innocent people. The attack must take place in a gun-free zone to enable the madman to kill as many as possible without encountering anyone with the ability to stop him, otherwise the desired number of deaths could not be obtained, and if someone were to be armed and shoot the madman, other than an employee of the state, it would support private, individual possession of firearms, exactly the opposite of the state’s desired effect.

Second, the firearm(s) will have been obtained through currently legal channels. If the firearm were to be illegally obtained, or stolen, it would not support the state’s case for shutting down legal sales.

Third, the perpetrator of this death and mayhem will promptly commit suicide; this precludes any investigation into true motives or possible accomplices.

The MSM will then repeatedly show scenes of this crime in order to bring about the most intense emotional response from Boobus. There will be weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth and demands for immediate action by the state. Congress will immediately consider and pass gun control legislation that has been previously written and simply awaiting this event, claiming again this legislation is absolutely necessary and will make us all safer.

It is my sincere hope the above never happens, but history and the current emotional climate in this country does not support my desires. Take advantage of this window in time to prepare yourself for the coming storm.

January 22, 2009

Michael Gaddy [send him mail], an Army veteran of Vietnam, Grenada, and Beirut, lives in the Four Corners area of the American Southwest.

http://www.lewrockwell.com/gaddy/gaddy43.html

 

[TomH]

I agree with everything he said. The facts about NRA support are usually hushed quiet by gun owners and put under the "you have to support the nra" argument. I wonder how much the primaries would have changed if the NRA fully backed Paul? Probably not a win but I bet his percentage would have gone up.

 

[M1911]

Ron Paul had no chance. None, nadda, zippo. An NRA endorsement wouldn't have changed that.

It is endlessly amusing to me that so many of the folks who said there was no difference between Obama and McCain are now saying that the sky is falling now that Obama is in office, and gun bans are right around the corner. Anyone who paid attention during the campaign could tell that McCain, while far from perfect on gun rights, was much, much better on gun rights than Obama.

As I said during the campaign, lefties already learned this lesson. During the Bush/Gore campaign, many lefties said that there was no difference between Bush and Gore, and therefore they should vote for Nader who was more "pure" on green issues. Enough voters followed their advice that Bush beat Gore in Florida -- Nader got far more votes in FL than the difference between Bush and Gore -- and thus won the election. Turn the clock forward a few years and the lefties discovered that there really was a big difference between Bush and Gore and by gosh did they want a do-over.

A McCain administration wouldn't have put out on the White House web site that they supported passing a permanent assault weapons ban. A McCain administration wouldn't have tried to pull back CCW in National Parks, as it appears the Obama administration is set to do. But go ahead, and keep with the big lie that McCain is no different than Obama. Keep telling it often enough, you might even believe it.

Here we are post-election and righties are finding there really is a difference between Obama and McCain. No shit, Sherlock. But they still can't learn the lesson the lefties learned from the 2000 election. With any luck, they will learn this lesson by 2008.

But I'm not holding my breath.

 

[Big_Red]

I have seen the shit storm clouds forming on the horizon and hoped (prayed) that Obama would not win presidency. Well, he did so the storm is upon us and I don't have an umbrella.

 

[calsdad]

Ron Paul had no chance. None, nadda, zippo. An NRA endorsement wouldn't have changed that.

And neither did McCain. As soon as the Republican party started throwing out people like McCain the half-democrat to run against Obama the half-black guy - the election loss was pre-ordained. The Republican party put up people like McCain, and Guliani - and expected conservatives to just eat the shit sandwich and vote for them. The way I understand the voting results a good portion of them said: "screw it - I won't do it" and stayed home.

Would Ron Paul have won against Obama? Most likely not. We will never know now will we? After 4 or 8 years of Obama we might well wish we had. At least if they had put him up as the candidate - or picked somebody like Fred Thompson, conservatives could have at least said they put up a conservative candidate - and lost. Instead of running a Democrat - and losing.

It is endlessly amusing to me that so many of the folks who said there was no difference between Obama and McCain are now saying that the sky is falling now that Obama is in office, and gun bans are right around the corner. Anyone who paid attention during the campaign could tell that McCain, while far from perfect on gun rights, was much, much better on gun rights than Obama.

As I said during the campaign, lefties already learned this lesson. During the Bush/Gore campaign, many lefties said that there was no difference between Bush and Gore, and therefore they should vote for Nader who was more "pure" on green issues. Enough voters followed their advice that Bush beat Gore in Florida -- Nader got far more votes in FL than the difference between Bush and Gore -- and thus won the election. Turn the clock forward a few years and the lefties discovered that there really was a big difference between Bush and Gore and by gosh did they want a do-over.

A McCain administration wouldn't have put out on the White House web site that they supported passing a permanent assault weapons ban. A McCain administration wouldn't have tried to pull back CCW in National Parks, as it appears the Obama administration is set to do. But go ahead, and keep with the big lie that McCain is no different than Obama. Keep telling it often enough, you might even believe it.

Here we are post-election and righties are finding there really is a difference between Obama and McCain. No shit, Sherlock. But they still can't learn the lesson the lefties learned from the 2000 election. With any luck, they will learn this lesson by 2008.

But I'm not holding my breath.

If McCain had gotten elected - and he did have a chance because the results were THAT far off, I don't think in the end we really would have been that much better off. What we would have ended up with at the end of a McCain administration is either Hillary or Obama still around - and still ready to run again - and a population of people even more dissatisified with Republicans and even more ready to vote for Obama or somebody like him.

If McCain had gotten in it only would have delayed the pain. The economy is still going to go to shit. At least this way Obama has gotten handed the flaming bag of shit. So when things get worse - and they absolutely will - it will eventually be blamed on Obama and the Democrats. If McCain had been in office - the economy would have been blamed on two successive Republican administrations - the Democrats would win in either 4 or 8 years - and the Republican party probably would be dead and gone COMPLETELY - instead of on life support like it is now - with at least some hope of revival.

Just like in the economy - if you do stupid things you will pay the piper sooner or later in politics.

I voted for McCain - but I also thought that GIVEN THE CHOICES, having Obama come in NOW is in the end not necessarily the worst strategic move long term if you have any hope to pull this country back from socialism.

What is going on now is a desperate grasp by the govt. and a good portion of the population to avoid the pain of paying for their stupid mistakes. I believe it will all fail.

The problem with McCain and Obama is not that there wasn't a difference - it's that there wasn't enough of a difference. If you were truly conservative - why vote for the guy who is half a liberal? If you are a liberal and a Democrat - again, why vote for the guy who is half a liberal?

McCain = destined to lose. Republican party epic fail. The only reason McCain got even as much votes as he did was because people were so opposed to Obama. If the Democrats had put up somebody even half palatable - (no Hillary and no Obama), they might have won the election anyway - in a massive landslide.

 

[TomH]

Ron Paul had no chance. None, nadda, zippo. An NRA endorsement wouldn't have changed that.

Yet you can't seem to provide the solution. Unless you think the solution is a republican canidate. They're both terrible options for different reasons. The lesser of two evils thing is just getting old and it's costing us too much. I'm not buying into it next election.

 

[M1911]

Yet you can't seem to provide the solution. Unless you think the solution is a republican canidate. They're both terrible options for different reasons. The lesser of two evils thing is just getting old and it's costing us too much. I'm not buying into it next election.

What you're buying, then, is the worst of two evils. As for me "providing the solution," neither you, nor I, nor the Libertarian party can conjure up an effective third party. It doesn't exist. Voting for an ineffective one is simply the same as voting for the Democrat. Hope you enjoy President Obama.

 

[Joe R.]

You keep blaming the man instead everything that went on around the man. This has been going on since the Clinton years so it's not a recent fail. The Libertarians can't seem to put up a good challenge for President and the Republicans keep putting out either weak candidates ( Dole ) or democrat-lite candidates ( McCain.) You still have to consider the 1 leg of the table that has made a choice in the elections and where most of the people still get their news... the MSM. Face it, the media picked McCain for the Repub's and then dropped him like a hot potato once they got Hillary out of the way. I don't think that McCain figured that out until it was too late to mount an effective counter to that - his running mate understood this but was cut off from doing it by the campaign itself.

We as conservatives ( all variations there of ) are made to look bad, out of touch, and just plain evil by the MSM. Look at the results from the poll taken by Wilson - the voters that were at least paying attention to who the candidates were voted for McCain. The people that didn't care or got their news from the major networks voted for the Obamamarxist. The MSM is failing in their job description in a republic and that needs to be fixed. I don't have any solutions for that except to just stop watching the news and hope that they get the message...

Joe R.

 

[mikem317]

Screw the Libertarian Party. They trotted out a former RINO in Bob Barr who has a less then stellar voting record.

The Republican Party can change. If they don't, they're going to go the way of the Whig Party.

My only recommendation to the Republican Party and its supporters is this: Next time a real conservative runs, be it Dr. Ron Paul or somebody of similar conservative worldview, stop with the character assassination and start listening.

 

[mikem317]

Michael Gaddy has some goodies on Lewrockwell.com. He's a big gun guy. He makes a couple of errors here and there, but it's refreshing to know that there are still people out there that appreciate and defend individual liberties.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Ron Paul had no chance. None, nadda, zippo. An NRA endorsement wouldn't have changed that.

True, but it would tell the Republicans they have to earn the NRA endorsement; they don't get it for free by being a bit less bad than the Democrats.

 

[Gabe]

I read an excerpt recently that made the case that Republicans ever since Nixon have been promising smaller government, little 'l' libertarianism, and then bloating the federal government's budget just like the Democrats they opposed promised to. Nixon, Reagan, Bush I and Bush II. It's not an earthshaking revelation but a simple observation.

Ron Paul might have been poo-pooed simply because you knew he meant what he said, while the party line is simply a facade to attract votes - Republicans never intended to actually effect a small government, they just want the power. Paul would have actually shrunk government.

It's funny that in all this inauguration hubbub I keep reading Reagan's famous line about government being not the solution to the problem, but the problem itself. Please. Forget what they say. What do they do?

 

[calsdad]

I read an excerpt recently that made the case that Republicans ever since Nixon have been promising smaller government, little 'l' libertarianism, and then bloating the federal government's budget just like the Democrats they opposed promised to. Nixon, Reagan, Bush I and Bush II. It's not an earthshaking revelation but a simple observation.

Ron Paul might have been poo-pooed simply because you knew he meant what he said, while the party line is simply a facade to attract votes - Republicans never intended to actually effect a small government, they just want the power. Paul would have actually shrunk government.

It's funny that in all this inauguration hubbub I keep reading Reagan's famous line about government being not the solution to the problem, but the problem itself. Please. Forget what they say. What do they do?

I have read that before also.

It appears in this last election the conservatives finally said: "screw it - you are not going to get me to vote for this guy - give me a real conservative - or piss off".

And the lunatics on the left got exactly what they wanted.

What's that old saying? Be careful what you wish for?

 

[mikem317]

Ron Paul had no chance. None, nadda, zippo. An NRA endorsement wouldn't have changed that.

The Vegas odds makers would respectively have to disagree with you.

 

[Ray-500]

I have read that before also.

It appears in this last election the conservatives finally said: "screw it - you are not going to get me to vote for this guy - give me a real conservative - or piss off".

And the lunatics on the left got exactly what they wanted.

What's that old saying? Be careful what you wish for?

Totally agree. The only thing that might have swayed some conservatives, was the addition of Palin. At this point in time (IMHO only), the GOP sucks, has no balls, and is no different from the left. Yup...let's "reach out", be bipartisan, and get our throats stepped on. Is there no one in the GOP that has any balls?....and economic sense?

 

[bishop375]

Any thoughts on the GOP's chances if they distance themselves from religion?

 

[mikem317]

Any thoughts on the GOP's chances if they distance themselves from religion?

In a word: Excellent.

They can still embody liberty for all, and extend it to the unborn. But this can be separate from the typical religious fervor that it inevitably generates.

And don't forget they'll need to expunge the unadulterated, jingoistic neocons from party ranks in order to become viable.

But I digress...

 

[Ray-500]

Any thoughts on the GOP's chances if they distance themselves from religion?

IMHO, don't think all can be separated and cut out. Is there any Christian denomination you can think of that says "You must think like us...or else"? "Be like us or we will kill you"? Don't think so.

Conservatives are conservatives....its a belief, and religion is only a PART. Conservatism works...if its allowed to...in terms of running the country.

To my dismay, former Pres. Bush was not really a conservative, and he DID NOT lead a conservative movement. Nice guy, good man, caring person. But, in terms of politics, he was/is no conservative, and had no ink in his veto pen.

Grin, I refer back to the original colony. Gov. Bradford found out that Socialism does not work. He changed direction, and the colony started to flourish.

I regret that we are now on a road to "full blown" Socialism, and can only hope that our country will survive. Sooner or later, the old tale of "The Goose That Laid The Golden Egg" will come into play. Tale? Yes. But also reality.

 

[TomH]

Any thoughts on the GOP's chances if they distance themselves from religion?

I think they've already messed it up for themselves. The label of being a republican is like having a scarlet letter these days. The party doesn't stand for anything that great anymore so I don't see the reason to try and resurrect it. Why not shift to a party line that actually follows the Constitution, goes for small gov, etc. The Republican party sure isn't going to swing that way!

 

[Ray-500]

I think they've already messed it up for themselves. The label of being a republican is like having a scarlet letter these days. The party doesn't stand for anything that great anymore so I don't see the reason to try and resurrect it. Why not shift to a party line that actually follows the Constitution, goes for small gov, etc. The Republican party sure isn't going to swing that way!

Sad, but very true. The current GOP, in bulk, has no balls and is really no different than the Dems. that they supposedly oppose. In general, these politicians want to make me puke. How do some of these folks get elected year after year? Are we that stupid?

 

[mikem317]

I think they've already messed it up for themselves. The label of being a republican is like having a scarlet letter these days. The party doesn't stand for anything that great anymore so I don't see the reason to try and resurrect it. Why not shift to a party line that actually follows the Constitution, goes for small gov, etc. The Republican party sure isn't going to swing that way!

Definitely a good alternative.

Maybe out of the ashes will rise a stronger Constitution Party or another pro-liberty party.

Leaders like Carla Howell or Michael Cloud (state level) would match nicely to national leaders like Dr. Ron Paul.

 

[Ray-500]

I think they've already messed it up for themselves. The label of being a republican is like having a scarlet letter these days. The party doesn't stand for anything that great anymore so I don't see the reason to try and resurrect it. Why not shift to a party line that actually follows the Constitution, goes for small gov, etc. The Republican party sure isn't going to swing that way!

A 3rd party is almost an impossibility. What needs to be done is to let the GOP leadership know exactly how we feel. If it means staying away from the polls....so be it. Direct communication may not mean much...its probably ignored. Would love to see a viable 3rd party that is "truly" conservative. One can only hope.

 

[sig shooter]

The NRA used to be a hard core freedom based organization but that all went south when Charlton Heston stepped down as NRA president. I have more respect for GOA and JPFO then the NRA for the simple fact they don't compromise and they fight for our rights. I'm not going to say that the NRA has not made a difference because they have. We would have lost our RTKB a long time ago if not for the old school NRA.

 

[theGringo]

What needs to be done is to let the GOP leadership know exactly how we feel.

Didn't we go down this road in 1992? It was George Bush or Ross Perot, and discontented conservative Republicans gave the White House to Bill Clinton, who took a scant 43% of the vote that year, by default.

Revolution, my man. Revolution is the only answer.

 

[Tooth]

The Democrat party did something conservatives did not. They raised money in amounts that were unthinkable. We need to put our money were our mouth is. Get people to donate to the GOP, join GOAL, NRA, and any other source that will help get our message out there. Hopefully the country is still center right. We will see in two years during the midterms just how screwed we are, or not. Unfortunately the new administration seems to be working swiftly, but they do not have a filibuster proof majority. Thank God for that.

 

[Ray-500]

Didn't we go down this road in 1992? It was George Bush or Ross Perot, and discontented conservative Republicans gave the White House to Bill Clinton, who took a scant 43% of the vote that year, by default.

Revolution, my man. Revolution is the only answer.

That may very well be my friend. Not my first choice. I would, for sure, prefer to see things resolved in ballots....assuming they are not stolen.

 

[Ray-500]

The Democrat party did something conservatives did not. They raised money in amounts that were unthinkable. We need to put our money were our mouth is. Get people to donate to the GOP, join GOAL, NRA, and any other source that will help get our message out there. Hopefully the country is still center right. We will see in two years during the midterms just how screwed we are, or not. Unfortunately the new administration seems to be working swiftly, but they do not have a filibuster proof majority. Thank God for that.

Why donate to a party that acts no differently than their opponents? What is so great about the current GOP that gets you excited and makes you want to contribute? Does the party have any balls at all?....or is it just "Go along to get along"?....principles be damned? I personally think the present GOP is a joke and a caricature.

 

[MassBites]

I stopped reading after this little gem:

"You supported mass murder in Iraq and Afghanistan and the seizing of freedoms in this country in the name of "security."

Once he made that statement he lost all credibility. Just another cool-aid consumer.

I don't know about anyone else but I support our military. It was probably easy to miss in his diatribe, but this complete JACK-ASS accused our troops of "mass murder."

Screw him!!

 

[MassBites]

The Democrat party did something conservatives did not. They raised money in amounts that were unthinkable.....

Most of which came from foreign sources.

 

[calsdad]

I stopped reading after this little gem:

"You supported mass murder in Iraq and Afghanistan and the seizing of freedoms in this country in the name of "security."

Once he made that statement he lost all credibility. Just another cool-aid consumer.

I don't know about anyone else but I support our military. It was probably easy to miss in his diatribe, but this complete JACK-ASS accused our troops of "mass murder."

Screw him!!

You should have at least checked out the credits at the bottom:

Michael Gaddy [send him mail], an Army veteran of Vietnam, Grenada, and Beirut, lives in the Four Corners area of the American Southwest.

He served his time - and he is entitled to his opinions.