That was Then…This is Now

By William L. Garvin

“On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas that for far too long have strangled our politics…and those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account, to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day, because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.”  President Obama’s FIRST inaugural address, January, 2009.

In his second inaugural address, the President focused on different priorities which are supposedly uppermost in the public’s mind:  gun control, climate change, gay rights, and voter suppression.  Apparently the $16 trillion dollar debt, unemployment still at 7.8% (the same as when he took office), 47 million Americans on food stamps, and the most anemic recovery in history from a recession (which ended in 2009), are no longer matters of presidential concern.  It goes without saying that these new priorities are “all for the children.”

Prominently displayed throughout the day was the irrepressible Senator Chuck Schumer from New York.  He prepped for his prime time appearance by promising on the Sunday talk shows that for the first time in four years, the Senate Democrats would prepare a budget!  What an earth shattering revelation.  “We Democrats have always intended to do a budget this year,” according to Schumer.  Needless to say, nothing was said about the President’s budget proposal being late once again but then the Senate is FOUR YEARS LATE!  Naturally, Schumer’s key and most blustery point was “…it’s going to have revenues in it and our Republican colleagues better get used to that fact.”  The tax train is stopping at a station near you…all aboard!  Maybe that’s why the Democrats booed Congressman Paul Ryan when he came to be seated at the festivities.

But since gun control is the flavor of the day, (now that Benghazi, Fast and Furious, Syria, Mali, the resurgent al-quaeda, the deteriorating Arab Spring and the economy are no longer politically relevant), here are a few facts brilliantly laid out by Mark Alexander  (The Patriot Post (www.patriotpost.us/subscribe/ ) to combat the prevailing emotional pablum being spewed:

“So, why all the political focus on "assault weapons"?
Because these weapons have been used in many murders, and crimes involving them have increased dramatically in the last 20 years, when gun control advocates coined the term "assault weapon," right?
Wrong. According to the FBI's most recent Uniform Crime Report, a summary of all serious crimes committed each year, in 1992 violent crime incidence was 752 per 100,000 people and 9.3 murders per 100,000.
In 2011, the violent crime rate had dropped to 386 per 100,000 and the murder rate to 4.7 per 100,000 -- nearly a 50 percent decline in both. This precipitous drop occurred at a time when the number of firearms increased dramatically -- including the sale of more than six million "assault weapons."
So, why all the political focus on "assault weapons"?
The 2011 FBI data shows that there were 323 murders committed with rifles of any kind. However, guns defined as "assault weapons" by the federal government were used in less than 0.5% (one-half of one percent) of all murders with guns in 2011.
By comparison, 496 murders were committed with hammers and clubs, and 1,694 murders were perpetrated with knives. Notably, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that drunk drivers are responsible for nearly 10,000 deaths each year in the U.S. -- far more than the number of deaths involving guns of any kind in 2011. (Should there be federal background checks every time someone orders a beer or glass of Chardonnay?)
Additionally, according to the demographic and geographic profile of most violent crimes, the vast majority of perpetrators who murder with guns are associated with gangs and/or drug cartels, which thrive on urban welfare plantations.
In fact, there were more than 500 murders in Obama's hometown of Chicago last year -- a city with some of the most restrictive gun laws in the nation. Most of those murders were tied to gangs and drugs.”
In reality, most “assault weapons” are “defense weapons” purchased by law abiding citizens.  For many of them, it actually is all about the children.  For others, it is a well armed militia, which in the language of the times was the general public.  For others, it is a matter of sport, hunting or target shooting.  For others, it is a matter of “choice.”  But liberals only support choice for liberals.