Representing Kansas or...We Need A Lot of Help

Just the other day, Congress approved their latest annual spending bill, in which they fortunately restore Bush cuts to local law enforcement agencies. These were among the many cuts restored by lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, most of which were beneficial. However, they did not go nearly far enough, as the so-called "Tiahrt Amendment" was still attached to the bill. Named for Kansas Republican Todd Tiahrt, it restricts the sharing of gun trace data among law enforcement. Apparently, Republican dogma is more important to Tiahrt than protecting communities and prosecuting criminals. He probably twists it into some kind of restriction on our 2nd Amendment "rights", which he and many others misconstrue greatly.

The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution does NOT give the right to bear arms to citizens as individuals, that is not what it was meant for. The actual text states, "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." This is talking about the right of the states to have armed militias, or what we now call the National Guard, or even the United States Army. Back then, a militia was necessary for the young to fight off any would-be invaders, such as Great Britain. Furthermore. the Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles defines the phrase "to bear arms" as meaning to serve as a soldier or do military service. The Second Amendment does not give each of us to own guns. Even if it did, Tiahrt is nearly incompetent if he believe sharing trace data from guns used in violent crime would infringe on that right.

Speaking of incompetent Kansas legislators, Senator Brownback, on his foolish quest for the Republican nomination for President, has resorted to the annoying automated phonecalls that so many of us hate. Brownback apparently does not understand that nothing will help him compete with the money and support of a Giuliani, a Romney, or even a Thompson. He is wasting our time and money by fighting a losing battle against these political giants, when he should be in Congress, voting on bills that may actually have some relevance. While I in no way support Brownback and his right-wing agenda, one good thing could be said about the man, and that is that he is big on the Darfur issue. Maybe if he were back in the Senate where he should be, something could be done about it. Give up on the presidency now Sammie, you can't play with the big boys yet.

Kansas needs some new blood in there, representing us. Remember that come next year.

In other campaign news, it would seem that Republican candidates are wary of the CNN-Youtube format that the Democrats were subject to this last week. Could they be afraid of the Youtube generation? The one thing that politicians dance around, Republicans and Democrats alike, is actually answering the questions posed to them. However, while the Democrats successfully did that during their Youtube debate, and managed to get very little said on how they would be different, the Republicans have got a lot more to answer for. Their support for the war and for the use of torture, their views on healthcare and the environment, people are going to be a lot more outspoken and angry with them.