Clinton: No charges that we’ll hear about until infinity

Without a doubt I am likely missing a “talking-head fest” on CNN or other cable outlets right now. I could turn my television on in perhaps a flat two seconds, maybe a shorter period of time. But I ask myself, why?

One wouldn't want Hillary as your IT director. But she isn't going to jail, at least anytime soon. Government photo
One wouldn’t want Hillary as your IT director. But she isn’t going to jail, at least anytime soon. Government photo

Unless the President, who is on the campaign trail with presumed Democrat nominee Hillary Clinton, made some serious gaffe or in a moment of excitement decided to expose himself “in front of God and everybody,” the topic will likely be Hillary.

FBI Director James Comey made a step-by-step statement this morning concerning what government investigators found in their long investigation over e-mails used and sent by former  Secretary Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. But, said the FBI director — a Republican appointee of George W. “GW” Bush — there was nothing found in the investigation into Clinton’s e-mails other than carelessness. Certainly, nothing was found that would make a prosecutor want to proceed with criminal charges against the presidential candidate.

Of course, GOP presumptive nominee Donald Trump cried foul six ways to Sunday. “The system is rigged,” whined Trump.

Trump surrogates and mouth pieces lit into the decision that most likely means Clinton will unlikely face any charges into faulty e-mail practices. And probably into the next General Election will we hear all kinds of complaints about Clinton and the “damn  e-mails,” as Independent/Democrat U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders said during his campaign against Clinton for the D nomination.

But we will continue to hear about the e-mails and Benghazi from now until who knows when.

Well, I have just enough time to do a quick edit on this before I turn on the local news to see if our local TV reporters are better today than they were yesterday in covering what’s happening in our area. There’s always hope. But hope doesn’t get ya ratings!!!

Boy, do I really need a life.

Hyperbole and hypocracy: Touchstones of pro-gun nuts.

Hyperbole arrives at its zenith during presidential election years. One has to admit though, exaggerating truth or telling just damn lies, have become standard operating procedure by politicians and their supporters for years now.

Nowhere does the folks who think they know constitutional law when it comes to “pro-gun” and radical Second Amendment enthusiasts. The current Supreme Court ruling asserts the amendment means the people of the nation becoming armed is equal to militias as set forth in the language of which was ratified in three-fourths of the state on Dec. 15, 1791. Let’s see how many states that would be? Nine? Ten?

Today President Obama announced several executive actions he will sign to curb gun violence. These proposals are only a silly millimeter more than actions with which even many gun owners would agree.

To hear it from the radical right, like our Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, the sky is falling. Those of you who know me also know I will not use some disparaging remark against Abbott. The current governor became a paraplegic when a large oak tree fell on him in 1984 as he was jogging in the ritzy River Oaks section of Houston. Abbott, a lawyer who became a judge and later a justice in the state Supreme Court, and who was elected Texas attorney general before his election as governor, did what any good (or bad) lawyer would do. He sued the homeowner and a tree service connected with the falling tree.

A settlement in the suit which mandated payments to Abbott in the sum of about $14,000 a month may ultimately fill the governor’s pockets with some $9 million.

Lawsuits filed by Abbott and his successor, currently indicted Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, have filed a total of 38 lawsuits on behalf of Texas against the Obama administration. This has cost Texas taxpayers more than $5 million. But no one should be surprised that Abbott advocates tort reform like any of his good Republican cronies would.

But wasn’t I talking about hyperbole and not hypocrites? Well, it seems Governor Abbott can have it both ways.

 “Today, the President trampled the purpose and substance of the Bill of Rights by unilaterally imposing Second Amendment restrictions, Abbott said in a press release. “After failing to pass gun control measures through Congress, the President is yet again resorting to unilateral executive action in place of the democratic process. Despite the President’s latest attempt to undermine our liberty, Texas will take every action to protect the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens.”

If anything, the proposals Obama intends for executive order are mostly symbolic. One part of the actions would use present laws to close a badly-needed loophole, making those who sell at guns shows to be licensed and would thus have to conduct background checks through the government.

In any event, the orders the President seeks could be tied up in court for a while. More costly lawsuit by Republicans who want to limit rewards from civil suits. But to paraphrase some smart person: “If hypocrites were not permitted to run for office, we wouldn’t have anyone representing us in Austin or Washington.”

And just a local note. We are in day two of Open Carry Texas. I’ve yet to see anyone packing but I have seen plenty of — legal — signs telling customers: “Don’t take your guns to town son, leave you guns at home … ”

Oh and just one more thing. These morons out in Oregon who have taken over a federal wildlife refuge, some are being labeled in social media: “Vanilla ISIS” and “Ya’ll Queda, need to get while the getting’s good. I don’t think the “militia” folks have much sympathy built up in that Oregon county. That county has a sizable amount of federal employees working as well as plain folks who see what is happening there as an assault on government as an affront to themselves.

 

GOP senators want more guns. Local students call the cops.

It turns out this shooting in San Bernadino, Calif., is more complicated and much likely terrorism of some sort.

This incident takes many paths much like 9/11 but, the pathways are potentially more dangerous if you can get a handle on that. We face threats ahead, some are from our own political hacks. Republican senators shot down (sorry) a bill that would allow those on the FBI’s terror watch list to buy even more guns. The GOP says nothing can be impeded in buying guns. It’s guns, guns and more guns! Our own Texas GOP Sen. John Cornyn, was responsible for that great legislative move. Old bastard, he needs to retire so our Texas voters can vote in another crackpot like Ted Cruz.

I was thinking yesterday how the NRA and its supporters here in Texas want everybody armed and that those Texans should wear those weapons on their hip. That might pose a challenge for some people carrying long guns. I mean, people armed with a handgun would be outgunned with people like this couple in California. Unless! Unless the NRA decides everyone should buy AR-15s or big freakin’ tanks!!!

At least our younger Americans are learning a good history lesson, Unfortunately, some of those lessons are not so good.

Police in Beaumont, Texas, where I live, received several calls during the early afternoon yesterday, saying gunshots were being fired at a Beaumont school district alternative disciplinary center.

 “On Thursday, December 03, 2015 at approximately 2:40 pm Beaumont Police dispatchers received a 911 call of “Someone shooting at Pathways Learning Center, Beaumont Police Officer Jose Ornelas, said in a press release.

“First Officers arrived at 2:47. the caller called a second time at 2:52 saying they are still shooting, Officers began to enter the school and searched room to room and hallway to hallway. The caller made two more calls and said they were passing ‘Target’ (the store) at that time it was determined that the caller was on a school bus. Dispatchers contacted the Bus Dispatchers and advised the bus driver to stop the bus.”

Police found three students, ages 11, 15 and 17 on the bus. Ornelas did not say what the officers did with the kids. Officers did file reports for “Abuse of 911 System.”

The police spokesman said 15 Beaumont police officers responded to the call along with a school district police officer.

Just another day in the life in Beaumont, Texas, USA. The land of guns, guns and more guns,

WTF, San Bernadino?

 Another massacre. Does it really matter if it foreign terrorists, religious fanatics, anti-government, mass stupidity, etc. etc.? I suppose it does but for the moment just cops, bad guys.

My friend Paul, e-mails me from Tokyo he has awakened to this. The first thought as I stand in line at a CVS that, man I still can’t believe I am communicating in relatively real time. That’s a strange thought because I was in my 30s before using a computer as a matter of routine.

Just now a Los Angeles TV helicopter from KABC, is showing a shot up black SUV. The suspect reportedly fled the mass shooting in a black SUV. The reporter from the helicopter says there is a body, possibly a long gun at his feet. Police officers are staying back to ensure there isn’t someone else or a bomb in the vehicle. Live, in (somewhat) living color TV.

Lots of cops, lots and lots of cops. CNN reporting that a police official says one suspect is down. I am watching the live scene in a San Bernadino, apparently it is not a long distance from the scene of the senseless slaughter of at least 14 dead and 17 wounded. Sorry if I use an oxymoron “senseless and slaughter.”

I will write more later. How much later, I don’t know. ‘Scuse any errors. This is being hastily done because so much is taking place. Later.

Diagnosis: Mass murder fatigue

Too many thoughts are racing back and forth. I am not “depressed” though I do suffer from depression. One Veterans Affairs nurse practitioner — not a psychologist — wrote into my record a diagnosis of “narcissistic personality disorder.” No, I don’t have any of that today. That is, as far as I can tell.

No I think many in our land suffer from what is wrong with me. Perhaps it hasn’t been officially declared by the “Diagnostic And Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.” That is the “bible” of psychiatry. If the disorder hasn’t been categorized and named here is a suggestion: “Mass Murder Fatigue.”

I am aware that might sound narcissistic. Perhaps it is even flippant-sounding. But I am more or less serious.

The theater shooting last night in Lafayette, La., about 125 miles east straight down Interstate 10 from where I sit, is troubling in many ways. Thankfully, the Lafayette — I was there on business last week — shooting is less complicated and not likely wrapped up into Jihadism as was the mass killing in Chattanooga, Tenn. It was only a week ago that four Marines and a Navy petty officer died from that mass shooting. This time the venue was a recruiting office and a Navy and Marines reserve center. Muhammad Abdulazeez was the shooter in that assault. Abdulazeez died after one of the slain Marines and the center’s commanding officer returned fire, according to today’s Navy Times.

It seems this shooting last night was apparently a typical instance of severe mental illness, whether psychotic or overly narcissistic or just a crackpot. Whatever you call it. Sadly, I don’t really seem to care.

Not even the glasses and wigs found in the Motel 8 room in which the mass shooter stayed interested me. Motels have such a bad rap by the way. I could write a book.

It isn’t that I don’t care though about those two young women, known as bright and lovely, who lost their lives while watching a movie. Nor am I callous toward those who were injured in the carnage. But I am not very intrigued by the Lafayette shooter, a man who supposedly graduated from law school but was a perpetual crank, according to lawmen.

I would sound like a very bad person to say I don’t care about these mass shootings. Those killings seem to click like dominoes one after another. So no, it isn’t I don’t care. Me, who was almost blown away with a shotgun as a toddler, not caring? No, I think I care too much.

I care that our society has become so murderous. I care that the only cure our politicians, fed by the NRA-Koch money machine, can come up with is meeting these mass killings with more guns.

“Oh my neighbor’s tree is hanging over our fence.”

“Buy a gun.”

“My toe hurts.’

“Get a gun”

“Ain’t this heat something?”

“Get a gun?”

No, it’s that I care too much that I am left adrift in a world where people with intense personal problems think they can cure their ills by shooting as many people as possible. Then, they either kill themselves or force police to shoot them. Some would say, why not skip the killing and shoot yourself first? That is ridiculous. It is ridiculous as all the killings week after week. We have mentally ill people who need more help than having some shrink handing out the anti-depressive du jour.

Fatigue, that’s what I got. I need to go out in the woods and listen to the wind through the pines to clear my head. I like shooting targets. I don’t think that would be very therapeutic.

This crap of murder and mayhem is wearing me down. I have fatigue. Our society needs to get a grip. And that grip is not at the butt of a gun.