Free In Idaho!

Seriously.  What else can you call it when the bozos who run the Republican Party sit in the fancy chairs at GOP HQ announce a new House Republican campaign called

“The Change You Deserve”

The Repubs are reminding me of the old Seattle Mariners.  They traded off the good young players, and hired a bunch of old “past their prime” guys, and broke everyone’s heart, year after year.  Couldn’t play baseball, and didn’t seem to know it.  But they did it anyway.  For what?  Zip.  The Repubs don’t have a pro game of their own either, and haven’t in years.  So the Repubs are giving us a 2000 Democrat with a cheapo paint job, with a campaign slogan ripped right off the DNC’s website.  Is it blatant enough for you yet?  How about if it was the same slogan as a marketing campaign for an anti-depressant (not kidding)?  By the way, can’t you just hardly wait for the YouTube vids of McCain’s glowball warming tour to start showing up everywhere?  McCain vs Obama… get out the popcorn.

Losers.

“You people are going to do it my way, and you’re going to like it!  “    -Maverick

Here’s a lousy piece of news to wake up to in the morning

Mike Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas and defeated contender for the GOP presidential nomination, is currently at the top of John McCain’s short list for a running mate. At least that’s the word from a top McCain fundraiser and longtime Republican moneyman who has spoken to McCain’s inner circle.

The article gives a couple of the “reasons” behind this brilliant pick, which amount to nothing more than feel good politics.  I’m sure the amnesty crowd can hardly wait, but I’m not encouraged. 

I heard a gentleman arguing on one of the local radio political discussion shows that McCain represents the traditional majority wing of the Republican Party.  Which is precisely why I identify myself as a conservative and not a Republican.  The Republicans, especially this year, do NOT represent me.  And when you add Bob Barr into the mix, it’s beginning to look a lot like we’re going to get 4 years of hope and change.  And higher taxes, socialist medicine, gun control, and inept foreign policy….

…sigh.

Sunday Music today is an instrumental version of “Jesus! What A Friend For Sinners”.

Jesus! what a Friend for sinners!
Jesus! Lover of my soul;
Friends may fail me, foes assail me,
He, my Savior, makes me whole.

Refrain

Hallelujah! what a Savior!
Hallelujah! what a Friend!
Saving, helping, keeping, loving,
He is with me to the end.

Jesus! what a Strength in weakness!
Let me hide myself in Him.
Tempted, tried, and sometimes failing,
He, my Strength, my victory wins.

Refrain

Jesus! what a Help in sorrow!
While the billows over me roll,
Even when my heart is breaking,
He, my Comfort, helps my soul.

Refrain

Jesus! what a Guide and Keeper!
While the tempest still is high,
Storms about me, night overtakes me,
He, my Pilot, hears my cry.

Refrain

Jesus! I do now receive Him,
[or Jesus! I do now adore Him,]
More than all in Him I find.
He hath granted me forgiveness,
I am His, and He is mine.

Refrain
 

I noticed the other day that Marko was having trouble with the squirrels getting to his bird feeder.  Some of you might remember that I’ve had the same trouble as well.

If they did this in MY yard, I’d let the furry little buggers stay around.  This is a good one!

Just in time for the “main event”, someone has come up with a new American flag lapel pin, suitable for the candidate who wants to be president of all 57 of the United States of America.

Barack on, dude.  Speaking of which,  have you seen the CNN reporterettes strapping on their kneepads for the stud?  Gag me.  You’ve been warned.  

Here is my nomination for blog post of the week, by Lawdog, of which this is a part

The fall of this great Republic has been furthered by an electorate that is deliberately unknowing and willfully blind as to the limits and rights of our government.

Go.  Read.

Wide open, for 1000’s of yards… all you can hear is the breeze.  And the distant rumble of the National Guard working out with some VERY large ordinance.

I used to go to Vancouver Canada frequently to go to hockey games, hike, etc.  That was a long time ago.  They’ve always been, uh, different, politically.  But they’re certifiable these days.  I’m sure you’ve followed Mark Steyn and Ezra Levant’s trials and tribulations with the Canadian human Rights Commission.  Now check out this story at Mr Completely’s Blog. 

If you are planning a trip to Canada, and particularly to any of their larger cities, be sure to keep your mouths closed, or you might end up in the same situation.

I can see the same thing happening in a couple of our large Left Coast cities… seems we’re not too far off sometimes.

My Sweetie and I have been listening to various friends and family talk about what they’re going to do with their “stimulus checks” later this spring.  It seems that some of them have already spent it, making their purchase now, in anticipation of getting the check later.  Her Mom bought a nice new chair with her’s a month ago.  I know, because we spent an evening going to town to get it for her, and getting it set in the living room just right.

Then the other day the two of them were at the mall for their “girls’ day” outing and Mom mentioned something else she might want to get with her tax check.  “But Mom, isn’t that what you bought the chair with?”  “Well, I needed the chair, but I think I want one of these.”   We got a good chuckle out of that, having used just that very rationalization in our own lives… there is more than one gun in the collection with just that excuse behind it.  I told my wife that the government isn’t as stupid as they look.  It’s their intention that a majority of Americans spend their check twice, once early because they can’t wait, and again on something else when it actually gets there.  She gave me that look that says ‘you’re such a cynic’.

So I got a good hoot out of this article. 

WASHINTON - U.S. consumers took on more debt of all types in March, the Federal Reserve reported Wednesday. Total seasonally adjusted consumer debt increased by $15.2 billion, or a 7.2% annual rate, in March to $2.56 trillion. This is the fastest pace of credit expansion since November.

I rest my case.

I stopped off at the range today to try my hand shooting the May ePostal.  The range and the shop were both empty when I went in.  The young man behind the counter told me it’s their “slow season”.  Hmmm.  You’d think with the wind blowing 20 mph, and gas over $3.50, folks would still be coming into the range rather than going out to the desert (actually, the wind kept me in town today… I’ve got a box of handloads ready for the rifle, but decided today wasn’t the day).  But you have to keep practicing, so it was hand gun day for me.

When I came out of the range, I poked around looking at the wares.  I noticed a couple of 20-somethings gazing into the last case, so I wandered over to see what the attraction was.  Oh, that.  The shop has an HK G3 for sale, for the princely sum of $14 thousand smackers.  Kid asked me if I liked it.  I told him no, for $14 really big ones I’d rather have a really good new 1911, a new Wingmaster shotgun, a new M1A1, lots of ammo for all of them, some training, three months of food in the pantry, and gas for the rest of the year.  Oh, yeah, and some CHANGE!

He looked at me like I was nuts. 

“”But THAT is too COOL!  And besides, you wouldn’t have enough left to get that much gas.”

I looked at him like he was nuts, but he was back to lusting after the G-thing and he didn’t notice.  $14 grand is about what guys his age make in Boise in a whole year right now.  So was he in the lane next to me, shooting an old Ruger 10/22 into a little bitty circle at the 25 yard line, saving his money and practicing?  Nope.  He’s out front getting nose prints on the display case, because 10/22s aren’t cool.  Makes a guy want to do a little re-write of an old piece,  just for HK fanboys.

This is my rifle.  There aren’t any like it, and this one is mine.

My rifle is my best friend. It is my life.

I don’t need to master it, because it’s mine.

My rifle without me is so cool. Without my rifle, I am useless.

I must fire my rifle true.  But at $1.50 a round, I can’t afford it.

I must shoot straighter than my enemy who is trying to kill me.  But I can’t afford training either, so I’ll just spray and pray.

I must shoot him before he shoots me. I will…I hope.  This rifle does it for you.

My rifle and myself know that what counts in war is not the rounds we fire,

the noise of our bursts, nor the smoke we make.

We know it is the coolness that counts. We will be very cool…