I’m not going to hash out the whys and wherefores or try to explain how this activity threatens everyone’s liberty and freedoms.  I mean if you can’t figure that out, you’re either stupid or you voted for Obama (sorry, couldn’t resist).  But this situation goes to show what big government and punitive tax law can do.  It can be used to hurt, to ruin or to silence individuals.  The tax code is full of loopholes that benefit all manner of different constituencies and is so complex it is difficult not to file incorrectly.  The tax code is used to coerce individuals and businesses into acting certain ways, engaging in certain activities or avoiding others.  It’s a freaking mess and not the kind of tax system that should be used in a free and open society.

So, you are no doubt about to ask, what can we do that is more fair, more equitable and makes this kind of scandal less likely to occur?  Well here’s a few ideas to ponder:

No Federal Income Tax – That’s right!  No income tax.  We survived for the first 120 some odd years of our republic without it and we can do it again.  But, in these times the government needs to do more!  The hell it does.  Social Security and Medicare are bankrupt Ponzi schemes – yes they are, Google it – welfare is an abject failure and there are so many agencies and programs, there is no one department, let alone a single person, that knows what they all are.  The government can do with a lot less, not to mention the kick in the ass something like this would give the economy.  OK, maybe this is a pipe dream but what about…

A Flat Tax – It’s April 14th and your taxes aren’t done.  No problem, income minus a couple of simple deductions multiplied by a percentage…done!  Yes, a flat tax is easy to figure, fair because we all pay the same percentage and nearly scandal free.  Of course, like now, you’d likely get to take deductions like personal deductions, expenses, maybe a child deduction but not nearly as many.  The poor would see a big chunk of their income deducted while the wealthy a relatively smaller portion.  Or you could just nix all deductions and set a lower flat tax percentage.  Either way, a nice, steady revenue stream to fund all those robotic squirrels and studies about overweight lesbians free of all the shenanigans of our current tax code.  And what about…

A Consumption Tax – Or what you probably know as a sales tax.  You might have heard some democrats speak of this but they want it in addition to the income tax, not to replace it…BOO!  Instead of punishing success with higher and higher taxes, a sales tax is levied on goods and services you buy.  If you don’t want to pay it, you don’t buy anything.  Your paycheck is yours and taxes are collected by retailers.  Many states use this, Nevada included, instead of an income tax.  It’s fair because essentials are exempted (food, housing, etc. which is basically what the personal and standard deduction is on your income taxes is for) and the rich pay more because they spend more.  Then there’s…

Value Added Tax – This tax, known as a VAT tax, has a bad reputation because it’s widely used in Europe and talked about, like the sales tax, as an additional tax on top of the income tax.  But alone, it’s another fair tax on consumption.  However, instead of one big sales tax at the end, each step a product takes on it’s way to market is taxed but at a much lower rate.  The baker pays a a small tax on the flour, the supermarket pays a small tax on the bread and you pay a small tax again when you buy it.  The tax is collected each time value is added.  Is a lot like a sales tax but has some additional advantages too geeky to speak of here.

All of these have advantages and disadvantages but they are all simpler, more fair and less prone to political tinkering.  Each has a simple rate paid by all instead of thousands and thousands of pages of code.  If you pay sales tax, you know what I mean.  It’s easy.  Anything has to be better than our current tax system with it’s varying rates, hundreds of different deductions and special loopholes for those with high-paid lobbyists.  The best part, we don’t have to worry so much about the government using them against it’s enemies or to ruin people for not paying what they owe because the simply didn’t understand.  And we won’t have to pay hundreds of thousands of IRS agents, tax preparers, lawyers and whatnot anymore.

Like John Lennon once sang, “Imagine there’s no taxes.”  Wait, that was something else.  Anyway, the sentiment is still valid.  Taxes suck and complex, bureaucratic, progressive, punishing taxes suck even more.  The current tax code is more a power grab than a revenue tool.  Besides, if you don’t think the government could trim it’s bloated, wasteful budget by a trillion or two, you’re either stupid or you voted for…oh, I already used that one.  You get the idea.  Now, if you can find a Tea Party organization, and thanks to the IRS they are hard to come by, join it and join the fight for a better tax system.  It’s our country, let’s take it back.

Now to sit back and wait for the IRS audit

I’m a big World War II buff and I have expressed the affinity I feel for those events, especially the battles surrounding D-Day, in writing.  On June 6th, 2013 I am releasing Baker Company – Episode 1: Day of Days.  Baker Company is a serialized tale of six men of the 101st Airborne trapped behind enemy lines in France after their C-47 is hit by anti-aircraft fire.  The men in Baker Company are fictional as is their tale but the story is meant to entertain as well as honor the real heroes that helped defeat Fascism and liberate Europe.

Baker company is a Four Part Serial following the men of Baker Company as they are first stranded behind enemy lines, then find themselves tangling with the 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division and finally evading pursuit as they struggle to link up with the rest of the 101st Airborne.  The story contains many historically accurate details, lots of action and even a love story.  This is a rousing action/adventure story set amongst one of the greatest struggles of our times.

Baker Company will be available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo Books, Apple and more in ebook format on June 6th and each of the following episodes will be released one per month over the summer of 2013.  Each part is 10,000 words or more and Part 1 – Day of Days will be priced at 99 cents.  Grab a copy and land in occupied France right alongside the men of Baker Company.

So, in the name of sanity and efficiency, I consolidated.  I put all that stuff into a single box that I call my nymph kit.  I used to use the box the Toobies came in, but recently I’ve switched to a small fly box with individual doors for each section.  Before without individual doors for each compartment, one slip and the whole works would be all over the bank, or worse, in the water.  My, don’t all those indicators look pretty floating downstream?  Now, I will only lose the contents the open compartment.

This kit saves me time and space.  Most fly fishing stuff comes in its own  bag or some sort of other container.  Invariably they take up more room than they have to and would wind up in seven different pockets around my vest.  Now, everything I need to fish nymphs is on one spot.  No searching for the indicators you want, no hunting for the last place you hid your split shot.  Another advantage is you don’t need all the stuff you own every time you go fishing.  When was the last time you had a new container of split shot and used it all on one trip?  You can put what you need in the box and leave the rest at home.

Even better, a small box will fit in your pocket, hang on a lanyard or take up almost no room in a back pack.  If you go minimalist, like I do, you can wet wade, take a box of flies, your nymph kit and a couple of tools and you’re fishing with what you can carry in your pockets.  Nothing beats fishing a small creek in July or August in wading boots and no vest.  Jut predator and prey (and a $300 fly rod).  Build your own kit.  I think you’ll like it, you’ll make some room in your vest of chest pack and spend more time fishing.

The Yellow-Headed Blackbird. World’s most annoying bird!

Yes, hard to believe, but I finally got my butt out of the house and put it in some water.  Notice the word “fishing” was conspicuously absent from that sentence.  Oh, I whipped some water and drowned some flies but fishing usually involves some participation on the fishes’ part.  That did not occur today in any shape, form or fashion.  But I did get to put the new Dave Scadden Outlaw Escape through it’s paces (except I forgot the oars) and also tested my new vestless fishing rig (is vestless a word?)

Finally, things are back to normal here at the homestead.  I’m done fiddling with my back and though it’s not fixed, it is manageable.  My wife,Jen, is also feeling much better.  After a procedure down at UC Davis in Sacramento about a month back, she is feeling 100%.  We are finished with doctors, knock on wood, for the foreseeable future.  So, with all that good news and some fantastic weather, I headed to Hinkson Slough for an epic beat down.

Epic beat down face.

I arrived at about 8 am and saw no surface activity.  I tried nymphs, streamers, midges under indicators, you name it.  Zip, nada, nothing!  A few nice sized trout did put on an aerial display now and then but that was about it.  I talked with a couple of bass fishermen sharing a inflatable raft and they had managed a few small bass on plastic baits it appeared.  Must be turkey season because there were a few rigs parked in the campground too.   Still, it was a nice day, lot’s of birds, sunny and warm.  Since I wasn’t planning on an all day outing, I removed myself from the arena, an beaten man, three hours later.

Outlaw Escape

As I mentioned, I got my new tube/pontoon, the Outlaw Escape out on the water for the first time since I purchased this bad boy it last fall.  Overall, it was a good experience.   Stable as heck, gets me out of the water and all for about 25 lbs instead of the nearly 60 lbs my Skykomish Sunrise weighed.  With my suspect lower spine, the lighter boat is a necessity plus partially deflated, it fits in the back of my Jeep.  Only complaint, the inflatable seat is harder than you’d think and my butt fell a sleep after a couple of hours.

Maxpedition Remora – Going Vestless!

Now, for going vestless.  I don’t mind vests, but they are bulky and get in the way.  Heck, I don’t use half the stuff I had in my vest anyway.  So I went in search of an alternative and I found the Maxpedition Remora.  I looked at probably a dozen different packs, slings and bags but this one had the features I wanted in a small package.  It features an ambidextrous shoulder sling, lots of pockets, room for a handgun and the PALS webbing for adding additional storage or gadgets.  I added Maxpedition’s nalgene bottle holder so I can have water with me and another pocket which my new Nikon AW100 waterproof camera fits into nicely.  I can hold all my gear and up to four fly boxes.

I plan to do reviews of the Escape and the Remora as soon as I use them each a little more.  So far I like them both very much.  So, no fish porn today, but some gear porn for you gear heads.  I’m hearing the East Walker calling and the flows should be perfect over the next few weeks before the ranchers start calling for large volumes of water.  They high country should be opening up soon too with the less than optimal winter.  Now I’m off the check out the Scadden  inflatable stand up paddle board I just discovered on YouTube.

Don’t let them take away your rights!!!

Two bills restricting gun rights are making their way through the Nevada Legislature.  They are SB221, a bill claiming to change mental health provisions but is really universal background checks, and SB277, a law making it easier to strip your Second Amendment rights if you refuse mental health treatment.  Neither bill will do anything to stop violent criminals or insane individuals from breaking existing laws and using firearms to kill others.  Go to https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/Opinions/77th2013/A/, search for SB 221 and SB 277 and indicate you are against the bills.  You may also leave a comment but if you do, keep it to the point, polite and respectful.  Please pass this on to your friends, family and coworkers!

This fight is not over.  There are people at all levels of government who want to strip you and I of our rights.  If your Senators and/or Assemblymen are Democrats, write or call them to let them know you do not support these bills and they cannot expect your vote if they support them.  Make your voice heard!

Scary, huh? They are only tools in the hands of law-abiding citizens.  It the criminals and the insane, not the guns, you need worry about.

However, this could drag on as proponents seek to massage the bill with further amendments or work backroom deals with fence-sitting senators.  Reid promised we would revisit this.  The Democrats in the House are looking at pushing their own version of gun control legislation.  Wait, I mean “gun safety” and “gun violence reduction” measures.  Notice the language.  Gun control is a dirty word.  You ask the American public if we need more gun control and they usually say no.  However, if you ask them if we need to reduce gun violence or enhance gun safety, they will say yes.  Wouldn’t you?

I would.  Reducing gun violence and increasing gun safety is a good thing.  The difference between me and those like me and the gun control crowd is we aren’t willing to give up our rights to accomplish these lofty goals.  I am not willing to give up my liberties for a little safety and security.  The choice is a false one.  Being a free person and enjoying personal liberty is risky but it is preferable to a life without liberty and no risk.  If you want to live that way, go ahead but don’t force me to also.  However, it’s the language that troubles me.  The Left is attempting to redefine the debate though not necessarily the ends they seek.

I am not going to wade into the abortion debate but the Left has successfully redefined that argument.  It’s not about abortion anymore.  It’s about choice now.  They have made the debate about a woman’s rights and not the distasteful (understatement of the year) act of aborting a fetus.  As soon as that debate no longer focuses on the life and rights of the unborn, they gain a lot of support.  They have done the same thing with many other issues.  Higher taxes are now revenue.  Spending is now investment.  Now, gun control is becoming violence reduction and safety in their lexicon.  They are attempting to obscure the real issue.

The hypocrisy of the terms is amazing.  The measures they seek to advance through this trick do nothing to enhance safety or curb violence.  I can submit to all the background checks in the world and I will pass every time but the people we want to stop, criminals and the insane, won’t even submit.  Banning guns that look scary won’t stop bad actors from getting them through illegal means.  Ten round magazines are no less dangerous than thirty round magazines, you just need to carry more of them.  The gun control crowd isn’t interested in safety or reducing violence. If they were, they would engage us on these points and debate facts instead of feelings.

Anger at freedom and liberty winning the day over emotion and oppression. These men don’t like the idea that you retained your rights and are looking to find new ways, new victims and tragedies to exploit to try again.

They are interested in taking away your right to own a gun.  They fear you!  They fear your guns and they should.  A free person who can defend themselves is scary to those that see you as a subject rather than a citizen.  They know that guns make you and me powerful.  The Second Amendment is the teeth behind our other rights and without it, they other rights would likely begin to fall like dominoes.  A dire prediction to be sure, but one that history has proven true over and over again.  Listen today to the names they call freedom loving Americans who are just as upset over the horrific and evil events that sparked this latest debate and just as determined to solve the problem.  We will be called evil, backwards, hate-filled, uncaring, throwbacks and more.

This fight isn’t over.  They may skulk back to the shadows to await another mass murder to take advantage of.  They may push like they did with Obamacare and keep hammering away until enough Senators fall or they take the House in 2014.  You can stop this.  Write your Senators and Representatives.  Call them no matter how they voted.  Remind those that supported our rights they need to continue.  Tell those that voted to strip out rights away you do not support them or their votes.  Remind them that they work for us.  If you don’t know how, go to www.contactingthecongress.org. Talk to your friends.  If every freedom loving person voted, we’d be partying like it was 1787 again.  In the meantime, stay engaged, buy lots of guns and ammo and shoot the heck out of them.  It’s your right!

P.S. I swear I’ll stop ranting and go fishing at some point

Example of a BOB from Discovery News

I’ve been thinking about making a BOB, a bug out bag, and emergency kit, whatever you want to call it.  The most obvious reason to build one is to have all the stuff I might need in an emergency all together, ready to go at a moments notice.  The other is I get to buy a lot of cool stuff   No, really, it’s a good idea to have at least a basic emergency kit and I’ve put it off for too long.  We all think these are for hurricanes, social unrest, zombie attacks and all that, but those things don’t happen all that often.  What these are really good for is a prolonged power outages, getting stuck away from home or out fishing and hunting.

Don’t get me wrong.  Depending where you live, severe natural calamities can be a way of life.  If I lived on the Gulf Coast, in the Midwest or maybe even on the San Andreas fault in California, I’d have a bug out bag and a serious one.  Part of the reason I don’t is not much happens here.  I’ve lived in western Nevada my whole life.  We’ve had 5.0 earthquakes, but those usually aren’t a big deal.  We’ve had 90 mph winds, deep snow and localized flooding occasionally.  I also live in a rural area.  My house is perched on a bluff well above any water than might flood.  Why would I need or want to bug out?

If citizens armed with Molotov cocktails and pitchforks march on the capitol, I’m staying home.  If there’s a pandemic, I’m not going to town.  Unless my house is destroyed, I’m staying put in almost every scenario I can think of.  If, for instance, we have a power outage that lasts more than 24 hours, I’ve got plenty of friends and family far enough away that they likely won’t be affected and I’ll go stay with them (if the entire grid goes down, I’m just as well off at home as anywhere).  I’ve got the skills and tools to survive here.  I’ve always got food and I even if my power is out, I’ve got access to other water sources besides my well.

But what if I’m not at home?  What if I’m out fishing and my Jeep breaks down, I’ve got no cell coverage and it’s getting dark and cold?  What if I’m on vacation and the SHTF (Sh*t Hits The Fan)?  What if were caught at a road closure and were stuck for hours in 100 degree temps or bitter cold?  What if there is a disaster or social unrest and I (or my whole family) need to get home to safety?  What if there is a bridge out and I need to find an alternate route home that might take me many hours?

This occurred to me and I’m not making a bug out bag, per se.  I’m making a bug in kit instead along with an emergency bag.  The bug in kit will consist of water, freeze dried food, a cook stove, flashlights, etc. specifically for surviving a power outage or an inability to get to town to shop.  If we did need to leave, we could pack this up and go as it will be contained in several bins.  For the most part, however, our rural, isolated community is the safest place to be and short of my house being destroyed, I can’t see leaving.  We can hold up here until things settled down or blow over, especially if we have a supply of food and water.

For the emergency bag, that will consist of a personal bag for me, likely a backpack of some kind with basic survival gear, first aid, ammunition and a firearm (depending on where I go since California is not firearm friendly in which case I will rely on other weapons for self defense).  In addition, I plan to add a second bag for my family with extras for them, one first aid kit is enough but one space blanket or cache of food and water isn’t.  This will allow us to ride out some emergency on the road, in the woods, whatever, until help arrives or we can make it home.

This will be a series showing exactly what I put in the kits with explanations as to why.  I’ll add lot’s of pictures and hopefully you’ll get motivated to build your own emergency kits, bug out bags, whatever or get ideas what to add to your existing kits.  I might even make a few videos with my massive collection of camera gear!  This is common sense.  In most situations, help is nearby and order is restored quickly but not always.  Look at Katrina or Sandy.  How about the tsunamis in Asia.  Heck, it could be as simple as a few feet of snow that leaves us stranded for a few days or a power outage.  At the end, I’ll detail how I plan to do the same when the wife and I set on on our RV adventure in a few years.

You see, universal background checks aren’t going to work.  The present background checks don’t work.  Look, if background checks worked, I’d support them and thousands of people would have been saved because criminals wouldn’t have guns.  But they are nothing more than a feel good measure meant to make politicians look as if they are actually doing something and make voters feel safe.  Look, here’s why:

1. Criminals don’t submit to background checks.  I’m sure a few idiots do and get caught, and usually they aren’t even prosecuted for breaking the law.  Criminals, and data backs this up, Google it, get their guns from friends and family, on the black market or they steal them.
2. And speaking of enforcement, the current laws are not enforced.  It is illegal to try to buy a gun if you have legally had that right stripped but the government rarely prosecutes violators.  And there, aren’t that many actual violators.  See number 1. above.  Criminals don’t submit and most “violations” are false positives.
3. Since criminals don’t submit and violators aren’t prosecuted often, potentially dangerous criminals aren’t captured by the system and the checks do little to deter those that would commit evil acts from doing so while forcing those of us that obey the law and would never commit these acts to put up with the intrusion.

But now, they want to expand the checks to include all gun transactions, even private ones (dealers at gun shows are already run the checks contrary to what the media would have you believe).  This opens up further problems and does NOTHING to enhance safety.

1. If I wanted to sell or give a gun to a family member or friend, even someone I trust implicitly, I would need to force them to submit to a background check or I would be guilty of a crime.  Merry Christmas, son.  Just fill out this paperwork and I’ll call the ATF to see if you’re legally able to own a gun.  That’s none of the government’s business.  Do they know better than I do about my friends and relatives?  That’s a BIG no!
2. Now the government will have a record of these PRIVATE transactions.  They know more private information that is none of their business.   Even if they don’t what gun you have, they know you have one.  Another step toward registration and confiscation.  Yes, yes, I’m a conspiracy theorist.  Sorry, I don’t trust the entity that passed Obamacare with parliamentary tricks and against the wishes of the people all while lying about what was in the bill.  Yes, go ahead and trust your life and liberty to the government.

But many people want to go beyond that.  They want mental health records added to the background database.  Remember, convicted criminals have had their due process.  They have been found guilty of a crime by a jury and their rights are being denied as prescribed by law.  But what about soldiers who have been diagnosed with PTSD or adults that have sought treatment for depression or folks who were diagnosed with some sort of attention deficit disorder and were given psychotic drugs?  Many gun grabbers and supposed 2nd Amendment supporters want them added too.

They seem to have forgotten about another amendment.  The 5th Amendment states in part, “…nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law…”  That’s what being proposed by some, however.  If a court finds you incompetent or legally insane, fine.  But adding people to the background check system without due process is just a back door method of denying people their 2nd Amendment rights and unconstitutional.  If We the People allow this to be passed, it will likely be struck down but after how many years and after how many citizens are wrongfully denied their rights?

Beware, giving the government too much power.  It might seem like a good idea, a way to ensure safety, but too often the unintended consequences are worse than the problem that prompted the idea in the first place.  The vast majority of people are honest, law-abiding and not a threat.  It is the criminals and the truly insane that do these evil deeds.  It is so easy to say “What harm will it do?” but that’s essentially death by a thousand cuts.  We should focus on punishing those that use guns illegally and helping those with mental issues get healthy, not intruding further on the rights of law-abiding citizens.

“Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.” – Ben Franklin

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm!

Well, I guess it is here and there.  Have I been, no.  I have reasons.  I was doing physical therapy until a few weeks ago but that’s done.  I haven’t mentioned it on here, but my wife is suffering from complications from her gall bladder removal almost a year ago.  I think we have it nailed down and are headed to UC Davis to hopefully get her fixed.  It’s not life threatening, just painful.  It’s been a rough year.  My back problems and near miss with the surgeon, her complications, not to mention the bills from all that.  Whew!

In any case, life goes on.  If this little procedure works for Jen, things should settle down on that front.  As for me, my back isn’t 100%.  Probably never will be.  the physical therapy helped but a two mile walk will do me in.  Standing in a stream for more than half an hour will too.  But I’ve learned it’s probably not going to get worse if I watch it and if I work on my core strength and managed to lose a few pounds it might get a little better.  I’ve also learned to manage it.

I don’t walk two miles.  I walk half a mile and rest, another half mile, etc.  I don’t stand to long in one spot and if I have to, I take breaks.  I’ve discovered it’s the constant walking or standing that bothers me.  If I move around, sit, bend, stand, walk, it doesn’t bother me so much.  I’m not causing the same irritation to the nerve over a long period.  I might irritate the nerve, but not in the same way.  I’ve also taken up biking and I can exercise with little or, more often, no pain.

If we can get the Mrs. patched up, were both going to lose some weight.  I lost ten pounds over the winter and kept it off.  I’m hoping to do some exploring and hiking, yes even with my back, along with hitting some stillwater spots I’ve never been.  For now it’s spring time in Nevada.  70 degrees one day, snowing the next and usually windy.  The point?  There’s no point.  I’m just rambling.  If all goes well, this time next week I’ll be planning trips.  Some with the wife, some to go fishing and some just to get out of the house.  If not…well, we won’t go there.

So it is with great interest that I watch Congress and several states try to make us all safer by banning high capacity magazines, banning certain weapons and further clamping down on the free exchange of legal goods.  I’m not going to focus on the specific stupidity of these measures.  They are apparent to anyone with the ability to employ reason and logic.  As if fifteen rounds will save lives as compared to twenty.  As if banning weapons because they look like a military weapon instead of function like one accomplishes anything.  As if criminals or the insane give a damn.

No, what I want to focus on is the politician that thinks passing these feel good measures will solve any problems.  I want to focus on whether or not they even care.  None of what the federal or various state governments are planning will do anything to stop gun violence.  It is an insult to the people’s intelligence to say otherwise.  I don’t care what side of the issue you’re on, you should be outraged.

Obviously, if you’re a gun owner and you subscribe to the idea that as a free person you have the right to bear arms, you don’t like any infringement on your rights that the Constitution says, “…shall not be infringed.”  But what if you’re a gun banner?  What if you’re a public safety, nanny-state zealot?  Should you applauding these measures?  The answer is a resounding no!

Why?  Because a well practiced shooter can change a magazine in under five seconds while his victims cower on the floor.  Because a rifle without a pistol grip or a folding stock can be just as dangerous as one with those features.  Because those people that choose to use firearms to harm others don’t care what the law says.  Politicians have failed to address the real problem, which is not the guns or the law-abiding citizens that own them.

And honestly, they can’t.  You can offer all the mental health programs you want.  You can toughen up gun crime sentences.  Some people  are going to break laws and go nuts.  Some people are going to slip through the cracks.  But taking away my freedoms, your freedoms, to make us all safer, a) doesn’t’ work and b) means were aren’t really free.  Benjamin Franklin, a man I admire and respect greatly, said, “They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”  Wise words.

No matter what side of this debate you’re on, you should be offended by the posturing of politicians.  They try to sell their feel good measures instead of actually doing anything to solve the problem.  You will just as likely to be shot but some nut (and by the way, more people were murdered with guns in Chicago last year, a city with the strictest gun laws in the nation, that were killed by all the lunatics in mass shooting in the U.S. in the past three decades and probably longer) after these meaningless bans as before.  We will never stop criminals and the mentally ill from using weapons to harm others if they are bent on doing it and anyone who says otherwise is ignorant, delusional or trying to get re-elected.

Or they know exactly what they’re doing and when these measures don’t work, they’ll insist that we just confiscate all firearms.