Change — An Alternative View

In this article, Rick Moran worries about Orange County Going Socialist, and What That Means:

Orange County Is Reagan Country No More
They used to vote Republican in huge numbers in Orange County, California. The county used to be one of the most Republican in the country, but with Democrat Katie Porter unseating GOP incumbent Rep. Mimi Walters, Republicans are beginning to look nervously at 2020 and wonder where all their votes have gone.

And Moran’s take is:

Is Trump accelerating the GOP decline? There’s no doubt that Trump’s antics as president have energized his base. They are, if anything, more loyal and enthusiastic today than they were when he was elected.
The rest of the country? Not so much.
As leader of the party, Trump is responsible for its growth or decline. Right now, it’s declining across the board. The answer is not goosing Trump’s base supporters. The answer has to be broadening the appeal of the party.

I’m not so sure. I think that the answer to the Orange County change is simple:  I bet that Hispanic voters (i.e. Socialists) are moving in;  but mostly, Republican voters are leaving California.  And as Orange County has (or had) a huge number of suburban middle-class families — the people most adversely affected by California’s insane government — it’s a simple case of changing demographics.

I know that the plural of anecdote is not data, but not long ago I gave a lift to a one-time Orange County resident (a conservative Republican, by his own admission) who had moved to Plano because he was totally sick of California government’s effect on his small business.  He told me that he wasn’t the only one;  almost all his friends from his neighborhood (also Republicans) had either already left the state or were in the final stages of doing so.  And he admitted to me that he voted for Trump in 2016, as had all those same friends whether still in California or not.

I likewise suspect (also from anecdote) that this is happening in Ventura County as well.

I would love to see the population-shift statistics from Orange County by party affiliation to see if that, and not Trump, has been the reason for the change in voting patterns.  If that is the case, there’s nothing Trump (or any Republican) can do about it.

Oh, and one more thing:  I think I persuaded my ex-Californian passenger to buy a gun and get his carry permit — and I’m pretty sure he’s going to do it because when I gave him the names of a few of our local gun shops, he keyed them into his phone.  (I told him that he should do it just to stick it in CalGov Jerry Brown’s eye, and he laughed like hell at the thought.)

One at a time, folks;  one at a time.

Ammo Day Update

I actually did a little more than the bare minimum purchase this year, simply because Ye Olde Ammoe Locquer is bursting at the seams.  Seriously.  I don’t have less than a thousand rounds for any of my guns, and it’s usually five times that.  (Forget .22 LR;  it’s like asking me how much sugar I have on hand because as any fule kno, .22 is not ammo, but a household commodity.)

Only one caliber is “deficient”, and that is .22 Mag.  As I’ve said on these pages before:  FFS, when did .22 WMR become (so much) more expensive than .45 ACP???   The only thing that saves me us that I don’t shoot much .22 WMR nowadays, so having only a few hundred rounds on hand is probably excusable.

So what ammo did I get?

This year I did a little “forward” buying — i.e. buying ammo for a gun (or guns) that I don’t yet possess, yet plan to buy in the very near future. They are 1) .357 mag for the S&W Mod 65 (or similar) and its companion lever-action carbine, and 2) 9mm practice ammo.

I know:  9mm?  Kim bought 9mm?  WHAT IS HAPPENING?  ARE WE FACING END TIMES?

Relax;  early next year I’ll be buying back Connie’s Browning High Power from a good friend, as much for sentimental value as anything else.  As Loyal Readers know, I’ve been complaining that the 1911 has been beating me up during practice, and even the lighter 185gr loads are a trifle wearying on the old wrist after 200 rounds’ practice.  Will I carry the BHP instead of the faithful Springfield 1911?  Time will tell;  in the interim, however, I did buy a thousand rounds of El Cheapo FMJ practice feed, and a couple-three boxes of assorted anti-goblin types, for testing.  That should keep me going till at least February.

As for the .357 Mag, I got a bunch of Winchester White Box 110gr (for practice), and some meatier anti-personnel stuff:  Federal Fusion 158gr for the Mod 65:

…and some heavier Federal 180gr (for the carbine).

“Which carbine,”  you ask?  Well, I’m still saving up for BAG Day (April 15), so I’m a little undecided, but right now I’m leaning towards Henry’s Big Boy All-Weather:

…or if I’m in a sentimental mood, the case-hardened model (because I’ve never owned a case-hardened rifle, and so why not?):

If I get the stainless S&W Mod 65, I’ll go for the stainless rifle;  if, however, I can’t find an acceptable 65 and decide to go traditional, then I’ll get the case-hardened Big Boy and a blued revolver, e.g. the Ruger Service-Six.

I don’t think that either pair would be a bad choice, n’est-ce pas?

“Dear Mr. President”

I have applied for a position in your Administration once before, and while I never did get the job, I’d like to think that my letter received at least more than a cursory glance.

With the resignation of U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, a chance to serve your Administration has once again come up.  Allow me to offer the reasons why I would make a good choice for this important post.

  • I was born in Africa, have a girl’s first name and a French last one.  I therefore fill about three or four quotas, and all the above make it impossible for other diplomats to insult me without laying themselves open to all sorts of charges of insensitivity.
  • I was once imprisoned (albeit briefly) for my opposition to the apartheid government of South Africa, so I can call any African president a “thieving klepto-murderer” anytime I want without fear of censure.
  • Every time some shithole Third World country starts a speech asking for aid, I’ll take off my headphones and start playing cards with the UK ambassador.
  • All countries and cities will be referred to by their names circa 1935:  Burma, Southern Rhodesia, Bombay, Tangyanika, Tsingtao, Borneo, etc.
  • All Communist countries will be referred to as “those Commie rats from…”
  • Any hostile speech by the German ambassador will be answered with the words, “Unlike Germany did during the early 1940s…”
  • Every time I want to say something really scathing or disrespectful, I’ll switch to Afrikaans so that the interpreter can’t figure it out.
  • Veto every single measure brought up in the Security Council by Russia or China.  (What the hell, they do it to us.)
  • All calls for universal gun control will be greeted with scornful laughter, followed by:  “Tell you what:  you disarm your police forces and armed forces first, and then we’ll start talking.  And by the way:  that stupid statue* out front?  It’s gone, and been melted down to make the AK-47s which we’ll be sending to the villagers in Africa who are being attacked by Muslim extremists.”
  • Yes, I will be carrying a concealed handgun in the U.N. building, under diplomatic privilege and immunity.  Ditto when I leave the building and stroll around New York City or Washington D.C.
  • Every time an Arab / Muslim nation makes a speech, my response will start with the words:  “As our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ once said…”
  • In my maiden speech to the UN, I’ll issue a statement that every time any country issues a speech critical of the United States, their U.S. foreign aid will be permanently reduced by $10 million.
  • Have statues of Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher erected in the U.N. building’s lobby.
  • Issue all U.S. diplomatic staff at the U.N. with Tasers and pepper spray, and instructions to use them at will.
  • Speeches addressed to the Usual Suspects will begin: “When your country has paid all their parking tickets and other traffic fines, we’ll consider your proposal.  Otherwise, forget about it.”
  • Refer to the People’s Republic of North Korea (or whatever they call themselves) as “that nest of crazy-ass Commies”.
  • Wear camo fatigues to important Security Council meetings.
  • Have grits and gravy added to the U.N. cafeteria menu.
  • Every time some African nation starts talking about “human rights”, I’ll laugh like hell, then take off my translation headphones and plug in my iPod.  Ditto Russia, China and most Third World countries.
  • Interrupt all the French ambassador’s speeches with the words: “Never mind all that.  Just tell us when you want to surrender.”

And as for my confirmation hearings in the Senate:

  • Any question put to me by Democrat senators will be answered with: “Did your masters in Moscow or Peking tell you to ask me that?”
  • Most hostile questions will be met with an incredulous look, followed by:  “I’ll bet your constituents are really proud of you right now.”
  • At least 90% of my responses will start with the words: “As Ronald Reagan used to say…”
  • Any comments from a Democrat senator about my lack of diplomatic experience will be met with: “Well, you talk about climate stuff, economics and morality, don’t you?”
  • If asked what my qualifications for the job are, I’ll answer:  “I don’t trust foreigners.  Any of them.”
  • When told that my manner might be too abrasive for a diplomatic post, my response will be:  “Oh, sure.  Talking nicely to your old Soviet buddies worked so well, didn’t it?”
  • The Nielsen ratings for my confirmation hearings will beat Desperate Housewives of Orange County (or whatever that crap show is called).
  • When asked how I’ll help formulate U.S. policy in the U.N., my response will be:  “Simple.  I’ll just imagine what Barack Hussein Obama would say or do, then say or do the precise opposite.”

Mr. President, let’s be honest: appointing me as the U.S ambassador will send a message that we consider the U.N. to be completely irrelevant (which you and I both know they are).  Now is the time to make a gesture that is so dismissive of the stupid U.N. that your legacy will forever include the words: “At least he appointed two people who whipped the United Nations into line.”

Sincerely,

 

 


National Ammo Day

You know what to do…

Let’s make Baby Vulcan happy and simultaneously enrage the gun-control fuckwits by purchasing a shitload of ammo, not just on this High Holy Day of the Second Amendment, but any day you damn well feel like it.  Ammo prices are reasonable at the moment, so do some forward buying against the day when some politician like Barack Bastard Obama gets into power and drives prices up again.

And just remember:  National Ammo Day’s big brother, Buy A Gun (BAG) Day (April 15) is just around the corner, so start saving now.  (Of course I’m not saying that you should wait till then to buy a gun, especially if that sweet little Colt Diamondback suddenly becomes available, but you get my drift.)

If you want to buy ammo online (sorry California, Massachusetts and Cook County, IL) and you’re unsure where to get it, here’s a short (and by no means comprehensive) list of good places to do it:

Ammo.com
Ammo Man
Ammunition Depot
Buds Gun Shop
Bulk Ammo
Cheaper Than Dirt
Georgia Arms
Graf & Sons
J&G Sales
Lucky Gunner
Natchez Shooters Supply
Sportsman’s Guide
Sportsman’s Warehouse
Surplus Ammo

If you have a favorite ammo dealer not on the above list, feel free to add the link thereto in Comments — but get that ammo in.  Do it now, if you haven’t already done it.

Hyperbole — Or Is It?

So having taken back the U.S. House, the Socialists are starting to feel their oats:

WASHINGTON — A Democratic congressman has proposed outlawing “military-style semiautomatic assault weapons” and forcing existing owners to sell their weapons or face prosecution, a major departure from prior gun control proposals that typically exempt existing firearms.
In a USA Today op-ed entitled “Ban assault weapons, buy them back, go after resisters,” Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., argued Thursday that prior proposals to ban assault weapons “would leave millions of assault weapons in our communities for decades to come.”
Swalwell proposes that the government should offer up to $1,000 for every weapon covered by a new ban, estimating that it would take $15 billion to buy back roughly 15 million weapons — and “criminally prosecute any who choose to defy [the buyback] by keeping their weapons.”

And when he got some blowback, the little turd went full Stalin:

It is a recurring fantasy of socialists that they can disarm Americans without too much difficulty.  Of course, we know that’s not true, and if the FedGov were ever to try it, the cost would be prohibitive (in so many ways).  And for the record, let’s forget all about nukes.  That’s just a wet dream on the part of socialists like Swalwell;  they want to wish the problem away with a wave of a magic wand — it’s a recurring fantasy of theirs for just about every issue — and “nukes” is just a shorthand.

Where this socialist scumbag and his ilk are dangerous is this bullshit talk of “common ground”.  Let me make this clear:  between gun owners and gun confiscators, there is no common ground.  It’s the same with the “commonsense gun control legislation” that they bat around:  there’s no such thing.  Every single piece of legislation suggested by gun controllers has one, and only one goal in mind:  the eventual disarming of the American people.  They can protest all they want, but we know the truth of the matter, which is that all gun control legislation is incremental, because they know that sweeping gun control (confiscation and disarmament) just ain’t gonna happen, dreams of the Swalwell types notwithstanding.

It is quite possible that gun confiscation might have some small success — e.g. in Swalwell’s own district (see below), where the incidence of legal gun ownership is probably quite low and the Democrat Socialist-majority voting population might even support the idea of giving up whatever guns they have.  (And I know what you’re thinking:  nuking the 15th district, and especially with the concomitant fallout, would actually solve quite a few problems, but let’s not go there.)

Also, Swalwell might have at his behest the loathsome assholes of the California State Police, who were so notably efficient in disarming households in New Orleans during the Hurricane Katrina floods.  So yeah:  it’s quite feasible that confiscation could work there.

In North Texas, not so much.  In the first place, the would-be confiscators would have to overcome Texas political sentiment about guns — good luck with that — and according to our last county sheriff, the confiscating force would first have to go through his deputies to get to our guns.  And I’m sure that north Texas isn’t alone in this attitude, not just in Texas but all over the U.S.

We don’t have to worry about gun confiscation, the wet dreams of pissants like Swalwell notwithstanding.  What we have to worry about is, as I said above, all the “reasonable” gun control legislation such as, for example, legislation that would limit the type of gun you can own, or equally bad, limits on things like the amount or types of ammunition you can own, or whether you have to register with government as a “gun owner” before being able to buy it.  (Don’t laugh;  that’s the situation that faces  Californian gun owners right now.)

Did I already mention that today is National Ammo Day?

Let me offer a little additional advice:  if you don’t already own a semi-automatic rifle (and we all know what I mean by that), you might want to improve your gun collection by buying an AK-47, AR-15/20 type, SAR-58 or HK-91 (to name but some options) — and buy it today (along with a “sufficiency” of ammo for the rifle, of course).  Send me an email if you want some more details.

Best Truck Ever Made

In Comments to an earlier post (about beautiful sports cars), we have this off-topic gem:

Longtime Reader William O. B’Livion says:
My “car lust” to the extent I have it is on the Toyota Land Cruisers and Land Rover Discos.

I’m going to ignore the Discos and concentrate on the Land Cruisers, specifically the early FJ40/43 models of 1967-1979.  Here’s what we’ll be talking about:


The old joke among Africa hands is:  “If you want to go into the African bush, take a Land Rover.  If you want to come back out again, take a Land Cruiser.”  Yup;  their reliability and toughness are legendary, and it can be said that Toyota did to Land Rover what Honda’s NSX did to Ferrari:  it changed the whole game, and absolutely forced them to become more reliable.

Let me draw your attention to the last pic, because it is a product of an evil, evil  bunch of men who are preying on the Land Cruiser-lust of people like me, and have taken upon themselves to rebuild the classic FJ40s of yore, albeit at nosebleed prices.  Here’s their website (but you may want to to hand your wallets etc. to yer wives for safekeeping, and send yer nubile daughters out of town before clicking on that link and watching the little video up front because OMG).

And a serious question for everyone:  who among you would not want to own one of these, if you could get it for a realistic (e.g. ~$50,000) price?  I’m not much of a truck guy (I only ever owned one, a 2001 Ford F-150), and after looking at those pics (which mostly came from here), even I have Land Cruiser-lust…