Power Grab

Weapons and the Military

When I was in the Navy, a buddy of mine and I were FFL holders. We had gotten the FFL because we wanted to buy guns at wholesale prices. We also made a bit of cash on the side, selling guns to fellow service members. This was in the Reagan/Bush timeframe, so Clinton hadn’t yet begun his attempt at killing “kitchen table gun dealers.” To make it legal for the weapons to be in my off base apartment while we were out doing various Navy things, we made my (then) wife a part owner of the business.

I had this hardcore, lefty Lieutenant (O-3) from New York city that was in my chain of command, and he found out about our little side gig. He called us into the office and began yelling at us, calling us “Soldier of Fortune, Rambo wannabes.” He then ordered my buddy and I to shut down our business and turn over all inventory to the police. He claimed it was a direct order, and we would be prosecuted under the UCMJ under Articles 89, 91, 92, and 134, and he would have us court-martialed. We both refused, and pointed out that since my (then) wife was part owner of the business, such an order would be unlawful, as he had no jurisdiction.

He became irate, and called us “sea lawyers” and then promised to make our lives “a living hell.” The point of this story is that Big Country’s tale is not a surprise to me. It has been going on for years.

By Divemedic, ago

Leaving the party

Hundreds of voters who were registered to vote as Republicans are changing their party affiliation. The press is claiming that Republicans are leaving the party because they disagree with the riots in the Capitol.

I think that they are getting it wrong. There is a good number of voters who are sickened by how tone deaf the Republican leadership is towards its members. Perhaps many of them are leaving the party because they have come to realize, as I did more than a decade ago, that just because the Democrats are your enemy doesn’t mean that the Republicans are your friend, and the Democrats telling lies does not mean that Republicans are speaking the truth.

Too many of us are tired of being ignored by the political class in this country- a political class that intends to be our master, rather than our servant.

By Divemedic, ago

Spying on America

One of the first orders that Biden gave to his new director of intelligence (DNI) was an order to spy on American citizens. Sure, he couched it as if he is going after “domestic terrorism,” but that is merely a fig leaf. They have been spying on Parler and its users with the intent of making sure that they STAY shut down.

It is illegal for intelligence agencies to spy on American citizens within the United States, but the CIA and their assistants at the NSA and other US intelligence agencies don’t let little things like the law, the Constitution, or civil rights get in the way.

For at least the past twelve years, the government has claimed that you have no rights against searches and spying. I warned the right that the Patriot act would one day be used against them. They didn’t listen.

By Divemedic, ago

1A: a threat to Democracy

The New York Times says that the First Amendment is a threat to Democracy. Oddly, it was published on January 6, which is a convenient coincidence. How fortuitous. Almost like the events of that very evening were planned.

Five days later, the Financial Times takes it a step further and demands that the media censor companies like Fox News:

the president’s supporters were using both mainstream and more niche platforms to plot further violence. That justifies moves by Apple, Google and Amazon to restrict access to Parler, the “alt-tech” Twitter alternative beloved of the radical right.

There is definitely a movement underway to squash free speech.

By Divemedic, ago