In previous dissertations I have noted that Nebraska Constitutions CI-1 was meant to and does establish in Nebraska the same type of recognition for concealed carry that exists in Vermont. In this narrative I will point out the similarities between the two states and establish beyond a doubt that these similarities are intended and not a matter of coincidence.
In 1902 Andrew Rosenthal was arrested in Rutland, Vermont for carrying a concealed weapon in violation of City ordinance. His subsequent appeal and the resulting Vermont Supreme Court Decision in May of 1903 established what has been to this day the Concealed Carry Law in that state.
The Cliffs Notes version of the Vermont law is that; any person of legal age and not disabled by law from possessing a firearm may carry a concealed loaded firearm in the State of Vermont.
In 1988 at General Election a majority of the citizens of Nebraska voted in favor of Ballot Initiative No. 403. This purpose of this Initiative, as regarded by those I have spoken to that were involved in the process, was to create in Nebraska the same type of law for concealed carry that has existed in Vermont since the turn of the last Century.
The law in Vermont does not state the exact phrase used in the Cliff Notes version given above but there are several points in Vermont Law that result in the decision reached by the Supreme Court of the State of Vermont. These parts will be noted and compared to the appropriate section of Nebraska Law. The similarities are not a coincidence, they were INTENDED by those that drafted and shaped Ballot Initiative No. 403.
The first point is Article 1. of the Vermont state Constitution;
"That all persons are born equally free and independent, and have certain natural, inherent, and unalienable rights, amongst which are the enjoying and defending life and liberty, acquiring, possessing and protecting property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety; therefore no person born in this country, or brought from over sea, ought to be holden by law, to serve any person as a servant, slave or apprentice, after arriving to the age of twenty-one years, unless bound by the person's own consent, after arriving to such age, or bound by law for the payment of debts, damages, fines, costs, or the like."
Article CI-1 of the Nebraska state Constitution reads;
All persons are by nature free and independent, and have certain inherent and inalienable rights; among these are life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and the right to keep and bear arms for security or defense of self, family, home, and others, and for lawful common defense, hunting, recreational use, and all other lawful purposes, and such rights shall not be denied or infringed by the state or any subdivision thereof. To secure these rights, and the protection of property, governments are instituted among people, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.
Note that the first article of the Nebraska Constitution is even more specific in regards to firearms than Vermont.
Article 16. of the Vermont Constitution reads;
"That the people have a right to bear arms for the defense of themselves and the State -- and as standing armies in time of peace are dangerous to liberty, they ought not to be kept up; and that the military should be kept under strict subordination to and governed by the civil power."
That the framers of what is known as CI-1 (Nebraska Ballot initiative No. 403) incorporated Articles 1 and 16 of the Vermont Constitution should be obvious at this point.
The Vermont Court also cited several of Vermont’s Statutes in its decision. The gist of some of these statutes relate to making it crime to carry a weapon with the intent to do crime (4922), Carrying on school grounds (4923), unjustly pointing a firearm (4924) and 4925 creates a punishment for injuring someone with a firearm.
Further the Court noted that under Vermont law municipalities are forbidden from enacting ordinances that are; "repugnant to the Constitution or laws of this state."
Power to make the ordinance in question was not expressly given the council, and they had no power to make it, beyond what is given under the general clause above quoted. The people of the state have a right to bear arms for the defense of themselves and the state. Const. c. 1, art. 16."
In an examination of Nebraska’s Constitution one finds further similarities found in Vermont’s Constitution and laws;
Nebraska Constitution Article CXI-5 in establishing the concept of home rule says the same thing; local ordinances may; "be changed or amended as provided in Section 4 of this article, subject to the Constitution and laws of the state."
Nebraska Statutes also define what power Municipalities have in relation to the Constitution.
State statutes that provide for metropolitan (14-102.1) and primary class (15-101) cities also state respectively;
"Metropolitan- A city of the metropolitan class may make all such ordinances, bylaws, rules, regulations, and resolutions not inconsistent with the general laws of the state"
"Primary- A city may put into its home rule charter any provisions that it deems proper so long as they do not run contrary to the Constitution or to any general statute."
Article CI-26 of the Nebraska Constitution states;
"This enumeration of rights shall not be construed to impair or deny others, retained by the people, and all powers not herein delegated, remain with the people."
The gist of this is any power not given to the state remains with the people, meaning if the constitution doesn't say they can then they specifically CANNOT enact a law in an area they have not been given power over.
It really should be obvious to this point that Constitutional amendment CI-1 was specifically modeled after the Constitutional Articles 1 and 16 of the Vermont Constitution. In addition there are too many other similarities between the Statutes of the two respective states to be a coincidence. The reasonable conclusion that must be drawn from this; is that the Framers of Initiative Measure No. 403 researched Vermonts Constituion and specifically the Court decision State V. Rosenthal before carefully crafting the petition language that a majority of the citizens of Nebraska voted for in 1988.
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
Monday, May 23, 2005
Journal Star shooting blanks ... again
Recently the Lincoln Journal Star ran an Editorial condemning the concealed carry legislation that is being sponsored by Senator Jeanne Combs.
The Editorial accurately staes that only the most stalwart of citizens will be eligable for a license, but goes on to say that even these elite residents of the Cornhusker State cannot or should not be trusted with the ability to defend themselves.
Since the debate began for this years legislative session the media elite has elevated Nebraska City police Chief William Muldoon to poster boy for defeat of LB 454. In testimony before the Judiciary Committee Chief Muldoon, speaking on behalf of "all Police Chiefs" in the state, made several assertions concerning firearms that did not have any relevance to concealed carry.
"So many people see this as the right to defend themselves and don't see the dangers of having more guns in people's houses," Nebraska City Police Chief William Muldoon told the Journal Star last week.
Muldoon claims that the Nebraska Police Chiefs concern is the increased number of firearms in the homes. Somebody really needs to tell the Chief that the firearms he is concerned about are for the most part already in the homes, people just want the recogized right to keep a firearm with them as they go about their daily business.
The Editorial Staff is closes with a statement that either illustrates a complete disregard or utter ignorance of the 46 other states that have some type of concealed carry law.
It's hard to imagine that someone bent on committing a street crime would be deterred by the thought that the possible victim is carrying a gun. There's little use for concealed weapons, beyond the comforting feeling it might give to those who decide to arm themselves. Combs' bill would create more problems than it solves.
Like all of the rest of the "Doom & Gloomers" the Journal Star alludes to problems that have never ever manifested themselves in any of the other states that have enacted concealed carry.
It would be nice if the Journal Star and any other CCW detracter could specifically state what is so different about Nebraskans that they will ingage in the "Shootouts over parking spaces", "Gun fights over fender benders" and incidences of road rage that have not manifested themselves in 46 other states.
In other words Nebraskans your representitives, your publice servants and your news media has no faith in your ability to conduct yourselves as mature adults. Their view is that you are incapable of being entrusted with the tools to protect yourself and your family.
Their supposition is that despite you being a very law abiding citizen, that is capable of passing a Federal background check, "If we let you have a firearm you will just go out and get in trouble with it".
Nebraskans, as demonstrated by the success of CCW legislation in over 40 other states, your Politians, Public Servants and Media Representitives do no trust you to make decisions for yourself.
The Editorial accurately staes that only the most stalwart of citizens will be eligable for a license, but goes on to say that even these elite residents of the Cornhusker State cannot or should not be trusted with the ability to defend themselves.
Since the debate began for this years legislative session the media elite has elevated Nebraska City police Chief William Muldoon to poster boy for defeat of LB 454. In testimony before the Judiciary Committee Chief Muldoon, speaking on behalf of "all Police Chiefs" in the state, made several assertions concerning firearms that did not have any relevance to concealed carry.
"So many people see this as the right to defend themselves and don't see the dangers of having more guns in people's houses," Nebraska City Police Chief William Muldoon told the Journal Star last week.
Muldoon claims that the Nebraska Police Chiefs concern is the increased number of firearms in the homes. Somebody really needs to tell the Chief that the firearms he is concerned about are for the most part already in the homes, people just want the recogized right to keep a firearm with them as they go about their daily business.
The Editorial Staff is closes with a statement that either illustrates a complete disregard or utter ignorance of the 46 other states that have some type of concealed carry law.
It's hard to imagine that someone bent on committing a street crime would be deterred by the thought that the possible victim is carrying a gun. There's little use for concealed weapons, beyond the comforting feeling it might give to those who decide to arm themselves. Combs' bill would create more problems than it solves.
Like all of the rest of the "Doom & Gloomers" the Journal Star alludes to problems that have never ever manifested themselves in any of the other states that have enacted concealed carry.
It would be nice if the Journal Star and any other CCW detracter could specifically state what is so different about Nebraskans that they will ingage in the "Shootouts over parking spaces", "Gun fights over fender benders" and incidences of road rage that have not manifested themselves in 46 other states.
In other words Nebraskans your representitives, your publice servants and your news media has no faith in your ability to conduct yourselves as mature adults. Their view is that you are incapable of being entrusted with the tools to protect yourself and your family.
Their supposition is that despite you being a very law abiding citizen, that is capable of passing a Federal background check, "If we let you have a firearm you will just go out and get in trouble with it".
Nebraskans, as demonstrated by the success of CCW legislation in over 40 other states, your Politians, Public Servants and Media Representitives do no trust you to make decisions for yourself.
Thursday, May 12, 2005
CCW Lost in the Shuffle Again
As noted in the previous post, Jeane Combs has pulled her priority status on LB 454, the bill that if enacted would have created a concealed carry law in Nebraska. I do not find any fault with Senator Combs for her actions. LB 454 or any of its previous forms have not been a popular issue with many of the Senators and they have always worked behind the scenes to prevent it. Any CCW legislation in Nebraska is an uphill against the windmills battle and Jeanne Combs deserves the thanks of all safety concious Nebraskans for her efforts in trying to make LB 454 a reality.
Granted I have not been in favor of this truely restrictive bill or any other for that matter. Anyone that has been reading this Blog for any length of time knows that I have articulated rather well that under the Nebraska Constitution and Statutes CCW is already legal in as it is in Vermont and Alaska.
I am appalled however at the treatment that this bill has gotten from the members of the Unicameral. Their attitude suggests that the citizens of Nebraska are inferior to the citizens of several other states that have successfully enacted CCW with out any of the problems that it is claimed will be visited upon the Cornhusker State.
It really was inevitable that it not advance this year or in any other year for that matter. There just is not now, nor has there been the grassroots support in Nebraska needed for this law to be enacted.
My main critique of this whole situation stems from the fact that the minimum 33 votes to bring cloture were apparently there this year and House speaker Kermit Brashear is gaffing off not only Senator Combs, but the citizens of Nebraska that support LB 454.
Combs and other supporters of the idea say it is their constitutional right to carry a concealed weapon and that doing so will help thwart crime.
My question here is why should any American citizen be required to petition the Government for a license to exercise a Constitutional Right, especially when that Right is so succenctly spelled out in the Constitution?
Article CI-1 of the Nebraska state Constitution reads;
All persons are by nature free and independent,
and have certain inherent and inalienable rights; among these are
life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and the right to keep
and bear arms for security or defense of self, family, home, and
others, and for lawful common defense, hunting, recreational use,
and all other lawful purposes, and such rights shall not be
denied or infringed by the state or any subdivision thereof. To
secure these rights, and the protection of property, governments
are instituted among people, deriving their just powers from the
consent of the governed.
Further CI-26 of the Constitution states;
This enumeration of rights shall not be construed
to impair or deny others, retained by the people, and all powers
not herein delegated, remain with the people.
No where in the Constitution has the people given power to the Legislature to regulate firearms and with Ballot Initiative No. 403 in 1988 a majority of the people told the Unicameral to keep their hands off the subject;
............ and such rights shall not be
denied or infringed by the state or any subdivision thereof.
When a government agency creates a system of bells and whistles that have to be blown and hoops that must be jumped through they are infringing and/or denying a Right
I do with a certain amount of trepidation accept the fact the the only way this will be settled to the satisfaction of all is a specific law that addresses CCW.
Running out of time is as convenient an excuse as any. And this is not a slight to Senator Combs that she was convinced to "pull in her guns" for another year. The popular support for LB 454 and the resulting pressure that a bill like this calls for just cannot be brought to bear on the Unicameral.
"With only 14 days left in the session, I had to strongly consider this compromise," Combs said.
Combs is further quoted;
Making the time crunch even tighter, said Combs, was the imminent threat of a filibuster attempt from Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha at every turn. Votes to cease debate and force a final vote normally come after eight hours of debate; there have been only about two hours thus far on the gun bill, and those during just the first of three legislative rounds.
Combs does have assurances, for what they are worth that LB 454 will be fore front on the aganda next year;
Brashear had no obligation to save a spot for it on next year's agenda. But Combs said he agreed, in writing, to put it on the agenda within the first 21 days of next session in exchange for her "passing over" her bill for this year. "This is an iron-clad guarantee," she said.
If Brashear had no obligation then what ever he agreed to in writing is not worth the paper it is printed on.
This isn't the first time a CCW bill has been carried over;
Former Sen. Gene Tyson of Norfolk introduced such a measure in 2003. It was advanced to second-round debate but never returned to the agenda — dying last year because of a rule that gives legislation a two-year shelf-life to be passed.
Since this bill (LB 454) didn't even make it past the first round what makes anyone think things will be different next year? It would seem that there is just to much attention being paid to this bill, both locally and nationally right now and those that oppose it hope to spirit it away until next year where it can be left out to dry with out the fanfare of national attention.
One of the biggest obstacles to LB 454 is the continued lies put forth by members of the Unicameral and certain Chiefs of Police around the state.
Chief Muldoon of Nebraska city has been the media poster boy since he testified before the Judiciary Committee;
"I'm simply pleased it didn't go through because it will give people more time to think about the bill," said William Muldoon, police chief in Nebraska City, upon learning of the development.
"But with all the organized support, it's getting more difficult to reason the safety issues because so many people see this as the right to defend themselves, and don't see the dangers of having more guns in people's houses."
I question the reference to organized support that the Chief aludes to. There has been no more support than usual from the NRA or any of the other groups in regards to Lb 454. If the Chief is referring to the number of people that testified on behalf of LB 454 at the Judiciary Committee hearing, they/we do not belong to any local grassroots organization. I/We are all independant citizens of Nebraska that are concerned with our safety as we go about our LAWFULL PURPOSES.
Hey Chief it is the Right of the people to defend themselves, that is the issue of safety.
Bill get a grip; the guns your worried about are already in peoples houses. CCW is not about more guns in houses it is about guns in the hands of law abiding citizens on the streets to defend themselves against the criminal element that you can't seem to catch or that the judges refuse to keep locked up. Stop twisting the issue into something it is not.
Show us where the enactment of a CCW law in any of the other states has resulted in the doom and gloom that you prophisize Chief.
We're waiting.
Senator DiAnna Schimek of Lincoln along with a few otheres have constantly been wringing their hands, gnashing teeth, renting garments and harping that;
"I believe that it encourages what is already prevalent in our society — a more violent attitude," said Sen. DiAnna Schimek of Lincoln. "I don't think that it's healthy for our young people to grow up in an atmosphere where everybody feels like they have to have a gun in their pocket to protect themselves."
There it is the, "Oh Woe is me, if we pass this there will be blood in the streets and shootouts over parking spaces" mantra that has been proven false in every single state that has enacted a CCW law. CWW laws have been so much a non-issue that in many states many of the original restrictions have been taken out of the law.
Wake up Di that kind of cut & paste diatribe from the daily rants of the Brady Bunch and the Million Commie Mommies got old a long time ago. Blood in the streets and the other acts of violence that you claim will visit Nebraska HAVE NOT manifested themselves in any other state that has passed this legislation.
The bottom line appears to be that you DO NOT trust nor do you have any faith in the citizens that elected you to office.
Show us where the enactment of a CCW law in any of the other states has resulted in the doom and gloom that you prophisize Di.
We're waiting.
LB 454 had been receiving to much attention this year with the Judiciary testimony and national publicity. Something had to be done behind the scenes to quell the issue for a time when it can quietly go away. Senator tyson learned that two years ago and it seems that all of us are learning it now.
Without all of the hoopla and fanfare of public comment the bill can be passed over for "more important issues" in the next session (the short one) much the same as it has been this year and in years passed. There will not be the attention given to it next year that it saw this year and that is a lesson from 2004.
Granted I have not been in favor of this truely restrictive bill or any other for that matter. Anyone that has been reading this Blog for any length of time knows that I have articulated rather well that under the Nebraska Constitution and Statutes CCW is already legal in as it is in Vermont and Alaska.
I am appalled however at the treatment that this bill has gotten from the members of the Unicameral. Their attitude suggests that the citizens of Nebraska are inferior to the citizens of several other states that have successfully enacted CCW with out any of the problems that it is claimed will be visited upon the Cornhusker State.
It really was inevitable that it not advance this year or in any other year for that matter. There just is not now, nor has there been the grassroots support in Nebraska needed for this law to be enacted.
My main critique of this whole situation stems from the fact that the minimum 33 votes to bring cloture were apparently there this year and House speaker Kermit Brashear is gaffing off not only Senator Combs, but the citizens of Nebraska that support LB 454.
Combs and other supporters of the idea say it is their constitutional right to carry a concealed weapon and that doing so will help thwart crime.
My question here is why should any American citizen be required to petition the Government for a license to exercise a Constitutional Right, especially when that Right is so succenctly spelled out in the Constitution?
Article CI-1 of the Nebraska state Constitution reads;
All persons are by nature free and independent,
and have certain inherent and inalienable rights; among these are
life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and the right to keep
and bear arms for security or defense of self, family, home, and
others, and for lawful common defense, hunting, recreational use,
and all other lawful purposes, and such rights shall not be
denied or infringed by the state or any subdivision thereof. To
secure these rights, and the protection of property, governments
are instituted among people, deriving their just powers from the
consent of the governed.
Further CI-26 of the Constitution states;
This enumeration of rights shall not be construed
to impair or deny others, retained by the people, and all powers
not herein delegated, remain with the people.
No where in the Constitution has the people given power to the Legislature to regulate firearms and with Ballot Initiative No. 403 in 1988 a majority of the people told the Unicameral to keep their hands off the subject;
............ and such rights shall not be
denied or infringed by the state or any subdivision thereof.
When a government agency creates a system of bells and whistles that have to be blown and hoops that must be jumped through they are infringing and/or denying a Right
I do with a certain amount of trepidation accept the fact the the only way this will be settled to the satisfaction of all is a specific law that addresses CCW.
Running out of time is as convenient an excuse as any. And this is not a slight to Senator Combs that she was convinced to "pull in her guns" for another year. The popular support for LB 454 and the resulting pressure that a bill like this calls for just cannot be brought to bear on the Unicameral.
"With only 14 days left in the session, I had to strongly consider this compromise," Combs said.
Combs is further quoted;
Making the time crunch even tighter, said Combs, was the imminent threat of a filibuster attempt from Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha at every turn. Votes to cease debate and force a final vote normally come after eight hours of debate; there have been only about two hours thus far on the gun bill, and those during just the first of three legislative rounds.
Combs does have assurances, for what they are worth that LB 454 will be fore front on the aganda next year;
Brashear had no obligation to save a spot for it on next year's agenda. But Combs said he agreed, in writing, to put it on the agenda within the first 21 days of next session in exchange for her "passing over" her bill for this year. "This is an iron-clad guarantee," she said.
If Brashear had no obligation then what ever he agreed to in writing is not worth the paper it is printed on.
This isn't the first time a CCW bill has been carried over;
Former Sen. Gene Tyson of Norfolk introduced such a measure in 2003. It was advanced to second-round debate but never returned to the agenda — dying last year because of a rule that gives legislation a two-year shelf-life to be passed.
Since this bill (LB 454) didn't even make it past the first round what makes anyone think things will be different next year? It would seem that there is just to much attention being paid to this bill, both locally and nationally right now and those that oppose it hope to spirit it away until next year where it can be left out to dry with out the fanfare of national attention.
One of the biggest obstacles to LB 454 is the continued lies put forth by members of the Unicameral and certain Chiefs of Police around the state.
Chief Muldoon of Nebraska city has been the media poster boy since he testified before the Judiciary Committee;
"I'm simply pleased it didn't go through because it will give people more time to think about the bill," said William Muldoon, police chief in Nebraska City, upon learning of the development.
"But with all the organized support, it's getting more difficult to reason the safety issues because so many people see this as the right to defend themselves, and don't see the dangers of having more guns in people's houses."
I question the reference to organized support that the Chief aludes to. There has been no more support than usual from the NRA or any of the other groups in regards to Lb 454. If the Chief is referring to the number of people that testified on behalf of LB 454 at the Judiciary Committee hearing, they/we do not belong to any local grassroots organization. I/We are all independant citizens of Nebraska that are concerned with our safety as we go about our LAWFULL PURPOSES.
Hey Chief it is the Right of the people to defend themselves, that is the issue of safety.
Bill get a grip; the guns your worried about are already in peoples houses. CCW is not about more guns in houses it is about guns in the hands of law abiding citizens on the streets to defend themselves against the criminal element that you can't seem to catch or that the judges refuse to keep locked up. Stop twisting the issue into something it is not.
Show us where the enactment of a CCW law in any of the other states has resulted in the doom and gloom that you prophisize Chief.
We're waiting.
Senator DiAnna Schimek of Lincoln along with a few otheres have constantly been wringing their hands, gnashing teeth, renting garments and harping that;
"I believe that it encourages what is already prevalent in our society — a more violent attitude," said Sen. DiAnna Schimek of Lincoln. "I don't think that it's healthy for our young people to grow up in an atmosphere where everybody feels like they have to have a gun in their pocket to protect themselves."
There it is the, "Oh Woe is me, if we pass this there will be blood in the streets and shootouts over parking spaces" mantra that has been proven false in every single state that has enacted a CCW law. CWW laws have been so much a non-issue that in many states many of the original restrictions have been taken out of the law.
Wake up Di that kind of cut & paste diatribe from the daily rants of the Brady Bunch and the Million Commie Mommies got old a long time ago. Blood in the streets and the other acts of violence that you claim will visit Nebraska HAVE NOT manifested themselves in any other state that has passed this legislation.
The bottom line appears to be that you DO NOT trust nor do you have any faith in the citizens that elected you to office.
Show us where the enactment of a CCW law in any of the other states has resulted in the doom and gloom that you prophisize Di.
We're waiting.
LB 454 had been receiving to much attention this year with the Judiciary testimony and national publicity. Something had to be done behind the scenes to quell the issue for a time when it can quietly go away. Senator tyson learned that two years ago and it seems that all of us are learning it now.
Without all of the hoopla and fanfare of public comment the bill can be passed over for "more important issues" in the next session (the short one) much the same as it has been this year and in years passed. There will not be the attention given to it next year that it saw this year and that is a lesson from 2004.
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
Dead on arrival
In my last post I noted that I had a feeling that there were some things going on behind the scenes. I guess it was just wishful thinking on my part as to which direction they were going.
LB454 has been tabled until next year.
Jeanne Combs pulled the bill with assurances from Unicameral leaders that it would get the full attention it deserves NEXT year.
I'll believe that when I see it, but that is for another post, for now CCW legislation is now deceased and has been quietly placed back in it's coffin while the bands plays we'll get them next year.
LB454 has been tabled until next year.
Jeanne Combs pulled the bill with assurances from Unicameral leaders that it would get the full attention it deserves NEXT year.
I'll believe that when I see it, but that is for another post, for now CCW legislation is now deceased and has been quietly placed back in it's coffin while the bands plays we'll get them next year.
Friday, May 06, 2005
LB454 Front and center
The Unicameral began to debate the merits of LB454 this morning (Friday).
Because of some problems with the signal for my service, and as luck would have it the cable company had a technician over during the time the session was being broadcast, I was unable to watch much of the debate. I caught bits and pieces of the session while my system was being unhooked, tested, rehooked and etc...
All that before the Unicameral ended their session at 2:00pm for the weekend.
From what I did see this is going to be a passionate discussion from both sides of the issue when they go back into session on Monday.
As the expression goes "The fat is in the fire now", the only thing standing between Nebraska and a CCW law is the number of votes that Jeanne Combs has in her back pocket to end a filibuster.
Does she have them???? She seems to think she does and looking at the number of co-sponsors plus the number of people that have voted for it in the past she very well could.
Matt Connely, who I have written about in the past, has stood shoulder to shoulder with Chambers in years past in opposition to CCW. This year Matt is signed on as a co-sponsor of the bill. There are a few others too that seem to be siding with Combs that were not there for Gene Tyson in all of the years that he sponosered CCW.
In the past it has failed only because it lacked one or two votes from bringing cloture to a filibuster. With Connealy and a couple of others on board the votes are technically there.
One would also have to wonder in Ernie Chambers thinks that she has the votes as well. Yes he will fight it tooth and nail because he has to, even he may see the writing on the wall. He is normally much more serious in the way of amendments for a CCW bill and his recent non-sensical attempt at putting the skids to CCW might hopefully be the last act of "A four fanged Corbra".
(Ernie styles himself as the "Corba of the Unicameral" and refers to bills he really doesn't like as "four fangers". Meaning that he will use everything at his disposal to defeat the bill.)
In talking to insiders one can't help but get a sense that there are some behind the scenes happenings that will effect the outcome of LB454.
I'm trying not to go out on a limb here or make predictions because I do not have any inside information to back me up. Only a gut feeling. In listening to some though, one could get the impression that this is "a done deal".
But don't quote me on that.
Because of some problems with the signal for my service, and as luck would have it the cable company had a technician over during the time the session was being broadcast, I was unable to watch much of the debate. I caught bits and pieces of the session while my system was being unhooked, tested, rehooked and etc...
All that before the Unicameral ended their session at 2:00pm for the weekend.
From what I did see this is going to be a passionate discussion from both sides of the issue when they go back into session on Monday.
As the expression goes "The fat is in the fire now", the only thing standing between Nebraska and a CCW law is the number of votes that Jeanne Combs has in her back pocket to end a filibuster.
Does she have them???? She seems to think she does and looking at the number of co-sponsors plus the number of people that have voted for it in the past she very well could.
Matt Connely, who I have written about in the past, has stood shoulder to shoulder with Chambers in years past in opposition to CCW. This year Matt is signed on as a co-sponsor of the bill. There are a few others too that seem to be siding with Combs that were not there for Gene Tyson in all of the years that he sponosered CCW.
In the past it has failed only because it lacked one or two votes from bringing cloture to a filibuster. With Connealy and a couple of others on board the votes are technically there.
One would also have to wonder in Ernie Chambers thinks that she has the votes as well. Yes he will fight it tooth and nail because he has to, even he may see the writing on the wall. He is normally much more serious in the way of amendments for a CCW bill and his recent non-sensical attempt at putting the skids to CCW might hopefully be the last act of "A four fanged Corbra".
(Ernie styles himself as the "Corba of the Unicameral" and refers to bills he really doesn't like as "four fangers". Meaning that he will use everything at his disposal to defeat the bill.)
In talking to insiders one can't help but get a sense that there are some behind the scenes happenings that will effect the outcome of LB454.
I'm trying not to go out on a limb here or make predictions because I do not have any inside information to back me up. Only a gut feeling. In listening to some though, one could get the impression that this is "a done deal".
But don't quote me on that.
Tuesday, May 03, 2005
Lincoln voters send Werner packing
At the time of this posting the results have not been officially certified, but Terry Werner is so far down in the numbers that even if there is a snafu he is out on his Democratic logo.
Hopefully that ass is also pulling a donkey cartload of grandiose schemes that he and the other social elite have been trying to impose on Lincolnites for the last several years.
How ironic that in the days leading up to the election that Terry Werner asked the citizens of Lincoln to give it a year for the Keno money to come back and the voters of Lincoln responded by giving Werner a mere matter of days to clean out his desk.
As it wrings out Ken Svoboda gets to keep his seat, Robin Eschliman is elected to one of the at large-seats and Dan Marvin will be seated in the other one that was up for grabs.
In Werners perfect world he would have been re-elected and Dan Marvin would have also been elected so that they couldcram their liberal agenda get some important things done with Mayor Seng. That this was not done will hopefully be a constant reminder to the Mayor and Marvin when he takes his seat.
Note: As I was about to post this KLIN radio reports that the results linked above are official.
Hopefully that ass is also pulling a donkey cartload of grandiose schemes that he and the other social elite have been trying to impose on Lincolnites for the last several years.
How ironic that in the days leading up to the election that Terry Werner asked the citizens of Lincoln to give it a year for the Keno money to come back and the voters of Lincoln responded by giving Werner a mere matter of days to clean out his desk.
As it wrings out Ken Svoboda gets to keep his seat, Robin Eschliman is elected to one of the at large-seats and Dan Marvin will be seated in the other one that was up for grabs.
In Werners perfect world he would have been re-elected and Dan Marvin would have also been elected so that they could
Note: As I was about to post this KLIN radio reports that the results linked above are official.
The Senators Chambers are empty
The alerts from CCRKBA are always on point and informative. This one is no different and they bring it home to Nebraska by pointing out what extremes Ernie Chambers will go to in order to defeat a bill he doesn't like.
CCRKBA SAYS 'THE SENATOR'S CHAMBERS ARE EMPTY'
For Immediate Release: Contact: Alan Gottlieb or Joe Waldron (425) 454-4911
BELLEVUE, WA – In an obvious effort to filibuster and ridicule a concealed carry bill now before the Nebraska Legislature, State Sen. Ernie Chambers has introduced a bizarre amendment that would, among other things, punish violators by having their trigger fingers shot off by a fellow lawmaker. Nebraska is only one of four states that do not allow its citizens the means of self-defense.
The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA) condemned the veteran Omaha lawmaker for injecting a serious debate with what amounts to "the ravings of someone who has overdosed on self-aggrandizement."
"It appears Ernie's chambers are empty," said CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb. "If this was intended as a joke, the senator needs a different hobby because he's no comedian."
Included in the amendment is a requirement for licensed citizens to "carry concealed the maximum number of pistols for personal protection due to paranoia and stark terror of the licensee toward the licensee's family, friends, neighbors, strangers, and possible enemy invaders."
Noting that Sen. Chambers has had help in the past to defeat pro-gun rights legislation in Nebraska, Gottlieb observed, "I cannot imagine any rational person standing in line to attach his or her name to this insulting screed. Anyone can appreciate good sarcasm, but suggesting that violators have their index fingers shot off by Sen. Jeanne Combs, the prime sponsor of the concealed carry bill, goes beyond the pale of good taste."
"Sen. Chambers has been around the Legislature a long, long, very long time," noted CCRKBA Executive Director Joe Waldron. "His Omaha constituents, who first elected him in 1970, should be ashamed that he has wasted their time and other legislative resources, on their nickel, to craft this sophomoric amendment.
"Childish behavior should be reserved for children," Waldron observed. "Perhaps Sen. Chambers is lucky there is not a ‘zero tolerance' policy in Lincoln as there is on every public school campus in the country, because after this episode, he'd be expelled."
CCRKBA SAYS 'THE SENATOR'S CHAMBERS ARE EMPTY'
For Immediate Release: Contact: Alan Gottlieb or Joe Waldron (425) 454-4911
BELLEVUE, WA – In an obvious effort to filibuster and ridicule a concealed carry bill now before the Nebraska Legislature, State Sen. Ernie Chambers has introduced a bizarre amendment that would, among other things, punish violators by having their trigger fingers shot off by a fellow lawmaker. Nebraska is only one of four states that do not allow its citizens the means of self-defense.
The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA) condemned the veteran Omaha lawmaker for injecting a serious debate with what amounts to "the ravings of someone who has overdosed on self-aggrandizement."
"It appears Ernie's chambers are empty," said CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb. "If this was intended as a joke, the senator needs a different hobby because he's no comedian."
Included in the amendment is a requirement for licensed citizens to "carry concealed the maximum number of pistols for personal protection due to paranoia and stark terror of the licensee toward the licensee's family, friends, neighbors, strangers, and possible enemy invaders."
Noting that Sen. Chambers has had help in the past to defeat pro-gun rights legislation in Nebraska, Gottlieb observed, "I cannot imagine any rational person standing in line to attach his or her name to this insulting screed. Anyone can appreciate good sarcasm, but suggesting that violators have their index fingers shot off by Sen. Jeanne Combs, the prime sponsor of the concealed carry bill, goes beyond the pale of good taste."
"Sen. Chambers has been around the Legislature a long, long, very long time," noted CCRKBA Executive Director Joe Waldron. "His Omaha constituents, who first elected him in 1970, should be ashamed that he has wasted their time and other legislative resources, on their nickel, to craft this sophomoric amendment.
"Childish behavior should be reserved for children," Waldron observed. "Perhaps Sen. Chambers is lucky there is not a ‘zero tolerance' policy in Lincoln as there is on every public school campus in the country, because after this episode, he'd be expelled."
Note to Senator Chambers;
Insulting and demeaning drivel like this does not belong in the Senate Chambers it belongs in the Chamber Pot.
You and I have always gotten along with respect and civility, but this is beneath even you Senator and it is my considered opinion that you owe not only the Honorable Senator Combs a public apology, but all Nebraskans as well.
Withdraw the amandment and apologize Senator.
New additions to the Blogroll
All of the new additions are Nebraska Bloggers who have put me on their blogrolls before I even knew who they were. After reading their Blogs I consider that an honor and have added them to my Blogroll as well.
Rather than try to write a blurb on each one, that wouldn't do them justice anyway, I'll just link to their site and you can see for yourselves.
Don't let me Stop you - What the heck; you'll do what you want anyway.
Ryne McClaren: A Weblog - Dispatches from Red State Nebraska
Plains Feeder - Views From The Feedlot
If you live in Nebraska and are interested in the issues these three Blogs should be part of your daily reading.
Rather than try to write a blurb on each one, that wouldn't do them justice anyway, I'll just link to their site and you can see for yourselves.
Don't let me Stop you - What the heck; you'll do what you want anyway.
Ryne McClaren: A Weblog - Dispatches from Red State Nebraska
Plains Feeder - Views From The Feedlot
If you live in Nebraska and are interested in the issues these three Blogs should be part of your daily reading.
Monday, May 02, 2005
And Since I have Trolls on the brain
I have no idea if this has been done before or not so here goes;
(To the tune of Rawhide)
Trollin' trollin' trollin'
Trollin' trollin' trollin'
Trollin' trollin' trollin'
Trollin' trollin' trollin' Blogwrite
Trollin' trollin' trollin'
Though their heads are swollin'
Keep them trollers trollin', Blogwrite
Chart and graph and comment
Hope you like my vent
Writing .... just to make my point known
All the things I'm dissin'
Good links, I'm not missin'
Keep on reading as my craft I hone
Post 'em, on - write 'em up -
Write 'em up, - post 'em on -
Post 'em, on - write 'em up -
Blogwrite
Cut 'em out, - Paste 'em in -
Paste 'em in, - cut 'em out -
Cut 'em out
Paste 'em in Blogwrite
Keep writin' writin' writin'
Though their disagreein'
Keep them trollers writin', Blogwrite
Don't try to understand them
Just read 'em, fisk and diss 'em
Soon we'll all be "higher bein's"
My thoughts calculating
That my book will be waiting
A true best seller I am seein'
Post 'em, on - write 'em up -
Write 'em up, - post 'em on -
Post 'em, on - write 'em up -
Blogwrite
Cut 'em out, - Paste 'em in -
Paste 'em in, - cut 'em out -
Cut 'em out
Paste em' in Blogwrite...., yeah
Trollin' trollin' trollin'
Trollin' trollin' trollin'
Trollin' trollin' trollin'
Trollin' trollin' trollin' Blogwrite
(Yes sometimes I have too much time on my hands)
(To the tune of Rawhide)
Trollin' trollin' trollin'
Trollin' trollin' trollin'
Trollin' trollin' trollin'
Trollin' trollin' trollin' Blogwrite
Trollin' trollin' trollin'
Though their heads are swollin'
Keep them trollers trollin', Blogwrite
Chart and graph and comment
Hope you like my vent
Writing .... just to make my point known
All the things I'm dissin'
Good links, I'm not missin'
Keep on reading as my craft I hone
Post 'em, on - write 'em up -
Write 'em up, - post 'em on -
Post 'em, on - write 'em up -
Blogwrite
Cut 'em out, - Paste 'em in -
Paste 'em in, - cut 'em out -
Cut 'em out
Paste 'em in Blogwrite
Keep writin' writin' writin'
Though their disagreein'
Keep them trollers writin', Blogwrite
Don't try to understand them
Just read 'em, fisk and diss 'em
Soon we'll all be "higher bein's"
My thoughts calculating
That my book will be waiting
A true best seller I am seein'
Post 'em, on - write 'em up -
Write 'em up, - post 'em on -
Post 'em, on - write 'em up -
Blogwrite
Cut 'em out, - Paste 'em in -
Paste 'em in, - cut 'em out -
Cut 'em out
Paste em' in Blogwrite...., yeah
Trollin' trollin' trollin'
Trollin' trollin' trollin'
Trollin' trollin' trollin'
Trollin' trollin' trollin' Blogwrite
(Yes sometimes I have too much time on my hands)
Sunday, May 01, 2005
Trolling Trolling Trolling !!!!!
In a recent post, Where were the guns?, I pointed out that of the 13,000 + people targeted Operation Falcon netted 10,000 + really bad people and that I found it quite interesting that they only recovered a few over 200 firearms.
When I wrote that I wasn't actually fishing for trolls, but it seems I hooked one anyway.
NOTE: Trolls are always in season and one should observe the Catch & release method (after slapping them around with the kind of factual information they never seem to posess). Yes, it is perfectly acceptable to release an intellectualy abused and battered troll back into their natural habitat.
In the body of the post I, and in his comments to the post Kevin who writes The Smallest Minority used the phrase "Million Commie Mommies". Our hapless troll who goes by the screen name Northeastern Liberal Elitist apparently did not cipher that Million Commie Mommies is a not so gentle euphamism for the Million Mom March as he begins he tristise with "your assertion that only Commies".
ASIDE: Not much of a James Bond double naught spy is he?? NELE you should probably turn in your secret decoder ring and invisable writing pen.
Additionally I don't think NELE has been reading my blog all that long or he would not have made the comment he did concerning "The Gunshow Loophole". I thought I had addressed that pretty decisively last September.
The rest of his rant goes downhill from there, in that he alludes to a lot of things but only once does NELE ever cite one single source of reference for his assertions and then it is a generic reference and not anything specific.
As you all know from reading my Blog I am not much for pictures, graphs & charts. I just write a post with a link or two that hopefully challenges the thought process and motivates further research by the reader. That is my intent anyway; Read what I write as a begining and even if you agree with me don't just take my word for it, research the subject yourselves.
NELE was desereving of so much more than I usually dedicate to a post. I mentioned this particular feller to Kevin in an e-mail and added that should he feel the need to express himself on the "merits or lack thereof" of NELE's comments, I would look forward to reading them.
Not one to disappoint, Kevin invites NELE to the woodshed, and once there he insures that NELE has the facts, figures, charts and graphs necessary to mend his silly anti-gun ways.
Kevin begins his post with the assertion that I was taking pity on him for his lack of trolls by offering to share one of mine.
Not true, but I know you do enjoy fisking one from time to time, and he did take a umberage with the both of us.
Kevin brings a very detailed and informative style to his blog and NELE not only took exception to what I wrote, he took exception to what Kevin wrote as a guest commenter. I only felt it fair that he have the opportunity to respond (re: vebally spank) to NELE in his own forum.
Great job, I always learn something when reading The Smallest Minority, and I hope that readers that use my Blogroll for their reading do so as well. Kevin was one of the first that I added when I finally figured out how to do one and I have yet to regret it.
And no NELE, I do not delte comments, and Kevin does speak for me when he wrote;
"Alternate views" are welcome, so long as they are informed and not ignorant. Or if they're ignorant, as long as the presenter is willing to be educated. And speaking for both Gunscribe and myself, we don't delete the comments of our opposition. We use them."
When I wrote that I wasn't actually fishing for trolls, but it seems I hooked one anyway.
NOTE: Trolls are always in season and one should observe the Catch & release method (after slapping them around with the kind of factual information they never seem to posess). Yes, it is perfectly acceptable to release an intellectualy abused and battered troll back into their natural habitat.
In the body of the post I, and in his comments to the post Kevin who writes The Smallest Minority used the phrase "Million Commie Mommies". Our hapless troll who goes by the screen name Northeastern Liberal Elitist apparently did not cipher that Million Commie Mommies is a not so gentle euphamism for the Million Mom March as he begins he tristise with "your assertion that only Commies".
ASIDE: Not much of a James Bond double naught spy is he?? NELE you should probably turn in your secret decoder ring and invisable writing pen.
Additionally I don't think NELE has been reading my blog all that long or he would not have made the comment he did concerning "The Gunshow Loophole". I thought I had addressed that pretty decisively last September.
The rest of his rant goes downhill from there, in that he alludes to a lot of things but only once does NELE ever cite one single source of reference for his assertions and then it is a generic reference and not anything specific.
As you all know from reading my Blog I am not much for pictures, graphs & charts. I just write a post with a link or two that hopefully challenges the thought process and motivates further research by the reader. That is my intent anyway; Read what I write as a begining and even if you agree with me don't just take my word for it, research the subject yourselves.
NELE was desereving of so much more than I usually dedicate to a post. I mentioned this particular feller to Kevin in an e-mail and added that should he feel the need to express himself on the "merits or lack thereof" of NELE's comments, I would look forward to reading them.
Not one to disappoint, Kevin invites NELE to the woodshed, and once there he insures that NELE has the facts, figures, charts and graphs necessary to mend his silly anti-gun ways.
Kevin begins his post with the assertion that I was taking pity on him for his lack of trolls by offering to share one of mine.
Not true, but I know you do enjoy fisking one from time to time, and he did take a umberage with the both of us.
Kevin brings a very detailed and informative style to his blog and NELE not only took exception to what I wrote, he took exception to what Kevin wrote as a guest commenter. I only felt it fair that he have the opportunity to respond (re: vebally spank) to NELE in his own forum.
Great job, I always learn something when reading The Smallest Minority, and I hope that readers that use my Blogroll for their reading do so as well. Kevin was one of the first that I added when I finally figured out how to do one and I have yet to regret it.
And no NELE, I do not delte comments, and Kevin does speak for me when he wrote;
"Alternate views" are welcome, so long as they are informed and not ignorant. Or if they're ignorant, as long as the presenter is willing to be educated. And speaking for both Gunscribe and myself, we don't delete the comments of our opposition. We use them."
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