I think that the more interesting question here, is “What liberties do you think you need to go to war, leading to the slaughtering and maiming of your own children, with your government in order to protect?”
Our government really might want to investigate this, because the government propaganda machine is FAILING! Even Fox News does not want armed revolution against it’s corporate masters! Nor do the Koch Bros. Where is corporate media failing the status quo?
Or is it just their guns they want to have a war over? (Once again I say, add in the slaughtering and maiming!)

This is good news for the US Congress. You could easily program a machine to vote “no” to all government spending that would help the 99%, and “yes” to all austerity programs. In this way we could save millions of dollars on congressional salaries and lifelong health insurance!

Thank you, you bet me to it. This “the Republicans are in disarray” meme is making me crazy. I have been on this earth since 1958, and my observation is that the incumbent usually wins, unless the opposite party gets lucky with a good enough disinformation campaign that squeaks out an out of sequence win.
That, I think is the whole rationale for term limits.
It is the Republicans’ turn in 2016. Only a miracle will allow the Democrats to prevail again, and then it would probably be a one termer. This is why the Republican candidates were so bat shit crazy this time. The smart money was to wait until 2016. Only bat-shit crazies would risk their future opportunities on an incumbent race.
So please, let us talk about how the Progressives can make some inroads on a conservative controlled system, ration than running after the shiney object of “oh the Republicains are in disarray”!

Damn Dday, I have been dreading this moment for two weeks.
I have been carefully bookmarking other sources, but I will never be able to replace your knowledgeable analysis of that which we must call our leadership. On the other hand, I may be fooled into believing that something that sounds good, actually is, without your brain to help me see the light! : )
I believe I will always think of you as a good friend, though you know me not at all. I value what you have said that much, and by sharing your thoughts, you have shared yourself with all of us!
Take some time to catch yourself. (Mary, thank you for sharing him with us, you have yourself a great one!)
I hope you will let us in on the bankster fraud now and then on my FDL, or someplace you point us to.
I raise a beer to you! – Janis

Well the difference is that alcohol is self-inflicted, and I eliminated the 17,352 suicides by gun from my statistic. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_violence_in_the_United_States

I would not pass a law to prevent you from hurting yourself. (And arguably, suicide often is a cessation of pain).

I do however, strongly object to you killing me and others’ loved ones.

Insanity is a legally defined term, having to do with the capability of being aware of the criminality of your crime, among other issues. Hence my references to crimes of passion, where the law actually gives some leeway, but the loved ones are just as dead. I would vote for removing the gun from the home to prevent crimes of passion and accidents. By the time to drive to a gun depositary, you can be held as legally if not actually premeditating.

Well the difference is that alcohol is self-inflicted, and I eliminated the 17,352 suicides by gun from my statistic. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_violence_in_the_United_States

I would not pass a law to prevent you from hurting yourself. (And arguably, suicide often is a cessation of pain).

I do however, strongly object to you killing me and others’ loved ones.

Insanity is a legally defined term, having to do with the capability of being aware of the criminality of your crime, among other issues. Hence my references to crimes of passion, where the law actually gives some leeway, but the loved ones are just as dead. I would vote for removing the gun from the home to prevent crimes of passion and accidents. By the time to drive to a gun depositary, you can be held as legally if not actually premeditating.

I think that the mental health issue is sort of a red herring. Most gun deaths are crimes of passion, revenge, robbery, by otherwise sane people. If the figure of 11,000 firearm homicides per year is seen as a problem, then it is worthwhile to look at gun control. If we are only trying to prevent mass murders of children by the mentally ill, then the deaths are statistically insignificant. Hence Dday’s post.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/homicide.htm

I am searching for a solution that can work for most people. I have no problem at all with the idea of shooting guns at a range. Like any toy of skill, it is fun. The cost problem could be controlled with a public fund, like using a public park. It would surely be cheaper than paying for the the police and coroner costs associated with 32,000 annual deaths from gunshots.

I just think that if it is harder to get your hands on your gun, a lot of crimes of passion, or mistaken identity would be prevented. If you had to shoot your way out of the gun depositary/gun range before going on a spree, at least you would be killing people that agree with you that guns are the coolest thing ever. Plus their would be some time for police to react before you reached you target.

This would also work for hunting. Most hunters jump in the trunk to go hunting. They suit up in camo, fill the thermos with coffee, gas up the trunk. Could they check out their rifle from a depositary on their way out of town? (I am not so worried about hunters that live so far out of town that they hunt their own back forty. Depositary laws could be defined by population density.)

I have been wondering something, and perhaps you can weigh in. If gun lovers were to be able to go to gun ranges and shoot at really fun, exploding targets. Would they be willing to keep their guns locked at the gun range? These ranges could be designed like an adult fantasyland.
This would not solve the problem of the scared people with guns under their beds. But would it solve the needs of the people that just love to own and fire super cool guns? I mean the people they would most want to show them off to would be right there wit them.

I read somewhere, (therefore not necessarily accurate), that the gun that killed the children shot 5 bullets per second. No finger is that fast.
I think the bigger problem was the three thirty round magazines that he emptied into them. Up to 11 bullets per child the coroner said, with a minimum of 3 per child. I am not sure if I care about “overkill”. Dead is dead, and apparently he did not miss with many of his bullets. Most of them passed through kids.

Well for me it would cover everything from swords to nuclear bombs,…but that is just me. :)

It would take a lot longer to stab 20 children 11 times each with a kitchen knife, though it can be done. Sigh. However, many would run away, and you can’t chase twenty children at once. You need a gun.
I do not love guns. I understand that those that do would fight to keep them…and they would come to that fight with, well guns! Many of my colleagues love guns. Passionately!
My friends all ride bikes, passionately. Most would outlaw SUV’s as dangerous. But they loves them their guns!

When the constitution was written, more killing was done with swords than flintlocks. Nasty wounds without antibiotics. How would you define assault weapon?

I have been thinking about the type of people that are dictating we all have to live our lives surrounded by assault guns. They are like the cigarette lobby, or the folks that until recent times demanded the “right” to drive drunk. I am fortunate to live in a city that has banned cigarette smoking inside all public places. I remember well smokers hatred filled looks when they were asked to stifle their smoke. Now they smoke outside.
Small own bars, as recently as twenty years ago used to serve men up “Roadies”, a beer for the drive home after a night of drinking in the bar. Mothers against Drunk Driving put an end to that “right to drive drunk”, or the rights of potential vehicular killers over the innocent. Lawsuits against tobacco companies put an end to the “right to smoke” that polluted the common air.
The only way to limit guns, is for an organized group to convince enough Americans that a minority’s “right to own assault weapons” is not more important than the majorities’ “right to safety from gun violence”. The rest is just marketing.
“A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed” The NRA markets the second half. MADD could market the first.

We love you Kevin. No joke. You are diligent and amazing. Full stop. ; )

Exactly!

I second that. I am gong to sound a lot dumber from here on in! ; )

Jane, we really need you to hire three more people. No joke.

I would elbow you out for being the first to support Dday’s candidacy. However I do not believe that the PTB would ever allow him to be elected. He is way too smart. He is way to virtuous. How are they going to control him?

Sigh.Sigh.
David, You have been my touchstone, through some really rough years. Like any such, I do not easily let you go.
I have however noticed that you seemed particularly dour in the past few months. As though you were so resigned to the failure of virtue in our government that you could barely bring yourself to comment on it, once again. I said, I think we are going to lose him. Sigh.
You have helped me tremendously, personally. I have gone through losing my business, bankruptcy and foreclosure, while listening to you explain, how it is systemic, and not so much my own failure. I will never be able to thank you enough for that perspective. It may have been life saving. (It is not so much the loss, as the guilt for the loss, that destroys responsible people).
This is to say, that your mission here at FDL, has had real, measurable, critical effects on very real people. Information is power. You have pulled some of that power away from the banks, and the corrupt government agencies and self serving powerful, and given a portion back to your readers. (Enough that we could find a thread of reason in the chaos).
Thank you.
Time comes when each of us must pick up our things and move forward. I sincerely hope that your next step is fulfilling. I also hope that you will show up in our lives again. Please leave footprints!!
Sincerely, Janis

Isn’t a datasbase that can elect a black president…worth a few bucks…to someone?