National Guns License

We're witnessing an historic level of children being killed by guns- most probable way to die, more than car crashes- and enough has been enough ten years ago.

To accord with the Second Amendment, each state could issue gun licenses. Except, transportation of firearms across state boundaries, ought to require a National Firearms license.

Like a car: title, license, registration and insurance would be required of the user. Dealers and manufacturers assure quality, and Dealers must use professional discretion following, so called, red flag laws.

We know how to do this. The States could use the national guidance for State Licenses and registration.

A written safety exam, required safety demonstation, and age minimums would be contingent. Additionally, mental health wellness, compitency, and background checks are required.

Any modification, such as required Corrective lenses, permits to carry in public and concealed all would be on gun owner's license to quickly deter foolish, irrational, and mentally ill ownership.

Each gun has a registration already, but it would require each gun to have Title and registration, being operated by licensee. Three parts of liability, so that insurance companies can give liability insurance for torturous constraints, lest we determine the tort settlements per victim.

We already have the infrastructure for all intents and purposes, now let's please do something already!

Post Off!

There was a fascinating moment when I was first in Japan back in 1997, and I entered the post office.

A world of not just stamps, but bill pay, basic banking, insurance, and connection to other government resources all in one place. Denver has 311 for some of the latter, for instance.

By then I had a private bank account, but today's American could use proper passbook savings in USA, and basic simple fee checking accounts in lieu of non-banking 'card' services, also called non-traditional banking alternatives? Under this idea, anyone could walk in and open up an account.

Further, the insurance we could provide US citizens were we to take up this different vision, would be basic coverage to drive, rent, or even buy a simple government backed life insurance policy that wouldn't lapse, and could always be redeemed.

Not just collecting stamps, our post office could be a front line remedy for any bill collectors- allowing the payor ample time and space to drop by the local Post office, and maybe pay from the PO savings account they held.

Alloting this preferred treatment, the Post office will have the ability to operate at a nominal and marginal profit, not reliant upon stamp and shipping costs to sustain income.

Finally, Amazon, Fed Ex, and other services should be sent to the back of the pile with priority given to paychecks, pensions and paperwork that the current go-go e-forms of the dont read just click "ok" culture will eventually be slowed with discovery of the law.

Such to say we need to get rid of the current Postmaster General, and get the business of ordinary people done fairly and on time, expanding the very definition of the public postal offices.

Been meaning to write that for two dozen years.

1776? More like 1812 & you were the British

Love to modern Great Britain, Happy Jubilee (awkward), but in the 19th century back when the Sun Never Set they had landed in the newly founded Capitol and burned many of the works including the building defiled a year ago by insane, confused and seditious persons, to the ground.

With all due respect let's review 1776:

1.  No Representation no taxation may be an argument for regressive VAT, but it's No Taxation without Representation reminding us we were a subject colony with subservient order.

2.  Powers of the many States.  The many divergent interests couldn't agree on the definition of a human at the dawn of Science, yet they coalesced against greater tyranny.  Thus began a bold experiment transcendental of past singular State Independent Republics, such as 16th century Holland, because as declared was aligned with a greater cause, where many States we're considering outright independence, they chose instead, to attempt something never tried in human recorded history.

3.  United we stand divided we fall.  Since ancient China good leaders have known that great power of Unity, and we are often only as strong as the weakest link.  Although we have been given dominion over the planet, we are simultaneously a fragile biological creature, like any other that can also go extinct. 

International Interdependence is the key Technology of Government and philosophy that appears to have been discovered from the Seven Years War, a virtual World War of colonial powers- it also presented the opening for a century and a half of colonial rebellion, and independence of former colonies organizing as singular in the Age of Stateism.

4.  We are in perpetual formation, and so to be inclusive of what through reason, dignity and jurisprudence has since become the transitive right of all humankind in philosophy to reasonably unite in Congress to not just be nominally represented, to have these rights defended in common, but also in order to pursue Life, Liberty, and reasonable happiness that doesn't infringe upon any others same bundle of rights as citizens.  E pluribus unum.

5.  Division of powers.  King John may have signed and sealed the Magna Carta, but it acted as more of a promissory note in exchange for the tens of thousands more people whom the Dukes would be needing to regularly supply the King's endless Feudal warfare, back in those dismal days when it was much harder to raise a human, and we were much fewer.  

There were scores of repromises, compromises, and variations over the century following, but ultimately The Magna Carta writ bold was coveted as proof of some notion of independence from despots.  The articulation of all aspects of modern society post dark Age Europe could be said to have emerged from this fourteenth century experiment.

Once Washington reasonably agreed to lead, the idea of King of America was doomed, and in their best wisdom they divided the labors of State: Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary to replace the King, Parliament, and Courts.

6.  No King's, Queens or Imperators!  The Agricultural realists that made this land knew life was an endurance of seasons.  A central figure is inefficient as an organizing principal in matters of progress, science and ethical administration.  Every two, four and six years the boldest, best and brightest should go to trade on behalf of their constituenties in good faith and conscience, regardless of political career (and leave eventually).

7.  Please, add to the list of rights responsibly, it's a work in progress.  The rights and responsibilities in our Bill of Rights are for everyone everywhere on US soil all the time, and when all of the above are disfunctioning, then please change... Including revise or remove, if needed.  

Conclusions: All human beings may be born of different station, place, rank, class, or situation, yet we are equally entitled to all rights such as the freedom of Religion, but also the freedom from any imposition of Religion, for example.  

The Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights are of course imperfect documents written by human beings.  Washington stepped down from ostensible Kingship (contemporaneously other than maybe France, our allies, trading partners and opponents could only imagine him as Regent) he warned against imitating Sister Britain with the formation of parties, implying that although each Representative, Executive and Judge, also human, may be imperfect, All must make their choices and answer for them accountably to that constituency of voters, and their Maker.

The method to Washington's leadership was accompanied by humility, self awareness and the dignity and nobility of humanity like Cincinnatus two millenea before him to prefer freedom over power.

Our Civil War four score and seven after was further, unfortunately violent, correction of this power dynamic, but it can be linked to a nexus of biblical levels of iniquitous human chattelry, massive unjust territorial expansions causing disproportionate representation from an inconvenient distance and historical onerous circumstances, and international competition from foreign interests.

We have deescalated such power misalignments through negotiations, dialogue and compromise for a century and a half of something we call bipartisanship, and there is no reason for The United States of America to regress to past misalignments, unneeded partisanship, or violence.

People sacrificed in 1776 in order to plant the tree of Liberty for the future to enjoy- a considered answer to the long-term problems of humanity.

One year ago was an internal invasion of people, domestic terrorism, by mostly citizens, who by operation of law are now having lawful abridgement of those same rights granted to thus be responsible to pay penalty, fines and serve time for their crimes, as the largest, freest, most watched, most monitored lawful election in human history was certified.

We have but one Republic, and as Franklin said "if you can keep it!"

What a year 2014!

As I am starting a real estate blog, I dont plan on updating this blog for a while, so this may be my only post for 2014.  (Although I may post a link to the new Blog in Spring.)

We start with a civil liberties public victory in the end of prohibition beginning.

Washington State, my alma mater, and Colorado State, my new home are beginning what we saw as the last gasp of Alcohol Prohibition—States Rights.

In that context we already know, including the upcoming elections, this will be a historic year.  The ballgame in my mind is focused on Congress.

There seem to be three distinct possibilities: (1. bad/same/worse) (2. same/bit better/bit worse) (3. improved);

Let me state that I only hold about a 20 ~ 30% hope for the latter case.  I think the default will be the second scenario, but I feel there is just as much chance we could have a muddle or scuttlebutt that effectively makes Congress somehow more unpopular, and more do nothing.

Start by noticing that the Fiscal wings of both parties got it sorted for the next two years (passing the budget), so they could focus on what will be really weird and tangential differences—elections are pretty silly—rather than civil rights as mentioned last election cycle.

The most probable scenario is that middle case.  Same memes of superficial ad hominum against the President, two parties effectively running a permanent campaigns, rather than legislating, and the sources of our common problems continuing to be ignored and unremedied.

I also imagine the Supreme Court will make news in both sessions this year, most of us just wont know exactly how or why.

My hope is for scenario number three: That each politician, each party machine, and each candidate acts like a citizen who is on some sort of job interview—put the proof in the pudding and legislate.  I am hoping most of you (Congress) are replaced (by a plurality of third parties), so in fact the problems are addressed appropriately—this may be your last chance to make a positive difference!

I appreciate everyone who has found the calling to public service, and know that most of them are essentially decent people, or at least were.  That said, if your so busy doing what you are there for then at least you’re doing your job, and at best the people may like it.  They will show their thanks, if they put you back in for another four years.