- I know I don’t have all the answers, but I know none of them will come from anyone currently with an (R) behind their name. And I’m not just talking about gun violence.
- Hi, GOP. We tried it your way. Your policy promoting proliferation of guns hasn’t worked. More people with guns hasn’t reduced gun violence; it’s made it worse. Now it’s our turn to find a solution to your gun craze.
- I’d rather have every American have to go through background checks to buy everything from guns to bullets to bubble gum than require children to have active shooter drills.
- Texas police like to wear their costumes–the colorful braiding, the cowboy hats, the boots, the guns–reminiscent of rodeo shooters. Maybe they should be more concerned about their tactics and less about their fashions. The only people who should properly wear cowboy hats are ranchers and strippers. Everyone else looks ridiculous.
- Texas has a failing power grid, high infant and maternal mortality, a failing education system, and the highest number of mass shootings in the nation. But Greg Abbott is worried about LGBTQ and CRT lessons in schools, and slowing food shipments coming across the border ‘cause priorities.
- No politician who uses a gun as a prop in a campaign ad deserves a single vote. Their lackadaisical attitude about using guns–to troll people and express disapproval–shows they’re clearly not mature enough to serve, or to own guns.
- Republicans want us to believe that the teachers children spend their days with cannot be trusted to discuss race or gender issues with children, but should be trusted with guns in the classrooms. They’re more concerned about children coming home after school with questions about gay people than children not coming home after school at all. Better dead than well-read.
- So far during this midterm cycle, Republicans have espoused their support for white supremacy, white nationalism, Russia, revoking the First Amendment, forced child bearing, fiscal waste, pollution, insurrectionists, government waste, government censorship, book burning, politicizing religion, enabling mass shooters, and frivolous lawsuits. Remember when they were known as “conservatives”?
- A moderate, steady rain is the most peaceful sound to fall asleep to.
- Is the NRA in cahoots with the National Morticians Association or the American Coffin Manufacturers Guild to increase their business? Do they get a kickback for every mass shooting?
- Madison Cawthorn warns that things are going to get so bad, “you might wish we were back in Congress.” Nah, things can never get that bad.
- This country is so fucked up I expect the GOP to propose legislation to install “Active Shooter” alarms in school hallways next to fire alarms and claim they fixed the problem.
- Every third or fourth commercial on Fox features a former Republican candidate for public office or public official pitching some vitamin or cream: Huckabee, Ellison, Gorka. Funny how you don’t see Democratic politicians shilling things… likely because they have self respect and sound financial management. There’s a reason you don’t see Al Gore pitching incremental supplemental life insurance.
- Why are whistles the epitome of cleanliness? They’re full of spit.
- Russia is “redefining” its goals for military victory in Ukraine the same way a homeowner changes plans for a renovation when he runs out of money: “We were going to put hardwood throughout the first floor, but we thought lime green shag carpet would be better.”
- The father of my grade school’s well-known bully put him into boxing classes to teach him “discipline.” What he accomplished was to make the bully more skilled at defeating larger boys in the school: instead of the typical wrestling matches boys engaged in, he would lead with endless punches. It didn’t teach him discipline; it taught him how to be more violent. I cringe at what would’ve happened had he been given a gun as a gift.
- We need a law to have all presidential pardons issued with a serial number so that the public can know if the President issued pardons that weren’t announced. It will be the only way officials can confirm the pardons are authentic. Even today, Trump could write up pardons for anyone now, backdate them, claim the National Archives lost them (or maybe Mark Meadows burned them), and no one could challenge it.
- It cracks me up that some people think that as a writer, I can just think of something and it miraculously appears in print as a 2,000 word essay, and that the finite commodity of time doesn’t limit my ability to produce the number of things I can work on in one day.
- Mrs. Jack is away for a weekend conference–miss ya, honey!–so I’ve prepped for my bachelor dinner: ribeye steak (with blue cheese), salt-bathed baked potato and grilled tomato.
- My new favorite recipe for shrimp is butter shrimp using the pressure cooker. Steamed with Old Bay and cocktail sauce is the best quick meal ‘cause they steam the shrimp at the grocery. But if you have the time, jambalaya or gumbo is a great meal. And of course, shrimp is a natural partner for pasta.
- There are 21 items in this week’s list in memory of the 21 lives lost in Uvalde. Rest in peace. We hope your deaths will not be in vain.