Moving Toward The Election

For the past few days we’ve been receiving questions from our readers asking a single question: “what about the election?” It’s a question that’s not easy to answer, because there is simply so much at stake a week from tomorrow. And it’s not all the obvious “stuff” that should worry each of us. There are issues to be decided that have the potential to impact every aspect of our lives, not just our wallets.

When James Carville wrote: “It’s the economy, stupid” on a blackboard several years ago, he solidified a focus on the single issue that assured Bill Clinton a place in the White House. Today, Carville would need considerably more words — and chalk — to cover the topics of concern we are all facing.

From the economy to the subjects we’re permitted to teach in schools next week’s ballots are filled with important issues. And not all of us face the same issues — that’s one reason I’ve not bored anyone with my personal political positions.

On the issue of firearms and rights, telling anyone who believes neither party has any interest in dialing-down gun rights at this point is not only a waste of time, it’s a hopeless cause. Despite the nastiness of the campaign, there are some elemental truths that cannot be argued.

One is that the Democratic Party, the party of my family for generations before me, has no intention of leaving that subject alone.

The Outdoor Wire has confirmed from confidential sources that the “transition team” for the Democratic candidate has already begun looking into the current approval system for firearms transactions. It seems the digital recordkeeping approval recently granted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) has piqued their curiosity. With a virtual Form 4473 in existence, we should be on the lookout for a new record-keeping initiative that will “simplify” the hassles of off-site digital record storage by allowing FFLs to, say, store the information on secure governmental servers. Of course, the government will never access the information.

Anyone who doesn’t realize that firearms are under fire has probably been in a coma for the past twenty years — or longer. Arguing that with someone whose opinion won’t change, however, is the equivalent of trying to teach a pig to sing — it wastes your time and irritates the pig.

So we move into other areas.

The economy is in the tank — and the bottom of the tank may be deeper than any of us realized. That doesn’t mean we can’t come back, but a working definition of insanity might include believing Washington is capable of governing. Not being able to govern yourself is a pretty good indication of being disqualified to govern others.

Their profligate spending won’t end until the rest of us run out of money or wise up and send them back home. I’m not betting on the latter.

In California, the test-bed for most extreme legislation, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and Farm Sanctuary are quietly (for them) pushing Proposition 2, a measure that would outlaw current farm methods of animal handling. Having learned their lessons the hard way, they’re going door-to-door canvassing and promoting Proposition 2 rather than showing up naked, tossing paint on people or protesting with bullhorns. HSUS head Wayne Pacelle has learned there are more effective ways to advance his agenda, including using “animal protection” instead of “animal rights.”

As the HSUS has moved away from openly expressing a desire to eliminate meat from American diets, they’re finding it easier to move in that direction in baby steps. As one of the Proposition 2 leaders put it “we’ve learned to present things in a way that resonates with the public — But we’re less strident? — we don’t say you’re wrong and you shouldn’t do it.”

The messages haven’t changed, just the delivery methodology.

With just over a week to go before an election that may truly be a defining moment, there’s still only one message that matters. Learn about your candidates, your ballot and the issues approaching next week. Then, get out there and cast your vote based on your own research and opinion.

After all, none of us is as smart as all of us.

As published in theoutdoorwire.com