Year: 2004

I have a confession. I had no clue that Hurricane Charley was even out there until I heard some people at a restaurant talking about a Category 4 hurricane hitting Florida. Yeah, I get out of touch with the news sometimes. Oops.

With the hurricane season that we have had this year, I haven’t made that mistake twice. I tracked Frances constantly, and now I’m keeping an eye (pardon the pun) on Ivan.

How ironic is it that during the news there was a tourism commercial for the Mississippi Gulf Coast? “What Job? What Kids? What Yard Work? What Worries? Get away to Missisippi’s Gulf Coast! With non-stop flights … everything you need to plan the perfect getaway…”

Yeah, perfect with the current 20% chance of Ivan hitting head on. I hope it doesn’t go there, but that’s rather trite. Obviously, it’s a hurricane and it has to go somewhere. Right now they are giving Galveston a 6% chance of getting the storm, but hurricanes have a mind of their own and I’m not counting us out yet.

Tom DeLay’s latest comment about the assault weapons on the news? “It’s a feel-good piece of legistlation, and all it does is punish those people that live by the law, and it does nothing to keep assault weapons out of the hands of criminals.”

Thanks Tom; personally I would like to feel good.

If the law wasn’t effective, then fix the law. I’m more curious about these good law-abiding people that need assault weapons. Why? Why would you need an assault weapon? Who needs one? I really don’t want my neighbors to own one.

I have no issues with people owning guns. If you want to hunt, go ahead. But there is no need for any citizen to own an assault weapon.

I just heard on the news that the Assault weapons ban expires today. Why? Really, WHO needs assault weapons? Are you going deer hunting with an assault weapon? Need a “street sweeper” to make sure you get the doves while you’re out hunting? Really?

I am even more disappointed in the fact that the Republicans refused to allow a vote to extend the ban on the weapons. I cringed when I saw Tom DeLay (of Texas) saying, “It has proven to be useless, it’s a feel-good piece of legislation.”

Know what, Tom? Somedays, feel-good legislation is a good thing. I like to feel good knowing that someone can’t just walk in to a store and buy an assault weapon. Yes, I realize they can probably buy it on the street, but I like to think we’re doing whatever we can to cut down on the number out there.

I realize their were loopholes in the ban that caused problems. It’s your job as politicians to close those loopholes. Fix the ban before you make it a law. Write a better bill.

I added my vote to the poll on CNN, and the results seem to indicate that the Republicans are out of touch with the people. When asked, “Is it right to let the assault weapons ban expire?” the results were: Yes 28% (26667 votes), No 72% (69813 votes). It’s early, and I realize the results may change, but it seems like the common man does not approve of this.

I’m very disappointed in our government this morning.