It's the GUN, Stupid!

As the nation mourns its worst mass shooting, media talking heads are again asking "What type of person would do this?" Sadly, the media is unlikely to give us any deeper analysis than it was the work of an angry lone nut. Moreover, we are likely to be told it's an isolated incident. So, other than grieving and lowering the flags there isn't much more we as a nation can do to prevent these disasters. Unfortunately, the past several years there seems to be no shortage of angry lone nuts willing at attack schools and shopping malls.

Yet, many are beginning to question whether the isolated "mad loner" theory fully explains the phenomena. Why is it we never read about knife wielding wackos or crossbow armed madmen killing scores? What is the media overlooking when it asks "What type of person would do this?"

What could it be, what could it be?

Someone armed with a GUN?

Ding, Ding, Ding!

Like mixing alcohol and driving, the combination of an unstable person and easy access to firearms seems to increase the chance of disaster. Unfortunately, until the country finds a solution addressing both parts of the problem, mass shootings will continue.

Some are starting to see the light, questioning the cost of our nation's gun laws. Organizations such as the Brady Campaign to Prevent Handgun Violence are working hard to make the Blacksburg shooting the last. Give them your support.

Romney Shoots and Misses?

"Slick" Mitt Romney is at it again, making crazy claims about his past in order to win the republican presidential nomination. This time Slick asserts he's a "lifelong" hunter. "I've been a hunter pretty much all my life," Slick recently told a New Hampshire resident. Problem is Romney's only been hunting twice, once when he was 15 and then again when he turned 60. Other than being in a committed marriage, (sorry John and Rudolph) or on rare occasion kicking an addiction, most thinking Americans know it often takes more than two attempts to call oneself a lifelong anything.

Slick clearly thinks gun voters are gullible hicks who can be bought off with a couple of hunting trips (the last taking place in a fenced game preserve) and a $1000 donation to the NRA. Hmm. . . perhaps the one G is why the NRA is surprisingly quiet on Romney's claim that two hunts is the minimum necessary to become a lifelong hunter.

If Slick has bought off the NRA for so little, maybe he believes he's accurately dialed his sights in on the gun voter. It remains to be seen if gun voters reject Slick's pandering and make themselves a moving target or sell out their values and offer themselves up to him as sitting ducks.

Republican Cluster F*#@!

The republican race for president is becoming quite a mess. Combining last week's Gallop/USA Today Presidential poll with yesterday's first quarter campaign fundraising numbers, we see a republican field with major problems.

Let's start with Giuliani who had a tough week. First as conservatives learn more about Rudolph's background, his judgement, and political stances his poll numbers drop like a stone. The Gallop poll saw his number fall more than 13 points in just two weeks. Ouch! At that rate, he'll be out of the race in little more than a month. This sagging support meant mediocre contributions. Putting him far behind Willard "Slick" Romney. All this has "the Mayor" somewhat unhinged and defensive.

John McCain is in even tougher straits. His poll numbers plateaued at roughly 20 percent and he came in a disappointing third in the money race. Like Giuliani, McCain is starting to reek of desperation. He is looking for any spark to jump start his campaign, even one that put hundreds of US soldiers in harms way.

Then there's Romney. Old Willard had to choke on his lunch when Gallop revealed he's convinced just three 3 percent of the country he should be the next President. Three percent! That's within the poll's margin of error, which could mean Willard is actually appealing to no one. On the flip side, he sucked in over the past three months a mighty $23 million for his campaign. That has got to be the richest 3 percent in the country. Romney is obviously going after the Bush base.

Meanwhile, Newt's star is fading and Brownback, Tancredo, and Huckabee can't even get off the launching pad. Finally, Fred Thompson's poll numbers went from zero to 12 points in the last 14 days. Impressive for someone who isn't even running. Just shows how desperate the republican base is becoming given the current slate of official candidates. Unfortunately, for thespian Thompson, he's now down $23 million to Romney.

What fun!