Rattler

When I was very young, if I was afraid to try something, Dad would say, "Were you born, or were you hatched?"

I always tell my kids and grandkids, "I keep your pictures in my wallet where my money used to be."

1980 was a very good year.

Politics, wrote Richard Henry Lee, is "the science of fraud." And politicians are the "professors of this science." "That's all I have to say about that" Forrest Gump

Yet, you begin your pronouncement by telling me that I'm incorrect. I believe you have said we cannot judge the whole based on the actions of one, yet you wish to use yourself as an example to defend the group. I never expect you to directly refute things I've posted by addressing those things with a direct rebuttal. Is there anything in my last post you believe is factually incorrect? I stand by my post and will defend my assertion that leftists do not love this country based on the facts provided. You may not agree with what I have posted, but I think saying I am wrong is merely your denialist opinion. What concerns me about your wanting the "best" for everyone, is how you define "best" and how you would go about implementing that. Leveling the playing field? Are you sure you're not advocating "equal outcomes" over equality at the starting line? "I also recognize that not everyone starts from the same number in life, and like it or not, race and gender, and even physical location do affect your starting position." Tell me, when has this ever not been the case in the entire history of America? Yet America became the greatest nation on earth with this truism in effect. Did you ever consider forcing "leveling" on this land might do it more harm than good? Why is it leftist policies must be forced on the populace, with the threat of prison or at the muzzle of a gun, if these ideas are so benevolent? It is, by definition, totalitarianism. It requires massive government interference and power and it becomes totally political, as opposed to free choice and liberty. You are only free to do what the government lets you do. It's played out in history before. It was called Socialism. It morphed into Communism. Can anyone say they weren't evil? Wealth redistribution is also something the left loves, unless it's their wealth that is being stolen from them. I think you are more of a confused liberal than a leftist. A leftist does not love this country, in any way, shape or form. I do not believe you do yourself a service by claiming to be a member of that genus.

Now I know many do not read long posts, but in order to respond to many of the above slights and misconceptions, it is necessary to definitively address them all at once. Many Democrats are leftists. Not liberals, who believe in the Constitution and allow opposing opinions to flourish, but totalitarian leftists that will allow no opposition to their agenda. Whenever leftists are charged with not loving or even hating America, they respond angrily, labeling the question absurd, mean-spirited, and an example of right-wing McCarthyism. But there can be little doubt that the left has no love for America, just as there can be little doubt that liberals and conservatives love America. Love of America is one of the many dividing lines between liberalism and leftism. Here are six reasons to believe the left hates America: 1. No one denies that the international left—the left in Europe, Asia, Latin America, and elsewhere—hates America. Therefore, in order to argue that American leftists do not hate America, one would have to argue that on one of the most fundamental principles of international leftism—hatred of America—American leftists differ with fellow leftists around the world: All the world’s left hates the U.S., but the American left loves it. This, of course, makes no sense. Leftists around the world agree on every important issue. Why, then, would they differ with regard to America? Has any leftist at The New York Times, for example, written one column critical of the international left’s anti-Americanism? 2. Leftists want to “fundamentally transform” the United States. Five days before the 2008 presidential election, candidate Barack Obama told a huge audience in Columbia, Missouri, “We are five days away from fundamentally transforming the United States of America.” More recently, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren announced that she plans to “fundamentally transform our government,” that America needs “big, structural change,” and that her proposed Accountable Capitalism Act would bring about “fundamental change.” Likewise, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders said earlier this year, “We’re going to try to transform the United States of America,” and also said, “This campaign is about fundamental change.” Examples are legion. So, here’s a question: How can one claim to love what one wishes to fundamentally transform? The answer is obvious: It isn’t possible. If a man were to confide to you that he wants to fundamentally transform his wife, would you assume he loves his wife? If a woman were to tell you she wants to fundamentally transform her husband, would you assume she loves him? Of course not. 3. Leftists have contempt for the American flag. I am unaware of a single left-wing individual or organization that has condemned NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick for refusing to stand for the flag during the playing or singing of the national anthem that precedes NFL games. To the contrary, on the left, he is universally regarded as a hero. Indeed, Nike anointed him as one, making him its brand model. Leftists might respond that Kaepernick’s public refusal to stand for the flag and national anthem says nothing about his love for America, as it is only a form of protest against racial injustice. But that is nonsense. Would leftists argue that anyone who publicly refuses to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day really loves Dr. King? Many on the left defend a person's right to stomp on, or burn the American flag, calling it free speech. But a man was recently sent to prison for a long time for burning a Rainbow flag, with leftists asserting it was a hate crime. 4. Leftists routinely describe America as racist, sexist, xenophobic, imperialist, genocidal, homophobic, obsessed with money, and morally inferior to most Western European countries. No moral person could love such a place. Claiming the moral high ground in opposition to your own country cannot mean you stand in unison with your country. 5. America is the most successful country in world history—while being the most committed to capitalism and remaining the most religious of all the industrialized democracies. To the extent that America is great, that means two of the institutions the left most loathes—Christianity and capitalism—are also great. Let's not forget the leftists who recently pontificated, "America was never great.", or leftists who attack peaceful people who have the nerve to wear a hat saying "Make America Great Again". 6. Love is, among other things, an emotion. So, here is a question about leftists’ emotions: Do any leftists get the chills when the national anthem is played or when they see the American flag waving as the anthem is played? Given their rhetoric, it is most unlikely. Yet, every person I know who loves America does get a chill at such moments. Do leftists, as opposed to some liberals and conservatives, display the flag on any national holiday? How many leftists even own a flag? Finally, if leftists do not love America, what do they love? According to their own rhetoric, they love the planet—Mother Earth, as they frequently refer to it. And they love animals. They really love power, and they claim to love material equality. They also love to persuade people they're victims. America, being evil, has victimized them. By race, religion, nationality, wage discrepancy and sex. They don’t love Western culture—and they now dismiss praise for it as a euphemism for white supremacy. Interestingly, while they often claim to love humanity, many don’t seem to love people. They give less charity and volunteer less time to the downtrodden than conservatives, for example. They have much less interest in having children and making families. They are far more likely than conservatives to cut off relations with friends or relatives with whom they differ politically. And if they really loved people, they would love capitalism because only capitalism has lifted billions of people from poverty. They love to convince the gullible they are the saviors of the world. That only they love others. But truth be told, they love … themselves.

Did you see a flag on the stage at all? I've seen a video where the one flag on the stage was actually removed from the stage just prior to the beginning of the debate. Ask the candidates during the debate why there's no flag on stage. Why wasn't that a question? Democrats have moved really far left since 2016. Anyone who doesn't think so isn't paying attention.

Trump may act like a clown sometimes, but if asked he will tell you he loves America. Ask any Democrat if they believe the US Flag should be present during their debates. How many of them will say it should? It's not an issue of one person, it's systemic throughout the entire Democrat party. You want them to be running America?

Also: Did SNOPES fact check Biden's claim 150 million people have been killed by firearms since 2007?

Let me ask you a question. If Democrats won't have an American flag on the stage at their debates, why should anyone ever give them a vote to run America?

It's misdirection. The photo may not be of the woman he beat, but does that mean he did not beat a woman or not get appointed to the high level DNC position? No. He did beat a woman and he did get the position. SNOPES would have everyone think because the picture isn't the real victim, it's a false story. The fact is nobody can use the photo of the real woman without her consent, which she won't give, for fear of getting an ass beating again. It's about Democrats and their values. If one wants to deny Elison's situation, SNOPES will feed them the spin on the story to enable them to do it.

Snopes is a joke. Referring to them adds no credibility. https://foodbabe.com/do-you-trust-snopes-you-wont-after-reading-how-they-work-with-monsanto-operatives/ https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/apr/29/the-unreliable-facts-of-a-fact-checking-site/ https://www.reddit.com/r/politicalfactchecking/comments/cdwe75/i_think_we_are_being_too_lenient_on_fact_checking/ https://www.investors.com/politics/editorials/fact-checkers-big-media/ As far as Elison goes, it's not an issue of his Islamist adherence. It's an issue of Democrats putting him in a high level position in their party. No one denies he beat that woman, even him.

Democrats

I like to look at any political candidate from a perspective of what negative things they would do. People always fall for the BS they spew about what they will do for us. We need to start looking more at what they will do TO us. Are they for higher taxes, massive taxation, less freedom, gun control, more abortion, more government control and more spending? When weighing advantages and disadvantages, it's easy to see who one should support. No Democrat today offers more advantages than disadvantages IMHO.

Nice day yesterday. Flushed a grouse right in front of me walking uphill on my road yesterday.

About those Russians: https://www.dailysignal.com/2020/02/21/here-we-go-again-4-things-to-know-about-new-russia-trump-election-meddling-narrative/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=here-we-go-again-4-things-to-know-about-new-russia-trump-election-meddling-narrative?utm_source=TDS_Email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MorningBell&mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiTUdJMU9XWTNNakl4Tm1VdyIsInQiOiIzZ1JoK25FcTJic09JN2l2bTB5SlY5RjROaG12Wk9WSHlCWHlMeUFKdU5udCtsb1JBM0N5WlpGQzdMem4xbGZpS2ZNUFdnNXV1WUhtdDQwcE1pYk94dno4MGZxemE1WVlmb25XaGdzVEhVcGl2RXNcL2RhZ3p1b3FNQSs3ZyticXEifQ%3D%3D

Back in the mid 60's to the mid 70's I used to spear suckers in the Delaware River across from the Port Jervis beach. My uncle lived right on the river on the PA side. We used three pronged spears like the one shown in the OP with a snorkel, mask and fins. We'd just cruise the river with the fins and our face in the water so we could see. Typical snorkeling. Some of the fish were in deep water so you would have to take a deep breath and dive down to them. (Back then the water was crystal clear and the rocks in the river were really clean. Now they are all covered with brown crap and look like dirt.) It was a lot more fun than just going for a swim in the river and there were plenty of suckers in the river to keep things interesting. Every so often someone would show up with a speargun and that would always have somebody who saw it calling the wardens, who would show up quick and confiscate it. Not sure what the fine was for using it, but it wasn't cheap. One kid dropped his in the river when he saw the wardens and they held him on shore for two hours until he went in to get it. There were quite a few outlaws around that area back then.

A little history of Democrats working against America and benefiting communism.

Russia donated $0.00 to the Trump campaign. Russia donated $145,600,000 to the Clinton Foundation. But Trump was the one investigated. Democrats sent more troops and armament to arrest Roger Stone than they sent to defend Benghazi. Bill Clinton paid $850,000 to Paula Jones to get her to go away. I don’t remember the FBI raiding his lawyer’s office. We are one election away from open borders, socialism, massive taxation, mediocre universal healthcare, gun confiscation, and full-term abortion nationally. It's about fighting evil. If you think the democrats will give you great universal healthcare, consider this. In August 2014, the Office of Inspector General released a report finding that the cost of the HealthCare.gov website had reached $1.7 billion. All that for a Democrat created website that DID NOT WORK!

Many a long day in a deer stand has been enhanced by the companionship of these little chicadees.

Well, they were actually here as late as the end of the 1800's. "Mountain lions have not had a native, self-sustaining population in the New York State since the late 1800s, according to DEC."

Obamacare is the reason healthcare costs are currently rising. The Democrats are fighting to prevent it from being scrapped and fail to admit it is a disaster. They refuse to accept their signature health legislation has created more problems than anyone could imagine, even though they were warned it would create problems. Why? Because Obamacare was the first step in total government control of ALL healthcare. The leftists goal is to make healthcare impossible unless it becomes a single payer system run totally by the government. That is how Marx advised leftists to control the people. Control their healthcare. Screw it up beyond repair and single payer starts to look good to the idiot electorate. This idea has already been embraced by a multitude of leftist Democrats, so expecting them to fix the rising cost of healthcare is wishful thinking. Expecting leftist Democrats to support any type of fix to the cost of healthcare is fantasy. The only thing being ignored is the truth. The only way to fix our healthcare system is to get the government completely out of it.

I find it humorous when anti-Trump citizens point to things Trump hasn't been able to accomplish, without acknowledging the systematic obstruction he has faced from the opposition on everything he has proposed or implemented. It's quite obvious Democrats must rely on obstruction to prevent his administration from accumulating even more positive accomplishments, in order to have any chance of criticizing Trump's administration in the upcoming election. The reason we have seen less done for American citizens since 2016, is because leftist Democrats are more interested in fighting to regain power than they are in helping American citizens. And if they ever regain that power, they are more likely to use it to diminish the freedoms American citizens have, to benefit illegal aliens and themselves. One can only imagine the plans they had in mind if Hillary won. The shock of her loss has driven them to desperation, where nothing is too insane for them, in their attempt to implement those past plans. God help America if they ever regain power.