BloggeRhythms

The most consistent aspect of the current administration is its lacking of firm policy development in almost every aspect of governance, especially so in foreign affairs. And that serious shortcoming arose again over the past few days regarding Syria.

 

Until now, and especially when the incumbent was away honing his golf skills for the past two weeks, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Martin Dempsey, and Defense Secretary, Chuck Hagel, have said all options regarding Syria remain on the table. Which would certainly include airstrikes and perhaps, even boots on the ground.

 

Further confirmation of Chairman Dempsey’s belief came Thursday when he said that  ISIS must be targeted in Syria to be defeated.

 

But now, the incumbent’s back in the White House, instead of walking the fairways, and must have told General Dempsey to tone it down. Because, according to  CBS News DC the general spoke to reporters on board a military plane traveling to Afghanistan on Sunday and said, “that he believes the Sunni insurgent group formerly known as ISIS is not currently plotting or planning attacks against the U.S. or Europe.”

 

Therefore, for this administration, and especially its head, once again politics trumps reality. Even when the nation’s security is at risk as believed by its Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Secretary of Defense.    

 

The next item concerns former New York mayor, Michael Bloomberg and another of his pet projects.

 

While in office, Bloomberg inserted himself in a considerable number of issues regarding city dwellers personal behavior and choices, including bans on sodas larger than 16 ounces, chain restaurant menus without calorie counts, sales of flavored tobacco products and trans-fats in restaurants.

 

His continual intervention earned him the name “Nanny” Bloomberg, with one of his ongoing goals, even after leaving office, gun control.

 

In that regard, back on last April 15th Jeremy W. Peters of The New York Times wrote that, “Michael R. Bloomberg, making his first major political investment since leaving office, plans to spend $50 million this year building a nationwide grass-roots network to motivate voters who feel strongly about curbing gun violence, an organization he hopes can eventually outmuscle the National Rifle Association.”

 

Mr. Peters went on to point out that “The considerable advantages that gun rights advocates enjoy — in intensity, organization and political clout — will not be easy to overcome. Indeed, Mr. Bloomberg has already spent millions of dollars trying to persuade members of Congress to support enhanced background check laws with virtually nothing to show for it.”

 

However, Bloomberg may have even bigger hurdles to overcome now, because on Sunday in The Washington Times, Kelly Riddell wrote that, “Since Illinois started granting concealed carry permits this year, the number of robberies that have led to arrests in Chicago has declined 20 percent from last year, according to police department statistics. Reports of burglary and motor vehicle theft are down 20 percent and 26 percent, respectively. In the first quarter, the city’s homicide rate was at a 56-year low.”

 

Richard Pearson, executive director of the Illinois State Rifle Association, offered this explanation: “It isn’t any coincidence crime rates started to go down when concealed carry was permitted. Just the idea that the criminals don’t know who’s armed and who isn’t has a deterrence effect. The police department hasn’t changed a single tactic — they haven’t announced a shift in policy or of course — and yet you have these incredible numbers.”

 

Furthermore, “A July study by the Crime Prevention Research Center found that 11.1 million Americans have permits to carry concealed weapons, a 147 percent increase from 4.5 million seven years ago. Meanwhile, homicide and other violent crime rates have dropped by 22 percent.”

 

So, once again, we have a misguided former politician who’s made his mind up to push his beliefs and ideologies on the general public, although the facts and statistics indicate something entirely different.

 

And in former mayor Bloomberg’s case, as has been suggested here several times in the past, he has a solution to gun control most others don’t. Because, if he were to use his wealth to provide everyone with armed bodyguards like he has, most weapons in the hands of the public wouldn't be needed at all.

 

That’s it for today folks.

 

Adios