The Kind-Hearted Smart Aleck

I’ve long been an opponent of the two-party system in this country. The U.S. population is roughly 330 million people, and every 4 years, we’re given two options on who we want to lead our nation. Sure, there are third party possibilities, such as an Independent candidate, a Libertarian, a Green Party nominee, and someone who goes by the name Deez Nutz, but if we’re being honest, there are only two plausible winners: the Republican and the Democrat. A presidential election in this country is actually an example of the false dilemma fallacy, for we’re presented with just two options, when in fact there are more. It’s almost like, every 4 years, we’re forced to choose between cover bands of the Beatles and Rolling Stones, when in fact there are millions of people who don’t even like the genre of rock music, let alone those two specific bands – yet they’re told to vote for one of them as a civic duty.   In addition to this, we often like to brand ourselves as a democracy. For th...

With each and every election cycle, I begin to increasingly wonder if the Republican Party will change its name to the Oligarch Party. For as pro-freedom and liberty as their rhetoric typically is, it amazes me how anti-democratic the Republican Party has become. Allow me to compare the two parties on this front: Democratic Party - Wants to overturn Citizen's United so that corporations are limited in their campaign donations - Doesn't believe corporations are people - Wants to expand voting efforts to maximize voting on election day - Believes a strong economy is build from the base up - Doesn't believe in repressing certain demographics of voters Republican Party - Wants to maintain the Citizen's United ruling so corporations aren't limited in their campaign donations like people are - Believes corporations are people - Wants to restrict voting on election day - Believes in trickle-down economics - Believes in repressing certain demographic...

It appears as if the city of Charleston, West Virginia is going to see some modest gun restrictions of theirs rolled back, including the ban of guns at city pools.  I'm not sure whether I feel this is worse or not as bad as the lifting of gun restrictions at bars in some states. With regard to bars, I don't think it's a wise move to mix firearms with alcohol. However, bars are typically full of adults, whereas pools are typically occupied largely by youngsters. It's safe to say I think both are bad ideas. The lifting of this very restriction in Charleston could make for some interesting signs by the pools and rules given by kids' parents... Signs "NO DIVING WITH GUNS" "DON'T BREASTSTROKE WITH GUNS" "LIFEGUARDS ARE NOT TARGET PRACTICE" Parents' rules - "Stay away from that man with the big gun." - "Never close your eyes." - "Wear your floaties, helmet, and bulletproof vest." ht...

Christopher Stanlane - a 34-year old resident of Fairmont, North Carolina - accidentally shot and killed his 10-year old son while cleaning his shotgun on Sunday afternoon. The father was said to be cleaning his shotgun while on the couch and his son was in front of him watching television when the gun went off and struck the boy in his head, which killed him instantly. With the investigation ongoing, no charges have been filed to this point. I have so many questions for the father upon reading this story. First off, why in the world would he not check to make sure his gun wasn't loaded before cleaning it? Next, why wouldn't he make sure to point the gun away from anyone, regardless of whether or not it was loaded? Lastly, why would he not go about this in a different room than where his 10-year old son resided? This guy obviously didn't have proper training and at this point in his life, was much too careless and uneducated to be owning a firearm. This is one reason wh...