Canales News Briefs

May 13, 2004

“…I got a little change in my pocket

going jingle ling ling

Want to call you on the telephone baby

I give you a ring

But each time we talk

I get the same old thing

Always ‘ No huggin no kissin

until I get a wedding ring ‘

My honey my baby

Don’t put my love upon no shelf

She said ‘ Don’t give me no lines

And keep your hands to yourself ‘

Cruel baby baby baby

Why you want to treat me this way

You know I’m still your lover boy

I still feel the same way

That’s when she told me a story

‘bout free milk and a cow

And she said ‘ No huggin no kissin

Until I get a weddin vow ‘

My honey my baby

Don’t put my love upon no shelf

She said ‘ Don’t hand me no lines

and keep your hands to yourself ‘

You see I wanted her real bad

And I was about to give in

That’s when she started talkin’ true love

Started talkin’ about sin

I said ‘ Honey I’ll live with you

For the rest of my life ‘

She said ‘ No huggin no kissin

Until you make me your wife ‘

My honey my baby don’t put my love

upon no shelf

She said ‘ Don’t hand me no lines

And keep your hands to yourself ‘…”

-Lyrics from the song “ Keep

Your Hands To Yourself”,

as performed by the Georgia

Satellites, 1986

To All,

In the political endorsements game, actions speak louder than words, especially when there is a shillelagh to keep wayward pols honest:

Getting To The Church On Time:

It seems that there will be a slight operational pause in the endorsements process for Election 2004, until such time as certain events take place.

These include the completion of all Federal and State agendas, final bill signings, and the happy event of pols being sent home far away from their respective Legislative halls (Where if they are not in session, they cannot be doing as much harm.).

In addition, the Conventions have to run their course so that the naming of the presumed candidates becomes “official” and that the voters can finally have a group to choose from. Given the lateness of this year’s Republican Convention (due to 9-11 remembrances), or the possibility that the Dems won’t be able to get into their convention until strikes by 30 or more of Boston’s public employee unions are resolved, schedules are going to be pushed well out this time around.

In addition, it is also only after all “bets” are in, and all signed bills have been “parsed” for the kinds of weasel words usually associated with gun confiscation, that the NRA can make a meaningful evaluation of who its friends in the Congress and the various Legislatures are, and who are not.

But as noted by Bob Cusack in the Hill Magazine yesterday, the NRA is also taking that extra step to make sure that the pols that do get the magic “A+” grade are worthy of the honor and support that comes with it. Cusack quotes NRA Lobbyist Chris Cox in declaring that the NRA is not going to make an official announcement of the endorsed Presidential candidate until sometime in the fall.

In reality, the NRA is likely not going to endorse Presidential and/or Congressional candidates at least until after the magic date of September 14, 2004.

And what, pray tell, makes September 14 different from any other day? Why, it is the sunset date of the 1994 Federal Ban on the Sale of Flash Suppressors, Bayonet Lugs, and Folding Stocks.

For those with short term memory problems, such as Congress-persons and their campaign consultants, the 1994 Sales Ban demonstrated a previous Congress’ intent to halt the occurrence of drive-by bayoneting that was so prevalent during the early part of the Clinton Presidency. (That and the rumored involvement of the hardwoods processing lobby, who was supposedly concerned over the loss of gun stock market share to fierce competition from the metal forming trades involved in folding stock manufacture.). In a response to the Sales Ban’s passage, gun-owners-cum-voters tossed whole legions of wayward Legislators out of the political arena like so many bags of orange pekoe into Boston Harbor.

Of course, what is important for firearms activists to remind today’s wobbly incumbents about (along with those challengers that have yet to sign on the dotted line of the NRA Prenuptial Agreement), is that any pol who is active in this year’s attempt to resurrect the 1994 Sales Ban will enjoy the “extra special” attention previously reserved to such distinguished Members of the Political Establishment as Tom Foley and Algore.

For surely there is nothing more grand in this world (to paraphrase Tom Lehrer) than the sight of 4.2 million NRA members on the march to their respective voting booths, after first having walked precincts and melted phone lines from San Diego to Kittery.

What is more, said NRA members are fully capable of realizing that the literal line in the sand is currently drawn in the House, where it appears that certain distinguished members seem condemned to repeat History. No passing of the proverbial buck will suffice to “splain” away any backsliding on this issue. Nor will there be countenancing of “wink-wink, nudge-nudge” amendments that give aid and comfort to the goals of those whose opposition to self defense and practical shooting sports is knee jerk in the least.

As such, any pols who think that they can make hay from this issue should simply review their TIVO downloads from Mother’s Day 2004. If they had the foresight to lock in C-Span, they would have seen the “terrifying” sight of the Million Mom March, Less 997,000, holding court on the Washington Mall. (Geez, Muqtar al Sadr can put more marchers on the streets of Najaf than Donna Dees-Thomases can hope to round up for a KonKlave in the World’s Greatest Democracy. And that is with “outsourcing” helping to fill the picture.). Compare this to the tape delay of the NRA Convention Dinner in Pittsburgh, where there was room to put only 3000 diners to see Vice President Cheney speak on Second Amendment issues. Many more were unable to get the prized tickets, good for one rubber chicken plate. If the pols know what is “good” for them, they should stick to less controversial matters, such as prescription drugs for seniors and the indigent or Social Security reform. They might last longer in office that way.

Story basis may be found at:

http://hillnews.com/news/051204/nra.aspx

Respectfully,

Anthony Canales

SFVMC-NRA