I am sad to tell the Bernie supporters that Polish hippies don't know who Bernie Sanders is :) they know Hillary though. And they were pretty astonished that political junkies in the U.S. know all about the plane crash that wiped out their government leaders. Sadly their right wing nut job who is deeply invested in "Russia did it" is now their minister of defense. As Putin gets freaky Russia starts to pivot right in some ways like the U.S.

As we've been lectured here, blaming voters, who just happen to have jobs, families to raise, and all the other responsibilities just to stay afloat is, simply, the default position for those who are complicit cogs, "apparatchiks" of this corrupt system.

I will never forget the conversation I had with a great, great psychiatrist years ago while we were watching the Kennedy/Nixon TV debates. At the conclusion of the debates the Doctor turned to me, and, sighed, "the reason why I remain so utterly depressed, and, fatalistic, regarding the future of our 200 yearlong experiment in, "participatory Democracy," is that the very qualities that are required for candidates seeking higher offices of power to win are the very qualities that make them unfit to hold those offices."

Of course, then comes the teeth-gnashing, inevitable, comeback, "So, what are you going to do about it?" My answer is simple: "accept reality. I don't know of any example in history where power was relinquished peacefully. I served my time in the military; I'm too old to re-up. I cast my hope with today's youngsters who realize the system they've been handed doesn't work.

who had worked as an environmental health specialist with the San Bernardino County Dept. of Health for the past five years. His co-workers said that he was married, he and his wife had a baby and appeared to be happy, and he had just returned to work from paternity leave. His department even threw a baby shower for him and his wife.

How is this going to effect the way people see their Muslim coworkers?  I can't see anything good.  This, in a way, make it one of the most terrifying shooting events yet.   In spite of the above they now say it was clearly well planned.  They put some serious thought into this.  Dropping their child off saying they were going to the doctor knowing they would probably never see it again.

The drone killing in Yemen of the American Muslim cleric, Anwar al Awlaki, was justified, in largest part, on his stochastic terrorism. A random and effective incitement to act out.

It is with no less worry for creating actors of terror than in the dangerous pronouncements of candidates like Marco Rubio's "God's law trumps the US Constitution," or Fiorina's deceitful video "showing" the harvesting of baby parts, or Trump's "legitimizing" of torture.  Indeed, is Trump, in accord with his statement to "take out" the families of terrorists, going to advocate for the governmental murder of the San Bernardino terrorist's six month old baby, his mother, father and siblings?  If he doesn't there is likely someone out there who will be happy to pick up the challenge.

Their weapons were two weapons described as "assault" rifles and two pistols.

They also had pipe bombs which they had in the SUV but didn't use.

They both were obviously prepared to do this.

Call it what you like.

It was obviously done by people who were radicals and followed the Islamic religion.

That is the definition of a radical islamist.

It was an act of terrorism.

That should not boggle anyone's mind.

What should boggle everyone's mind is watching the President want to talk about guns and the press afraid to call it what it is.

Either that, or it's a brown person who hates us for our values.

Couple of hours later there was a shoot out with the suspected escape vehicle and two suspects were killed or captured, one suspect is still being chased.

1) what did those who wrote the 2nd amendment and ratified intend and believe and understand it to mean;

and

2) In the absence of a restricting amendment, what is the best policy for a state or city or gov to pursue on the matter of guns or is there such a best policy?

The scotus ruled in Heller that the right to bear arms was an individual right not restricted or limited to those serving in a local militia and that the right includes having a handgun for self-defense in the home.  Not long afterwards, it clarified that this right includes within it at least some public carry in some way, under some circumstances.

BTD says he thinks that the scotus got it wrong.  Does he/you think they got it wrong about the original intent of the writers of the 2nd amendment, or that they have given the US a bad policy restriction by trying to go by original intent?

I have read most of the decision in Heller.  (I have actually read all of the majority decision and not read much of the dissents.)  I believe the decision is sound, though the decision is one on the intent of the writers and ratifiers of the 2nd amendment, and not a question as to what is the best policy for the gov.

If you/he wish to disagree with the majority opinion, then, is there one of the dissents you believe has the correct analysis in whole or in part?

I don't think the scotus decisions are morally infallible or infallible in terms of rightly deciding the intent of the original writers or infallible in a variety of several other ways.  So at times I entertain the idea that some decision of theirs is wrong  . . . but they pretty clearly got this one, Heller, right . . .

There were several claims that the two shooters were what I will call dressed for combat.  I have seen several pix of a body beside the rented Ford SUV that was to be returned to the rental agency on the day of the shooting.  The person on the ground was wearing what looked like short pants.  The LEOs in the news conference have confirmed the shooters were wearing what are called load bearing vests.  These vests are basically a vest with lots of pockets to hold things like additional ammo.  They were not bullet proof vests.  Also looked like a bare arms and no head cover.  Hardly what I would call combat clothing.  Also have to wonder about the rental car timing and if the shooter(s) owned a car.

Seems like the LEOs caught a break when they went to the house and noticed the rental car and started following it leading to the fire fight.  The house thing is interesting (I know it is really a condo in a multi residence building)in that the LEOs at the press conference are sorta wishy washy about the shooters not really living there but using the place as a bomb making factory.  There are unconfirmed reports that neighbors saw what were described as Middle Eastern men taking large box in and out of the house.  The local LEOs are saying the FBI is in charge of investigating what the house was and who visited there.

While there has been some discussion of loading your own ammo I have seen no indication the shooters did that.  However there was, according to my best guess, a couple of thousand dollars of ammo at the house.  Also a significant investment in tools and stuff to make pipe bombs.  In addition to trips to Pakistan.  Point is while I feel like I am fairly well off there is no way I would spend that much money on that kinda stuff, and I suspect even most "right wing wacko gun nuts" would be in the same boat.

(That darling little 5-year-old boy in the center of the photo is Michele's grandson Jake, who's packing Grandma's Walther P22.)

It is my earnest hope that one of these days, what happens in Vegas will finally stay in Vegas courtesy of a coalition of still-sane and newly wised-up district voters, and not be sent back to Carson City for another term of crazy and unhinged.

Oh, wait, maybe we won't have to worry about that. She's currently considering a run for Congress.