Ace of Spades HQ

December 25, 2012

David Gregory in the hotseat [@PurpAv]
— Open Blogger

Oh my, now there's one of those Whitehouse petition thingies demanding prosecution of Gregory for waving around an illegal (in D.C.) 30 round Ar mag.

Unleash the Kraken of public "outrage". No "journalist" should be above "the law", even if it is a retarded law, right? Ignorance is no excuse, right?

Force them to play by their own rules.
Its the Alinsky way.

Other petitions you may be interested in:
Piers Morgan deportation
NRA school shield program
Create "gun free" politicians zones
Revoke tax exempt status of Westboro and designate as hate group
Bag Anna Wintour as possible ambassador choice
Declassify Nicola Tesla's papers and make them public
Stop paying Congress and President until "fiscal cliff" is avoided

Posted by: Open Blogger at 11:16 PM | Comments (97)
Post contains 128 words, total size 2 kb.

1 Woot!!!

Posted by: and irresolute at December 25, 2012 11:24 PM (DBH1h)

2 Lock him up and throw away the key! Bwah, hah, hah, hah, hah!

Posted by: Judge_Roy_bean at December 25, 2012 11:27 PM (Sedwk)

3 Force them to play by their own rules. Its the Alinsky way.

Posted by: The Lightworker at December 25, 2012 11:32 PM (Pao58)

4 *Like*, as they say.

Posted by: Parking Lot Bozo at December 25, 2012 11:34 PM (DC1tz)

5 At a bare minimum, NBC needs to fire him and his producer, right?

Posted by: Z as in Jersey at December 25, 2012 11:37 PM (Fvc1x)

6 Jail! Jail! Jail!

Posted by: Sexypig at December 25, 2012 11:39 PM (dZQh7)

7 Why does it take a petition to enforce a law?

Posted by: Case at December 25, 2012 11:41 PM (QwurB)

8 Good ideas!

And remind people that Westboro founder/leader is a democrat doner/voter!! EVERY TIME they get press!!

Posted by: JarvisW at December 25, 2012 11:48 PM (E7Iyp)

9 Seriously? You're advocating this Westboro as a hategroup shit? How is this different from the reactionary gun-grabbers? A case of the butthurt at an appropriate arbitrary level, and freedom can fuck off?

Posted by: blehzor at December 25, 2012 11:51 PM (s9K+V)

10 I just signed that petition. It was the most fun I had all day, except for being here with the Ron's and Ette's of course.

Posted by: Judge_Roy_bean at December 25, 2012 11:52 PM (Sedwk)

11 You're advocating this Westboro as a hategroup shit?

"Interest" != "advocacy"

Words matter. Read them. Obtain a dictionary of necessary.

The Westboro petition is ALREADY over the top.

Posted by: @PurpAv at December 25, 2012 11:53 PM (hcG0U)

12 Forget Wesfboro. David Gregory must do jail time. And an apology tour.

Posted by: Z as in Jersey at December 25, 2012 11:53 PM (Fvc1x)

13 @PurpAv You're posting the petition in a list of others that people from this site would be "interested" in signing. You posted a direct link to the petition. You didn't write some words about it. Definition of ADVOCATE http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/advocate 3 : one that supports or promotes the interests of another" Perhaps you should save the link I provided.

Posted by: blehzor at December 25, 2012 11:57 PM (s9K+V)

14 Refusing to prosecute Gregory only opens up DC for the Million Magazine March. Should they fail to give him the full enforcement of the law, we will overwhelm them with our march snd set new liberal standards they csnnot oppose in court.

Posted by: Opie at December 26, 2012 12:00 AM (bpONz)

15 You're posting the petition in a list of others that people from this site would be "interested" in signing.

I never said anything about "signing" anything on that list. In fact, the list appears at the bottom of the post and distinct from the Gregory petition quite intentionally.

Just because I'm "interested" in genocides in Africa, doesn't mean I'm an "advocate" of them.

Posted by: @PurpAv at December 26, 2012 12:01 AM (hcG0U)

16 Man up, Gregory. Either admit you lied about your "prop" or turn yourself in to the authorities.

Posted by: Z as in Jersey at December 26, 2012 12:04 AM (Fvc1x)

17 Did you sign the petition?

Posted by: blehzor at December 26, 2012 12:07 AM (s9K+V)

18 Here's a word for you: Disingenuous.

Posted by: blehzor at December 26, 2012 12:08 AM (s9K+V)

19 I have never signed any Whitehouse petition.

Posted by: @PurpAv at December 26, 2012 12:08 AM (hcG0U)

20 You can't possess a Newsweek magazine in DC anymore either.

Posted by: Z as in Jersey at December 26, 2012 12:10 AM (Fvc1x)

21 Here two words for you -- muddled, imprecise.

I can see you're one of those people who like to attribute intention that doesn't exist. You fancy yourself a mind reader.

Posted by: @PurpAv at December 26, 2012 12:10 AM (hcG0U)

22 The "list" was placed 4 lines below... "Unleash the Kraken of public "outrage". No "journalist" should be above "the law", even if it is a retarded law, right? Ignorance is no excuse, right?" I guess if you have the memory of a gnat and ignore the context of the post itself, the list can become a masturbatory exercise in just checking out some similar shit.

Posted by: blehzor at December 26, 2012 12:11 AM (s9K+V)

23 "You fancy yourself a mind reader." I see that was a statement. Project much?

Posted by: blehzor at December 26, 2012 12:14 AM (s9K+V)

24 Project much?

Just reading what you wrote. I've told you explicitly what was intended to clear up your confusion, yet you persist in attributing intent I've explicitly disclaimed.

Simply put, you're a garden variety argumentative asshole.

Posted by: @PurpAv at December 26, 2012 12:17 AM (hcG0U)

25 10 I just signed that petition. It was the most fun I had all day, except for being here with the Ron's and Ette's of course. Posted by: Judge_Roy_bean at December 26, 2012 03:52 AM (Sedwk) Unintended consequences. Whoda thunkit.

Posted by: blehzor at December 26, 2012 12:20 AM (s9K+V)

26 "Hate group" notwithstanding, I gotta believe they've violated their NPO status.

Posted by: BSR at December 26, 2012 12:20 AM (rs2oB)

27 The "charitable" aspects of crashing funerals seem highly debatable to me.

Posted by: @PurpAv at December 26, 2012 12:23 AM (hcG0U)

28 "Simply put, you're a garden variety argumentative asshole." I know you are, but what am I?

Posted by: blehzor at December 26, 2012 12:24 AM (s9K+V)

29 The whole non-profit system is broken. I mean was Jeremiah Wright's church non-political? NPOs are supposed to be... If that nuthouse and the "church" of scientology can get NPO status, something is wrong with the system.

Posted by: BSR at December 26, 2012 12:25 AM (rs2oB)

30 FWIW..."Argumentative Asshole" is just a fancy way of saying AoSHQ reader. :-D

Posted by: BSR at December 26, 2012 12:27 AM (rs2oB)

31 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQFKtI6gn9Y

popcorn

Posted by: JarvisW at December 26, 2012 12:27 AM (E7Iyp)

32 I'm out...just wanted to throw in my 2 pennies on the WBC assholes

Posted by: BSR at December 26, 2012 12:28 AM (rs2oB)

33 Is that supposed to be a threat? Changing my post, then alluding to my location based off my IP address? You're a sad man. I'll be sure to email Ace and let him know you're doing psychotic shit because a commenter questioned the consequences of a petition you posted.

Posted by: blehzor at December 26, 2012 12:29 AM (s9K+V)

34 Is that supposed to be a threat? Changing my post, then alluding to my location based off my IP address? You're a sad man. I'll be sure to email Ace and let him know you're doing psychotic shit because a commenter questioned the consequences of a petition you posted.

Posted by: blehzor at December 26, 2012 12:31 AM (s9K+V)

35 Troll somewhere else.

Posted by: @PurpAv at December 26, 2012 12:37 AM (hcG0U)

36 Ooooh! I'm tellin!!

Posted by: What's Happening's Dee at December 26, 2012 12:37 AM (E7Iyp)

37 I guess I should have known how you felt about free speech from the post itself. My bad.

Posted by: ether at December 26, 2012 12:39 AM (s9K+V)

38 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tgz5-8chSlk

Posted by: Jack N at December 26, 2012 12:40 AM (E7Iyp)

39 I guess you didn't notice, but Ace pays for this site, thus speech here literally isn't free.

If you want to speak your mind, make your own blog.

Its Ace's sandbox, and the ones he trusts with it.

Posted by: Founding Fathers at December 26, 2012 12:43 AM (E7Iyp)

40 You didn't question anything, blehzor. You're arguing we should nut up and take what ever stupid abuse the left tries to send us without answer. For someone so concerned about our masturbatory habits, you sure are fapping a lot. You might want to put a little ice on that.

Posted by: Bill H at December 26, 2012 12:44 AM (3sZO1)

41 I guess I should have known how you felt about free speech from the post itself. My bad. Yes. It is your bad. You can bloviate all you want in a public square. This square is not public.

Posted by: Bill H at December 26, 2012 12:49 AM (3sZO1)

42 .

Posted by: @PurpAv at December 26, 2012 12:50 AM (hcG0U)

43 Standing Ovation @PurpAv

Posted by: concrete girl at December 26, 2012 12:56 AM (y2Ojs)

44 You're way off base. Go to election night on this very site and you'll see Ace actually posted on of my tips on prelim poll results as I was following the election here. I'm far from a leftist, but apparently rubbing you the wrong way gets you labeled as one. I find all the other petitions amusing, but because I'm afraid leftists would use the Westboro's status being taken away as an excuse to attack other churches... I think it's dangerous to set that precedent. I think you overreacted and maybe i came off trollish, but whatever, i'll never post again. I'd ask you please take down my private information.

Posted by: blehzor at December 26, 2012 01:01 AM (s9K+V)

45 A crazy murderous GUN!!11! criminal like that has no place in a decent society!!! Let us now start excavating teh pits!!

Posted by: MFM at December 26, 2012 01:03 AM (SSWdi)

46 http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=gH476CxJxfg

So ya had a bad day...

Come back and try again maybe. And get your irony and sarcasm meter checked out. Good luck!!

Posted by: JarvisW at December 26, 2012 01:05 AM (E7Iyp)

47 I posted no private information of yours. An IP is hardly private. Anyone who wants to stay truly anonymous uses a proxy.

Here's my IP Address 98.77.124.142, its a Bellsouth DSL line.

Whoopty freaking doo

Posted by: @PurpAv at December 26, 2012 01:08 AM (hcG0U)

48 I'm afraid leftists would use the Westboro's status being taken away as an excuse to attack other churches

Other churches don't crash funerals. When they start doing that, I'll be concerned. The left is already waging war against churches with the Whitehouse being their pointman.

Posted by: @PurpAv at December 26, 2012 01:11 AM (hcG0U)

49 I think I found my long lost son in David Gregory!!

Where did he get eyebrows tho??

Posted by: Dick Gebhart at December 26, 2012 01:16 AM (E7Iyp)

50 Westboro has served as a very useful battering ram in the Left's war on religions which aren't Islam, which is why it's great fun to remind people that they're all big Democrats.

Posted by: Ian S. at December 26, 2012 01:18 AM (OevbG)

51 Yep, Ian!

Wish I had said that! (@

hehe

Seriously, it should be an Astrix in EVERY post about them!!

Posted by: JarvisW at December 26, 2012 01:20 AM (E7Iyp)

52 Eh, thats @8 not emoticon..

Sorry

Posted by: JarvisW at December 26, 2012 01:21 AM (E7Iyp)

53 David Gregory is Howdy Doody with Jimmy Johnson's hair. Aside from this petition, how about investigating his wife? I understand she's some sort of big macher at Fannie or Freddie and was there when the whole thing crashed and burned in '08.

Posted by: J.J. Sefton at December 26, 2012 01:35 AM (XkWWK)

54 Ha! Piers Morgan deportation petition is at 69,000+ already.

Posted by: Darth Randall at December 26, 2012 01:37 AM (98AOY)

55 But...But....But how is a journalist suppose to "change the world" if they can't use a prop or two?

Posted by: Case at December 26, 2012 01:42 AM (VtU/3)

56 I think if Gregory had been lying, he would have jumped to openly confess that rather than risk prosecution. Hell, the *claim* might have prevented an investigation. "Oh, it was an airsoft magazine, nothing to see here!" But to my knowledge, they haven't done that. It would tickle my funny bone to see a douchebag like Gregory hoist on his own petard. And, once again, it's not worth "discussing" things with trolls, they're not here to "discuss."

Posted by: Merovign, Dark Lord of the Sith at December 26, 2012 01:56 AM (bxiXv)

57 To my friends in the Horde , don't sign anything on the White House or any Government website...With the addition of thousands of new IRS agents and an administration that likes to targets the citizens of this country , you will be feeding right into their hands....

Posted by: AmericanDawg at December 26, 2012 02:19 AM (rBK2Z)

58 Looks like someone had to spend Christmas with toxic relatives.

Morning, Morons.

Posted by: fluffy at December 26, 2012 02:22 AM (z9HTb)

59 Drank way too much yesterday. By any chance was the president arrested while I slept?

Posted by: Whatev at December 26, 2012 02:31 AM (2t6Gz)

60 It seems the spirit of Christmas has passed in less than 24 hours. Ah well it was fun while it lasted. Morning everyone.

Posted by: wierdflunkyonatablet at December 26, 2012 02:33 AM (m/9JW)

61 Drank way too much yesterday. By any chance was the president arrested while I slept? Posted by: Whatev at December 26, 2012 06:31 AM (2t6Gz) April Fool's Day isn't for another 4 months.

Posted by: Bill H at December 26, 2012 02:36 AM (3sZO1)

62 David Gregory, the law breaker, should be on a watch list. He's one broken law away from something horrible.

Posted by: Fritz at December 26, 2012 02:36 AM (w3+gB)

63 We are all April Fools now.

Posted by: Newsweek at December 26, 2012 02:37 AM (z9HTb)

64 Mother of all backfires - sucker of communist ass brandishes an illegal weapon on TV to help scare the public into circumventing the 2nd amendment, gets busted and has to argue that the law is a violation of his 2nd amendment right.

Posted by: Whatev at December 26, 2012 02:41 AM (2t6Gz)

65 aren't magazines covered by freedom of the press..? Yeah, that's it, try that line of defense, Dave.

Posted by: mallfly at December 26, 2012 02:49 AM (jDjlM)

66 Go get'em, David! I'll drink to that.

Posted by: Sam Donaldson's Sentient Toupee at December 26, 2012 02:56 AM (w3+gB)

Check the recent post at Legal Insurrection blog that suggest NBC was *not* ignorant of the law.

Posted by: RokShox at December 26, 2012 03:12 AM (8MMMw)

68 Come here Davy... you gots some purty toofuses! Come toss my salad, purty TV boy!!!

Posted by: Jim Bob, texting from County Jail at December 26, 2012 03:37 AM (Jls4P)

69 Call me a cynic about the Gregory thing, but I think he and his cohorts knew the illegality of their action. These sanctimonious news-libs think their anti-gun theatrics are for the greater good and above the law. Gregory is insulated by layers of lawyers. They will make it all go away.

Posted by: Helen at December 26, 2012 03:38 AM (93bH6)

70 "No 'journalist' should be above 'the law', even if it is a retarded law, right? Ignorance is no excuse, right?"

Such naivete! Gregory is a member of the ruling class: laws are for you little people.

Posted by: Jon Corzine at December 26, 2012 04:21 AM (6d08e)

71 David Gregory, assault gun criminal.

Posted by: Temper Tantrum at December 26, 2012 04:33 AM (AWmfW)

72
You're advocating this Westboro as a hategroup shit?

How is this different from the reactionary gun-grabbers? A case of the butthurt at an appropriate arbitrary level, and freedom can fuck off?

Posted by: blehzor at December 26, 2012 03:51 AM (s9K+V)

Yeah, Westboro shouldn't be and excuse for more control , they're assholes but generally that's not illegal.

Posted by: Temper Tantrum at December 26, 2012 04:49 AM (AWmfW)

73 He started a thread at 3:16 on Christmas Night?

Posted by: Butters at December 26, 2012 04:52 AM (NIZHJ)

74 Not sure what that petition is all about, but Tesla is one of history's most under-appreciated great scientists. He was a truly amazing thinker with incredibly profound insight into how the physical world around him really works. Same goes for Gauss, dude had physics laws named after him in a number of different fields.

Posted by: Blacksheep at December 26, 2012 05:11 AM (bS6uW)

75 Glad to see I'm not the only concerned about getting my name an any sort of ID information on a USG data base! Trying to write on my Christmas IPad is a challenge.

Posted by: Hrothgar at December 26, 2012 05:14 AM (Cnqmv)

76 Posted by: Blacksheep at December 26, 2012 09:11 AM (bS6uW) Tesla did major practical work in many areas--it is unbelievable that any of it is still classified.

Posted by: Hrothgar at December 26, 2012 05:19 AM (Cnqmv)

77 I have never signed any Whitehouse petition. Ditto. I have absolutely zero confidence this vindictive administration (and frankly, our intelligence agencies under any administration) would not put my name in the Database of Death and then fuck me over for something trivial at sometime in the future simply because they don't like my political views. My starting point for dealing with law enforcement: Avoid them at all costs, and never volunteer your information.

Posted by: Blacksheep at December 26, 2012 05:19 AM (bS6uW)

78 Language is a scalpel, not a blunt instrument.
I guess you've never seen someone half beaten to death with an ampersand--teeth and blood all over the place. That is why they're banned at the HQ, isn't it?

Posted by: andycanuck at December 26, 2012 05:23 AM (jPVBi)

79 Tesla did major practical work in many areas--it is unbelievable that any of it is still classified. Word. Anyone's whose resume starts with publicly kicking Thomas Edison's ass in the battle of currents is pretty impressive. He got really weird at the end of his life, though ... God knows what he was working on toward the end, weaponizing EM systems maybe?

Posted by: Blacksheep at December 26, 2012 05:26 AM (bS6uW)

80 I think the Tesla thing is more based on a conspiracy theory than anything else. While it's possible there's something left hidden, my understanding is that the papers that were gathered upon his death have been released, either here or to a museum in Belgrade. The rumor version is that his secret plans for death rays or free power were hidden because potato.

Posted by: Merovign, Dark Lord of the Sith at December 26, 2012 05:30 AM (bxiXv)

81 I think Tesla also helped Marconi with radio and didn't mind Marconi getting all of the credit. (Maybe even insisting upon it?)

Posted by: andycanuck at December 26, 2012 05:34 AM (jPVBi)

82 Seriously? You're advocating this Westboro as a hategroup shit? How is this different from the reactionary gun-grabbers? A case of the butthurt at an appropriate arbitrary level, and freedom can fuck off? Posted by: blehzor at December 26, 2012 03:51 AM (s9K+V)------------- They DO NOT like it when you use their tactics, PurpAv. I do believe they will try to intimidate with questions of our "morals" (like they have any). IGNORE leftists. BLEZOR appears to be one.

Posted by: MidwesternSceptic at December 26, 2012 05:39 AM (cxl8k)

83 I'm afraid leftists would use the Westboro's status being taken away as an excuse to attack other churches Other churches don't crash funerals. When they start doing that, I'll be concerned. The left is already waging war against churches with the Whitehouse being their pointman. Posted by: @PurpAv at December 26, 2012 05:11 AM (hcG0U) Westboro is a group of Leftists USED to depict "Christians" to the public. Their is NO other explanation for their disgusting behavior. Just like the Southern Poverty Center, they are vehicles to wreck America institution by institution.

Posted by: MidwesternSceptic at December 26, 2012 05:51 AM (cxl8k)

84 Westboro is a group of A-Hole Lawyers.

Posted by: Butters at December 26, 2012 05:52 AM (NIZHJ)

85 I'm more interested in the work Tesla did with macaroni. I understand he slung it against the wall, but was not quite happy with the results.

Posted by: gigg423 at December 26, 2012 06:08 AM (41VCE)

86 And honestly, we do need to do something about this criminal Gregory. How many children in DC were endangered by this mans blood-lust for ratings? Why can't the government do something to defend us from this lunatic murderous thug David Gregory?

Posted by: gigg423 at December 26, 2012 06:09 AM (41VCE)

Meh,

I'll confess, that I misunderstood the Westboro link at first too.

I think there's a lot of reaction to it, because they are so detestable, you see a lot of people (from the right even) jumping in and saying "yeah, let's pass a law to shut them up."

So my default these days seems to be if someone presents it, without comment, they usually support it. It's sad but true. (Yeah Yeah, I know about assuming, asses and what not.)

Of course, here's the rub, we can argue about NPO status all day long (and there likely is an argument there more generally.) But this "hate group" shit is beyond the pale. Mostly because it can and will be turned against us someday, should our opinions fall any more into the minority.

Which makes me wonder, I'm conflicted about how to handle this. Generally speaking, the solution to bad speech is more speech (h/t Popehat) but in this case it seems unlikely to work. I enjoyed when the Semi-Truck driver parked his truck in front of their protest spot, but I'm not sure that's not also a chilling tactic. I confess the "more speech" quip tends to only work when people are speaking at least somewhat rationally (and Westboro is no where near that.)

Posted by: tsrblke at December 26, 2012 06:20 AM (GaqMa)

88 I officially oppose the "Westboro Hate Group" petition goal.

Government shouldn't have the power to classify any group as a 'Love' or 'Hate' group. 'Hate' is a moral determination, and according to the first amendment it should be beyond governments authority to regulate. Do we really want to set a legal precedent where government can regulate churches?

Besides that, wouldn't a 'Hate Group' listing constitute a Bill of Attainder? (Article 1, Section 9, Clause 3)

A better solution would be to strip them of tax exempt status for engaging in purely political activity. The same bill should also lift the tax exempt protections on the literally thousands of "non-profit", political action groups.

Posted by: gastorgrab at December 26, 2012 06:22 AM (FX38i)

Other churches don't crash funerals. When they start doing that, I'll be concerned. The left is already waging war against churches with the Whitehouse being their pointman.
Posted by: @PurpAv at December 26, 2012 05:11 AM (hcG0U)

FWIW, I'm convinced Government will use Westboro to start squeaking in on free speech rights, regardless of source.

After all it's only a matter of time after Wesboro that SoCons are a hate group, then Tea Partiers (for hating the poor or something.)

Posted by: tsrblke at December 26, 2012 06:28 AM (GaqMa)

90 As a general rule, it would be better if conservatives and classic liberals avoided petitions to the White House altogether, not explicitly because of the current occupant, but because petitions to the Chief Executive, vice the Legislature, promotes the slow steady growth of something akin to kingship. For in the olden days that is exactly whom you petitioned. Thus, it indirectly concerns the current occupant, and he template he is making in his egocentrism. As far as Westboro, churches should be free to both politically agitate from the pulpit, and be tax exempt, because as has been historically seen, the power to tax can be the power to destroy. And that brings up an interesting point. The power to tax is the potential power to destroy. This ability was pointed out time and time again at the Framing, Ratification, and Founding of the current Republic. Therefore, in the upcoming debates over whether or not the HHS mandate can stand--the Court would be well served to consider the mandate as a tax, a tax to mandatorily support a behavior, a behavior decidedly and explicitly non-religious, and a behavior at odds with many religious adherents. The mandate can thus be seen as a tax designed to imply that society will not tolerate religious beliefs in action--even if just in the form of an adherent refusing to take *active* steps contrary to his beliefs, a negative action that could ordinarily in no way be defined as illegal or in any way criminal, and thus the mandate is a tax designed to destroy religion, because it forces adherents to actively and personally support explicit non-religious behavior out of their own pocket, without further government intermediary, and simply forces people to pay fines or violate beliefs. In this sense, the mandate is akin to a Baptist of colonial Virginia being forced to pay a tax to support the Anglican church. It is something he will get no benefit from, and is something that violates his conscience. Or, a better way of saying is it is as if the Baptist was forced to directly tithe to the local Anglican church, with no further government involvement in the transfer of cash other than mandating it. This is not to mean that as a cardinal principle religious believers cannot be made to pay taxes, or that those taxes cannot be used for things the religious do not support, nor that the religious cannot be made to particpate in societal events they disagree with (eg., war). But it is to say that the intermediary action of the government as both collector and dispenser of monies is usually present, which helps to dilute and ameliorate the sense of outrage, and it is to say that in cases where action is compelled against religious beliefs, it is usually for things where the existence of the entire civil order is in petil of extinction (war), and not because it is the desired policy choice of a group of government functionaries, and especially when the mandate for a person to pay is designed to get around the fact that the desired policy choice cannot, as a political reality, be funded directly by the legislature due to real opposition. As fervent as the HHS supporters may be, the simple fact is that free birth control is not the same as fighting Nazi Germany. As far as using Executive Branch mandates to force the people to directly pay what the Legislature forbears to fund--in this sense, the mandate of HHS could be seen as akin to the act of Charles I , whom, upon being denied funds from Parliament, tried to requisition it anyway from knights and nobles. HHS is trying to get the public to pay for something--directly, without further government action--for something they of HHS probably couldn't get an appropriation for in the current legislature--and thus the mandate may also potentially run afoul of the clause that revenues must originate in the House. If the HHS mandate is determined to be an indirect tax, and if the law as signed does not then explicitly call or allow for such revenue to be generated--as a tax, with reference to the appropriate codes-- then HHS has tried to raise revenue from the people without act of Congress and the act is decidely unconstitutional, both via the infringement upon religion aspect, as well as the fact that it is a revenue item not originating in the House.

Posted by: R. at December 26, 2012 06:32 AM (8+IYC)

91 The whole issue with the David Gregory thing will be to see if the "zero tolerance" policy the Lybs are always adamant about enforcing applies across the board. Grade school kids who draw a picture of a gun are suspended for a time. Drawing a picture of a gun is not against the law. Possessing a 30-round magazine is against the law, however, at least in D.C.

I won't be holding my breath waiting for the Lybs to apply their zero tolerance policy to David Gregory.

Posted by: fly at December 26, 2012 06:39 AM (oO55L)

92 I'm not sure if this post will get buried by the new one, but these are some thoughts I've been having about the Gregory Affair. Basically, and like many other people have said, do an Alinsky. Ambush journalism. Hit him several times with hollered questions like 'Why did you break the law?', 'When will you be turning yourself in to the police?' and such. All 'When did you stop beating your wife?' kind of questions. Find some literally poor schmoe, preferably black, who WAS prosecuted under the same law Gregory broke. Ask him why he was imprisoned when Gregory walks a free man. Get some nice juicy class- and race-based responses. Back to the ambush interviews, but add in the race and class issues. Ask Gregory if he's above the law because he's white. Throw in the racist history of most gun control laws. Make his advocacy of gun control a race or class issue. This may dilute the message too much, but there might be a way to bring in his wife's position at Fannie Mae and the New Aristocracy thing that Ace among others, has been writing about. Progressives clearly aren't interested in the liberty aspect of the gun control debate so we need to hit their softer spots, raaacism mainly. We all know they're some of the most racist bastards on the planet but showing their hypocrisy to the softer-headed middle out there could prove useful in the political battle we're engaged in.

Posted by: J. Random Dude at December 26, 2012 06:45 AM (72afg)

93 I agree, why does noted racist and hatemonger David Gregory get to brandish a thirty round ammo clip on national television? No black proud black man would be allowed to own, or display that item? When does a known white man David Gregory get away with murder by proxy?

Posted by: gigg423 at December 26, 2012 06:55 AM (41VCE)

94 Oh I wish I could go back and fix that, I mean to say "Why does noted racist white man, David Gregory get away with murder by proxy?"

Posted by: gigg423 at December 26, 2012 06:57 AM (41VCE)

95 Damn no edits! I should have said "I MEANT" to say "Why does noted racist white man, David Gregory get away with murder by proxy?"

Posted by: gigg423 at December 26, 2012 06:58 AM (41VCE)

96 Why does enforcement of the law require a petition in the first place?

If Gregory violated the DC law, government should have no choice but to prosecute. Guilt or innocence should be based on the evidence, not on the popularity of the offender.

Posted by: gastorgrab at December 26, 2012 07:15 AM (FX38i)

97 As far as Westboro, churches should be free to both politically agitate from the pulpit

You have a novel definition of pulpit when it includes crashing funerals.

Posted by: @PurpAv at December 26, 2012 10:46 AM (TkFJS)

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