Four years ago this month I began this blog…and while I haven’t been very political since, I most certainly opined my strong feelings about the Presidential Election that year. A quick search back at those early posts will quickly discover I had some very strong feelings leaning heavily toward the right. In fact, I make no bones about the fact I consider myself a staunch conservative Republican. Readers of this blog ought to know where I’m coming from on my personal political ideology.
Two years ago, just days before that last big local government election, I was honored to host the Governor of the State of Minnesota, Tim Pawlenty, during the Fourth Minnesota Governor’s Deer Hunting Opener. Well, as many of you know following politics this year…before Senator McCain selected Governor Sarah Palin to be his running mate, it was Governor Pawlenty who was widely considered to be one of the frontrunners for McCain’s Vice Presidential slot.
So now we’re only two months out from what could prove to be the most important election in our lives. To me the choice is rather obvious. In fact, I find it exceedingly difficult to comprehend how an otherwise intelligent, rational person could even agonize over the decision on for whom to vote. On one hand you have a choice of a legitimate national hero whose achievements and accomplishment are simply awe inspiring…then on the other hand you have a puppet whose political party has elevated him to a position apparently based on nothing other than the color of his skin. That’s right. Obama has no accomplishments. He has no relevant experience for the job whatsoever, either. Ironically, over the years many qualified African Americans have been overlooked for political achievement because they happened to be the wrong skin color. Now for the first time in history we have a political candidate whose only attribute apparently happens to be the color of his skin. Go figure that one out.
Fellow outdoors blogger Michael Bane recently made a good point in one of his posts. Bane said “Guns are the canaries in the coal mine, a bellwether on how people really feel about freedom and individual responsibility.” For those readers not aware of the canaries in the coal mine analogy, back in the “old days” miners used to keep canaries in the mines to warn of low oxygen or dangerous gas levels. Because canaries were particularly susceptible to death under these conditions…a dead canary would forewarn miners of the potential health hazard they soon faced.
Bane’s warning that guns are our modern world’s political canaries is well conceived. Take for instance the Party Platform the Democratic National Committee has on gun control. “…We believe that the right to own firearms is subject to reasonable regulation, but we know that what works in Chicago may not work in Cheyenne. We can work together to enact and enforce commonsense laws and improvements — like closing the gun show loophole, improving our background check system, and reinstating the assault weapons ban …” (see page 48 of the Platform for the complete statement) In other words, the Democrats when they utter the word “CHANGE,” what they really are trying to tell you is they “HOPE” to “CHANGE” the way we all enjoy our sporting life, especially if it involves gun ownership.
In contrast, let’s look at the Republican National Committee and their Party Platform as it relates to gun ownership. “…We condemn frivolous lawsuits against firearms manufacturers, which are transparent attempts to deprive citizens of their rights. We oppose federal licensing of law-abiding gun owners and national gun registration as violations of the Second Amendment. We recognize that gun control only affects and penalizes law-abiding citizens, and that such proposals are ineffective at reducing violent crime…” (see page 51 of the Platform for the complete statement) Wow! Some stark differences, huh?
Talk about individual responsibility and freedom…or the utter lack of it with the Democratic proposal.
In mining lore, as long as the canary kept singing, the miner knew their air supply was pure and safe. Indeed, guns during this political cycle likely WILL BE the proverbial “canaries in the coal mine” for those of use who are true, gun-owning, freedom-cherishing sportsmen who also just happen to love our country, too. Needless to say, any political party who even hints at gun control simply cannot be trusted. Nor should they be given any opportunity to even exercise those political threats.
Folks, if you do your homework and attempt to understand the issues at hand there is really only one way to vote this November. Perhaps that decision is best summed up by how I dressed my 10–week old daughter this morning. 
2008 Jim Braaten. All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction without Prior Permission.
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