Melania Trump . . . America’s new First Lady

Melania Trump is the kind of First Lady that America has been deprived of for far too long. Despite being married to the most controversial presidential candidate in American history, Melania Trump remains an enigma. Although the famous former model seems to have it all, Melania’s testimony tells the story of someone who’s struggled against all odds – and overcame.

Melania Trump has graced the covers of the most prestigious fashion industry magazines. But like many Americans today, Melania’s success was the result of a courageous work ethic and humble beginnings.

Melanija Knavs was born on April 26, 1970 in the small Slovenian railroad town of Sevnica – long before she changed the spelling of her name to pursue a modeling career. Despite the struggles many Slovenians faced during the country’s Communist times, the Knavses worked extremely hard to give their children a positive upbringing.

Melania’s mother, Amalija Ulcnik, worked developing patterns at a factory that manufactured children’s clothing. She had met Viktor Knavs in 1966 who worked as a chauffeur for a nearby town’s mayor. They instilled Melania and her sister with conservative values such as putting family first and having exceptional work ethic. "I love my childhood. It was a beautiful childhood," Melania said. Her son, Barron (10), speaks Slovenian fluently and uses it to speak with his grandparents, who now live near the Trumps in New York at Trump Tower.
Melania’s father left his job as a chauffeur to become a salesman at a state-owned car company in Ljubljana, Slovenia and found his family an apartment there – all to provide his children with exceptional education opportunities with their new prestigious address.

Amalija’s career as a seamstress had a profound impact on Melania. Once Melania learned to draw, she would sketch her own designs, and her mother or sister, Ines, would sew them. Melania also made her own jewelry.
Amalija spent evenings after work sewing clothing for herself and her two daughters. Instead of wearing clothes from the store, the Knavses designed and sewed every thing they wore. Melania’s childhood friends remember her always being dressed elegantly and carrying herself with confidence – there was always something striking about her.

Melania’s modeling career began when she was 16-years-old at a modeling contest when she attracted the attention of photographer Stane Jerko, whose test photos of the breathtaking teenager resulted in her signing with a modeling agency in Milan.

Despite her success as a model, Melania’s goal was to become a designer. So she applied to the School of Architecture at the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia, becoming one of the few to pass the school’s notoriously difficult entrance exams.

While pursuing her degree in design and architecture, Melania remained focused in school. She didn’t drink, or party, nor did she smoke. Even with the temptations surrounding her as a college student and successful model, Melania lived a quiet homebound life. "She kept to herself, she was a loner. After a shoot or a catwalk, she went home, not out. She didn’t want to waste time partying," Jerko remembers.

After obtaining a degree in design and architecture at the University of Ljubljana, Melania was jetting between photo shoots in Paris and Milan – but Melania had even bigger dreams. Melania knew that if she wanted to achieve her goals she would have to move to America.

Melania finally made it to New York in 1996 after landing an American modeling contract – but nothing could prepare for the struggles that were down the road.

Shortly after she began pursuing her modeling dreams in America, Melania struggled to find work because she was considered "too old." The modeling industry isn’t friendly to models once they hit their later twenties, and at just 26-years-old, Melania was worried her best days were already behind her.

Melania went to castings every day, but photographers continued picking someone else over her, and often someone younger. She was having a difficult time supporting herself, and endured the challenging season while being overseas, away from her tight-knit family back in Slovenia.

Eventually, Melania got her "big break" and it wasn’t long before she graced the magazines covers of Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, British GQ, In Style, New York Magazine, the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, Allure, Self, Glamour, Vanity Fair, and Elle. But nothing could prepare her for the life-changing experience she would eventually encounter during her thriving modeling career…

While at a party during the New York Fashion Week in the fall of 1998, Melania met Donald Trump. She was a tall, shy brunette at just 28-years-old – while Trump was a brash 52-year-old real estate mogul.
"I didn’t know much about Donald Trump," she says of their first encounter. "I had my life, I had my world. I didn’t follow Donald Trump and what kind of life he had."

Although Trump attended the party with a date, he was instinctively drawn to Melania. When Trump’s date went to the bathroom, he seized the opportunity to chat for a few minutes with the Slovenian model he’d noticed.
Unlike the women who swooned every time the famous billionaire approached them, Melania remained unimpressed. When Trump asked for her number, she refused and instead asked for his contact information – she didn’t want to be just another woman he called, and she waited an entire week before calling him. Melania was curious to see if Trump would submit a business number. "I wanted to see what his intention is," she explains. "It tells you a lot from the man what kind of number he gives you. He gave me all of his numbers."

Melania’s confidence and shocking reaction to the wealthy playboy made Trump even more attracted to her. Trump could tell Melania was beautiful AND intelligent, and he was willing to do whatever it took to win the woman of his dreams. "I’m not starstruck," she explains. "We had a great connection, we had great chemistry, but I was not starstruck. And maybe he noticed that."

Many are quick to criticize Donald and Melania’s marriage due to their age difference, but after learning more about Melania – it’s easy to understand that these two were made for each other. Melania’s reserved personality and traditional values balance Trump’s assertive personality and controversial behavior.

Melania’s traditional values can be seen in her absence from Trump’s campaign trail. Instead of being on the road with her husband, Melania chose to be at home in New York City to raise their 10-year-old son, Barron.
Despite the Trumps’ luxurious lifestyle, Melania refuses to let their son be raised by a nanny. "It’s my choice not to be there [on the campaign trail]," Melania said. "I support my husband 100 percent, but … we have a 10-year-old son together, Barron, and I’m raising him." "This is the age he needs a parent at home," she added.

When Donald Trump told his wife he wanted to run for president, Melania said they discussed it in depth and she encouraged him to run. "I encouraged him because I know what he will do and what he can do for America," she said. "He loves the American people and he wants to help them."

Although she’s not out on the campaign trail, Melania stays involved in her husband’s campaign behind-the-scenes. "She’s told me a couple of times during the debate, she was very happy with my performances, if you would want to call them a performance," Donald Trump said. "But she said, ‘You could tone it down a little bit on occasion,’ which I understand."

Melania revealed the biggest untruth about her husband is the perception that he’s "nasty." "He’s not," Melania said. "He has a big heart and a very warm heart. You see who he is on the campaign trail all the time and on television, and I think – you know America needs a strong leader and a tough leader and he knows what he’s doing." "He is who he is," she says. "Even if you give him advice, he will maybe take it in, but then he will do it the way he wants to do it. You cannot change a person. Let them be. Let them be the way they are."

Melania’s passion for philanthropy are just a glimpse of the difference she could make as our First Lady. Some of the philanthropic causes she’s been involved with include the Martha Graham Dance Company, the Police Athletic League, the Boys Club of New York, The American Red Cross and Love Our Children USA.

Though she may not have experience in politics, Melania Trump is equipped to help her husband out on the diplomatic front: in addition to her native Slovenian, Melania speaks four other languages: English, French, Serbian and German. "She’s an incredible mother, she loves her son, Barron, so much. And I have to say, she will make an unbelievable First Lady," Donald Trump said.

Melania Trump’s life story is a vivid illustration of the American dream. Her humble roots, exceptional work ethic, and devotion to family clearly sets her apart.

USA Flag Day … Fly it proudly across America

Captain Rick: The American flag…Old Glory…The Star-Spangled Banner flies proudly over my Arizona Oasis every Flag Day. It reminds me of the great land in which all Americans have the privilege of living in freedom. 

Flag Day…a brief history:

In the United States, Flag Day is celebrated on June 14. It commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened on that day in 1777 by resolution of the Second Continental Congress.

On June 14, 1777, less than one year after Betsy Ross had received the order from General Washington to make the first flag, the Second Continental Congress passed a flag resolution stating:

Resolved, That the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation.

The first national observance of Flag Day was on June 14, 1877; 100 years after the flag resolution was adopted by the Continental Congress.

In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation stating that June 14 shall be National Flag Day, and in 1949, it was made official by an Act of Congress.

Captain Rick’s inspiration: Your help is needed to keep the Flag flying

Do not take the American Flag and its representation of freedom for granted. The United States of America is entering very difficult fiscal times with the US National Debt approaching $18 Trillion…far greater than US GDP.  America is spending $1 Trillion more per year than it receives in revenue. Its going to get worse. Millions of ‘baby boomers’ are retiring that will result in sky-rocketing Social Security costs. Obamacare will massively expand the number receiving Medicaid and its mushrooming costs. Social Security and Medicaid will become insolvent in the next 10 or so years. Simply put, there is not enough revenue to sustain the United States of America’ spending binge indefinitely. Our President and Congress have demonstrated nothing but a ‘kick the can down the road’ approach…which if continued much longer will guarantee the fall of America over the pending real ‘fiscal cliff’…of which at the bottom lies America as a ‘third world nation’.

What can you do to help?

There are lots of ways you can help. Research the candidates running for office. Support and vote for those you feel will do a better job than the vast majority of do-nothing, ‘kick-the-can-down-the-road’, politically-motivated ‘clowns’ in the current ‘Washington Circus’.

Many states and districts have no credible candidate on the roster. Consider taking the noble step of running for an office. Do not worry about the money it takes to run. If you have a voice that deserves to be heard, I am confident there are ways to address that.

I do not have all of the answers of how to fix the gigantic mess that America faces. I urge everyone to get involved. Join one of a zillion Facebook groups discussing the issues. I recommend one that focuses on finding solutions, rather than just gossiping…such as Captain Rick’s WORLD THINK TANK: https://www.facebook.com/groups/WorldThinkTank/

I welcome your comments, likes, shares and following of my blog! (If not visible, click the red title above)

Interesting ATRIDIM NEWS JOURNAL Links:

U.S. Debt Crisis

Economy

Captain Rick’s Fiscal Cliff Course 101

Obama’s 2014 State of the Union … a new low

Captain Rick: Obama’s 2014 ‘State of the Union struck a new low among my unbroken record of watching every one since 1960. Obama’s meaningless hype, wishful thinking and the constant bobbing of his head from side to side to view the teleprompters…looking like he was watching a tennis match…almost hypnotized me. It was a nice try on his part…but it just put me to sleep. 

Credits: Thanks Ken of California for contributing the above graphic

I welcome your comments, likes, shares and following of my blog! (If not visible, click the red title above)

Interesting ATRIDIM NEWS JOURNAL Report Categories:

Obamacare

U.S. Debt Crisis

Fed Financial Policy

Economy

Captain Rick’s Fiscal Cliff Course 101

President Obama

Judge rules Detroit Bankruptcy can proceed … the largest in municipal history … $billions owed to city employees, retirees at stake

Captain Rick: A federal judge gave approval for Detroit to proceed with its bankruptcy … the largest municipal bankruptcy in history. Billions of dollars of payments owed to city employees, retirees, investors an creditors are on the ‘chopping block’. Most U.S. municipal pension plans are on a road to eventual failure. This is a ‘wake-up-call’ for all public employees who have been looking forward to the ‘pension dream’ promised by their municipal employers.

The ruling opens the door for the city to cut billions of dollars in payments that are owed to city employees, retirees, investors and other creditors.

Unions and pension funds had argued that the city should not be eligible to use bankruptcy court protections. They said that regardless of the Detroit’s financial troubles, city and state officials did not negotiate with creditors in good faith in an effort to reach a deal on its liabilities.

In his ruling, Judge Steven Rhodes found the city did not meet that threshold, yet he ruled that such negotiations were impractical because of the huge number of creditors, which total more than 100,000. So, ultimately, he concluded that the city filed its petition properly.

Opponents have argued that pension cuts are barred by the state’s constitution. But Judge Rhodes ruled that pensions are fair game under federal bankruptcy law, trumping state law, though he noted that didn’t mean he would definitely approve cuts.

As the bankruptcy moves forward, tens of thousands of workers and retirees are bracing for benefit cuts.

Read Captain Rick’s breaking and in-depth reports:

Detroit files for largest bankruptcy in U.S. history … Prime example of the destruction caused by labor unions … on a track to destroy cities in America and beyond

Detroit: Its Rise and Fall … What went wrong?

I welcome your comments, likes, shares and following of my blog! (If not visible, click the red title above)

John Fitzgerald Kennedy … my memory of that day in 1963 when the world stopped

Captain Rick: That awful day in November 1963, when President John Kennedy was assassinated, was forever burned in my memory. It was such a tragic day that the world seemed to stop turning. I was 16, in my junior year in high school, when I heard the awful news projected over the school PA system during lunch. I do not remember many details…only that there seemed to be an awesome silence that totally engulfed everyone of all ages as we listened to the live news feed being broadcast. The memory remains as the most outstanding public event of my childhood. It was a day that the world truly stopped turning with the loss of a great American president.

I welcome your comments, likes, shares and following of my blog! (If not visible, click the red title above)

U.S. Government Shutdown looming again on October 1, 2013 … Likelihood it will: 99%

Captain Rick: A shutdown of the U.S. Government will most likely begin on October 1, 2013, the beginning of the new fiscal year. There is currently no budget agreement to fund the U.S. Government for the coming year. The Democrat led Senate and the the Republican led House are in a stalemate that does not appear likely will be rectified by October 1. The real showdown will come on or before October 17, when the U.S. Government reaches the debt ceiling of $16.699 trillion and will begin defaulting on its financial obligations, an event that has never before occurred.

The last threat of shutdown occurred on March 27, 2013. It was averted by an agreement to allow Sequester spending cut’s (part of the ‘Fiscal Cliff’ legislation that became effective on January 1, 2013) to gain some flexibility regarding where to make spending cuts, in lieu of the mandatory across the board cuts.

My goal is to help increase understanding of the extremely important events that are unfolding…

U.S. Government Shutdown … What will happen? Non essential elements of the government will begin shutting down. These are things like National Parks and Monuments and the federal employees and contractors that support them. The employees would be furloughed. Contractors would have their payments delayed. At no time in the past has a shutdown lasted for more than a month. In every case the contractors eventually got paid and the furloughed employees were awarded back pay, so in essence, they received a nice long paid vacation, compliments of the U.S. taxpayers. In every previous case of shutdown, it ended up costing tax payers more than if the government had remained open.

What does a shutdown accomplish? Nothing, except increased cost. It is however, a necessary reminder that our government needs spending to remain less than revenue. In reality the U.S. has been spending far more than it receives in revenue, especially in recent years.

U.S annual spending: $3.52 trillion

U.S. annual revenue: $2.69 trillion

U.S. annual deficit: $825 billion

Total U.S. National debt: $16.95 trillion

U.S. GDP: $15.91 trillion (U.S. Debt exceeds GDP…a wake up call to get the fiscal house in order…or prepare for economic destruction)

Who is to blame? First and foremost to blame is President Obama. He is our president, elected to lead our nation in a positive direction…yet he has demonstrated the most reckless spending in American history, especially with his Fed’s continuation of pumping $85 billion per month of ‘Quantitative Easing’ debt dollars into the American Economy (adding directly to the U.S. National Debt) in an effort to make an economically sick nation look just anemic. It is all ‘smoke and mirrors’ that is doing nothing more than increasing America’s debt at an astronomic expense and burden to future generations.  Second to blame is the entire U.S. Legislature, including the Senate and House, Republicans and Democrats. None of them impress me as having the intelligence or ability to agree on a plan to withdraw America from its insatiable addiction for debt spending far beyond its revenue. I believe most of them have their ‘pockets’ fed by ‘big money’.

Obama passes blame and creates fear in news conference: Today I listened to President Obama speak in a news conference casting fear upon Americans by placing blame for his reckless spending on the shoulders of the U.S. House:
“If Congress chooses not to pass a budget by Monday, the end of the fiscal year, they will shut down the government along with many vital services that the American people depend on,” The Senate “acted responsibly” by passing its bill, and “now it’s up to the Republicans in the House of Representatives to do the same.”
He asked Republicans “to think about who you’re hurting” by letting the government shut down, and said “it would throw a wrench into the gears of our economy at a time when those gears have gained some traction.”
He also made clear that a government shutdown wouldn’t stop the Affordable Care Act from being implemented. “That’s not going to happen. More than 100 million Americans currently already have new benefits and protections under the law. On Tuesday, about 40 million more Americans will be able to finally buy quality affordable health care just like anybody else.”

Reality Check. What really happened: This was one of the most disgusting, fear-causing set of statements I have heard President Obama make recently. What really happened is that the House sent a bill to the Senate that included defunding Obamacare (a program with an enormous cost that America can not afford at this time of financial crisis). The Senate revised the bill to remove the Obamacare defunding and sent it back to the House. In opposition to Obama’s statement, I believe the Senate did not act responsibly. If the House does not pass the bill on Monday (which it should not), it will not be the House that causes the shutdown as Obama warns. It will be the result of the failure of the President and the entire U.S. Legislature combined. Obama said that a shutdown will stop many vital services. This is not true, unless the shutdown lasted for a long period of time…or Obama chooses to focus on certain entities for political gain. Obama’s scare tactics of asking Republicans to ‘think of who they are hurting’ by the government shutdown are absolutely despicable. President Obama should ask himself who he is hurting by spreading such fear and lies. This shutdown does throw a ‘wrench’ into Obamas ‘gears’ to make the economy look ok, when it is really sucking badly. Obama is fixated on Obamacare, a mark he hopes the world will remember him by. He will push it, even if it contributes to the financial destruction of America.  In reality, 40 million Americans are going to find out that ‘affordable health care’ is not really affordable and the majority of them will pay (or evade) the penalty to avoid it. The resultant unexpected, massive costs will lie firmly on the backs of American tax payers and add directly to the U.S. national debt.  I have this on my list of future blog reports. It sounds to me like Obama is running scared and is choosing to hide his fear by casting false fear on Americans. That scares me. Does it scare you?

View the comments (below) for ongoing updates of important happenings at the U.S. Capitol concerning this unfolding story.

I have done my very best to chronicle the events that contributed to this first U.S. government shutdown in nearly 18 years…as displayed in my comment updates below. This report could be among the best chronicles on the web. I am honored that Google and other search engines have picked up on this report.  The views for this report have exceeded those of all other ANJ reports by a factor of 10X+. The view stats from the past week far surpass any previous week. It tells me that there are lots of people that are tuning into this blog post to get the real facts…not the hype found on virtually all web news sites and especially TV news casts.

I welcome your comments, likes, shares and following of my blog! (If not visible, click the red title above)

Associated ATRIDIM NEWS JOURNAL Report Categories:

U.S. Government Shutdown

Obamacare

U.S. Debt Crisis

Fed Financial Policy

Captain Rick’s Fiscal Cliff Course 101

Economy

Massive 3-booster Delta-IV rocket launches super spy satellite with capability to identify make and model of vehicle 250 miles below

Captain Rick: The Space Shuttle is history, but not the excitement of new space machines. This launch of the massive 3-booster Delta-IV Heavy rocket, with the capability of placing a 25-ton payload into orbit, introduces the ability to visually identify the make and model of a vehicle from 250 miles up. 

Remember those movies where satellites could zoom in and see what is going on down on earth? It has all been science fiction…until now.  If all goes well, that fiction will take a bold step towards reality with this launch.

Today’s inspiring launch was the second for this new 232-foot-tall monster rocket machine from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The first was in January 2011. A new era has begun.

Details about the satellite, designated NROL-65, are classified. The three-booster Delta-IV rocket used to send it aloft Wednesday is the heaviest in the U.S. inventory, capable of putting a 25-ton payload into low Earth orbit.

Todays launch was one of two launches the top-secret National Reconnaissance Office has on the books for late 2013.

The payload in Wednesday’s launch is thought to be a $1-billion high-powered spy satellite capable of snapping pictures detailed enough to distinguish the make and model of an automobile hundreds of miles below.

The 232-foot-tall booster was developed by the U.S. Air Force and the United Launch Alliance, a joint venture between aerospace giants Boeing and Lockheed Martin.

Detroit: Its Rise and Fall … What went wrong?

Captain Rick: Detroit was once the 4th largest city in America and ‘motor capitol’ of the world. Decades of internal destruction caused a mass exodus of people, reducing its population to 18th place. Its automotive manufacturing plants have been shut down or relocated. What went so wrong?

I conducted in-depth research on this important event. I have compiled the following report to accurately present the ‘Rise and Fall of Detroit’ and what went so wrong. I conclude with sobering concerns for all Americans, especially those who have the responsibility of managing our cities and states…many of which are on the same course as Detroit.

The above photo of the GM building in downtown Detroit was taken with a telephoto lens looking southeast from Bush and Watson Streets, about 1.5 miles to its northwest. The large area around this boarded up house contains similar houses and open area where old houses have been removed. 

The Rise and Fall of Detroit

Ford Motor Company ignited the rise in 1903

In 1903 Ford founded the Ford Motor Company. Ford’s manufacturing—and those of automotive pioneers William C. Durant, the Dodge brothers, Packard, and Walter Chrysler—reinforced Detroit’s status as the world’s automotive capital.

Labor Unions took control with strikes for increased wages, benefits, pensions

With the factories came high-profile labor unions such as the American Federation of Labor & the United Auto Workers which initiated strikes & other tactics in support of such things as the 8-hour day/40-hour work week, healthcare benefits, pensions, increased wages & improved working conditions. The labor activism during those years increased influence of union leaders in the city such as Jimmy Hoffa of the Teamsters and Walter Reuther of the autoworkers.

Mergers helped companies expand elsewhere, while causing the disappearance of plants in Detroit … often to escape the profit robbing effects of labor unions

Mergers in the 1950s, especially in the automobile sector increased oligopoly in the American auto industry. Detroit auto manufacturers such as Packard & Hudson merged into other companies and eventually disappeared. Plants in Detroit, with heavy union control, were closed as new plants were built elsewhere in less union-friendly locations. Behind the scenes, it can be said that labor unions played the first major role in the fall of Detroit. 

Detroit became America’s fourth largest city as companies looked to reduce labor costs by importing cheap labor from the South

Tens of thousands flocked to Detroit with the hope of better pay and benefits, particularly black workers from the Southern United States. It resulted in Detroit rocketing to become the fourth largest city in the United States with blacks as its majority residents.

Racial tension took hold to begin the Fall of Detroit

Social tensions rose with the rapid pace of growth. On January 20, 1942, with a cross burning nearby, 1,200 racist whites tried to prevent black families from moving into a new housing development in an all-white area of the city. Later in June 1943, Packard Motor Car Company promoted three blacks to work next to whites in their assembly lines. In response, 25,000 whites walked off the job. The Detroit Race Riot of 1943 occurred 3 weeks after the Packard Motor Car incident. Over the course of three days, 34 people were killed. Of them, 25 were African–American, and approximately 600 were injured.

In June 1963, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave a major speech in Detroit that foreshadowed his "I Have a Dream" speech in Washington, D.C. two months later. During the African-American Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s, Detroit witnessed growing confrontations between the police and inner city black youth, culminating in the Twelfth Street riot in July 1967. Governor George W. Romney ordered the Michigan National Guard into Detroit, and President Johnson sent in U.S. Army troops. The result was 43 dead, 467 injured, over 7,200 arrests, and more than 2,000 buildings destroyed. Thousands of small businesses closed permanently or relocated to safer neighborhoods, and the affected district lay in ruins for decades.

On August 18, 1970, the NAACP filed suit against Michigan state officials, including Governor William Milliken. The original trial began on April 6, 1971, and lasted for 41 days. The NAACP argued that although schools were not officially segregated, the city of Detroit and its surrounding counties had enacted policies to maintain racial segregation in schools.

District Judge Steven J. Roth held all levels of government accountable for the segregation. The Sixth Circuit Court affirmed some of the decision, withholding judgment on the relationship of housing inequality with education. The Court specified that it was the state’s responsibility to integrate across the segregated metropolitan area.

U.S. Supreme Court was most responsible for massive exodus from Detroit

The Governor and other accused officials appealed to the Supreme Court, which took up the case on February 27, 1974. The subsequent Milliken v. Bradley decision would come to have enormous national impact. According to Gary Orfield and Susan E. Eaton in their 1996 book Dismantling Desegregation, the “Supreme Court’s failure to examine the housing underpinnings of metropolitan segregation” in Milliken made desegregation “almost impossible” in northern metropolitan areas. “Suburbs were protected from desegregation by the courts ignoring the origin of their racially segregated housing patterns.” “Milliken was perhaps the greatest missed opportunity of that period,” said Myron Orfield, professor of law and director of the Institute on Metropolitan Opportunity at the University of Minnesota, “Had that gone the other way, it would have opened the door to fixing nearly all of Detroit’s current problems.” John Mogk, a professor of law and an expert in urban planning at Wayne State University in Detroit says “Everybody thinks that it was the riots [in 1967] that caused the white families to leave. Some people were leaving at that time but, really, it was after Milliken that you saw mass flight to the suburbs. If the case had gone the other way, it is likely that Detroit would not have experienced the steep decline in its tax base that has occurred since then."

The Fall of Detroit

Long a major population center and major engine of worldwide automobile manufacturing, Detroit has gone through a continuing economic decline over the past 60 years.

Population Decline from ‘White Flight’ … Detroit reached its population peak of 1.8 million people in the 1950 census and ranked as America’s fourth largest city. Massive ‘white flight’ to the suburbs and other cities took place following the 1974 Milliken case. As of the 2010 census Detroit has lost 60% of its population, falling to 18th place with just over 700,000 residents remaining, of which over 82% are black/African American and 6% Hispanic … a total reversal from 1950 when over 90% were non-Hispanic whites. The city’s tax base eroded along with that population decline. There is no question that ‘white flight’ was the top cause of the fall of Detroit. It in turn led to all of the following problems…

High unemployment … was compounded by white flight and middle-class flight to the suburbs (and in some cases to other states), and the city was left with a reduced tax base, depressed property values, abandoned buildings, abandoned neighborhoods, high crime rates, and a pronounced demographic imbalance.

The unemployment rate, while down from a peak of 27.8% in the summer of 2009 — when General Motors and Chrysler Group were going through their own bankruptcies — is still at 16.3%, nearly twice Michigan’s statewide average.

Loss of Tax Revenue … Most of the auto industry’s Michigan plants moved out of our build in locations outside of Detroit city limits, severely limiting how much tax revenue they contribute to Detroit. General Motors, is the only automaker with headquarters inside of city limits, and Chrysler Group operates just one plant inside the city. Both companies declared bankruptcy and were bailed out at the expense of U.S. tax payers.

More than half of the owners of Detroit’s 305,000 properties failed to pay their 2011 tax bills, exacerbating the city’s financial crisis. According to the Detroit News, 47 percent of the city’s taxable parcels are delinquent on their 2011 tax bills, resulting in about $246 million in taxes and fees going uncollected, nearly half of which was due to Detroit. The review also found 77 blocks in Detroit had only one owner who paid taxes in 2011.

Urban Decay … The ongoing decline has left its mark on the city, most notably in severe urban decay and thousands of empty homes, apartment buildings, and commercial buildings around the city. Some parts of Detroit are sparsely populated resulting in the city having difficulty providing municipal services such as policing, fire protection, schools, trash removal, snow removal, lighting, etc. The city has sought and considered various solutions such as demolition of abandoned homes and buildings, though there are tens of thousands of abandoned structures; removal of street lighting from large portions of the city; and encouraging the small population in certain areas to move to more populated areas of the city as there may not be a quick response for city services such as police in de-populated areas.

Crime … Detroit has the sixth highest total rate of violent crime, five times the national average. At 16.73 per 1,000, it has the highest per capita rate of violent crime among the 25 largest U.S. cities in 2007, those with a population exceeding 200,000.

Nearly two-thirds of all murders in Michigan in 2011 occurred in Detroit. It has been reported that about 65 to 70 percent of homicides in the city are drug related. he police department closes only 8.7% of its criminal cases.

Detroit was rated the most dangerous city in the United States for the 4th year in a row in a 2010 survey by the FBI. It has been reported that 4 of the top 10 most dangerous neighborhoods in the nation reside in Detroit.

Blight: 78,000 blighted buildings either abandoned or ruined. 

Lack of Lighting: 30,000 defunct streetlights– about 40% of the 88,000 street lights don’t work.

Response time: Call for a police officer takes 58 minutes to get help — more than five times what it takes elsewhere in the United States. Response times for Emergency Medical Services and the Detroit Fire Department average 15 minutes, which is more than double the 7-minute averages seen in other cities.

Hazardous waste sites: 70 Superfund hazardous waste sites

Parks: Two-thirds of parks closed since 2008, with only 107 remaining open

Aging equipment: Fire stations are old and not adequately maintained. A fleet of city vehicles is aging and poorly maintained. A power grid that is deteriorating. A city-owned power plant that has been idle for two years. 31 sub-stations that need to be decommissioned. Information technology systems in multiple departments that urgently need to be upgraded or replaced.

Detroit Files for Bankruptcy

The situation reached a crisis and almost resulted in the state of Michigan taking over administrative control of the city. The state governor declared a financial emergency in March 2013, appointing Kevyn Orr as emergency manager. On July 18, 2013, Detroit filed for bankruptcy.

Orr said the city had filed for bankruptcy because it would take more than 50 years to pay off the city’s $11.5 billion in unsecured debt while not conducting even the most basic maintenance, such as filling potholes and plowing snow.

Current Fiscal Situation … What is at stake? 

Detroit halted payments on about $2 billion in debt last month to preserve its dwindling supply of cash. The city faces total liabilities of about $18 billion.

The reorganization plan argues that the city needs to shed $9.5 billion of its $11.5 billion in unsecured debt in order to be able to pay its bills and make necessary improvements in services. Much of the debt targeted for elimination is related to pension benefits and retiree health care coverage required by union contracts. That would mean that investors and retirees would receive an average of just 17% of what they are owed.

When employees of a bankrupt business lose their promised pensions, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. steps in and provides a minimal level of benefits. But that federal agency doesn’t back pensions in the public sector.

Detroit appears to be the first municipal bankruptcy that has ever involved involuntary cuts to retiree benefits.  The possibility exists that U.S. tax payers could get stuck bailing out Detroit to cover its workers pensions, similar to the Obama bailout of two of Detroit’s largest companies…GM and Chrysler. Given the poor state of funding for many public sector pension funds nationwide, its an issue which is likely to end up being addressed by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Bankruptcy could slash pension benefits to city workers and retirees, and leave bond holders with only pennies on the dollar. Investors say the bankruptcy will make it more difficult for cities and towns everywhere to raise the money they need to build bridges, schools and other infrastructure. It will also hurt municipal bonds held by individual investors. There are more than $1 trillion worth of bonds at risk. There is bound to be a ripple effect nationwide.

Many American Cities and States are following in Detroit’s steps

The lucrative pension and benefit plans that cities and states across America have adopted…with a hefty helping hand from the powerful America-destroying unions…are on a rapid course heading for the edge of the real ‘Fiscal Cliff’. None of America’s pension plans are sustainable. It will not be long before they all begin to fiscally implode.

I welcome your comments, likes, shares and following of my blog! (If not visible, click the red title above)

Associated ATRIDIM NEWS JOURNAL Report Categories:

Detroit

Labor Unions

Detroit files for largest bankruptcy in U.S. history … Prime example of the destruction caused by labor unions … on a track to destroy cities in America and beyond

Captain Rick: Detroit, motor capitol of the world, has filed for the largest public sector bankruptcy in U.S. history … $18.5 billion. This is prime example of the destruction caused in a major way by labor unions.

Detroit, pictured above with excellence, has filed for bankruptcy, the largest in the public sector in U.S. History

Words from the Michigan Governor Rick Snyder

“The fiscal realities confronting Detroit have been ignored for too long. I’m making this tough decision so the people of Detroit will have the basic services they deserve and so we can start to put Detroit on a solid financial footing that will allow it to grow and prosper in the future. This is a difficult step, but the only viable option to address a problem that has been six decades in the making. I have reached the conclusion that this step is necessary after a thorough review of all the available alternatives, and I authorize this necessary step as a last resort to return this great City to financial and civic health for its residents and taxpayers. This decision comes in the wake of 60 years of decline for the city, a period in which reality was often ignored.”

He also said that 38% of the city’s budget is being spent on “legacy costs,” such as pensions and
debt service. He said police take almost an hour to respond to calls, compared to a national average of 11 minutes, and that 40% of street lights in the city are turned off.

Labor Unions are destroying America

Once serving a great purpose of job safety, labor unions have become an empire of greed for wealth over past decades. Their greed has destroyed millions of American jobs. Auto companies in Detroit were forced to build plants in and source parts from places that were less union friendly in an effort to stay profitable. Unions helped destroy Detroit. This bankruptcy of Detroit, once America’s fourth largest city (now 18th), is the culmination of that destruction.

My purpose with this report is not to expound on the details of this record bankruptcy, for they will be broadcast around the world by the media in coming days. My focus is on the destruction to America, caused in a significant way by labor unions.

Across America, our companies, cities and states are significantly influenced by powerful unions, especially those representing police, fire and civic service. I urge all employees who are members of a union to consider severing your membership in an effort to protect the future wellbeing of your company, so that it does not have to relocate … or your city, so that it does not eventually have to file for bankruptcy, like Detroit. I urge city and state officials to do what is possible to curtail or limit agreements with unions, in an effort to help prevent the need for our cities and states to file for bankruptcy, like Detroit. Many more American cities are following closely in Detroit’s path. America has not yet experienced its first state bankruptcy … but its just a matter of time. There are thousands of fiscal ‘time bombs’ waiting to explode across America, especially those concerning employee pensions.

I welcome your comments, likes, shares and following of my blog! (If not visible, click the red title above)

Associated ATRIDIM NEWS JOURNAL Report Categories:

Labor Unions

Arizona: Yarnell Hill Wildfire … 19 Firefighters killed … Deadliest Wildfire in America since 1933 … Worst loss of firefighters since 9/11

Captain Rick: The Yarnell Hill Wildfire, ignited by a lightning strike, exploded with powerful winds that took the lives of 19 firefighters. This is the deadliest wildfire in America since 1933 and has claimed the worst loss of firefighters since 9/11.

I broke this story yesterday as it unfolded via an ‘Atridim Breaking News’ report via email:

Yarnell is located on AZ 89 between Wickenburg and Prescott, about 50 miles NW of Phoenix.

The Prescott Courier reports 18 firefighters have been killed in the Yarnell Hill Fire in the Town of Yarnell.

The fast-moving fire has burned 250 structures in the Town of Yarnell and grown to 2,000 acres, command center officials said Sunday night.

About 400 people live in Yarnell and several hundred reside in Peeples Valley, according to the latest census.

The fire has closed about 15 miles of State Route 89, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

The fire which broke out Friday after a lightning strike about four miles from Yarnell, said Arizona State Forestry Division spokeswoman Carrie Dennett.

Two hundred firefighters are trying to gain an upper hand on the wildfire.

I welcome your comments, likes, shares and following of my blog! (If not visible, click the red title above)

Associated ATRIDIM NEWS JOURNAL Report Categories:

Arizona: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/arizona/

Weather: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/weather/

The ICC: Is it ‘Big Brother watching you’ ? …. an abuse of power and civil liberties ?

Captain Rick: The ICC (International Code Council) is becoming ‘Big Brother’ to control the makeup of your home…the methods and products used in its construction and the products that you can use or install after purchase. These codes are infiltrating local building codes across America, Canada, Australia, Europe and beyond.

The ICC’s intentions are to write a code to regulate every building method and product used such that every house and building on earth is 100% safe and 100% efficient…by their standards. I ask…’who are they…big brother’? I see this as a major intrusion of liberty and increased cost for citizens of America and beyond. These codes contain many good elements concerning safety and and some for efficiency, but for the most part, they are an endless wish list of regulation that invades the liberty of people and forces them to absorb significant added cost for little or no proven gain.

Big Brother’s face looms from giant telescreens in Victory Square in Michael Radford’s 1984 film adaptation of George Orwell‘s Nineteen Eighty-Four. Since the publication of Nineteen Eighty-Four, the term “Big Brother” has entered the lexicon as a synonym for abuse of government power, particularly in respect to civil liberties.

The Cost of ICC’s madness

The ICC is getting rich milking local and state governments and builders $1347.95 for a single user license of the complete collection of the 2012 building codes on CD ROM. If every state, major city and builder in the U.S. purchased one license, the ICC’s income would exceed $1 Billion. This material is also being marketed in Canada, Mexico, Australia, Europe and beyond. It is easy to assume actual ICC income is well beyond that and the entire sum plus a myriad of added expenses at the state and local levels are all passed on to the end user…the citizens of America and beyond. I view the ICC’s efforts as a major financial rip-off of citizen’s tax dollars and more importantly…their liberty. I wonder if the ICC is becoming part of ‘Big Brother’ as presented in George Orwell’s ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’…a lexicon for abuse of government power, particularly with respect to civil liberties.

More Information:

I welcome you to view my previous blog post on this matter of extreme importance: https://atridim.wordpress.com/2013/06/07/u-s-building-codes-facing-major-upgrade-is-this-a-good-plan-or-a-recipe-for-disaster-some-excited-some-fear-is-liberty-at-stake/

I welcome your comments, likes, shares and following of my blog! (If not visible, click the red title above)

Associated ATRIDIM NEWS JOURNAL Report Categories:

Building Codes: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/building-codes/

Gilbert Council Proper Vote Scorecard: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/gilbert-council-proper-vote-scorecard/

Gilbert Town Council: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/gilbert-town-council/

Memorial Day — a holiday of remembering the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.

Captain Rick: Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday of remembering the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces … protecting the liberty enjoyed by Americans.

Traditional observance of Memorial Day
On Memorial Day the flag of the United States is raised briskly to the top of the staff and then solemnly lowered to the half-staff position, where it remains only until noon. It is then raised to full-staff for the remainder of the day.
The half-staff position remembers the more than one million men and women who gave their lives in service of their country. At noon their memory is raised by the living, who resolve not to let their sacrifice be in vain, but to rise up in their stead and continue the fight for liberty and justice for all.

The National Memorial Day Concert takes place on the west lawn of the United States Capitol. Music is performed, and respect is paid to the men and women who gave their lives for their country.
For many Americans, the central event is attending one of the thousands of parades held on Memorial Day in large and small cities all over the country. Most of these feature marching bands and an overall military theme with the National Guard and other servicemen participating along with veterans and military vehicles from various wars.
Many people visit cemeteries and memorials, particularly to honor those who have died in military service.
Many volunteers place an American flag on each grave in national cemeteries.

History of Memorial Day
Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the 600,000+ soldiers who died in the Civil War (1861-1865).
Records show that the act of decorating the graves of soldiers who lost their lives in the Civil War occurred as early as 1861 throughout the North and South.

On May 5, 1868, in his capacity as commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, the veterans’ organization for Union Civil War veterans, General John A. Logan issued a proclamation calling for "Decoration Day" to be observed annually and nationwide.
It was observed for the first time that year on May 30; the date was chosen because it was not the anniversary of any particular battle.
According to the White House, the May 30 date was chosen as the optimal date for flowers to be in bloom.

By the 20th century, Memorial Day had been extended to honor all Americans who have died while in the military service.
"Memorial Day" became common after World War II and was declared as the official name by Federal law in 1967.
On June 28, 1968, the Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which moved four holidays, including Memorial Day, from their traditional dates to a specified Monday in order to create a convenient three-day weekend.
The law took effect at the federal level in 1971. All 50 states adopted Congress’ change of date within a few years.
The change moved Memorial Day from its traditional May 30 date to the last Monday in May, where it remains today.

Captain Rick: To my fellow Americans: I hope you have a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day … and you reserve a few moments to honor those that gave their life to protect your liberty.

I welcome your comments, likes, shares and following of my blog! (If not visible, click the red title above)

Associated ATRIDIM NEWS JOURNAL Report Categories:

America: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/america/

United States: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/united-states/

One World Trade Center now tallest building in Western Hemisphere — third in World

Captain Rick: Construction workers bolted the 408 foot tall, 758 ton spire atop One World Trade Center, raising the iconic 104-story building to a height of 1,776 feet, symbolic of the year the United States gained its independence. It is now the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere and makes a bold statement in the sky above New York City that it has made a comeback from the September 11, 2001, terror attacks.

An LED-powered light emanating from the top of the spire will change colors and be visible from 10 miles away when lit sometime during the next few months. My guess is it will be lit on July 4, 2013 and be the highlight of NYC’s fireworks spectacular, a show I anticipate will capture the eyes an hearts of the world.

The installation brought cheers from New Yorkers, and from people around the country. "This milestone at the World Trade Center site symbolizes the resurgence and resilience of our state and our nation," New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in the statement.

 

The photos above show the current NYC skyline, rendering of the completed complex and the spire being hoisted.

Formerly called the Freedom Tower, One World Trade Center is one of four skyscrapers being built around the site of the fallen Twin Towers in a partnership between developer Larry Silverstein and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which owns the site.

Construction on the $3.8 billion building began in April 2006 at the northwest corner of the 16 acre site, just north of the hallowed ground known as Ground Zero, where the original twin towers were destroyed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.

The spire contains 18 steel sections and three communication rings. The heaviest section, weighing 67 tons, will be an antenna for a television broadcast facility in the building.

The building still has significant construction before its scheduled 2014 opening. Tenants include the magazine publisher Conde Nast, the U.S. government’s General Services Administration (GSA) and Vantone Holdings China Center, which will provide business space for international companies. The 72-story 4 World Trade Center is under construction at the southeast corner of the site.

I welcome your comments, likes, shares and following of my blog! (If not visible, click the red title above)

Associated ATRIDIM NEWS JOURNAL Report Categories:

World Trade Center: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/world-trade-center/

New York: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/new-york/

View all recent reports: https://atridim.wordpress.com/

U.S. Housing prices surging at record pace … seen just prior to the real estate crash that was followed by the Great Recession

Captain Rick: The S&P Case-Shiller index of home prices in 20 major markets posted a 9.3% rise over the last 12 months. It was the biggest 12-month gain in the index since May 2006, which was just one month after the index showed record-high home prices.

Even with the strong improvement in prices over the last 12 months, the index is still down 28% from the 2006 peak. Perhaps there is more price gain to be made, but conditions for another housing bubble appear to be forming rapidly.

U.S. housing prices increasing at near record pace

Phoenix Arizona showed biggest increase in home prices

The Case-Shiller index showed the biggest increases came in Phoenix, a market hit hard by the bursting of the housing bubble, where prices were 23% higher than a year earlier.
Prices were up more than 10% in half of the markets — San Francisco, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Miami, San Diego and Tampa all posted double-digit percentage gains, and Denver just missed that mark. New York posted the smallest gain, with only a 1.9% rise in prices.

Another housing bubble being fueled by speculation

The housing recovery has been driven by a number of factors, including near record-low mortgage rates, a drop in foreclosures and reduced unemployment, all of which have helped lift both new-home sales as well as sales of previously owned homes. But, most importantly, it has been driven by investors flooding into some markets to buy homes in order to rent them out, outbidding the potential homeowners who want to live in a home. There are a growing number of inexperienced ‘armchair investors’ now buying into the boom … a sign that demand may be peaking,

Where will this end?

Home values are rising at an unsustainable pace. The end of this round of speculation could end up being not much prettier than the last round …possibly worse, in view of the fact that the U.S. economy is crawling along on extremely shaky ground in comparison to its relatively robust health prior to the Great Recession.

I welcome your comments, likes, shares and following of my blog! (If not visible, click the red title above)

Info from previous reports:

U.S. Debt Crisis: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/u-s-debt-crisis/

Fiscal Cliff 101: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/fiscal-cliff-course-101/

Guns in America: Guns and ammo sell out at major U.S. stores as gun debate heats up at U.S. Capitol … Expanded background checks and ban on some assault weapons likely … The ‘World Think Tank’ shares its thinking

Captain Rick: Guns and ammo have sold out at major U.S. stores as the gun debate heats up on Capitol Hill. Expanded background checks and a ban on certain assault style weapons are likely. The World Think Tank shares its thinking on this ‘hot’ topic.

A guns and ammo shortage began soon after President Obama mentioned gun control after a gunman killed 20 children and 6 adults at Sandy Hook school in Newtown Connecticut. President Obama might have become the worlds top guns and ammo salesman as a result.

Reports suggest a massive civilian arsenal buildup has taken place as a result of fear of future gun control in America.

Wal-Mart reported rationing ammo since January.

Cabela’s, one of Americas largest sporting goods retailers, reported strong gun sales and inability to gain inventory.

Some gun and ammo companies have been reported to be running 24-7 to keep up with demand.

As a result prices for guns and ammo have escalated. A $12 box of 50 rounds has climbed to $25. Demand for .223 caliber ammo has quadrupled. Stock is difficult to find anywhere.

Shares of Sturm Ruger, Smith & Wesson, which make assault rifles have seen shares skyrocket. They added labor and shifts to keep up with demand. 2-year back logs have been reported for people wanting to purchase an AR-15.

The number of FBI background checks filed for gun permits, considered a leading indicator for sales, surged 94% in January and 58% in February to reach their highest level in 15 years.

The U.S. Legislature begins debate on gun control

It is expected to be an intense debate, with a possible outcome to include expanded background checks and a ban on certain assault weapons.

Captain Rick’s World Think Tank … Thinkers share their thinking on this ‘hot’ subject…

I ‘captain’ a think tank group on Facebook to collect the thoughts of ‘thinkers’ who have demonstrated journalism excellence. I share some of their great thoughts on this important subject:

Bret of Arizona:   Well, of all of the current administration’s accomplishments, is there anything positive that it has done for our country besides inflating (to an explosive amount) gun and ammo sales? I was looking for .22lr ammo the other day, can’t find it anywhere. 5 years ago, you could buy 500 rounds for 10 bucks…now, that same “brick” is selling for $35..if you can find it.

Spencer of Arizona: did you see the report today that says FBI has done 32 background checks every minute since Obama has been elected? I think there has been 70 million background checks since Feb 2009

Ken of California: We are witnessing the end of America. Those “Happy Days” are long gone.
As soon as we are disarmed, we are nothing but sheep ready for slaughter.

Lori of Colorado: I fear that you are right, Ken. It is difficult to be optimistic anymore. We are having a gun battle of our own in Colorado. I think the politics go beyond gun control to people control. Gun ownership is a huge responsibility and no one should take it lightly. However, these laws seem to infringe on the right to privacy. Then, there are new taxes for gun owners and a push to make gun owners buy insurance.

Spencer of Arizona: any law that requires complete background checks will only incovience the law abiding citizens or must also be passed with an accompanying gun registry. if no one knows what guns are owned then criminals or others might sell to criminals because there is no proof they had the gun. it will also create a large black market for guns. I get annoyed that so many people want to ignore Mexico and their crime rates and Gun laws. All the societies that liberals tout as being great because of gun restrictions are Islands. It does amaze me how many homes own guns in Mexico without having them registered and how many liberals like to ignore that and think that we would be different.

Bret of Arizona: Spencer, you are spot on…Even if you had registration, there are so many firearms in existance right now, you could never get them all registered and accounted for. Therefore, criminals would always have access to an abundance of firearms. Most of the time, right now, when people talk about gun deaths in the US, they are talking gun deaths, not homicides. Gun deaths include everything from suicide, rightfull use of deadly force, accidental deaths, etc. I believe the media and polititians are trying to skew the statistics by makeing all gun related deaths sound like murders, and that is simply not the case.The largest instance of gun related deaths in the US are suicides, not murders. My question still remains though…how could we reduce the violence without stomping all over the 2nd amendment and my right to protect myself and family?

Spencer of Arizona: one item to reduce the violence could be actually using the current laws and prosecuting those that fail a back ground check. I am amazed at how few are actually prosecuted. and just for statistics sake there are about 11,000 homicides each year and 20,000 suicides with guns. so 30,000 dealths total from guns each year, now compare that to 100,000 dealths related to alcohol. if it was really about saving the most lives I think more would be done to reduce dealths due to alcohol where you could get three times the reduction. these laws are about disarming citizens, trying to make us an utopia which will not happen instead we will become a dictatorship

Lori of Colorado: If current laws aren’t enforced, why will more laws help? That is a good question. This applies to a wide range of issues, from immigration to drug enforcement.

Spencer of Arizona: well they can make them stricter and stricter making it impossible to own a gun at all soon, and then they can enforce all the laws. its like cooking a frog, as the heat slowly rises everything is good and comfortable, or kind of like Obamacare, its going to destroy our current system paving a way for a full government take over. more of my point of that whole topic is why strengthen anything when we don’t even use what we have now. I am of the opinion the best way to make sure you aren’t a victim is to protect yourself. the police are going to take 5 minutes or more to get to my house and that is even if I can call them. the police usually come to take a report about a crime that has already been committed not in the middle to stop the crime.

Bret of Arizona: All animals are unpredictable…from the soft little kitten to a human. If an animal can think, it is unpredictable….period! So what if someone passes a background check? We can never be sure that person won’t “snap” and do something illegal. Secure my right to protect myself! Do background checks really keep criminals or “mentally ill” from obtaining and committing crimes with guns?

Rick of Arizona: Something else to think about…If things continue on tightening background checks…the U.S. government will eventually be able to stop all gun sales in the U.S. The FBI data base is heavily slanted in the negative direction in order to catch the really bad guy. That is good, but it also rejects lots of innocent, law abiding citizens with it, perhaps because of some tiny flick on the radar screen. My point is that if this inept system is allowed to be expanded, there will come a day soon when no one…not even a saint will pass the background check…which will in effect remove the ability for all law abiding citizens in the U.S. to legally own a gun. In effect, the U.S government will have gained the ability to disarm America while upholding the second amendment of the U.S. Constitution. This is something to think about! I agree, the best way is to protect yourself…but sadly, there are a great number of honest, law abiding citizens who would be rejected from purchasing a gun if they tried. Most applying are ‘delayed’, meaning they have to endure the 5 day waiting period as stipulated by the Brady Law. The problem is, most reputable gun dealers do not want to fool with it for fear of a law suit…so they simply deny the sale to anyone that is ‘delayed’. That in effect kills the sale to the majority of would-be gun buyers.

Stay tuned for more thoughts from the great minds in Captain Rick’s World Think Tank

I welcome your comments, likes, shares and following of my blog! (If not visible, click the red title above)

Previous reports:

Guns in America: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/guns-in-america/

World Think Tank: https://atridim.wordpress.com/category/world-think-tank/