By spocko, on February 28th, 2018% So it turns out that the reason FedEx didn’t walk away from their discount for NRA members was the money they make from shipping guns. Surprise! From Thinkprogress.
EXCLUSIVE: FedEx’s secret deal with the NRA and the gun industry While publicly trying to distance itself from the NRA, FedEx has made a secret agreement with the association and other major players in the firearms industry.
Base NRA photo BY Justin Sullivan Getty Images
FedEx cut a deal with gun manufacturers on shipping guns in order to compete with UPS.
But FedEx’s decision to stand by the NRA probably has less to do with shipping NRA polo shirts than a much more profitable business: shipping guns.
In a stark contrast with FedEx’s recent attempts to distance itself from the gun lobby, the internal company document obtained by ThinkProgress outlines in great detail precisely how FedEx has secretly agreed to bend its own rules on gun shipments for powerful forces in the gun industry, including all major gun manufacturers and the NRA itself.
The document, labeled “Confidential information. Internal use only,” was provided to ThinkProgress by a FedEx employee, who asked to remain anonymous due to concern that disclosing the . . . → Read More: Revealed! The secret reason FedEx supports the slaught lobby
By spocko, on February 23rd, 2018% UPDATED: Most companies have cut ties with the NRA.Yesterday: First National Bank Enterprise Alamo National
Today: Symantec LifeLock MetLife Chubb SimpliSafe Teladoc Hertz Allied Van Lines NorthAmerican Van Lines Avis Budget Wild Apricot
More details: https://t.co/uUhabbHdxF pic.twitter.com/e4pkAaRwgH
— ThinkProgress (@thinkprogress) February 24, 2018
UPDATED 2-24-2018 Today United and Delta have cut ties with the NRA. Parkland students ask spring breakers not to come to Florida unless gun legislation is passed.
As my friend Eric Milgram, spokesperson for the Newtown Action Alliance has said, make this an economic issue. Make the firearms industry pay the full costs of the damage their products do.
I’ve shown in the past with right-wing radio hosts that corporations don’t like to be associated with a toxic brand. But they often need a negative news event about the group or person to cut ties.
The Parkland shooting was another occasion for activists to ask corporations, “Do you still want to associate with the NRA brand?” Today 16 of them said no.
My friend Amanda Gaily, president of Nebraskans Against Gun Violence, put it this way.
“It’s time to withdraw support from the slaughter lobby.”
It is possible to convince folks in any . . . → Read More: How To Cut Off The Slaughter Lobby’s Money Stream
By spocko, on February 20th, 2018% Dear Emma and Cameron:
I’m so encouraged by your bravery and activism in the face of your tragedy. Today I heard you and some of your classmates are meeting with Florida’s attorney general, House speaker, and Senate president in Tallahassee.
Emma González
Cameron Kasky at a rally on Saturday.
I have experience with politicians and professional spokespeople so I can tell you what to expect today, and then in the weeks and months to come. I think it will be enlightening for the general public to see how the Florida legislative system responds, so please share your experiences with politicians, the gun lobby and their supporters on social media.
One thing you will find about politicians–and the gun lobby that supports them–is that they are not stupid. They have short and long-term methods and strategies to prevent legislative change they don’t like, while at the same time getting the change they want.
Here are some of the state politicians you are meeting today:
Pam Bondi, Attorney General, Republican @AGPamBondi NRA Grade A
Richard Corcoran, House Speaker, Republican @richardcorcoran NRA grade A
Joe Negron, Senate President, Republican @joenegronfl NRA Grade A+
. . . → Read More: Dear Florida Gun Fighters González & Kasky: Prepare For The NRA Hammer!
By spocko, on February 17th, 2018% My friend Eric Milgram, from the Newtown Action Alliance, was on MSNBC today to talk about the Parkland school shooting.
The administration is trying to make this shooting about mental health. Eric brought the focus back to the gun lobby and the politicians who enable more guns everywhere. When asked about what to do next he said the usual: universal background checks and more funding for mental health, but he the took a turn that I encourage. Make the firearms industry pay.
https://www.spockosbrain.com/wp-content/uploads/EricMSNBC3-17-2018.mp4
This is a line of activism that needs to be developed.
Here is the whole segment.
https://www.spockosbrain.com/wp-content/uploads/ScreenCaptureProject247.mp4
By spocko, on February 15th, 2018% Twenty four hours after every mass shooting the media asks, “What can we do?” Now they also ask, “Why has nothing been done to fix the problem yet?”
The coverage timeline will include calls to the NRA, who will decline to comment. Experts will discuss legislative efforts for change that are widely supported by the public, such as universal background checks. The media will wonder why, with so much support, gun control legislation failed. The media might also point out that at the state level legislation has expanded the availability of guns in more places. This is what The Trace editors call the paradox of the gun debate.
“While widespread public support exists for many gun regulations and policies — including bump stocks— pro-gun advocates are significantly more active than their counterparts when it comes to engaging politicians and government agencies.”
For people who want to limit the proliferation of guns, the failure of legislation following mass shootings is discouraging. But for the men who want more people with guns in more places, a mass shooting triggers renewed vigor to fight gun-control legislation and pass laws making it easier to bring guns into more places.
On The Majority Report today, . . . → Read More: Why The NRA Wins: Mass Shootings Trigger Pro-Gun Men To Fight Gun Control Harder
By spocko, on February 2nd, 2018% Today’s quote about activism.
“It is ignored ‘til it makes a bang” – Zeynep Tufekci on protest movements.
I’ve determined that cities in states with super gun preemption laws may need to rewrite their insurance requirements for special events on city property. If they don’t, the cities will be on the hook financially for gun accidents on city property. Insurance vendors for municipalities need to review city policies to ensure the city is correctly insured.
City risk managers need to understand that it is their fiduciary duty to protect the city from expensive liability lawsuits on their property.
If the city decides to pass this burden to others, such as vendors holding events in their parks and convention centers, they need to inform the vendors, and the vendors’ insurance agents. If vendors find out that insurance costs go up 1000% they will look for other venues.
But all of this is just background noise ’til it makes a bang.
The stories about the financial impact of guns take a back seat to the physical impact of guns.
It’s hard to make news when you prevent an accident. Passive methods that prevent gun injuries aren’t newsy.
So what CAN make . . . → Read More: Making A Bang with Gun Activism
By spocko, on January 18th, 2018% Sunday night Madam Secretary produced an 42 minute long dramatic tutorial on how to remove the President using the 25th Amendment.
https://www.spockosbrain.com/wp-content/uploads/Madam.Secretary.S04E12.Sound_.and_.Fury_.mp4
The episode started with an unexpected ‘sonic’ attack on an American embassy from an unspecified source. President Dalton used aggressive language on TV to threaten Russia. He then secretly ordered an attack on Russian satellites. Dalton’s staff questioned his decision and the Secretary of Defense refused to launch an attack. The President fired him and replaced him with an underling.
The Secretary of State and Chief of Staff knew something wasn’t right with the President’s aggressive behavior. They worried it could lead to war. They started looking for the reasons he was acting strangely, then they looked at their options to prevent him from acting. In a meeting of cabinet members to discuss the options, the replacement for the Secretary of Defense reminded the Chief of Staff, National Security Advisor, and Secretary of State that the President is their Commander-in-Chief and refusing an order isn’t something you do lightly, even if the President’s order could lead to a global war.
https://www.spockosbrain.com/wp-content/uploads/Madam.Secretary.S04E12.Sound_.and_.Fury_.part2_.mp4
As I watched President Dalton’s cabinet debate enacting the 25th Amendment, I mentally put the names and . . . → Read More: Video Tutorial: How to Remove The President With The 25th Amendment
By spocko, on January 13th, 2018%
Did you know that Trump could have launched a nuke today? It would have been in response to a false alarm in Hawaii.
No law could have stopped him. Only “norms” — and as we know, he’s not good at following those.
On December 1, 2016 Alex Wellerstein, a historian of nuclear weapons at the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, N.J. wrote a piece for the Washington Post explaining how and why the whole system was set up so the president — and only the president — could decide when to launch. No one can stop President Trump from using nuclear weapons. That’s by design.
[Trump] will have sole authority over more than 7,000 warheads. There is no failsafe. The whole point of U.S. nuclear weapons control is to make sure that the president — and only the president — can use them if and whenever he decides to do so. The one sure way to keep President Trump from launching a nuclear attack, under the system we’ve had in place since the early Cold War, would have been to elect someone else.
I’ve been listening to the book Command and Control: Nuclear Weapons, the Damascus Accident, . . . → Read More: No Laws Stopped Trump From Launching A Nuke Today
By spocko, on January 9th, 2018% I read a great article 5 Things TV Writers Apparently Believe About Smart People by @cs_coville from Cracked in 2011. My favorite section was “It’s Okay To Be A Dick, As Long As You’re Smart” There are many examples of smart dicks, but at the time she used Dr. House.
“A further staple of the supergenius genre is the guy who treats other people like crap, and gets away with it because of his amazing talents. It’s actually hard to find a TV genius who isn’t a shithead. These people are unfriendly, antisocial, or generally messed up when it comes to communicating with other humans, but avoid getting sued or shot in the face only because it turns out they’re always, always right.”
“When Trump says he is “like, really smart.” he might mean a TV version of a smart person. Specifically someone who uses his “smarts” to win. The type of smarts Trump used to win isn’t your standard IQ smart. Trump can look at the big picture and say, “The Apprentice ratings didn’t lie. I was a hit. The Electoral College numbers didn’t lie. I’m the President.” Both of those statements are true. Trump can ask . . . → Read More: Trump Is Like, TV Smart
By spocko, on December 17th, 2017% Are you stressed out? I know I am. I’m sitting here, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Tomorrow might bring news of indictments from Mueller. That should be good news, but will it be the announcement that leads to horrible news–Trump’s nuclear tweet?
We know now how Trump responds to bad news. It reminds me of stories from people with rageaholic parents. They needed to walk on tiptoes so they won’t set off dad. They changed their behavior, because they have no control over the parent’s.
What should you do if you know something is coming that will trigger a dangerous, irrational act in someone? If you are a child there isn’t much you can do, you’re usually powerless. But what if you are part of a group of adults whose duty is to check the misuse of power?
Psychiatrists often need to make determinations about a patient’s mental state. They ask “Is this person a danger to themselves or others? ” If the answer is yes, the doctors are supposed to act in a way that protects both the patient and the people who might be harmed. It’s their duty.
If you know someone is going to lash . . . → Read More: I’m stressed out waiting for the nuclear tweet
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