Well, I lost about half my garden yesterday – initially to the deer, but after I had things repotted or reseated back in the ground, we had a crazy storm blow through where the wind and hail all but completely destroyed my peppers. They are still potted, but all that’s left now are stumps with a few leaves. Hopefully, at least a few of them will recover.
We did finally get the Senate parliamentarian ruling on the Hearing Protection Act and SHORT Act late last night (about 1AM Eastern) and of course they are saying that it didn’t pass the “Byrd Bath,” the verification that the process is used only regarding taxes and not legislation, even though the government has argues that the unlawful registry was necessary to make sure that the taxes were properly paid. Yes, that’s right, the government has always argues that it was a tax, until it came time to eliminate it, then it is legislation. I wish I could say that I am surprised, but really, it’s the norm.
I’m not very pleased with the so called “Big Beautiful Bill” (more like “Big Bloated Bill” but I digress) and frankly wouldn’t mind if it doesn’t pass at all – even though there are the attempts to remove the NFA tax and registry – but since some bastardized version of it is going to pass eventually, I’d strongly prefer to have the HPA and Short Act included.
Anyhow, we have company so I’ll be filling the “dutiful husband” role while my wife spends time with her visiting friend today.
Interesting Tidbits
Senate Parliamentarian Strips Silencer, Short-Barrel Shotgun Deregulation From Budget Bill – “Just after midnight on Friday, Senate Budget Committee ranking member Senator Jeff Merkley (D.) announced the NFA provision did not comply with the Byrd Rule. He said it was part of another five provisions of the Republican budget bill the parliamentarian ruled are beyond the scope of what’s allowed in the reconciliation process. That means the provision would need 60 votes to pass.”
After ‘Byrd Bath’, Republicans Look to Plan B On Suppressors, Short-Barrel Firearms – “Sen. John Cornyn of Texas tells The Reload’s Stephen Gutowski that he’s ‘confident’ the bill can be amended to eliminate the NFA tax on suppressors, short-barrel rifles and shotguns, and “any other weapons” without a negative ruling by MacDonough, calling it the GOP’s ‘plan B’.”
DOGE enters ATF with mandate to slash gun regulations – “The agency is working with the ATF general counsel to cut upwards of 50 regulations as the administration drastically reduces the number of inspectors.”
‘It’s a Killing Field’: IDF Soldiers Ordered to Shoot Deliberately at Unarmed Gazans Waiting for Humanitarian Aid – “IDF officers and soldiers told Haaretz they were ordered to fire at unarmed crowds near food distribution sites in Gaza, even when no threat was present. Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed, prompting the military prosecution to call for a review into possible war crimes”
They Strip-Searched, Shackled, and Detained This Grandmother – They Had the Wrong Suspect – “It wasn’t until the officers placed McCarthy in the back of a van that they told her that they believed she was Carola Ann Rozak, a fugitive wanted for a parole violation. ‘I’m like, ‘That’s not me,’ McCarthy said. ‘They said, ‘Penny McCarthy.’ I said, ‘Yes, but I’ve never been Carol Ann Rozak.'”
The story you’re not being told about gas prices in Washington, Idaho – “As of this week, the average price of a gallon of regular gas in Idaho is $3.69, compared to $4.87 in Washington. That’s a jaw-dropping $1.18 difference per gallon. A standard 15-gallon fill-up in Idaho could save a Washington driver over $17 every time they gas up.”
A Tyranny to Remember – “Armed with weapons and a monopoly on the use of legal force, one man (or woman) can do a world of harm. Add ego, arrogance, and dictatorship to the mix, and the harm can spread far and wide, even across generations. One tyrant’s fancies become curses upon society, the effects of which may linger long after the tyrant is gone.”
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