Why not try the bartender-training idea, except for guns?

I read with interest the article about the training for bartenders and wait staff who are serving alcohol, and I applaud the efforts of the South Carolina legislature to address this issue. Similar to getting a drivers license, this will try to ensure that servers are knowledgeable about when to stop serving a person and can potentially save lives.

My question is, why can’t the same be applied to obtaining guns?

Americans need Affordable Care Act

So, the Trump administration wants to invalidate the entire Affordable Care Act (ACA). This should not be surprising since the president likes to cut off his nose to spite his face just to please his base.

Most of us are not rich, Mr. President, so we need help to cover our health care costs. The health care system will not willingly cut costs nor provide for those in need. That is why legislation is necessary.

The ACA, despite its watering down by the current administration, provides health care to millions of Americans, either through exchanges or the extension of Medicaid. It helps senior citizens save money on Medicare coverage and drugs, prevents discrimination based on preexisting conditions, and allows children to stay on plans until the age of 26.

No alternative plan has been proposed, nor will it be. Our Congress is too dysfunctional, and Republicans too afraid of the president and his base. His base will suffer, however. A large percentage of them benefit from provisions of the ACA.

I don’t think ending access to health care for millions of Americans will “Make America Great Again.” This administration has a peculiar notion of greatness.

Comey wrong person to seek the truth

James Comey’s New York Times oped that was printed in the Island Packet recently shows him as being a conflicted man. Comey addressed the release of Robert Mueller’s report on possible Trump/Russian collusion and other crimes. Comey wanted only that Mueller be able to finish his work and to report on it. That has been done.

The former FBI director goes on to say that, “The rule of law depends upon the fair administration of justice, which is rooted in complete unbiased investigation.” He cares only that the work be done well, completely and that it find the facts leading to the truth.

That being said, we should assume that James Comey would have applied those principles when leading the investigation into the Hillary Clinton email fiasco.

Comey’s Wikipedia bio confirms that he, with assistance from FBI official Peter Strzok, wrote a report exonerating Clinton prior to her being interviewed by investigators. Strzok was later fired for exchanging emails favoring Clinton politically.

The Justice Department inspector general reported that Comey deviated from established procedures and engaged in his own subjective decision-making in the Clinton case.

So much for James Comey’s fair and unbiased search for the truth.

Washington forgets its purpose

I’m sure that I am terribly naive but I think that the purpose of government (executive, legislative and judicial) and its governors (Democrats and Republicans), is to improve the United States. How in the world is what’s going on now, doing that?

In the military, they lay down smoke screens to disguise what they are really doing. Could it be that that is what we’re seeing over Washington these days?

This story was originally published April 1, 2019 at 6:00 AM.