TheLeftyWolfe is back in action for a quick rundown of the day’s hot topics: the gun control debate, Lance Armstrong visits Oprah, our future with India.
1. Weapons Ownership Debate – After all of the gun-related tragedies that have occurred around the U.S. over the last thirteen years or so, it seems that Washington may FINALLY be getting serious about imposing some sensible gun-ownership regulations. Well, at least the Democrats appear to be leaning this way. If it were left up to the NRA and the GOP, all babies would jump from the womb of their mothers with a loaded AK-47, ready to blow away those who seek to curb gun violence on our streets. Haha. But I digress. In just a few short hours (tomorrow, in fact), Vice President Joe Biden, who has been placed in charge of a federal task force to deal with this issue, will unveil his proposals for curbing the horrific violence that has plagued our schools and first responders for what seems like an eternity. No one on Biden’s task force wants to outlaw gun ownership. Rather, they are simply advocating for common-sense legislation that keeps military-style assault/quick-fire weapons out of the hands of anyone not in the military. No one is attacking the 2nd Amendment (contrary to the outright lies being floated by the GOP and NRA), but the public does want to ensure that weapons specifically designed and intended for the battlefield don’t find their ways onto our streets and into our classrooms. Does anyone out there really need a machine gun to protect themselves? Or maybe a rocket-propelled grenade??? Of course not. Let’s allow law-abiding citizens to continue to own handguns and shotguns for hunting and protection, but let’s leave the more dangerous weapons to our military members and first responders…where they belong.
2. Lance Armstrong the Truthful – Have you ever seen a title as ill-fitting as that? Probably not, unless you are friends with John Boehner the Liberal. Anyways…it seems that the seven time Tour de France “winner” (I use that term very lightly) will soon sit down with the big O herself, Oprah Winfrey. Media outlets are predicting that this interview will be Armstrong’s opportunity to finally tell the truth about the blood-doping scandal that has literally brought him to his knees. Ever since cycling authorities in the U.S. released their treasure trove of evidence against him, Lance has faced one crisis after another: the loss of his Tour de France titles, the soon-to-be stripping of his Olympic medal, his forced resignation from the cancer-fighting Livestrong Foundation that he created and potential lawsuits that could force him to repay the TENS OF MILLIONS of dollars that he fraudulently won throughout his long, illegal career in cycling. If you ask me, I wouldn’t have even given Armstrong the chance to have his say on television. Was it not Lance who paraded around the world for more than a decade professing his innocence and attacking those who questioned it? Come on! Armstrong was NEVER quiet about his dislike for the agency that performs blood tests for the sport of cycling (now we know why). He railed against cycling officials as being corrupt and out to get him, while at the same time administering illegal drugs into his own system that allowed him to dominate his sport for nearly a decade. This man belongs behind bars (along with Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds!). Every single person or company who has given their time or money to Armstrong or any of his causes should file a lawsuit immediately to recoup the investments they made to this fraud. He deserves no pity and no airtime to attempt to make himself look good again. Lance Armstrong is, ironically enough, a cancerous tumor that must be excised from the sporting and entertainment worlds…never to return again.
3. When You Need a Friend, Turn to India? – Now it’s time for TheLeftyWolfe to rant a bit…just a little! This topic isn’t necessarily trending online, but I do feel it deserves mention in this space. Is there anyone else out there who believes that the U.S. should be making a much more concerted effort to forge a close bond with the nation of India? Let’s not forget that it is India, not the U.S., that is the world’s largest democracy…and it’s not some sort of faux-democracy either, such as the one in Russia, where elections are rigged to keep the elite in power. India is a thriving democratic state. Sure, they have lots of problems, but so does everyone else in the world. TheLeftyWolfe believes that American politicians (starting with President Obama!) should be focusing a lot more attention on this eastern friend of ours. As the rise of China’s military and economic might comes further into focus, the U.S. should be forging strong ties that bind with the land of customer service centers (aka India). Hahaha. Where is the free trade agreement with India? Why aren’t we engaging in arms sales and joint military exercises to strengthen this sorely needed counterweight to China? As time progresses and China continues to flex their muscles on the world stage, the U.S. needs to continue to engage our allies in this region…not just the small, strategically located nations of Vietnam, the Philippines or Japan, but also the country with the world’s second largest population. Do you remember our efforts to spread democracy in South Korea and South Vietnam…efforts solely meant to keep China from amassing even more power in South and East Asia? We need to begin such nation-building efforts in India as well. Not only will we reap the economic benefits of such a bond, we will also let China now that America is, and will remain, a force for good both here and in Asia.
Yes, I acknowledge that my statements above on India are veering towards being alarmist, but I stand by them. Like it or not, this is a conversation that America will one day find itself having. The only question is when, not if.
Have a good one!
Chris
TheLeftyWolfe 