Montana takes a stand for state’s rights, now Utah and Texas may follow

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=6367553

Yesterday, the Montana governor signed a very important piece of legislation. Montana just gave the feds the finger.

Basically, the premise is this. All federal gun control laws are dubiously constitutional. They are only justified through the Interstate Commerce Clause. Since guns are made in one place, and then sold in another state, that means that the government can regulate them with all sorts of pointless idiocy, like background checks (which don’t work), registration (which don’t work), and bans (which don’t work).  

Montana’s new law says that if the gun doesn’t ever leave the state after creation isn’t their business. By doing this, Montana has said any gun that is built in Montana, sold in Montana, and stays in Montana, never enters Interstate Commerce, and is therefore not under the fed’s perview. 

This is huge. There might not be a lot of guns that fall into this category, but there will be more now.  The important thing isn’t the quantity, it is the act of standing up.

And even better, Utah and Texas are trying to do the same thing. This is brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.

It is just one small thing, but it is about a few independantly minded states asserting that they are not slaves to the whims of bureacrats in Washington. People in most of the free states do not want gun control. They despise gun control. Gun control laws are shoved down our throats by the political denizens of innercity cesspools. 

If you live in Utah or Texas, contact your state legislators and tell them to support this.

Personally, I’m really excited about this one. I remember when I first moved to Utah, back when Bill Clinton was president. At the time, Utah was absolutely contrary at every opportunity. (we were rewarded with having our billions of dollars of coal reserves declared a “national monument” ) Then George Bush got in, and over eight years it seemed like Utah lost that independant streak, and our legislature (mostly) was willing to go along with whatever. Now with BHO in office, it seems like we might be getting back to the contrarian roots I love so much.

Thanks, Montana. You rock.

ConDuit 2009

http://conduit.sfcon.org/

I will be a guest at the Conduit convention this year in SLC.

I’m on panels on Saturday (4:00 and 6:00) and Sunday (4:00). 

I’m not really sure what the first one is about. Some sort of Q & A with writers. The next one is on worldbuilding, but I think that it is for YA writers (which I’m not) but Dan Willis is on that panel, and the last time we were on a panel together it was really fun. I used some casual swearing at BYU, but Dan had my back.  The one on Sunday is a Q & A for aspiring writers.

Eric Flint was supposed to have been the guest of honor, but he had to cancel because of heart surgery. I was looking forward to meeting Mr. Flint, since I also work for Baen. (though he’s written like 20 best sellers, and my first one hasn’t actually come out yet, but hey, I can still say it).

There will be a ton of really good authors there. I look forward to hooking up with them again. The sci-fi/fantasy writers in Utah are a friendly bunch.

So if you are near Salt Lake on the weekend of the 22nd-24th, come by and see us.

Free Chicken before midnight

Okay, that is the strangest title of any post on here, ever.

http://www.unthinkkfc.com/

I think this is legit. You can print coupons for a free grilled chicken meal at KFC. The offer lasts until midnight.