The Wednesday Read

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To the people who lose one shoe on the side of the road: Please tell me what the rest of your life is like. – Unknown

These topics caught my attention in the last 24 hours:

  • Applause for Walmart
  • Diverting Military Construction Funds
  • Vice President Mike Pence

APPLAUSE FOR WALMART:

I like Walmart. It’s like a portrait of America every time I go there.

I can get a gallon of paint, then swing through electronics and look at the TVs, then go to the men’s department and get a shirt, then head to the grocery area and get some meat and some fresh fruit.

Then I go through self-checkout and pay for my items and never talk to a human. Is this a great country or what? #Merica!

Today Walmart announced it would stop selling ammunition that can be used in military-style assault rifles, would discourage its customers from openly carrying guns in its stores and would call on Congress to increase background checks and consider a new assault rifle ban. (NY Times)

The exact wording from Walmart:

  • After selling through our current inventory commitments, we will discontinue sales of short-barrel rifle ammunition such as the .223 caliber and 5.56 caliber that, while commonly used in some hunting rifles, can also be used in large capacity clips on military-style weapons;
  • We will sell through and discontinue handgun ammunition; and’
  • We will discontinue handgun sales in Alaska, marking our complete exit from handguns.

Walmart also requested that customers no longer openly carry firearms into our stores or Sam’s Clubs in states where “open carry” is permitted – unless they are authorized law enforcement officers.

You can read the full memo from Walmart CEO Doug McMillon HERE.

I saw a meme that showed a woman with a handgun strapped on shopping in the bread section. The caption said, “I didn’t know that buying bread was that dangerous.”

Next, we’ll hear from the gun nuts who will say Walmart is losing business because of this move. Fat chance. Look for more stores to follow Walmart’s lead.

DIVERTING MILITARY CONSTRUCTION FUNDS:

From the first time I heard about it, I was against President Donald Trump diverting military construction funds to build his border wall. I know how much time and effort goes into getting the funding approved for military construction, and now the President can take it and use it for the border wall. It’s crazy.

The Washington Post (WaPo) reported:

Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper agreed Tuesday to free up $3.6 billion from the Pentagon budget for President Trump’s border wall by effectively defunding 127 military construction projects using emergency authorities.

WaPo also reported that the Pentagon declined to disclose which projects would be defunded. Chief Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Rath Hoffman said the list would be made available later this week after the Defense Department notifies lawmakers with affected projects in their districts and foreign embassies with affected projects in their countries.

There are going to be some pissed off lawmakers (at least those on the left) who have lost funding for projects in their states and districts.

VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE:

One can only imagine the shit show that would have happened if President Barack Obama told Vice President Joe Biden to stay at a place Obama owned while on official business.

Republicans would have held hearings for weeks.

It was recently reported that President Donald Trump “suggested” that Vice President Mike Pence stay at his golf club in Ireland (Trump Doonbeg) while Pence was on official business. That means Trump is getting paid in a roundabout way for Pence staying at Trump’s golf club.

The Trump Administration was quick to say it was for security reasons.

I don’t believe that.

After Trump is gone from office, Congress needs to tighten the laws about using taxpayer funds to pay for things like this.

In the meantime, Pence better give Trump Doonbeg a great rating on Trip Advisor.

 

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