Per The Guardian, thousands of guns were surrendered across New York on Saturday in exchange for gift cards as part of the state’s gun buyback program.
According to the New York attorney general, Letitia James, whose office organized the event, more than 3,000 guns including various assault-style rifles and “ghost guns” were given up in what she hailed as a “landmark event”. Individuals who surrendered assault-style rifles and “ghost guns”, which are guns built from firearm parts sold unassembled, were given $500 gift cards, ABC News reported. Participants who turned in handguns also received $500 for the first weapon and an additional $150 for each additional handgun surrendered.
If one life is saved because of this effort, it was worth the investment.
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Speaking of guns. Here are some statistics that should blow you away. According to verified sources from the Gun Violence Archive for the period of January 1, 2023 to April 30, 2023 in the United States:
Total gun deaths = 13.967 or116 per day.
Suicides=7,986. Homicide/unintentional/defensive=5,981.
Mass shootings=185. Mass murders=18. Or 1.5 mass shootings per day.
Number of children 17 and under killed=578. Number of children injured-1,415. Nearly 5 children killed per day by guns.
As my good friend Ernie likes to say, “Only in America”, which in this case is true.
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The following was taken from various articles in Bridge Michigan and modified by me.
Democrats have spent decades in the minority in Lansing vowing to boost access to public records and campaign finance in Michigan, which receives failing grades from good-government groups.
Along with “fixing the damn roads”, increasing government transparency was a key campaign promise by Governor Whitmer in her 2018 campaign when she pledged to open her own office up to public record requests if the Legislature did not change the law. To date, she has not done so. Michigan remains one of two states in the country where lawmakers and the governor are wholly exempt from public records requests.
Also under the microscope are the state’s campaign finance laws. Contributions from undisclosed donors — “dark money” — and the sheer amount of funds funneling to people in positions of power are not required to be disclosed and they are not subject to FOIA requests. In a 2015 study, Michigan ranked last in a national study of state ethics and transparency laws, partly due to its weak public records law and an absence of laws requiring personal financial disclosures by lawmakers and top state officials. Since Michigan has not passed any legislation to improve the situation since the study was completed, it is safe to assume our ranking continues to be at the bottom.
As a result of recent investigations into former House Speaker Lee Chatfield and an ongoing public corruption scandal that’s resulted in four people, including former House Speaker Rick Johnson, admitting to accepting or receiving bribes, there should be a sense of urgency to address these issues.
The excuse that the Republican controlled legislature was the problem is no longer valid. After four months in control of the governorship, the legislature, the Secretary of State, and the Attorney General, Democrats have introduced no bills to significantly reform public access to government records. However, they promise that change is coming soon. I am not holding my breath.
It isn’t often I support AG Nessel in this blog, but in this case, I agree with her.
Quote of the Day: “Our residents have to be able to trust their elected officials will work for them, not the well-moneyed interests bankrolling them from the shadows. Michigan is in desperate need of commonsense campaign finance laws to ensure that information regarding the donors who back our state’s election ads, ballot initiatives, and candidate campaigns is being disclosed to voters.” AG Nessel.
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Quote of the Day: See the above from AG Nessel.
Orchid of the Day: The Detroit Lions. After reviewing the results of the 2023 draft, I firmly believe the Lions are headed in the right direction.
Onion of the Day: MSU football fans, after starting QB Payton Thorne, WR Keon Coleman, and CB Charles Brantley announced yesterday they were entering the transfer portal.
Question of the Day: Why didn’t MSU coach Mel Tucker share a little of his $95 million contract with the above three players to keep them at MSU?
Video of the Day: As Leah and I are counting down the days (14) when we move out of Ypsi house after nearly 38 years, I find myself attracted to this song by Disturbed. Good words to live by.