You can put a gun rack in a Volt
February 21, 2012 7:39 PM Subscribe
Newt Gingrich said in a political campaign speech that one could not put a gun rack in a Chevy Volt, speaking against President Obama's to raise subsidies for electric cars. One Georgia engineer took that challenge to heart and showed that you can put a gunrack in a Volt, showing that even in the Deep South, there are innovative, forward thinking people (who like to hunt).
great video!
newt mocks them to their faces, and they cheer. wow. he really is the most condescending creep ever, isn't he?
posted by facetious at 7:43 PM on February 21, 2012 [3 favorites]
newt mocks them to their faces, and they cheer. wow. he really is the most condescending creep ever, isn't he?
posted by facetious at 7:43 PM on February 21, 2012 [3 favorites]
A gunrack?
A gunrack.
I don't even own a gun, let alone many guns that would necessitate an entire rack.
But seriously, what a cynical and insulting little quip. Yay politics.
posted by dumbland at 7:45 PM on February 21, 2012 [9 favorites]
A gunrack.
I don't even own a gun, let alone many guns that would necessitate an entire rack.
But seriously, what a cynical and insulting little quip. Yay politics.
posted by dumbland at 7:45 PM on February 21, 2012 [9 favorites]
I feel like Newt is going about the election like a "Pickup Artist" goes about dating.
posted by hellojed at 7:46 PM on February 21, 2012 [45 favorites]
posted by hellojed at 7:46 PM on February 21, 2012 [45 favorites]
The last redneck I heard whine about not having a gun rack in a small car had actually lost his penis in a rodeo accident (though it was widely rumored to be caused by a disease contracted from a farm animal).
posted by Brian B. at 7:48 PM on February 21, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by Brian B. at 7:48 PM on February 21, 2012 [3 favorites]
Santorum said Satan is attacking America. What are you going to do about that?
posted by Trurl at 7:49 PM on February 21, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by Trurl at 7:49 PM on February 21, 2012 [2 favorites]
What will power the cars on Newt's moonbase?
posted by plastic_animals at 7:51 PM on February 21, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by plastic_animals at 7:51 PM on February 21, 2012 [2 favorites]
Iranian oil.
posted by pompomtom at 7:56 PM on February 21, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by pompomtom at 7:56 PM on February 21, 2012 [2 favorites]
plastic_animals: "What will power the cars on Newt's moonbase?"
Batteries.
posted by Apropos of Something at 7:57 PM on February 21, 2012
Batteries.
posted by Apropos of Something at 7:57 PM on February 21, 2012
Metafilter: widely rumored to be caused by a disease contracted from a farm animal
posted by (Arsenio) Hall and (Warren) Oates at 7:57 PM on February 21, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by (Arsenio) Hall and (Warren) Oates at 7:57 PM on February 21, 2012 [4 favorites]
Burhanistan: "Why aren't people punching Newt in the face everywhere he goes? Time not punching him in the face is time lost.
"
Last time I had the chance, he was surrounded by these guys. They probably would have decked me.
posted by Apropos of Something at 7:59 PM on February 21, 2012
"
Last time I had the chance, he was surrounded by these guys. They probably would have decked me.
posted by Apropos of Something at 7:59 PM on February 21, 2012
GOD DAMN IT why are politicians campaigning on such BULLSHIT.
that's it, I'm done with the internet for the night.
posted by rebent at 7:59 PM on February 21, 2012 [2 favorites]
that's it, I'm done with the internet for the night.
posted by rebent at 7:59 PM on February 21, 2012 [2 favorites]
Seeing as how Newt wouldn't be caught dead in one, I think it's safe to say that you can't put a blowhard in a Volt.
posted by Dodecadermaldenticles at 8:02 PM on February 21, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by Dodecadermaldenticles at 8:02 PM on February 21, 2012 [2 favorites]
Way to support American workers, Newt. Let's drop the ball on automotive development for another 20 years while we're at it.
posted by TrialByMedia at 8:06 PM on February 21, 2012 [10 favorites]
posted by TrialByMedia at 8:06 PM on February 21, 2012 [10 favorites]
he is a pandering fuckwad of the highest order. like he cares about people who hunt and drive trucks. like he would know populism if it kicked him in the balls...
posted by supermedusa at 8:09 PM on February 21, 2012
posted by supermedusa at 8:09 PM on February 21, 2012
What a fascinating mashup of DIY/Instructables aesthetics with bad campaign footage!
posted by fake at 8:10 PM on February 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by fake at 8:10 PM on February 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
Yet the worst blowhard is the Volt itself... have you ever been in one? The damn yappy cars won't SHUT UP. They have start-up theme music, bleeping and booping constantly as you go along. When you have the temerity to back towards a stationary object they turn on a (Front facing, wtf?) screen with the backwards facing camera fixed with proximity sensors on said object and start beeping like an EKG, more and more rapidly as you approach the object. If you get within a foot of the object the beeping becomes a tone, so that when you've reached your parking spot, it sounds like the car has just flatlined and the best you can do is turn it off and put it out of its misery.
posted by Cold Lurkey at 8:12 PM on February 21, 2012 [14 favorites]
posted by Cold Lurkey at 8:12 PM on February 21, 2012 [14 favorites]
Santorum said Satan is attacking America.
I'm really hoping he cleans up in the rest of the primaries and wins the GOP nomination. The GOP convention will be like a big old-fashioned prayer meeting with people rolling in aisles speaking in tongues. "I saw Michelle Obama with the Devil! I saw Joe Biden with the Devil!"
posted by fuse theorem at 8:12 PM on February 21, 2012 [12 favorites]
I'm really hoping he cleans up in the rest of the primaries and wins the GOP nomination. The GOP convention will be like a big old-fashioned prayer meeting with people rolling in aisles speaking in tongues. "I saw Michelle Obama with the Devil! I saw Joe Biden with the Devil!"
posted by fuse theorem at 8:12 PM on February 21, 2012 [12 favorites]
Does Newt own a vehicle with a gunrack? Or a gun? If not, why not. If so, why?
posted by SPrintF at 8:12 PM on February 21, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by SPrintF at 8:12 PM on February 21, 2012 [3 favorites]
Santorum said Satan is attacking America.
Given that he's running for president, I would say that he's right on that one.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 8:13 PM on February 21, 2012 [6 favorites]
Given that he's running for president, I would say that he's right on that one.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 8:13 PM on February 21, 2012 [6 favorites]
You can't put a gun rack in a Volt? Jesus christ, what the fuck's that supposed to even mean except to get rednecks to go hurr, hurr, hurr?
Pandering is right. Let's see if we can wedge the "right to bear arms" into some Jeff Foxworthy humor somewhere. Remember how it became really obvious after the Gabby Giffords thing that Sarah Palin thinks you're incredibly stupid, people? Newt does too.
posted by ctmf at 8:16 PM on February 21, 2012 [3 favorites]
Pandering is right. Let's see if we can wedge the "right to bear arms" into some Jeff Foxworthy humor somewhere. Remember how it became really obvious after the Gabby Giffords thing that Sarah Palin thinks you're incredibly stupid, people? Newt does too.
posted by ctmf at 8:16 PM on February 21, 2012 [3 favorites]
I feel like Newt is going about the election like a "Pickup Artist" goes about dating.
He sure seems to be negging the electorate a lot...
posted by atrazine at 8:19 PM on February 21, 2012 [3 favorites]
He sure seems to be negging the electorate a lot...
posted by atrazine at 8:19 PM on February 21, 2012 [3 favorites]
"You can't put a gun rack in a Volt" isn't a literal statement of impossibility. It's a cultural dog whistle saying "unlike Obama, we're not wusses." No, it doesn't make any logical sense. It's pure rhetoric.
That said, I would love for some enviro-friendly sharpshooter to roll up in a be-racked Volt, challenging Newt to a shoot-off - skeet, or game, or bottles on a fence. Watch as Newt misses shot after shot, his Jabba face slick with sweat. Then spread the meme that you can't hit a target with a Newt.
posted by Sticherbeast at 8:22 PM on February 21, 2012 [15 favorites]
That said, I would love for some enviro-friendly sharpshooter to roll up in a be-racked Volt, challenging Newt to a shoot-off - skeet, or game, or bottles on a fence. Watch as Newt misses shot after shot, his Jabba face slick with sweat. Then spread the meme that you can't hit a target with a Newt.
posted by Sticherbeast at 8:22 PM on February 21, 2012 [15 favorites]
Did ya hear the sneering in the laughter on that Noot clip?
God.
posted by notsnot at 8:22 PM on February 21, 2012
God.
posted by notsnot at 8:22 PM on February 21, 2012
Sticherbeast: "That said, I would love for some enviro-friendly sharpshooter to roll up in a be-racked Volt, challenging Newt to a shoot-off "
One word:
Smedleyman.
posted by notsnot at 8:23 PM on February 21, 2012 [8 favorites]
One word:
Smedleyman.
posted by notsnot at 8:23 PM on February 21, 2012 [8 favorites]
Pro Tip: Any time you are considering taking anything Newt Gingrich says seriously just picture him trying to get out a pool.
Works every time.
posted by Bonzai at 8:25 PM on February 21, 2012 [29 favorites]
Works every time.
posted by Bonzai at 8:25 PM on February 21, 2012 [29 favorites]
"How dare we go out and drive vehicles bigger than their bicycles?"
*Used to live in Newt's District: bike bike bike*
*Lives in this guy's district: bike bike bike*
*Lives in Georgia: bike bike HOLY SHIT WHY IS THIS MOTHERFUCKER STILL IN POLITICS? WHY? WHY?!*
posted by Panjandrum at 8:27 PM on February 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
*Used to live in Newt's District: bike bike bike*
*Lives in this guy's district: bike bike bike*
*Lives in Georgia: bike bike HOLY SHIT WHY IS THIS MOTHERFUCKER STILL IN POLITICS? WHY? WHY?!*
posted by Panjandrum at 8:27 PM on February 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
Burhanistan, if it makes you feel any better some guy in a grocery store in Iowa (I think) called Newt a "fucking asshole" to his face.
posted by MattMangels at 8:31 PM on February 21, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by MattMangels at 8:31 PM on February 21, 2012 [3 favorites]
"I saw Michelle Obama with the Devil! I saw Joe Biden with the Devil!"
How'd that turn out last time people made accusations like that? I assume that everyone else laughed at the accusers for a little bit, then ignored them, and the accused went peacefully about their lives, yes?
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 8:33 PM on February 21, 2012
How'd that turn out last time people made accusations like that? I assume that everyone else laughed at the accusers for a little bit, then ignored them, and the accused went peacefully about their lives, yes?
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 8:33 PM on February 21, 2012
No, the pandering fuckwad of the highest order is this guy. (I mean, come on, praising the height of the trees?)
posted by webhund at 8:37 PM on February 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by webhund at 8:37 PM on February 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
Oh Newt, Newt, Newt. You're just such an ugly little fuck.
posted by benito.strauss at 8:41 PM on February 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by benito.strauss at 8:41 PM on February 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
lost his penis in a rodeo accident
Ya sure there was not another way it was lost?
posted by rough ashlar at 8:44 PM on February 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
Ya sure there was not another way it was lost?
posted by rough ashlar at 8:44 PM on February 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
No one ever puts truck nuts on a Volt.
posted by jabo at 8:47 PM on February 21, 2012 [7 favorites]
posted by jabo at 8:47 PM on February 21, 2012 [7 favorites]
I'm really hoping he cleans up in the rest of the primaries and wins the GOP nomination.
You do understand that puts him at a reasonable chance to then be the President?
posted by rough ashlar at 8:50 PM on February 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
You do understand that puts him at a reasonable chance to then be the President?
posted by rough ashlar at 8:50 PM on February 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
Why not top the gunrack with a railgun on the roof of a volt? Small, but enough to be fun?
posted by JoeXIII007 at 8:50 PM on February 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by JoeXIII007 at 8:50 PM on February 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
So, serious question from someone without much experience with vehicle-mounted guns: was this purely a proof-of-concept gun rack, or is it normal practice to hang your guns upside-down by two hooks? I would have expected some kind of retention mechanism, maybe even with a keyed lock. Even if you're not worried about theft, surely bumpy roads are a concern?
posted by d. z. wang at 8:54 PM on February 21, 2012
posted by d. z. wang at 8:54 PM on February 21, 2012
Remember that SNL sketch which was a presidential debate between Al Gore and GW? Al turns to the camera and says "I can't believe I am loosing to this guy."
Obama should be loosing this thing. Instead he is turning to the camera an saying "I can't believe you are going with these guys."
posted by munchingzombie at 8:56 PM on February 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
Obama should be loosing this thing. Instead he is turning to the camera an saying "I can't believe you are going with these guys."
posted by munchingzombie at 8:56 PM on February 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
It's a cultural dog whistle saying "unlike Obama, we're not wusses."
But electric cars are real quiet. Good for sneaking up on MOTHERFUCKERS for drivebys.
Therefore Volts are pretty gangsta. Sustainable pimpin'.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 9:00 PM on February 21, 2012 [12 favorites]
But electric cars are real quiet. Good for sneaking up on MOTHERFUCKERS for drivebys.
Therefore Volts are pretty gangsta. Sustainable pimpin'.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 9:00 PM on February 21, 2012 [12 favorites]
All the good comments in this thread have already been taken.
posted by ShutterBun at 9:03 PM on February 21, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by ShutterBun at 9:03 PM on February 21, 2012 [2 favorites]
Man, hearing him with his "gun in a truck" quote and all the fuckin' rednecks hootin'... Well...
America! I got my Bible! America! And I got my handgun! America! Now we're ready!
posted by symbioid at 9:03 PM on February 21, 2012
America! I got my Bible! America! And I got my handgun! America! Now we're ready!
posted by symbioid at 9:03 PM on February 21, 2012
The difference between Newt (or the Republican party for that matter) and the Volt, is that the Volt is actually going somewhere.
posted by I love you more when I eat paint chips at 9:13 PM on February 21, 2012 [13 favorites]
posted by I love you more when I eat paint chips at 9:13 PM on February 21, 2012 [13 favorites]
The difference between Newt (or the Republican party for that matter) and the Volt, is that the Volt is actually going somewhere.
I stand corrected.
posted by ShutterBun at 9:40 PM on February 21, 2012
I stand corrected.
posted by ShutterBun at 9:40 PM on February 21, 2012
The difference between Newt (or the Republican party for that matter) and the Volt, is that the Volt is actually going somewhere.
Can't fit a gunrack in a Newt. That's a difference.
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 10:14 PM on February 21, 2012
Can't fit a gunrack in a Newt. That's a difference.
I don't know, I can think of one place that I would like Newt to shove his guns...
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 11:08 PM on February 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
I don't know, I can think of one place that I would like Newt to shove his guns...
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 11:08 PM on February 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
Can't fit a gunrack in a Newt. That's a difference.
He's pretty big now, I bet you could. But it would be messy.
posted by me & my monkey at 11:09 PM on February 21, 2012
He's pretty big now, I bet you could. But it would be messy.
posted by me & my monkey at 11:09 PM on February 21, 2012
You can put a gunrack on anythng. Does Newt even hunt? Oh, right, with his teeth. http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/406662/january-23-2012/indecision-2012---newt-gingrich-s-south-carolina-kill
posted by Smedleyman at 12:08 AM on February 22, 2012
posted by Smedleyman at 12:08 AM on February 22, 2012
At this point, I would vote for Bundy / Gacy before I vote for anyone in the Republican party.
posted by dirigibleman at 12:14 AM on February 22, 2012
posted by dirigibleman at 12:14 AM on February 22, 2012
By the way, there are only two reasons to have a gunrack:
- You are a farmer / rancher / park ranger, and you need quick access to a firearm in case of predators.
- You are a tiny-penised moron who thinks that showing off your Walmart special makes you a Real Man.
You ever feel like Newt is like the alien in Independence Day? He's the thing that should unite us all in our humanity despite our differences so that we may flush out an obvious threat to all living creatures. Starting with fitting a gunrack to your favorite forward-thinking car so that we might be vigilant against the Newt-onian threat facing us all.
posted by basicchannel at 12:25 AM on February 22, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by basicchannel at 12:25 AM on February 22, 2012 [4 favorites]
I honestly hope he loses big, slinks off to the swamp that belched his toad-like form forth, and is never heard from again until such time as his deliquescing corpus is found, finally giving something to the world in the form of mushrooms that no sane creature dare eat.
So they give it to Republican presidential candidates, who scream as the horror sets in as to what they're doing with their lives and they go terribly, irrevocably sane.
posted by mephron at 1:27 AM on February 22, 2012 [2 favorites]
So they give it to Republican presidential candidates, who scream as the horror sets in as to what they're doing with their lives and they go terribly, irrevocably sane.
posted by mephron at 1:27 AM on February 22, 2012 [2 favorites]
sorry, also that when the corpse is found, he died of what passes for natural causes in the squamous.
(Go ahead, tell me that the GOP lately isn't like something that Lovecraft dreamt up.)
posted by mephron at 1:31 AM on February 22, 2012
(Go ahead, tell me that the GOP lately isn't like something that Lovecraft dreamt up.)
posted by mephron at 1:31 AM on February 22, 2012
It's a cultural dog whistle saying "unlike Obama, we're not wusses. lack acceleration.
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 2:11 AM on February 22, 2012
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 2:11 AM on February 22, 2012
Santorum said Satan is attacking America.
I'm really hoping he cleans up in the rest of the primaries and wins the GOP nomination. The GOP convention will be like a big old-fashioned prayer meeting with people rolling in aisles speaking in tongues. "I saw Michelle Obama with the Devil! I saw Joe Biden with the Devil!"
My hope is that if this happens, the few reasonable republicans left in congress will jump ship to the democratic party. I'm not holding my breath, though.
posted by SteveInMaine at 3:26 AM on February 22, 2012
I'm really hoping he cleans up in the rest of the primaries and wins the GOP nomination. The GOP convention will be like a big old-fashioned prayer meeting with people rolling in aisles speaking in tongues. "I saw Michelle Obama with the Devil! I saw Joe Biden with the Devil!"
My hope is that if this happens, the few reasonable republicans left in congress will jump ship to the democratic party. I'm not holding my breath, though.
posted by SteveInMaine at 3:26 AM on February 22, 2012
I'm really hoping [Santorum] cleans up in the rest of the primaries and wins the GOP nomination.
All it takes is Israel bombing Iran (skyrocketing gas prices and speculation) and/or another country or two defaulting in Europe, and the US is back in a recession, which means the election is at least 60/40 in favor of whoever wins on the GOP side. Doesn't matter if it's Romney, Santorum, Gingrich, or even Paul.
posted by zombieflanders at 3:36 AM on February 22, 2012
All it takes is Israel bombing Iran (skyrocketing gas prices and speculation) and/or another country or two defaulting in Europe, and the US is back in a recession, which means the election is at least 60/40 in favor of whoever wins on the GOP side. Doesn't matter if it's Romney, Santorum, Gingrich, or even Paul.
posted by zombieflanders at 3:36 AM on February 22, 2012
zombieflanders
Every single one of those things could happen and Obama would still get another 4 years.
posted by weinbot at 4:23 AM on February 22, 2012
Every single one of those things could happen and Obama would still get another 4 years.
posted by weinbot at 4:23 AM on February 22, 2012
GOD DAMN IT why are politicians campaigning on such BULLSHIT.
It's called "playing to the crowd".
posted by Thorzdad at 4:29 AM on February 22, 2012
It's called "playing to the crowd".
posted by Thorzdad at 4:29 AM on February 22, 2012
> (I mean, come on, praising the height of the trees?)
Dog whistling. The implication is that the "tall trees" must be cut down.
posted by 0xdeadc0de at 4:39 AM on February 22, 2012
Dog whistling. The implication is that the "tall trees" must be cut down.
posted by 0xdeadc0de at 4:39 AM on February 22, 2012
I think I've finally figured this election year out... The Republican Party is in the tank for Obama.
posted by drezdn at 5:03 AM on February 22, 2012
posted by drezdn at 5:03 AM on February 22, 2012
start beeping like an EKG, more and more rapidly as you approach the object. If you get within a foot of the object the beeping becomes a tone, so that when you've reached your parking spot, it sounds like the car has just flatlined
Uh, I'm pretty sure that means you have missile lock.
posted by indubitable at 5:22 AM on February 22, 2012 [5 favorites]
Uh, I'm pretty sure that means you have missile lock.
posted by indubitable at 5:22 AM on February 22, 2012 [5 favorites]
Much of the intensity of the Republicans this year seems to come from a trend I started noticing in 2010. The right was no longer making plays at the middle with ideas like compassionate conservatism, but instead reiterating the ideas and style of talk radio. The ads had the same sneer and talking points.
It worked in 2010, but more likely because the economy was still bad (and the fallout from healthcare passing).
They've bought into their hype that conservatives are the majority, so they no longer feel the need to play for the middle. Hopefully it bites them in the ass this year.
posted by drezdn at 6:08 AM on February 22, 2012 [3 favorites]
It worked in 2010, but more likely because the economy was still bad (and the fallout from healthcare passing).
They've bought into their hype that conservatives are the majority, so they no longer feel the need to play for the middle. Hopefully it bites them in the ass this year.
posted by drezdn at 6:08 AM on February 22, 2012 [3 favorites]
Has anybody thought of making a 'green' handgun? That could make for interesting discussion, I bet.
posted by jonmc at 6:12 AM on February 22, 2012
posted by jonmc at 6:12 AM on February 22, 2012
Santorum said Satan is attacking America. What are you going to do about that?
I bet Satan would fit in a Chevy Volt. I am led to believe that he is of a highy variable size, being primarily metaphysical. One Satan is in the car, we can drive him where ever we would like. Problem solved!
posted by GenjiandProust at 6:26 AM on February 22, 2012
I bet Satan would fit in a Chevy Volt. I am led to believe that he is of a highy variable size, being primarily metaphysical. One Satan is in the car, we can drive him where ever we would like. Problem solved!
posted by GenjiandProust at 6:26 AM on February 22, 2012
Every single one of those things could happen and Obama would still get another 4 years.
There isn't a single pollster or campaign veteran that I can think of that would agree with you. Remember, it took several months of positive economic news for Obama to break into the mid- to high-40s in approval, and it's just in the last week that he's been in positive territory (by the slimmest of margins). It's also essentially a given that whenever the candidate is chosen on the GOP side, there will be a large move on the right to support him to defeat the socialist muslim atheist who is trying to become a dictator and destroy our country and our values. Never underestimate the fervor to defeat Obama as opposed towards lukewarm support of any given Republican. And there's been a ton of research that shows that people's perception of economic trends is a very good indicator of how they'll vote, and if we have a recession and add another point or so of unemployment, there's not a lot of trust that independents will have for Obama.
posted by zombieflanders at 7:11 AM on February 22, 2012
There isn't a single pollster or campaign veteran that I can think of that would agree with you. Remember, it took several months of positive economic news for Obama to break into the mid- to high-40s in approval, and it's just in the last week that he's been in positive territory (by the slimmest of margins). It's also essentially a given that whenever the candidate is chosen on the GOP side, there will be a large move on the right to support him to defeat the socialist muslim atheist who is trying to become a dictator and destroy our country and our values. Never underestimate the fervor to defeat Obama as opposed towards lukewarm support of any given Republican. And there's been a ton of research that shows that people's perception of economic trends is a very good indicator of how they'll vote, and if we have a recession and add another point or so of unemployment, there's not a lot of trust that independents will have for Obama.
posted by zombieflanders at 7:11 AM on February 22, 2012
And there's been a ton of research that shows that people's perception of economic trends is a very good indicator of how they'll vote, and if we have a recession and add another point or so of unemployment, there's not a lot of trust that independents will have for Obama.
There are very few independents. There are voters who are essentially Democrats or Republicans who call themselves "independent" because they don't want to appear partisan, and who will vote for the other party when a truly horrible candidate from their usual party comes along. But true independents, true swing voters? There aren't that many of them.
And the demographics are all on Obama's side. He's retained his leads in all the demographics he won in 2008 (and improved on some of them). What's happened is that the demographics he lost in 2008 have gotten worse, because Republicans have all gone from "I don't know about this guy" to "HATE HIM SO MUCH," and that makes a difference. But so what if Obama loses the Deep South?
posted by mightygodking at 7:31 AM on February 22, 2012
There are very few independents. There are voters who are essentially Democrats or Republicans who call themselves "independent" because they don't want to appear partisan, and who will vote for the other party when a truly horrible candidate from their usual party comes along. But true independents, true swing voters? There aren't that many of them.
And the demographics are all on Obama's side. He's retained his leads in all the demographics he won in 2008 (and improved on some of them). What's happened is that the demographics he lost in 2008 have gotten worse, because Republicans have all gone from "I don't know about this guy" to "HATE HIM SO MUCH," and that makes a difference. But so what if Obama loses the Deep South?
posted by mightygodking at 7:31 AM on February 22, 2012
dirigibleman: Also construction workers use gun racks to hold long levels.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 7:33 AM on February 22, 2012
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 7:33 AM on February 22, 2012
He's retained his leads in all the demographics he won in 2008 (and improved on some of them).
One of my worries is Obama winning the popular vote, but losing the electoral vote. How is he doing in "swing" states?
posted by drezdn at 8:07 AM on February 22, 2012
One of my worries is Obama winning the popular vote, but losing the electoral vote. How is he doing in "swing" states?
posted by drezdn at 8:07 AM on February 22, 2012
Why not top the gunrack with a railgun on the roof of a volt? Small, but enough to be fun?
Stop reading my mind!
Santorum said Satan is attacking America. What are you going to do about that?
Maybe he meant Miroslav Satan. He did stop playing for the NHL to play in Russia and then Slovakia; I guess that could be an "attack" if you're a paranoid ninny.
posted by Foosnark at 8:08 AM on February 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
Stop reading my mind!
Santorum said Satan is attacking America. What are you going to do about that?
Maybe he meant Miroslav Satan. He did stop playing for the NHL to play in Russia and then Slovakia; I guess that could be an "attack" if you're a paranoid ninny.
posted by Foosnark at 8:08 AM on February 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
I saw Joe Biden with the Devil!
Well, yeah. Wednesday is league night down at the Bowlmor in Bethesda.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 8:14 AM on February 22, 2012
Well, yeah. Wednesday is league night down at the Bowlmor in Bethesda.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 8:14 AM on February 22, 2012
johnmc: Has anybody thought of making a 'green' handgun?
The Army is rolling out new bullets that don't contain lead. (See Wikipedia here.) Some vets and a projectile nerd from Picatinny who I know are dubious, but it looks like it's a done deal.
posted by wenestvedt at 9:01 AM on February 22, 2012
The Army is rolling out new bullets that don't contain lead. (See Wikipedia here.) Some vets and a projectile nerd from Picatinny who I know are dubious, but it looks like it's a done deal.
posted by wenestvedt at 9:01 AM on February 22, 2012
...that one could not put a gun rack in a Chevy Volt
I hear you also can’t roller skate in a buffalo herd.
posted by LeLiLo at 10:20 AM on February 22, 2012
I hear you also can’t roller skate in a buffalo herd.
posted by LeLiLo at 10:20 AM on February 22, 2012
johnmc: Has anybody thought of making a 'green' handgun?
As wenestvedt mentioned there are several alternatives to lead projectiles alread (steel/bismuth shot for shotguns, copper and tungsten bullets for rifles and handguns). From what I understand, jacketed lead bullets (the most common type of projectile) are fairly inert when shoot into berms at shooting ranges-Also these berms tend to get the projectiles filtered out peridocially nowadays and indoors ranges use a 'trap' that captures the projectile and then they get recycled. Guns tend to be made out of high quality materials and well cared for by most owners that lead to a very long useful life span. Guns originally made for the civil war have been modified to use metallic cartridge and are still in regular use (trapdoor springfields). Guns are durable consumber items that have a useful function, seems pretty sustainable to me. Brass cartridge cases have a very long life and can be resued many, many times before they need to be disposed of (really recycled-it is very high quality brass and they get a premium from recyclers over regular brass). Powder is made the same way fertilizer is for the most part and can be produced with very little fossil fuel energy (although this is not common right now). Germany had no problem making smokeless powder and explosives during WWII when they didn't have any real petroleum to speak of.
Sorry for the derail but I get frustrated with the progressive/left ignorance and kinda casual disregard and bigotry regarding guns and people who use/know about guns. They are tools, like any other, with the same capacity for good and evil as any others-that capacity is in the USER not the object.
And yea, Gingrich is an asshole, always has been. This election cycle has changed me from thinking the republicans had at least competitive ideas from democrats and that politicians will say any damn fool thing to get power regardless of what said of the fence they claim. The whole republican primary process seems way, way to much like a high school student body president beauty contest for me to even care about any more.
posted by bartonlong at 10:27 AM on February 22, 2012 [4 favorites]
As wenestvedt mentioned there are several alternatives to lead projectiles alread (steel/bismuth shot for shotguns, copper and tungsten bullets for rifles and handguns). From what I understand, jacketed lead bullets (the most common type of projectile) are fairly inert when shoot into berms at shooting ranges-Also these berms tend to get the projectiles filtered out peridocially nowadays and indoors ranges use a 'trap' that captures the projectile and then they get recycled. Guns tend to be made out of high quality materials and well cared for by most owners that lead to a very long useful life span. Guns originally made for the civil war have been modified to use metallic cartridge and are still in regular use (trapdoor springfields). Guns are durable consumber items that have a useful function, seems pretty sustainable to me. Brass cartridge cases have a very long life and can be resued many, many times before they need to be disposed of (really recycled-it is very high quality brass and they get a premium from recyclers over regular brass). Powder is made the same way fertilizer is for the most part and can be produced with very little fossil fuel energy (although this is not common right now). Germany had no problem making smokeless powder and explosives during WWII when they didn't have any real petroleum to speak of.
Sorry for the derail but I get frustrated with the progressive/left ignorance and kinda casual disregard and bigotry regarding guns and people who use/know about guns. They are tools, like any other, with the same capacity for good and evil as any others-that capacity is in the USER not the object.
And yea, Gingrich is an asshole, always has been. This election cycle has changed me from thinking the republicans had at least competitive ideas from democrats and that politicians will say any damn fool thing to get power regardless of what said of the fence they claim. The whole republican primary process seems way, way to much like a high school student body president beauty contest for me to even care about any more.
posted by bartonlong at 10:27 AM on February 22, 2012 [4 favorites]
Cold Lurkey: The damn yappy cars won't SHUT UP. They have start-up theme music, bleeping and booping constantly as you go along. When you have the temerity to back towards a stationary object they turn on a (Front facing, wtf?) screen with the backwards facing camera fixed with proximity sensors on said object and start beeping like an EKG, more and more rapidly as you approach the object. If you get within a foot of the object the beeping becomes a tone, so that when you've reached your parking spot, it sounds like the car has just flatlined and the best you can do is turn it off and put it out of its misery.
Yay, more FUD.
Startup music: can be turned down or off.
Backup camera and proximity sensors: it's an option that the owner paid for and clearly wants.
My Volt is completely quiet. Which is especially fun when silently rocketing out of stoplights and embarrassing the muscle car roaring away in the next lane.
FUD, FUD, FUD. Go in a test drive in one of these cars and then learn to ignore the haters. And if you test drive a Volt make sure you put it into sport mode!
posted by intermod at 11:07 AM on February 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
Yay, more FUD.
Startup music: can be turned down or off.
Backup camera and proximity sensors: it's an option that the owner paid for and clearly wants.
My Volt is completely quiet. Which is especially fun when silently rocketing out of stoplights and embarrassing the muscle car roaring away in the next lane.
FUD, FUD, FUD. Go in a test drive in one of these cars and then learn to ignore the haters. And if you test drive a Volt make sure you put it into sport mode!
posted by intermod at 11:07 AM on February 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
Sorry for the derail ......
I liked your comment, bartonlong. MeFi has the best gun people I've ever seen.
posted by benito.strauss at 12:54 PM on February 22, 2012
I liked your comment, bartonlong. MeFi has the best gun people I've ever seen.
posted by benito.strauss at 12:54 PM on February 22, 2012
Has anybody thought of making a 'green' handgun?
...The Army is rolling out new bullets that don't contain lead
...there are several alternatives to lead projectiles already
Given each use can potentially turn a resource-hogging human into fertilizer I'd say they're supremely green by design, regardless of the makeup of the projectile.
posted by CynicalKnight at 2:33 PM on February 22, 2012
...The Army is rolling out new bullets that don't contain lead
...there are several alternatives to lead projectiles already
Given each use can potentially turn a resource-hogging human into fertilizer I'd say they're supremely green by design, regardless of the makeup of the projectile.
posted by CynicalKnight at 2:33 PM on February 22, 2012
Given each use can potentially turn a resource-hogging human into fertilizer I'd say they're supremely green by design
'Potentially' is a powerful word. The US Army apparently uses about 250,000 rounds per fertiliser unit.
posted by pompomtom at 3:00 PM on February 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
'Potentially' is a powerful word. The US Army apparently uses about 250,000 rounds per fertiliser unit.
posted by pompomtom at 3:00 PM on February 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
...there are several alternatives to lead projectiles already
Depleted uranium, for instance.
Shit glows green.
posted by Thorzdad at 3:22 PM on February 22, 2012
Depleted uranium, for instance.
Shit glows green.
posted by Thorzdad at 3:22 PM on February 22, 2012
d. z. wang writes "serious question from someone without much experience with vehicle-mounted guns: was this purely a proof-of-concept gun rack, or is it normal practice to hang your guns upside-down by two hooks"
This is pretty normal practice; at least around here until they made transporting guns like that illegal. Generally you'd have a fairly cheap gun in your rack and you'd only put the gun there when you anticipated shooting it because of theft and the fact that even a cheap gun is a couple hundred bucks. Really the only problem I see is the hooks are really narrow; generally they'd be 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch wide on a commercial rack.
dirigibleman writes "By the way, there are only two reasons to have a gunrack: "
When I bought my power wagon it came equipped with gun racks and they made a handy place to store fishing rods.
posted by Mitheral at 4:16 PM on February 22, 2012
This is pretty normal practice; at least around here until they made transporting guns like that illegal. Generally you'd have a fairly cheap gun in your rack and you'd only put the gun there when you anticipated shooting it because of theft and the fact that even a cheap gun is a couple hundred bucks. Really the only problem I see is the hooks are really narrow; generally they'd be 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch wide on a commercial rack.
dirigibleman writes "By the way, there are only two reasons to have a gunrack: "
When I bought my power wagon it came equipped with gun racks and they made a handy place to store fishing rods.
posted by Mitheral at 4:16 PM on February 22, 2012
johnmc: Has anybody thought of making a 'green' handgun?
A qualified maybe. Fake guns are being outlawed across the nation, because they "work" like a real gun and would probably be effective much of the time in a defensive situation against a non-gun.
posted by Brian B. at 7:26 PM on February 22, 2012
A qualified maybe. Fake guns are being outlawed across the nation, because they "work" like a real gun and would probably be effective much of the time in a defensive situation against a non-gun.
posted by Brian B. at 7:26 PM on February 22, 2012
Intermod, I have no idea what the FUD you're on about.
posted by Cold Lurkey at 10:39 PM on February 24, 2012
posted by Cold Lurkey at 10:39 PM on February 24, 2012
I dunno what the usual procedure is for this, but here's a followup interview with the gunrack guy.
posted by patheral at 4:01 PM on February 28, 2012
posted by patheral at 4:01 PM on February 28, 2012
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