Can we get past the hammer/chainsaw/baseball bat/etc. talk? Guns are meant to shoot living or inanimate targets, period. They serve no other purpose. People will kill with whatever tool they have if they are determined enough. However, guns kill much faster; they require much less intimate association/contact with the victim. They are a much more effective tool than a hammer, bat, knife, chainsaw, icepick, etc., if a sick soul wants to cause carnage. The “if he had used a baseball bat they would outlaw baseball bats” argument is facetious.

I do believe that a rising tide lifts all boats. If workers can get paid livable wages, they are more likely to put that extra income back into the economy and a better economy will cause an increase in hiring, etc.

It is fascinating to watch the machinations of the Republican party, post election. Over the next few weeks and months, we are bound to hear more remarks and responses from within the GOP.

Most Americans want the same things and are moderates, in general. However, with the advent of hundreds of cable channels, dozens of radio personalities, and endless niche sites and pages on the Internet, it is easy for anyone to enter an echo chamber of thoughts that match their own. Very little information from other sources makes it into the bubble.

I don’t consider myself a political junkie, and I’ve always tried to avoid office politics. However, I am fascinated with what is going to happen in our government over the next 24 months, in regards to the 2014 midterm elections.

Our country is not 47% Democrat and 47% Republican; that may be the general labels, but our individual passions put all citizens on various spots on the continuum. Many people were elated at the results of the election and many others felt dejected. However, the passion that we put into our discussion and arguments about who was the best person for the job remains.