Recent Comments

1. almost 7 years ago on Henry Payne

   Frustrating when Republicans refuse to do the most basic research when there is Google these days. For example: “What the study shows is that climate change was responsible for 506 of the 735 summer deaths recorded in Paris during the heat wave, while 64 deaths out of a total of 315 heat-related deaths in London were caused by global warming.” Source: https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-07-11/climate-change-causes-death-study-confirms

2. about 8 years ago on Tim Eagan

   That doesn’t even remotely make sense. Last I checked, said democratic president hasn’t started a single war, illegal or not. Torture has also become a nono (as it should have been).

   I will say the failure to close Guantanamo was the greatest disappointment in his presidency for me.

3. over 8 years ago on Nick Anderson

   MYTH #10: WE DON’T NEED MORE GUN LAWS—WE JUST NEED TO ENFORCE THE ONES WE HAVE.

   Fact-check: Weak laws and loopholes backed by the gun lobby have made it easier for people to get guns illegally. And existing gun laws aren’t preventing guns from getting into the wrong hands: More than 75 percent of the weapons used in mass shootings between 1982 and 2012 were obtained legally.• As much as 40 percent of all gun sales involve private sellers and don’t require background checks. In a survey, 40 percent of prison inmates who used guns in their crimes said they’d gotten them this way. More than 80 percent of gun owners support closing this loophole.• An investigation found that 62 percent of online gun sellers were willing to sell to buyers who said they couldn’t pass a background check.• When researchers posed as illegal “straw” buyers, 20 percent of licensed California gun dealers agreed to sell handguns to them.• The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives did not have a permanent director for seven years, due to an NRA-backed requirement that the Senate approve nominees.

4. over 8 years ago on Michael Ramirez

   MYTH #1: THEY’RE COMING FOR YOUR GUNS.

   Fact-check: With as many as 310 million privately owned guns in America, it’s clear there’s no practical way to round them all up (never mind that no one in Washington is proposing this). Yet if you fantasize about rifle-toting citizens facing down the government, you’ll rest easy knowing that America’s roughly 70 to 80 million gun owners already have the feds and cops outgunned by a factor of around 79 to 1.

5. over 8 years ago on Lisa Benson

   MYTH #10: WE DON’T NEED MORE GUN LAWS—WE JUST NEED TO ENFORCE THE ONES WE HAVE.

   Fact-check: Weak laws and loopholes backed by the gun lobby have made it easier for people to get guns illegally. And existing gun laws aren’t preventing guns from getting into the wrong hands: More than 75 percent of the weapons used in mass shootings between 1982 and 2012 were obtained legally.• As much as 40 percent of all gun sales involve private sellers and don’t require background checks. In a survey, 40 percent of prison inmates who used guns in their crimes said they’d gotten them this way. More than 80 percent of gun owners support closing this loophole.• An investigation found that 62 percent of online gun sellers were willing to sell to buyers who said they couldn’t pass a background check.• When researchers posed as illegal “straw” buyers, 20 percent of licensed California gun dealers agreed to sell handguns to them.• The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives did not have a permanent director for seven years, due to an NRA-backed requirement that the Senate approve nominees.

6. over 8 years ago on Gary Varvel

   It is a myth that religion provides stability. If you plot murder rate vs church attendance you’ll find that the more religious folks are, the higher the murder rate is.

   https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/our-humanity-naturally/201103/misinformation-and-facts-about-secularism-and-religion

7. over 8 years ago on Henry Payne

   Myth #4: More good guys with guns can stop rampaging bad guys.Fact-check: Mass shootings stopped by armed civilians in the past 30 years: 0• Chances that a shooting at an ER involves guns taken from guards: 1 in 5

8. over 8 years ago on Henry Payne

   Myth #1: They’re coming for your guns.Fact-check: No one knows the exact number of guns in America, but it’s clear there’s no practical way to round them all up (never mind that no one in Washington is proposing this). Yet if you fantasize about rifle-toting citizens facing down the government, you’ll rest easy knowing that America’s roughly 80 million gun owners already have the feds and cops outgunned by a factor of around 79 to 1.

9. over 8 years ago on Henry Payne

   Myth #7: Guns make women safer.Fact-check: In 2010, nearly 6 times more women were shot by husbands, boyfriends, and ex-partners than murdered by male strangers.• A woman’s chances of being killed by her abuser increase more than 5 times if he has access to a gun.• One study found that women in states with higher gun ownership rates were 4.9 times more likely to be murdered by a gun than women in states with lower gun ownership rates.

10. over 8 years ago on Henry Payne

    Myth #6: Carrying a gun for self-defense makes you safer.Fact-check: In 2011, nearly 10 times more people were shot and killed in arguments than by civilians trying to stop a crime.• In one survey, nearly 1% of Americans reported using guns to defend themselves or their property. However, a closer look at their claims found that more than 50% involved using guns in an aggressive manner, such as escalating an argument.• A Philadelphia study found that the odds of an assault victim being shot were 4.5 times greater if he carried a gun. His odds of being killed were 4.2 times greater.