SAR #15338

Terrorists are not born, they are raised.

Symbolism: Barely 24 hours after 14 people died in the San Bernadino mass shooting, all four of the Republican Senators seeking to lead the nation voted against requiring FBI checks for every gun purchase in the country and against keeping people on the government's terror watch list from buying guns. That's Ted Cruz, Lindsey Graham, Rand Paul and Marco Rubio each of whom feels pandering to the NRA is more important than your loved one's life. In all 50 of the nation's 54 Republican Senators voted the same way; for guns and against life.

The Beat Goes On: There have been more mass shootings (four or more hit by bullets in one incident) than calendar days this year - 355/337 so far. Most, like Savannah Ga, the same day as San Bernardino, are just local or regional news. “There’s a simple reason why mass shootings have become routine in America — Americans own more guns per-capita than people in literally any other country on earth” Americans with guns have killed more Americans in the past 50 years than have been killed every US war ever.

Flattery: The National Republican Senatorial Committee is urging senate candidates to imitate “many of Trump’s tactics, issues and approaches — right down to adjusting the way they dress and how they use Twitter.”

Null And Void: While the political leadership of the world is busy pretending to solve the climate change crisis in Paris, the real rulers of the world are meeting in trade talks in Switzerland to make sure that any attempts to regulate fossil fuels or promote renewable energy will have to face a corporate tribunal system that is outside any national political control. In other words, profits before people, again and again and again.

Quoted: “Think of it. Obama, your African-American youth — 51 percent unemployment, right? You guys our age, they have unemployment that’s double or triple what other people have. What the hell has he done for the African-Americans? He’s done nothing. He’s done nothing. I don’t think he cares about them. He’s done nothing. It’s all talk, it’s all words with this guy.” That's The Donald, and for once he is pretty much right. And the same could be said for so many things that could have been, not just for African-Americans but for all of us. But don't forget that a great deal of the blame rests with the Republican-controlled Congress,.

Squeaky Wheel: Saudi Arabia, which is beginning to notice the impact of low oil prices on its budget as its financial reserves get eaten by income shortfalls, is quietly suggesting that its “as low as needed as long as needed” claim is... negotiable. It has suggested that if it can get cover from major producers inside and outside OPEC, it would agree to cut back production to drive up the price of oil. It's unclear whether the low prices have sufficiently decimated US shale oil fracking to remove that threat.

Gesture, Empty: Senate Republicans passed a bill that would defund Planned Parenthood, demolish/Obamacare, and be vetoed by the President. 'Twas a famous victory.

Porn O'Graph: Prophetic profits.