My Second Email to Rep Tom Cotton on Syria...

From: Gary Arpin	Sep 4 (4 days ago)
to Representative Tom Cotton, US House of Representatives. Re his stance on Syrian involvement.

Congressman Cotton:

There is no combination of excuses that bundled together can justify US military intervention in Syria.

Where is world opinion here Congressman? Where is France or Germany. England does not stand with us -- nor do the Dutch or Sweden. This is Obama alone, acting unilaterally.

There is no moral imperative here Sir. Nor is there a strategic advantage -- unless you consider a Proxy War with Iran a valid "strategy."

Obama is ginnin' this up in an attempt to ameliorate his complete lack of spine -- heck he's even denying he marked the line in the sand on 8/20/2012 (On CNN).

Please do not place yourself in collusion with this total amateur, socialist progressive regime.

Once again, I ask you to stand against US Intervention in Syria at anything other than the political level.

And as always Tom -- thank you for your service to Arkansas and the United States of America.

best

Gary Arpin

De Queen, Ar

Rep Tom Cotton's Reply on Syria -- Please note Par. 5 & 6...

 

                                                                           September 4, 2013

Mr. Gary N. Arpin
264 Rolling Fork Drive
De Queen, AR 71832-9266

Dear Gary:

Thank you for contacting me about military strikes in Syria.  It's good to hear from you, as always.

As part of the 2011 anti-authoritarian movements throughout the Middle East and North Africa known as the "Arab Spring," demonstrations against President Bashar al-Assad and the ruling Syrian Ba'ath Party began to grow.  The conflict soon became violent as the Assad regime deployed the military to quell the movement, and the violence persists today with the Syrian Army cracking down on rebel opposition forces as well as innocent civilians with brutal violence. 

As you know, the opposition movement is composed of a wide range of groups and influences, ranging from moderate reformers to extremist forces.  In fact, it came to light earlier this year that one of the rebel groups known as al-Nusra Front is an Islamist group affiliated with al Qaeda in Iraq.  Should al-Nusra claim the Syrian government, an Islamist, al-Qaeda-linked regime would pose a serious threat to the interests of the United States and our allies in the region, particularly Syria's neighbor Israel.  That said, under the current regime, led by Bashar Al-Assad, Syria is an enemy of the U.S., as evidenced by their close ties to the rogue Iranian regime and Hezbollah, a Shi'a Islamist group designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. government.  With a variety of players embroiled in the conflict, the situation is volatile, and the outcome of the conflict is still uncertain.

In its latest act of brutality, the Assad regime recently carried out a chemical weapon attack on innocent civilians in a neighborhood east of Damascus, with over 1,000 civilians believed to have been killed.  I have personally reviewed the classified intelligence reports on this attack and there is virtually no doubt that the attack was anything other than the deliberate act of the murderous and tyrannical Assad regime.  In addition, after more than two years of fighting, the United Nations has estimated that over 100,000 people have been killed in Syria while millions have been displaced—thus, the conflict is a humanitarian crisis.

While I understand your concern about taking direct action in Syria, I believe that America has strategic interests in the Syrian situation, in addition to the humanitarian motivations.  We cannot allow that country to deteriorate to a point where al-Qaeda or other extremist groups, such as Hezbollah, are able to exploit the situation and obtain weapons of mass destruction, like the sarin gas used last week, for example.  

President Obama's weakness on foreign policy may have made a bad situation in Syria worse, but as a veteran, I know that there is no time for politics when considering use of the American military.  At this point, I believe further inaction in Syria would embolden our enemies such as Iran, weaken allies like Israel and Jordan, and undermine U.S. credibility and standing in the world.  Thus, I support efforts to respond forcefully to the Assad regime's use of chemical weapons—military action is just and warranted.

That said, I agree that it is crucial that we proceed with great caution.  All military action warrants constant oversight to ensure that it supports American interests and uses taxpayer money appropriately.  From my position on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, you can be sure that I will closely monitor developments in Syria and assess the need for any future congressional action based on those developments, and I will keep your reservations in mind as I do so.

I am committed to a foreign policy that will strengthen America's position in the world and keep Americans safe, and I will work throughout my time in the House of Representatives to promote this policy.  I trust you will understand my principled disagreement on this particular issue, and I look forward to working together on other matters of shared principle.  Please feel free to contact me in the future on any other issues of importance to you.

I'm truly honored to serve as your representative—please know that your interests and affairs have my unceasing attention.  Always feel free to call my office at (202) 225-3772 or visit www.cotton.house.gov.

Sincerely,

Tom Cotton
Member of Congress

Email to Congressman Tom Cotton on Syria

Gary Arpin	Sep 1 (7 days ago)
Congressman Tom Cotton, US House of Representatives

Dear Congressman Cotton:

Obama and the Progressives (of both parties) are screaming for American Action against the Assad Regime.

Please Sir, stand against Obama, the Democrats and RINOs like McCain. Let's not pour American lives or money down the reeking sewer that is Syria.

They are Muslims. The USA is their "Great Satan". We cannot buy their love in any way, shape or form.

I urge you to let Allah sort it out.

Thanks for your consideration, and as always, thank you personally for your service to the United States of America.

Best

Gary Arpin

De Queen, AR

Letter from Tom Cotton on Federal Funding for Planned Parenthood

                                                                           July 17, 2013

Mr. Gary N. Arpin
264 Rolling Fork Drive
De Queen, AR 71832-9266

Dear Gary:

Thank you for contacting me to express your opposition to providing federal funding for Planned Parenthood.  It's good to hear from you, as always.

As you may know, on January 3, 2013, Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced the Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act.  I'm proud to sponsor this bill that would amend Title X of the Public Health Service Act to prohibit federal family-planning grants from being awarded to any entity that performs abortions.  Shortly after introduction, the bill was referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee, where it awaits further consideration.

Although Title X funds are for family-planning counseling and may not be used directly for abortion, it is simply not appropriate that Planned Parenthood, an organization so heavily involved in the abortion industry, receives federal funds.  In 2012 alone, Planned Parenthood clinics performed more than 300,000 abortions, making it the largest abortion provider in America.  At the same time, Planned Parenthood's annual report showed that it received more than one-third of its $1 billion budget from government contracts and grants.

While Planned Parenthood is currently the largest recipient of Title X family-planning funding, it would be more appropriate for other organizations not compromised by such an overtly pro-abortion position to provide family-planning services.  This structure clearly provides incentive to encourage abortion over other options during family-planning counseling.

I'm truly honored to serve as your representative; please know that your interests and affairs have my unceasing attention.  Always feel free to call my office at (202) 225-3772 or visit www.cotton.house.gov.

Sincerely,
Tom Cotton
Member of Congress
 

Congressman Cotton's was replying to my email:

Dear Congressman Cotton:

Planned Parenthood’s most recent annual report for 2011-2012, revealed that they received $542.4 million taxpayer dollars in government grants and reimbursements. (Daily caller link attached)

Today we find that Planned Parenthood is apparently using some of our taxpayer dollars to hire paid pro-abortion agitators in Texas to fight anti-abortion legislation there. (Craig's List story link attached)

What can taxpayers do to totally halt Federal funding of this abortion factory -- Planned Parenthood?

Do you have a plan?

Thank you for your service to America.

Gary Arpin
De Queen, AR

American Traitors in Washington

There are 42 Democrat Traitors serving in America’s  Senate! These Cowardly Traitors would give away the Constitution of the United States of America to be controlled by the United Nations. Thank God they were Defeated... --------- http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=113&session=1&vote=00091

XM-------- U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 113th Congress - 1st Session as compiled through Senate LIS by the Senate Bill Clerk under the direction of the Secretary of the Senate Vote Summary Question: On the Amendment (Inhofe Amdt. No. 139 ) Vote Number: 91 Vote Date: March 23, 2013, 04:30 AM Required For Majority: 1/2 Vote Result: Amendment Agreed to Amendment Number: S.Amdt. 139 to S.Con.Res. 8 (No short title on file) Statement of Purpose: To uphold Second Amendment rights and prevent the United States from entering into the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty. Vote Counts: YEAs 53 NAYs 46 Not Voting 1 Vote Summary By Senator Name By Vote Position By Home State Alphabetical by Senator Name Alexander (R-TN), Yea Ayotte (R-NH), Yea Baldwin (D-WI), Nay Barrasso (R-WY), Yea Baucus (D-MT), Nay Begich (D-AK), Yea Bennet (D-CO), Nay Blumenthal (D-CT), Nay Blunt (R-MO), Yea Boozman (R-AR), Yea Boxer (D-CA), Nay Brown (D-OH), Nay Burr (R-NC), Yea Cantwell (D-WA), Nay Cardin (D-MD), Nay Carper (D-DE), Nay Casey (D-PA), Nay Chambliss (R-GA), Yea Coats (R-IN), Yea Coburn (R-OK), Yea Cochran (R-MS), Yea Collins (R-ME), Yea Coons (D-DE), Nay Corker (R-TN), Yea Cornyn (R-TX), Yea Cowan (D-MA), Nay Crapo (R-ID), Yea Cruz (R-TX), Yea Donnelly (D-IN), Yea Durbin (D-IL), Nay Enzi (R-WY), Yea Feinstein (D-CA), Nay Fischer (R-NE), Yea Flake (R-AZ), Yea Franken (D-MN), Nay Gillibrand (D-NY), Nay Graham (R-SC), Yea Grassley (R-IA), Yea Hagan (D-NC), Yea Harkin (D-IA), Nay Hatch (R-UT), Yea Heinrich (D-NM), Yea Heitkamp (D-ND), Yea Heller (R-NV), Yea Hirono (D-HI), Nay Hoeven (R-ND), Yea Inhofe (R-OK), Yea Isakson (R-GA), Yea Johanns (R-NE), Yea Johnson (D-SD), Nay Johnson (R-WI), Yea Kaine (D-VA), Nay King (I-ME), Nay Kirk (R-IL), Yea Klobuchar (D-MN), Nay Landrieu (D-LA), Nay Lautenberg (D-NJ), Not Voting Leahy (D-VT), Nay Lee (R-UT), Yea Levin (D-MI), Nay Manchin (D-WV), Yea McCain (R-AZ), Yea McCaskill (D-MO), Nay McConnell (R-KY), Yea Menendez (D-NJ), Nay Merkley (D-OR), Nay Mikulski (D-MD), Nay Moran (R-KS), Yea Murkowski (R-AK), Yea Murphy (D-CT), Nay Murray (D-WA), Nay Nelson (D-FL), Nay Paul (R-KY), Yea Portman (R-OH), Yea Pryor (D-AR), Yea Reed (D-RI), Nay Reid (D-NV), Nay Risch (R-ID), Yea Roberts (R-KS), Yea Rockefeller (D-WV), Nay Rubio (R-FL), Yea Sanders (I-VT), Nay Schatz (D-HI), Nay Schumer (D-NY), Nay Scott (R-SC), Yea Sessions (R-AL), Yea Shaheen (D-NH), Nay Shelby (R-AL), Yea Stabenow (D-MI), Nay Tester (D-MT), Yea Thune (R-SD), Yea Toomey (R-PA), Yea Udall (D-CO), Nay Udall (D-NM), Nay Vitter (R-LA), Yea Warner (D-VA), Nay Warren (D-MA), Nay Whitehouse (D-RI), Nay Wicker (R-MS), Yea Wyden (D-OR), Nay Vote Summary By Senator Name By Vote Position By Home State Grouped By Vote Position YEAs ---53 Alexander (R-TN) Ayotte (R-NH) Barrasso (R-WY) Begich (D-AK) Blunt (R-MO) Boozman (R-AR) Burr (R-NC) Chambliss (R-GA) Coats (R-IN) Coburn (R-OK) Cochran (R-MS) Collins (R-ME) Corker (R-TN) Cornyn (R-TX) Crapo (R-ID) Cruz (R-TX) Donnelly (D-IN) Enzi (R-WY) Fischer (R-NE) Flake (R-AZ) Graham (R-SC) Grassley (R-IA) Hagan (D-NC) Hatch (R-UT) Heinrich (D-NM) Heitkamp (D-ND) Heller (R-NV) Hoeven (R-ND) Inhofe (R-OK) Isakson (R-GA) Johanns (R-NE) Johnson (R-WI) Kirk (R-IL) Lee (R-UT) Manchin (D-WV) McCain (R-AZ) McConnell (R-KY) Moran (R-KS) Murkowski (R-AK) Paul (R-KY) Portman (R-OH) Pryor (D-AR) Risch (R-ID) Roberts (R-KS) Rubio (R-FL) Scott (R-SC) Sessions (R-AL) Shelby (R-AL) Tester (D-MT) Thune (R-SD) Toomey (R-PA) Vitter (R-LA) Wicker (R-MS) NAYs ---46 Baldwin (D-WI) Baucus (D-MT) Bennet (D-CO) Blumenthal (D-CT) Boxer (D-CA) Brown (D-OH) Cantwell (D-WA) Cardin (D-MD) Carper (D-DE) Casey (D-PA) Coons (D-DE) Cowan (D-MA) Durbin (D-IL) Feinstein (D-CA) Franken (D-MN) Gillibrand (D-NY) Harkin (D-IA) Hirono (D-HI) Johnson (D-SD) Kaine (D-VA) King (I-ME) Klobuchar (D-MN) Landrieu (D-LA) Leahy (D-VT) Levin (D-MI) McCaskill (D-MO) Menendez (D-NJ) Merkley (D-OR) Mikulski (D-MD) Murphy (D-CT) Murray (D-WA) Nelson (D-FL) Reed (D-RI) Reid (D-NV) Rockefeller (D-WV) Sanders (I-VT) Schatz (D-HI) Schumer (D-NY) Shaheen (D-NH) Stabenow (D-MI) Udall (D-CO) Udall (D-NM) Warner (D-VA) Warren (D-MA) Whitehouse (D-RI) Wyden (D-OR) Not Voting - 1 Lautenberg (D-NJ) Vote Summary By Senator Name By Vote Position By Home State Grouped by Home State Alabama: Sessions (R-AL), Yea Shelby (R-AL), Yea Alaska: Begich (D-AK), Yea Murkowski (R-AK), Yea Arizona: Flake (R-AZ), Yea McCain (R-AZ), Yea Arkansas: Boozman (R-AR), Yea Pryor (D-AR), Yea California: Boxer (D-CA), Nay Feinstein (D-CA), Nay Colorado: Bennet (D-CO), Nay Udall (D-CO), Nay Connecticut: Blumenthal (D-CT), Nay Murphy (D-CT), Nay Delaware: Carper (D-DE), Nay Coons (D-DE), Nay Florida: Nelson (D-FL), Nay Rubio (R-FL), Yea Georgia: Chambliss (R-GA), Yea Isakson (R-GA), Yea Hawaii: Hirono (D-HI), Nay Schatz (D-HI), Nay Idaho: Crapo (R-ID), Yea Risch (R-ID), Yea Illinois: Durbin (D-IL), Nay Kirk (R-IL), Yea Indiana: Coats (R-IN), Yea Donnelly (D-IN), Yea Iowa: Grassley (R-IA), Yea Harkin (D-IA), Nay Kansas: Moran (R-KS), Yea Roberts (R-KS), Yea Kentucky: McConnell (R-KY), Yea Paul (R-KY), Yea Louisiana: Landrieu (D-LA), Nay Vitter (R-LA), Yea Maine: Collins (R-ME), Yea King (I-ME), Nay Maryland: Cardin (D-MD), Nay Mikulski (D-MD), Nay Massachusetts: Cowan (D-MA), Nay Warren (D-MA), Nay Michigan: Levin (D-MI), Nay Stabenow (D-MI), Nay Minnesota: Franken (D-MN), Nay Klobuchar (D-MN), Nay Mississippi: Cochran (R-MS), Yea Wicker (R-MS), Yea Missouri: Blunt (R-MO), Yea McCaskill (D-MO), Nay Montana: Baucus (D-MT), Nay Tester (D-MT), Yea Nebraska: Fischer (R-NE), Yea Johanns (R-NE), Yea Nevada: Heller (R-NV), Yea Reid (D-NV), Nay New Hampshire: Ayotte (R-NH), Yea Shaheen (D-NH), Nay New Jersey: Lautenberg (D-NJ), Not Voting Menendez (D-NJ), Nay New Mexico: Heinrich (D-NM), Yea Udall (D-NM), Nay New York: Gillibrand (D-NY), Nay Schumer (D-NY), Nay North Carolina: Burr (R-NC), Yea Hagan (D-NC), Yea North Dakota: Heitkamp (D-ND), Yea Hoeven (R-ND), Yea Ohio: Brown (D-OH), Nay Portman (R-OH), Yea Oklahoma: Coburn (R-OK), Yea Inhofe (R-OK), Yea Oregon: Merkley (D-OR), Nay Wyden (D-OR), Nay Pennsylvania: Casey (D-PA), Nay Toomey (R-PA), Yea Rhode Island: Reed (D-RI), Nay Whitehouse (D-RI), Nay South Carolina: Graham (R-SC), Yea Scott (R-SC), Yea South Dakota: Johnson (D-SD), Nay Thune (R-SD), Yea Tennessee: Alexander (R-TN), Yea Corker (R-TN), Yea Texas: Cornyn (R-TX), Yea Cruz (R-TX), Yea Utah: Hatch (R-UT), Yea Lee (R-UT), Yea Vermont: Leahy (D-VT), Nay Sanders (I-VT), Nay Virginia: Kaine (D-VA), Nay Warner (D-VA), Nay Washington: Cantwell (D-WA), Nay Murray (D-WA), Nay West Virginia: Manchin (D-WV), Yea Rockefeller (D-WV), Nay Wisconsin: Baldwin (D-WI), Nay Johnson (R-WI), Yea Wyoming: Barrasso (R-WY), Yea Enzi (R-WY), Yea

Free Stuff!

I Admit to Plagiarism!

Ok Folks -- Admission ahead of dialogue...

I mercilessly purloined this from an email sent to me by my Dad's younger brother. Normally I surf up an original essay and writer for something like this, then quote the source. Well I tried to find an original source and failed. The earliest quotes (I've found) that contain some or all of this beautiful diatribe were from 2011. I failed to pin this down to a specific author, website or date as an originator.



That said, I'd really like to thank whoever wrote this for putting together some really good work. Here it is...

Class warfare?

The folks who are getting the free stuff don't like the folks who are paying for the free stuff, because the folks who are paying for the free stuff can no longer afford to pay for both the free stuff and their own stuff.

The  folks who are paying for the free stuff want the free stuff to stop and the folks who are getting the free stuff want even more free stuff on top of the free stuff they are already getting!

Now... the people who are forcing the people who pay for the free stuff have told the people who are RECEIVING the free stuff that the people who are PAYING for the free stuff are being mean, prejudiced, and racist.

So... the people who are GETTING the free stuff have been convinced they need to hate the people who are paying for the free stuff by the people who are forcing some people to pay for their free stuff and giving them the free stuff in the first place.

We have let the free stuff giving go on for so long that there are now more people getting free stuff than paying for the free stuff.

Now understand this. All great democracies have committed financial suicide somewhere between 200 and  250 years after being founded.

The reason?

The voters figured out they could vote themselves money from the treasury by electing people who promised to give them money from the treasury in exchange for electing them. (Editor's note: This is, of course an almost direct Ben Franklin quote)

The United States of America officially became a Republic in 1776, 237 years ago. The number of people now getting free stuff outnumbers the people paying for the free stuff.  Failure to change that spells the end of the United States as we know it.

Text of my Email to  AR, 4th District Rep Tom Cotton
(03222013, 1847Central)

Message Subject: Balance the Budget -- Stop Runaway Washington Spending.
Message Text:

Dear Congressman Cotton:

    America can send 20 F16s and 200 M1A1 Abrams tanks to the Muslim Brotherhood and Islamist Mohamed Morsi -- but we can't find the bucks to keep the White House Open for little kids who've been saving for years to go to the Nations' Capital.

    Balance the Budget, Slash Welfare, Eliminate Obamacare! Cut 50% of all foreign aid, dump PBS, kill all Federal money for the arts!

    IdiotBoy Obama, the narcissistic Marxist socialist occupying the USA's White House is American Public Enemy Number One! Oppose Every damned thing out of the Traitor's lying lips -- impeach him if you can, and make sure the maximum penalty is prescribed.

    Tom? Obama and the Democrats have the USA on the cusp of destruction and dissolution. Please do what you can to reverse these trends. Support your constituents -- we'll go to the wall to support you back. 

For the USA Tom, 
Gary Arpin DeQueen Ar

(Note: Cotton's email interface is curiously primitive, and will accept little in the way of paragraph formatting, so the text here appears with paragraphs, etc., while the original interface managed to destroy it. Whoever is doing Tom Cotton's internet IT interface management is doing the Congressman a Grave disservice.)

Zombie Protection

Somewhere in Arkansas, hiding from the Undead…

Several months back I was at a popular Sporting Goods Outlet  just over the Arkansas line in Texarkana, Texas.  I Spotted a really businesslike Mossberg 500 pump with an extended magazine – black, with black composite stock and forend.

Mossberg Model 500 ZMB

I asked the sales guy if I could look at it, he handed it over. I cleared it, then racked the slide a couple of times and wondered out loud why I’ve been avoiding Mossberg all my life.  This little gun is sweet.

 

I asked about the funky neon green ZMB logo on the receiver and he told me that was a Zombie symbol. 

Love my Zombie Slayer

So apparently (the story goes)  those fun-loving folks at Mossberg introduced (mid January 2012) their ZMB line – two scatterguns and a a model 464 lever gun in .30-.30 (along with an outfit  called Zombie Industries http://zombieindustries.com/  ). Way cool.  They really know how to liven up a party.

Making a longish story shorter, the Model 500 with the long mag  jumped right into my car whereupon I legally transported it across state lines. Right back home.

At about that period in time I stumbled on that crazy “Walking Dead” show on AMC.  Wow, bizarre! How could I have missed seeing that show for two years?

So, not being the type of person who has the sense to let well enough alone, I decided to hang some gear on my new Mossberg ZMB 500...

Ultimate Tactical Conversion Kit

The new furniture is Ultimate Arms Gear (composite which I guess means plastic), with a very comfortable pistol grip and a tri-rail picatinny forend. I put a 7 or 8 inch picatinny on top of the receiver, and added a very nice little holographic sight.  Don’t remember where I got either of those, or who the manufacturer is.

On the forend picatinny I mounted another pistol grip, also Ultimate Arms Gear, then added one of those neat high powered tactical flashlights with a pressure switch for the grip.

UTAC 45 Degree Offset Picatinny/Weaver - Angle Mount Rail 

 

Just ahead of the Holo sight on the receiver I put a 45 degree angle (left side) extension where I mounted a laser. The laser pressure switch can mount anywhere on the stock's pistol grip. 

We The People's Z-Gun

 Note that I also mounted a pair of 3-round shotgun shell holders on the  front of the stock, in case the one in chamber and seven in the extended mag don’t deter some pesky persnickety persistent undead. Here's one more picture.

45 degree mount with laser

As I mentioned, the totally great thing about this rig is that Mossberg marketed it as a "Zombie Gun" so it has the neatest little day glow neon green Zombie Killer (ZMB)symbol on the receiver.

I recognize that tricking up a weapon to frag the undead is totally strange, but it's been so damned much fun that I had to spread the joy.

Remember, the Zombies are coming. (hehehe)