Pennsyltucky's dumbest politicians

The NRA's Great American Outdoor Show recently wrapped up just a few miles to our north in Harrisburg, PA. In its third year bein' run by the NRA, it has increased both vendor and consumer participation after Reed Exhibitions screwed the pooch, got the show shut down and lost the bid to host the show again. Long story short, it's a great show that brings a boon to the local economy (to the tune of 200,000 attendees and bringin' in over $73 million this year, accordin' to preliminary guestimates), and the NRA Foundation also pledges $50,000 each year to be used within the local community (last year, the H'burg PD received a brand new, fully-equipped police car). Needless to say, the show has a significant and positive impact on the area.

Well, enter H'burg's brilliant mayor, kickin' the gift horse right in the shins like a petulant child.

Harrisburg officials have pulled city police officers from the Great American Outdoor Show this year after negotiations collapsed over an NRA donation.

Although Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse cited the donation as one of several reasons the city is "not supporting the show," he admits he's "no fan of the NRA." He noted the National Rifle Association had "explicitly worked against the city's interest" in promoting a Pennsylvania law that opened the city up to expensive lawsuits.

To be clear, the city doesn't specifically assign officers to the show. However, many officers will work the show off-duty, often takin' vacation to do so. Unfortunately, the mayor and his cronies have the authority to tell the officers what they can and can't do durin' their time off. Furthermore, I suspect that Little Liberal Papenfuse is prolly less concerned about the NRA's choice of donation than he is with his hatred of the NRA and the Second Amendment in general. Thankfully, the local commissioners get a boner by thumbin' their nose at their fearless mayor, and did their part to uphold relations with the local PD.

Two Dauphin County commissioners plan to give 300 tickets for the Great American Outdoor Show to Harrisburg police officers who were forbidden to work at this year's show.

Commissioners Jeff Haste and Mike Pries plan to present the tickets Friday night to the police union president at a reception at the Sheraton Harrisburg Hershey Hotel. They used campaign contributions to pay half of the cost of the tickets, according to Jack Sherzer, county spokesman. The National Rifle Association, which is sponsoring the outdoor show, covered the other half of the $10 group tickets, Sherzer said.

You'll have to read both the articles to get the full gist of all the bullshit politicin' goin' on, but suffice it to say, the Stupidbomb that is omnipresent in the Harrisburg mayor's office certainly went off again. While I love havin' such a neat show right in my backyard, I would certainly understand if the NRA packed up and headed to a friendlier locale after their five-year contract is up.