Where’d All the Good People Go? to MontKotaWyoRasKanRado!

Posted on July 12, 2013 by Tom Balek Standard Reply

MontKotaWyoRasKanRado Residents of ten counties in northern Colorado have had enough. Even though they provide most of the money for school funding in their state, and the vast majority of oil and gas revenues, they feel like the ‘Rodney Dangerfield’ of the state house – they get no respect.

The conservative rural counties are outnumbered and outgunned by liberal city slickers in the legislature, which led to new restrictions on energy production, stricter gun controls, and a heaping helping of government overreach in the recent legislative session. Colorado’s rapidly growing minority population and low-information urban voters handed control of the governor’s office and both houses over to the Democrats, who are now chugging full speed down the track of destruction behind the liberal federal freight train. Feeling underrepresented, and expecting the demographic shift to worsen before it gets better, the northern counties are considering a drastic move – secession from the state.

The 51st state of the union would be called North Colorado, and it would instantly be an economic powerhouse, leaving the rest of Colorado to a California-like fate – lots of Agenda 21 spending and no revenue.

No sooner had the plan been announced than other rural counties in the state wanted in, as well as counties from Nebraska and Kansas.

Residents of rural Montana counties feel the same way. You won’t find the Missoula gang and eastern Montana ranchers and oilmen exchanging back-slaps and buying each other beers any time soon. Wyoming and North Dakota have quietly set the standard for good conservative government in recent years.

Conservatives all over the US are mystified by the counter-intuitive and self-destructive tendencies of our current leadership. While personal wealth, employment, and standards of living continue to tumble, they focus on gay rights. As the middle east boils over, threatening our national security and energy supply, they do everything possible to damage our ability to be energy self-sufficient. If providing medical care for all Americans wasn’t tough enough, they impose a “train wreck” new system that will drastically raise the cost while destroying quality and quantity of health care.

Why not let conservatives start fresh, building a place where common sense, minimal government interference, constitutional rights, free market economics, personal responsibility, and family values are the orders of the day?

I think it’s a great idea. The gerrymandering might be kind of complicated. But I’ll bet a new 51st state – let’s call it MontKotaWyoRasKanRado – would be a GREAT place to live. A place for all the good people to go!

Tom Balek – Rockin’ On the Right Side

You win, it’s your show, now
So what’s it gonna be?
‘Cause people will tune in
How many train wrecks do we need to see?
Before we lose touch of . . .
We thought this was low,
It’s bad, getting worse, so
Where’d all the good people go?

Where’d All The Good People Go? – Jack Johnson

Max Baucus Was Right – ObamaCare CrazyTrain Wreck Will Be Brutal

Posted on July 2, 2013 by Tom Balek Standard 2

A few months ago Montana senator Max Baucus committed political suicide by telling the truth. The finance committee chairman pulled back the ObamaCare curtain when he told Health and Human Services secretary Kathleen Sebelius, “I just see a huge train wreck coming down.” He was immediately thrown under the Obama/Democrat bus and announced his retirement, relieved of the burden of living lie after lie for the benefit of his party.

The ObamaCare train is barreling down the tracks full speed even as we speak, and in a few months the inevitable, explosive wreck will occur when millions of Americans find that their employers have dropped their coverage, leaving them at the mercy of a government bureaucracy that doesn’t know what it’s doing, and the rest take a huge hit to the pocketbook, jolting the already-fragile economy.

Employers have been weighing whether to pay higher benefit costs or take the cheaper route of paying the penalties for dropping health care coverage. Neither is good for business, employees, or the economy. Workers who still have employer-provided health care will find their premium cost share much higher. Those who don’t will begin paying their own premiums to the government exchanges, which are years from being functional (if any government program can actually be functional). And employees who refuse to sign up will face stiff tax penalties at the end of the year.

Sebelius said, “I don’t know what he [Baucus] is looking at . . . we are on track to fully implement marketplaces in Jan. 2014, and to be open for open enrollment.” Yeah, right.

Enrollment is supposed to start October 1 – ninety days from now. Do you see any evidence that the Dept. of Hope and Change is ready to provide health care to millions and millions of new dependents? Is the health care exchange ready to go in your state? Have you been informed of your options?

The Obama administration soldiers on in the face of adversity, doing what it has always done when faced with a difficult problem – more campaigning. Sebelius is trying to enlist the NBA, NFL, and other celebrities to launch a propaganda campaign promoting ObamaCare. Response has been tepid, at best – not surprising, considering Kobe Bryant’s taxes will go up by a quarter million dollars because of ObamaCare.

Oh yeah, this is going to be ugly.

Conservatives in the House have voted to repeal parts or all of the train wreck, but it’s like putting pennies on the track – not going to even slow the behemoth down.

Of course we will all be watching – you can’t help but look at a train wreck, even though the carnage is gut-wrenching. Let’s just hope somebody steps forward in the upcoming elections who can clean up the mess from this crazy train.

Tom Balek – Rockin’ On the Right Side

I’ve listened to preachers,
I’ve listened to fools,
I’ve watched all the dropouts,
Who make their own rules,
One person conditioned to rule and control,
The media sells it and you live the role.
I’m going off the rails on a crazy train!

Crazy Train – Ozzy Osbourne

Here’s some fun for all you Headbangers on the Right Side!

Top Priority: Gay Marriage? Get Serious!

Posted on June 30, 2013 by Tom Balek Standard 2

gay marriage - photo from LA Times Here we go again – the ruling class and the media avoid all of the big problems our nation faces by staging a mudfight over minutiae.

The bold type all last week was “gay marriage”. According to the Census Bureau, gay couples constitute less than 1% of American households. But most people think the number is 20% or greater. Could it be because the Democrats constantly pound gay/lesbian rights as the most compelling issue of our time?

Among gay couples, how many want to be married? Most heterosexual couples are not married, why would gays be any different? If even half of gay couples actually want to be married, now we are talking about less than one half of one percent of US households.

I really don’t care if gays are married or not. Actually I believe there are churches in every state which will perform the ceremony. Regardless, THIS IS JUST NOT A BIG TICKET PRIORITY FOR OUR NATION.

The gay marriage issue may directly affect a few thousand people in the US, at most. In comparison, how many Americans are unemployed or have dropped out of the work force? How many are working ungodly hours, sacrificing family time to put food on the table and pay their taxes? How many families struggle financially because the only work available is low-wage service jobs? How many Americans have little or no savings and just squeak by, paycheck-to-paycheck? How many families wait for a parent to return home from costly and dangerous military campaigns with no palpable objective? How many suffer from medical crises, disabilities, substance abuse, and urban violence?

I guess our real unemployment rate of 11.3% is not important. Our $17 trillion (and growing) debt just doesn’t matter. Our nation’s declining status and security in an increasingly threatening and unstable international climate – who cares? Gay Marriage! That’s what really matters!

Come on. Let’s get serious.

Tom Balek – Rockin’ On the Right Side

Let’s get serious
Let’s get serious
Let’s get serious
And fall in love

Let’s Get Serious – Jermaine Jackson

Here’s a cut by the “forgotten” Jackson, Jermaine. Damn good musician, and never seemed to have the personal drama that plagued his siblings, although he has had his share of marriages and flings. He is now a devout Muslim and credits that for his calm demeanor. Jermaine was nominated for a Grammy for this song.

Brazil’s “Tea Party” – Takin’ It To the Streets

Posted on June 22, 2013 by Tom Balek Standard 4

Brazil protest The government has become too big, inefficient, costly and corrupt. Citizens are oppressed and punished by heavy-handed government officials. Promises made by the government have not been kept. Taxes increase, but services diminish. The health care system is broken. Scandals arise daily, revealing government corruption in every corner. The voters elected the nation’s first ____ president without proper vetting, and now regret it. A land of astonishing natural resources and industrious people languishes in economic misery.

No, it’s not the United States. It’s Brazil.

This week, frustrated Brazilians took to the streets. What was the “one more drop” (Brazilian version of the straw that broke the camel’s back) that pushed citizens over the edge, uniting rich, poor and middle-classes in protest in the face of violent police pushback? It was a twenty-cent increase in bus fare. One more little spit in the public’s eye by a government class that has taken its power and control for granted.

It wasn’t only the relentless increases in taxes and fees. It wasn’t just the massive spending on lavish sports facilities while hospitals and roads crumble. Or the ubiquitous “palm-greasing” for political favors. It was all the above, and finally “one more drop.”

One protester quoted in The Independent (UK) summed it up: “Our parents fought against the dictatorship, but then we went to sleep,” he admitted. After an extended period of improving economic conditions and expanding personal freedoms and opportunities, Brazil’s government got too big for its britches. “Now, finally, we’re waking up.”

Fortunately Brazil enjoys an aggressive and free press, who relish in pointing out the failures of their government. Brazil’s first female president, Dilma Rousseff, a Marxist who battled the country’s ruling military junta before being catapulted to its highest elected office, now sees her popularity rating tumble. After a prolonged silence, she has announced her intention to pursue reforms.

It seems the disrespect Brazil’s government shows its citizens is not so different from our own. But our only resistance to date has been a small but persistent Tea Party, which is vilified by those who refuse to wake up. In Brazil, the people are “taking it to the streets.” Could it happen here?

Tom Balek – Rockin’ On the Right Side

Are you…telling me the things you’re gonna do for me
I ain’t blind and I don’t like what I think I see
Takin’ it to the streets
Takin’ it to the streets

Takin’ It To The Streets – Michael McDonald

People Got To Be Free – Including Black People

Posted on June 19, 2013 by Tom Balek Standard 1

Freedom plate I have worried about the racial polarity evident in our elections. Minorities, especially blacks, have tended to vote in lockstep for Democrats. I don’t understand it, because I can’t see where Democrats have elevated the lives of African Americans in any way – in fact, the opposite seems to be true.

And from a personal standpoint, if a group told me day after day, year after year, generation after generation that I am not capable of taking care of myself and my family – that I am inferior to others and unable to compete – I would be furious.

I have never really believed the statistics we are presented about the black community’s political leanings. Everywhere I look there are black families who appear to believe in and live every principle of conservatism. It’s hard to accept that all of these people close the curtain and pull the “D” switch every time.

This week a Democrat state senator from Louisiana, Elbert Guillory, switched to the Republican party, with a very polished and carefully crafted video speech explaining his decision. Granted, the production had “campaign” written all over it, and Mr. Guillory will no doubt receive a great deal of notoriety. Still, the message he delivers is a perfect analysis of the state of political affairs in the black community.

I hope we will see a burgeoning “emancipation” movement among African Americans – a reach for freedom from generations of what Guillory calls “plantation” treatment at the hands of Democrats who have taken their loyalty for granted for far too long.

Tom Balek – Rockin’ On the Right Side

All the world over, so easy to see
People everywhere just wanna be free
I can`t understand it, so simple to me
People everywhere just got to be free

People Got To Be Free – Felix Cavaliere and the Rascals

Isn’t it strange how so many of the “Peace” and “Freedom” songs of the sixties are appropriate now? Today’s political “left side” claims these songs, but the roles are reversed – they are now the oppressors, the imperialists and the intolerant. Check out this great concert clip of Ringo Starr’s band with guest Felix Cavaliere.

I Am Running for President

Posted on June 15, 2013 by Tom Balek Standard 6

Our nation languishes in an economic recession that seems intractable.

Median household income in the US has declined from $56,000 to $51,000 since January of 2000 . That’s thirteen and a half years headed in the wrong direction.
During the same period the number of Americans employed dropped from 65% to 59%.
15 percent of Americans are on the SNAP program (govt. food assistance), an increase of 140% since 1990.
Our national debt is nearing $17 trillion – that’s $53,000 for every man, woman, and child in the US. Many say that is grossly understated, and imagine what that debt would be (will be) without the Federal Reserve artificially holding interest rates to near zero.

Our manufacturing base is gone. Many of our cities and states are bankrupt. The aisles at the neighborhood Dollar Store are jammed.

Still, there doesn’t seem to be any sense of alarm. We whistle past the graveyard, as our government borrows and prints ever-increasing gobs of money to shore up our sagging standard of living. We know it has to come crashing down. The bubble will burst. Are we content to just wait around until the doo-doo hits the fan?

Meanwhile, our fearless leaders offer no suggestions, no plans, no hope for a solution to this inevitable economic Hiroshima. Have you heard anything from our President or our Congress that leads you to believe the economy will get better?

Decision-making has devolved into finger-pointing. Politicians ride the fence, careful to not suggest anything that might cost them a vote as they play on the emotions of a citizenry that has become numb to bad news. The remaining few of us who realize the gravity of our economic situation have, frankly, given up.

To hell with it. I’m tired of whining about the situation and nothing gets done. If nobody else will step up, I guess I have to. ELECT ME AS YOUR NEXT PRESIDENT. I will head the ticket for the E Party (the “E” stands for Economy).

If elected, I will declare war – call it World War “E”. We will attack our economic crisis with a national fervor and urgency not seen since World War II. The futures of our children and grandchildren depend on it. You will ask not what your country can do for you, you will ask what you can do for your country. And what you can do for your country is demand performance from our federal government, starting with Congress.

No more pandering for votes by competing to see who can give away the most stuff. No more political correctness and phony junk science. No more corruption – government crooks will do jail time, not get suspended with pay. No more 139-day work calendar. You will stay in session, you will do research and deliberation, you will work until you come up with solutions! The president and the citizens will tell you – Congress – what needs to be done, and you will do it!

We will seal the borders and stop the flood of poor and unskilled illegal immigrants – we can’t afford them and we need to take care of our own. We will eliminate corporate taxes, death taxes, and all other double taxation, and will create a simple, fair and flat tax system – this will spur the economy and eliminate corruption between big business and politicians. We will sell all unused federal property. We will eliminate all obsolete and inefficient federal programs. We will abolish the corrupt government employee unions.

We will embrace our natural resources and become the energy provider to the world. We will implement modest tariffs on all imports and bring manufacturing jobs home. We will build 21st-century transportation and communication infrastructure and a state-of-the-art national defense system, including REAL anti-terrorism with profiling – not hassling Grandma at the airport. We will let the rest of the world sort out their own problems, and make sure they know better than to screw with us. Those nations who want to join our side in World War E will be welcomed to the team. Kick the United Nations out. Drop out of the World Trade Organization. Tell the Chinese to get on board or bug off.

We will help the helpless, but not the clueless. We will teach our children patriotism, history, free-market economics, and individual responsibility. We will make our education system relevant, functional, and competitive. We will encourage excellence and initiative rather than dependency.

We can do this. Look at what our nation has accomplished in the past when our backs were against the wall.

Can I count on your vote?

Tom Balek – Rockin’ On the Right Side

I’m your top prime cut of meat, I’m your choice,
I want to be elected!
I’m your Yankee Doodle Dandy in a gold Rolls Royce,
I want to be elected!
Kids want a savior, don’t need a fake,
I want to be elected!
We’re all gonna rock to the rules that I make,
I want to be elected!

Elected – Alice Cooper

Here’s my first campaign commercial!

Sanity Prevails (for once) – Crazy Airline Subsidy Ends

Posted on June 13, 2013 by Tom Balek Standard 2

airplane dropping money Last December you witnessed my rant about the ridiculous airline subsidies for “Essential Air Service” for small Montana cities. I facetiously thanked you taxpayers for chipping in $3,652 for my (and every) 120-mile flight from Lewistown to Billings.

Apparently ridership increased from 1 passenger per day to 1.5, so the annual subsidy turned out to be just over $2,000 per passenger. But here’s the good news: Today the Associated Press reported that the Essential Air Service subsidies for Lewistown and Miles City are no more. Unfortunately, the subsidies for the other Montana small cities were left in place.

Hooray! Chalk up one small victory for the taxpayers!

Now, how many other wasteful, fraudulent, unproductive, and obsolete federal government programs are out there? Hey, I know . . . let’s look first over at the IRS, who spent $4 million on a conference for 2,600 government workers, but can’t seem to figure out how to collect over $1 billion in past due taxes from federal govt. employees (did ya ever hear of payroll deduction?)

Maybe we should look into the estimated $2.5 billion in food stamp fraud, or the $1.5 billion spent for ObamaPhones. Senator Coburn found $18 billion totally wasted in 2012 without breaking a sweat. And then there’s ObamaCare.

I have applied for one of those government grants so I can do a study: “Why does the federal government waste our taxpayer dollars?” The report would be pretty short, so I only asked for a million dollar grant. But just in case my grant request doesn’t come through, I’ll give you a sneak preview of my findings. The federal government wastes your money because: it isn’t their money.

Tom Balek – Rockin’ On the Right Side

That ain’t workin’. That’s the way you do it.
Let me tell ya, them guys ain’t dumb.

Get money for nothin’, and chicks for free.

Money for Nothing – Dire Straits

Classic rock by an all-star cast – Mark Knopfler, Sting, Phil Collins, Eric Clapton. Notice they left out all the politically-incorrect words. Wimps!

The Lies About the Tea Party Go On and On and On . . .

Posted on June 10, 2013 by Tom Balek Standard Reply

They just can’t give it up. The lies and distortions and boogie-men-ifications of the Tea Party go on, and on, and on . . .

Tea Party people are racists. I have been attending Tea Party events for years, have met thousands of Tea Party people at every level from small town sign-holders to the top echelon of national organizations. I have NEVER seen a racist or a racist act. Quite the opposite, I have met many wonderful, happy, and intelligent Tea Party people who are . . . gasp . . . minority. And you know what? Nobody cares! The Tea Party doesn’t give a flip what color you are. If you are intelligent enough to realize that the continued expansion of government at the expense of individual freedom and national prosperity is the wrong path for our country, you belong here! There has never been any evidence of racism in the Tea Party, any time, anywhere, ever.

Meanwhile, many Progressives continue to practice soft racism daily by insisting that minorities are incapable of feeding their children, competing for jobs on a level playing field, or taking care of themselves.

Tea Party people are hateful, mean and violent. See above. I have never seen a hateful and mean Tea Party person. Look at the group of mostly senior citizens at any Tea Party event. They smile and wave. They carry flags. They bring cookies and deviled eggs. They clean up behind themselves, and behind others. Their group name probably includes the word “Patriots”, meaning people who love their country and care about making it a better place for everyone.

Now look at the other guys – the perverse side of the Progressive party. Here are some direct quotes from the Montana Cowgirl blogsite, the state’s leading progressive web voice. Please forgive me for not editing this:

Here’s a comment in Montana Cowgirl about the Montana Tea Party:

In case anyone missed this, this is really some excellent reporting by Marnee Banks. It shows the real ugliness of what Kockhsuckers look like. Assman, Fart Fetish, and Pervert Priest have perverted their party into something that does NOT even resemble the old Republican Party of Montana. These three appear to be truly proud of being assholes for hire to the Big Kockhs! Nasty, nasty pieces of human feces! But don’t take my word for it. Watch this excellent piece and judge for yourselves. And then, you’ll have a little more sympathy for the courageous Republicans that stood up to these dipshits. These three have NO place in Helena, and hopefully, the word will get out and these turds will be flushed! Ugly, ugly stuff! Kudos to Ed Buttrey, Jim Peterson, and heck, even Taylor Sencha Brown! And all the others. They done good!

Here’s another from Montana Cowgirl – a comment in response to the blog editor’s snarky photo of Michelle Bachman:

bwhahahahahahahahahahahahaahhahaa!I only saw an attractive woman inserting a long, dark colored, wiggly thingy INto her mouth in a provocative fashion while mightily enjoying such a stimulating, smile provoking, pleasure inducing throat reaming! BTW, what did you see? Did we really see the same pic? MAN you’re a pervy dude! You been there, done that maybe?????

Now that’s some cogent political analysis, isn’t it? Do your neighbors and friends talk like this? Not if they are Tea Partiers. You may disagree with conservatives on issues, but you can’t say that they are not civil, thoughtful, well-intentioned and intelligent. You will never find garbage like this on any Tea Party or conservative website.

To Messrs. Buttrey, Peterson, and Brown – I’m sure these potty-mouthed Progressives are as repulsive to you as they are to me and everyone else – even some of their fellow Democrats. And I’m sure you know that your Tea Party friends (most of whom voted for, and manned phone banks for, and wrote checks for, and attended rallies for, and held forums for Republican candidates) are serious about real issues. I know you do not want to align yourselves with people like this, nor do you want to go to war against those who mostly agree with you.

In the absence of facts, or the ability / willingness to debate on the merits of the issues, weak zealots will always resort to name-calling, lies, and ugliness. It doesn’t elevate them in the minds of sensible people, but nonetheless it goes on, and on, and on . . .

Tom Balek – Rockin’ On the Right Side

On and on, he just keeps on tryin’
On and on, on and on, on and on.

On And On – Steven Bishop

From “Midnight Special” 1977

Pat Buchanan: Competition – It’s A Good Thing!

Posted on May 31, 2013 by Tom Balek Standard Reply

pat-buchanan Pat Buchanan is right on the money. Again.

In a recent editorial he points to a Senate hearing where Apple CEO Tim Cook (former darling of the Dems) was excoriated for tax avoidance. You see, Apple has paid zero US income tax on its earnings from outside the country in recent years, and it’s perfectly legal. Ireland won Apple over with its 2% corporate tax, compared to the 35% Apple would pay our Treasury. Corporate income tax now makes up less than 10% of federal revenues, and will continue to decline as long as we fail to compete with other nations.

Buchanan says the solution to our economic woes is to abolish the corporate income tax in a revenue-neutral exchange for a 10% tariff on all imported goods. This would bring American corporations (and their off-shore money) racing back to the homeland, and would invite foreign manufacturers to move here as well, reversing the death-spiral of our currency and our ghastly trade imbalance.

Instead of blaming entrepreneurs for avoiding taxes, our fearless leaders should work on attracting and retaining businesses, along with the jobs and wealth they create.

Adam Smith, the father of free market capitalism, taught us that any attempt to control commerce externally is a bad thing. Free and natural competition is a good thing.

The best solutions are usually the simplest.

Tom Balek – Rockin’ On the Right Side

Seems this worlds got you down
Your feelin’ bad vibrations frown
Well, open your eyes girl, look at me
I’m gonna show you how it ought to be

We’re gonna’ have a good thing
Such a good thing baby

Good Thing – Paul Revere and the Raiders

Here’s an unusual video for you Rockers on the Right Side. Yeah, it’s GOOD THING by Paul Revere and the Raiders, but from a different perspective – behind the drums. Unless you have played drums, you would not know that everything is different back there – the sound, the lights, the distance from the audience, even the “feel” of the music. It’s kind of a lonely world for drummers. This video features Raider drummer Tommy Scheckel. And even Tommy is different – a left-handed drummer playing a right-handed setup. It makes for some unusual moves! Scheckel is a relative newcomer to the Raiders after playing for 27 years with the Buckinghams (“Kind Of A Drag”,” Susan”,”Don’t You Care”). Enjoy! Oh, and hug a drummer today.

Livin’ In a Land Down Under

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Tom Balek Standard 2

kangaroos I spent a day with some friends from Australia last weekend. It’s sad to say, but they were more engaged in and knowledgeable about American politics and economics than most fellow Yankees I meet.

We had riveting discussions comparing the political and economic situations of our two countries. One thing became obvious right away – wage rates “down under” far exceed ours. While the Aussie dollar and the American dollar are near parity, Australian laborers earn $25 or more per hour, while the norm in my American city seems to be about $12 per hour. Australian professionals appear to earn considerably more than Americans do as well, but taxes take a pretty healthy bite, and prices are high on some items.

Our three guests were all government employees, yet they were very fiscally conservative. One was a nurse who works for a government-owned and operated health care system. She explained that citizens who purchase private health insurance can choose their own (presumably superior) doctors and care facilities. No one is refused care at the public hospitals.

I was surprised to learn that the unions and government are combatants in Australia. And my friends were shocked to hear about the circle of corruption in the US, where government employees’ unions get politicians elected in exchange for favors and more government jobs. They wondered why they had not heard about some of the issues I presented, and I explained that for many years our news media have been bedfellows with the democrats, and their reporting is rigidly slanted in that direction (with the exception of Fox News, for whom my guests had no respect). The Aussies are not impressed with the dearth of real news here, lamenting that they never hear their nation even mentioned in the media.

When we expressed our concerns about vote fraud in recent elections, especially in Montana, they described how their election system requires each citizen to vote – and failure to do so results in a hefty fine. “We don’t use voting machines, it’s all done manually under great scrutiny,” we were told.

They weren’t pleased that their current prime minister, Julia Gillard of the Labor Party, was not elected by the people. She assumed office in 2010 when her predecessor, Kevin Rudd, was ousted as the Labor Party leader. “And she won’t be elected this September, either!” they announced with firm resolve. It bothered me greatly that until our visit I didn’t even know who the leader of Australia is.

We shared common concerns about the leftward (and downward) drift in education, and the over-reaching environmental movement. They understood our worries about illegal immigration: “You mean your immigrants don’t have national identification cards?” they asked. Of course their border is protected by a rather large ocean.

The big eye-opener for the Aussies was our commitment to the second amendment. At age 30, one of our guests had never seen or touched a gun. I showed her mine, and it was as if all the oxygen was sucked out of the room. My wife and I explained concealed carry permits, and our belief in the fundamental right to protect ourselves, our families, and our property. They insisted that the bad guys in Australia don’t have guns, so the good guys don’t need them either. I hope they are right about that. In our case, unilateral disarmament would be suicidal.

Our friends are well aware of the United States’ tenuous economic condition and our stifling $16 trillion dollar debt. We pondered where is the “best place” to be, economically and politically, in a world where trouble lurks in every corner.

“We think we have it pretty straight,” they said. I couldn’t disagree.

Tom Balek – Rockin’ On the Right Side

Livin’ in a land down under,
Where women glow and men plunder,
Can’t you hear, can’t you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover!

Land Down Under – Men at Work