Our Nation Nearly Committed Suicide

Posted on July 4, 2013 by Tom Balek Standard 1

Today is Independence Day. It typically brings to mind the bravery and wisdom of the founding fathers of our nation, and rightfully so.

But today I am mindful of the bravery and wisdom of the men who fought and died to preserve our nation at a time when its future was hanging by a thread.

Hospital-Field-Civil-War You might know that 700,000 American men died in the Civil War. You probably have heard anecdotes about how ugly and brutal the battles were. As I grow older I am more somberly aware of the toll the war took on our nation and its people. I recently viewed the movie “Lincoln”, and it was sobering, to say the least.

While there weren’t a lot of battle scenes in that movie, I was reminded of an old question for which I never sought the answer: why do cannonballs explode when they hit the ground in movie war scenes? Isn’t a cannonball just a solid ball of steel or iron?

So I did a little research, and learned: don’t believe everything you see in the movies.

The Civil War was called “the last of the ancient wars and the first of the modern wars”, because the military tactics included old-fashioned cannon, muskets, and close-rank troop formations as well as new innovations in guns and cartridges, iron-clad ships, and advanced ordnance.

Old-style cannonballs were solid balls of metal, 3″ to 6″ in diameter, that could be fired as far as a mile. Obviously a cannonball can knock down a wall or sink a ship. For anti-personnel purposes, cannon were fired into columns or masses of troops at a low trajectory, and would bounce along a deadly path with gruesome effect. A typical cannon shot could blast through up to forty men, knocking off arms, legs and heads as it passed, with no warning. Imagine the fear it lodged in the gut of a young soldier.

Just before the onset of the war, a British Army officer named Henry Schrapnel invented an even more efficient artillery weapon. He called it “spherical case” ammunition – a hollow cannon ball filled with lead shot and a timed explosive that would cause it to explode above ground, blasting lethal projectiles in every direction. His name defines the deadly metal pieces engineered into bombs and shells even today.

As I learn more about the ugliness of war and its place in our U.S. history, I reflect on the patriotism, honor, and bravery that our ancestors carried into battle. Not just those who fought the British and forged our great nation, but also those who stepped up to save the union at a time when it nearly committed suicide, and the healing that God makes possible between seemingly intractable enemies.

Tom Balek – Rockin’ On the Right Side

Well, he was just 18, proud and brave,
But a Yankee laid him in his grave.
I swear by the blood below my feet,
You can’t raise a Caine back up
When it’s in defeat.

The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down – the Band

RIP – Levon Helm

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!

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

I Didn’t Serve

Posted on May 26, 2013 by Tom Balek Standard 1

photo by Henry Huet – AP

I didn’t serve in the military.

When I graduated from high school in 1971 the war in Vietnam was the ugliest wart on a butt-ugly year. Cambodia and Laos were dragged into the mess. American soldiers increasingly turned to drugs to numb the effects of the seemingly endless war. Anti-war protests turned violent. The US economy was in the tank, suffering ever-higher inflation, unemployment, and taxes. American cars were so bad the Chevy Vega was named “car of the year.” President Richard Nixon initiated wage and price controls – not exactly a free-market solution to our economic problems. The nightly news in 1971 was grim, to say the least.

As a high school senior I had been recruited by all the military branches, especially the Marines. I considered joining, because I wanted to go to college and didn’t have any way to afford it. But I knew I wasn’t tough enough to be a Marine, and nobody wanted to go to Vietnam.

August of 1971 was the last military draft lottery and my number was 228 – I was not going to be drafted. So my family scraped together a few dollars, I took a couple of part-time jobs, and off I went to college.

No, I didn’t serve in the military. And I have always regretted it.

I envy my friends who served. They have fond memories of the comradery, the travel, the hyper-organized “get-it-done” military attitude and lifestyle. They worked hard but served with pride and they smile as they look back on their military years. They seem to have a maturity that is absent in many of their peers.

I have a fascination with military technology and history, and can lose whole days of vacation time rattling around on a decommissioned aircraft carrier or studying the mechanical intricacy of WWII bombers. I watch war movies and get caught up in the patriotism and adventure. I admire the polish and confidence of the young men and women who return from service in the Middle East.

But I also know that war is hell, and I wasn’t ready for hell in 1971. I have profound respect and admiration for the guys who kept crawling up the hill on Tarawa, over the dead bodies of comrades and enemies. For the bomber crews who kept strapping in, knowing that the odds were against completing their required 25 missions over Germany. For the GIs who manned up for another breathless patrol into the steaming jungles of Vietnam – and another, and another.

I didn’t serve. But I mourn the loss and injury of every serviceman and woman who did. And I am infuriated when our government sometimes treats our warriors and their families so badly, while too-frequently coddling our enemies.

I didn’t serve. God bless all of you who do, and who did.

Tom Balek – Rockin’ On the Right Side

Paul Revere and the Raiders have been among our strongest supporters of Vietnam veterans. For many years Paul Revere led the “Rolling Thunder” motorcycle rally to the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, DC. He and the band donated the proceeds from their “Ride to the Wall” CD and tour events to veterans organizations, and still honor our veterans at every performance. If this super group of patriots is playing near you, don’t miss their top-notch show – they are just as hot as they were in 1966. Here’s a clip from one of their events, a shout-out to the Vietnam Vets.

It’s a Bird! It’s a Plane! No, It’s a Drone.

Posted on March 10, 2013 by Tom Balek Standard Reply

p51mustang Flashback: 1995, Manhattan, Kansas. I had just bought a home near Lake Tuttle and was out on my first Saturday motorbike cruise to check out the neighborhood. Down the road a few miles I came upon a large, open field and a cluster of men looking skyward in intense concentration.

I stopped to see what was going on. It was the local radio-controlled aircraft club, passionately engaged in their hobby on a beautiful, blue-sky Kansas afternoon. Their airplanes and helicopters were meticulously fabricated and painted – most were replicas of famous propeller-driven war-planes. The craftsmanship required to build and maintain such machines is only exceeded by the dexterity it takes to get and keep one aloft and under control. These guys were way beyond that, and I was mesmerized watching them guide their craft through acrobatic spins, dives, tricks, and mock battles. Takeoffs and landings were precise, if abrupt. Given the cost of these birds and the hours of work invested, crashes are uncommon.

Funny how we miss events and trends that ultimately have a huge impact. It never occurred to me on that prairie afternoon that this hobby would rapidly evolve into a multi-billion dollar industry, a constitutional crisis, and a sea-change in military and security strategy.

Drone Today we call them drones, and as we speak you may have one quietly buzzing over your head, perhaps observing you.

Our armed forces were quick to take advantage of drone technology – at first for reconnaissance, but soon after for actual combat missions. The use of machines to reduce risks to our soldiers won wide-spread support from political leaders and citizens alike. But as their use proliferated the ethical line in the sand seemed to move.

Americans were pleased to learn that Osama Bin Laden’s right-hand man, Ayman al Zawahiri, was one of many Al Qaeda bad-asses sent to meet their maker by Predator drones in recent months. But concerns mounted when a drone strike killed American-born terrorist Anwar al-Awlaki and three other Al Qaeda leaders in Yemen, and a few days later, another drone took out al-Awlaki’s 16-year old Denver-born son, who, according to his family, was not a terrorist.

“To kill a teenager is just unbelievable, really, and they claim that he is an al-Qaeda militant. It’s nonsense,” said Nasser al-Awlaki, a former Yemeni agriculture minister who was Anwar al-Awlaki’s father and the boy’s grandfather, speaking in a phone interview from Sanaa on Monday. “They want to justify his killing, that’s all.” (quote from the Washington Post)

Senator Rand Paul takes the Constitution seriously, and literally. He filibustered the Senate for 13 hours last week to challenge the authority of President Obama – or any American, for that matter – to assassinate another American without due process. “The ‘drone debate’ isn’t over,” Paul declared. “I wanted everybody to know that our Constitution is precious and no American should be killed by a drone without first being charged with a crime.”

The market for military drones will reach $90 billion over the next ten years, according to the Teal Group. And applications for use in the private sector, as well as domestic law enforcement, are only starting to heat up.

Watching those pretty toy planes maneuvering above the Kansas prairie almost twenty years ago, I didn’t see the huge future implications. It makes me wonder what else I’m missing as I observe ordinary life today.

Tom Balek – Rockin’ On the Right Side

A shout out to the Vietnam vets –

Sky pilot
Sky pilot
How high can you fly
You’ll never, never, never reach the sky

Sky Pilot – Eric Burdon

You’re A Rich Girl

Posted on February 17, 2013 by Tom Balek Standard 2

With so much recent talk about the rich, the poor, and fairness, maybe we should take a deeper look at wealth in America.

US_real_median_household_income_1967_-_2011 Real median household income in the US is about $50,000 per year. This includes wages, business income, and most forms of government assistance. Household income is roughly the same as it was in 1989, adjusted for inflation, after declining about 8 percent since President Obama took office.

There are many ways to categorize people by income. Location is one – Maryland residents top the list in per family income, largely because of the number of federal employees who work nearby in the nation’s capital. Montana ranks 44th.

One’s race, unfortunately, still affects income, with Asians doing the best and blacks worst. Education is also a factor, and the earnings curve between high-school dropouts and those with advanced college degrees is steep.

Statistics like these might suggest that we are doomed by our birth demographics. Not so. Consider that one of the biggest factors in one’s earning power is age. Younger people earn less – it’s just a fact of life. Younger people have less education. The average age of minorities is disproportionately younger. Age affects all the other classifications.

A recent shift in earnings and wealth is troubling – while the overall real median household income is somewhat stable, the income of workers has declined steadily as the income of those on government payments has increased. Some of this is the result of the graying of America, but government assistance programs have expanded significantly.

Still, whether an American household (the term ‘family’ has become obsolete with the demise of the institution of marriage) receives its income by redistribution from workers or directly from work, we live relatively well compared to the rest of the world. Comparison of real income is difficult because of currency exchange and other factors, and there are many ways to measure wealth. Only ten nations exceed our GDP per capita. While it is often said that most of the world’s citizens live on less than $2 per day, per capita GDP statistics indicates otherwise.

Our poorest citizens live like kings compared to the average Indian or African. We should ask why. What do we have that these other nations don’t? Many of them have tremendous natural resources – that’s not it. I will not accept that people from other parts of the world are just born inferior to Americans.

The answer, to me, is obvious. Our nation was built on the principles of free enterprise, unlimited opportunity, and limited government. We overlook this fact at our peril, and unless we restore the culture of productivity our grandparents championed, our grandchildren will pay a dear price.

Tom Balek – Rockin’ On the Right Side

You’re a rich girl,
And you’ve gone too far
‘Cause you know it don’t matter anyway
You can rely on the old man’s money
You can rely on the old man honey

Rich Girl – Hall and Oates

Immigration and Cowboy Boots

Posted on February 10, 2013 by Tom Balek Standard Reply

boots Like all guys from Montana, I love my boots. When you get a pair of boots that fit just right, you want to keep them wearable as long as you can. I needed new soles and heels, and quickly – I was starting a new job in a couple of days.

I found Lee’s Shoe Repair on the web and called. In a deep Chinese accent, the shop owner said, “You bring them over, we take care of you.” I grabbed my old boots and took off.

Mr. Lee is getting on in years, and is probably a fairly recent immigrant to the United States. I don’t know that he is here illegally, but he sure could be. His English is passable, but broken – he had trouble understanding me, and I him. He said, “I have you boots on Saturday.”

“No, Mr. Lee,” I pleaded. “I need them by the end of business tomorrow. I’ll pay extra if you can help me.”

Overhearing the conversation, a husky young guy stuck his head through the doorway from the workroom and drawled, “Hey, no problem there, buddy. I know how important a man’s boots are. I’ll git ’em done for you by tomorrow.” He showed me a better kind of sole that would be more comfortable for long days on my feet. Relieved, I left my boots in his skilled Texan hands.

The next day I returned to the shoe repair shop and was greeted by Mrs. Lee, a gray-haired lady with bright eyes and a smile as big as China and Texas put together. The Texan cobbler came out to say hello, too, and I slipped him a ten-spot as a thank you for the rush job. Mrs. Lee said, “You need insoles so your feet don’t get tired. I won’t charge you for them.”

I thanked her, marveling at the extraordinary care and pride this couple and their happy Texan employee put into their work. Then she slipped into the back room, returning with a wrapped package of her special home-made fruit and cinnamon bread. “You take this,” she smiled. “Good luck with your new job!”

A week later, I stopped in to the neighborhood Bank of America across the street from Mr. Lee’s shoe repair shop to find out why I had not received my order of checks. I had been told ten days, and after three weeks they had not arrived. Annoyed at being bothered, the assistant manager checked his computer and said, “Looks like they were never ordered. I will put in a new order and you should get them in about ten days.”

I looked him in the eye and asked, “And the magic words when your company screws up are . . . ?”

He gave me a puzzled look.

“How about, ‘I’m sorry?‘” I said.

“Oh, um . . . of course. I’m, uhh . . . sorry.” He looked like he just ate a mouthful of worms.

I went across the street to thank Mrs. Lee and the Texan again for the great job they did on my very comfortable boots, and the delicious fruit bread. Her eyes twinkled, and there was that big smile. “You wait, I give you ‘Happy Candy’! You take it!” I left her shop, chewing her delicious Happy Candy, and reflecting on the difference between these two businesses a few hundred feet apart.

I’m still developing my thoughts on immigration. And on the Big Bank bailout.

Tom Balek – Rockin On the Right Side

These boots are made for walking
And that’s just what they’ll do
One of these days these boots are gonna
Walk all over you!

Are you ready boots?
Start walkin’!

These Boots Are Made for Walkin’ – Nancy Sinatra

Watch this video, if only to see the MINI-SKIRTS! Those were the good old days . . .

Oath Keepers Defend the Second Amendment

Posted on January 29, 2013 by Tom Balek Standard 2

Obama Meets With Law Enforcement Officials

photo by CNN

As President Obama stokes the fires of gun control in our nation’s capital, some law enforcement officers are beginning to push back.

Obama recently initiated 23 executive orders related to gun violence, and is pressing Congress to take additional action, much of which is viewed by gun advocates as a threat to the second amendment of the Constitution.

Seeking to build support for his gun control mission, this week Obama gathered police chiefs and sheriffs from across the nation to Washington, DC for discussion, and (primarily) a campaign-style photo opportunity. Many big-city police chiefs support Obama’s gun control measures, while the sheriffs are generally supporters of the second amendment.

Skeptics question whether the police chiefs back Obama because they believe in the effectiveness of taking weapons from citizens, or because he has promised to increase federal spending on local police departments, a move that delights the public-sector unions who were instrumental in his election.

In Montana, a number of local sheriffs have come out with public statements pledging their support for the Constitution. Sheriff Scott Howard of Powell County said he would not enforce any “unconstitutional gun regulations.”

Most vocal among them was Cascade County Sheriff Bob Edwards. In a Great Falls Tribune interview, Edwards said, “Everyone wants to wipe out guns. I’m pro-Second Amendment, and I believe the laws we have in place should curb a lot of this, but there have to be people that enforce them. A lot of the laws are not being enforced.”

Many pro-Constitution law enforcement officials are members of the Oath Keepers, a growing organization made up of currently-serving military, veterans, peace officers, and firefighters who are sworn to protect the Constitution against all threats “foreign and domestic”. Their mission is summed up on their website:

Our oath is to the Constitution, not to the politicians, and we will not obey unconstitutional (and thus illegal) and immoral orders, such as orders to disarm the American people or to place them under martial law and deprive them of their ancient right to jury trial.

We Oath Keepers have drawn a line in the sand. We will not “just follow orders.”

Our motto is “Not on our watch!”

One of the Oath Keepers, a New Jersey police officer, calls on his fellow law enforcement officers to refuse any order to confiscate guns from law-abiding citizens.

It is reassuring to know that there are government and law-enforcement officials who recognize and will preserve the rights of US citizens, especially at a time when our most powerful national leaders usurp authority at a pace never seen before in our nation’s history.

Tom Balek – Rockin’ On the Right Side

I’m robbin’ people with a six-gun
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the law won

I Fought the Law and the Law Won
– Bobby Fuller Four

Here’s a great video of an original American rocker – Bobby Fuller. Bobby died young under very mysterious circumstances – was it suicide? Was it a mob hit? If interested, read the story here. And do watch the cool 2-minute video: