The “Unsung Heroes” Help Poor and Minorities – Hillary Calls Them “Deplorables”

Posted on October 14, 2016 by Tom Balek Standard Reply

hvac%20contractor I was visiting with my young HVAC guy after he installed a new air conditioner in one of my rental houses. Actually, it was more like negotiating than visiting. He said he gave me a good deal, and I chuckled, “I know you did, but I have to go through the routine.” I was happy to write the check – he more than earned it.

Then he said something that gave me pause. “I know you guys can afford to pay me, but you know a lot of the people I work for can’t.”

We live in South Carolina. It’s hot. Air conditioning is not a luxury, it is a necessity of life. I know people lived in the South before air conditioning, but honest to God, I don’t know how. We moved here from Montana where we built a new log home and didn’t even consider putting in air conditioning. This is different. In South Carolina I would put air conditioning right up there with food and shelter.

He told me about a service call he made last month to repair an air conditioner for an African American grandmother with five kids in her house that belong to her daughter, who is a heroin addict. “She told me about her utility bills, and other bills, and taking care of the kids, and doing it all on $500 a month from the county plus food stamps. It was 96 degrees. I knew she couldn’t afford to pay me, so I just ‘ate’ the bill. ”

I have not felt very good about my country lately. There’s a lot of ugly stuff going on. But this young man did a lot to restore my confidence in our future.

“I usually don’t charge somebody like that,” he said. “I mean, you see what’s going on, and you just have to do what you can, you know? I don’t mind giving up my labor, I can always just work harder. But the cost of parts keeps going up and up. I have hundreds of dollars in parts in these repair jobs.”

My HVAC guy is your average American small business owner. He works long, hard hours. He invests most of his profits in tools, a truck, paying his help, and keeping up his education and certification. In the hot summer he works around the clock. If somebody needs help at 9:00 pm, he answers the phone. He didn’t go to college. He goes to church every Sunday, but half the time he is on a service call that afternoon. His kids don’t have fancy tennis shoes, and he can’t afford the time or cost of a Disney cruise. Yet he is one of the “Deplorables” Hillary Clinton looks down on. Even worse, he owns a business – which, to Democrats, makes him a greedy, selfish racist who got rich on the backs of the poor. He’s the guy Obama sneered at: “You didn’t build that business.”

The truth is, he DID build that business, and he cares a hell of a lot more for the poor, and minorities, than Hillary Clinton does, or Barack Obama, or anybody who votes for them and their Democrat friends.

And yes, he said, “I am going to vote for Donald Trump.” He told me he had not voted for years, but this time he has to. “The first thing I heard Trump say was, ‘I am paying for my own campaign, nobody bought me, and I can’t be bribed.’ That was all I needed to hear.” And that certifies his status as one of Hillary’s “Deplorables”.

The sad thing is, the grandmother whose air conditioning repair bill he ‘ate’, and the addicted mother, and most of their friends and relatives, and all of the liberals who pretend to care about them but never do anything about it, are going to vote for Hillary and the Democrats.

The Deplorables out there doing real acts of charity and love every day, and not asking for anything in return – they are the unsung heroes.

Tom Balek – Rockin’ On the Right Side

While others long to steal the spotlight
You work your magic quietly
‘Cause your not in it for the glory
The love you give comes naturally

Unsung Heroes – Terri Clark

Here’s one of my favorite country artists, Terri Clark from Medicine Hat, Albera. Give a listen.

Here Come Da Judge(s)

Posted on October 8, 2016 by Tom Balek Standard Reply

here-come-da-judge One more month until Decision Day, and as of this writing the 2016 presidential election is still a toss-up.

Speaking of tossing-up, I once heard a perfect description of a hard choice: It’s being up to your neck in crap and having a bucket of puke thrown at your face. (sorry)

There’s Hillary, the queen of arrogance, who lies in the face of a dead soldier’s mother without blinking, trades back-door deals with dictators and bankers for mountains of cash, and shamelessly turns everything she touches into molten corruption.

And there’s Donald, the narcissistic and boorish bull-in-the-china-shop who not only speaks with the vocabulary of a junior high kid, he acts like one whenever somebody pushes his buttons.

At an informal town hall meeting this week, Congressman Mick Mulvaney made a surprising prediction.

“Trump will win,” Mulvaney pronounced. “And he will struggle for six months, unable to put any of his policies in place, mostly because of the 60-vote rule in the Senate.” Then, according to Mulvaney, Trump will try the Obama “pen and phone” approach, taking matters into his own hands. “And we [Mulvaney and other conservative legislators] will be on the House floor stopping him. I’ll tell him, ‘I like what you are trying to do, but you can’t do it on your own’.”

Mulvaney says their principled stand will teach Trump to work with Congress, heal the Republican party, and restore the voters’ respect for government.

If the decision hinges on which candidate is less distasteful, it’s going to be a tough choice. But there is a much more compelling factor in this election that can’t be dismissed. Our next president will establish the makeup and tenor of the supreme court and lower courts for decades to come.

If judges and justices were all honorable and operated within the constraints of the Constitution, this would not matter. They aren’t, so it does.

The separation of powers built into our Constitution should prevent one branch from dominating the others, but despite a Republican majority in both houses our legislative branch has become impotent. President Obama’s administrative branch has steam-rolled Congress, as executive orders go unchecked, and agencies execute the President’s playbook with support from activist Democrat circuit and appellate judges. 70% of the appellate courts are now home to Democrat appointees, thanks to what Ken Cuccinelli, president of the Senate Conservatives Fund calls a “knee-jerk surrender” on nominees by Senate leader Mitch McConnell.

The next president will nominate several Supreme Court justices and countless other circuit and appellate judges. Donald Trump promises to select constitutionalists for judicial openings, and already has a list of prospects for the Supreme Court. Hillary Clinton will install radical liberals if she is elected, which, combined with the fecklessness of Congress, will alter the balance of power, perhaps permanently.

When a liberal administration and courts have unfettered rule over the nation, our basic freedoms are at risk. Religious freedom, property rights, protections from overreaching regulation, and free speech are under assault even now.

If you vote for Hillary, stand back. Cause here come da judge(s).

Tom Balek, Rockin’ On the Right Side

I’d rather be lost
In the jungle of Brazil
Than to face the judge this morning
The way he feels
Here come da judge!

Here Come Da Judge – Shorty Long

There were a bunch of “Here Comes the Judge” songs. Here’s my favorite, from 1968.

Mr. Trump, I Wrote a Speech For You. No Charge!

Posted on August 7, 2016 by Tom Balek Standard Reply

photo courtesy Salon.com

My fellow citizens, if you elect me, Donald Trump, to be your president, here are my domestic priorities for the first hundred days of my term:

Government Accountability and Reform

Government sector unions will be eliminated or restrictions imposed, such as: Unions would be prohibited from contributing to political candidates or having any involvement in political campaigns. Government employees would be employed “at will”, empowering managers to hire, fire, and discipline without union intervention. They would be subject to the same payroll and benefit laws as the private sector, including social security, 401k, and Medicaid coverage or private health insurance allowance. We can no longer tolerate a government where nobody is responsible for anything or ever gets fired.

Congress will establish biannual performance and zero-based budget requirements for every department and agency, and oversight committees will hold agency heads responsible for meeting goals, with the authority to discipline or discharge failing managers. Redundant and obsolete services and programs will be eliminated from agencies and departments. This is basic economics, understood by every American.

All elected officials will be subject to the same ethics standards and prosecution as private sector corporate officials, prohibiting insider trading, personal gain from transactions and decisions, nepotism, payoffs for campaign contributions, and any other breaches of trust. Why should elected officials get away with corruption that is not tolerated in private business?

Congressional term limits will be established. The power structure must be brought under control.

Congress will be required to produce timely budgets; continuing resolutions will be prohibited. The job of Congress is to budget and appropriate. If they don’t do that, we don’t need them.

Law and Order

My new IRS and FBI commissioners will investigate Hillary Clinton and the Clinton Foundation for tax fraud and improper quid pro quo deals with foreign companies and governments. This kind of corruption must be brought to light and stopped once and for all.

Sanctuary cities will be denied federal funding. Existing immigration laws will be enforced at the borders and ports, and in all government offices and programs. Officials who fail or refuse to enforce any federal law will be disciplined or terminated. Without borders, we have no country. And without law enforcement, we have anarchy.

Federal involvement in local law enforcement will cease, including the use of consent decrees to impose federal control.

Health, Welfare, Housing and Education

The Affordable Health Care Act will be repealed and replaced by a congressionally approved plan which includes a provision for a federal assigned risk pool for pre-existing conditions.

Federal funding of all means-tested welfare and assistance programs and all educational programs will be limited to block grants to the states. Our Constitution intended the power of the people to reside in state governments, not federal. This is the United STATES of America.

Government funding of private health care providers specifically including Planned Parenthood will be prohibited.

The federal student loan program will be eliminated and restored to the private sector. Any program for relief from student loan debt will include provisions for clawback of public losses from the universities who received the student loan payments.

Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and other government subsidized home loan programs will be phased out, restoring the mortgage industry to the private sector.

Tax Reform

Estate taxes will be permanently eliminated – it is double taxation. Corporate income tax will be significantly reduced to encourage repatriation of assets and domestic production. Personal income taxes will be simplified. Loopholes and carve-outs will be eliminated for businesses and individuals.

Businesses will receive tax incentives for providing modern technical training programs that meet their workforce needs and result in direct sustained employment of individuals, replacing unnecessary and unproductive college time and expense.

Immigration

Legal immigration rates and eligibilities will be revisited by Congress with impact analysis on jobs, the economy, security, and infrastructure. Charity will not be a consideration, as it is not a function of government. Illegal immigration will be treated and enforced as a criminal act.

These action items have the strong support of a majority of Americans. If Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell fail to take action on these important tasks, I will use the bully pulpit of the Presidency to admonish and encourage and even embarrass them. And if they still refuse to respond to the will of their constituents, as they have over the last many years, I will find other ways to give the people what they want.

Please vote for me, your humble servant, Donald Trump.

Tom Balek – Rockin’ On the Right Side

Well, it’s about time for things to get better
We want the truth, the truth and no more lies
We want freedom, justice and equality
I want it for you and I want it for me
Well, well
Give the people what they want!

Give the People What They Want – the O’Jays

Here’s a great song by the O’Jays – from Soul Train, 1975. Check it out!

Can’t Decide? Third Party? Not Voting? Make A List!

Posted on June 12, 2016 by Tom Balek Standard 2

Donald-Trump-and-Hillary-Clinton The Sunday news show pundits all shook their heads about the difficult choice voters face in the upcoming election. They said most voters don’t really like either of the two presidential nominees. How on earth will voters decide?

If you, or your friend or relative, are unsure how to vote, there is a pretty simple solution. My wise wife, the primary decision-maker in our family, says, “Make a list!”

What do you really want? What is most important to you? When you have to make a choice, just list your priorities in order and it will point you to the right decision. Hillary, or Donald? (There is no other choice – one of them will win, so failure to vote for one is a vote for the other).

If your top priority is your job, income, and financial security, which candidate would be better for your pocketbook? Who would increase or decrease government spending, and your tax bill? Who is more likely to protect your job from being taken by a legal or illegal immigrant? Whose economic policies – government and court interference in business, fair trade practices with other nations, support for manufacturing and energy industries, etc. – would cause our economy (and your finances) to improve or decline? If you rely on government handouts for your income, you might prefer the candidate who would give you more money and free stuff. Keep in mind, though, your children, relatives and friends are paying your tab.

You might be more worried about the health and security of your family. Which candidate supports law and order and police departments? Who believes our national defense requires a strong and well-organized military and secure borders? Who would defend your right to own a gun for your own protection? Who has a better long-term solution for improving the quality and reducing the cost of health care?

Some voters’ top priority is one or more social issues. You might be upset by racial division, gender discrimination, global warming, abortion, freedom of or from religion, or the academic drift away from functional knowledge and toward “social enlightenment.” Which candidate is more likely to pit groups of Americans against each other, causing more friction, anger, and crime? Who has the right take on education? Who is more likely to “live and let live”, and not try to control our personal behavior?

A common complaint about both candidates is their apparent lack of “likeability”. If you think “niceness” is the most important job requirement for a president, put that at the top of your list. The same applies for trustworthiness. Both are pretty hard to quantify, but each candidate has a history that can be judged.

If you are already settled on the Hillary vs. Donald question, please pass this advice on to anyone in your circle of influence who is struggling with the decision, perhaps even to the extent that he or she is frozen and refuses to choose. Tell him or her: Make a list! Prioritize what you want from your president. Then decide, issue by issue, who is on your side. You might prefer either candidate on a given issue. That’s okay. Apply weight to the top part of your list, and ignore the bottom.

See? Decision-making is not so tough.

Tom Balek – Rockin’ On the Right Side

Make a wish baby, and I will make it come true
Make a list baby, of the things I’ll do for you
Ain’t no risk now, let my love rain down on you
We could wash away the past, so that we may start anew

Ambrosia – Biggest Part of Me

God, I love live music! Please check out this fantastic amateur video of David Pack (Ambrosia) and smooth-jazz saxophone goddess Mindi Abair at a little winery, singing and playing their butts off for a small but appreciative audience. This is how it’s done!

GOP Anti-Trump Insiders and Pundits – It’s Time to SHUT UP!

Posted on June 10, 2016 by Tom Balek Standard 4

network1024 Every day, day after day, the anti-Trump insider Republicans wail and moan, louder and longer. It’s beginning to sound like a teenage summer chainsaw movie. Or a difficult childbirth.

Paul Ryan calls Trump’s criticism of the Hispanic judge who is clearly politically aligned with Hillary Clinton “the textbook definition of a racist comment.”

After his failure floating the hopeless idea of a third-party candidate, Weekly Standard editor and #NeverTrump czar Bill Kristol now suggests that the likelihood of Trump’s impeachment is so great that the GOP insiders should be allowed to choose his running mate.

NewsMax quoted Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) saying, ‘”Trump would make a “terrible commander in chief” and the Republican Party would get “slaughtered” with him as the nominee, while Trump ripped Graham as a “disgrace,” a “nut job” and “one of the dumbest human beings I’ve ever seen.”‘

So-called “conservative” radio pundits like Steve Deace, Michael Medved and Glenn Beck are literally gurgling blood, such is their terror of a Trump presidency.

I have one question for all of you righteously indignant media opportunists who are doing everything humanly possible to damage Trump’s candidacy. What do you want?

Do you want Hillary to be elected? You say you don’t. You claim to know how calamitous another four or eight years of Democrat rule will be. You don’t deny the deadly impact that decades of Clinton appointees to the courts will bring. You know how corrupt the Clintons are, and have been, and can’t doubt that it would get worse – much worse. You admit Clinton has no clue about the economy and her foreign policy has been a disaster.

So what do you want?

There will not be a third-party candidate. There will not be an insurrection at the Republican convention that will yield a new nominee. Donald Trump will face Hillary Clinton in the election, and that is settled. It’s not good enough to say you just aren’t going to vote, because failure to vote for one is a vote for the other, and that is mathematical, metaphysical fact.

If you have any hope of being taken seriously, or maintaining your relevance in the media and in public life ever again, you have only one choice of action.

SHUT UP. NOW!

Tom Balek – Rockin’ On the Right Side

Hush, hush, keep it down now, voices carry
He said shut up – he said shut up!
Oh God, can’t you keep it down?
Voices carry!
Hush hush, voices carry!

Voices Carry – Til Tuesday

Illegal Immigrants: Don’t Rock the Boat

Posted on May 29, 2016 by Tom Balek Standard Reply

rock the boat At breakfast this morning my daughter was relating a conversation she had with a neighbor-friend who is a third-grade teacher at a predominantly Hispanic public elementary school. They were discussing the problems caused by the extensive federally-required testing of third graders – the loss of instruction time, the stress for students and teachers, the declining scores. Then the teacher made a startling observation.

“It’s not just the testing that’s a problem, ” she told my daughter. “I have a room full of kids who don’t value education. That’s because they come from families who don’t value education.” She said nobody at home speaks English, so the children have no interest in learning English, or much of anything else, at school. They don’t see anything at home that connects education to success in life or anything positive. “They act out all day. Our classroom is chaos, and we are not allowed to discipline because the school is afraid of legal action.”

Another friend of mine is a kindergarten teacher who teaches entirely in Spanish. Her students receive no English instruction. She reports the same lack of discipline and respect in her students, and suffered a serious physical attack by one of them. Her administration warned her to not report the incident to police or other authorities.

Both of these talented young teachers are now questioning the wisdom of their career choices.

After breakfast, I flipped through the Sunday morning news shows, landing on the Fareed Zakaria GPS report about discrimination. He pointed out that many more schools are now segregated than were before Brown vs. Board, and went on to say performance and outcomes in these “minority” schools is much worse than in “desegregated” schools. He carefully avoided one critical detail. The segregation in today’s schools is English-speakers vs. non-English speakers. American-born vs. (mostly) illegal aliens.

The other Sunday news shows all had the obligatory segments with talking heads explaining how Donald Trump has no chance to be elected president because he offended Hispanic voters by saying Mexican criminals have come across our open border. The news producers shelved the video showing protesters at a Trump rally assaulting police while waving Mexican flags.

My sensibilities were a little bit rocked by all this turbulence before my third cup of coffee. I had to say: this is just not working.

We can not leave our borders unprotected any longer. We can’t continue to pretend that these are only poor “refugees” wanting to celebrate America, to do the jobs we won’t do, and to help raise the tide that floats all boats. The boats that were already here are taking on water. We don’t have enough jobs for our own citizens. Our schools and support systems are sinking under the weight of foreigners, many of whom have no intention of assimilating.

I’m not a bigot or a selfish meanie. I’m not broad-brushing Hispanics or any other minority as terrible people. I’m not saying no more immigration, ever. All I’m saying is, what we’re doing now – unfiltered, uncontrolled mass immigration driven by liberal public benefit programs – is not working. It has to change before the boats all tip over.

Tom Balek – Rockin’ On the Right Side

Rock the boat, don’t rock the boat baby
Rock the boat, don’t tip the boat over
Rock the boat, don’t rock the boat baby
Rock the boat

Rock the Boat – the Hues Corporation

What If Our Government Ran Like A Business?

Posted on May 19, 2016 by Tom Balek Standard Reply

govt and business Our country was built on business. Free market, survival-of-the-fittest, improve-or-die business. The United States of America has always been the land of opportunity – a place where success is not only possible, but fully expected by those who follow the timeless and dependable business formula: work hard, be fair and honest, embrace change, meet the customer’s needs, strive for continual improvement. Roll up your sleeves, git ‘er done. Take care of business.

American business people know how to build success and wealth that is shared by all. It’s a perfect system, where vendors, employees, owners, and customers all benefit when the business model is executed right. Our Constitution was written by geniuses – all of them businessmen. It empowers individual citizens and protects our property rights, both of which build prosperity. The framers clearly viewed daily life as business.

We are, and always have been, good at business. So why do we suck so badly at government lately?

GDP growth is stagnant. As our labor participation rate shrinks, our debt explodes. Real wages and buying power have plummeted. Federal government gets bigger while the quality of its work gets worse. Our military has atrophied, our infrastructure is pathetic by international standards, and we have achieved banana-republic corruption status. TSA security lines at airports are three hours long. Our government can’t control our borders, but they are laser-focused on who goes in which bathroom.

It seems like our federal government can’t get anything right these days. Maybe it’s because we haven’t had any business people running the show for a long time. Washington, DC is now bulging with academics, lawyers, and career politicians.

If a business leader were in charge of our federal government, he or she would find a world of opportunities for easy and quick improvement.

A business leader would establish accountability. In business, if an employee or a manager is given adequate resources and training and still doesn’t get the job done, he or she is fired. In the federal government nobody is fired – ever – no matter how egregious their performance or corruption. We can no longer afford government employee unions. The outrageous pay rates and guaranteed benefits, the horrendous productivity, the protection of bad employees and the corrupt crony connections between government unions and politicians must stop. Without the drag of government unions, the cost of government could be significantly and quickly reduced, and performance improved.

A business leader would face fiscal realities. Unlike the current group of academic dreamers and socialists in government who think throwing taxpayer money at any problem will solve it, business people know that money does not grow on trees or printing presses and does not magically cure every hiccup. Believe me when I tell you that no company (at least none that survives) budgets like our government does. Can you imagine Ford increasing its budget for production of each model by 15% every year, regardless of sales and profit? Of course not. Ford, and every other company, large and small, operates by zero-based budgeting. Every department or product must justify every dollar spent with performance and profit, every year.

A business leader would set and maintain priorities, and establish a functional management structure. Sadly, our federal government has become a patchwork of obsolete and redundant agencies and departments with overlapping or obsolete agendas and nobody really in control. Survival and success in government work relies on political connections, not performance. Bureaucrats are rewarded based on the number of employees they acquire, not on their accomplishments – and certainly not for efficiency! Every successful private enterprise has a business plan. We need a government plan, with real and measureable objectives, and a solid management framework to ensure that the objectives are met.

Government insiders, and most liberals, would argue that government can’t be run like a business, because it does not exist to react to consumer demand and offer a product. I disagree. Citizens have needs that must be supplied by the federal government, and they are set forth in the Constitution. Unfortunately, our behemoth government cranks out mountains of products that we don’t want or need, and does a pretty lame job of providing the services we do. Some will say that most of the cost of government is “entitlements” that can’t be reduced. That’s BS. Built into the cost of entitlements is a huge bloat of inefficiency, fraud, and corruption.

Of course the nation’s executive must share power with Congress. But that’s no different than a private business being driven by consumer demand. The leader must have vision and the ability to direct and motivate others.

If Donald Trump is elected, we may have the opportunity to see if our government can be run more like a business, and if that results in improvements for American citizens.

Tom Balek – Rockin’ On the Right Side

And I’ll be taking care of business (every day)
Taking care of business (every way)
I’ve been taking care of business (it’s all mine)
Taking care of business and working overtime! Watch out!

Bachman Turner Overdrive – Takin’ Care of Business

T-Rex Trump Devours Low-T Ryan

Posted on May 11, 2016 by Tom Balek Standard 3

Ryan vs Trump Paul Ryan attended the University of Miami (Ohio) where he got a degree in economics and political science and worked for John Boehner’s congressional campaign. After graduation he immediately moved to Washington, DC and became enmeshed in the Republican machinery. But for a short stint selling hot dogs, Ryan has never held a non-government job. In 1998 he ran for Wisconsin’s first district congressional seat, and won. Since then he, like most incumbents, has been repeatedly re-elected, and in October of last year he replaced his old friend Boehner as Speaker of the House, causing a uproar among grassroots conservatives. He promised to bring “regular order” back to Congress, whereby the budget would be broken into spending bills which would by voted upon individually. Instead, he rammed through another hideous “omnibus” spending bill chock full of Boehneresque pork and political paybacks. Like his predecessor, Ryan has shown no desire to stand up to the Obama juggernaut of executive overreach. Now Ryan says he is “not ready to support” Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican candidate for president. (170 words)

Ryan is a Washington Insider. (5 words)

Ryan was elected to Congress by receiving a few hundred thousand votes in his Wisconsin district. Trump, meanwhile, is set to smash GW Bush’s all-time record of almost 11 million Republican primary votes nationwide. Despite his delusions of grandeur, “Low-T” Ryan’s position on the political food chain is significantly beneath than that of “T-Rex” Trump. While a few conservative members still sheepishly defend their support of Ryan’s speakership, many have already had enough, and there are whispers in the DC jungle of an insurrection.

Like many other Washington Insiders, Ryan thinks it is still safe to look down his nose at Trump and Trump’s legions of supporters. His arrogance is exactly why Trump enjoys such historic public acclaim. They still don’t get it. And if they don’t get it pretty soon, they risk extinction.

T-Rex Trump, ever the populist, knows what’s bugging voters. While Ryan and the Insiders whimper that government will have to cut back benefits for seniors, Trump says let’s rev up the economy. As the Insiders fuss over how many hundreds of transgendered Mexican environmentalist college safe-zone dwellers they can win over from the Democrats, Trump invites the every-man masses to join him in making America great again. While the insiders fear alienating women voters, Trump promises to protect them from invading hordes of Muslim immigrants, many of whom believe in the systemic abuse of women (and gays).

Sorry, Paul Ryan. T-Rex Trump is stomping around the jungle, hunting for breakfast, and you Insiders are looking pretty tasty.

Tom Balek – Rockin’ On the Right Side

Open the door, get on the floor
Everybody walk the dinosaur!

Walk the Dinosaur – Was (Not Was)

Let’s get funky with Was (Not Was)! Get up out of your chair, get your blood pumpin’ a little bit!

Trump’s Promise to Put “America First” – End of the World?

Posted on April 28, 2016 by Tom Balek Standard 1

I watched Clarence Mason’s interview on Lou Dobbs tonight. Mason’s enthusiastic support for preserving our traditional values and way of life was stimulating and inspirational.

Dobbs was reporting on Donald Trump’s foreign policy speech, in which Trump said his priority would be to put “America First” in any foreign policy decisions. Dobbs asked Mason what he thought of Trump’s pro-America stance, and it was like lighting a fuse under a bank of July Fourth fireworks.

“Of course we should put America first!” Mason cheered, explaining that he is tired of everybody blaming America for every problem in the world. He proclaimed his pride in the USA and his desire to rebuild our economy by taking a fresh look at foreign trade, mass immigration, and one-sided military agreements. He clearly reveled in what he sees as Trump’s common-sense mix of protectionism and patriotism.

Trump’s proclamation drew immediate scathing rebuke from all directions. “Trump’s ‘America First’ Has Ugly Echoes From U.S. History”, was the headline slam from CNN. Reuters piled on with “Trump’s ‘America First’ Speech Alarms U.S. Allies”. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), one of 15 wanna-be presidential candidates who took a butt-whoopin’ by Trump, tweeted “Trump’s speech is pathetic in terms of understanding the role America plays in the world, how to win the War on Terror, and the threats we face.” (Full disclosure: I voted for Cruz over Trump in the South Carolina primary, but an enemy of my senator Graham is absolutely a friend of mine!)

But back to Clarence Mason.

I have been listening to pundits from Glenn Beck to Meghan McCain to Steve Deace wailing that Donald Trump’s popularity and ascent to the top of the presidential ticket is the end of the world as we know it. They insist that Trump will lose to Hillary Clinton because ALL women hate him and ALL Hispanics hate him and ALL blacks hate him.

Here’s a news flash. Clarence Mason – black guy. And there are many, many more like him attending Trump rallies and talking politics after church and on coffee break. Women too. And Hispanics. People of every race, gender, and income bracket. They are tired of the big-promises-no-results Republicans. They have learned the truth about the we’re-from-the-big-government-and-we’re-here-to-help-you Democrats. Just like the angry white males that the media claims are Trump’s only supporters, they are not going to get fooled again.

The pundits and the insiders are apoplectic. They can’t understand how, and they won’t admit, that Donald Trump is very likely to be our next president. But it’s really so simple. After years of being told that we are the scum of the Earth, we Americans – white, black, Hispanic, male and female – want a president who puts America first for a change.

Tom Balek – Rockin’ On the Right Side

It’s the end of the world as we know it.
It’s the end of the world as we know it.
It’s the end of the world as we know it,
And I feel fine!

It’s The End of the World As We Know It – R.E.M.

Will “Lucy” McConnell Pull The Football Away Again, Charlie Brown?

Posted on April 6, 2016 by Tom Balek Standard Reply

charlie brown football For the first time in a long while, Republican senators are actually sticking to the conservative game plan, holding the line on confirmation hearings for President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, Judge Merrick Garland, until after the election.

This week two Republican senators, Susan Collins (R-ME) and John Boozman (R-AR) attended what the White House called “courtesy visits” with Judge Garland. Four more are pending. But Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell insists that his players will not jump offside this time.

Despite White House cries of foul play, the freeze-out of the president’s nominee doesn’t seem to be gaining any yardage with the press or the public, providing a jolt of testosterone for McConnell’s usually-timid team.

Republican legislators have repeatedly folded to their outnumbered Democrat opponents on popular conservative issues like budget restraint, defunding Planned Parenthood, and stopping Iran’s nuke program. Even a chip shot like dropping the corrupt and obsolete Import-Export Bank was out of their reach. Conservative voters have had enough, and the ascent of outsiders Ted Cruz and Donald Trump to the top of the GOP presidential roster drives that message home to McConnell and friends.

Still, it’s hard to not feel a little bit like Charlie Brown running up to kick the football. Will “Lucy” McConnell pull it away at the last second like she always has before?

Tom Balek – Rockin’ On the Right Side

Take a minute to enjoy one
of my all-time favorite pieces
of music from the Charlie Brown
TV shows by jazz giant
Vince Guaraldi

Linus and Lucy – Vince Guaraldi