MT Senate Candidate Confuses Tea Party with Taliban

Posted on November 7, 2013 by Tom Balek Standard 1

Tea-Party-Taliban John Bohlinger was once lieutenant governor of Montana – a Republican who shared quarters with Democrat governor Brian Schweitzer. Strange bedfellows?

Maybe not so much.

Bohlinger is running for Montana’s US Senate seat – as a Democrat. And his first official act as a member of the progressive party is to bash the Tea Party. Despicable, but true to form.

My knuckles were white as I wrote our response:

On Tuesday, former Lieutenant Governor John Bohlinger announced his candidacy for the Montana US Senate seat in next year’s election. Today Bohlinger told Chuck Johnson, Lee Newspaper Capital Bureau Chief, that his decision to run was driven by last month’s federal government shutdown, which he blamed on the “Tea Party Taliban”. He said the Tea Party thought the shutdown was “clever” and “cute”.

It appears that Mr. Bohlinger’s campaign will consist of the same kind of inflamed rhetoric that currently paralyzes our capital. His alarming lack of understanding of both the Taliban and the Tea Party does little to qualify him as a candidate for such an important office, and insults Montanans who actually fought the Taliban in Afghanistan.

The Taliban is a violent terrorist organization of religious extremists who routinely torture and murder innocent men, women and children. Women, gays, and anyone who opposes their oppressive Sharia laws have no rights under Taliban rule.

The Tea Party is made up of concerned American citizens who support the US Constitution, including its carefully designed citizens’ rights and limits on the scope of government. We are opposed to government fraud, corruption and waste, and seek fiscal accountability. We are concerned about profligate government spending, our unsustainable $17 trillion debt, and the mismanagement of our national economy, recently epitomized by the disastrous Affordable Health Care Act. We want our children and grandchildren to enjoy a standard of living at least somewhat commensurate with our own.

If asked, Mr. Bohlinger would say he supports the Constitution. He would most likely claim to oppose government waste and fraud. And he may have good intentions for his children and grandchildren.

The Montana Tea Party Coalition asks Mr. Bohlinger if that makes him a member of the Taliban, too.

Yeah, kinda makes me so mad I want to just go out and behead some women and kids.

Tom Balek – Rockin’ On the Right Side

Now it cuts like a knife
But it feels so right
It cuts like a knife
But it feels so right

Cuts Like A Knife – Bryan Adams

And They Blame the TEA PARTY?!

Posted on October 29, 2013 by Tom Balek Standard 3

blame-game Tea Party conservatives think our government is too big and inefficient, it wastes tons of hard-earned taxpayer money, and it is destroying our economy by trashing the dollar while doing nothing to promote growth and employment. We believe in personal responsibility, free markets, and taking care of only those who truly need and deserve help. We would like our kids and grandkids to have a shot at a decent standard of living.

More people now receive entitlement checks than full-time paychecks, and the national debt continues its meteoric rise. But when is the last time you heard anybody – ANYBODY in the government or the media – express interest in doing something about jobs and the economy?

Our nation is going to hell in a jet-fueled handbasket, and instead of working toward solutions, all fingers point to blame the Tea Party. Somebody tell me: How does anybody find fault with the Tea Party’s economic principles? If you disagree with anything I said in the first sentence above, please e-mail me or call me on my Obama Phone. I welcome the debate.

The media and the Democrats are terrified of the Tea Party and continue their wild-eyed personal attacks.

Recently the Beltway Republicans have decided the Tea Party is a threat to their re-election – a higher priority than doing actually something constructive while in office.

Now large business groups are turning on the Tea Party as well.

What do they fear? What harm could come to any American from embracing the conservative fiscal principles of the Tea Party?

Is it wrong to allow working men and women to keep more of their earnings with which to take care of their own families? Do they think the government cares more about children than parents? Could they possibly believe that we can just keep printing money until everybody is stinking rich, with no repercussions? Are Americans now so pathetic that we have to rely on the government to feed, clothe, house, and care for us all, cradle to grave?

If you think the Tea Party is the problem, please go back to the top of this article and read it again.

But if you agree with us, please teach your children and your friends. Stand up and defend us. Better yet, join us – before it’s too late.

Tom Balek – Rockin’ On the Right Side

Don’t blame me if I just don’t like it that way,
Please let me go, don’t ask me to stay,
I’m beggin’ you please, just don’t blame me!

Don’t Blame Me – Little River Band

The Political Winds Are Changing

Posted on September 5, 2013 by Tom Balek Standard 1

CONSERVATIVE GOOD NEWS HEADLINES TODAY

“SENATORS CHALLENGE KERRY’S SYRIA CLAIMS – (McClatchy Washington Bureau) – Senators from both parties pressed President Barack Obama’s top Cabinet offices Tuesday to provide guarantees that no U.S. troops would be sent to Syria . . . ” We can’t afford any more lame attempts at nation-building or world-policing. Let’s build some infrastructure here instead of in the Middle East for a change.

“NC HOUSE VOTES TO OVERRIDE 2 VETOES BY MCCRORY – Charlotte Observer – The (NC) state House on Tuesday took little more than half an hour to override the governor’s vetoes of two bills, on immigration and drug-testing welfare recipients . . . The votes marked the first split between Republican lawmakers, who control the General Assembly with a veto-proof majority, and the new governor of the same party.” Isn’t it refreshing that Republicans are beginning to self-police? Those whose main interest is re-election must be replaced or overruled by elected officials who stand on conservative principles.

“CITY’S STREETCAR MISSES GRANT, SUFFERS SETBACK – Charlotte Observer – “. . . the city would use $63 million in reserve funds and also apply for a $63 million federal TIGER grant.” These federal grants are so out of control – why should taxpayers in Billings pay for a boondoggle streetcar project in Charlotte? Or vice-versa? Grant money does not grow on trees – it comes out of family budgets.

Last weekend I attended the “Saving the American Dream Summit” in Orlando, where two potential Republican contenders for the 2016 presidential race learned that the Republican “base” has turned resolutely to the right. Sen. Marco Rubio was met with a strident chorus of “No Amnesty!” calls throughout his speech, and the large crowd erupted into applause when Gov. Rick Scott was admonished to “Stop Common Core”.

I sense a definite turn in the political winds, as lately we see incumbent liberals deflecting scandals and questions about their motives, and squishy Republicans facing a recharged constituency that demands adherence to true conservative principles.

Tom Balek – Rockin’ On the Right Side

The wind of change
Blows straight into the face of time
Like a storm wind that will ring
The freedom bell for peace of mind

The Wind of Change – the Scorpions

Rep. Pittenger (R-NC) Throws In the ObamaCare Towel

Posted on August 21, 2013 by Tom Balek Standard 3

To his credit, US House Rep. Robert Pittenger (R-NC) is facing his constituents at a half-dozen town hall meetings this month while most of his counterparts in Congress are on vacation, stoking barbecues and fishing. I attended one of his meetings at the Mathews Town Hall this evening, and understood why most legislators are spending the month out of the public eye.

Pittenger was braced for confrontation even before the event began. He had prepared a brief two-part introduction: 1) he demanded that the audience be “civil”, and 2) he only wanted to spend a minute or so on any given topic. Pittenger knew there was one question burning in the minds of most attendees, and he knew his position was not popular with the group, which I would characterize as two-thirds Tea Party and Conservatives, and one-third Democrats and moderate Republicans.

The first volley was predictable, in light of earlier criticism leveled at the Congressman: “Will you vote for a House bill that funds the entire requested appropriation only if ObamaCare is defunded?” As the crowd roared its approval, Pittenger dismissed the issue with a wave of his hand. “No,” was the answer. “The political reality is that such a bill can’t be passed.”

“I voted against funding ObamaCare 15 times,” he repeated several times during the discourse. Critics noted that it is easy to vote for no-risk bills that clearly will not pass the Senate or be signed by the President, but much harder to take a principled stand that could result in shutting down the government.

He repeatedly called out critics with the line, “Do you really want to stop the paychecks of our soldiers in Afghanistan?” He did not ask if the group would mind emptying some desks in the nation’s capital, or cutting back on any of the numerous corrupt, obsolete, frivolous and costly federal programs.

Pittenger insisted that there is no chance to get such a bill through the Senate and the President, despite protests from the audience that it would be the Democrats who be risking public condemnation for “shutting down the government.” Several conservatives in the audience chided Pittenger for lack of courage. “We weren’t expected to win the Revolutionary War either,” said one. “But we kept fighting.”

Pittenger urged the group to support Republican candidates, instead of “standing around and beating your chests”. He exhorted them to express their frustrations to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, rather than to him. And he defended his conservative voting record, citing a 100% rating from the Heritage Action Scorecard so far this year.

Congressman Pittenger is opposed to Common Core and insists on securing the borders before considering any amnesty for illegal immigrants. He smacked all of the conservative fastballs thrown his way out of the park. Except one. And that one left conservatives filing out of the Mathews Town Hall shaking their heads.

Tom Balek – Rockin’ On the Right Side

So let’s leave it alone,
‘Cause we can’t see eye to eye.
There ain’t no good guys,
There ain’t no bad guys.
There’s only you and me and we just disagree.

We Just Disagree – Dave Mason

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

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

Sex, Monkeys, and Our Tax System

Posted on September 17, 2012 by Tom Balek Standard 1

There is a colloquialism that accurately describes our process of calculating, filing, and paying our federal taxes. I can’t say the term in mixed company, but it involves a large number of simians all having sexual relations at the same time.

There are so many things wrong with the IRS, our tax codes, and our attitudes about how we funnel money to our government, that this is one of those “Don’t Get Me Started” things.

Too late, I started.

At last estimate, only about 36% of taxpayers prepare their own returns. Most Americans would rather pay somebody else to file their returns than do it themselves, blindly trusting that the tax preparer will accurately calculate the correct tax. Many advertize that they will get you a bigger refund than the tax guy down the street! The taxpayers don’t know how to file, don’t want to know, and will do anything to avoid it, including handing over their checkbooks to a total stranger named Block.

Waterboarding? Ha! They should have made Khalid Sheik Mohammed fill out a Schedule D!

We are not only forced to pay part of our hard-earned money to the government, we are also forced to pay somebody else to decide how much we are forced to pay to the government! Even though many taxpayers could file a simple, one-page “simple” form, they are too afraid. Or they have gone to public schools, where learning about anything with a dollar sign attached is really frowned upon.

Business tax reporting is even worse.

For instance, when a business buys equipment, it can “write off” the cost over a period of years, which reduces income and, thereby, taxes. If the government allowed the entire cost to be deducted immediately, it would seriously reduce their cash flow. So our big-spending brothers and sisters in DC make businesses spread the cost over a number of years. How many years? Well, nobody knows. There is no chart where you can look up the depreciation percentage or number of years for, say a new widget-making machine. There are chapters and paragraphs and exceptions and alternatives and recaptures – but nowhere is there a simple chart that a human being can understand. Only the accountants can conjure up an answer, and ten different accountants will come up with ten different answers. The IRS doesn’t really care – ten IRS agents will come up with ten more completely different answers.

Even more strange – our tax “police” send out checks to anybody and everybody who requests a refund, without checking first to see if the filer is a citizen, has a job, or has already received thousands of refunds at the same address. The IRS doesn’t even attempt to collect the $1 billion in past due taxes owed by federal employees – Geez, guys, all you need to do is deduct them from their paychecks!

All I can say about our tax system is HOW BIZARRE! Candidates talk about more taxes or less taxes. But why isn’t anybody (other than Herman Cain) talking about our crazy tax system?

Tom Balek – Rockin’ On the Right Side

Ooh baby, it’s making me crazy
Every time I look around, it’s in my face
How bizarre! How bizarre, how bizarre!

How Bizarre – OMC

Yes Mom, He’s An Axe Murderer, But He’s So Cute!

Posted on September 14, 2012 by Tom Balek Standard 5

We bumped into a new neighbor the other day. After some chit-chat the conversation turned, predictably, to the sour economy – unemployment, inflation, the debt. The neighbor mentioned the weak real estate market and how difficult it is to sell or buy a house.

My wife chimed in, “I think everybody is waiting until after the election to make any major financial move.”

The neighbor said, “Yes, I know everybody wants Obama out because his policies have been terrible for the economy.” We agreed, assuming we had met a fellow conservative.

She continued, “I voted for Obama last time. And I suppose I will have to vote for him again.” My wife and I gave each other a puzzled look. “Why?” we asked.

“Well, I just couldn’t vote for Romney because of the way he flaunts his wealth.”

Huh?

My mind reeled at all the problems with this statement. Even if it were true, how is having money you earned yourself worse than deliberately destroying the wealth of American families?

When Romney was governor of Massachusetts he refused to take a salary. He also managed the Winter Olympics without pay. And he donated every dollar of his inheritance to charity. Stories of Romney’s incredible anonymous philanthropy are beginning to surface. Flaunt his wealth? Are Michelle’s expensive vacations not flaunting? Is sending a government jet to pick up Barack’s dog not flaunting?

And besides, what the hell difference does it make? We have important problems to solve!

I’m befuddled as to why people vote the way they do. It’s mind-boggling.

What is more important than the looming bankruptcy of the largest economy on the planet? Does it really matter who pays for Sandra Fluke’s birth control pills? Do you vote for somebody only because of his or her sex, or race, or personal appearance?

President Obama’s policies have been a dismal failure, resulting in annual deficits exceeding $1 trillion and driving our nation into a disastrous, perhaps irreversible decline. He shows no interest in straightening out the mess. And yet Obama continues to lead in the polls because he is “likeable.”

At the DNC in Charlotte, Peter Schiff interviewed a couple dozen delegates – these are the Democrat party’s best and brightest. With a big grin, he asked each of them, “Do you think corporate profits should be banned?” Every one, without hesitation, said, “Of course! That’s a great idea!”

This is the “new” American voter. God help us.

Tom Balek – Rockin’ On the Right Side

Don’t say nothin’ bad about my baby
Don’t say nothin’ bad about my baby
He’s good – he’s good to me –
And that’s all I care about!

Don’t Say Nothin’ Bad About My Baby – the Cookies

Yeah, Right, We Hate Women and Kids

Posted on September 11, 2012 by Tom Balek Standard Reply

Conservatives are big meanies, right? We hate women, and minorities and children. We want dirty air and water, and we would throw Granny over the cliff in a heartbeat. All because we want to take money from poor people and give it to rich people.

Today I took my two-year old twin grandkids out for their first fishing experience. It was Grandpa heaven – digging the worms, baiting the hooks, enjoying the warm sunshine on the dock with a picnic lunch. Lydia caught a fat little catfish right away, and minutes later Conrad caught a perch. They were mesmerized, and Grandpa was a hero. “Goodbye, Mr. Fish,” they waved, as we threw them back in the water to get bigger for next time.

Yeah, I kind of care about these little guys. So much that I will do anything to protect them and their futures. I am compelled to work toward reducing the debt so they won’t be burdened with crushing taxes. I want to strengthen our private sector economy so they can have meaningful jobs and live in a secure, prosperous nation. I am driven to improve our educational system so their adult lives will be rich and rewarding. I would never condone anything in their environment that would harm them in any way.

Liberals, you can accuse me, and my fellow conservatives, of a lot of things. But let’s drop the crap about how we hate women and children.

Tom Balek – Rockin’ On the Right Side

Here’s a song I wrote for the kids a while back, looking forward to this day!

Let’s go fishin’, it’s a beautiful day
There’s not a single cloud in the sky, now, what do you say?
Nothin’ better than a fish on your line
Just take him off and throw him back, he’ll be bigger next time

Let’s Go Fishin’ – Tom Balek

How’s This For A Plan? STOP!

Posted on September 9, 2012 by Tom Balek Standard Reply

I’m tired of hearing Democrats insisting that the Republicans and conservatives “have no plan”.

The liberal solution to every issue, question, and challenge is a new government “program” that will spend more money and will live forever, even after it fails or is obsolete. Education is failing? We must not be spending enough. Our GDP is not growing? More government spending. Our favorite socially-engineered industry (green energy) can’t compete in the real world? Give them more public money.

So when a Republican does not propose a new “program” featuring more government spending (and debt), that is the equivalent of “doing nothing” or “having no plan”.

Hogwash. Here’s a plan for you.

We must immediately STOP the ridiculous, wasteful government programs already in place that accomplish nothing. The liberals’ insistence that government spending spurs the economy is deceitful – every dollar government gives to one person or company was taken from another person or company, and a big slice is missing by the time it gets to the receiver due to waste, corruption, and inefficiency. Government spending, while sometimes necessary, is a proven drag on the economy. Raising taxes makes it worse, and printing and/or borrowing money to spur the economy just delays the pain.

The quid pro quo, pay-to-play, corrupt paybacks to unions, corporate donors, cronies, and special interest groups must be STOPPED now.

Let’s immediately STOP the attacks and roadblocks on our energy industry by the Obama administration via the EPA and other agencies and aligned special-interest groups. We have the resources and the technology to become the energy supplier to the world, and could do so quickly. What do they not like about more jobs, a positive balance of trade, and elimination of the dependence on hostile foreign suppliers?

We can and must immediately STOP the flow of illegal aliens across our borders, most of whom end up collecting welfare. This isn’t even a choice, as our laws and Constitution require it.

We must STOP throwing good money after bad, doing things the same way out of habit. We have to STOP politicizing and polarizing every issue and shouting at each other across the ideological divide without even listening for kernels of wisdom that might be on the other side.

And because the stakes are so high, and our fiscal crisis is so urgent, we must focus on economics and STOP wasting time on all the distractions and bogus issues – the class warfare, the make-believe “war on women”, the race-baiting. Unless we straighten out our fiscal mess, nothing else really matters.

One of the corny, childish jokes from the old Hee Haw television program (yes, you ARE old enough to remember) featured Archie Campbell as the country doctor. A different patient every week would complain, “Doc, it hurts when I do this.” The wise doctor would always give him a whack and yell, “Then DON’T DO THAT!” Not exactly rocket science, is it?