Southern Democrats called Abraham Lincoln a “sooty and scoundrelly abolitionist.” Winston Churchill was called a “fanatic” in his relentless effort to warn the world of Hitler’s evil intents in the early 1930’s. The Pharisees called Christ “demon possessed” and a drunkard.So I guess the recent tactics of Iowa State Senator Joe Bolkcom shouldn’t surprise me. In his recent editorial, Sen. Bolkcom resorted to calling Iowans who belong to Tea Party groups “fanatics,” “uninformed puppets” and “terrorists.” He also implied we were insane by not believing that age-old mantra of his party that government spending is the cure-all for any economic woes our country might encounter.
Sen. Bolkcom’s contorted logic is typical of his party as he accuses people who want the government to live within its means and Constitutional parameters (like non-government individuals and actual businesses in the real market place have to) as “dedicated to busting the economy.” Facts and economic principles are brushed aside by Sen. Bolkcom. Facts like the government’s mandate that banks go against sound lending principles and must lend money to borrowers whose credit was risky (Community Reinvestment Act, and other government regulatory legislation) are totally disregarded as to why the housing market went belly up.
We “fanatics” happen to believe leaving huge debt for your descendants (for multiple generations) is irresponsible and immoral. Because of our willingness to acknowledge these hard economic truths and a belief in America’s founding principles, Sen. Bolkcom says we are the “biggest threat to your job, your children’s future, and your own retirement.” No, we simply understand the basic laws of economics– that if you spend more than you make, you get yourselves into deep trouble. Who’s the real threat here? I’d say it is Sen. Bolkcom and men like him.
And herein lies the rub: Sen. Bolkcom’s socialist viewpoints collide with many other Americans who believe we own the money we make. True to his socialistic ideology, Sen. Bolkcom believes whatever money is generated in America belongs first to the government, so they can benevolently decide where to spend it in education, our health care, keeping the ozone layer intact, etc. Then they will allot to us whatever is left over. Another belief: anyone who makes more money than they do is the villain and the government bureaucrat “trying to redistribute the wealth” is the saint.
Just as Hitler said the Nazi’s “final goal was a radical reformation of Germany by legal means,” so too do politicians in Sen. Bolkcom’s camp mean to “radically transform America” using whatever means are at their disposal. So when Constitutionally-revering, patriotic Americans stand up to the likes of people like Sen. Bolkcom, they (Sen. Bolkcom and company) resort to name-calling, demonizing us and distorting the facts which shows how desperate they have become. Intellectual honesty, analyzing facts, and logically winning the argument are not in their repertoire. Maybe people who are called such names should simply wear it as a badge of honor, knowing that once again, history will bear out that people like Joe Bolkcom are on the wrong side of the issue.
Tammy Kobza
Sheldon Tea Party Patriots
