It is imperative that America’s military men and women receive the support they deserve for the sacrifices they have made. Our members of the Armed Forces have fought to preserve the freedoms we cherish and I believe Congress must be steadfast in honoring our commitment to them.

Here’s what Paulsen’s Congressional webpage says:

As elected officials one of our greatest responsibilities is to honor the service and sacrifice of our service members and their families. I take that commitment seriously and I am actively working to uphold that commitment already in Congress.

Sounds good, “right”? But how do Tweedle-Dee’s and Tweedle-GaffeMachine’s actual records look? Let’s look!!!

The Veterans Of Foreign Wars just happens to track who sponsors and co-sponsors bills that actually do things to honor the commitment to Veterans that Paulsen and Bachmann often claim to do – and they even have a swell webpage for voters to hold them accountable. Go ahead; click on “Elected Officials” an check on anyone in Congress you want to!

Here’s Paulsen’s page; now click on “Bills” and you’ll see a list under the headings “Bill Name” and “Co-Sponsor?”

And please note that after each and every single bill to help Veterans, under the “Co-Sponsor?” header is: “No”

And if you hit the “More Bills” icon, you’ll find that they still are all: “No”

No surprise there! But, what about Bachmann? Let’s look!!!

Here’s Bachmann’s page; now click on “Bills” and you’ll see a list under the headings “Bill Name” and “Co-Sponsor?”

And please note that after each and every single bill to help Veterans, under the “Co-Sponsor?” header is: “No”

All eleven – ELEVEN - of ‘em.

And if you hit the “More Bills” icon, you’ll find eight – EIGHT - more bills supporting Veterans, that Bachmann doesn’t support.

But, here’s the kicker – way at the bottom of the list, there actually are two bills that Bachmann did support – meaning as p*ss-poor of support Bachmann gave for Veterans, Paulsen was even worse.

Now, what are some of these Bills Paulsen and Bachmann won’t co-sponsor? Here’s just a couple:

H.R.2074 – Veterans Sexual Assault Prevention Act

H.R.115 – CHAMPVA Children’s Protection Act of 2011

H.R.865 To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend the work opportunity credit to certain recently discharged veterans

Paulsen & Bachmaann – talking the talk but not walking the walk.

No suprise there!

graphic via the amazing Tild)

(cross posted at MnProgressiveProject.com; comments welcome there)

Some folk know that the ol’ TwoPutter’s youngest child recently graduated college (thank God!) and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant (2LT) (thank GOD!!!). Da Kid reports for Active Duty next month; Da Kid knows that both Great GrandDaddys both were involved in WWI (the “War To End All Wars”); that GrandDaddyCap’nBob did five War Patrols in a submarine in the South Pacific during WWII; that UncleGatorDave and DaddyTwoPutt served…. and the ol’ TwoPutter was fortunate to get to know this ROTC Graduating Class.

But hey! This trip isn’t about Da Kid; this trip is the “warm-up” – Da Kid (as previously noted) doesn’t report for Active Duty as an officer in Uncle Sam’s military until the end o’ NEXT month!!! This trip (and blogpost, an subsequent tweets under the hashtag #RoadTrip2011WarmUp) is about a fellow graduating senior and fellow ROTC classmate o’ Da Kid’s; said fellow also bein’ a newly-minted 2LT!

Said 2LT called the ol’ TwoPutter and said: “Hey! TwoPutt!! How would you, like to accompany me, a freshly minted 2LT, on a Road Trip to Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio where I have to report for Active Duty on Friday?”

Ummm… I was speechless…..

For about 2 seconds.

#RoadTrip2011WarmUp, here I come!!!

Timing is a wonderful thing – last week, I wouldn’t be able to make the trip; next week, neither. This week? Sing it, Willie!!! “On the road again….”

And it just so happens, this weekend is the VFW’s National Convention. If you’re in San Antonio this Friday, look for me at Texas’ Oldest VFW Post

It’s an honor to escort the 2LT to Fort Sam for Active Duty- and hey! What a delightful warm up to #RoadTrip2011 – which will be traveling with Da (2LT) Kid to report for Active Duty in California!

And if you’re into a few “on the road again” yucks, like what’s for late lunch/early dinner later today, follow me on Twitter!

(cross posted at MnProgressiveProject.com; comments welcome there)

It’s mighty fine company Wisconsin Governor Scott “Baseball Bat” Walker is bein’ associated with these days….

(cross posted at MnProgressiveProject.com; comments welcome there)

He Was One of Us

By Lucian K. Truscott III

November 24, 1992

“A Gay Young Cavalryman”

How times change. The words above appear as the title of a song opposite page 1 of the brief memoir my father wrote of his service in the U.S. Cavalry between the two world wars. Can you imagine a song today called “A Gay Young Fighter Pilot — or Infantryman — or Leatherneck”?

I commanded an infantry rifle company in the first year of the Korean War. Among the 150 or so men I had with me on the tops of those mean mountains in that bitter cold was at least one gay soldier. All of the other 149 of us knew that if nothing else he was effeminate. That and his red hair are probably why I remember him so well after all these years.

I saw men ridiculing him to his face on occasion, as men will. You know: one hand on a hip, the other waving in the air with a limp wrist as the mimic took prim, mincing steps around him. And the first sergeant approached me one day and said, “Sir I think Wilson [not his name] is a goddam queer.” About all I could say was, “Well, Top, I guess there’s no damn law against it as long he’s doing his job.”

His job was BAR-man; the initials stand for Browning Automatic Rifle. It is a big weapon, weighing more than 20 pounds, but even at his size — about five-seven and 140 pounds — he carried the BAR in his squad. The weapon was so reliable and deadly that the Chinese invariably went for the BAR-man first.

But he did that job, which few men wanted, until a wet spring day in 1951, when I knelt down and looked at the small round hole dead center in his wet greenish-gray forehead below the line of his red hair. I noticed some of the men in his squad turning away from me so I wouldn’t see them crying softly as they put him on a litter so we could carry him with us. He was one of us, a soldier.

I’m as sure of the fact that he was gay as I am that he no doubt wasn’t the only one in the company, that he was a damned good soldier and that there were undoubtedly gay soldiers in the infantry battalion I commanded in Vietnam in 1967-1968. There are probably homosexuals in any group of a hundred or so men you assemble any place, any time.

A few years ago my son wrote a novel about a gay cadet at West Point and brought down the wrath of many graduates upon his (and my) head for even intimating that West Point ever had a homosexual cadet. And now looking back from the vantage point of 40 or 50 years of knowledge, experience and our society’s finally having let gays out of the closet, I’m certain that four general officers I knew (two of them very well) were gay; one was a highly decorated infantry officer in World War II.

I am surprised that the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Colin Powell, takes a stance against gays in the military. As a black officer, he must be more intimate with discrimination than most of us.

The argument seems to be that integration of gays will disrupt the discipline of an organization. Of course it will! Did the integration of blacks? You’re damned right it did! And still does to a degree. But the armed forces have controlled it and will continue to until the last of the bigots is gone and we finally have complete equality.

Why don’t we have the guts to admit that there always have been and always will be gays in our society? Admit it and treat them as men. They are, you know.

The writer is a retired Army infantry officer.

The writer was also correct.

And in the “Better Late Than Never” category, DADT has been replealed.

(cross posted from MnProgressiveProject.com; comments welcome there)

This video documents a few Veterans responses to Emmer saying, essentially, that Democrats, even military veterans, can’t be real patriots.

I’d like to remind everyone that on 07 April 1775, Samuel Johnson said that “Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.”

On 26 September 2009, Republican Candidate for Governor Tom Emmer demonstrated that he indeed is a scoundrel.

I paid for this with my dime. It’s not not approved by any candidate nor is any candidate responsible for it. It’s my deal and my deal only. Let’s look!

(YouTube direct link here)

(cross posted from MnProgressiveProject.com, please post comments there)

In addition to talking about important news, we’ll take a break from politics to have an in-studio conversation with one of Minnesota’s Citizen-Soldiers – Major Rickert – which we feel is fitting as a tribute to those who have worn the uniform on this day after Memorial Day. Major Rickert will be talking, among other things, about the recent alert that as many as 2,700 fellow Minnesotans may be deployed to Iraq and Kuwait as that war winds down.

We’ll also be joined in-studio by candidate for congress in Minnesota’s 2nd District, Dan Powers.

Mike is actually taking this week off; tomorrow MPP’s very own The Big E will be behind the microphone, and I’ll be covering again on Thursday and Friday!

While I’ll let The Big E write about what he’s got planned for tomorrow’s show, I do want to let folk know what we’ve got for Thursday – you’re not going to want to miss it!

We’re going to be interviewing (again!) best-selling author and weekly opinion columnist for the Wall Street Journal, Thomas Frank! Thomas Frank’s latest book is The Wrecking Crew – How Conservatives Ruined Government, Enriched Themselves, And Beggared The Nation”. Mr. Frank is a great conversationalist, and we’re lucky to have him on for a whole half-hour!!!

If you need a copy of “The Wrecking Crew”, AM950 sponsor CommonGoodBooks.com has it! They also have Frank’s other books, like “What’s The Matter With Kansas?”. Oh – and tell ‘em TwoPutt sent ya, will ya?

So tune in your radio today to AM-950, or listen live on your computer, here.

(cross posted from MnProgressiveProject.com; comments welcome there)

That was the scene at the entrance to last Saturday’s MnGOP Convention. Dusty Trice, noted and intrepid blogger and my “go to” in-the-field reporter for my radio show, has video – it’s beyond the fold.

A little background (as I’ve written about here and here and here):

Lieutenant Colonel Joe Repya was so disgusted by the (s)election of FEC Tony and MudSlingerMike (a/k/a, “The MSM”), that he published an op/ed in the PiPress on the reasons he was leaving the Republican Party, now led by FEC Tony and MudSlinger Mike (a/k/a, “The MSM”). While that Op/Ed is no longer available on the PiPress website, comments on that Op/Ed are. Nathan Hansen, GOP Deputy Chair of CD-4, did comment – here’s what he had to say:

I am Deputy Chair of the Fourth Congressional District and one of the newer anti-war Republican activists. It’s difficult for words to describe how happy I am that you are leaving our Party. The roots of your “neconservative” philosophy lie in Straussian Trotzkyite Communism. “Corporate money” influencing our Party? Nothing compared to the damage your military industrial complex (that Eisenhower warned us about) has wreaked on our Party and our Country.

I hope you will find a happy home among your fellow communists. Your days of endless illegal wars and military industrial complex domination of our party are over.
Obama is ramping up his War in Afghanistan and continues to illegally bomb Pakistan. Perhaps you can join him to satiate your bloodlust. (emphasis added) (PiPress)

That’s comment number 15 from the link, above.

Well, there’s a lot – a LOT – of veterans of the Viet Nam War that remember being greeted none-to-nicely, upon arriving “home.” Some of ‘em remember bein’ spit on – yes, literally SPIT ON – upon arriving home from rice paddys. And Nathan Hansen’s comments reminded them exactly of that – reminded them of bein’ SPIT ON.

As written before, how did ol’ FEC Tony handle Nathan Hansen figuratively spitting on Lieutenant Colonel Joe Repya in particular, and all – ALL – veterans in general?

Well, again – as I wrote: GOPer Party Official Trashes Veteran Joe Repya And Is Rewarded.

And that “reward” was a prestigeous committee chair assignment at last Saturday’s GOP Convention.

Now, to be fair, it should be noted that prior to the GOP Convention, Nathan Hansen did a non-apology apology.

Yeah, “right.”

That “Me-a Not-a Culpa” was B as in “Bull” and S as in “(stuff)” then and it still is now. Nathan Hansen may have apologized to veterans at the GOP Convention, but as of this writing, he still hasn’t apologized to Lieutenant Colonel Joe Repya, and he still has his B as in “Bull” and S as in “(stuff)” law suits going against veterans Joe Salmon and Richard Glasgow.

Which, of course, leads to the following conclusion: somehow, I don’t think Nathan Hansen’s ties to FEC Tony and MudSlingerMike (a/k/a “The MSM”) are going to be forgotten anytime soon.

Oh – and Dusty Trice’s video, of the Veterans protesting the MN GOP? Let’s look!!!

Say, Michael? You never served, nor did Nathan. Well, neither did ol’ FEC Tony, neither. Here’s something y’all should know: veterans got long memories.

(crossposted and comments welcome at MnProgressiveProject.com)

We’ve got a great show lined up! Major Baker from the Minnesota National Guard will be giving an update on where our Guard Members are serving overseas, and we’ll touch on communications in this digital age. Major Baker has earned a LOT of medals, including the Combat Action Badge; she is an American Hero.

Javier Morillo of SEIU’s Minnesota State Council will be joining us in-studio; somehow, I think the subject in the YouTube below will be part of our discussion!

Topics we might be talking about include the continuing Jack Abramoff Scandal – testimony is over in the Kevin Ring Trial and closing arguments are expected to begin Monday; Brian Falldin’s Challenge to Bachmann supporters; and the Military Veterans Rally tomorrow at the MnGOP Convention. As I understand it, anyone that supports our veterans are welcome to attend – but, if you only want to go for partisan political reasons, DON’T — support for those now serving and those who have served should be non-partisan, and that’s exactly what tomorrow’s rally is. I’ll be there to support as well as cover the event.

We’re definitely taking phone calls — the studio call-in number is 952-946-6205 — and we’ll probably play “False Or False Witness!” where one lucky caller will have to correctly identify if a quote I read was actually uttered by Michele Bachmann (answer “False Witness!”) or if yours truly, the ol’ TwoPutter, simply made it up (answer “false”). The fabulous prize awarded is one copy of Bill Prendergast’s exceptional comic book: False Witness! The Michele Bachmann Story (Part 1).

So, again, tune in the radio today to AM-950, or listen live on your computer, here.

And here’s that YouTube – let’s look!!!

(crossposted at MnProgressiveProject)

Dear American Hero,

I am not certain as to how to express my gratitude for all you have done to secure my freedoms. Please accept this simple card as a small token of my appreciation.

A grateful American citizen.

It was handed to me by someone while shopping; he noticed the hat I usually wear. I keep the card on my desk, where I’m writing this.

Richard’s website is called Dear American Hero, have your speakers turned down before you link. I talked to Richard earlier this week after receiving this Press Release:

GOP Party Leader Abuses Position to Trash Veterans, Receives Promotion

St Paul, MN – A ranking leader within the Republican Party of Minnesota used his elected capacity to openly attack veterans in a response letter to the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Nathan Hansen, Deputy Chair of the 4th Congressional District GOP, abused his leadership role to promote his personal antiwar agenda, proclaiming veterans to be “Communists”. Hansen’s response came to Lt. Col. Joe Repya’s June 2009 article, “Why I am Leaving the Minnesota GOP”. Hansen used his leverage as visible leader within the MN GOP to openly show disrespect for GOP members, American history and veterans’ service to America.

Repeated attempts to resolve this matter with the Minnesota GOP, regarding censorship and/or removal of Hansen, has resulted in little action. Furthermore, Hansen was subsequently appointed to a highly visible position within the state GOP leadership structure.

In response to this disparaging letter, veterans and other concerned citizens will be raising awareness of this issue at the Minnesota GOP Convention October 3, 2009, at the River Center in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota. This gathering of Patriots will begin at 7am and will last until Noon.

# # #

For complete information on this important issue please visit http://nathanhansenmustgo.info

I’ve written about LTC Joe Repya before, most notably here:

GOPer Party Official Trashes Veteran Joe Repya And Is Rewarded
by: TwoPuttTommy
Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 11:15:18 AM CDT

and here:

I Wrote The Post; Somebody ELSE Got Sued??!?
by: TwoPuttTommy
Mon Sep 14, 2009 at 11:39:58 AM CDT

In talking to Richard Glasgow, I not only found out he’s making 4 million – MILLION – more of those “Dear American Hero” cards, he, too, was served with legal papers by a guy MnGOP Deputy Chair Michael Brodkorb thinks is a “must read.”

Well, I guess when Nathan Hansen serves ya with legal papers, indeed that’s a “must read.” I’d go off about the GOP is constantly wailing and gnashing their teeth over “frivolous lawsuits” but Nathan Hansen, an elected GOP Party Official goes off and serves up what I’d call a frivolous lawsuit (a leagle beagle pal o’ mine read it and said technically it’s not “frivolous” – it’s “completely without merit”), but: that would be a tangent. Well, possibly a future blogpost, too…

Anyway, I also found out what I expected, that Dear American Hero is NON-partisan, even though Richard Glasgow is a Republican (and note I say “Republican”). Very simply, he is appalled that someone like Nathan Hansen, whom I gather to be a RonPaulRepublican, can not only trash a true American Hero like Joe Repya, but be rewarded by the likes of Michael Brodkorb and Tony Sutton. And Richard Glasgow told me anyone – ANYONE – that supports our troops and our veterans is welcome to attend.

I’ll be there; I’m going to talk a little about this on “Minnesota Matters” this Friday nite on AM-950 radio and then go cover it on Saturday morning, bright and early.

If you go (and if you support the troops and support our veterans and can go, you should go), look for me – I’ll be wearing the same hat I was when that kind gentleman handed me a card that read:

“Dear American Hero”

(cross-posted from MnProgressiveProject)

The Night of the Generals

The six retired generals who stepped forward last spring to publicly attack Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld’s handling of the Iraq war had to overcome a culture of reticence based on civilian control of the military. But while each man acted separately, all shared one experience: a growing outrage over the administration’s incompetence, leading some of the nation’s finest soldiers to risk their reputations and cross a time-honored line.

by David Margolick April 2007
(VanityFair.com)

“Those who forget the lessons of history, tend to vote GOP”