The snide April 18 Matson cartoon in the Trib was aimed at those of us who are offended by the big-spending priorities of our new president.

“Do you hate taxes? Hate government? Hate regulations? Love guns?” it asked, before jabbing:

“It’s better in Somalia.”

Well, no thanks, Mr. Matson. I’m not going anywhere.

Love guns?

I grew up during the Depression when wild dogs and coyotes plundered our baby lamb and kid goat crops, and predators such as mountain lions and diamondbacks roamed our land. You bet. I learned to shoot.

Regulations?

Well, we all know an orderly society needs them. But when they encroach on our rights and freedoms they become a problem and need some slicing and dicing.

Taxes?

Only an unrealistic star-gazer would deny ours are spiraling up the down staircase, funding handouts aplenty. It matters not who started this trend or who is most guilty.

The point is that irresponsible spending by out-of-control government must stop.

We can’t print enough money to pay our bills now. China watches and licks its greedy lips, knowing we could well become a Chinese satellite state due to our constant borrowing.

This is my way of saying: I’m tea’d off, like half a million Americans who participated in the recent Tea Parties. I was one of them.

I suspect most of these folks were aware they were treading on tax-funded locations which they were paying for through their own tax bills. What a phony non-issue.

To suggest that folk who believe in the Constitution and the First and Second Amendments relocate to a Third World country is a slap in the face for any and all.

Speaking of getting slapped:

The folks now running the Department of Homeland Security have deemed as “potential terrorists” people who are devoutly anti-abortion, who are anti-tax and pro-gun. The feds would include on the watch back-from-war members of our armed forces.

What an affront to freedom-loving people, and to those who have served our country honorably.

I once read, “A young person who is not a liberal has no heart. An older person who is not a conservative has no brain.” Interesting.

I have no intention of going to Somalia. I will continue to attend and support non-political tea parties despite attempts by some to brand me and others as anarchists.

As for the suggestion that I abandon my country, I think I’ll stick around and help make it right again.

Jo Ann Pulattie is a member of the Board of Contributors, Central Texans who write columns regularly for the Tribune-Herald. She is a retired school teacher.