15
[1] A Newsletter for Conservative Republicans FLYING HIGH…AND DIGGING AND BORING TO KEEP BREVARD COUNTY RED AND GET CONSERVATIVES ELECTED Editor and Publisher: Stuart Gorin Designer and Assistant Publisher: Frank Montelione Number 88 March 2017 FLORIDA STATE LEGISLATURE OPENS IN TALLAHASSEE The 2017 session of the Florida State Legislative session opened in Tallahassee on March 7 with opening remarks by House Speaker Richard Corcoran and Senate President Joe Negron, followed by Republican Governor Rick Scott’s annual State of the State address. Republicans hold large majorities in both the 120-member House and 40-member Senate, and they will meet for 60 days. Corcoran urged the House to fight against special interests, and stressed his opposition to the Enterprise Florida and Visit Florida programs that Scott firmly supports. He also has accused the governor of trying to impose a property tax increase on Floridians to pay for an increase in public school spending. Scott and Negron both disagree, and say it’s not a tax hike. (Continued On Page 2) INSIDE: Liberty Issues For Legislature ..................... page 2 Trump Joint Session Remarks ..................... page 3 Leftist Attacks.............................................. page 5 Rogers, Davis Honored................................ page 6 CPAC Meeting ............................................ page 7 Political Cartoons and Photos ...................... pages 14 and 15 FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK: MY TWO CENTS By Stuart Gorin Once again, my liberal hometown “Florida Today” newspaper declined to print my letter to the editor. This one concerned last month’s Academy Awards Best Picture announcement fiasco, and I wrote: “Uncle Oscar must be spinning in his grave. But there is a simple way to resolve the embarrassment splice both films together and run them in theatres under the new title: “Moonlight Over La-La Land.” -0- Here’s a book that’s taking the nation by storm: “Reasons to Vote for Democrats: A Comprehensive Guide.” Daily Wire managing editor Michael Knowles “wrote” the book, which is described as “the most exhaustively researched and coherently argued Democrat Party apologia to date.” It features the image of a donkey and the Stars and Stripes on the cover and then consists of 266 pages that are blank, with only the book’s title printed at the top of each. One reviewer wrote: “You can’t judge a book by its cover.” -0- Wouldn’t it be fun if the Democrat presidential ticket in 2020 consisted of the junior senator from Minnesota and the head of the Green Party as his running mate? Instead of Al-Jill, the bumper sticker could read Franken-Stein! -0- More Two Cents next month.

A Newsletter for Conservative Republicans - …thetusk.org/March 2017.pdfA Newsletter for Conservative Republicans ... Joe Negron, followed by ... State Senator Debbie Mayfield and

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[1]

A Newsletter for Conservative Republicans

FLYING HIGH…AND DIGGING AND BORING TO KEEP BREVARD COUNTY RED AND GET CONSERVATIVES ELECTED

Editor and Publisher: Stuart Gorin Designer and Assistant Publisher: Frank Montelione

Number 88 March 2017

FLORIDA STATE LEGISLATURE OPENS IN TALLAHASSEE

The 2017 session of the Florida State Legislative session

opened in Tallahassee on March 7 with opening remarks by

House Speaker Richard Corcoran and Senate President

Joe Negron, followed by Republican Governor Rick

Scott’s annual State of the State address.

Republicans hold large majorities in both the 120-member

House and 40-member Senate, and they will meet for 60 days.

Corcoran urged the House to

fight against special interests,

and stressed his opposition to

the Enterprise Florida and Visit

Florida programs that Scott

firmly supports. He also has

accused the governor of trying

to impose a property tax

increase on Floridians to pay for an increase in public school

spending. Scott and Negron both disagree, and say it’s not a

tax hike.

(Continued On Page 2)

INSIDE:

Liberty Issues For Legislature ..................... page 2

Trump Joint Session Remarks ..................... page 3

Leftist Attacks .............................................. page 5

Rogers, Davis Honored ................................ page 6

CPAC Meeting ............................................ page 7

Political Cartoons and Photos ...................... pages 14 and 15

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK:

MY TWO CENTS

By Stuart Gorin

Once again, my liberal hometown

“Florida Today” newspaper declined to

print my letter to the editor. This one

concerned last month’s Academy

Awards Best Picture announcement

fiasco, and I wrote: “Uncle Oscar must be spinning in his grave.

But there is a simple way to resolve the embarrassment – splice

both films together and run them in theatres under the new title:

“Moonlight Over La-La Land.”

-0-

Here’s a book that’s taking the nation by

storm: “Reasons to Vote for Democrats: A

Comprehensive Guide.” Daily Wire

managing editor Michael Knowles “wrote” the book, which is described as

“the most exhaustively researched and

coherently argued Democrat Party

apologia to date.” It features the image of

a donkey and the Stars and Stripes on the

cover – and then consists of 266 pages that

are blank, with only the book’s title printed at the top of each.

One reviewer wrote: “You can’t judge a book by its cover.”

-0-

Wouldn’t it be fun if the Democrat presidential ticket in 2020

consisted of the junior senator from Minnesota and the head of

the Green Party as his running mate? Instead of “Al-Jill”, the

bumper sticker could read “Franken-Stein”!

-0-

More Two Cents next month.

[2]

“Right now,” Corcoran said, “there are some who are

suggesting that we pass the largest budget in history. We will

not. We will not. Instead of spending more money, we will

fight to eliminate waste from the budget.” He added, "When

we began this journey together, we promised to be better, to

do things differently, and to reach for a higher standard, and

we will.”

Negron said his top priorities in the

State Senate would be higher education

and environmental issues. He said he

wants to turn Florida’s universities into

“elite destinations,” and make sure that

no one is denied a university education

for economic reasons or where they

come from.

On the environment, he talked about his disgust over watching

pollution from Lake Okeechobee making swimming

dangerous, and that in Martin County hospitals, patients had

to fill out a questionnaire to see if they had come into contact

with area algae-infested water supplies before they could be

treated.

“Let’s stop the Lake Okeechobee discharges,” Negron said.

He is pushing a $2.4 billion water storage plan south of Lake

Okeechobee that is aimed at reducing polluted water

discharges into lakes and estuaries to the east and west of the

lake. To help pay for the cost, he is looking toward

Amendment 1, which was approved by 75 percent of voters in

2014. That amendment was passed with the promise of

increasing spending on land and water conservation.

In his remarks, Scott, whose motto is

“Jobs, Jobs, Jobs,” said, “We have

worked so hard to grow jobs and

together, we have been able to

implement policies that have turned

our economy around for our future

generations. But, we cannot stop now!

Florida’s businesses have created over

1.26 million private-sector jobs since I

was elected.”

Discussing Enterprise Florida, he said it has been responsible

for more than 900 projects during his term of office, “helping

businesses like Northrup Grumman, Lockheed Martin and

Hertz add thousands of high wage jobs in Florida. And, we

can easily show a great return on the investment of families’

tax dollars because jobs are being created by more companies

moving to our state.”

Scott added that he wants to be “very clear in acknowledging

that both Visit Florida and Enterprise Florida have made

mistakes along with their many successes over the years,” but

“just like we would do in the business world, we have made

changes at both agencies so the organizations can be more

efficient and transparent.”

Getting rid of Visit Florida and ending advertising for tourism,

he pointed out, “doesn’t make any sense in the real world.”

The program, he said, has been responsible for recruiting

record numbers of visitors to the state – including a record of

nearly 113 million last year.

He expressed pleasure that America elected as president “my

friend, Donald Trump, a businessman, and outsider like

myself,” and added that Florida is on the verge of becoming

the job creation capital of the world.

“We have cut taxes 55 times, saving families $6.5 billion

dollars,” Scott said, “but we must do more. This year, I am

fighting to cut taxes by $618 million to cut costs for small

businesses, students, veterans, teachers and families.”

Since Florida is now the only state in the nation to tax

commercial leases, the governor said, Our ‘Fighting for

Florida’s Future’ tax cut package will begin to repeal this

unfair tax to help small businesses.”

To ensure that Florida is the most military and veteran friendly

state in the nation, Scott said he proposes $102 million in the

budget “to support active military, veterans and their

families.” He also proposed a three-day sales tax holiday for

veterans and active service members.

“In order to keep fighting to support public safety in our

state,” Scott said, “we have to ensure Florida’s law

enforcement officers have the resources they need to curb

senseless violence and crime. That is why I have

recommended nearly $6 million for counterterrorism efforts

this year.”

The governor concluded his remarks by telling the legislators,

“Together, let’s picture a Florida where instead of the old,

closed government economy in Washington, we have a new,

innovative and open economy. Together, let’s picture a

Florida where instead of an old, closed education system, we

have a new and open system where we provide choices and

opportunities to every kid regardless of income or zip code.

And together, let’s picture a Florida where every single person

who wants to work has an opportunity to get a great job. We

are getting closer to painting this picture; let’s keep fighting

to make it a reality.”

IMPORTANT LIBERTY ISSUES FOR

FLORIDA LEGISLATURE DISCUSSED

Addressing the Republican Liberty Caucus

of Central East Florida (RLC-CEF) on

March 6 – the evening before the opening

of the state’s 60-day state legislature –

Liberty lobbyist John Hallman presented

an overview of the 12 major issues that will

be brought up at the session.

Hallman represents the Liberty First Network (LFN) – a

network of lobbyists, key organizations and grassroots

activists committed to ensuring that “freedom is guaranteed

[3]

and that our government is limited in a manner to not impede

on our liberty.” RLC-CEF maintains the same beliefs.

State Senator Debbie Mayfield and State Representative

Joe Gruters are committed to the issues of liberty, Hallman

said, and House Speaker Richard Corcoran wants to get rid of

corporate welfare programs and will not allow any last-minute

pork to be attached as an amendment to any bills before the

House.

With the state budget coming up, Hallman said he expects a

battle among Corcoran, State Senate President Joe Negron,

and Governor Rick Scott over proposed cuts and additions.

Following are the issues Hallman said are supported by LFN

and RLC-CEF:

1. The top priority is campaign finance reform, and ending

the laundering of special interests’ campaign funding

through political committees.

2. Repeal red light cameras, which he said are for revenue

enhancement, not safety.

3. 2nd Amendment preservation and protection, including

elimination of gun-free zones and allowing open carry

and campus carry.

4. Health Care, ensuring that direct primary care does not

constitute insurance, and is not subject to the state’s

insurance code.

5. Property Rights, including prohibiting local

governments from regulating vacation rentals.

6. Corporate Welfare, against Enterprise Florida giving

companies cash payments for relocating to the state. Not

only is it an inappropriate use of tax revenues, it also

hurts small business, he said.

7. Tax Revenues for Sports Franchises, calling for repeal of

revenue granted to billionaire owners for renovating

stadiums.

8. Regulatory Framework, including eliminating

unnecessary regulations to help growth, such as for

transportation network companies and craft breweries.

9. Judicial Term Limits, calling for no exemptions.

10. Education, calling for ending Common Core high stakes

testing, and promoting the use of vouchers and school

choice.

11. Conservation Lands, noting that government owns one-

third of the land in Florida, and there should be no more

purchases until the rest of the land is properly cared for.

12. Taxation, noting that a failure to roll back millage is

really a tax increase.

For more information on the organization, visit the website:

www.libertyfirstfl.org.

TRUMP DECLARES NEW CHAPTER OF

GREATNESS

Addressing a joint session of Congress plus a national

television audience on February 28, President Donald

Trump declared that “a new chapter of American greatness is

now beginning,” and “a new surge of optimism is placing

impossible dreams firmly within our grasp.”

It was not considered a State of the Union speech, since

Trump just took office.

The President said the United States must restore integrity and

the rule of law at its borders, and he asked lawmakers to

dramatically slash government spending, industrial regulation

and taxes. He also vowed to introduce a new merit-based

immigration system to regulate new arrivals and reduce the

flow of unskilled workers.

Urging Congress to budget $1 trillion for new infrastructure

and works programs and an extra $4 billion to upgrade the

military, which he said he would pay for by slashing

government spending elsewhere.

Following are excerpts of his nearly one-hour speech:

“I am here tonight to deliver a message of unity and strength,

and it is a message deeply delivered from my heart. A new

chapter of American greatness is now beginning. A new

national pride is sweeping across our nation. And a new surge

of optimism is placing impossible dreams firmly within our

grasp. What we are witnessing today is the renewal of the

American spirit. Our allies will find that America is once

again ready to lead.

All the nations of the world — friend or foe — will find that

America is strong, America is proud, and America is free. In

nine years, the United States will celebrate the 250th

anniversary of our founding, 250 years since the day we

declared our independence. It will be one of the great

milestones in the history of the world.

But what will America look like as we reach our 250th year?

What kind of country will we leave for our children? I will not

allow the mistakes of recent decades past to define the course

of our future.

For too long, we’ve watched our middle class shrink as we’ve

exported our jobs and wealth to foreign countries. We’ve

financed and built one global project after another, but ignored

[4]

the fates of our children in the inner cities of Chicago,

Baltimore, Detroit and so many other places throughout our

land.

We’ve defended the borders of other nations while leaving our

own borders wide open for anyone to cross, and for drugs to

pour in at a now unprecedented rate. And we’ve spent trillions

and trillions of dollars overseas, while our infrastructure at

home has so badly crumbled….

The stock market has gained almost $3 trillion in value since

the election on Nov. 8, a record. We’ve saved taxpayers

hundreds of millions of dollars by bringing down the price of

fantastic — and it is a fantastic — new F-35 jet fighter, and

we’ll be saving billions more on contracts all across our

government.

We have placed a hiring freeze on non-military and non-

essential federal workers.

We have begun to drain the swamp of government corruption

by imposing a five-year ban on lobbying by executive branch

officials — and a lifetime ban on becoming lobbyists for a

foreign government. We have undertaken a historic effort to

massively reduce job-crushing regulations, creating a

deregulation task force inside of every government agency

and we’re imposing a new rule which mandates that for every

one new regulation, two old regulations must be eliminated.

We’re going to stop the regulations that threaten the future

and livelihood of our great coal miners.

We have cleared the way for the construction of the Keystone

and Dakota Access Pipelines, thereby creating tens of

thousands of jobs. And I’ve issued a new directive that new

American pipelines be made with American steel.

We have withdrawn the United States from the job-killing

Trans-Pacific Partnership.

And with the help of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, we have

formed a council with our neighbors in Canada to help ensure

that women entrepreneurs have access to the networks,

markets and capital they need to start a business and live out

their financial dreams….

By finally enforcing our immigration laws, we will raise

wages, help the unemployed, save billions and billions of

dollars, and make our communities safer for everyone.

We want all Americans to succeed, but that can’t happen in

an environment of lawless chaos.

We must restore integrity and the rule of law at our borders.

For that reason, we will soon begin the construction of a great,

great wall along our southern border….

As promised, I directed the Department of Defense to develop

a plan to demolish and destroy ISIS, a network of lawless

savages that have slaughtered Muslims and Christians, and

men, women and children of all faiths and all beliefs. We will

work with our allies, including our friends and allies in the

Muslim world, to extinguish this vile enemy from our planet.

I have also imposed new sanctions on entities and individuals

who support Iran’s ballistic missile program, and reaffirmed

our unbreakable alliance with the state of Israel.

Finally, I have kept my promise to appoint a justice to the

United States Supreme Court, from my list of 20 judges, who

will defend our Constitution….

To launch our national rebuilding, I will be asking Congress

to approve legislation that produces a $1 trillion investment in

infrastructure of the United States, financed through both

public and private capital, creating millions of new jobs.

This effort will be guided by two core principles: Buy

American and hire American.

Tonight, I am also calling on this Congress to repeal and

replace Obamacare with reforms that expand choice, increase

access, lower costs and at the same time provide better health

care.

Mandating every American to buy government-approved

health insurance was never the right solution for our

country….

Here are the principles that should guide Congress as we move

to create a better health care system for all Americans.

First, we should ensure that Americans with pre-existing

conditions have access to coverage and that we have a stable

transition for Americans currently enrolled in the health care

exchanges.

Secondly, we should help Americans purchase their own

coverage, through the use of tax credits and expanded health

savings accounts, but it must be the plan they want, not the

plan forced on them by our government.

Thirdly, we should give our state governors the resources and

flexibility they need with Medicaid to make sure no one is left

out.

Fourth, we should implement legal reforms that protect

patients and doctors from unnecessary costs that drive up the

price of insurance and work to bring down the artificially high

price of drugs and bring them down immediately.

And finally, the time has come to give Americans the freedom

to purchase health insurance across state lines which will

create a truly competitive national marketplace that will bring

costs way down and provide far better care….

We have to unify. Police and sheriffs are members of our

community. They’re friends and neighbors, they’re mothers

and fathers, sons and daughters, and they leave behind loved

ones every day who worry about whether or not they’ll come

home safe and sound. We must support the incredible men and

women of law enforcement.

[5]

And we must support the victims of crime. I have ordered the

Department of Homeland Security to create an office to serve

American victims. The office is called Voice, Victims of

Immigration Crime Engagement….

To keep America safe, we must provide the men and women

of the United States military with the tools they need to

prevent war — if they must — they have to fight and they only

have to win.

I am sending Congress a budget that rebuilds the military,

eliminates the defense sequester and calls for one of the

largest increases in national defense spending in American

history.

My budget will also increase funding for our veterans. Our

veterans have delivered for this nation, and now we must

deliver for them.

The challenges we face as a nation are great. But our people

are even greater. And none are greater or braver than those

who fight for America in uniform….

From now on, America will be empowered by our aspirations,

not burdened by our fears, inspired by the future, not bound

by failures of the past, and guided by a vision, not blinded by

our doubts.

I am asking all citizens to embrace this renewal of the

American spirit. I am asking all members of Congress to join

me in dreaming big and bold and daring things for our

country. I am asking everyone watching tonight to seize this

moment. Believe in yourselves. Believe in your future. And

believe, once more, in America.”

MORE TRUMP NOMINATION CONFIRMATIONS

Additional confirmations to the Trump Cabinet include:

--Former Indiana Senator Dan Coats to be Director of

National Intelligence, by an 85-12 vote.

--Banker and investor Wilbur Ross to be Commerce

Secretary, by a 72-27 vote.

--Montana Congressman and former Navy Seal Ryan Zinke

to be Interior Secretary, by a 68-31 vote.

--Retired neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson to be Housing and

Urban Development Secretary, by a 58-41 vote.

--Former Texas Governor Rick Perry to be Energy

Secretary, by a 62-37 vote.

Army Lieutenant General Herbert R. McMaster was

named as the new National Security Adviser.

Retired Army Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg will be

the National Security Council Chief of Staff.

LEFTIST ATTACKS ON TRUMP

AND CONSERVATIVES By Space Coast Designer

Frank Montelione

Obamagate. Trump Tower “wiretapped.”

Trump the subject of a FISA (Foreign

Intelligence Surveillance Act). Paid protesters. Organizing

for Action. How to make sense these issues? And we’re only

2 months into the Donald Trump Administration.

Let’s take the easy ones first. Two separate sources – “Heat

Street” and the “New York Times” – reported that in June

2016, Barack Obama’s Justice Department requested a

“surveillance” subpoena for Trump Towers, in which Trump

was specifically named. At that time, it was denied. In

October, the same agency requested another subpoena – not

specifically naming Trump, but rather to investigate possible

counter-intelligence actions and the need to examine the

activities of “U.S. persons” in Trump’s campaign with ties to

Russia.

The fake outrage by Obama is a study in how to parse

language. He supposedly was “livid” about allegations that

those orders came from the White House. While the President

can’t order a wiretap, he can order the Justice Department to

go to FISA for a subpoena. Let’s substitute “White House”

for the Justice Department. Let’s suppose the wording was

more to the White House ordering the Justice Department

under Loretta Lynch to request a subpoena. That changes the

whole tenor of the situation.

“Oh, the humanity.” The mainstream media screams

perpetuate the idea that President Obama would never do such

a thing.

But remember James Rosen of FOX News? “What happened

to me,” Rosen said, “was that Attorney General Eric Holder,

under Barack Obama as president, secretly designated me a

criminal co-conspirator and a flight risk and thereby had a

federal judge give the government permission to rifle through

all of my e-mails. They could read the e-mails, and then also

to get all the phone records associated with about 20 phones

that I used at that time in my reporting. All of those phone

lines were 202 or 703, which are the area codes associated

with Washington and the Pentagon, in northern Virginia. One

of those 20 phone lines was 718, and that referred to my

parent’s house on Staten Island at that time.”

Obama’s Justice Department also secretly subpoenaed the

private phone records of Associated Press editors and

reporters. It was pure spying.

Regarding organized, paid

protesters, well let’s start with

this:

Look Familiar?

Run by old Obama aides and

campaign workers, federal tax records show “nonpartisan”

OFA marshals 32,525 volunteers nationwide. Registered as a

501(c)(4), it doesn’t have to disclose its donors, but they’ve

been generous. OFA has raised more than $40 million in

contributions and grants since evolving from Obama’s

campaign organization – Obama For America – in 2013.

[6]

Organizing for Action (the old Organizing for America –

Obama’s organizing during his campaigns) is linked to

BarackObama.com. Part of the Organizing for Action site is

dedicated to Congressional Recess Toolkit, which outlines

how to co-opt a Town Hall

Meeting, how to disrupt it,

and gives advice such as

record everything, Then

there is INDIVISIBLE.

Notice their logo: A

Practical Guide for

Resisting the Trump Agenda. This group is tied to OFA and

also produces a guide obviously fashioned after Saul

Alinsky’s “Rules for Radicals.”

Some of their tactics include:

--Spreading out (Sitting by yourself or in pairs throughout the

front half of the room will make the perception of broad

consensus a reality for your Member Of Congress).

-- Use of personal stories. If you don’t have one, they link to

a site with others’ stories you can use

--Assigning roles: who will video, who will ask questions,

who will speak to the media. If while asking a hostile

question, a staffer tries to take the mike from you, firmly hold

it and do not relinquish it. If the staffer persists, say loudly

“Why are you trying to stop me from following up.” Make

sure a member of your group photographs or films this

confrontation. Immediately after the question is asked, have

your group loudly clap and put their hands up to ask prepared

questions. After the meeting one member should seek out the

media and continue the prepared agenda.

This group is funded in large part by leftist billionaire George

Soros’ Open Society Foundation, by receiving several grants

from the organization. Indivisible has not identified other

donors, but you can be sure that when it does, many California

elites and former and current New York City mayors may be

on the list.

MoveOn.org and the Working Families Party joined with

Indivisible. Together they are preparing for a major

demonstration on April 15th. What their message will be can

be summarized by simply looking at their logo, “Resist the

Trump Agenda.”

Unanswered questions include how social media is used to

draw crowds from outside a Member of Congress’ area, how

professionally made signs and banners appear at a

“spontaneous” demonstration, and who pays for the

transportation and lodging of these demonstrators.

REPUBLICAN CLUB OF BREVARD HONORS

CARLIE ROGERS AND BARBARA DAVIS

A number of Brevard County officials and other friends paid

tribute on February 22 to two ladies who have stepped down

from their years of service to

Republican causes. Defeated State

Committeewoman Carlie Rogers and

retired Brevard Republican

Executive Committee Chair Barbara

Davis were honored at a Republican

Club of Brevard dinner.

Rogers served in her position for eight

and a half years, and Davis for six and a half.

Calling both of them “diamonds,” new BREC Chair Rick

Lacey – with apologies to the late entertainer Bob Hope –

opened the festivities singing “Thanks For the Victories,” his

original song citing their many accomplishments in keeping

the county Red and bringing large numbers out to vote in each

election. The song was well received by the audience, but the

members of the BREC choir chided Lacey for singing

“slightly off-key.”

Noting that Brevard County is a Republican stronghold in

Florida, Public Defender Blaise Trettis said, “We are strong

and getting stronger because of you two.” He said he was

thankful for their work behind the scenes, which they both

carried out with dignity, grace and class.

Former State Representative Ritch Workman thanked

Rogers and Davis for their steadfastness through a time of

turbulence.

Patti Ann Febro, who works in the office of Congressman

Bill Posey in constituent services and is a member of the

Brevard Federated Republican Women, thanked them for the

impact they had on her life, and added they are “an inspiration

to all of us.”

Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey was unable to attend

the dinner, but provided a brief video message complimenting

Rogers and Davis as “staples of our party.”

Brief compliments also were given by Linda Fern Davis (no

relation), who said that as treasurer of BREC, she had an

excellent working relationship with Barbara Davis, and by

Judy England, who said the two women are “jewels,” and

“we were blessed to have them.”

Responding to the accolades, Davis said she was “honored

and humbled,” and that it had been a pleasure serving as

BREC chair. She added that she will work with the new team

any way she can.

Rogers said, “It has been an honor these past eight and a half

years to be the state committeewoman,” and that she is proud

Florida has such a strong, red county, brought about through

the work of our many volunteers.

The Republican Club of Brevard’s statement of purpose notes

that it was formed to “make being a Republican and being

involved in politics a pleasurable, positive and exciting

experience.”

[7]

CONSERVATIVES GATHER IN JOY

FOR ANNUAL CPAC EVENT

There were so many highlights at the annual Conservative

Political Action Conference (CPAC) outside Washington, DC

in National Harbor, Maryland February 22-25, it is next to

impossible to rank them. Thousands of excited, enthusiastic

Conservatives and Republicans constantly cheered the

numerous, almost non-stop bevy of speakers.

The event included seminars, workshops, and networking in

addition to the speeches. CPAC’s theme this year was “We

The People: Reclaiming America’s Promise.”

President Donald Trump – who became the first

commander-in-chief since Ronald Reagan to address CPAC

in his first year in office – called for a military buildup,

criticized the media and reiterated his campaign calls to repeal

the Affordable Care Act and build a wall on the Mexican

border. His speech steadily drew standing ovations.

"The core conviction of our movement

is that we are a nation that puts its own

citizens first,” the President said. “For

too long we have traded away our jobs

to other countries. We have defended

other nations' borders while leaving

ours wide open. We've spent trillions

of dollars overseas while allowing our

own infrastructure to fall into disrepair and decay. The era of

empty talk is over. Now is the time for action.”

Trump added, "One by one, we're checking off the promises

we made to the American people. We will reduce your taxes,

cut regulations, support our police, defend our flag. We will

rebuild our military. We will take care of our great veterans.

We will cut wasteful spending. We will promote our values.

We will rebuild our inner cities. We will bring back our jobs

and our dreams.”

As part of his pledge to restore safety for the American people,

Trump also said he has directed the defense community to

develop a plan to totally obliterate ISIS. “So let me state this

as clearly as I can,” he said, “we are going to keep radical

Islamic terrorists the hell out of our country.”

He said that “no matter our background or income, or

geography, we're all citizens of this blessed land. And no

matter our color or the color of the blood we bleed, it's the

same red blood of great, great patriots.”

The future, Trump said, “belongs to all of you. And America

is coming about, and it's coming back, and it's roaring and you

can hear it. It's going to be bigger and better. It is going to

bigger and better and stronger than ever before.”

In his remarks, Vice President Mike Pence

outlined the way his friendship with Trump has

grown since being asked to serve as his running

mate, and he assured the crowd that the Trump

Cabinet was the most conservative one he had

seen in his lifetime.

He thanked the people who voted for the Republican ticket,

and reminded them that the journey to success for the country

hasn’t ended. Asking the conservative community to give

Trump and his administration their prayers, Pence said, “We

must all of us rise to the challenge before us. The other side is

not sitting idle…we have got to mobilize and march forward

as if it’s the most important time in the history of our

movement, because it is.”

White House Chief of Staff Reince

Priebus and Chief Strategist Stephen

Bannon sat down together for a center

stage interview, and each laid out three

specific goals for the Trump

administration.

Priebus, who gave up his position as

chairman of the Republican National

Committee, said the most urgent task for the

administration is confirming Judge Neil

Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court. He said

the second priority is deregulation, and the

third is immigration – “protecting the sovereignty of the

United States, putting a wall on the southern border, and

making sure that criminals are not part of our process.”

Bannon placed as his top three goals setting foreign policy

right, rejuvenating the economy, and what he termed the

“deconstruction of the administrative state.” By that, he

meant the immovable bureaucracy, the Left media and leftists

in general. “If you think they’re going to give you your

country back without a fight, you are sadly mistaken. … Every

day it is going to be a fight,” Bannon said.

Texas Senator Ted Cruz, always a CPAC

favorite, said the men and women in the

room and the grassroots had an incredible

power – “the ability to get people's

attention, to hold our elected officials

accountable -- hold every one of us

accountable.” His message to the President, to the Cabinet, to

leaders in both Houses is real simple, he said: “Let's do what

we promised. Let's deliver on the promises and if we do that,

we'll win at the ballot boxes.”

Cruz added that he introduced in the Senate an amendment to

the Constitution to place term limits on members of Congress.

“I think it's one of the first and biggest steps we can take to

[8]

actually drain the swamp, and if we don't, the people will hold

us accountable for that, too,” he said.

President Trump’s foreign policy

should be guided by this principle:

"On this Earth, for Americans, there's

no authority higher than the U.S.

Constitution,” said former United

Nations Ambassador John Bolton. "Our worldview rests on

the exceptionalism of America faced with an often hostile

world that far too often neither understands nor appreciates

what makes America different.”

Vowing that he would work to "ensure that America after long

years of drift and defeat returns to a conservative foreign

policy" that is based on American exceptionalism in "an often

hostile world," Bolton added, “We are not looking to be part

of an international world order such as that imagined by

today's equivalent of the world federalist or many in the

European Union. We have made our own world order.”

He also said that “If anybody tells you that international law

is superior to the Constitution, tell them to tell it to the

Founding Fathers.”

Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos said

that today, the education system in the United

States is failing too many kids, because test

scores have flatlined, 1.3 million children

drop out of school every year, and “because

the previous administration spent seven

billion of your dollars on School Improvement Grants,’

thinking they could demonstrate that money alone would

solve the problem.”

But their own report, she said, “issued as they walked out the

door, showed that it had zero impact on student outcomes and

performance. They tested their model, and it failed …

miserably.”

DeVos said this is not an indictment of teachers, “but the

education establishment has been blocking the doorway to

reforms, fixes and improvements for a generation.”

“We have a unique window of opportunity to make school

choice a reality for millions of families. Both the President

and I believe that providing an equal opportunity for a quality

education is an imperative that all students deserve,” she said,

adding that she took the job “because I want to return power

in education back to where it belongs: with parents,

communities, and states.”

Heritage Foundation President Jim

DeMint urged the CPAC attendees to “keep

dreaming impossible dreams, because in

America, everything is possible…America

is always worth fighting for.” He said “our

ideas of individual liberty, of free markets, traditional values,

strong defense…these conservative ideas make America

great, and make life better for everyone.”

Noting that Conservatives won a great victory in the

November election, DeMint warned that “there are no

permanent victories here in Washington, and all we won was

the chance to get out of the stands and on to the field. Now

the real fight begins.” He added, “We will always have to

fight for these ideas because freedom is the greatest threat to

those on the left who crave power and control.” Those on the

left “are literally freaking out at the rejection of their ideas and

their candidates,” he said.

National Rifle Association CEO Wayne

LaPierre said that “Anarchists, Marxists,

Communists and the whole rest of the left-wing

Socialist brigade” hate everything America

stands for – democracy, free-market

capitalism, representative government and

individual freedom.

“They want to tear down our system and replace it with their

collectivist, top-down, global government-knows-best utopia,

and they’ve got money. Billions from George Soros to a vast

network of leftist organizations,” he said.

What is different from the past, La Pierre said, is “For the first

time, we also face an enemy utterly dedicated to destroy not

just our country, but also Western civilization. We also face a

national media machine that is not only biased almost entirely

one-way, it also dumps gasoline on simple political

disagreement to turn it into cultural IEDs.”

Add to that the fact that crime is rising again in many U.S.

cities, he said, “I think we all agree we live in a more angry,

dangerous world than we’ve seen in a long time.”

Kellyanne Conway, who served as

Trump’s election campaign manager

and is now counselor to the president,

said CPAC should now be known as

TPAC since he went “right to the

grassroots and brought you along. He

made people feel from the beginning, they were part of this

movement.” She said that means you're not just witnessing a

campaign externally, and people “felt really fully engaged,

they felt like they had a seat at the table from the beginning.”

Conway added, “Whether you stood in line, came to a rally,

drove seniors to the polls, got people engaged in a

conversation about public policy, we really owe it all to you.”

At the CPAC Ronald Reagan Dinner, the

keynote speaker was political commentator

Michael Reagan, the Great Communicator’s

son, who said that Trump may well be "The

Great Twittercator" – but he doesn't need to

respond to every attack from the press or by

liberals.

"Let the left disintegrate itself," he said, reminding the

attendees that while his father was attacked relentlessly on a

regular basis, “He felt that he had better things to, in fact, do

[9]

other than spend half the day attacking those who were

attacking him."

Speaking of the vitriol his father faced from Democrats during

the Iran hostage crisis before he was inaugurated in 1981,

Reagan said, “He allowed the left to sell the Iranians on what

he might, in fact, do, and he knew that if he didn't deny it, let

them go ahead and sell it. And, of course, on the day my dad

is sworn in, who goes free? All the hostages.”

In dealing with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Reagan said

that Trump must "go with 'trust but verify.' If you're going to

quote my father – ‘make America great again,' 'peace through

strength' – then you need to quote that one also.”

Reagan then noted that during his father's two terms in the

White House, the Soviet Union "did not take over one square

inch of land anywhere in the world. That you cannot certainly

say for the last administration.”

Closing CPAC 2017, Milwaukee

County Sheriff David Clarke said that

“Blue Lives Matter,” and he promoted

pride in America by stating that “In

President Donald Trump, we have

chosen a leader.” He contrasted it with

what he sensed as “a lack of pride in the nation for the last

eight years under President Barack Obama.” Pride “in the

greatness and might of our nation,” Clarke added, “has never

been a sin.”

Stressing that everyone in the nation must abide by the law,

the sheriff said, “The rule of law doesn’t divide us. It binds

us together in our great American life.”

Clarke made several references to Presidents George

Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan in his

speech, and he concluded by saying that “freedom means that

the people decide their own destiny.”

Also on the final day of the conference, officials announced

the results of an unofficial straw poll taken of the conservative

activists in attendance. By 86 percent, they approved of the

job the President has done during his first month in office, 70

percent approved of his use of Twitter, and 80 percent believe

he is realigning the conservative movement going forward.

In particular, Trump received 81 percent support for the

executive order banning the entry of individuals from seven

Muslim-majority nations, 94 percent for his nomination of

Judge Neil Gorsuch to replace the late Antonin Scalia on the

Supreme Court, and 91 percent for his push to defund

sanctuary cities.

Fifty-one percent of respondents said they were a “classical

Reagan conservative,” 10 percent labeled themselves as a

“populist conservative,” and 32 percent identified as a

“Libertarian conservative.”

The economy was considered the most pressing issue facing

the nation by 46 percent; national security issues were picked

by 29 percent; social/cultural issues were the biggest issue for

13 percent; and honesty and integrity in government was

selected by 11 percent.

THIS AND THAT

YEMEN RAID. Following the January Special Forces raid

in Yemen, in which Navy Seal Ryan Owens lost his life,

Democrats and the liberal media have continuously blamed

President Donald Trump for the mission’s “failure,” even

though the Obama administration originally planned it, but

turned it over to the new administration because of

“operational concerns.” Undeterred, Reuters reported about

unnamed “defense sources” who claimed that Trump had

approved the raid “without sufficient intelligence.” But here

is “National Review” setting the record straight: “Never mind

that the ‘New York Times’ contradicted Reuters with a far

more comprehensive report. Never mind that operational

planning isn’t a presidential responsibility. This raid, to some,

was Trump’s ‘Benghazi.’ But the raid wasn’t an outrage; it

was war. It was also a reminder that not every Trump scandal

is real and not every anonymous source is right. When it

comes to separating truth from lies, a little investigation goes

a long way.” It’s too bad the mainstream media hasn’t learned

that.

KNOW YOUR ENEMY, AND BE PREPARED. Political

commentator Monica Crowley and TV and radio host Sean

Hannity both point out that President Donald Trump and

his senior aides need to understand that anti-Trump forces in

the country have the goal of doing more than just “de-

legitimizing” him. “They want to personally destroy him,

destroy his presidency, and they would like to see the man in

prison,” Crowley said on Hannity’s program on March 7.

“They are out for blood.” Hannity said he sees five factions

going after Trump: the “snowflake faction” of paid protesters,

the “obstructionist” Democratic Party, the establishment

media that “colluded” with Hillary Clinton in the last election,

weak Republicans who are part of the establishment, and

career “intel community” members who are participating in a

“shadow government” that hates the president.

HOWARD “SCREAM” DEAN. In a television interview

on March 10, former DNC chair and Vermont Governor

Howard Dean declared that in order to stage a Democrat

comeback, the party “must purge itself of pro-life advocates.”

He insisted that the day and age of the Democrat Party

embracing those with a conservative worldview on social

issues has come and gone – to be replaced with support for

gun control, abortion and same-sex marriage. It all brings

back memory of Dean’s famous “scream” that virtually ended

his 2004 presidential campaign. That’s when he ranted in a

loud voice on national television: “Not only are we going to

New Hampshire, we're going to South Carolina and

Oklahoma and Arizona and North Dakota and New Mexico,

and we're going to California and Texas and New York. And

we're going to South Dakota and Oregon and Washington and

Michigan, and then we're going to Washington, D.C., to take

[10]

back the White House! YEAH!” So, Conservative

Democrats, come on over to the Republican Party.

RGA. The Republican Governors Association has chosen

Florida Governor Rick Scott as the new vice chair, replacing

former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, who is now

serving as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. This puts

Scott in line to replace chairman

and Wisconsin Governor Scott

Walker during the crucial 2018

gubernatorial elections, when 36

governor’s mansions are up for

grabs throughout the country. A

vocal supporter of President

Donald Trump, Scott said that if

asked, he would work with the

administration on Cuba policy,

because he has been “very vocal that Raul Castro does not

believe in democracy and freedom,” and he doesn’t believe

“it’s good for our country to be coddling a dictator like that.”

While Scott was in Washington, he got together with his

friend, the President, for lunch and dinner, and joined him in

the Oval Office.

BREC. The mayor of Cocoa, Florida – Henry Parrish – told

the Brevard Republican Executive Committee (BREC)

meeting on March 8 that he and his team are rebuilding his

city, and “businesses are coming in.” Additionally, he said,

“we want to work together to make all of Brevard County the

best.” No newcomer to Cocoa, Parrish said his family dates

back to 1823, when the first of his ancestors arrived. Many

through the years were public officials, he said, as well as

some being involved in citrus farming and real estate. Even

though municipal positions in the county are listed on the

ballot as “non-partisan,” Parrish identified himself as a

Reagan Republican – “a doer, not a caretaker.” Another

speaker on the program, Melbourne City Councilman Paul

Alfrey, said he is a businessman new to politics, and his goal

is to scale back government, and make it more accountable to

the people. BREC Chair Rick Lacey said his goal this year

is to increase Republican registration in the county from its

current 170,000 voters to 200,000. He also said there would

be no BREC meeting in April. Eight new BREC members

were sworn-in to office.

PAM BONDI. Showing that her Medical

Fraud Control Unit is working, Florida

Attorney General Pam Bondi said her

investigators “work tirelessly to stop

Medicaid fraud and recover stolen funds

for taxpayers.” Her statement followed

release of a report issued by the U.S.

Department of Health and Human

Services that revealed for the 2015-16

fiscal year, Florida recovered more than $165 million in

otherwise lost funds through fraudulent Medicaid cases. The

state was second in the nation only to New York in total funds

recovered. Bondi added, “This report sends the strong

message that we will continue to aggressively pursue anyone

trying to defraud Florida’s Medicaid program.”

JOHN TOBIA. At the New Millennium

Conservative Club meeting on February

20, new District 3 Brevard County

Commissioner John Tobia said projects

he would like to see his fellow

commissioners support include stopping

Community Redevelopment Agencies in

the county from renewing their time

frames; obtaining transparency from the

Economic Development Commission; opposing county

funding for the All Aboard Florida rail project; and paving

more of the county’s 1,127 miles of roads. He also said he did

not agree with the commission’s decision to pay for a search

firm to help replace the county manager who is leaving,

because there are 27 human resources personnel on the county

payroll who could do the job. The next evening, Tobia

participated in a workshop for citizens to interact with the

commissioners. No decisions were made at the workshop, but

his proposals included barring former county commissioners

from lobbying the county or from getting a management level

job within county government for six years after leaving

office, up from a current two-year restriction; banning county

commissioners from accepting gifts from registered lobbyists;

and requiring disclosure when county commissioners receive

text messages from lobbyists during commission meetings.

RONALD REAGAN CLUBS. Dale Ketcham, the chief of

strategic alliances for Space Florida, told

the Ronald Reagan Clubs meeting in

Melbourne on February 23 that his

organization’s role is to foster growth and

development of a sustainable, world-

leading, private-sector space industry in the

state. The goal, he said, is to bring

companies in the aerospace field “to

Florida, rather than Texas.” Space Florida receives federal

funding for its efforts to build upon what NASA first brought

to the Space Coast. For further information, visit the website

www.spaceflorida.gov.

GEORGE SOROS. Here’s just one example of the millions

of taxpayer dollars spent by the U.S. Government in collusion

with leftwing billionaire philanthropist George Soros.

Conservative watchdog Judicial Watch obtained records

showing that in Macedonia, the U.S. ambassador – soon to be

replaced by President Trump – has been working behind the

scenes with Soros’ Open Society Foundation to funnel large

sums of American dollars to destabilize the democratically

elected, center-right government. The cash flows through the

State Department and the U.S. Agency for International

Development and goes to dozens of leftwing,

nongovernmental organizations in Macedonia to organize

youth movements, create influential media outlets and

organize violent protests to undermine the institutions and

policies implemented by the government. Judicial Watch

points out that this constitutes interfering in domestic political

[11]

affairs in violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic

Relations. The Trump administration needs to put an end to

this, and hold responsible people accountable.

NEW Y0RK TIMES. Once known for the slogan “All The

News That’s Fit to Print,” now it’s more accurate to say the

“New York Times” prefers “All the News That We Care to

Fit in the Print.” Case in point – on February 24, this bastion

of liberalism carried a report on President Trump’s speech at

CPAC, in which he said, “As we speak today, immigration

officers are finding the gang members, the drug dealers and

the criminal aliens and throwing them the hell out of our

country." But the way the Times carried it was: “His speech

also included a promise to throw undocumented immigrants

the hell out of the country.” Really? What about focusing on

what Trump actually referred to – namely, gang members, the

drug dealers and the criminal aliens. This example of fake

new is a sin of omission rather than commission.

MORE OUTRAGE FROM NBC. This Presidents Day, as

thousands prepare to swarm the streets for anti-administration

rallies, President Donald Trump reached his 32nd day in

office. NBC snarly reported that the record for the shortest

term in the Oval Office has now been surpassed. William

Henry Harrison, the ninth U.S. president, died from

pneumonia just 32 days into his presidency, on April 4, 1841.

In reporting what NBC had to say, www.dailywire.com

commented that “no media in its right mind would run a

headline like this about any president.” It also said, “The

media are, all too often, the enemies of truth. That’s both

because they lie outright and because they construct narratives

targeting conservatives from a core of facts, but twist those

facts beyond recognition. The media should be fought tooth

and nail – with truth, not lies.”

EXPERTS’ EXCERPTS

Texas Senator Ted Cruz, writing on

Obamacare in “Politico” Magazine:

“What the press doesn’t understand is that

Obamacare, in practice, has proven to be a

disaster, and it’s hurting millions of

people. We’ve had three elections that

focused on Obamacare repeal, 2010, 2014

and 2016. All three were massive victories for

Republicans….So, how do we go forward? Here are two

overarching principles, three concrete steps and six areas of

consensus to guide us. Two overarching principles: First

principle: Honor our promise. When you spend six years

promising, ‘If only we get elected, we’ll repeal Obamacare,’

you cannot renege on that promise. Failure is not an option….

The second principle is don’t make it worse. The Pottery Barn

rule applies: If you break it, you own it. Democrats broke

health care: Since Obamacare passed, millions of people have

had their plans canceled; average family premiums on

employer-sponsored plans have risen by about $5,000; and

average family deductibles on the individual market have also

risen $5,000….Three concrete steps: First, begin with the

2015 repeal language. Senate Democrats have made clear that

they will filibuster any attempts to repeal Obamacare, so the

only way to get it done is to use a procedural vehicle that can’t

be filibustered. Budget reconciliation….Second, repeal the

insurance regulations as well. In 2015, these coverage

mandates of Obamacare were excluded from the repeal

language….Third, we should focus on areas of consensus

among Republicans. Don’t try to replace one 2,000-page

monstrosity with another. Instead, adopt common-sense

specific reforms that will increase competition, drive down

costs, expand choices and put patients back in charge of their

health care. Six areas of consensus: First, we should allow

consumers to purchase insurance across state lines. This

would create a true 50-state marketplace, driving down costs

for everyone….Second, we should expand health savings

accounts so that consumers can save on a tax-advantaged

basis for more ordinary health insurance expenses. Third, we

should change the tax laws to make health insurance portable,

so that if you lose your job you don’t lose your health

insurance…. Fourth, we should protect continuous coverage.

If you have coverage, and you get sick or injured, your health

insurance company shouldn’t be able to cancel your policy or

jack up your premiums. That’s the whole point of health

insurance. Fifth, we should allow small businesses to pool

together in association plans to get better rates for their

employees. And we should allow states to create high-risk

pools or pursue other innovative solutions to insure that the

most vulnerable among us have access to affordable health

care. Sixth, we should block grant Medicaid to the states.

Right now, Medicaid works terribly....Those six ideas enjoy

virtual unanimity among Republicans who now control both

Congress and the White House. They bring all of us together.”

Florida Congressman Bill Posey,

writing on holding telephone town halls

in “Florida Today”:

”Our elected representatives should be

accountable and accessible to the public.

I have worked hard to represent my

constituents the way I would want to be

represented. That has been my guiding principle throughout

my service on the city council, in the State Legislature and in

Congress….One event that has helped keep our dialogue on

the issues going, especially when I am in Washington for

legislative session, has been holding informative town hall

meetings over the telephone. Telephone town halls involve

calling thousands of constituents simultaneously and giving

them the opportunity to participate with me in a discussion on

the issues. These meetings have enabled me to talk with

constituents across our communities, share with them what is

happening in Washington, and get their thoughts and ideas

about federal policy. Over the course of our two hour

conversation I am able to speak with thousands of residents,

and field dozens of unfiltered and uninterrupted questions,

and inform constituents in need of the services that our office

can offer them such as help with Social Security, Medicare,

the VA, or other federal agencies. The feedback I receive is

invaluable to the important work of representing them, our

district, and its needs in Washington….No one gets turned

[12]

away from a telephone town hall meeting. They are far more

accessible to all citizens, ensuring greater opportunity for

participation, something one would feel sure all citizens

would agree is very important….Telephone town hall

meetings have enabled so many constituents to have access to

their representative without leaving the comfort, convenience

and safety of their own homes. Many constituents favor these

forums. It seems almost everywhere I go, someone thanks me

for holding the telephone town hall meetings. They don’t have

to drive, find a place to park, or wait in lines. And, participants

can join in or leave anytime without being noticed, or ask

questions without fear of feeling threatened or disrespected by

others. Recent news accounts of preplanned disruptive

behavior and violence erupting from political events, public

meetings and counter protests affirm the common sense use

of telephone town halls….Constituents who are interested in

being included in every telephone town hall need only sign up

on my website, www.posey.house.gov.”

Pacific Research Institute fellow

Kerry Jackson, writing on global

warming alarmists in “Investor’s

Business Daily”:

“If it seems that the climate radicals

are acting desperately because they

sense that their ‘movement’ is dying, then that's probably an

accurate assessment. From EPA employees threatening

resistance to Donald Trump's presidency to junk-science guy

Bill Nye appearing on Fox News to tell the world that humans

are fully responsible for ‘the speed that climate change is

happening,’ the irrational behavior is overflowing. Of course

the alarmists can't give up their shrillness. They're still bullies

who try to marginalize, shame and silence those who don't

agree with their narrative that man is dangerously overheating

the planet through his greenhouse gas emissions. But they're

the ones who should be mocked. Here's why: They're wrong.

The devastating heat they predicted simply hasn't happened.

Climate scientists Roy Spencer, John Christy and others have

showed this numerous times. They've hidden their true

agenda. The zealots want to destroy capitalism and take over

the world's economy….They're hypocrites. Every year,

delegates, many of them on private jets, fly to Davos,

Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum, from where

they hector the rest of us about our carbon footprints. The

busybodies also regularly jet to the U.N.'s global warming

conferences, held in such global hot spots as Paris, Cancun,

Copenhagen and Milan. Wherever they go, their

accommodations are always lavish, their travels well attended

to, and their dining sumptuous. Of course their goal is to strip

21st-century comforts from everyone else in the name of

"fighting" climate change. The hypocrite-in-chief is of course

Al Gore. While constantly haranguing the world about man's

carbon emissions, he's lived the very lifestyle he condemns.

From a 20-room home that requires yacht-loads of energy, to

banking as much as $100 million from the oil barons who

bought his old cable network, to his habit of using private jets

to whisk him away to preach his sermons about the evils of

fossil-fuel use, his life is a lie. Leonardo DiCaprio….The fact

that DiCaprio fancies himself to be a climate expert and a

model of environmental morality, and the fact that elitists

have enthusiastically gone along with his adult playacting, are

strong indictments against the alarmist community.”

THOUGHTS TO PONDER

“The only reason Obamacare failed is that it required

everyone to buy health insurance that covered everything.

Donald Trump has realized that when you stop the

requirements, Obamacare will wither away and die without

action by Congress….It is the genius of Donald Trump's plan

that he will allow people to buy what they want in the way of

health insurance and still provide the subsidies of Obamacare

if their income merits them.”

--Political analyst and author Dick Morris

-0-

“Obama didn’t deny his administration wiretapped Trump. He

said no one at the White House did. That is a virtual admission

that his administration did, probably Justice Department,

meaning the ‘apolitical Loretta Lynch’ who just called for

‘blood and death’ in the streets to stop Trump, much to the

approval of Senate Democrats. It’s an obvious parsing of

words by the slick Obama.”

--WND Editor-in-Chief Joseph Farah

-0-

“Why are the relations between Donald Trump and the press

so bad? There are two reasons. One is that Trump is a

Republican, and the press consists overwhelmingly of

Democrats. But the other reason is that Trump likes it this

way, because when the press is constantly attacking him over

trivialities, it strengthens his position and weakens the press.

Trump’s ‘outrageous’ statements and tweets aren’t the

product of impulsiveness, but part of a carefully maintained

strategy that the press is too impulsive to resist.”

--Instapundit columnist Glenn Reynolds

-0-

‘Lawyers and politicians are two of the most hated professions

in America, and yet when they put on a judge’s robe, they all

of a sudden become beyond reproach and are to be revered.

That’s nonsense. President Donald Trump is right – our

court system has become politicized. The Obama

administration flooded it with activist judges that ruled in

favor of advancing liberalism, to the detriment of our national

sovereignty. So it’s no surprise the courts would work to stop

Mr. Trump’s agenda.”

--“Washington Times” columnist Kelly Riddell

-0-

“Right now there are a lot of protests that are really violent

and really extreme. I think they’re using it as a basis basically

to say that their actions and their words are okay. The protests

that are streamed right now on the news are just influencing

them to do that to others.”

--Florida Teenage Republicans executive director and high

school senior Kathy Zhu, speaking about harassment in

schools

-0-

[13]

“For the mainstream media and the elite classes now grieving

over their momentous loss of power in this past election, ‘fake

news’ is their new weapon. This new corrosive theme

represents the opening salvo of a massive effort to control the

remarkably free and open information now available to all

Americans on the Internet…The NRA is at the forefront of

mastering the digital revolution to penetrate the fog of legacy

media disinformation about us and about every aspect of the

Second Amendment.”

--NRA President Allan Cors

-0-

“Who authorized you to spend our taxes to feed the stray cats

of this county? Are you aware that if word gets out about this,

people who have to move and can't take their pets with them

will gladly drop them off at one of your ‘colonies?’ Or is that

your thinking, that the more strays, the more secure your job?

What will the next step be: bribe your local bureaucrat so he

won't flood your property with stray cats? Are homeowners

expected to get tired of waiting for you to do your job and take

matters in their own hands, or is that part of your plan, so you

can charge them with ‘animal cruelty?’"

--Brevard County political activist Dub Drinnon, in an open

letter to the Animal Control Section of the County Sheriff’s

Department

-0-

“Contrary to one of the Left’s more mendacious claims,

diversity has not been America’s great strength. America’s

great strength has been forging an American identity out of

diversity. But the Left, with its identity politics and

commitment to multiculturalism – as expressed, for example,

by ballots in dozens of languages, the proliferation of ethnic

studies departments at universities and the allowance of all-

black dorms and graduation ceremonies – is undoing that.”

--Radio talk show host and columnist Dennis Prager

-0-

“In the progressive lexicon, the word ‘corporation’ is

practically a synonym for ‘evil.’ Corporations, in the

progressive view, are so stoned on greed and ripped on

ruthlessness that they present an existential threat to

democracy as we know it. When the Left flies into a mad rage

about…whatever, the black-bloc terrorists don’t burn down

the tax office or the police station: They smash the windows

of a Starbucks, never mind CEO Howard Schultz’s

impeccably lefty credentials.”

--“National Review” roving correspondent and author Kevin

Williamson

-0-

“Today’s Democrat Party has completely abandoned the

‘middle ground.’ It is now a full-on ‘progressive party’ with

an agenda and platform almost indistinguishable from that of

the Communist Party, or Democratic Socialists of

America…The left wants to expand the Democrat Party

voting base to create a socialist one-party state. The simplest

way to do this is to flood the country with immigrants from

Third World countries, who have little interest in the

Constitution and are reliable Democrat voters.”

--New Zealand political activist Trevor Loudon

-0-

“Why has our intelligence service suffered so many failures

during the last decade or so, losing the trust of so many?

Because it’s been run by career bureaucrats and administrators

who rose to the top by managing intelligence rather than

actually doing it. That’s like putting an airline executive with

an MBA and a law degree into the cockpit of a jumbo jet.”

--Businessman and former vice chairman of the CIA’s

National Intelligence Council Herbert Meyer

UPCOMING BREVARD COUNTY EVENTS

April 3 – Republican Liberty Caucus of Central East Florida

meeting, Memaw’s restaurant, Melbourne, 7 pm.

April 6 – Heritage Isle Republican Club meeting,

Viera, 10 am.

April 6 – Brevard County Young Republicans meeting,

Beef O’Brady’s Restaurant, Melbourne, 6 pm.

April 10 – Brevard Federated Republican Women meeting,

Duran Golf Club, Viera, 11 am.

April 10 – The Space Coast Patriots meeting, Merritt Island

Library, 6 pm.

April 17 – New Millennium Conservative Club meeting,

Suntree-Viera Library, 6:30 pm.

April 18 – North Brevard Republican Club meeting, Blue

Heron Restaurant, Great Outdoors, outside

Titusville, 7 pm.

April 18 – ACT! For America Space Coast Chapter meeting,

Government Complex Building C, Viera, 6:30 pm.

April 20 – Republican Women’s Network of South Brevard

meeting, Eau Gallie Yacht Club, 11 am.

April 27 – Ronald Reagan Clubs meeting, Frankie’s Wings &

Things, Melbourne, 7 pm

The Brevard Republican Executive Committee will not meet

in April.

ABOUT THE NEWSLETTER

There are more than 1,400 people on our ever-increasing

distribution list, and the newsletter goes to readers not only all

over the country, but also across our borders and beyond.

Editor Stuart Gorin and Designer Frank Montelione hope

to see the numbers continue to grow as we pass on

information. We continue to cover activities of the Brevard

Republican Executive Committee, Republican clubs in the

county, and conservative organizations, so both elected

officials and the typical “man-in-the-street” are kept abreast

of what is happening at the local, state and national levels.

Since Republicans as well as Conservatives will never agree

100 percent on all issues – for example, differences between

Tea Party members and establishment Republicans – we will

not necessarily support any writer’s positions, but will present

them so you, the reader, can make up your own mind – fair

and balanced. There is a link to this issue at www.thetusk.org,

and several recent back issues are available in the archives on

the same website. To sign up for your free subscription (or to

unsubscribe, if you are so inclined), or to send your

comments, suggestions or information to share, email:

[email protected].

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COMICAL CLOSER

Here’s Common Core math for you:

A little boy came home from kindergarten with a blue ribbon. When his mommy asked him “What is the blue ribbon for?” he

proudly announced, “I won!” When pressed for details he simply said, “The teacher asked all of us to guess how many legs a cow

has. When my turn came, I guessed FIVE.” “Five?” his mother gasped, “but a cow only has FOUR legs.” “I won because my guess

was the closest.”

SEVERAL PAGES OF PERTINENT POLITICAL CARTOONS AND PHOTOS FOLLOW

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