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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
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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
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[14]
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