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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 78 April 2016
PUTNAM KEYNOTES BREVARD LINCOLN-REAGAN DINNER
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam brought more than 200 attendees of the
Brevard County Lincoln-Reagan
Dinner to their feet on April 14 when he
contrasted Florida’s conservative
leadership with “what’s going on in
Washington.”
Delivering the keynote address to the
annual dinner sponsored by the Brevard
Republican Executive Committee
(BREC), Putnam said that while the media “focuses on
divisiveness in our party, we have to have conservative
leadership to replace the last eight years of liberal leadership.”
He said there has been a consistent war on liberty by the
administration, and pointed out that the subject of the
environment has been hijacked by socialists.
In the contrast to Washington, Putnam said, under Florida’s
consistent conservative leadership – which he said “does
matter” – the state leads the nation in job creation, crime is at
a 44-year low, and it is where most people dream of visiting.
He noted that more than 60 percent of Make-a-Wish requests
nationwide are to come to Central Florida.
When it comes to bringing companies to Florida, Putnam
received a loud cheer when he called New York City Mayor
Bill de Blasio “the best economic development officer Florida
has ever had.”
(Continued on Page 2)
INSIDE:
RLCCEF Forum…. ................................... Page 2
Republican National Convention… ........... Page 4
Political Cartoons and Photos………… .... Pages 12 Thru 14
FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK:
MY TWO CENTS
By Stuart Gorin
I oppose Common Core, and I
especially dislike its math teaching –
which in the vernacular – sucks.
It takes a full page of activity to
determine that 6 plus 9 equals 15.
Numbers are rounded to tenths and other additions and
subtractions are used to reach the correct (or close enough)
answer to get credit. Just writing 15, the correct answer, is
marked down for not following the “proper formula.”
Can parents help? No. The Heartland Institute reports in its
“School Reform News” publication that one of the co-authors of
Common Core math standards – an educator named Jason
Zimba – said parents should avoid helping children with their
math homework, “because government school teachers are
trained professionals who are better equipped than parents to
help students learn.”
I recently stopped in a bakery and purchased one donut. The girl
at the check-out counter – high school student? high school
grad? – said the cost, with tax, was $1.27. I gave her a dollar
bill, a quarter, and a nickel. She had a confused look on her face,
punched in some numbers on a calculator, and handed me back
27 cents.
No, I said, I get back 3 cents. More calculating, more confusion,
and she called over an older co-worker for help. While I just
shook my head, the co-worker explained to her that my change
should be 3 cents, which I finally received.
Unfortunately, math is not the only problem with our public
education system. There’s also the lack of teaching civics and
American history.
-0-
More two cents next month.
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Complementing the attendees for their involvement in the
political process, Putnam said that “nothing is more powerful
than grass roots activism.”
Also speaking on the dinner program, Todd Wilcox – a
businessman, former Army Green Beret and CIA case officer
now running for the U.S. Senate – noted that while America
is 239 years old, throughout history, the average age of
civilization is 200 years. Those civilizations ultimately were
destroyed, he said, “and I refuse to sit by and watch that
happen here.”
Wilcox pointed out that he speaks Arabic, which would be
important in U.S.-Middle East relations, and he would offer
real world experience in contrast to other Senate candidates.
He also said he would represent “a return to citizen
government.”
In a tribute to the late Nancy Reagan, Brevard Federated
Republican Women member Patti Ann Febro dressed in red
as the former First Lady, and in brief remarks said Rainbow –
her Secret Service code name – “will be greatly missed.”
BREC Vice Chairman Rick Lacey said that Presidents
Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan, in whose honor the
annual dinner is named, “were both known for their honesty.”
Lacey said it is up to the dinner attendees to “spread the word
across Florida” to help elect another Republican president to
continue the tradition. He drew laughter from the crowd while
discussing Democrat presidential candidate Hillary Clinton,
saying: “If I had $1 for every lie she told, I’d probably be in
her tax bracket.”
Brevard County Public Defender Blaise Trettis, who
served as the evening’s Master of Ceremonies, wrote in the
dinner program: “While presidential terms last only four
years, the next president will appoint a Supreme Court Justice,
or Justices, who will break the current 4-to-4
conservative/liberal tie, and who will determine the fate of our
Constitutional rights for decades to come. There is probably
no more important reason to unite as Republicans for victory
in the 2016 presidential election.”
Also writing in the program, BREC Chairman Barbara
Davis said the funds raised at the dinner “will enable us to
maintain our headquarters, promote the Republican Party and
its candidates, and assist our Brevard County Republican
Clubs.” She added: “Our County’s Precinct Committeemen
and Committeewomen are working to elect a Republican
president in 2016. Our efforts will also be focused on electing
a Republican U.S. senator and qualified Republican state and
local candidates.”
WILCOX WINS U.S. SENATE STRAW
POLL AT RLCCEF FORUM
Businessman, former Army combat veteran,
and former CIA case officer Todd Wilcox
– who says he is running in Florida for the
U.S. Senate as a political outsider offering a
“contrast” to his “political insider” opponents – spoke at a
Republican Liberty Caucus Central East Florida (RLCCEF)
campaign forum in Viera on April 10, and won the event’s
straw poll with 128 votes cast.
Florida Lieutenant Governor Carlos Lopez-Cantera, who
was traveling overseas at the time of the forum but provided
attendees with a video statement, finished second with 36
votes, and Sixth District Congressman Ron DeSantis, who
said his work in the House would make him the best
Republican candidate for the Senate, was third, with 35 votes.
DeSantis, a U.S. Navy veteran, and Wilcox agreed on most
issues during the forum, including calling for tax reform,
campaign finance reform, reducing the national debt, halting
illegal immigration, and supporting term limits for Congress.
Asked on what committees they would like to serve if elected
to the Senate, Wilcox said Armed Services, Intelligence and
Finance, while DeSantis said Foreign Relations and Judiciary.
Two other Republicans on the ballot – who declined RLCCEF
invitations to attend the forum – were land developer Carlos
Beruff and 13th District Congressman David Jolly, who
received 3 and 2 votes, respectively.
During a panel discussion for the Florida State Senate District
17 seat, the candidates – Debbie Mayfield, who is term-
limited in State Legislative District 54; Brevard County
State Committeeman Mike Thomas; and Ritch Workman,
who is term-limited in State Legislative District 52 – all
indicated that if elected, they would work to clean up the
brown tide outbreak in the Indian River Lagoon.
Mayfield called for a five-year plan, similar to what is done
for road construction projects, to insure that funding will be
available. Thomas said restrictions on dredging the lagoon
must be relaxed, and Workman said the focus should be on
addressing runoff from freshwater culverts.
All three said they were opposed to Medicaid expansion in the
state as well as to the Common Core education program.
Mayfield won the straw poll with 91 votes, with Workman
finishing second with 86 and Thomas had 18.
Seven candidates participated in the final panel, involving
Brevard’s four State Legislative Districts, and they also
focused on cleaning up the lagoon.
District 50 candidate George Collins said scientific research
is necessary to solve the problem, not throwing “millions of
dollars” at it, and candidate Chadwick Hardee said there is
“no easy answer;” and candidate Rene Placensia declined to
attend the forum. In their straw poll, it was Collins with 66
votes, Hardee with 42, and Placensia with 16.
In District 51, candidate Tim Timulty, the mayor of Cocoa
Beach, said the county and its 16 cities and towns have to join
in the effort. Tom Goodson, the current District 50
representative who is running for the District 51 seat, did not
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attend the forum. Timulty defeated Goodson in the straw poll,
80-71.
Three of the four Republican candidates for the District 52
seat were present – Brian Hodgers, Monique Miller, and
Fritz Van Volkenburgh. The fourth, current District 16
State Senator Thad Altman, declined to attend the forum.
Hodgers said a multiple-county approach is needed for the
lagoon, and its condition is affecting everything from tourism
to real estate values. Miller expressed concern that state
money for water projects was being steered to South Florida
by the State Legislature. Van Volkenburgh said “studying it
to death” is not the solution, and there needs to be continued
muck-removing, clam and oyster projects. In the straw poll,
it was Van Volkenburgh 61 votes, Miller 47, Hodgers 43, and
Altman 28.
Randy Fine, the only Republican candidate in the District 53
race and the recipient of 129 straw poll votes, said the lagoon
problem could be anything from too many septic tanks
spewing waste to too many manatees eating the seagrass.
All of the legislature candidates also favored campaign
finance reform, and expressed opposition to the use of red-
light cameras in the county, and the Common Core standards
in the schools.
District 8 Congressman Bill Posey opened the RLCCEF
forum saying he was pleased that the citizens in the audience
– numbering close to 300 – outnumbered the candidates and
their staff members. “Your part is so important,” he said.
“The country depends on informed citizens to elect
responsible candidates with common sense solutions, and
who will protect liberty.” Posey added that “America isn’t
perfect, but it is the greatest, most productive country in the
world.”
LOPEZ-CANTERA ADDRESSES
REPUBLICAN LIBERTY CAUCUS
Florida Lieutenant Governor Carlos
Lopez-Cantera, a Republican candidate
for the U.S. Senate, told the Republican
Liberty Caucus Central East Florida
(RLCCEF) on April 4 that with his
government and business sector experience, he would bring
common sense to Washington, along with his instruction
manual – “the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.”
Lopez-Cantera said the most important issue facing America
today is the rapidly rising national debt, and that if elected, he
would want to undue a lot of things, such as balancing the
budget and capping the rate of spending increases to the rate
of inflation plus population growth. “There is not enough
accountability in the federal government,” he added.
The fault he finds with Washington politicians, he said, “is
that they are more concerned about the next election than
about the next generation.”
“I'll always put Florida first,” he said. “The way I see it, my
job is to listen to and fight for the people of Florida, every day.
I won't be in Washington to vote how Senate leadership tells
me to vote; I'll be there to vote the way you tell me to vote. I'll
represent Florida, not special interests, not lobbyists, and not
the Washington go-along-to-get-along crowd.”
He said the RLC may not agree with him on everything, but
“You will know where I stand, and I will stand firm.”
Acknowledging that the 10th Amendment “is in there for a
reason,” Lopez-Cantera said he wants to see the government
get out of education, adding “We need to end Common Core
as we know it and replace with high state and local standards
set by parents and teachers, not bureaucrats in Washington.”
Regarding other issues, the Lieutenant Governor said he will
fight to restore America’s military strength, fully reform the
Veterans Administration, unleash small businesses from
excessive regulations, use all resources necessary to secure
the border, and do away with sanctuary cities.
Noting that he is traveling throughout Florida without a
security detail, Lopez-Cantera said it would be a “waste of
tax-payer money,” and besides, he is “protected by the Second
Amendment.”
Stressing that in Florida the Scott Administration moved the
economy forward by balancing the budget, cutting taxes and
creating more jobs, he said, “It’s time for leadership the
Florida way, not the Washington way.”
Prior to being appointed Lieutenant Governor in February
2014 by Florida Governor Rick Scott, Lopez-Cantera had a
conservative track record, as he served for eight years in the
Florida State Legislature – including two years as the Majority
Leader – and as the elected Miami-Dade Property Appraiser.
A University of Miami graduate with a degree in Business
Administration, prior to his public sector experience, Lopez-
Cantera worked in the real estate field, assisting his family’s
firm manage all aspects of operations. Helping other
businesses navigate complicated and unnecessary government
regulations, he said, is what drove him into public service – to
reduce those regulations on Floridians and help create
thousands of jobs in the state.
MAYFIELD SPEAKS TO
HERITAGE ISLE REPUBLICANS
Outgoing District 54 Florida State
Legislator Debbie Mayfield, a
candidate for the District 17 State Senate
seat, told the Heritage Isle Republican
Club on April 7 that she has not been
afraid to vote against her party
leadership when legislation is introduced
that goes against her conservative values, even if it puts her
on the losing side.
[4]
A couple of those issues in the past, she said, were giving
benefits to illegal immigrants, and inserting no-bid contract
grants into the budget – both of which tend to help companies
that favor individual legislators.
Mayfield, who has a background in banking and finance, said
Florida is financially strong, and has money in reserves. She
added that the state also is friendly to veterans and senior
citizens, and works to protect them.
Very interested in the topic of education, she is opposed to
Common Core and wants the state to return to the practice of
electing rather than appointing a Commissioner of Education.
Noting that education is a state right, she said there should not
be a Department of Education in the nation’s capital. That all
came about during the Jimmy Carter administration, she
explained, when the Head Start program was expanded, and
education was removed from the Department of Health and
Welfare and given its own Department.
Regarding Florida’s former community colleges that are now
four-year universities, Mayfield said she was disappointed
that they are doing away with technical and trade training in
favor of academics, because many academic students – who
have large student loans – cannot find jobs, and there is a real
need for trained tradesmen.
Other issues that Mayfield believes the legislature must do are
promoting smaller government and lower taxes to spur job
creation, protecting the Indian River lagoon, lowering
property insurance premiums, and bringing rate fairness and
representation for all utility customers.
State Senate District 17 includes Indian River County and
parts of Brevard County.
UNDERSTANDING THE
REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION
By Space Coast Tusk Designer Frank Montelione
When the Republican National
Convention convenes in Cleveland July
18-21, the party will select its
presidential nominee. At this writing, the
selection will be anybody’s guess.
Questions abound because of the
different way convention delegates are
chosen (primary, caucus, state
convention), what are their status (unbound or bound to a
specific candidate, and if so, for how may ballots), whether
convention rules are permanent or temporary, and what will
happen when the Rules Committee meets one week before the
convention.
Let’s start with the basics. Ballotopia states: “Each state is
assigned at least 10 at-large delegates. Additional ‘bonus’ at-
large delegates are awarded to a state based on various
political criteria. A state with a Republican governor, a
Republican U.S. senator, or Republican majorities in the state
legislature may be allocated additional at-large delegates. The
same is true for states that were carried by the Republican
presidential nominee in the previous election. Washington,
D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. territories are assigned a
specific number of at-large delegates. Overall, there will be an
estimated 999 at-large delegates at the 2016 convention.”
Most states hold primaries or caucuses, at which candidates
are selected to be the state’s chosen candidate. Some states –
such as Florida – are “winner-take-all,” and all the delegates
are awarded to the candidate with the majority vote.
However, they are only bound to that candidate for the first
three rounds of balloting at the convention. On the other hand, Georgia, where I reside, awards delegates
proportionally. If no candidate receives more than 50 percent,
then the delegates are awarded based on the percentage of the
vote each candidate receives. In Georgia, the delegates are
bound only through the first round of convention voting.
The magic number is 1,237. That is exactly half of the total
delegates allotted plus 1. The number includes 168 members
of the Republican National Committee, who are unbound
delegates. That accounts for between about eight and 13
percent of the 1,237. Ballatopia describes these delegates as
follows: “…are automatic delegates to the national
convention. The 50 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S.
territories have three RNC members each. Depending on the
rules of the state (or territorial) party, these automatic
delegates may or may not be allocated and pledged to the
winner of the state’s primary or caucus. Most states allow
their RNC members to decide for themselves which candidate
they’ll support.”
How many states will send unbound delegates won’t be
known until the last primary/caucus is held. As of this
writing, there are 10 states that will hold their primary/caucus
in May and June.
Delegate rich California will hold its primary on June 7. With
172 delegates, California is a “hybrid” state. If one candidate
receives more than 50 percent of the vote in a Congressional
District, he or she will win all 3 delegates in that District. In
addition, the candidate who wins the largest number of
districts state-wide, will receive California’s 10 at-large
delegates. These delegates are bound through the first two
rounds at the convention.
On the same day, June 7, New Jersey will hold its winner-
take-all primary, and these delegates are bound for the first
round only.
Let’s complicate matters even more. We’ve heard a lot about
the Pennsylvania primary that has a large number of delegates.
Of the 71 allocated delegates, 54 are unbound, and the others
are bound through the first round only.
The question as to whether anyone achieves the 1,237
delegates needed for a first round nomination is impossible to
answer. Given the number of unbound delegates – which
include 112 in North Dakota, Colorado, Wyoming, American
[5]
Samoa and Guam who are “unbound” because of their states
and territories GOP rules – the decision may rest with them.
Dizzy yet?
Pledged delegates are not bound delegates. Some states have
unbound delegates that pledge to vote for a particular
candidate. They are not bound, and can change their mind
before the convention vote takes place.
What happens to the delegates earned by those who suspended
their campaigns? Good question, and probably the easiest to
answer.
Once a candidate withdraws from the race, his or her delegates
may be released. At that point, the candidate can recommend
support for a specific candidate. On the other hand, bound
delegates can be released at any time up until the roll call is
placed. Florida Senator Marco Rubio, who suspended his
campaign earlier, has 171 bound delegates, and can be the
king maker by recommending that they support one of the last
men standing.
Here’s another magic number – 112. That is one man and one
woman from every state and the territories who make up the
party’s Rules Committee. The chair of that committee is not
one of the 112 members, but could be the Republican Party
Chairman Reince Priebus or Speaker of the House Paul
Ryan. More on this and on Rule 40 (B) next month.
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL
APRIL EVENT WINNERS, TO DATE.
April 19: New York Primary – Trump
April 16: Wyoming State Convention – Cruz
April 9: Colorado State Convention – Cruz
April 5: Wisconsin Primary – Cruz
April 3: North Dakota State Convention – delegates
uncommitted
ACCURACY IN MEDIA. Everybody knows that
MSNBC’s Chris Matthews was an unwavering supporter of
President Obama, and now is all in for Democrat Hillary
Clinton. Now, Accuracy in Media reports in its “AIM Report”
that there is a petition circulating – already signed by many
thousands – calling for MSNBC to suspend Matthews for his
“constant shilling.” No, it’s not a Conservative action. The
far-left MoveOn.org is actually behind it – unless he gives
equal time to its favorite candidate – socialist Bernie Sanders.
www.aim.org.
TRUMP PROTESTERS. Ever wonder where all those
protesters at Donald Trump events come from? It’s not
being reported by the supportive lame stream media, but
according to the progressivestoday.com website, organizers
who are unaffiliated with the official Bernie Sanders
campaign are finding protesters through Craig’s List ads. One
such ad begins “The New Part-Time Job: Get Paid $15 An
Hour To Protest At The Trump Rally.” The organizers provide
not only shuttle buses, parking, and signs (as well as time
cards), but also hand out $15/hour (as a “part-time
employment”) for protest activity “due to the economic
inequality.” We suppose it all helps the pepper-sprayed
protesters “feel the Bern.”
FIRST LIBERTY INSTITUTE. When it comes to
addressing political issues, First Liberty Institute President
Kelly Shackelford said pastors have a lot of misconceptions
about what are their rights and freedoms. He said that because
churches are 501(C)(3) organizations, there are two things
that pastors cannot do during elections: 1) they may not use
the church to endorse one candidate over another; and 2) they
may not donate church funds or resources to one candidate
over another. However, Shackelford added, there are four
things that pastors can do: 1) they can address political issues
from the pulpit, even such “hot button” topics as abortion,
same-sex marriage and gun control; 2) they can educate their
congregations about politics, such as by handing out non-
partisan voter guides; 3) they can invite political candidates to
address their congregations as long as all of them in a
particular race are included in the invitation; and 4) they can
participate in politics and even endorse a particular candidate
as long as it is in their individual capacity and not in their
official church position. www.firstliberty.org.
NEW MILLENNIUM CONSERVATIVE CLUB. The
three Republican candidates for soon-to-be-vacant Florida
State Senate District 17 seat – following up on their
appearance at the Republican Liberty Caucus Central East
Florida forum on April 10, addressed the New Millennium
Conservative Club on April 18, basically reiterating their
earlier remarks. Debbie Mayfield, who is completing an
eight-year term of office as State Representative for District
54, spoke about her passion for helping people, and if elected,
how she would continue her practice of sponsoring legislation
on issues requested by her constituents, and voting against
measures she believes would not be in the best interest of
[6]
voters. Outgoing District 52 State Representative Ritch
Workman said he would continue to sponsor bills to do away
with government intrusion in people’s lives, and wants the
Legislature to reduce government in the state even more than
it already has. Mike Thomas, Brevard County’s Republican
State Committeeman, said his goals in the State Senate would
be to cut the red tape for people starting businesses in the state,
help citizens with access to health care and prescription
medication, lower taxes, reduce the size of government, and
support the Second Amendment. While all three candidates
expressed opposition to Common Core in the schools,
Mayfield and Thomas said they favored returning Florida’s
Education Commissioner from being appointed to an elected
position. Workman said he opposed that move in order to
keep politics out of the school systems. The others retorted,
however, that the position is politicized anyway.
On March 21, the four candidates for the District 4 seat on the
Brevard County, Florida, School Board met with the New
Millennium Conservative Club, giving their backgrounds and
explaining to club members why they want the position. The
incumbent, Karen Henderson, who is seeking re-election,
said she has been working with teachers and district education
personnel on evaluations, and keeps in touch with school
principals on how School Board policy affects their schools.
Businessman and former educator Matt Susin currently
serves on the insurance and tax review committees for the
school board, and said a major problem the board faces are
that many teachers are leaving the profession. When he
taught, he was involved with a group of high school students
who eventually got the Florida State Legislature to pass the
American Flag Act, ensuring that all flags flying on
government property in the state are made in the U.S.A. Dana
DeSantis, who spent 15 years as a special education teacher,
said her campaign is focusing on results-based teacher
recruitment and retention, fiscal responsibility by the board,
and ensuring that decisions and control of the schools is
facilitated by local input and local decision making. Former
teacher Dean Paterakis said that since leaving the profession,
he has observed our schools being manipulated to no longer
serve the students and citizens of the county, and decisions are
being given by the board to special interest groups. He added
that if the board did the will of the citizens instead, it would
make a difference at the local level and make priorities for the
children’s education and safety. The four school board
candidates will be listed as non-partisan on the August 30
primary ballot. By Florida statute, if any candidate receives
50 percent of the vote cast plus one, he or she is elected to the
post. If none receives a majority, then the top two vote getters
will be on the November 8 general election ballot.
DIGITAL BLUNDER. Anyone interested in visiting the
website of Texas Senator Ted Cruz has to pay attention.
You have to type: www.tedcruz.org. That dot o-r-g. If you
make the mistake of typing: www.tedcruz.com – that’s dot c-
o-m. – you will be directed to a website asking you to “support
President Obama.” Dirty tricks, anyone?
THIS AND THAT
MORE FLORIDA BILL SIGNINGS.
After our March issue went to press,
Florida Governor Rick Scott signed
into law dozens more bills that were
passed by the 2016 State Legislature.
Among the measures signed was one to
strengthen the state’s anti-public
corruption law – to make it easier to
prosecute public officials and contractors
on charges of bid rigging, bribery and
other official misconduct. Other bills signed by the governor
were to defund Florida’s abortion clinics, including those run
by Planned Parenthood; to allow for the use of medical
marijuana for terminally ill patients in certain situations; to
establish a Florida Holocaust Memorial on the grounds of the
Capitol; to prohibit the state from doing business with
companies that favor a boycott of Israel; to allow All Aboard
Florida to sell beer at its train stations; to permanently
eliminate a sales tax on manufacturing equipment and set up
a three-day tax "holiday" that will run August 5-7 for back-to-
school shoppers; to offer discounts on park entrance fees to
surviving family of military service members and first
responders who die in the line of duty; and to repeal a148-
year-law in Florida that criminalized an unmarried couple
living together. He also vetoed a measure that would have
overhauled the state's alimony laws. It had recommended that
the courts use a formula based on the lengths of marriages and
the incomes of spouses as a guide when determining alimony
payments. It also wanted judges in determining child-custody
arrangements to begin with a "premise" that children should
split time equally between parents.
OFFSHORE DRILLING. After President Obama reversed
his position on offshore oil and gas exploration, and will now
refuse to allow the sale of leases to energy companies to work
off the Atlantic coast from Florida to Virginia, Texas
Congressman Louie Gohmert had a tongue-in-cheek
response to the irritating decision. Speaking with WND.com
and Radio America, Gohmert “quoted” the president as
saying: “Oh, you actually thought I was going to keep that
promise and let you drill out there because that would make
us energy independent? You fools. Don’t you realize I just
gave Iran a hundred billion dollars? Do you think I’m really
going to be serious about becoming energy independent?'”
U.S. SUPREME COURT. Justice Antonin Scalia, we miss
you and your stand for the U.S. Constitution! Voting in a 4-4
deadlock, the U.S. Supreme Court announced on March 29
that it was unable to resolve a major challenge to organized
labor. The deadlock meant a group of California teachers who
say their free speech rights are being violated, will still be
forced to pay dues to the state’s teachers union.
In another case, 43 U.S. Senators have filed a brief with the
Supreme Court in the case of United States v. Texas, arguing
that President Obama seeks to deal with certain classes of
[7]
illegal aliens “by the extra-constitutional assertion of a
unilateral executive power.” At issue is the constitutionality
of DAPA – Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and
Lawful Permanent Residents. The brief says, “With millions
of illegal aliens not permitted to remain in this country, work
in this country, or receive government benefits pursuant to
federal law, the Executive decided to provide such privileges
to them anyway through administrative fiat.” Congress
allows aliens to receive such benefits as Social Security and
the Earned Income Tax Credit, but has a specific formula for
determining when an alien may lawfully enter the country.
The court challenge says, “The Executive claims the power to
ignore these statutes and unilaterally deem lawful the
presence of any unauthorized alien it chooses not to remove.”
It adds that while the president originally agreed to the
Congressional action, once voters elected a majority of
Republicans in both the Senate and the House, he abandoned
the action in favor of unilateral executive power.
FLORIDA FAMILY ASSOCIATION. Efforts by the
Tampa-based Florida Family Association (FF)
www.floridafamily.org and its supporters to influence
companies to stop advertising on the Al Jazeera America
played an important role in the network’s decision to close the
channel. Comcast Channel 107 has not aired Al Jazeera
America since April 11, and there is no longer a Channel 107
on the network. FF’s efforts influenced 260 out of 275
companies to stop. FF’s slogan is “Defending American
Values.”
CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL. According to the
website www.citizen-action.com – a daily journal of news and
opinion for free citizens wishing to defend their liberty – the
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has found a unique way to
waste taxpayer money. In Los Angeles, the CDC has given
the Alta Med Health Services Corporation a $1.3 million grant
for HIV prevention among “Young Latino Men Who Have
Sex with Men.” Part of the funding is being used for outreach
to homosexual clubs in the city, as well as free screening and
“patient engagement navigation,” whatever that is, and part is
being put to use to produce “educational videos” that highlight
the different lifestyles of Latino homosexuals, including
“Cowboy, Fitness Buff, Day Laborer and Transgender/Drag
Queen.” And it’s all part of our $19+ trillion deficit.
EDUCATED EDUCATORS? The Brevard County School
Board, hopefully embarrassed, is now dealing with a 2013
decision by former Superintendent Brian Binggeli to get the
then-board members to spend $8 million on a no-bid contract
to provide new payroll and accounting software. Nearly three
years later, the contractor, Educational Data Resources
(EDR), has failed to deliver a finished product. About half of
the funding has already been paid, and current Superintendent
Desmond Blackburn has frozen payment for the balance.
EDR has since been acquired by a new company, Harris
Computer Corporation of Canada, and Desmond wants the
school board attorney to negotiate new delivery deadlines and
payment schedules. Meanwhile, according to “Florida
TODAY” newspaper, if the board had fully vetted the project,
the members would have learned that another company, Focus
School Software, which serves 16 other county school
districts in the state, would have offered a comparable
program for less than half the price. The newspaper also
attributed the problem to negligence by senior administrators
who failed to research the software market and pressured the
2013 school board to buy the service, and to the board itself
for its lack of oversight and questioning. In response, current
school board member Andy Ziegler, who urged support for
the original contract and thought no competitive bids were
possible or needed, now says he should have been “more
aggressive “ in oversight responsibility at the time.
YOUR EDUCATION TAX DOLLARS AT WORK.
There should be a special place in Hell for these alleged
“educators”: 1) the elementary school principal in Magnolia,
Texas, who prohibits parents from walking their children to
and from school and threatening them with arrest for
trespassing for even a single step on school property; and 2)
the middle school Spanish teacher in Tampa, Florida, who
asked her students to fill out a form by circling answers about
race, skin color, religion, sex, a separate listing for gender, a
separate listing for sexual orientation, and physical disability
– all without clearing the project in advance with school
authorities. The teacher was pulled from the classroom while
the school district investigated the unsanctioned incident.
Meanwhile, in Ranier, Oregon, officials at Hudson Park
Elementary School are apologizing to parents after the library
allowed fourth grade students access – without parental
permission – to a sex education book filled with illustrations
depicting various sexual acts. The apology letter said
procedures “have been put in place to make sure this doesn’t
happen again,” and the school’s current policies regarding
which books are to be allowed in the library for student access
is under review.”
FOUNDATION FOR INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS IN
EDUCATION. Offering students, a crash course on the First
Amendment, with an emphasis on the importance of its
protections to the presidential election campaign, the
Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE)
conducted a regional workshop at Yale University on April 9,
giving students the knowledge, strategies and resources to
assert their free speech and assembly rights on campus. The
emphasis was on students’ rights to engage in political
campaigning. Censorship of such expression by college
administrators is so prevalent, that the Philadelphia-based
FIRE releases a statement each national election cycle that
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reminds students and faculty of their rights – and puts colleges
on notice about their obligations to abide by the First
Amendment for their promises of freedom of expression
during an election season. www.thefire.org.
LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE. The Virginia-based
Leadership Institute, whose mission since 1979 has been to
train conservative activists, students and leaders, has
compiled a list of 1,769 conservative campus groups located
at colleges and universities throughout the United States.
Leadership Institute President and Founder Morton
Blackwell said the non-profit organization recruits
conservative students on these campuses and helps them
organize independent groups and publications “to fight back
against the radical liberals who dominate the faculty,
administration and campus life at the majority of American
colleges.” He pointed out the campus groups are in all 50
states, and 67 of them are at colleges and universities
throughout Florida. www.leadershipinstitute.org.
HEARTLAND INSTITUTE. There’s a new digital event
space and studio at the Chicago-based Heartland Institute
named the “Andrew Breitbart Freedom Center” in honor of
the late Conservative media giant. Heartland Institute
President Joseph Bast called Breitbart “a genuine American
hero who inspired millions of people to stand up and speak
the truth about what is happening in America.” The center
will be used for live-streaming policy events, forums, movie
screenings and other fare, and will be available to
conservative, libertarian and other “liberty-centric” groups at
no cost. www.heartland.org.
GLOBAL WARMING. The U.S. Consulate in Bergen,
Norway, reported to the Commerce Department that the
Arctic Ocean is warming up, icebergs are growing scarcer,
seals are finding the water too hot, and it is predicted that
within a few years, due to the ice melt, the sea will rise and
make most coastal cities uninhabitable. That sure seems to be
a coming global warming disaster. Except that this AP report
from the “Washington Post” was dated November 2, 1922 –
more than 93 years ago.
GEORGIA GOVERNOR. After the Georgia State
Legislature passed a bill last month protecting the rights of
religious organizations to refuse services that clash with their
faith – particularly with regard to same-sex marriage –
Governor Nathan Deal vetoed the measure. Homosexual
groups praised him, and social conservatives said he flinched
in the face of liberal opposition. Guess Georgia’s governor
isn’t such a big Deal after all.
HORSEBACK HERO. Reaganreports.com blogger
Michael Reagan reported on a recent incident that he said
would have given “quite a kick” to his late father, President
Ronald Reagan, who enjoyed horseback riding at his Rancho
del Cielo. The event concerns a woman shopper whose purse
was grabbed by a thief in the parking garage of a shopping
mall in Northridge, California. When the woman began
screaming for help, there suddenly appeared a man on
horseback who happened to be riding by the mall. Galloping
off to the rescue, the rider chased down the running thief,
retrieved the purse, and returned it to the woman. Reagan said
witnesses enjoyed the show, and there was “no word on
whether or not the rider cried out ‘Hi-yo Silver, away!’”
OBAMACARE EXPLAINED. Even though Obamacare
regulations number 10,535 pages, an engineer at Notre Dame
condensed the explanation to four simple sentences: 1) In
order to insure the uninsured, we first have to un-insure the
insured. 2) Next, we require the newly un-insured to be re-
insured. 3) To re-insure the newly un-insured, they are
required to pay extra charges to be re-insured. 4) The extra
charges are required so that the original insured, who became
un-insured, and then became re-insured, can pay enough extra
so that the original un-insured can be insured, so it will be
“free-of-charge” to them. Understand now?
THE GERMAN CHANCELLOR. After comedian Jan
Bohmermann read a satirical poem on a German television
station that criticized Turkish President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan, German Chancellor Angela Merkel approved a
criminal investigation against him. Germany’s penal code –
which was established in 1871 – says that anyone who insults
a foreign head of state is liable for imprisonment of between
three months and five years. Merkel, who has been criticized
for allowing more than one million Middle Eastern refugees
in the country, was skewered in her own CDU party for
favoring diplomatic ties with Turkey over press freedom.
Question: Is “The Space Coast Tusk” now in trouble for
referring to the German chancellor as “Merkel the Jerkel”?
EXPERTS’ EXCERPTS
Heritage Foundation President Jim
DeMint, writing on liberal hypocrisy in a
message to supporters:
“Liberals like to consider themselves open-
minded and accepting, but in reality they are
responsible for building a culture of
intolerance. If you don't want your daughter
to have to share bathrooms with ‘gender fluid’ boys, liberals
will call you a bigot. If you believe in constitutional rights like
religious freedom, gun rights, and freedom of speech, you are
labeled ignorant. Theirs is a dangerous approach, but an
effective one. It's insulting to be called an ignorant bigot, and
[9]
there's no way to counter ad hominem attacks like that. The
liberals have capitalized on this for their own ends. More and
more, we see the government using its power to restrict speech
and intimidate private groups and businesses. College
campuses are hostile to diverse viewpoints and students shout
down public speakers in the name of ‘tolerance.’ Corporate
leaders are forced to resign and pastors are fined for
proclaiming church teaching. These are just a few examples
of liberalism’s legacy in America. Now at its zenith,
progressive liberalism is turning on itself. It is becoming its
opposite: closed-minded and intolerant to different points of
views and interests. My colleague Kim Holmes recently
published a new book confronting this epidemic, ‘The Closing
of the Liberal Mind: How Groupthink and Intolerance Define
the Left.’ In it he reveals how liberals in America have
abandoned their traditions and become a force for denying
people’s rights and freedoms. The closing of the liberal mind
threatens not only free speech and freedom of conscience, but
constitutional rights that at one time had been among
America’s greatest causes. It is upending the very
constitutional order that once was the bastion of American
freedom and equality, which is a grave threat to the country.
Holmes believes that it is still possible to ‘save [America]
from the ravages of the postmodern left.’ But, he counsels, it
will require moderate liberals who still care about our
freedoms to come together with conservatives at this pivotal
time in history.”
Pacific Legal Foundation President and
CEO Robin Rivett, writing on Supreme
Court cases and his pending retirement in
PLF’s “Rescuing Liberty” newsletter:
“Gratitude. That’s my overwhelming
feeling right now. First, while the passing
of Justice Antonin Scalia brought sadness,
we at PLF also have deep gratitude for his legacy. His
powerful opinions helped shape the thought of judges and
scholars nationwide, setting a new standard of respect for
property rights, colorblind equal rights, and the rule of law.
Second, I am grateful to be able to report that the Supreme
Court has accepted two new PLF cases – bringing to ten the
PLF direct-representation cases that the High Court has taken
up since our founding…Both cases – U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers v. Hawkes and Murr v. State of Wisconsin and St.
Croix County – involve PLF’s signature cause: property
owners’ fundamental rights. Incidentally, even though they
were accepted before Justice Scalia’s passing, I am optimistic
about both, because under his influence, the justices have
shown an appreciation for property rights that transcends
differences in other areas. Third, I have a special personal
reason to be grateful as I share this news with you: In late
May, I am retiring, closing my 41-year career – and decade as
president – at America’s leading public interest legal
organization dedicated to liberty and limited government.
Saying goodbye isn’t easy, but it’s satisfying to be retiring on
a high note…. Along with my predecessors, I have had the
privilege of helping guide PLF through a long saga of
accomplishments, including seven straight Supreme Court
victories – a number that could now rise to nine, with the
Court accepting an unprecedented two PLF cases in a single
term. When I came aboard, PLF had a limited presence with
a handful of attorneys and one small office in Sacramento.
But we were driven by a big vision – to defend freedom in
America’s courts. That vision has produced victory after
victory, from county courthouses to the highest court in the
land….Our national reputation and effectiveness keep
growing, with expansion of our regional offices in Florida,
Washington State, and the District of Columbia. And we’ve
founded PLF’s Liberty Clinic at Chapman University –
offering law students ‘real world’ litigation experience….I’ll
always be cheering and supporting as PLF keeps ‘rescuing
liberty’ from coast to coast.”
Carol Bauer, wife of Campaign For
Working Families President Gary
Bauer, writing on the presidential election
campaign on the organization’s “End of
Day Report”:
“The twists and turns of this year's
presidential primaries and caucuses are
like watching a reality TV show. The only difference being
that the future of the United States is at stake. And an
enormous difference it is! The personal drama is all there, and
as the calendar unfolds the story line takes unexpected twists
and turns among the candidates and their families. As the
focus moves from state to state, we the voters are given a
glimpse of how each candidate reflects the values and
personality of the state they represent. And, we can get a better
read on personal and leadership qualities. Nearly every
Tuesday a different state or set of states has voted. As the
results are analyzed, a certain trajectory for the race is either
affirmed or, as seemed to be the case last week with the
Wisconsin results, a reset button is hit. Both parties seem to
be in disarray with the establishment, represented by party
leaders and big money contributors, on one page and the
actual voting public on a completely different page. One thing
we have learned is that this election cycle is like none other,
completely unpredictable in nature. The number of
endorsements a candidate enjoys has mattered little. Polls
have been unreliable. Turnout has been unusually high. In
short, it has been a volatile mix of outsized personalities,
intense voter interest, a focus on issues as they relate to what
is best for America and its role in the world, large rallies and
divisive rhetoric. The calendar and the contests spread out
before us. There will be more twists and turns. But by
summer's end the two parties will have chosen their
candidates. And then, the general election campaign will
begin in earnest. Some will be proud that their candidate
became the party's nominee. Others will be disappointed or
may already be disappointed that their preferred candidate
dropped out some time ago. But in November each of us will
need to make a choice.”
American Civil Rights Union Policy Board Member and
economics professor Dr. Walter Williams, writing on
college campus lunacy on the website www.townhall.com:
[10]
“Students, often with the blessing of
faculty, have discovered that names for
campus buildings and holidays do not
always fit politically correct standards
for race, class and sex. Stanford students
have demanded the renaming of
buildings, malls and streets bearing the
name of the recently canonized Junipero
Serra, an 18th-century Franciscan priest
who was often unkind to American Indians. Harvard Law
School is getting rid of its seal because it bears the coat of
arms of the Royalls, a slave-owning family. This renaming
craze is widespread and includes dozens of colleges and
universities, including Amherst, Georgetown, Princeton, Yale
and the University of California, Berkeley. The students have
decided that some politically incorrect people from centuries
ago are bad. Other politically incorrect people are not quite so
bad if they were at least sometimes liberal; their names can
stay…. Should UC Berkeley students and faculty demand the
renaming of Warren Hall, named after California Attorney
General Earl Warren, who instigated the wartime internment
of tens of thousands of innocent Japanese-American citizens?
UC Berkeley students and faculty might consider renaming
their Cesar E. Chavez Student Center. Chavez sent his thug
lieutenants down to California’s southern border to use
violence to prevent job-seeking Mexican immigrants from
entering the United States. President Woodrow Wilson was a
racist who, among other racist acts, segregated civil service
jobs. Should Princeton University rename its Woodrow
Wilson School of Public and International Affairs plus
rename its Woodrow Wilson fellowship program? Recently,
Brown University changed its Columbus Day celebration to
Indigenous People’s Day…Our military has a number of
deadly aircraft named with what the nation’s leftist might
consider racial slights, such as the Comanche, Apache,
Iroquois, Kiowa, Lakota and the more peaceful Mescalero.
Should they be renamed? Our military might also be seen as
disrespecting the rights and dignity of animals. Should
military death-dealing aircraft named after peace-loving
animals – such as the Eagle, Falcon, Raptor, Cobra and
Dolphin – be renamed? Renaming deadly aircraft might
receive a sympathetic ear from our politically correct
secretary of defense, Ashton Carter.”
THOUGHTS TO PONDER
“I would like Donald Trump or any other candidate (for the
presidency) to pledge to reinstate any and all military officers
discharged because they disagreed with Obama or his
policies.”
--Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich
-0-
“Just think -- If Donald Trump wins the election, it will be the
first time in history that a billionaire would move into public
housing vacated by a black family.”
--Author unknown
-0-
“Are conservatives ready to rumble? They’ve got pitchforks
in their hands. They are ready to take back their country, to
be actively involved in the legislative process – and they’re in
the mood to nominate an outsider….Conservatives believe if
they don’t win during this important election year, they’re
going to wake up one day and not recognize America.”
--American Conservative Union President Matt Schlapp
-0-
“In past elections, some voters have complained about being
forced to choose between the lesser of two evils. If the
nominee for the Democrat Party is Hillary Clinton, and if
Republicans select Donald Trump, this election may force
voters to choose between the least evil of two lessers.”
--Syndicated columnist Cal Thomas
-0-
“The United States spent approximately $1.5 billion on
resettlement in fiscal 2015…. Among other benefits, each
refugee will receive $1,000 in spending money once they are
here. The Obama Administration doesn’t want Americans to
know about how it places refugees from terrorist states in their
local communities.”
--Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton
-0-
“Who is and what is the biggest enemy of liberalism, folks?
Honestly now, ask yourself: Who do liberals consider to be
their greatest threat? It’s us, conservatives.”
--Radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh
-0-
“The U.S. Constitution provides a floor for freedom, not a
ceiling. We can use state constitutions and powers reserved
to the states to restore and grow our freedoms far above the
federal baseline. If the federal government will not protect
the rights of the American people, the people will….The
Goldwater Institute is doing what the Framers equipped us to
do – use state constitutions in a thoughtful and strategic effort
to restore our constitutional republic.”
--Goldwater Institute President Darcy Olsen
-0-
"One of the consequences of such notions as 'entitlements' is
that people who have contributed nothing to society feel that
society owes them something, apparently just for being nice
enough to grace us with their presence.”
--Economist and author Thomas Sowell
-0-
“A jarring paradox exists in our nation’s politics. While the
American people and Congress are showing steadfast
commitment to the Second Amendment, President Barack
Obama is determined to shove gun control down America’s
throat by any means necessary.”
--NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris Cox
-0-
“Bruce Springsteen is blowing off his tour date in North
Carolina because the state is daring to let businesses set their
own bathroom policies. What a scandalous idea! Like other
liberal extremists, The Boss (or is it Bossy?) is furious that the
[11]
North Carolina government won't barge into board rooms and
tell companies how to operate. Apparently he wants to do
away with the free market principles that are making
conservative states thrive, and orchestrate a hostile takeover
of businesses.”
--Family Research Council President Tony Perkins
-0-
“Common Core math has destroyed a generation of students.
They should use a short rope with a tall oak tree on the
mathematician who invented the process.”
--A former teacher who shall remain nameless
UPCOMING BREVARD COUNTY EVENTS
May 2 – Republican Liberty Caucus of Central East Florida
meeting, MeMaw’s Restaurant, Melbourne, 7 pm.
May 4 – Brevard Federated Republican Women meeting,
Holiday Inn, Viera, 11 am.
May 5 – Heritage Isle Republican Club meeting, Viera, 10 am.
May 5 – Brevard 9/12 meeting, Kol Mashiach Synagogue,
Melbourne, 6 pm.
May 9 – The Space Coast Patriots meeting, Merritt Island
Library, 6 pm.
May 10 – ACT! For America Space Coast Chapter meeting,
Government Complex Building C, Viera, 6:30 pm.
May 11 – Brevard Republican Executive Committee meeting,
Holiday Inn, Viera, 7 pm.
May 16 – New Millennium Conservative Club meeting,
Suntree-Viera Library, 6:30 pm.
May 17– North Brevard Republican Club meeting, La Cita
Country Club, Titusville, 7 pm.
May 19 – Republican Women’s Network of South Brevard
meeting, Eau Gallie Yacht Club, 11 am.
May 25 – The Space Coast Republican Club meeting, Red
Lobster, Merritt Island, 11 am.
May 26 – Brevard Young Republicans Club meeting,
Intracoastal Brewery, Melbourne, 6:30 pm.
May 26 – Ronald Reagan Clubs meeting, Jimmy’s Restaurant,
Rockledge, 7 pm.
ABOUT THE NEWSLETTER
There are more than 1,300 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:
spacecoasttusk@gmail.com.
COMICAL CLOSERS
Following the deadly terrorist attack in
Brussels, when President Obama
visited Argentina and took some heat
for dancing the tango, MRC’s
“NewsBusted” host Jodie Lewis
explained that “his female partner had
to lead, because as you know, Obama is
not a leader.”
-0-
Regarding Democrat presidential candidate Bernie Sanders,
Lewis said that he “has proposed a $15 trillion tax increase on
all Americans. Everything he promises us is free, but the $15
trillion covers shipping and handling.”
-0-
Ohio Governor John Kasich needs 130 percent of the
remaining Republican convention delegates to claim the
presidential nomination. This would be “mathematically
impossible,” Lewis said, “without Common Core” math.
-0-
And since authorities have discovered dozens of underground
tunnels between Mexico and the United States, Lewis said this
was an embarrassment to President Obama, because “in
digging these tunnels, the drug smugglers have created more
shovel-ready jobs than he has.”
SEVERAL PAGES OF PERTINENT POLITICAL CARTOONS AND PHOTOS FOLLOW
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Air Force One Returns Home From Cuba
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