IMPORTANT DATES

General Meetings: May CANCELLED; June-August

CUSTOMARY SUMMER BREAK

Board Meeting: VIRTUAL Board meetings took place in April and May. The June 1st meeting will be virtual as well.

SD Conventions— POSTPONED; Click here for up-dates

State Convention—July 16-18

Houston George R. Brown Convention Center

National Convention—Aug. 24-27; Charlotte, NC

See the next page for TFRW events this summer

May 2020

Volume 48 Issue 5

FROM THE PRESIDENT Dear Magic Circle Members,

After two months of the “new normal,” I hope this May newsletter finds you and your loved

ones happy, healthy and staying busy.

I thought it might be a good idea to talk about the upcoming Senate District (SD) conventions and

the State convention delegate selection process. As you know, our Republican Party of Texas State Convention will be

held in Houston July 16-18 at the George R Brown Convention Center.

Our regularly scheduled Senate District conventions were postponed due to COVID-19. Many are tentatively “on the

book” for the end of May to mid-June. Please check in with your SD chair if you do not know when/where you are to

meet. I know many of them have been working on this logistics challenge for the past few weeks and are doing their

best to secure venues large enough to hold everyone at a safe “social distance.”

For those of you who do not know or who have never attended an SD Convention, it is an exciting look at politics be-

hind the scenes at the grassroots level. Policy proposals will be debated, and propositions to amend or expand our

Republican Party Platform will be submitted. Ultimately, these proposals will be debated and amended and then the refined proposition is voted on at the SD level. Once they pass out of the SD convention, these propositions are

submitted to the state party for consideration at our State Convention.

Continued on page 8...

Magic Circle RWC Newsletter

Founded 1979

An Award Winning Federated Club

Recipient of the NFRW Diamond Achievement Award

http://www.magiccirclerwc.net

General Meeting: CANCELLED due to public health recommendations and

to protect our Magic Circle members

Maggiano’s, 2019 Post Oak Boulevard

Maggiano's has long been our host restaurant for Magic Circle RWC.

As we all find a new way to support our community and small busi-nesses, please consider ordering a take out meal from or dining in now at our club's host restaurant in this time of need.

When your order or dine in, tell the person that you are part of the Magic Circle meeting every month.

We will get a great meal and the restaurant would truly appreciate the business.

2020 MCRWC Board

President Dana Myers DLM@spiersgroup.com

1st VP Programs Minnette Carrabba

2nd VP Membership Jennifer Knesek

Recording Secretary Marleen Kepke

Treasurer Mildred Reitman

Corresponding Secretary Julie Hodges

PAC Treasurer, Parliamen-tarian, Bylaws Joan Buschor

Legislative Jennifer Knesek

Directory / Newsletter Tina Walker

Campaign Activities Mary Ann Shemdin

Notifications Dana Myers

Communications/Website Francine Pares

Social Barbara Butler

Caring for America Barbara Moore

Awards Mary Sage

Chaplain TBD

Historian TBD

GHC Delegates Joan Buschor, Alter-nate: Mary Schneider

Immediate Past President Mary Schneider

The Minutes GENERAL MEETING: April CANCELLED

TFRW EVENTS

Friday, June 12th - Saturday, June 13th TFRW Board of Directors Meeting and Patron Event, Austin, TX

Thursday, July 16th - Saturday, July 18th Texas GOP Convention, Houston, TX

Thursday, July 16th TFRW Event at Home Plate Bar & Grill, Houston, TX

Monday, August 24th - Thursday August 27th Republican National Convention, Charlotte, NC

Wednesday, August 26th 100th Anniversary of Women’s Right to Vote

Tribute to Women is still ON. We will still honor our outstand-

ing ladies from across the state!

Friday, July 17th, Noon–1:30pm Tribute to Women Lunch at the Houston Marriott Marquis

PURCHASE TICKETS HERE and be aware of deadlines:

Sunday, June 14th – Last day for early bird ticket price of $79 (Magic Circle table has a few seats available for purchase, please contact Dana if you are interested)

Monday, June 15th – Ticket price increases to $90

If you have already purchased tickets, your tickets will be good for July.

If you cannot attend in July and have already purchased a ticket, please contact:

Jill Tate, vpfinance@tfrw.org or 214-354-9443.

Magic Circle RWC 2020 Tribute to Women Honoree

Marleen Kepke I was raised in a conservative and religious home on a farm in Southeastern Louisiana and attended the local university. After college I left Louisiana to pursue banking opportunities in Houston which led me to San Francisco, San Antonio and back to Houston. I appreciate those values I was given by my parents more and more each day and understand how important it is that I pass them down to future generations.

I have been a member of Magic Circle Republican Women’s Club for eight years. I served as President in 2016 and have been a member of the Board in some capacity for the last seven years. I have been a Volunteer Deputy Registrar for Harris County for four years. This year I will be taking part in our Senate District 17 Convention in July as a Delegate and Recording Secretary. I have volunteered in many ways and believe in the mantra—one more thing! We can all do one more thing to help our party.

Going forward, I will be giving every effort to get President Trump re-elected not only because he is a Republican but also because I believe he is the best person for the job. I will also work towards helping Republicans take back the House and retain the Senate as well as striving to get Republicans elected locally and on a State level.

I pray for our country and our President and his family each day.

SPECIAL NOTES

Please keep the families of Officer Jason Knox and Officer Chase Cormier in your thoughts and prayers following the tragic helicopter accident that took the life of Officer Knox and severely injured Officer Cormier earlier this month. Officer Cormier faces an exceptionally long rehabilitation due to his multiple injuries.

MCRWC will be making donations in their honor.

BE ON THE LOOKOUT! You will be receiving a short, easy email survey from Dana soon to update your contact info and preferences. Please be sure to give her your feedback, thank you!

MAGIC SUMMER The Board will stay in touch with membership during the summer with a short Newsletter and through our telephone committee.

From your fellow Magic Circle Member, Mary Nan Huffman…

Mary Nan Huffman is the Republican Nominee for the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. Ways to volunteer on Mary Nan’s campaign:

• Visit her website marynanhuffman.com • Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

o Facebook: facebook.com/MaryNanHuffman o Instagram: marynanhuffman o Twitter: @marynanhuffman

Tel: 832-663-0511 Email: campaign@marynanhuffman.com

"The Meaning of the Flag-Draped Coffin" I hope you take the time to read this... To understand what the flag draped coffin really means ... Here is how to understand the flag that laid upon it and is surrendered to so many widows and widowers: Do you know that at military funerals, the 21-gun salute stands for the sum of the numbers in the year 1776? Have you ever noticed that the honor guard pays meticulous attention to correctly folding the United States of America Flag 13 times? You probably thought it was to symbolize the original 13 colonies, but we learn something new every day! The 1st fold of the flag is a symbol of life. The 2nd fold is a symbol of the belief in eternal life. The 3rd fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veterans departing the ranks who gave a portion of their lives for the defense of the country to attain peace throughout the world. The 4th fold represents the weaker nature, for as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in time of war for His divine guidance. The 5th fold is a tribute to the country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, 'Our Country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right; but it is still our country, right or wrong.' The 6th fold is for where people's hearts lie. It is with their heart that they pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America , and the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all. The 7th fold is a tribute to its Armed Forces, for it is through the Armed Forces that they protect their country and their flag against all her enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of their republic.. The 8th fold is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day. The 9th fold is a tribute to womanhood, and Mothers. For it has been through their faith, their love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great has been molded. The 10th fold is a tribute to the father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of their country since they were first born. The 11th fold represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon and glorifies in the Hebrews eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The 12th fold represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in the Christians eyes, God the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit. The 13th fold, or when the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost reminding them of their Nations motto, 'In God We Trust.' After the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it takes on the appearance of a cocked hat, ever reminding us of the soldiers who served under General George Washington, and the Sailors and Marines who served under Captain John Paul Jones, who were followed by their comrades and shipmates in the Armed Forces of the United States, preserving for them the rights, privileges and freedoms they enjoy today. There are some traditions and ways of doing things that have deep meaning. In the future, you'll see flags folded and now you will know why. Now you know why it is referred to as the symbol of ' Liberty and Freedom.'

* Times of pandemic and other crises have shown us who some of our elected officials really are, both good and bad. Elected officials have acted in ways that raised questions and eft many of scratching our heads. For instance, the dictatorial mandates from a County Judge that get reversed four days after implementation because of a man-date from the Governor that wipes out the County Judge’s order. It has been said before and it needs to be said again: Elections have consequences. We must rededicate ourselves to electing good, qualified individuals to be those we choose to legislate on our be-half. * Congress will return to Washington at some point, whenever Speaker Pelosi decrees, but the U.S. Senate is al-ready back in Washington. Senator Ted Cruz has outlined some priorities for going forward, which include: - We need to re-open our economy and get Americans back to work. The unemployment rate has soared to 14.7 percent – with nearly 20 percent of the American workforce out of a job. There are reasonable steps we can and must take now, including increasing the production of personal protective equipment (PPE) to making testing more widely available, to begin safely re-opening the economy. These steps will also get people back on the road, which will help our struggling energy producers and the hundreds of thousands of blue-collar workers whose live-lihoods hang in the balance. I’m glad to see that here in Texas, we’re working to take those steps. - We need to push pause on spending and not allow Speaker Pelosi to hijack discussions going forward. We cannot simply spend our way out of these crises or give into Democrats' unreasonable demands, like handing a blank check to fiscally irresponsible states. We should instead focus on fixing any issues in the existing assistance pro-grams and work to deliver on four key health priorities. - We need to cut taxes and lift regulations to help grow the economy out of this crisis. Every regulation that has been waived during these crises should remain waived. We should also eliminate both the employer and employee side of the payroll tax for the rest of the year, which will put more money into Americans' pockets. * Congressman Kevin Brady appeared on Fox Business Channel last week, and in a wide-ranging interview, he highlighted what he sees as some of the pitfalls in the recent legislation, some of which probably came about too quickly and hastily for the sake of “doing something” in a hurry: "Right now, the federal unemployment benefit that came out of CARES, as we now know, was too generous in some regions and some states in the sense it paid more to not work than to come back to work. We’re already see-ing businesses struggling to bring their workers back as states reopen – if we don’t solve that problem, it will lead to an extended recession and certainly slow down our recovery.” “I think there is a way to actually incentivize people to return to work, to accept those job offers from their former employers. Democrats want to expand and extend those benefits; we think those unemployment benefits could be turned into a ‘return to work’ bonus, where when an unemployed worker gets that job offer, they are allowed to keep up to two weeks of their unemployment. That’d be $1,200 to help them return to that workforce, help get that business get back up on its feet, to help this U.S. economy recover." Congressman Brady also made this broader important point, and something we need to keep in mind as we reach out to our representatives once they eventually return to work: "We also know that it is unhealthy for workers to stay unemployed for a long time—for themselves, their family, and for the economy, as well.”

...Continued on the next page

LEGISLATIVE REPORT

...Continued from the previous page

* Various stimulus proposals Include the Democrats floating the idea of paying every American $2,000 per month. Before this continues and gains traction, it is important to make sure your representatives know where you stand on spending. In a separate interview, this time on Brian Kilmeade’s radio show, Congressman Brady pointed out what the Democrats are actually doing with their so-called proposals: “I think Democrats in the House are going to go it alone. … My prediction is this will be a pure messaging bill, they know it will never live a day in the Senate. I think that’s the wrong way to go." And he pointed out what the Republican path forward looks like: "House Republicans are working with the White House to put in place the same policies that launched the same Trump economic boom: which is to keep taxes low, incentivize business to invest, make work pay.” * Times of crisis mean leaders must act quickly and thoughtfully, without making the problems worse. This is why it is important to stand for your principles and make sure your elected officials from local to state to federal know where you stand on issues, and we must elect those committed to doing the right things. This is a point worth making because officials at every level can really have an impact, good or bad, that will result from their decisions. Texas Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick, told The Texan: “My focus is and has been on jobs and the strength of Texas producers. The Railroad Commission continues to pro-vide operators regulatory certainty in uncertain times. We have done this by reducing regulatory burdens, extend-ing deadlines, and having an open door, albeit digitally, to work with operators to resolve the challenges they are facing.“ * The 87th Texas Legislature will begin next January, those representatives are on the ballot this November. But many are already at work on the makeup of the next session. State Representative Jim Murphy announced recent-ly: “During this interim I am serving as Co-Chair of the State Budget and Taxation Task Force. Our Task Force had a conference call earlier this month where we discussed our priorities for the work we’ll be conducting over the next few months. A major focus of our work will be how the state can tackle the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, but we will also work to continue expanding the Texas economy and ensure the state can provide the services you need while keeping taxes low.“ Again, spending is going to be a huge issue for every governing body for years to come as a result of what has hap-pened this year. Make sure your elected officials hear from you about spending priorities, and make sure their wish list items take a backseat to minimal government at the least expense to all of us, the taxpayer.

LEGISLATIVE REPORT

Political advertising paid for by Magic Circle Republican Women PAC, Joan Buschor, PAC treasurer. Contributions are not federal tax deductible as charitable

contributions. Corporate contributions are not permitted.

This is not an endorsement by Magic Circle Republican Women, MCRW president, or its campaign activities chair. It is only candidate information to help

you make an informed decision and get involved with the candidate of your choice.

Solicitations made by federal candidates and officeholders are limited by federal law. The federal candidates and officeholders are soliciting only donations

of up to $2800 from individuals and up to $5000 from multi-candidate political committees. They are not soliciting donations in any amount from corpora-

tions, labor organizations, national banks, federal contractors, or foreign nationals.

REMINDER —Please submit your Campaign Hours to Mary Ann Shemdin.

• Include work done at home, mailings, baking, preparing posters, telephoning, etc.

• Count volunteer hours and include travel time.

• Hours spent working at a special event or organizing—but not if you are a guest atthe event.

• Count hours spent in session at TFRW Board meetings and TFRW conventions. DONOT include travel time.

• Count stuffing envelopes, petitions signed for candidates etc. but not attendance atyour Republican club meetings.

• DO NOT count hours for paid campaign staff positions but count work done at coun-ty, state and TFRW headquarters or at home for candidates campaigns.

• Count non-partisan hours for known Republican candidates.

FROM THE PRESIDENT...Continued from page 1

We choose state convention delegates at the SD conventions. If you are interested in attending the State Convention

and want to vote on the party platform, you should attend the SD convention even if you were not chosen as a precinct

delegate.

And in all cases, please stay engaged on the political front even as these days seem to melt into another. It has become

very easy to lose track of time.

We are now less two months out from the July Primary runoff in Houston and less than six months out from the No-

vember General election. With much at stake in November from the county courthouse to the statehouse to the

White House, we will need to be educated, engaged and energized to succeed.

Stay safe and stay well for Texas and the Nation,

Dana Myers MD President, Magic Circle RWC

MAGIC CIRCLE REPUBLICAN WOMEN’S CLUB PRIMARY/ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP FORM 2020

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ MEMBERSHIP FEE: PRIMARY $50. NEW________ RENEW __________ ASSOCIATE $30. NEW _______ RENEW _________ (HOME CLUB - REQUIRED BY PAC)____________________________ (ACCOUNTING ONLY) CHECK# __________ DATE ______________ MAGNETIC BADGE $10.00 (CASH ONLY) YES _________ NO __________ NAME FOR BADGE (PLEASE PRINT) ___________________________________________ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ NAME (PLEASE PRINT) ________________________________SPOUSE ________________ ADDRESS __________________________________ CITY/ZIP_____________________ PHONE ______________________ EMAIL(PERSONAL) ______________________________ PLEASE PROVIDE INFORMATION FROM YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION CARD PRECINCT#_______ CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT #_______ SENATE DISTRICT ________ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ CONTACT PREFERENCES: CONTACT INFO MAIL___________ EMAIL_______________ NEWSLETTER DELIVERY EMAIL_______________ PUBLISH CONTACT INFO IN ANNUAL DIRECTORY: YES________ NO_________ SIGNATURE_______________________________ OCCUPATION______________________ (REQUIRED BY PAC) DATE__________ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ PLEASE MAIL COMPLETED FORM WITH CHECK PAYABLE TO: MCRWC TO: JOAN BUSCHOR EMAIL: jcbuschor@gmail.com 1920 STONEYBROOK DR., HOUSTON, TX 77063 PHONE 713-785-0076 OR JENNIFER KNESEK EMAIL: catholicconservative12@gmail.com 15211 PARK ROW #427, HOUSTON, TX 77084 PHONE 254-702-1109