Palm Beach County is not Wisconsin
This is Your Wake Up Call!
Today is a very sad day. I am sitting here in Washington, DC with about 50 fellow patriots. All of us were checked out of our hotel room by 6 am this morning and standing on the steps of the Supreme Court by 6:30am. We said the pledge of allegiance, sang patriotic songs, chanted things like “See that flag a flying hi makes me proud as I pass by “, and silently prayed that the announcement that the Supreme Court would declare the Affordable Care Act (ACA) unconstitutional. As you know, that did not happen and the worst case scenario unfolded. The Supreme Court upheld ACA or “ObamaCare” as it is affectionately called by both sides.
Somber moments for tea partiers!
Should we, the tea party, consider this a win for the opposition and a loss for us. Yes, it was a win for them but we should also consider this a wakeup call for America and especially for the tea party! We have an opportunity now to energize the masses. The Supreme Court declared ObamaCare a tax — a tax for all people, poor, middle income, and rich alike! The administration orchestrated a President Franklin D. Roosevelt-like bait and switch. President Roosevelt first sold social security to the masses as benefit, not a tax; then when challenged by the Supreme Court, he declared it a tax . . . and won! This is exactly what happened today!
Everyone is asking what does this mean? The news reporters asked where is the tea party going from here? Does this signal an end to the tea party? Very quickly the leftists surrounded us and declared that the tea party “does not care about people needing health care.” This could not be further than the truth!
Tea partiers from across the US
after the Health Care decision
Tea party groups across the country are focused on quality health care for any person, irrespective of their income situation and if they want it. Tea partiers believe that we must repeal the ACA in full and replace it with effective free-market based solutions.
Simply stated, the tea party stances are reflective of the majority of the American people. Per a June poll by NYT/CBS, 68% of the American voters want all or part of ObamaCare repealed. Per a YG Network June poll, 92% say they are already satisfied with their healthcare (pre ObamaCare) and 90% say that their health care costs have gone up or stayed the same since ObamaCare passed. Per a June 13th Rasmussen poll, those who strongly favor repeal is almost double those that strongly oppose repeal.
So what does this mean for the tea party? It means that we energize America against this very pervasive tax that will effect everyone. We fight to repeal ACA with a newly minted handle: “Repeal the ObamaCare Tax!”
We need to focus on the costs, on its impact on our economy, the inevitable reduction in the quality of health care in this country, the rationing power of Medicare imbedded in the law, the Medicare payment cuts imbedded int he law, and the overall higher health care costs for every person and every company that must now provide healthcare benefits for their employees. We cannot give up! America’s future depends on our effort!
We are on the steep, slippery slope to socialized medicine! We need to make today a turning point — the first day of our renewed effort to repeal the ObamaCare tax!
Who’s on the Ballot on August 14?
There is something for everyone on the ballot in August, regardless of your party affiliation. Look over the list below, then go to our Voter’s Guide to learn about the candidates and view the district maps.
Keep in mind that August elections are low turnout affairs, so your vote will count for more than in the November election. In 2010 for example, 377K people in the county voted in November, but only 127K in August.
ALL VOTERS can vote in the non-partisan and/or “universal primary” races which include:
(* indicates incumbent, write-ins not listed)
- Sheriff (Ric Bradshaw*, Joe Talley, Cleamond Walker)
- Property Appraiser (Gary Nikolits*, Robert Weinroth)
- Clerk and Comptroller (Sharon Bock*, Lisa Epstein) (universal primary)
- Supervisor of Elections (Susan Bucher*, Woodie McDuffie, Coneste Succe)
- 15th Circuit Judge Group 2 (Timothy McCarthy*, Jody Lane)
- 15th Circuit Judge Group 9 (Ron Alvarez*, Jaimie Goodman)
- 15th Circuit Judge Group 26 (James L. Martz*, Margherita Downey)
- County Court Judge Group 4 (Peter M. Evans, Kenneth Lemoine)
- County Court Judge Group 6 (Edward A. Garrison, Jane F. Sullivan)
plus the following if you live in these districts:
- State House District 87 (Dave Kerner, Mike Rios) (universal primary)
- State House District 88 (Charles Bantel, Evelyn Garcia, Bobby Powell, Nikasha Wells) (universal primary)
- School Board District 1 (Robert Bittenbinder, Michael Howard, Christine Jax, Lowell Levine, Michael Murgio)
If you are a REPUBLICAN, you can also vote for:
- US Senate (Connie Mack, Ron McNeil, Mike McCalister, Marielena Stuart, Dave Weldon)
- GOP State Committeewoman (Fran Hancock*, Cindy Tindell)
- GOP State Committeeman (Peter Feaman*, Corey Brisson)
plus the following if you live in these districts:
- Congressional District 18 (Allen West, Robert Crowder)
- State Senate District 25 (Melanie Peterson, Geoff Sommers)
- State Senate District 34 (Ellyn Bogdanoff, Mike Lameyer)
- State House District 82 (Carl Domino, Mary Lynn Magar, John Milton, John Pasqualone, Calvin Turnquest)
- County Commission District 1 (Dan Amero, Harry Gaboian, Hal Valeche)
If you are a DEMOCRAT and live in these districts you can also vote for:
- Congressional District 18 (Patrick Murphy, Jerry Buechler, Jim Horn)
- State Senate District 27 (Mack Bernard, Jeff Clemens)
- State House District 81 (Ron Perman*, Kevin Rader)
- County Commission District 5 (Marie Louise Berger, Steven Meyer, Rick Neuhoff)
- Tax Collector (Anne Gannon*, Peter Carney)
- Port of Palm Beach Group 1 (Wayne Richards*, Joseph Anderson)
A Call To Action – Phone banking with Americans For Prosperity
Hello Fellow Patriots,
The Palm Beach County Tea Party is joining forces with Americans for Prosperity in the effort to motivate voters to vote conservatively in the August primaries and in the November elections.
To this end, we will start a phone banking program next Wednesday, June 27th. Once you have trained on the simple phone calling process you can make the phone calls from home or join us every Wednesday evening for a group phone banking session. We will continue to do this throughout the election season.
The Jupiter/PBG chapter will be conducting the Wednesday telephone banking sessions from 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM. You can join us at any time during this time period. Phones and refreshments will be provided!
Location: 3970 RCA Blvd Suite # 7003, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Click here for directions. Note that the office is on the north side of the building directly across from the Hampton Inn. The office is in the same building as the WPBF25 TV studio (go down the hallway just west of the studio entrance).
We are asking all conservatives who would like to help us in this essential effort, to volunteer to assist during these sessions. Please notify us by telephone at (561) 444-8086 or by E mail info@palmbeachcountyteaparty if you will be willing to help us. Terri Gallaher or Joe Burge will be leading this telephoning work and they will provide any necessary telephone system explanations and directions to the office.
Remember, this is the same type of Tea Party effort that was an essential factor in Wisconsin Governor Walker’s great recall victory!
Similar phone banking programs are being developed in our Wellington and Boca Raton Chapters.
Is the Senate Race Over?
With George LeMieux quitting the Senate race and endorsing Connie Mack IV, is the race over?
Senator LeMieux listed two reasons for his exit: 1) RPOF and the “powers that be”, presumably including FreedomWorks, have thrown their support to Connie Mack, making it hard for LeMieux and others to find sufficient funds to run a state-wide media campaign against the deep pockets of Connie Mack and his supporters and 2) Congressman Mack refuses to come out and debate his Republican rivals, precluding any “free” publicity for the challengers and closing the door on any discussion of issues.
With money and media a major requirement, Mike McCalister, MarieLena Stuart, Ron MacNeil and the others would seem to be at a major disadvantage. Dave Weldon would be also, given his late entry.
The Weldon campaign plans to fight though. From what I heard today from a campaign staffer, many grassroots coordinators from the LeMieux campaign are coming over to Weldon.
In a conference call immediately following his announcement, Congressman Weldon did not particularly impress. His website was content-free, he seemed unprepared, and lacked detailed knowledge of many of the issues important to the grassroots. That has changed. He now has a well developed set of policy positions (see: daveweldonforsenate.com/issues/ ) which are clearly conservative and counter to the Obama/Nelson agenda, he is gathering endorsements (Sam Brownback, Citizens United Political Victory Fund), and stepping up fundraising.
The near term plan is to bulk up the number of small contributors to show grassroots strength and his phonebank is asking for $5-10 donations in the next couple of days to make the case.
Will he be a credible challenge to Mack? I don’t know, but it is a shame to see the primary end today with a whimper. I gave him a small contribution and plan to watch what happens. If you are not comfortable with Connie Mack as the presumptive nominee, you could do the same.
County Commission Forum – District 1 Primary Candidates
The Palm Beach County Tea Party, a TAB coalition partner, was a co-sponsor of this event.
Amnesty’s Unanswered Questions
On June 15, 2012 Obama announced he will unilaterally, without authorization from Congress,
permit hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants to remain in U.S.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has explained how they will enforce this new policy.
The new policy will apply to any individual who satisfies all of the following:
1. Came to the United States under the age of sixteen;
2. Has continuously resided in the United States for at least five years preceding June 15, 2012 and is present in the United States on June 15, 2012;
3. Was in school on June 15, 2012, has graduated from high school, has obtained a general education development certificate, or is an honorably discharged veteran of the Coast Guard or Armed Forces of the United States;
4. Has not been convicted of a felony offense, a significant misdemeanor offense, multiple misdemeanor offenses, or otherwise poses a threat to national security or public safety;
5. Is not above the age of thirty.
The policy applies to undocumented illegals. Unlike your cocker spaniel, “undocumented” means they have no papers.
When such undocumented aliens show up later to seek a permit to stay, how will DHS answer the following questions?
1. How old is the alien? It is unlikely any of them carried a birth certificate when passing through the barbed wire.
2. When did they arrive? Without knowing their age and when they arrived, how will DHS determine they arrived before age 16?
3. When they show up later, how will DHS know they were here on June 15, 2012 and were here for at least five years?
4. With no identification how will DHS determine they graduated from high school, obtained a general education development certificate, or is an honorably discharged veteran of the Coast Guard or Armed Forces of the United States?
5. With no identification how will DHS determine they have not been convicted of a felony offense, a significant misdemeanor offense, or multiple misdemeanor offenses either somewhere here or in their home country?
6. How will DHS decide if they pose a threat to national security or public safety?
Considering the administration’s desire to let them all in, perhaps they will just give them a simple form to sign and tell them to check the following boxes;
[ ] I was under the age of sixteen when I came to the United States.
[ ] I have continuously resided in the United States for at least five years preceding June 15, 2012.
[ ] I was present in the United States on June 15, 2012.
[ ] I was in school on June 15, 2012, or I graduated from high school, or I obtained a general education development certificate, or I am an honorably discharged veteran of the Coast Guard or Armed Forces of the United States.
[ ] I have not been convicted of a felony offense, a significant misdemeanor offense, multiple misdemeanor offenses, or otherwise poses a threat to national security or public safety.
[ ] I am not above the age of thirty.
That will save DHS the effort of having to authoritatively determine the eligibility. After all, they surely can be trusted. Would anyone who went to all that trouble to get here actually misrepresent themselves?
NO MORE QUESTIONS
Independence Day Meetups in Boca Raton, Palm Beach Gardens, and Wellington Malls
This is a difficult time politically for all of us. Many of us are discouraged. . . but July 4th is the day that we should all celebrate our liberties and share that awareness with others! On Independence Day, Wednesday, July 4th, meet up with like-minded people between 10:30 am and 11:30 for java and fellowship at the mall nearest you. We will be meeting in the food courts at these three malls:
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Wear red, white, and blue, your tea party shirt, and/or carry a small flag so that we can recognize each other. Who knows, we might even break into song (flash mob style) like we did last year. This is truly a fun experience. Don’t miss it if you are in town for the holiday!
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Wellington Chapter Features IG and Commissioner on Ethics
The July 2012 meeting of the Wellington Chapter of the Palm Beach County Tea Party was, as always, a very informative gathering and one that remains relevant to our mutual belief in fiscal responsibility, limited government, and free markets. Given the latest developments of this highly charged political season and a monumental victory of Governor Scott Walker over special interests, this month’s meeting gave us an opportunity celebrate our members like Pam Wohlschlegel who were able to contribute to the effort and literally walk the streets of Wisconsin in support of what they consider to be morally right. Thanks to them and others like them, this battle has been won but the war is far from over. A continuous need for dedicated volunteers was loudly and clearly reiterated. As the result of a partnership with Americans For Prosperity, Kathy Salerno, a volunteer field coordinator for the State of Florida spoke briefly underscoring that phone banking is still one of the most effective tools in running a grass roots campaign. Kathy, provided a demonstration of the new phone banking system that has been implemented by her organization and put out a call for volunteers. This system is surprisingly easy to use and designed such that calls can be made in spare time from any phone. The evening highlights consisted of presentations by two guest speakers ; Alan Johnson, Executive Director of the Palm Beach County Ethics Commission and Sheryl G. Steckler, Inspector General for Palm Beach County. Both speakers delivered fact filled presentations covering the intricacies surrounding the roles played by both offices within PBC Government.
Director Johnson, a long time Wellington resident, a former Assistant State Attorney, and a life long public servant enthusiastically explained the mission of the Commissioner of Ethics (COE) as to “foster integrity in public services, promote the public’s trust and confidence in that service, and to prevent conflicts between private interests and public duties”. He went on to draw a contrast between the role of the COE and the Inspector General clarifying that the COE is basically a code enforcement office. The Commission is made up of five non political appointees. Commissioners are limited from making political donations or supporting partisan causes for the duration of their term of appointment. Supported by a half dozen regular staff members as well as volunteer advocates the Office has its hands full. It’s tasked with enforcement of the PBC Code of Ethics that is aimed at ensuring that governmental decisions are not based on personal gain. The Office also issues advisory opinions, processes complaints, and provides mandatory ethics training in support of all PBC as well as municipal employees. The Commission’s jurisdiction also includes all elected individuals except independent constitutional officers such as PBC Sheriff and the Property Appraiser among others. The Commission’s Website has been one of the most critical tools in meeting their mission. In 2011 the site has received over 200K visitors in search of services. Everyone is encouraged to visit the site for materials or information at palmbeachcountyethics.com
Director Johnson was promptly followed by an equally charismatic and passionate General Steckler. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) is a PBC chartered office with a broad jurisdiction covering all County and municipal entities with oversight responsibilities at the individual contractor as well as sub-contractor levels. As a contrast to the COE, the OIG is focused making the Government more efficient, accountable, and effective. It conducts audits and investigations aimed at detection and prevention of fraud, waste, mismanagement, and misconduct. The key strength of the Office is its independence which intended to promote public trust and confidence in government. As such the offices’ findings can not be altered. OIG creates and publishes both annual and semiannual reports which are available to the general public through its web site at pbcgov.com/oig/
As stated before, great meeting, thanks to all the tireless effort by our organizers such as Gina Rascati, one of the founding members of the Wellington Chapter. It seems that every month a new bar is set for these gatherings. Please make sure to visit palmbeachcountyteaparty.com to see what’s in store for our next meeting.
Boca Memorial Day Rally Video
