February meeting in Wellington recap

Pam Wohlschlegel, Leader of  the Tea Party Patriots in this area, shared some of her activities including traveling around Florida with Jenny Beth Martin, national Tea Party Patriot leader, visiting other Tea Party Patriots.  Pam commented that the Patriots are like sleeping tigers ready to re-emerge and assume a much more active role as they did four years ago.  We were reminded to keep the focus on our three principles:  fiscal responsibility, constitutionality, and free markets.  There are a number of tea parties in our country; unlike some others, the Patriots do not endorse candidates.  Pam noted that the Hispanic vote, a major block, is being indoctrinated by the left.  What is it we can do to counter their influence?  Progressives are using the approach of having home meetings.  We need to do the same.

On March 22, a rally will be held on the Supreme Court lawn in D.C.  Florida needs to be there!  Busses will be leaving on February 21, for Tallahassee in preparation for a meeting with our legislators.  Pam emphasized the need for poll watchers.  Irregularities apparently occur when members of our group are not present.

Sharon Bock, Comptroller and Clerk, was the main speaker for the evening.  An attorney, Sharon has been in her elected position for 14 years.  She employs 750 individuals, none of whom make policy.  All county funds, amounting to well over a billion dollars, must go through Ms. Bock’s office in order to be spent.  She is an auditor and a watchdog who signs all checks.  Before checks are signed three criteria must be satisfied:  is there a public good involved, is the expenditure legal, and is it in the budget?  Ms. Bock’s speech was an impassioned one in which she gave many examples of how she functions and how she is constantly confronted with obstacles.  Her talk was very educational since many of us were not aware of how the individual in this position operates nor how important her position is to the well being of Palm Beach County.

Pictures by Boris Balaban.

Santorum Boca event seems to be cancelled

NOTE:  THIS EVENT NO LONGER APPEARS ON THE SANTORUM CALENDAR FOR MONDAY MORNING.

As you may know, Senator Santorum had to send surrogates to events in Florida today due to his daughter’s illness.

Santorum is currently scheduled to participate in a candidate forum organized by the Orthodox Union in Boca Raton, FL tomorrow, Monday, January 30th at 9am.

Location:
Boca Raton Synagogue
7900 Montoya Circle North
Boca Raton, FL

Prior to going to the event, I suggest that you check both Rick Santorum’s Event Calendar and the Synagogue.

GOP Presidential Preference Primary is Tuesday, January 31st

The GOP Presidential Preference Primary is Tuesday, January 31st. You knew that – and now, if you’re like me and have put off your decision as long as you can, it’s time to Vote!

The Supervisor of Elections website has the precincts listed for this election. If you’re not certain about your precinct and can’t find your voter registration card, then look it up at the Precinct Finder. When in doubt, call the Supervisor of Elections, at (561) 656-6200. The polls are open from 7am to 7pm.

Remember (since it was in today’s paper as another ‘problem’ with Florida) – the only candidates of the many listed on the ballot still in the race are Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum.

Good luck to all of us!

Feb 11 Conference: Citizens Concerned for Property Rights

(The Treasure Coast, FL) – Several locally affiliated conservative action groups announce a one-day program of distinguished speakers and events focusing the spotlight on the continuing encroachment of rights in the U.S. by groups that promote the United Nations Convention to establish uniform regulations to manage “the Earth’s resources” and its population. “

These “central planners” are hostile to private property rights – the legal mainstay of our free-market system. Their denial of your right to keep the fruits of your own labor is a back-door attack on our republican form of government as well as to American sovereignty itself.”  – Leigh Lamson

Featured Speakers:           Dr. Michael Coffman          John Casey

Dr. Tom Cuba                       Dr. Allison Ramsersaad

Krisanne Hall, Esq. Karen Schoen

DATE: February 11, 2012, Saturday

RESERVATION: $25 [cash at door] R.S.V.P

website – http://gulfspeaks.info/Conferences.html

R.S.V.P. will get you a seat at a table. Without reservation, general seating is available.

TIMES:

8:00    Doors open for registration and continental breakfast (included)

8:45    Program begins with Pledge of Allegiance and invocation

11:45 – 12:15 Lunch Break (included in registration)

4:00    expected adjournment

LOCATION: Genesis Community Church auditorium – MAP ( http://g.co/maps/am3ye)

rear of the Crowne Plaza shopping center

8643 U.S. Highway 1

Port St. Lucie, FL 34953     Office phone: 772-873-1075

The St. Lucie 9-12 Group and The Martin 9/12 TeaParty Committee are local grassroots public-issues groups associated with the 9-12 Project and Tea Party Patriots, a grassroots coalition with more than 3,500 locally-organized chapters and more than 15 million supporters nationwide. www.stlucie912.org http://the912-project.com/ http://www.m912tc.com

Agenda21Today – http://americanfreedomwatchradio.com/

 

Early Voting Ends Today at 2:00pm

You watched the debates, you took our survey (or didn’t), attended the PPP Event or looked at the Voters’ Guide.  Now it’s your chance to vote for the GOP Presidential Candidate of your choice.  For most of us, it’ll be a difficult choice – but don’t use that as an excuse!  If you anticipate for any reason that you won’t be able to make it on Election Day, January 31st – then vote early – by either going to an Early Voting Location or voting by Absentee Ballot.*  Always check with the Supervisor of Elections if you have any questions either on their website or at (561) 656-6200.

Important – if you aren’t registered as a Republican – you will not be able to vote in the Presidential Preference Primary.

EARLY VOTING STARTS THIS SATURDAY!

Presidential Preference Primary Election

DATES

Saturday, January 21, 2012 through Saturday, January 28, 2012

HOURS OF OPERATION

Monday – Friday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm

Saturday & Sunday 10:00 am – 2:00 pm

VOTING LOCATIONS

Jupiter Branch Library, 705 Military Trail, Jupiter 33458

Palm Beach Gardens Library, 11303 Campus Drive, Palm Beach Gardens 33410

Supervisor of Elections Office, 240 South Military Trail, West Palm Beach 33415

Wellington Branch Library, 1951 Royal Fern Drive, Wellington 33414

Hagen Ranch Road Library, 14350 Hagen Ranch Road, Delray Beach 33446

Lantana Branch Library, 4020 Lantana Road, Lake Worth 33462

Belle Glade City Hall, 110 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd West, Belle Glade 33430

Boca Raton City Hall, 201 West Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton 33432

*ABSENTEE BALLOTS can be requested in many ways – by phone, online, requests can be faxed, a designated person can pick one up for you, you can mail in a postcard.  You can also select in advance for which upcoming elections you desire an absentee ballot – so if you already know that you will be out of town for the primary in August or for the General Election in November – do it now – while you’re thinking about it.  For more information on how to get your Absentee Ballot and when/how to send it in click here.  Or go directly to the online form.

Opportunity to see Speaker Gingrich

Palm Beach County Tea Party wants to educate and inform voters, so we encourage all of our members to see the GOP Primary Candidates as they come to our area in the next two weeks. Here is an opportunity to hear Newt. Note that RSVP is Required.

RJC Florida Region presents
An Exclusive Event with
Speaker Newt Gingrich

Friday, January 27, 2012

The RJC Florida Region

is Proud to Present:

An exclusive opportunity to meet with

Presidential Candidate

Speaker

Newt Gingrich

Friday, January 27, 2012

Registration is at 2:30pm

Program is at 3:30pm

South County Civic Center

16700 Jog Road

Delray Beach, FL

Click here for map and directions.

RSVP Required / Seating is Limited

We are sorry, but we cannot accommodate those who do not RSVP in advance

RSVP to Leah Sabin at (561) 995-9445 or by

e-mail: florida@rjchq.org.

The Republican Jewish Coalition does not endorse any single candidate in the Republican Primary for President. We offer the opportunity for any major candidate or their designated surrogate to address our membership.

Palm Beach County Tea Party and South Florida 912 Host PPP Event

Do you know for whom you’re going to vote for in the GOP Primary? Do you know why? How much do you really know about your candidate?

Find out at our Presidential Preference Primary Event – a joint project between Palm Beach County Tea Party and South Florida 912.

When: Tuesday January 10th 6:00 p.m Meet and Greet, 6:30-8:30 Program
Where: First Baptist Church of West Palm Beach, 1101 South Flagler Drive

Our volunteers have researched the candidates’ policies. The campaigns have responded to questions about their candidates’ core values: such as Leadership, Character, Worldview, Quality of Solutions, and Governing Style, so we can get beneath the surface. There will be high-profile candidate surrogates at the forum to explain the answers and to answer your questions

The format will allow ample time to explore both core values and policy positions.

First take our survey – based on your current knowledge of the candidates. Then hear from the campaign surrogates as they present their candidates’ views, moderated by Brian Mudd, Program Director for WJNO and WBZT and co-host of the Palm Beaches Morning Rush, on Tuesday, January 10th at 6pm at the First Baptist Church of West Palm Beach at 1101 S Flagler. Pick up a copy of our short Voters’ Guide at our event and then check out the complete guide on our websites. Survey results will be presented at the end of the meeting.

Still feel the same about your candidate? Have a new one? In either case, help out the candidate of your choice during the final 3 weeks of the campaign leading to the GOP Presidential Primary on 1/31.

The event is free, donations are welcome. Bring your friends.

If you need additional information, please contact info@palmbeachcountyteaparty.org

Click below to RSVP:

Venue Map:

Presidential Preference Portfolio Event

South Florida 912 and the Palm Beach County Tea Party are jointly hosting a Presidential Preference Portfolio event for January 10 at the First Baptist Church of West Palm Beach on Flagler Drive. It will be moderated by Brian Mudd, Program Director 1290 WJNO & 1230 WBZT, Financial Analyst & Co-Host for The Palm Beaches Morning Rush.

The introduction of our 2012 Grassroots Presidential Preference Primary Voter’s Guide is a key part of preparation, and it will be made available at the event.

Each of the eight major Presidential campaigns are being asked to participate, and have been sent a series of questions designed to “get beyond the sound bites” and help us get to know the contenders on the basis of how they would approach the job, and how well suited to it they are.

The project has three parts – the questions, the event itself, and a member survey that asks each of us to score the candidates in the key areas of Leadership, Character, Worldview, Quality of Solutions, and Governing Style. The results of the survey will be included in the Voter’s Guide (available the night of the event), along with the candidate’s answers and our analysis of their policy positions. Following the event, after you have seen how they answered, we will ask you to take the survey a second time and we will record the changes (if any).

The Voter’s Guide will also have a section for the candidates policy positions, either provided by the campaigns or determined by our researchers from publically available campaign collateral and websites. Through this process, we hope to help you (and others who use our voter’s guide) to make an informed selection in the January 31 Florida Presidential Preference Primary.

Click below to RSVP:

Member Survey

---

We need your views of the candidates for the process. Please CLICK HERE to take the survey now. You must be logged in to register your results.

Background

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The 2012 Elections are both a referendum on the stewardship of Barack Obama, as well as a choice of what kind of country we are going to become. The Republican standard bearer will carry enormous responsibility to offer a compelling alternative to the progressive, anti-business, social-democratic future that the last 3 years has foreshadowed.

So much damage has been done to our country through enormous deficits, out of control spending, suffocating regulations, erosion of property rights and the rule of law, and a feckless and incoherent foreign policy, that stopping the damage is not enough. The next President must roll back the excesses of the past few years and restore our Republic to one of Fiscal Responsibility, Constitutionally Limited Government and Free Markets.

It is a unique time. The country is gripped by fear and crushed by pessimism, yet we are yearning for leadership and open to new ideas. Not since the Carter Administration has there been such malaise, and polls show many think America’s best days are behind her and their children are destined to a lower standard of living and crushing debt. We fear our liberties are being eroded by a massive and growing federal government, that crony capitalism has corrupted the highest reaches of government, corporations and the banking system, that our traditional values of the family, the community, and the nation have been morphed into something unrecognizable. Yet there is some leadership to be seen away from Washington as the states press their case to overturn Obamacare and take the initiative on immigration policy from a failed federal bureaucracy. We as a people are resilient and capable, and will respond to a leader with bold new ideas and a commitment to fixing America.

The next President must have the right policy prescriptions for today’s known problems, and most of our candidates do, but that is not enough. Whoever assumes the position must also be able to meet and triumph over the challenges that lie ahead in an increasingly dangerous world, for a country left in a weakened state from fiscal irresponsibility, a decade of war, and a business sector left reeling from suffocating regulations and economic hardship that has led to the highest sustained level of unemployment since the Great Depression.

How can we determine who can carry this mantel?

We believe the qualifications of our champion can be found in five key dimensions:

• Leadership – who can inspire us to greatness? Who has the ability to clearly lay out the problem, communicate the urgency, convince us to make the necessary sacrifices to achieve success?
• Character – who can we trust? Who is loyal to their principles and their countrymen, respects others’ points of view, yet has the courage and confidence to make politically difficult choices?
• Worldview – who sees the world as we do? Who sees America as exceptional, its people capable and motivated, its strength in the individual efforts and decisions of the many,not the central wisdom of government?
• Quality of Solutions – who has proposed solutions that really get to the crux of the problem? Who understands that changes have consequences and can explain the broader ramifications of their tax plan or their entitlement reform proposals?
• Governing Style – who is likely to see their solutions implemented? How will they work with Congress, particularly the other party to form governing majorities on issues? Who can use their political capital and support from the voters to realize a mandate for change?

Candidate Questions

---

In order to explore these dimensions for each of the candidates, we have prepared the following set of questions. The campaigns have been asked to answer them both in an absolute sense as well as how their candidate’s values may differ from their competitors for the nomination. Obviously, there are no wrong answers, but their responses will help us understand them better.

1. Leadership
a. What are the characteristics of a great leader?
b. What leader has most influenced you in your life?
c. In what leadership roles that you have held have you been most effective and whatdid you accomplish?

2. Character
a. Some of the dimensions of character include trustworthiness, loyalty, warmth, respect, courage, and reverence. How do these attributes guide your behavior and how much do they influence your view of others?
b. Who was the major character influence in your life? How and why?

3. Worldview
a. What do you see as America’s role in the world for the next 20 years?
b. What level of debt, deficit and taxation is “reasonable” and why?
c. What are the top 3 economic problems that “must be solved” to secure our future?
d. What are the top 3 foreign policy challenges of the next decade?

4. Quality of Solutions
a. Explain the major advantage and the most important side effects of your tax plan.
b. What is your “doctrine” regarding the intervention in foreign conflicts?
c. What should be “done” about the United Nations?
d. Close to 50% pay no income taxes – how do we change that?

5. Governing Style
a. How would your style differ from George Bush? From Barack Obama?
b. It is difficult for a President to “change Washington” – how will you work with the existing DC environment and avoid both frustration and/or corruption by it?

Policy Positions

---

Policy positions on today’s key issues are also important, and we will attempt to profile each candidate based on their campaign collateral, public statements and debate performances. If a campaign wishes to specifically provide material to us on policy we will feature it in the assessment. The policy areas of interest are found in the following 10 questions:

1. Tax Reform – what are the key aspects of the tax reform initiatives (if any) that you would attempt to implement if you become President?
2. Spending and Deficit – Our $15T debt is the largest single threat to our institutions and our way of life. What are your top policy prescriptions to address this issue?
3. Size of Government – the federal government has become a major factor in everything we do and would be unrecognizable to the founders. How will you “make Washington inconsequential in our lives?” What federal programs would you eliminate or turn over to the states?
4. 10th Amendment – the states have asserted themselves in the last couple of years over immigration policy and health care. There are additional moves coming over EPA overreach, education and energy. Where would you draw the line between federal jurisdiction and that given to the states by the constitution?
5. Health Care – Most agree that Obama care must be stopped and 26 states are taking their judicial challenge to the Supreme Court. A legislative solution is needed and there is some fear that the PACA has already made turning back the regulations almost impossible. What steps would you take to deal with this issue and what priority would you give it?
6. Federal Regulations, EPA, NLRB, FCC – The Obama administration has greatly increased the regulatory assault on business and citizen alike. What can be done to reign in the entrenched bureaucracy and how will you approach this task?
7. Trade policy, China – What is your position regarding fair trade with China concerning currency manipulation, intellectual property protection and dumping? Should our trade policy favor certain countries or regions or should we treat everyone equally? What do you see as the future of manufacturing in this country?
8. United Nations, NATO, European Union – In what way would you change the relationship between the US and these organizations from what the current administration has done?
9. Radical Islam, Arab Spring, Iran – Contrast your approach in these three areas to the Obama administration. What should be our future posture towards the emerging regimes in the middle east and Maghreb and how should we deal with Iran’s weapons program?
10. Role of the Military – Our force composition has changed in response to the asymmetrical threats we face, yet our experience in Iraq and Afghanistan has illuminated many shortcomings in regards to “nation building” projects. How does the military factor into your vision of America’s role in the world for the next decade and what changes would you make in structure, weapons systems and human resources in the military forces?

Senator Nelson Calls for Investigation of Conservative Activists

Some of you may have received this letter from our Democrat Senator. He is claiming that

“..a handful of super-rich conservative activists are behind an orchestrated effort to keep millions of seniors, younger voters and minorities from casting ballots next year…”

and he is calling for a Senate investigation to

“..see if Florida’s law was part of a plan that led to similar voting law changes in more than a dozen other states this year.” and then “.. I have asked the Justice Department to look into who’s behind these changes. “

This is chilling. Where was Senator Nelson when Acorn was subverting the election process all across the country and Black Panthers were intimidating voters at the polls. This is a part of an organized effort to weaken our election laws and all the more reason why everyone who is able should volunteer as a poll worker or watcher to help keep elections fair.

Action Alert – Congressional “Super Committee”

We need everyone to contact the Super Committee with your demands.  Their contact information is below but first, here is a little background information that you may or may not know.

The “Super Committee” was formed as a condition to the “Debt Ceiling” debate, this past late-summer’s effort to increase federal spending authority for the president without really saying so.

We believe it is an unconstitutional construct, but it is there and we have to deal with it.

This Super Committee, comprised of twelve Congressmen (six from each party; half from the House and half from the Senate) was tasked to reduce the deficit. If the Super Committee does not come to bi-partisan terms, and Congress fails to pass the recommendations they propose, automatic “cuts” kick in.

Democrats are looking to pass $1.3 trillion in tax increases, with a similar amount in cuts, over the next 10 years. As usual, especially with the likes of Sen. John Kerry and Sen. Patty Murray sitting on this Super Committee, the Democrats are pushing for more spending on top of the tax increases. The same game plan they have been preaching for the last 3 years.

For a good analysis on the Super Committee, see this from The Heritage Foundation:

http://heritageaction.com/2011/10/note-to-super-committee-don%e2%80%99t-raise-taxes/

It appears that those involved are NOT attempting to look for real cuts. And any cuts to Medicare/Medicaid will be overturned as soon as the next Congress convenes.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/10/27/super-committee-republicans-offer-22t-deficit-cutting-plan/

Republicans offer to cut deficits by about $2.2 trillion over a decade; about one-third of that coming from increases in items such as Medicare premiums, the sale of public lands and airport fees — measures that increase government revenue without raising taxes. The GOP plan also assumes that tax reform would generate economic growth that would also lift revenues.

The GOP plan would also cut about $500 billion from Medicare over the next decade and $185 billion from Medicaid, officials said.

Democrats say that elsewhere in the budget they plan to reduce deficits by more than $3 trillion over the coming decade, while financing a $450 billion jobs bill along the lines that President Barack Obama is recommending. The same worthless “jobs bill” that was defeated in the Senate.

If the Democrats were serious, they would cut Obamacare, which could save over $2 trillion during same time ten-year period. See this link for the detail:

http://www.kiowacountysignal.com/opinions/x703875050/Repeal-of-Obamacare-could-save-2-6-trillion

Tea Party Patriots has railed over the last 2 ½ years – Reduce the size of government; Slash spending and Repeal Obamacare – for trillions in savings!

Credit rating agencies, yet again, have stated emphatically that nothing less than $4 to $5 trillion in spending cuts will stem another downgrade in the U.S. credit rating… but, apparently, members of the Super Committee believe their half-baked ideas (that they know will be rejected) will lead to some sort of consensus (and maybe political gain) in 2012?

Write to the Super Committee – but don’t just stop there; e-mail, phone, fax, and tweet!

Here is a direct link to their website:

http://www.deficitreduction.gov/public/index.cfm/contact

Whatever you can do – create a presence, from the Palm Beach County Tea Party as well as for the Tea Party Patriots groups all across the country!

The lobbyists are all there, waiting to add more dollars to Super Committee members’ campaign coffers! We have millions of members, enthusiastic Patriots who stand for their Country, NOT Party! Put pressure on them for: NO increase in ANY taxes, and CUT spending, PERIOD!

Here are your “Super Committee” members:

Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) Committee Co-Chair: @RepHensarling

Phone: 202-225-3484 Fax: 202-226-4888

Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) Committee Co-Chair: @PattyMurray

Phone: 202-224-2621 Fax: 202-224-0238 Toll Free: 866-481-9186

Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD): @ChrisVanHollen

Phone: 202-225-5341 Fax: 202-225-0375

Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ): @SenJonKyl

Phone: 202-224-4521 Fax: 202-224-2207

Sen. John Kerry (D-MA): @JohnKerry

Phone: 202-224-2742

Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA): @SenToomey

Phone: 202-224-4254 Fax: 202-228-0284

Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT): No Known Twitter Account

Phone: 202-224-2651 Fax: 202-224-9412

Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH): @robportman

Phone: 202-224-3353

Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA): @RepBecerra

Phone: 202-225-6235

Rep. Dave Camp (R-MI): No Known Twitter Account

Phone: 202-225-3561 Fax: 202-225-9679

Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC): @Clyburn

Phone: 202-225-3315 Fax: 202-225-2313

Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI): @RepFredUpton

Phone: 202-225-3761 Fax: 202-225-4986

Tweeting to the Super Committee, should have a # setup… something like this:

@RepHensarling #SuperCommittee – NO tax inc., CUT spending #tpp

@RepHensarling #SuperCommittee – Repeal Obamacare, Save $2T #tpp

 

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