Billy Vaughn Draws a Crowd in Abacoa
Last evening, “Betrayed” author Billy Vaughn captivated a packed house at Abacoa.
Father of a Navy Seal who died in the crash of a Chinook helicopter in Afghanistan in 2011, Mr. Vaughn described what he found in trying to understand how this happened.
In an indictment of the rules of engagement that currently tie the hands of our forces in Afghanistan, he described the gulf that exists between the “war fighters” on the ground and their senior leadership. More interested in winning the hearts and minds of the Afghans than in force protection or defeating the enemy, the current US conduct of the war greatly increases the risk and diminishes the effectiveness of our deployed forces.
He described our Afghan “allies” as untrustworthy and infiltrated by Taliban and Pakistan ISS, yet revealed that they are given full details of every special operation and have the authority to change the parameters or stop the it altogether. Describing the “ramp ceremony” following his son’s death, an Afghan Imam was taped (in his language) offering a prayer for the dead. When he had the tape translated, it was revealed that the “prayers” were actually a diatribe against the American forces.
Predicting a dark future for the next generation if the current administration policies continue, his passion and outrage was clearly felt by the audience.
In other business, CD18 candidates Ellen Andel, and Calvin Turnquest introduced themselves, as did PBG Council candidate Robin Deaton, and recently re-elected PBG Mayor Bert Premuroso.
Of interest to Jupiter Chapter members is our upcoming City Council Candidate Forum to be held in the County Library in the Gardens on February 25 at 6PM. The event is jointly sponsored by the Palm Beach County Tea Party, South Florida 912, PBGWatch, the PBG Residents Coalition, and the Republican Club of the Northern Palm Beaches.
PBC Tea Party Co-Hosts PBG Council Candidate Forum
February Jupiter Meeting – Karen and Billy Vaughn
PROGRAM: Authors of “Betrayed”. Shocking true story of Extortion 17 as told by a Navy Seal’s father . Political games, criminal Rules of Engagement and Washington’s total, wanton lack of regard for the battles our fearless warriors face on a nightly basis finally culminated in the greatest one-day loss of life in the history of Naval Special Warfare.
SPEAKERS: Karen & Billy Vaughn, the parents of Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 1st Class Aaron Carson Vaughn who was killed in Action on August 6th, 2011 in Afghanistan with 29 other American warriors, when their Chinook chopper crashed.
DATE: Monday, February 3, 2014
TIME: 5:30 PM Dinner (Soup & Sandwiches $13, tax and tip inc. Cash Bar)
6:30 PM Meeting (no charge)
PLACE: Abacoa Golf Club 105 Barbados Dr., Jupiter, FL 33458.
DIRECTIONS: Donald Ross Rd. to Parkside Dr. North on Parkside Dr. 0.4 miles to Barbados Dr. Left on Barbados Dr. to first driveway on Left.
Please RSVP with the button below so we are prepared to accommodate you:
INFORMATION:
Email:info@palmbeachcountyteaparty.org
Jupiter Chapter features the Convention of States Initiative
PROGRAM: The Convention of States Initiative
SPEAKER: Michael W. Eason,
District Captain – FL District 85,
Convention of States Project
The Convention of States Project is urging state legislators to call a convention of states under Article V of the Constitution. The delegates at such a convention would propose amendments to the Constitution that would curb the abuses of the federal government.
DATE: Monday, January 6, 2014
TIME: 5:30 PM Dinner (Soup & Sandwiches $13, tax and tip inc. Cash Bar)
6:30 PM Meeting (no charge)
PLACE: Abacoa Golf Club / 105 Barbados Dr., Jupiter, FL 33458.
DIRECTIONS: Donald Ross Rd. to Parkside Dr.
North on Parkside Dr. 0.4 miles to Barbados Dr.
Left on Barbados Dr. to first driveway on Left.
Please RSVP using the button below:
INFORMATION:
Email: info@palmbeachcountyteaparty.org
Common Core Discussion Coming to Jupiter
11/4/2013 MEETING NOTICE
PROGRAM: An In Depth Discussion on Common Core and its adverse effects on our children and grandchildren
SPEAKER: Janet Campbell – Florida Stop Common Core Coalition
DATE: Monday, November 4, 2013
TIME: 5:30 PM Dinner (Soup & Sandwiches $13, tax and gratuity included, Cash Bar)
6:30 PM Meeting (no charge)
PLACE: Abacoa Golf Club 105 Barbados Dr., Jupiter, FL 33458
DIRECTIONS: Donald Ross Rd. to Parkside Dr. North on Parkside Dr. 0.4 miles to Barbados Dr. Left on Barbados Dr. to first driveway on Left.
Please RSVP so we we are prepared to accommodate you.
INFORMATION: Email: info@palmbeachcountyteaparty.org
In Jupiter, Seven50 Presentation Becomes Town Hall
Last evening, the Jupiter chapter hosted a presentation by Phyliss Frey of the American Coalition 4 Property Rights, on the regional planning protocol known as “Seven50”.
Background: The title stands for “Seven Counties, 50 Years”, and is a work product in the area of “Regional Plans for Sustainable Development”, funded by a $4.6M HUD grant in 2010. A consortium, the developers of Seven50 formed the “South Florida Regional Partnership” to help create, support and implement the plan. Participants include local governments and NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) through membership in the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council (TCRPC) and the South Florida RPC. The plan attempts to address how to manage an expected 50% growth in population (from 6M to 9M) in the seven target counties of Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin, Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe. They have analyzed housing density, mass transit, diversity, planning and zoning and other regional attributes. The underlying assumption is a future of global climate change and rising sea levels, scarcity of energy and water, and challenges to “food security” among other things. The group’s proposals are considered advisory by many of the city and county jurisdictions that indirectly support it. Their work product can be viewed at seven50.org
Our guest speaker is a leader in the movement to challenge this planning protocol, and along with others associated with the American Coalition 4 Property Rights and many tea party activists, sees regional planning consortiums (they are all over the country, spurred on by HUD grants) as a threat to our way of life.
In her presentation, Ms. Frey used several very professional videos to make the case that the Seven50 plan would move us toward “stack ’em and pack ’em” high rise dwellings, the end of the suburbs, clusters of development along rail routes and elimination of local and county planning and zoning authority in favor of super-regional control.
Going back to the origins of “Sustainable Development” starting with the UN “Agenda 21”, she profiled the federal government’s role in implementation, starting with an executive order by George H. W. Bush, and expansion through every administration since. The Obama team has ratcheted it up a notch, using the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and HUD (Dept. of Housing and Urban Development) to promulgate a set of rules that require “neighborhood diversity” defined racially rather than economically, limits on resource use, and strings attached to federal grants flowing to local communities.
A test case and clear warning bell is provided by Westchester County, NY. A video of County Executive Rob Astorino, describing the federal lawsuits that county is struggling with, and his vow to fight back against federal overreach was a most compelling argument.
Invited to the meeting to hear the “other” side of the issue were our district 1 county commissioner Hal Valeche, Mayor Bert Premuroso and Councilman Joe Russo of Palm Beach Gardens. After the speaker made the point several times that MOUs (“Memorandums Of Understanding”) executed by local commissions and councils have limited their defense against the attacks on the local planning and zoning autonomy, Commissioner Valeche thought he needed to set the record straight. Taking the microphone to explain that the PBC commission is not constrained by Seven50 or the TCRPC, but look to groups like that as consultants and advisors. Some issues really need a regional perspective he said – like inter-county rail projects or large developments near county borders. He used the example of Avenir – the proposed development for the Vavrus Ranch in Palm Beach Gardens, as an example where TCRPC is being asked to help by collecting input from the region’s residents about such a large development in the western county.
Gardens councilman Joe Russo expanded on that, and explained that regional planning really did have a hand in developments like Abacoa, but state law has changed and it is now local rules that prevail. The Avenir development will be a decision for the Gardens Council, not the TCRPC.
Both Valeche and Russo left us with the impression that these kind of radical proposals as discussed by the speaker can happen, but only if we (and our local elected officials) let it.
At this point the meeting had become a “Town Hall” with both Hal and Phyliss taking questions from the audience.
Many were not buying that Seven50 was not a major threat though, and several called for Hal to get the PBC commission to “opt out” of Seven50, much the way that Indian River County and the city of Vero Beach have. Hal declined, saying such a motion would not pass in the current commission, and although this may be an issue in the future, currently he does not see it as an immediate issue in Palm Beach County. At one point it got raucus enough that Joel Channing, a PBCTP member who is close to the Gardens Council and is a leader in the PGA Corridor Association, made the point that “these guys are really heros” (the commissioner and councilmen) and were being unfairly criticized.
Also present at the meeting were candidates for CD18 Ellen Andel and Ilya Katz, CD21 candidate (against Ted Deutch) Henry Colon, and Senate 32 candidate Brandon Cannon (a Republican challenging Joe Negron).
Jupiter Chapter Meeting – October 7
PROGRAM: An In Depth Discussion on Common Core and 7/50
SPEAKERS: Leigh Lamson and Phyliss Frey – American Coalition for Property Rights
Janet Campbell – Florida Stop Common Core Coalition
DATE: Monday, October 7, 2013.
TIME: 5:30 PM Dinner (Soup & Sandwiches $13, tax and gratuity included, Cash Bar);
6:30 PM Meeting (no charge).
PLACE: Abacoa Golf Club, 105 Barbados Dr., Jupiter, FL 33458.
DIRECTIONS: Donald Ross Rd. to Parkside Dr. North on Parkside Dr. 0.4 miles to Barbados Dr. Left on Barbados Dr. to first driveway on Left.
INFORMATION:
Email: mailto:info@palmbeachcountyteaparty.org
Save the Dates for October Meetings!
We’re resuming monthly meetings for all three chapters in October.
Future Meetings have been scheduled as follows:
WELLINGTON
Monday, September 9, 2013
Monday, October 14, 2013
BOCA RATON
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
JUPITER
Monday, October 7, 2013
An announcement for the September meeting has been sent and a reminder will follow. Announcements for the October meetings will be sent as the programs are finalized
Dennis Michael Lynch Delivers at Jupiter
Author and producer of the films “They Come to America” and “They Come to America 2”, Dennis Michael Lynch drove the issues surrounding illegal immigration and amnesty home to a substantial crowd of several hundred at the Abacoa Golf Club.
Co-sponsored by the Palm Beach County Tea Party and the Martin County Tea Party / 912, Mr. Lynch used a series of video clips, anecdotes and personal stories to shed some light on what is really happening on our southern border, and what could happen if something like the “Gang of 8” amnesty bill were to become law.
Immigration is a complex issue, yet it is approached by politicians and the media in sound bites, misleading statements and 1200 page bills with loads of subtle consequences.
The Dream Act for example, allows for the best and brightest of illegals in our schools to remain in the country. It also provides entry for all their relatives through “chain migration”, a deal breaker for many conservatives.
H1B visas, favored by high-tech companies who need skilled workers in IT and other technical disciplines, have the side effect that the participants are effectively indentured to the company that procures their visas and consequently work for below standard wages – crowding out Americans with equal skills and credentials. (Editors Note: the Senate Immigration bill would make this worse by eliminating “middlemen” who obtain work visas for tech workers and then hire them out as contractors to the tech firms).
Senator Rubio’s claim that the newly legalized would “not get Obamacare” and other benefits is a similar problem – companies could hire these folks and not have to provide them health benefits or face Obamacare fines.
My biggest takeaway from Mr. Lynch’s many fine points concerned Barack Obama and his legacy. “It is not Obamacare for which he would most like to be remembered, but immigration reform”, he said. More than anything else, flooding the country with tens or hundreds of millions new immigrants would “fundamentally change America”, the President’s first and foremost goal.
Finally, regarding the border, enforcement, and the billions of new spending on border patrol in the “Gang of 8” bill, he said it is “not about the money”, but about the will to fix the problem. Until we have a government that has the will to act on the problem it will not be solved.
Several elected officials joined us last evening, including District 1 County Commissioner Hal Valeche, and Juno Beach Councilwoman Ellen Andel. Ms. Andel, who is running for Congress in the crowded CD18 Republican field, was joined by Beverly Hires, a new entrant in that race, and Ilya Katz. Mr. Katz was a candidate in CD23 against Debbie Wasserman Schultz, but is moving north and decided to join the CD18 race instead. Also running in that district are former state representative Carl Domino, and Alan Schlesinger , both occasional visitors to PBCTP meetings.
July at Abacoa with Senator Joe Negron and Representative Mary Lynn Magar
Representing the far northern communities of Palm Beach County, including Jupiter and Tequesta, the Republican team of Senator Joe Negron and Representative Mary Lynn Magar provided us with their perspective on this year’s legislative session and the issues of interest to the audience.
Representative Magar represents house district 82, consisting of Jupiter/Tequesta and the southern part of Martin County. Her day job is VP and General Manager of Heart Care Imaging, and she addressed the issues surrounding health care in the state, including the House decision to reject the federal medicare expansion, legislation to increase access to the medicaid program by the elderly, and assistance to those afflicted with spinal cord injury. She highlighted some of her sponsored bills in the area of helping businesses collect on bad checks, and attracting manufacturers with a sales tax moratorium on equipment purchases, which she says helps us compete with other states in the Southeast.
Taking a few questions, she promised to “look into” the core curriculum status (which was signed into law under Charley Crist and not on the session agenda this year), and she thought “local is good” regarding planning decisions under 7/50.
Senator Negron, represents district 32 – the coastal communities from Jupiter / Tequesta north to Vero Beach. He hit briefly on three topics and then took some questions in a free flowing conversation. He first discussed the “stand your ground” statute in the context of the Zimmerman case, and said he does not want to see any changes to the law. Then he mentioned his “drone bill”, which limits the use of unmanned aircraft by law enforcment except in limited circumstances, and explained it in the context of the balance between liberty and security. He also addressed the “public right to speak” bill which enables citizen input at meetings of public officials, which many cities and counties opposed.
Addressing issues of interest to the audience, he gave his view of the “tea party” – not a monolithic point of view but a decentralized body of opinion that reflects the diversity of its members. He was an early supporter of e-verify in the state (which didn’t pass), and believes that businesses should not be overly dependent on illegal labor. He explained his view of medicaid expansion (which unlike the House bill would have accepted federal money), and explained (in answer to a question) that currently Florida does not provide medical care to illegals except in the case of 1) pregnancy and delivery, and 2) emergency care.
Other items at the meeting included the announcent that current PBCTP President Mike Riordan is stepping down to focus more time on his business. The board will carry on until he can be replaced. Member Joel Channing also introduced Mike Stetson of the Pacific Legal Foundation. The foundation had just won the Supreme Court case Koontz v St. Johns River Water Management District and Mike spoke a little bit about the case and PLF. He also described PLF’s ongoing case against Obamacare challenging it on the origination clause: Now that the individual mandate has been declared a ‘tax’, the bill originated in the Senate and all taxes must originate in the House.
2014 candidates attending the meeting included Alan Schlesinger (CD18) and Brandon Cannon (FS32).
Some pictures from Fred and Ed:
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