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Date: Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Time: 10:00 a.m. Gather and social
10:30 a.m. Business Meeting and program starts promptly – all are invited to attend
12:00 p.m. Luncheon
1:00 p.m. Program
Location: Radisson Hotel in Chatsworth
9777 Topanga Canyon Blvd.
Chatsworth
Cost: $22.00 per person
Menu: Chicken enchilada and cheesecake or
Cobb Salad and cheesecake
Let Andria know your choice when you make your reservation
Bring your own box if you want to take any of your leftover lunch home.
Reservations:
Contact Andria Page at 894-1081
by Sunday, October 18, 2009
If you make a reservation and cannot attend, be sure to cancel your reservation; or you will be responsible for the cost. Remember, Board members and committee chairpersons have standing reservations for the general meeting.
USED BOOK SALE Bring a bag full of your used books to the meeting for others to take. The club is using this as a fundraiser, charging $1 for hard cover and 50 cents for paperback. Take back home with you any books that remain.
PROGRAM
Although Clark Baker was unavoidably detained from our meeting last month, he offered, and we accepted, that he will be our guest on October 21 in the morning spot after our business. He is a candidate for the 42nd Asssembly District. He is a Retired Police Officer and a Former Marine Corps Sergeant, Commercial Pilot, SCUBA Divemaster, and Private Investigator.
After lunch we shall hear Gabriella Holt who is the chairman of Citizens for California Reform. Mrs. Holt will explain how the people of California can help bring responsibility to Sacramento by returning our state to a Part Time Legislature. You will want to learn more about this and hopefully will also circulate petitions to qualify for the ballot. This needs to be an all-out effort for our Club. At the Ports of Call meeting last month, the LACFRW voted “yes” on the resolution in support of this effort.
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To You All, from the President’s desk,
As so many of you have missed the September General Meeting, I would like to pass on updates and messages of the September Fall gather at the Radisson Hotel.
Firstly, in a brief review of my return from the 35th Biennial NFRW Convention, I wish to bring about to you some of the highlights of the convention. (Please see addendum )
I was so pleased to represent our club, one amongst the registrants from 46 states, and over 1.300 registrants, who attended the NFRW 35th Biennial Convention in Orlando Florida.
Many Republican Leaders and elected officials, Political Analysts, Policy Experts, special guests attended and addressed our guests. Amongst these were fine speakers and guests like Charlie Crist, Governor of Florida, Sue Everhart, Chairman Georgia Republican Party, Tim Pawlenty, Governor of Minnesota, Frances Rice, Chairman National Black Republican Association, Ben Sasse Former Assistant Secretary U.S Dept of Health and Human Services, Toni Anne Daschiell, President Rexas Fed of Republican Women and many more.
Very good workshops were held on Healthcare issues, Membership, Technology and much more. (for details on these, please see the NFRW website, under “Convention Highlights”)
Election of the NFRW Officers took place, and Sue Lynch, of Wisconsin was unanimously elected president for 2010/2011, Saturday Sept 12 2009.
Following the Convention, the Board of Directors elected 3 Members-at Large, amongst whom our CFRW current President, Kathy Brugger was one.
California will have a candidate to run against Nancy Pelosi’s position, her name is Dana Walsh!
An interesting and essential Seminar trained attendees on Leadership, Political and Policy training for leadership roles in government, politics and community via a 2 -day “Campaign Management School”, taught by national-recognized experts.
Many awards, of distinction, “My Favourite Teacher Award”, recognizing accomplishments at state level, club or individual in areas of membership, program development, campaign activities, community service and Public Relation, include nearly 500 awards as well as many others were given.
The NFRW recognized the outstanding leadership of Toni Anne Dashiell, President of the Texas Federation of the Republican Women, with the 3rd biennial “Ronald Regan Leadership Award”.
Other business included delegates who approved the amendments to the NFRW Bylaws, with an annual $ 2.00 membership dues increase, a resolution to support the Enumerated Powers Act (H.R. 450), and 4 additional resolutions, all to take effect Jan 1st 2010.
Opportunities were given by the NFFRW to many young women to be part of and feel the excitement along with us all from across the nation, to represent their home state during the opening flag ceremony and to serve as pages during the convention.
Hospitality suites brought everyone together and some revisited, where others got acquainted through a warm and very hospitable atmosphere. On a great delightful evening, the state of Mississippi brought back the true tradition of our true American only, rock’n roll, blues and jazz music.
Several Networking opportunities arouse from delegates and other attendees amongst each other from across the nation at events, such as the Opening Night Reception, hosted by the Florida Federation of Republican Women, and other hospitality receptions hosted on different occasions on behalf of different states and candidates.
The Regents members and guests were treated with a memorable romantic evening with fine dining, and entertainment, as well as a romantic serenading from across the balcony of a song Performer, at the luxurious “Bice Ristorante”, at the Portfino Bay Hotel. (hidden amongst bushes, within a location resembling “little Venice”)
The next 36th Biennial Convention, is scheduled on Sept 29-October 2nd 2010, in Downtown Mariott, Kansas City, hosted by the Missouri Federation of Republican Women.
As your President, I was honored to represent our club, and thank you dear members for giving me this great opportunity.
Under Article VIII “Nominations and Elections”, section 1-A of our club bylaws, the nominating committee consists of 5 active members, 2 that were elected from the board of directors, Teddy Howell and Susan Murphy and 3 were elected by the membership at the general meeting, Eddie Kaul, Barbara Cirks and Barbara Pulver.
At the upcoming General Meeting October 21st 2009, our Nominating Committee shall present to the membership a slate of qualified nominees for the elective offices of the Club, who have given their consent to serve if elected. Additional nominations may be made from the floor, provided the nominee has given her consent in writing and has met all qualifications for the office. Please try to attend this meeting, and come prepared to vote. It is your right as a member, along with other rights you have.
We are notified by the CRP that there is a bounty for voter registration to start October 1st 2009 through November 1st 2010, which will pay $ 3.00 to our club per valid voter registration. The bounty is an incentive, but I am sure you feel the same way that we must register voters across the county to win and make a difference in our party for the better. Elections will come about, but it is too late to register voters one month before, we must do it early, and thank you to all those involved previously in voter registration throughout the year and at the County Fair, that is those who volunteered to register as well as those who did newly register.
A few of us will attend the upcoming CFRW Southern Division, convention in October as well as the state CFRW Convention in November. Thank you in advance to those who will participate. It will be a wonderful and very educative experience, and we will hear from our 3 candidates running for governor. If there is anyone who wishes to be noted as alternate, please let me know as soon as possible.
On the immediate calendar section, the Republican Party of Los Angeles County, chairwoman Jane Barnett presents the “Republican Roundup 2009” on Saturday October 10, 2009 from 2:00 PM -6:00 PM, honoring Los Angeles County Elected and Appointed Republican Officials and Legislators, at the beautiful Estate of Mrs. Eva Jeffers 1823 Foothill Blvd in La Canada. This is a BBQ catered by “Kyle”, and music provided by the Sardo Brothers Country Western band. The cost of a ticket is $ 25.00, and our club gets $ 5.00 per ticket sold. If you wish to go along, please call me as soon as possible. (805) 584 1533 Our club will also have a table for club patriotic goods to sell to fundraise. Please let me know if you have any special items (GOP).
The RPLAC Executive Committee is also sponsoring Dr Martin Luther King, Jr, Recognition Awards for Outstanding Historic Contributions of the Past and Present, at an Evening Gala on January 16 2010, with a Fine Reception, followed by Dinner at the Renaissance Montara Hotel, Los Angeles. The event price is $ 150.00 per guest, and a table of ten can be reserved.
For those of you who missed the September meeting, I hope and look forward to see you at the October General Meeting, and since the September meeting included member recognition, please stop to see me for your elephant treasure box if your served on the board, otherwise pick up from me the “Angel of Peace”.
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We now have 72 members and 20 associate members.
ANYONE WANTING TO JOIN should make out a $15 check to CPWHRWF
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Ronald Reagan Library is having a series of fine events coming up between now and the end of this year. Some of the events are as follows:
1. Wednesday, October 14 2009 “A First Lady’s Tea and Tour”, from 1:00-2:00 PM, followed by a docent-led tour from 2:00-3:30 PM, to experience the newest temporary exhibit, Heroes: A Celebration of Great Americans, and Air Force One Pavilion. The cost is $ 65.00 which includes a special gift, a copy of Nancy Reagan: “A first Lady’s Style”, hardcover book.
2. Thursday October 29, 2009, at 6:00 PM to join for a California Wine and Gourmet Food Experience, the first Annual Wine Tasting event, offered by Ventura County, along with music and dancing under the wings of the Air Force One, receive a commemorative wine glass at the entrance of the event and much more. The cost for this event is $ 75.00 with limited reservations being taken.
3. Friday November 6th 2009. This November will mark the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the advent of freedom and democracy in Eastern Europe as it is known today. On this day, to celebrate this anniversary and to pay tribute to Ronald Reagan, whose role in this historic event was truly heroic, The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and The Heritage Foundation are joining together to host this one-day conference. Panel discussions with scholars, senior officials in the Reagan Administration and Eastern European officials and leaders will take place. The speakers include President Reagan’s Secretary of State George Schultz. For more information, see the website at
www.reaganfoundation.org.
4. November 18, 2009 -January 10, 2010 the Ronald Reagan Library is bringing back its annual holiday exhibit, “Christmas Around the World”, which features beautifully decorated trees, representing the countries which President Reagan visited while in office.
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Not Yours to Give
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Early in Davy Crockett’s tenure in the U.S. congress, he joined his fellow congressmen in voting to appropriate $20,000 to a group of widows and children who were rendered destitute from a devastating fire one winter in Georgetown. The vote was unanimous and nothing more was thought of it. The following summer Davy Crockett took to riding through part of his district in anticipation of an upcoming election. What happened to him there changed him forever. These are his words:
“I saw a man in a field plowing and coming toward the road. I gauged my gait so that we should meet as he came to the fence. As he came up, I spoke to the man. He replied politely, but, as I thought, rather coldly.
"I began: 'Well, friend, I am one of those unfortunate beings called candidates, and--'
"'Yes, I know you; you are Colonel Crockett, I have seen you once before, and voted for you the last time you were elected. I suppose you are out electioneering now, but you had better not waste your time or mine. I shall not vote for you again.'
I begged him to tell me what was the matter.
"'Well, Colonel, it is hardly worthwhile to waste time or words upon it. I do not see how it can be mended, but you gave a vote last winter which shows that either you have not capacity to understand the Constitution, or that you are wanting in the honesty and firmness to be guided by it. In either case you are not the man to represent me. But I beg your pardon for expressing it in that way. I intend by it only to say that your understanding of the Constitution is very different from mine.'
"'I admit the truth of all you say, but there must be some mistake about it, for I do not remember that I gave any vote last winter upon any constitutional question.'
"'No, Colonel, there's no mistake. Though I live here in the backwoods and seldom go from home, I take the papers from Washington and read very carefully all the proceedings of Congress. My papers say that last winter you voted for a bill to appropriate $20,000 to some sufferers by a fire in Georgetown. Is that true?'
"'Well, my friend; I may as well own up. You have got me there. But certainly nobody will complain that a great and rich country like ours should give the insignificant sum of $20,000 to relieve its suffering women and children, particularly with a full and overflowing Treasury, and I am sure, if you had been there, you would have done just as I did.'
"'It is not the amount, Colonel, that I complain of; it is the principle. In the first place, the government ought to have in the Treasury no more than enough for its legitimate purposes. But that has nothing to do with the question. The power of collecting and disbursing money at pleasure is the most dangerous power that can be entrusted to man, particularly under our system of collecting revenue by a tariff, which reaches every man in the country, no matter how poor he may be, and the poorer he is the more he pays in proportion to his means.
"'Individual members may give as much of their own money as they please, but they have no right to touch a dollar of the public money for that purpose. There are about two hundred and forty members of Congress. If they had shown their sympathy for the sufferers by contributing each one week's pay, it would have made over $13,000. There are plenty of wealthy men in and around Washington who could have given $20,000 without depriving themselves of even a luxury of life.
"'The congressmen chose to keep their own money, which, if reports be true, some of them spend not very creditably; and the people about Washington, no doubt, applauded you for relieving them from the necessity of giving by giving what was not yours to give. The people have delegated to Congress, by the Constitution, the power to do certain things. To do these, it is authorized to collect and pay moneys, and for nothing else. Everything beyond this is usurpation, and a violation of the Constitution.
"'So you see, Colonel, you have violated the Constitution in what I consider a vital point. It is a precedent fraught with danger to the country, for when Congress once begins to stretch its power beyond the limits of the Constitution, there is no limit to it, and no security for the people. I have no doubt you acted honestly, but that does not make it any better, except as far as you are personally concerned, and you see that I cannot vote for you.'
"I tell you I felt streaked. I could not answer him, and the fact is, I was so fully convinced that he was right, I did not want to. But I said to him:
"'Well, my friend, you hit the nail upon the head when you said I had not sense enough to understand the Constitution. I intended to be guided by it, and thought I had studied it fully. I have heard many speeches in Congress about the powers of Congress, but what you have said here at your plow has got more hard, sound sense in it than all the fine speeches I ever heard. If I had ever taken the view of it that you have, I would have put my head into the fire before I would have given that vote; and if you will forgive me and vote for me again, if I ever vote for another unconstitutional law I wish I may be shot.'
"He laughingly replied: 'Yes, Colonel, you have sworn to that once before, but I will trust you again upon one condition. You say that you are convinced that your vote was wrong. Your acknowledgment of it will do more good than beating you for it. If, as you go around the district, you will tell people about this vote, and that you are satisfied it was wrong, I will not only vote for you, but will do what I can to keep down opposition, and, perhaps, I may exert some little influence in that way.'
This is sage wisdom that should slap every politician hard in the face.
Edited from The Life of Colonel David Crockett, by Edward Sylvester Ellis
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Among the issues to be included this month, I wish to report on the possible call in January, 2010 for a Constitutional Convention in the Great State of California. California has not held a constitutional convention since 1879. Our State Constitution is 75,000 words long and has been amended more than 500 times. Repair California is a movement which has gained momentum since its inception in late 2008. Repair California believes that our state will "continue to careen from one crisis to the next until we fix the system. The only way to achieve this - the only way to make sweeping, holistic changes to our state government and wrestle our state back from special interests - is through a limited constitutional convention" (limited to issues of governance).
Repair California proposes two ballot measures. One of these empowers the people to call for a Constitutional Convention; the other measure will set the process. These measures will be submitted to the Attorney General in mid-to-late October, 2009.
For further information or to get involved, you may visit the website www.repaircalifornia.org. You might also wish to follow the efforts of Assemblyman Sam Blakeslee (R-33) who introduced ACR 1 last year, proposing a vote on the constitutional convention (currently stalled in committee).
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An issue of significance which relates to amending the Constitution of California concerns two proposed amendments. One would allow the legislature to decide which voter initiatives to include on ballots; the other would limit the number of initiatives to 5 per election cycle. These amendments--ACA 13 and ACA 14 are currently in the Assembly and will be debated and voted on in the next session.
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Privatization in California is an issue which has the potential to reduce our indebtedness, make our state more competitive with other states through business opportunities and favorable tax policies, increase our economic stability and raise our standard of living. The American Legislative Exchange Council reported recently on California and the current fiscal crisis. A comparison and side-by-side analysis of Texas and California economic policies was conducted. The outcomes are vastly different. Six general categories were chosen for study; Texas outperformed California in all six categories as a result of their privatization of several projects. In California, efforts to privatize services to Caltrans and regional transportation authorities have yet to produce results due to litigation by state workers' unions.
Today the Los Angeles Times reported that "more than 70 private health providers in British Columbia now schedule simple surgeries and tests such as MRI's with waits as short as a week or two, compared with the months it takes for a public surgical suite to become available for nonessential operations." Because these actions might be considered "technically illegal" in British Columbia, we must ask: is it legal to "force a citizen in a free and democratic society to wait for healthcare"?
In October, courts there will decide whether the budding system should be sanctioned. The B.C. Health Coalition is involved in the lawsuit to determine whether the Canadian Constitution guarantees citizens the right to choose their own care.
If these providers are given legal sanction, it will have a devastating effect on Canada's public health care system since fewer health care workers will remain in government hospitals. The doctors and nurses will be "lured into better-paying private jobs", says public health care advocates. The legal decision will "probably determine the future of private healthcare in Canada", say the legal analysts. Health Minister Kevin Falcon told the Vancouver Sun newspaper, "I don't have an objection to people using their own money to buy private services. I think choice is a good thing, actually."
Another significant development has been the challenge under the North American Free Trade Agreement, demanding that U.S. healthcare companies gain access into Canada. This "consortium hopes to build Canada's largest private health center in Vancouver, offering orthopedics, plastic surgery, general surgery and other services".
This prospect is attractive to the provincial government in British Columbia, which recently announced a $360 million shortfall in their $15.7 billion healthcare budget.
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The U.S. Senate Finance Committee Democrats (minus Senator Blanche Lincoln) voted down an amendment which would require a full cost analysis and a 72 hour post on the Internet before the final committee vote on health care legislation. The House has put forth a bipartisan Resolution (H. Res 554) requiring the 72 hour posting...
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A big “thank you” to the ladies who registered voters at the L.A County Fair. They are Shirley Ames, Janet Fisher, Cheryl Sullivan, Pat Hicks, Cleo Reynolds, Mary Lou Dudzak and Arline Fiorino. Four went one day, and the other four went another day.
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OPERATION GRATITUDE
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OPERATION GRATITUDE is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, all-volunteer corporation, funded entirely by private donations. For safety and security, the assembling of packages occurs at the 746th QM BN Armory in Van Nuys, California.
Hundreds of thousands of American troops are deployed indefinitely in remote parts of the world, including the Middle East, Afghanistan, Africa, the Korean Peninsula and on ships throughout international waters. The physical conditions they must endure are difficult and they may be separated from loved ones for long periods of time. OPERATION GRATITUDE, together with the California Army National Guard, 746th QM BN, Van Nuys, seek to lift troops' morale, and bring a smile to their faces by sending care packages to service members overseas. OPERATION GRATITUDE care packages contain food, toiletries, entertainment items and personal letters of appreciation, all wrapped with good wishes of love and support.
Through Collection Drives, Letter Writing Campaigns and Donations of requested items or funds for shipping expenses, OPERATION GRATITUDE provides civilians anywhere in America a way to express their respect and appreciation to the men and women of the U.S. military in an active, hands-on manner.
Operation Gratitude is starting up it's Holiday Season drive and this year is partnering with the American Veterans Traveling Tribute (AVTT) to honor all those who have served, and particularly all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
From October 14 - 18 the AVTT will be in Van Nuys in support of the Operations Gratitude Holiday Drive. The exhibit includes a Sept. 11 tribute, a Cost of Freedom display of Gold Dog Tags (identifying each service member killed since Vietnam), and the centerpiece of the exhibit, an exact replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall (80% scale) displaying all 58,253 names of the men and women killed in the Vietnam War.
For those of us who have not seen the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C. I think this would be an excellent opportunity to view it. I understand it is a very emotional experience to stand in front of it.
Listed below is the schedule:
Wednesday, October 14: Motorcade Escort of The Traveling Wall
4:00pm: Muster at Location to be announced
5:30pm: Color Guard and Greetings
6:00pm: Motorcade Departs
7:00pm: Arrive at Exhibit Site
Thursday October 15:
9am-Noon: Volunteers Set up Exhibit
Noon-5pm: Open viewing
5pm-7pm: Opening Ceremony with Candle Lighting, Laying of Wreaths
Friday October 16: Open 8am-8pm
9am-3pm: School Visits
3pm-8pm: Open Viewing
Saturday October 17: Family Day
8am-8pm:
School/Church/Synagogue/Youth Group Performances
Sports Figures/Guest appearances
1pm: Color Guard and Formal Greeting
Sunday October 18: Open 8am-6pm
11am: Memorial Service with Condor Flyover
12 Noon: Parade of Honor Past The Wall
1pm-6pm: Open Viewing
Location:
17330 Victory Boulevard: Van Nuys, CA 91406
Corner of Victory and Louise
Parking next door at the Skate Park and OneGeneration
OPERATION GRATITUDE DONATIONS NEEDED
By Shirley Ames
The care package drive for the December mailing of Operation Gratitude has already begun and our club will be contributing desired items for the next two months. Plan on bringing donations of any or all of the following items -- or money to purchase them -- to both our October general meeting and the November general meeting:
Requested items include warm, hand-made neck scarves, individually packaged nuts, trail mix, beef jerky, trail mix bars, power bars, hotel size bottle of shampoo and body lotion (not soap), CDs and DVDs (all new), AA batteries, etc.
Equally important is the request for Beanie Babies. These will be presented to the many young children who are aware of the locations of underground bombs and lovingly protect our troops by leading them safely through the dangerous places.
Monetary donations are also needed to purchase the postage to send the packages.
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THE CITY
Bye Bye Nahai –
A Symptom of DWP's Power Outage
September 3, 2009
For the second time in six months, DWP's demand for a blank check for billions of dollars from ratepayers was rejected.
Back in March, voters repudiated the phony Measure B solar plan that wasn't a plan. On Wednesday, the reprocessed Measure B came back in the form of giving the DWP authority to impose virtually unlimited rate hikes in the name of renewable energy. The City Council rejected the proposal unanimously (Times, Daily News accounts)
Lack of transparency, failure to communicate with the public that pays the bills, insufficient details about how the money will be spent and unfairness in the rate structure are among the reasons the DWP has twice failed to get what it wants.
It seems General Manager David Nahai just can't seem to learn from his mistakes. Nahai, for all his glib obfuscations and contempt for the public, is just a symptom of the problem of the DWP.
How can we trust an agency that gives its employees salary hikes of 6 percent in good times and is set to raise salaries 4 percent more Oct. 1 in these bad times, that starts charging the public to park in its lot, even the Neighborhood Council activists who are its partners, that lets contractors cheat them out of millions, that operates under the philosophy that what is good for the DWP is good for LA?
Los Angeles has the least amount of clean energy of any city in the state with nearly half its electricity coming from coal plants, deteriorating infrastructure, salary structures out of whack with its competitors and other city agencies, a union with inordinate power over its policies and on and on.
These problems developed over decades and won't be fixed easily. It isn't just yet another change of leadership that's needed as much as a change in culture that brings about openness, full partnership with the public, accountability and fairness in rates.
The Council ordered the DWP to rework its proposals to lift the cap on rate hikes without Council approval and the restructure of rates that Jan Perry said savaged the Valley and other hot spots.
There's no question LA needs to end its reliance on coal power and go green. But it has to be done at a pace that ratepayers can afford and with technologies that provide the most power at the lowest cost.
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HOSTAGE CITY: FREE LA FROM THE UNION STRANGLEHOLD
September 7, 2009.
LA is fast running out of cash, spending $1 million a day more than it has coming in, borrowing heavily to pay its bills, running a $500 million current deficit, facing a shortfall of more than $1 billion next year and twice that in three years when every dollar of payroll will require 50 cents more to cover the costs of pensions.
Councilman Bernard Parks warned Saturday that at the current rate of spending, LA will run out of cash by May and face potential bankruptcy unless drastic steps are taken now. That means laying off thousands of workers since 80 percent of the city budget goes for pay and benefits -- something that won't be easy politically or practically since city rules make job eliminations so complicated it could take six months or longer to lay anyone off.
The problem, Parks said, is unions have a stranglehold on power at City Hall. They elect the politicians, get sweetheart contracts from them and demand fidelity to their interests.
There's a taboo about broaching the subject of union power in LA, but Parks, in a three-hour session with the LA Neighborhood Council Coalition, decided to break it.
He's the only Council member who actually knows anything about the budget or has consistently tried to reduce spending. He also was the target of an $8 million independent expenditure campaign by organized labor to defeat him in the recent County Supervisor race won by Mark Ridley-Thomas and has seen during his four decades as a policeman and politician how the unions have come to take control of City Hall. He has watched his colleagues knuckle under to labor and how business interests come with hat in hand begging for crumbs from the table of power just like ordinary citizens.
The most glaring example of organized labor's excess of power is the Department of Water and Power which is virtually run by its union, the IBEW. Its boss, Brian D'Arcy, ruthlessly uses the threat of turning off the city's water and electricity to win spectacular pay raises and favorable work rules even as the infrastructure has been allowed to deteriorate and LA has fallen far behind other cities in California in replacing coal-powered plants with renewable energy.
We can't afford the blank check for billions demanded by the DWP or higher rates, fees and taxes. We can't afford to mortgage our future more than we have. We can't afford to elect more politicians who are owned by them. We must unite and free LA.
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Senator Cogdill Issues Statement After Water Conference Committee Issues Report Without Republican Input
f
rom Cogdill’s website 9/9/09
Senator Dave Cogdill (R-Modesto) today issued the following statement after the water conference committee submitted its report without Republican input:
"The conference report is an unbalanced package of bills that ignores the need for a reliable water supply and only caters to the interests of extreme environmentalists. These bills will guarantee that we never improve the failing condition of California's water system. We had hoped that the Democrats had listened to the numerous hours of public testimony before drafting their conference report but it appears they haven't heard the cries of farmers, farm workers, businesses and residents throughout the state. As Republicans, we wholeheartedly agree that we must fix the fragile Delta while at the same time bolstering our economy. This package of bills disregards the co-equal nature of these goals and will do nothing to create jobs and keep water flowing in this state."
Cogdill, who also serves as the vice chairman of the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee, has carried comprehensive legislation for the past three and a half years focusing on water supply, conveyance and Delta protection.
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Strickland: Jobs and Water Must Be a Priority
By Senator Tony Strickland, Exclusive to California Political News and Views, 9/11/09
California is facing an epic water crisis due to a combination of natural and man-made shortages that are taking their toll on Central Valley farmers who produce one-quarter of the nations food supply. Already, 25,000 jobs in the Central and Sacramento valleys have been lost largely due to consecutive years of drought.
Yet, the Democrats in the legislature are seeking to further limit and restrict the water available to farmers. Agriculture is a $36.6 billion industry in California, helping to secure the states ranking as the eighth largest economy in the world. So why are we forcing our farmers to make do with just 10 percent of their allotment while the majority of the water gets flushed out to sea--to ensure the health of the Delta.
The key players in the water wars will tell you a mindset of co-equal claims exists in this state to provide water to farmers, industry, and residents and to ensure the survival of endangered species, including fish like the smelt. But when you actually read the language of the proposal being taken up by the Legislature, its difficult to see how that claim can be supported.
In fact, the Democrats legislation would mean higher water costs and less water. It creates additional hurdles for any new infrastructure being planned to convey more badly-needed water throughout the state. It adds more layers of bureaucracy and imposes more environmental restrictions. It exacerbates the imbalance between the needs of fish and those of humans.
There is a better way. Senator Cogdill, the vice-chair of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water, has proposed legislation that would address the need for more water storage. His legislation also ensures reliability in existing water supplies, encourages conservation and efficiency, reduces contamination of groundwater, and increases treatment of wastewater and stormwater. This plan uses common sense solutions to balance the needs of people and the environment, a much better alternative than creating more government bureaucracy and impediments to new infrastructure.
The water crisis is not going away. Whether or not the current drought conditions continue, our infrastructure to store and convey water to all communities throughout the state must be updated to ensure a safe, reliable, and sustainable source of water for farmers, industrial and residential needs, and environmental purposes. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates the population of California will rise to 42.2 million by the year 2020. Meeting the critical water needs of another 4 million people means something has to be done to increase supply, water storage capacity, and conveyance and to make regulations on conservation and usage more effective.
California already has the dubious distinction of having the worst business climate in the nation. We have that distinction partially because of our burdensome regulatory codes, which already drive businesses out-of-state and family farms out of business. If we don’t address our water shortage and critical infrastructure needs instead of just creating more bureaucratic hurdles, we are going to find California’s economy withering on the vine. Senator Cogdill has a better way and it is time the legislature followed his lead and example.
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Here's what Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) had to say about Obama’s speech before both houses of congress on September 9, 2009:
A message to Barack Obama: Washington does not know best! And... as anyone can see over the past month, America will no longer be quiet. We have had enough... enough of politics as usual, enough of big government plans, enough of spending, and enough of the "chosen one."
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- FOXNews.com - September 08, 2009
Van Jones' resignation over the weekend as green jobs czar in the Obama administration was not the only recent change among these secret advisers. No sooner was he out the door than the administration appointed Ron Bloom, the auto czar, to the new post of "manufacturing czar." A former United Auto Workers executive, Bloom will continue to advise Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner on the auto business.
The czars are really presidential assistants; and never mind that the Constitution grants no power to the federal government on matters such as green jobs, automobiles, or manufacturing. The Constitution is rarely an impediment for modern White Houses which seek to regulate areas of personal and group behavior that the Founding Fathers could never have imagined. The czars may be hired without FBI background checks or Senate confirmations and they serve at the pleasure of the president. Because they work in the West Wing and directly for the president, they enjoy almost total immunity from any accountability to Congress. Supreme Court decisions even immunize presidential assistants from replying to subpoenas from Congress for documents or testimony, under the claim of executive privilege.
The modern czar system actually flourished under former President George W. Bush who persuaded a Republican Congress to authorize the president to share classified information with anyone of his choosing. Prior to this law, only persons confirmed by the Senate could have such privileges; and, so, prior to this law, there were few czars as federal law limited what documents they could see or secrets that could be shared with them. President Obama now enjoys this and other unconstitutional, yet congressionally-created, Bush-era presidential powers.
The heads of the executive departments, such as the Secretaries of Transportation or Energy, must undergo FBI background checks and Senate confirmations. They also must comply with federal transparency statutes that mandate the publication of their proposed behavior in advance of engaging upon the proposed behavior; they are, as well, subject to congressional subpoenas about any matters whatsoever occurring in their departments. They cannot claim executive privilege and must answer any questions put to them by Congress and furnish any documents or tangible things that Congress subpoenas from them. This Obama czar system, concocted no doubt by the crafty Rahm Emanuel ("A crisis is a terrible thing to waste."), permits the White House to by-pass the executive departments, and all the laws that regulate them and all the transparency required of them, in order to effectuate the president's will.
So, is this constitutional and is it lawful? That depends on what the czars actually do for the government. If the czars merely advise the president, there is no constitutional impediment. The president can ask their advice, they can give it, and the taxpayers can pay their salaries. If, however, the czars actually do the work that the federal statutes lay out for cabinet secretaries to do (so as to avoid the transparency and accountability requirements), or exercise presidential power in President Obama's name, that would be unconstitutional. The president cannot assign a czar to do the work of a cabinet secretary or delegate to a czar his own powers without violating the Constitution and federal law. But if the czars are not asked questions under oath, we may never learn just what it is that they do.
Judge Andrew Napolitano is the senior judicial analyst for FOX News.
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lOOK UNDER ARTICLESW ON THIS WEBSITE www.cpwhrwf.org
This is a list compiled by Glenn Beck. It has 32 czars along with some background information about each.
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THE WASHINGTON TIMES, 9/28/09
A teacher was told by a 15-year-old high school sophomore that he was having homosexual sex with an "older man." At the very least, statutory rape occurred. Fox News reported that the teacher violated a state law requiring that he report the abuse. That former teacher, Kevin Jennings, is President Obama's "safe school czar." It’s getting hard to keep track of all of the president’s problematic appointments. Clearly, the process for vetting White House employees has broken down.
In this one case in which Mr. Jennings had a real chance to protect a young boy from a sexual predator, he not only failed to do what the law required but actually encouraged the relationship.
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Posted By Bobby Eberle On August 18, 2009 at 7:26 am
The Loft - http://www.gopusa.com/theloft
Ever since the Democrats took control of Congress, they have sought to take control of talk radio... or to be more precise, conservative talk radio. You see... on radio, the market place (yes, left-wingers hate the "market place") has spoken, and people love conservative talk radio. Not only that, but they hate liberal talk radio.
There have been multiple attempts to revive the so-called "fairness doctrine" by the Democrats which would force radio stations to carry left-wing talk shows whether the listening audience wanted them or not. These attempts were met with enough resistance, that the Democrats stopped trying to overtly bring back the "fairness doctrine."
However, that simply means they are trying covert methods instead... thus, the creation of America's new "diversity czar" at the FCC... and this guy is a real doozy.
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) sent a letter yesterday to Julius Genachowski, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). In it, Grassley expressed his concerns over the appointment of Mark Lloyd as the commission's associate general counsel and chief diversity officer. The senator "is concerned with the appointment due to Lloyd's writings on political talk radio and the Fairness Doctrine."
"The appointment of Mark Lloyd to be the Associate General Counsel and Chief Diversity Officer is at odds with assurances that the FCC would not reinstate the Fairness Doctrine that Mr. Genachowski made prior to his U.S. Senate confirmation," Grassley said. "I hope Mr. Genachowski stands by his word and reaffirms his commitment to me that the FCC won't be considering anything that accomplishes the goals of the Fairness Doctrine."
So, what is Mark Lloyd all about? As Grassley notes in his letter to the FCC chairman, Lloyd served as a Senior Fellow at the left-wing Center for American Progress. During his tenure, he helped author a paper titled The Structural Imbalance of Political Talk Radio.
Lloyd and co-authors note, "Our analysis in the spring of 2007 of the 257 news/talk stations owned by the top five commercial station owners reveals that 91 percent of the total weekday talk radio programming is conservative, and 9 percent is progressive." Progressive? Give me a break. Even they are too afraid to use the word "liberal." Here are a few more notes by Lloyd and company:
* Each weekday, 2,570 hours and 15 minutes of conservative talk are broadcast on these stations compared to 254 hours of progressive talk—10 times as much conservative talk as progressive talk.
* A separate analysis of all of the news/talk stations in the top 10 radio markets reveals that 76 percent of the programming in these markets is conservative and 24 percent is progressive, although programming is more balanced in markets such as New York and Chicago.
Liberal (or progressive) talk radio has tried to gain an audience time and time again. People don't like it. They won't listen to it. And these radio stations can't make money during those time slots. So, the shows get canceled. Seems like a pretty simple formula, right?
Just look at the "remedy" for fixing the ills of conservative talk radio as proposed by Lloyd:
* Restore local and national caps on the ownership of commercial radio stations.
* Ensure greater local accountability over radio licensing.
* Require commercial owners who fail to abide by enforceable public interest obligations to pay a fee to support public broadcasting.
Pay a fee to support public broadcasting? This is absolutely crazy, but it shows the liberal mind in action. Lloyd wants to tax radio stations to the point of airing left-wing programs. This is the ultimate in government coercion! The liberals don't like the fact that the public prefers conservative talk radio, so they will force radio stations to change.
Grassley and others have a right to be concerned, and they should demand that Lloyd be replaced. (I recommend that the whole "diversity czar" position be eliminated.) The government needs to keep out, and let the public decide what the public wants to listen to on the radio.
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Beck Attacked By Obama Radical Black Nationalist?
United States Justice Foundation
August 28,2009
"The liberals like kicking Rush Limbaugh around,
Me they're trying to run out of business!" - Glenn Beck
Obama Special Advisor A Communist!
Obama appointed his friend radical Black Nationalist Van Jones as his "Green Jobs Czar". Jones-who was jailed for helping incite the 1992 Rodney King riots in L.A.-- is now attacking Glenn Beck-who continues to out Jones' dark past. Jones who said he was "a rowdy nationalist" prior to his arrest, emerged from prison and said he had become "a communist." The White House apparently approves and has not raised any challenges or denials saying only that "Jones is not a Czar. He is a special adviser to the president!"
Now Glenn Beck is being attacked by Color of Change--a radical Black Nationalist group co-founded by Van Jones--in retaliation for Beck outing Van Jones' questionable past. Beck aired a segment on Jones on July 28 where he called the activist a "self-professed communist" and questioned the role he was playing in the administration.
Jones founded Color of Change after Hurricane Katrina, calling President Bush a "racist" for his response. Rapper Kanye West made a statement that Bush "hated Black people" and "ordered troops to go down and shoot" Blacks in New Orleans. Jones' group immediately starting selling t-shirt on their website which read "Kanye was right". Now this same group is trying to shut down Conservative Glenn Beck for exposing the Obama agenda, once again playing the race card.
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Embattled Van Jones Quits, but 'Czar' Debates Rage On
By MICHAEL BURNHAM of Greenwire
Published: September 9, 2009
Jones resigned over the Labor Day weekend as President Obama's special adviser for "green jobs, enterprise and innovation," after reports linked him to efforts several years ago suggesting a U.S. government role in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Beck made Jones a frequent target on his show, labeling him a "radical who wants to fundamentally change America." Beck reported that Jones participated during the 1990s in the former Bay Area collective STORM (Standing Together to Organize a Revolutionary Movement), which supported Marxist principles and "militant, direct action."
T
he Jones story reached a tipping point Sept. 3 when the conservative blog "Gateway Pundit" reported that the best-selling author of "The Green Collar Economy" signed a 2004 petition that called for congressional hearings and other investigations into whether the Bush administration allowed the Sept. 11 attacks to occur as a pretext for war in the oil-rich Middle East.
J
ones is Obama's first environmental adviser to resign, but conservative adversaries are vowing to dig deeper into the past of other policy "czars" to raise questions about the president's judgment and policies.
In a Twitter posting late last week, Fox News commentator Glenn Beck urged his viewers to "find everything you can on Cass Sunstein, Mark Lloyd and Carol Browner."
Browner, who was U.S. EPA administrator under President Clinton, serves as Obama's special assistant for energy and climate change -- a position dubbed by some as the "climate czar." Lloyd serves as the Federal Communication Commission's chief diversity officer (aka the "diversity czar"), while Sunstein is Obama's nominee to head the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs within the White House Office of Management and Budget.
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Geithner Rejects $1 Trillion Limit on New Bailout Power
Tells Sherman Executive Branch Must Be Able to Respond to Next Crisis Washington, D.C. –
September 23, 2009 from Brad Sherman’s website
(EDITOR’S NOTE : It doesn’t often happen, but I turned on the television last week in time to hear Democrat Congressman Brad Sherman questioning Geithner, and I had to stand up and applaud Sherman!)
In his questioning of Secretary Geithner before the Financial Services Committee today, Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA) focused on the new bailout authority included in the 618 page legislative proposal submitted by the Treasury Department.
Sherman described Geithner’s proposal as “TARP on steroids”. He noted that Section 1204 of the proposal allows the executive branch to use taxpayer money to make loans to, or invest in, the largest financial institutions to avoid a systemic risk to the economy.
Sherman compared Geithner’s proposal to the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), the $700 billion Wall Street bailout adopted last year. Sherman noted that TARP was limited to two years, and to a maximum of $700 billion. Section 1204 is unlimited in dollar amount and is a permanent grant of power to the executive branch. TARP contained some limits on executive compensation and an array of special oversight authorities. Section 1204 contains absolutely no limits on executive compensation and no special oversight.
Sherman asked Secretary Geithner whether he would accept a $1 trillion limit on the new bailout authority; if the executive branch wanted to spend more, it would have to come back to Congress. Geithner rejected a $1 Trillion limit, insisting that the executive branch be able to respond without coming back to Congress.
Finally, Sherman noted that both TARP and the Treasury proposal have vague provisions under which taxpayers might possibly recover any money lost through a special tax on the financial services industry. Sherman noted that under the Treasury proposal, only the very largest institutions could benefit from a bailout, but the special tax, if ever collected, would fall chiefly on medium-sized institutions.
Thus, the medium-sized institutions will be at a competitive disadvantage for two reasons. First, the largest institutions will be able to borrow money more cheaply because their creditors will believe that if the institution is unable to pay, the taxpayers will. Second, if there ever is a bailout benefiting a very large financial institution, the tax will be imposed on the medium-sized institutions.
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NewsMax.com August 30, 2009
A strengthening alliance between anti-American President Hugo Chavez's oil-rich Venezuela and powerhouses Russia and China threatens to create a new world order hostile to the West.
Chavez declared during a visit to China in April, "A new world is being born, a new balance, the multipolar world that we have all dreamed about for a long time.
"The unipolar world went down, the power of the empire of the United States, and Mao Zedong ended up being right when he talked of the 'paper tiger' of the empire."
TMIGroup.org pointed to these ominous signs of economic and military cooperation among the three nations:
Venezuela spent $3.4 billion on military equipment from Russia in 2007 and plans to spend another $4 billion this year.
Venezuela and Russia held joint naval exercises last year, and a Russian official said the Latin American nation has offered Russia a base for Russian strategic bombers in Venezuela.
Oil shipments from Venezuela to China are expected to reach 1 million barrels a day within four years, and China is building three refineries to handle the Venezuelan oil.
Trade between China and Venezuela now stands at $40 billion a year, up from $200 million a decade ago.
China and Venezuela are jointly developing oil fields in Venezuela's Orinoco region, and constructing a jointly owned fleet of oil tankers.
Two Russian companies are also set to develop oil fields in the Orinoco region.
Chavez confirmed in October 2008 that Venezuela had purchased 24 Chinese jets.
A Chinese rocket launched Venezuela's first telecommunications satellite into space from a site in southwest China last October.
"Chavez's dream of a new world order is no pipe dream," according to TMIGroup's publication called Memorandum to File.
"He is using the oil riches of his country to forge military and economic alliances with Russia and China, in an effort to counter U.S. influence in Latin America.
"He is also using these alliances to extend his own influence over the region, with the help of Cuba's Raul Castro."
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By JULIA PRESTON, New York Times
Published: August 27, 2009
A judge in Maryland has upheld a rule requiring federal contractors to verify the legal immigration status of workers through an electronic system, E-Verify, run by the Department of Homeland Security. In a ruling late Wednesday, the judge, Alexander Williams Jr. of Federal District Court, dismissed a lawsuit by the United States Chamber of Commerce, the Associated Builders and Contractors, and several human resources associations, who argued that the system imposed unreasonable costs on employers. The rule requires federal contractors to check the immigration status of current workers as well as new hires. The decision clears the way for the rule to take effect on Sept. 8.
And more on E-Verify
By Roy Beck, Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Starting today (September 8, 2009), every contract over $100,000 that the federal government awards will be on paper that tells the contractor:
For every new hire in the entire corporation, run him/her through E-Verify to keep illegal aliens from getting jobs,
For every existing employee who works on the actual federal contract, run him/her through E-Verify, no matter how many years he/she has already been employed -- to force illegal aliens out of their jobs.
And every company that gets a subcontract from a federal contractor that is worth $3,000 or more will have to abide by the same E-Verify rules.
It is estimated that over the next year, most companies doing federal contract work will have obtained at least one contract since today and, therefore, be mandated to use E-Verify.
Some estimates are that the number of new hires covered by E-Verify will go from a little over 10% to 20% of total new hires.
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Bill would give president emergency control of Internet
by Declan McCullagh
CNET NEWS.COM Politics and Law
August 28, 2009
Internet companies and civil liberties groups were alarmed this spring when a U.S. Senate bill proposed handing the White House the power to disconnect private-sector computers from the Internet.
They're not much happier about a revised version that aides to Sen. Jay Rockefeller, a West Virginia Democrat, have spent months drafting behind closed doors. CNET News has obtained a copy of the 55-page draft of S.773 (excerpt), which still appears to permit the president to seize temporary control of private-sector networks during a so-called cybersecurity emergency.
The new version would allow the president to "declare a cybersecurity emergency" relating to "non-governmental" computer networks and do what's necessary to respond to the threat. Other sections of the proposal include a federal certification program for "cybersecurity professionals," and a requirement that certain computer systems and networks in the private sector be managed by people who have been awarded that license.
"I think the redraft, while improved, remains troubling due to its vagueness," said Larry Clinton, president of the Internet Security Alliance, which counts representatives of Verizon, Verisign, Nortel, and Carnegie Mellon University on its board. "It is unclear what authority Sen. Rockefeller thinks is necessary over the private sector. Unless this is clarified, we cannot properly analyze, let alone support the bill."
Representatives of other large Internet and telecommunications companies expressed concerns about the bill in a teleconference with Rockefeller's aides this week, but were not immediately available for interviews on Thursday.
When Rockefeller, the chairman of the Senate Commerce committee, and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) introduced the original bill in April, they claimed it was vital to protect national cybersecurity. "We must protect our critical infrastructure at all costs--from our water to our electricity, to banking, traffic lights and electronic health records," Rockefeller said.
The Rockefeller proposal plays out against a broader concern in Washington, D.C., about the government's role in cybersecurity. In May, President Obama acknowledged that the government is "not as prepared" as it should be to respond to disruptions and safeguard our financial networks, protect the American people, their privacy and civil liberties, and coordinate the government's response.
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sent to us by NFRW Political Briefing week of September 28, 2009
BACKGROUND As fighting intensifies in Afghanistan with a surge in U.S. troops, some on both sides of the political spectrum have called for U.S. disengagement from the war. Liberal Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) recently called for a timetable to remove troops from Afghanistan. Speaker Pelosi has said that she does not believe there is support in the Congress for sending in more U.S. troops.
However, Members may be concerned that the U.S. already tried an "offshore" strategy in Afghanistan-during the 1990s as the region became an al Qaeda stronghold in the run-up to the September 11th terrorist attacks. There is no alternative to intensive counterinsurgency operations which have proven to be successful in Iraq and elsewhere, requiring a substantial U.S. troop commitment to protect the population and to enable Afghanistan's democratic government to secure its territory. Such a commitment will be difficult, but it is necessary for victory and keeping terrorists and rogue regimes at bay.
To this end, the House Republican Conference has compiled information including quotes from senior Democrats on the importance of success in Afghanistan, commonly asked questions and answers about the war, as well as recent facts about the campaign.
DEMOCRAT QUOTES ON AFGHANISTAN
President Barack Obama: "This is not a war of choice. This is a war of necessity. Those who attacked America on 9/11 are plotting to do so again. If left unchecked, the Taliban insurgency will mean an even larger safe haven from which Al Qaida would plot to kill more Americans. So this is not only a war worth fighting; this is fundamental to the defense of our people." (8/17/2009)
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA): "Today, the House begins to close this sad chapter in our history, to end the war in Iraq, and to refocus on the real fight against terrorism in Afghanistan. President Obama's new strategy will require additional sacrifices from our troops, but it recognizes that a successful effort in Afghanistan also demands that we improve training for the Afghan military and police, encourage governance reforms, and fund essential economic development efforts." (5/14/2009) Majority Leader
Hoyer (D-MD): "President Obama's announcement that he will send troop reinforcements to Afghanistan is the first step toward refocusing on the security and stabilization of that nation. Democrats have long said that the center of the war on terror is Afghanistan, and this renewed commitment to our fight there demonstrates the President's appreciation for this challenge...I look forward to working with the Administration." (2/17/2009)
Armed Services Committee Chairman Skelton (D-MO): "The war in Afghanistan is a critical mission that is finally gaining the attention it demands. The President's new Afghanistan strategy, which calls for an increase in military and civilian resources and also recognizes the vital importance of Pakistan efforts in the region, is a welcome development. To ensure our strategy in both countries is effective and achieves the intended goals within well-defined timelines, the bill requires the President to assess U.S. efforts and report on progress." (6/17/2009)
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
Force Levels in Afghanistan: Earlier this year President Obama approved a long-standing military request to send approximately 21,000 more troops to the country. The U.S. troop level will soon reach its highest level ever at about 68,000. It is has been reported that General Stanley McChrystal is privately requesting up to an additional 40,000 troops for Afghanistan. McChrystal, the top commander of U.S. and international troops in Afghanistan, submitted a key strategic assessment on August 31, 2009, to President Obama. Press reports indicate that senior Administration officials are deeply divided over the size and mission of the American effort in the country. Additionally, there are only 173,000 Afghan soldiers and police in the country, out of a population of 33 million people.
Afghan Elections: In August, Afghans went to the polls to vote in a much-anticipated presidential election. Incumbent President Hamid Karzai faced off against several challengers, including his main rival Abdullah Abdullah, a former foreign minister. Partial results were released by the Independent Election Commission showing Karzai leading Abdullah by a margin of 54-28 percent. These numbers reflect ballots tallied from 93 percent of polling stations. The commission set aside results from 600 polling stations where it suspects irregularities. This is the first time Karzai has had enough votes to win the election without a run-off. However, the Afghan Electoral Complaints Commission found evidence of fraud in the election. The commission has ordered a recount in some areas.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Question: Can the war in Afghanistan be won? Answer: yes
Question: Is the U.S. presence in Afghanistan the same as that of the Soviet Union? Answer: no
Question: Do the Afghan people hate the U.S. and its presence in the country? Answer: No,
Question: Would a loss in Afghanistan inspire the enemies of the U.S.? Answer: Yes.
The U.S. experience in Iraq proved that the right course is to wage a fully-resourced counterinsurgency strategy in Afghanistan, and thus demonstrate our commitment to Afghanistan, and provide strong global leadership against terrorism. As Ambassador Ryan Crocker noted on the impact of the President Bush's Iraq troop surge decision, "In the teeth of ferociously negative popular opinion, in the face of a lot of well-reasoned advice to the contrary, he said he was going forward, not backward," clearly demonstrating to the global community and potential adversaries that the United States is willing to fulfill its overseas commitments. The Iraq troop surge clearly challenged the opinion held by U.S. adversaries that American civilian leadership would not have the stomach to finish tough fights, and a similar decision by a President of a different political party would be a clarion call that the U.S. will defend its interest abroad and honor its commitments, regardless of changes in elected leadership.
A U.S. retreat from Afghanistan would have a negative and destabilizing effect on allies in the region such as Pakistan and India, as well as tribal leaders in Afghanistan. A withdrawal would tempt local tribal leaders to ally themselves with the Taliban as they see the tide turning against the government of Afghanistan, further jeopardizing the nascent democracy. A stable Pakistan and India are also in the national security interest of the U.S. Pakistan is a country of 180 million Muslims, armed with nuclear weapons and besieged by several terrorist groups internally. Recently, Pakistan has made significant strides against insurgent groups in its border regions, specifically in the Swat River Valley. Removing U.S. forces from the Afghan side of the border would endanger these gains.
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UNITED STATES PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA
The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington D.C. 20500
(202) 456-1414 Comments at (202) 456-1111 fax at (202 456-2461
www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
GOVERNOR ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (213) 897-0322
State Capitol, Sacramento, CA 95814 fax (213) .897-0319
governor@governor.gov
U.S. SENATORS
Diane Feinstein (D) (310) 914-7300
11111 Santa Monica Blvd #915, Los Angeles, CA 90025
331Hart Senate Office Building, Washington D.C. 20510 202) 224-3841
www.Feinstein.senate.gov
Barbara Boxer (D) (213) 894-5000
312 N, Spring St., Ste 1748, Los Angeles, CA 90012 fax (213) 894-5012
112 Hart Senate Office Bldg, Washington D.C. 20514 (202) 224-3553
www.boxer.senate.gov
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS
27th Brad Sherman (D) (818)501-9200
5000Van Nuys Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
sherman.personal@mail.house.gov
www.BradSherman.house.gov
28thHoward Berman(D) (818) 891-0543
10200 Sepulveda Blvd., #300, Mission Hills, CA 91345
Howard.Berman@mail.house.gov
30th Henry Waxman (D)………………………………………...(818) 878-7400
8436 W. Third St. #600, Los Angeles, CA 90048
www.house.gov/waxman/
CALIFORNIA STATE SENATE
17th George Runner (R) …………………….……………………..….(661) 729-6232
848 W. Lancaster Blvd., Lancaster, CA 93534
19th Tony Strickland (R) (805 494-8808
223 E Thousand Oaks Blvd., Ste 400, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
State Capitol Room 3070, Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 445-8873
20th Alex Padilla (D) (818) 901-5588
6150 Van Nuys Blvd., 400, Van Nuys, CA 91401
23rd Fran Pavley (D) (310) 441-9084
10951 W. Pico Blvd. #202, Los Angeles, CA 90064
State Capitol, Room 4032, Sacramento, CA 95814. (916) 445-1353
CALIFORNIA STATE ASSEMBLY
37th Audra Strickland (R)…………….………………………………..(805) 230-9167
2659 Townsgate Road, #236, Westlake Village, CA 91361
38th Cameron Smyth (R) (661) 286-1565
23734 Valencia Blvd., #303, Santa Cclarita,CA 91355 State Capitol, Room 4153, Sacramento, CA 95814 …..916) 319-2038
40 Bob Blumenfield (D) (818) 904-3840
6150 Van Nuys Blvd., #300, Van Nuys, Ca 91401
State Capitol, Room 6011, Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 319-2040
41st Julia Brownley (D) (818) 596-4141
6355 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Ste. 205, Woodland Hills, CA 91367
State Capitol, room 5144, Sacramento, CA 94249 (916) 319-2041
LOS ANGELES COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
Central Office, 500 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA 90012
3rdZev Yaroslavsky(D) (818) 880-9416
26500 W. Agoura R., Calabasas, CA 91302
5th Michael D. Antonovich ( R )…………….………………………. (818) 993-5170
…………21943 Plummer Street, Chatsworth, CA 91311
fifthdistrict@lacbos.org
LOS ANGELES CITY COUNCIL
City Hall, 200 N. Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
3rdDennis Zine(R) (818) 756-8848
19040 Vanowen St., Reseda, CA 91335
counvilmember.zine@lacity.org
12thGreig Smith (R) (818) 886-5210
18917 Nordhoff St., #18, Northridge, CA 91324
councilmember.smith@lacity.org
LOS ANGELES CITY MAYOR
Antonio Villaraigosa (D) (818) 778-4990
City Hall, 200 N. Spring Street,, Room 303, Los Angeles, CA 90012
City Hall, 14410 Sylvan Street, Van Nuys, CA 91411
Julyor@lacity.org
CALIFORNIA REPUBLICAN PARTY
1903 w. Magnolia Blvd. Burbank, CA 91506 (818) 841-5210
alternate phone (714) 893-8004
LOS ANGELES COUNTY FEDERATION OF REPUBLICAN WOMEN (LACFRW)
NANCY EISENHART, PRESIDENT………………….(818) 389-0423
P.O. BOX 8995, CALABASAS, CA 91372-8995
newrepublicanwoman@yahoo.com
Join LACFRW on Facebook. We've started a new group which can be found at www.facebook.com Please invite your Republican friends to join, be they Federated or not, If you are not already on FACEBOOK, you will need to register, a simple process. Join in the conversation.
California Federation of Republican Women Southern Division
www.cfrwsoutherndivision.org
User name: sodiv Password: sunny
California Federation of Republican Women
www.cfrw.org
User name: cfrw Password: ULC2hK
National Federation of Republican Women
www.nfrw.org
User name: federation Password: 1938nfrw
NFRW Summer 2009 magazine now on-line
Information from Ann Grivich, CFRW Data Center Manager on September 14, 2009:
Congratulations are in order to our own CFRW President Kathy Brugger who has been elected to the NFRW Executive Committee as an NFRW Member-at-Large at the recently concluded NFRW Convention in Orlando, FL.
Kathy wishes to thank all of the California ladies for their assistance in making this win a reality.
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