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A Newsletter for Conservative Republicans

FLYING HIGH…AND DIGGING AND BORING TO KEEP BREVARD COUNTY RED AND GET CONSERVATIVES ELECTED

Editor and Publisher: Stuart Gorin Designer and Assistant Publisher: Frank Montelione

Number 78 April 2016

PUTNAM KEYNOTES BREVARD LINCOLN-REAGAN DINNER

Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam brought more than 200 attendees of the

Brevard County Lincoln-Reagan

Dinner to their feet on April 14 when he

contrasted Florida’s conservative

leadership with “what’s going on in

Washington.”

Delivering the keynote address to the

annual dinner sponsored by the Brevard

Republican Executive Committee

(BREC), Putnam said that while the media “focuses on

divisiveness in our party, we have to have conservative

leadership to replace the last eight years of liberal leadership.”

He said there has been a consistent war on liberty by the

administration, and pointed out that the subject of the

environment has been hijacked by socialists.

In the contrast to Washington, Putnam said, under Florida’s

consistent conservative leadership – which he said “does

matter” – the state leads the nation in job creation, crime is at

a 44-year low, and it is where most people dream of visiting.

He noted that more than 60 percent of Make-a-Wish requests

nationwide are to come to Central Florida.

When it comes to bringing companies to Florida, Putnam

received a loud cheer when he called New York City Mayor

Bill de Blasio “the best economic development officer Florida

has ever had.”

(Continued on Page 2)

INSIDE:

RLCCEF Forum…. ................................... Page 2

Republican National Convention… ........... Page 4

Political Cartoons and Photos………… .... Pages 12 Thru 14

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK:

MY TWO CENTS

By Stuart Gorin

I oppose Common Core, and I

especially dislike its math teaching –

which in the vernacular – sucks.

It takes a full page of activity to

determine that 6 plus 9 equals 15.

Numbers are rounded to tenths and other additions and

subtractions are used to reach the correct (or close enough)

answer to get credit. Just writing 15, the correct answer, is

marked down for not following the “proper formula.”

Can parents help? No. The Heartland Institute reports in its

“School Reform News” publication that one of the co-authors of

Common Core math standards – an educator named Jason

Zimba – said parents should avoid helping children with their

math homework, “because government school teachers are

trained professionals who are better equipped than parents to

help students learn.”

I recently stopped in a bakery and purchased one donut. The girl

at the check-out counter – high school student? high school

grad? – said the cost, with tax, was $1.27. I gave her a dollar

bill, a quarter, and a nickel. She had a confused look on her face,

punched in some numbers on a calculator, and handed me back

27 cents.

No, I said, I get back 3 cents. More calculating, more confusion,

and she called over an older co-worker for help. While I just

shook my head, the co-worker explained to her that my change

should be 3 cents, which I finally received.

Unfortunately, math is not the only problem with our public

education system. There’s also the lack of teaching civics and

American history.

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More two cents next month.

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Complementing the attendees for their involvement in the

political process, Putnam said that “nothing is more powerful

than grass roots activism.”

Also speaking on the dinner program, Todd Wilcox – a

businessman, former Army Green Beret and CIA case officer

now running for the U.S. Senate – noted that while America

is 239 years old, throughout history, the average age of

civilization is 200 years. Those civilizations ultimately were

destroyed, he said, “and I refuse to sit by and watch that

happen here.”

Wilcox pointed out that he speaks Arabic, which would be

important in U.S.-Middle East relations, and he would offer

real world experience in contrast to other Senate candidates.

He also said he would represent “a return to citizen

government.”

In a tribute to the late Nancy Reagan, Brevard Federated

Republican Women member Patti Ann Febro dressed in red

as the former First Lady, and in brief remarks said Rainbow –

her Secret Service code name – “will be greatly missed.”

BREC Vice Chairman Rick Lacey said that Presidents

Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan, in whose honor the

annual dinner is named, “were both known for their honesty.”

Lacey said it is up to the dinner attendees to “spread the word

across Florida” to help elect another Republican president to

continue the tradition. He drew laughter from the crowd while

discussing Democrat presidential candidate Hillary Clinton,

saying: “If I had $1 for every lie she told, I’d probably be in

her tax bracket.”

Brevard County Public Defender Blaise Trettis, who

served as the evening’s Master of Ceremonies, wrote in the

dinner program: “While presidential terms last only four

years, the next president will appoint a Supreme Court Justice,

or Justices, who will break the current 4-to-4

conservative/liberal tie, and who will determine the fate of our

Constitutional rights for decades to come. There is probably

no more important reason to unite as Republicans for victory

in the 2016 presidential election.”

Also writing in the program, BREC Chairman Barbara

Davis said the funds raised at the dinner “will enable us to

maintain our headquarters, promote the Republican Party and

its candidates, and assist our Brevard County Republican

Clubs.” She added: “Our County’s Precinct Committeemen

and Committeewomen are working to elect a Republican

president in 2016. Our efforts will also be focused on electing

a Republican U.S. senator and qualified Republican state and

local candidates.”

WILCOX WINS U.S. SENATE STRAW

POLL AT RLCCEF FORUM

Businessman, former Army combat veteran,

and former CIA case officer Todd Wilcox

– who says he is running in Florida for the

U.S. Senate as a political outsider offering a

“contrast” to his “political insider” opponents – spoke at a

Republican Liberty Caucus Central East Florida (RLCCEF)

campaign forum in Viera on April 10, and won the event’s

straw poll with 128 votes cast.

Florida Lieutenant Governor Carlos Lopez-Cantera, who

was traveling overseas at the time of the forum but provided

attendees with a video statement, finished second with 36

votes, and Sixth District Congressman Ron DeSantis, who

said his work in the House would make him the best

Republican candidate for the Senate, was third, with 35 votes.

DeSantis, a U.S. Navy veteran, and Wilcox agreed on most

issues during the forum, including calling for tax reform,

campaign finance reform, reducing the national debt, halting

illegal immigration, and supporting term limits for Congress.

Asked on what committees they would like to serve if elected

to the Senate, Wilcox said Armed Services, Intelligence and

Finance, while DeSantis said Foreign Relations and Judiciary.

Two other Republicans on the ballot – who declined RLCCEF

invitations to attend the forum – were land developer Carlos

Beruff and 13th District Congressman David Jolly, who

received 3 and 2 votes, respectively.

During a panel discussion for the Florida State Senate District

17 seat, the candidates – Debbie Mayfield, who is term-

limited in State Legislative District 54; Brevard County

State Committeeman Mike Thomas; and Ritch Workman,

who is term-limited in State Legislative District 52 – all

indicated that if elected, they would work to clean up the

brown tide outbreak in the Indian River Lagoon.

Mayfield called for a five-year plan, similar to what is done

for road construction projects, to insure that funding will be

available. Thomas said restrictions on dredging the lagoon

must be relaxed, and Workman said the focus should be on

addressing runoff from freshwater culverts.

All three said they were opposed to Medicaid expansion in the

state as well as to the Common Core education program.

Mayfield won the straw poll with 91 votes, with Workman

finishing second with 86 and Thomas had 18.

Seven candidates participated in the final panel, involving

Brevard’s four State Legislative Districts, and they also

focused on cleaning up the lagoon.

District 50 candidate George Collins said scientific research

is necessary to solve the problem, not throwing “millions of

dollars” at it, and candidate Chadwick Hardee said there is

“no easy answer;” and candidate Rene Placensia declined to

attend the forum. In their straw poll, it was Collins with 66

votes, Hardee with 42, and Placensia with 16.

In District 51, candidate Tim Timulty, the mayor of Cocoa

Beach, said the county and its 16 cities and towns have to join

in the effort. Tom Goodson, the current District 50

representative who is running for the District 51 seat, did not

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attend the forum. Timulty defeated Goodson in the straw poll,

80-71.

Three of the four Republican candidates for the District 52

seat were present – Brian Hodgers, Monique Miller, and

Fritz Van Volkenburgh. The fourth, current District 16

State Senator Thad Altman, declined to attend the forum.

Hodgers said a multiple-county approach is needed for the

lagoon, and its condition is affecting everything from tourism

to real estate values. Miller expressed concern that state

money for water projects was being steered to South Florida

by the State Legislature. Van Volkenburgh said “studying it

to death” is not the solution, and there needs to be continued

muck-removing, clam and oyster projects. In the straw poll,

it was Van Volkenburgh 61 votes, Miller 47, Hodgers 43, and

Altman 28.

Randy Fine, the only Republican candidate in the District 53

race and the recipient of 129 straw poll votes, said the lagoon

problem could be anything from too many septic tanks

spewing waste to too many manatees eating the seagrass.

All of the legislature candidates also favored campaign

finance reform, and expressed opposition to the use of red-

light cameras in the county, and the Common Core standards

in the schools.

District 8 Congressman Bill Posey opened the RLCCEF

forum saying he was pleased that the citizens in the audience

– numbering close to 300 – outnumbered the candidates and

their staff members. “Your part is so important,” he said.

“The country depends on informed citizens to elect

responsible candidates with common sense solutions, and

who will protect liberty.” Posey added that “America isn’t

perfect, but it is the greatest, most productive country in the

world.”

LOPEZ-CANTERA ADDRESSES

REPUBLICAN LIBERTY CAUCUS

Florida Lieutenant Governor Carlos

Lopez-Cantera, a Republican candidate

for the U.S. Senate, told the Republican

Liberty Caucus Central East Florida

(RLCCEF) on April 4 that with his

government and business sector experience, he would bring

common sense to Washington, along with his instruction

manual – “the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.”

Lopez-Cantera said the most important issue facing America

today is the rapidly rising national debt, and that if elected, he

would want to undue a lot of things, such as balancing the

budget and capping the rate of spending increases to the rate

of inflation plus population growth. “There is not enough

accountability in the federal government,” he added.

The fault he finds with Washington politicians, he said, “is

that they are more concerned about the next election than

about the next generation.”

“I'll always put Florida first,” he said. “The way I see it, my

job is to listen to and fight for the people of Florida, every day.

I won't be in Washington to vote how Senate leadership tells

me to vote; I'll be there to vote the way you tell me to vote. I'll

represent Florida, not special interests, not lobbyists, and not

the Washington go-along-to-get-along crowd.”

He said the RLC may not agree with him on everything, but

“You will know where I stand, and I will stand firm.”

Acknowledging that the 10th Amendment “is in there for a

reason,” Lopez-Cantera said he wants to see the government

get out of education, adding “We need to end Common Core

as we know it and replace with high state and local standards

set by parents and teachers, not bureaucrats in Washington.”

Regarding other issues, the Lieutenant Governor said he will

fight to restore America’s military strength, fully reform the

Veterans Administration, unleash small businesses from

excessive regulations, use all resources necessary to secure

the border, and do away with sanctuary cities.

Noting that he is traveling throughout Florida without a

security detail, Lopez-Cantera said it would be a “waste of

tax-payer money,” and besides, he is “protected by the Second

Amendment.”

Stressing that in Florida the Scott Administration moved the

economy forward by balancing the budget, cutting taxes and

creating more jobs, he said, “It’s time for leadership the

Florida way, not the Washington way.”

Prior to being appointed Lieutenant Governor in February

2014 by Florida Governor Rick Scott, Lopez-Cantera had a

conservative track record, as he served for eight years in the

Florida State Legislature – including two years as the Majority

Leader – and as the elected Miami-Dade Property Appraiser.

A University of Miami graduate with a degree in Business

Administration, prior to his public sector experience, Lopez-

Cantera worked in the real estate field, assisting his family’s

firm manage all aspects of operations. Helping other

businesses navigate complicated and unnecessary government

regulations, he said, is what drove him into public service – to

reduce those regulations on Floridians and help create

thousands of jobs in the state.

MAYFIELD SPEAKS TO

HERITAGE ISLE REPUBLICANS

Outgoing District 54 Florida State

Legislator Debbie Mayfield, a

candidate for the District 17 State Senate

seat, told the Heritage Isle Republican

Club on April 7 that she has not been

afraid to vote against her party

leadership when legislation is introduced

that goes against her conservative values, even if it puts her

on the losing side.

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A couple of those issues in the past, she said, were giving

benefits to illegal immigrants, and inserting no-bid contract

grants into the budget – both of which tend to help companies

that favor individual legislators.

Mayfield, who has a background in banking and finance, said

Florida is financially strong, and has money in reserves. She

added that the state also is friendly to veterans and senior

citizens, and works to protect them.

Very interested in the topic of education, she is opposed to

Common Core and wants the state to return to the practice of

electing rather than appointing a Commissioner of Education.

Noting that education is a state right, she said there should not

be a Department of Education in the nation’s capital. That all

came about during the Jimmy Carter administration, she

explained, when the Head Start program was expanded, and

education was removed from the Department of Health and

Welfare and given its own Department.

Regarding Florida’s former community colleges that are now

four-year universities, Mayfield said she was disappointed

that they are doing away with technical and trade training in

favor of academics, because many academic students – who

have large student loans – cannot find jobs, and there is a real

need for trained tradesmen.

Other issues that Mayfield believes the legislature must do are

promoting smaller government and lower taxes to spur job

creation, protecting the Indian River lagoon, lowering

property insurance premiums, and bringing rate fairness and

representation for all utility customers.

State Senate District 17 includes Indian River County and

parts of Brevard County.

UNDERSTANDING THE

REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION

By Space Coast Tusk Designer Frank Montelione

When the Republican National

Convention convenes in Cleveland July

18-21, the party will select its

presidential nominee. At this writing, the

selection will be anybody’s guess.

Questions abound because of the

different way convention delegates are

chosen (primary, caucus, state

convention), what are their status (unbound or bound to a

specific candidate, and if so, for how may ballots), whether

convention rules are permanent or temporary, and what will

happen when the Rules Committee meets one week before the

convention.

Let’s start with the basics. Ballotopia states: “Each state is

assigned at least 10 at-large delegates. Additional ‘bonus’ at-

large delegates are awarded to a state based on various

political criteria. A state with a Republican governor, a

Republican U.S. senator, or Republican majorities in the state

legislature may be allocated additional at-large delegates. The

same is true for states that were carried by the Republican

presidential nominee in the previous election. Washington,

D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. territories are assigned a

specific number of at-large delegates. Overall, there will be an

estimated 999 at-large delegates at the 2016 convention.”

Most states hold primaries or caucuses, at which candidates

are selected to be the state’s chosen candidate. Some states –

such as Florida – are “winner-take-all,” and all the delegates

are awarded to the candidate with the majority vote.

However, they are only bound to that candidate for the first

three rounds of balloting at the convention. On the other hand, Georgia, where I reside, awards delegates

proportionally. If no candidate receives more than 50 percent,

then the delegates are awarded based on the percentage of the

vote each candidate receives. In Georgia, the delegates are

bound only through the first round of convention voting.

The magic number is 1,237. That is exactly half of the total

delegates allotted plus 1. The number includes 168 members

of the Republican National Committee, who are unbound

delegates. That accounts for between about eight and 13

percent of the 1,237. Ballatopia describes these delegates as

follows: “…are automatic delegates to the national

convention. The 50 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S.

territories have three RNC members each. Depending on the

rules of the state (or territorial) party, these automatic

delegates may or may not be allocated and pledged to the

winner of the state’s primary or caucus. Most states allow

their RNC members to decide for themselves which candidate

they’ll support.”

How many states will send unbound delegates won’t be

known until the last primary/caucus is held. As of this

writing, there are 10 states that will hold their primary/caucus

in May and June.

Delegate rich California will hold its primary on June 7. With

172 delegates, California is a “hybrid” state. If one candidate

receives more than 50 percent of the vote in a Congressional

District, he or she will win all 3 delegates in that District. In

addition, the candidate who wins the largest number of

districts state-wide, will receive California’s 10 at-large

delegates. These delegates are bound through the first two

rounds at the convention.

On the same day, June 7, New Jersey will hold its winner-

take-all primary, and these delegates are bound for the first

round only.

Let’s complicate matters even more. We’ve heard a lot about

the Pennsylvania primary that has a large number of delegates.

Of the 71 allocated delegates, 54 are unbound, and the others

are bound through the first round only.

The question as to whether anyone achieves the 1,237

delegates needed for a first round nomination is impossible to

answer. Given the number of unbound delegates – which

include 112 in North Dakota, Colorado, Wyoming, American

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Samoa and Guam who are “unbound” because of their states

and territories GOP rules – the decision may rest with them.

Dizzy yet?

Pledged delegates are not bound delegates. Some states have

unbound delegates that pledge to vote for a particular

candidate. They are not bound, and can change their mind

before the convention vote takes place.

What happens to the delegates earned by those who suspended

their campaigns? Good question, and probably the easiest to

answer.

Once a candidate withdraws from the race, his or her delegates

may be released. At that point, the candidate can recommend

support for a specific candidate. On the other hand, bound

delegates can be released at any time up until the roll call is

placed. Florida Senator Marco Rubio, who suspended his

campaign earlier, has 171 bound delegates, and can be the

king maker by recommending that they support one of the last

men standing.

Here’s another magic number – 112. That is one man and one

woman from every state and the territories who make up the

party’s Rules Committee. The chair of that committee is not

one of the 112 members, but could be the Republican Party

Chairman Reince Priebus or Speaker of the House Paul

Ryan. More on this and on Rule 40 (B) next month.

ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL

APRIL EVENT WINNERS, TO DATE.

April 19: New York Primary – Trump

April 16: Wyoming State Convention – Cruz

April 9: Colorado State Convention – Cruz

April 5: Wisconsin Primary – Cruz

April 3: North Dakota State Convention – delegates

uncommitted

ACCURACY IN MEDIA. Everybody knows that

MSNBC’s Chris Matthews was an unwavering supporter of

President Obama, and now is all in for Democrat Hillary

Clinton. Now, Accuracy in Media reports in its “AIM Report”

that there is a petition circulating – already signed by many

thousands – calling for MSNBC to suspend Matthews for his

“constant shilling.” No, it’s not a Conservative action. The

far-left MoveOn.org is actually behind it – unless he gives

equal time to its favorite candidate – socialist Bernie Sanders.

www.aim.org.

TRUMP PROTESTERS. Ever wonder where all those

protesters at Donald Trump events come from? It’s not

being reported by the supportive lame stream media, but

according to the progressivestoday.com website, organizers

who are unaffiliated with the official Bernie Sanders

campaign are finding protesters through Craig’s List ads. One

such ad begins “The New Part-Time Job: Get Paid $15 An

Hour To Protest At The Trump Rally.” The organizers provide

not only shuttle buses, parking, and signs (as well as time

cards), but also hand out $15/hour (as a “part-time

employment”) for protest activity “due to the economic

inequality.” We suppose it all helps the pepper-sprayed

protesters “feel the Bern.”

FIRST LIBERTY INSTITUTE. When it comes to

addressing political issues, First Liberty Institute President

Kelly Shackelford said pastors have a lot of misconceptions

about what are their rights and freedoms. He said that because

churches are 501(C)(3) organizations, there are two things

that pastors cannot do during elections: 1) they may not use

the church to endorse one candidate over another; and 2) they

may not donate church funds or resources to one candidate

over another. However, Shackelford added, there are four

things that pastors can do: 1) they can address political issues

from the pulpit, even such “hot button” topics as abortion,

same-sex marriage and gun control; 2) they can educate their

congregations about politics, such as by handing out non-

partisan voter guides; 3) they can invite political candidates to

address their congregations as long as all of them in a

particular race are included in the invitation; and 4) they can

participate in politics and even endorse a particular candidate

as long as it is in their individual capacity and not in their

official church position. www.firstliberty.org.

NEW MILLENNIUM CONSERVATIVE CLUB. The

three Republican candidates for soon-to-be-vacant Florida

State Senate District 17 seat – following up on their

appearance at the Republican Liberty Caucus Central East

Florida forum on April 10, addressed the New Millennium

Conservative Club on April 18, basically reiterating their

earlier remarks. Debbie Mayfield, who is completing an

eight-year term of office as State Representative for District

54, spoke about her passion for helping people, and if elected,

how she would continue her practice of sponsoring legislation

on issues requested by her constituents, and voting against

measures she believes would not be in the best interest of

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voters. Outgoing District 52 State Representative Ritch

Workman said he would continue to sponsor bills to do away

with government intrusion in people’s lives, and wants the

Legislature to reduce government in the state even more than

it already has. Mike Thomas, Brevard County’s Republican

State Committeeman, said his goals in the State Senate would

be to cut the red tape for people starting businesses in the state,

help citizens with access to health care and prescription

medication, lower taxes, reduce the size of government, and

support the Second Amendment. While all three candidates

expressed opposition to Common Core in the schools,

Mayfield and Thomas said they favored returning Florida’s

Education Commissioner from being appointed to an elected

position. Workman said he opposed that move in order to

keep politics out of the school systems. The others retorted,

however, that the position is politicized anyway.

On March 21, the four candidates for the District 4 seat on the

Brevard County, Florida, School Board met with the New

Millennium Conservative Club, giving their backgrounds and

explaining to club members why they want the position. The

incumbent, Karen Henderson, who is seeking re-election,

said she has been working with teachers and district education

personnel on evaluations, and keeps in touch with school

principals on how School Board policy affects their schools.

Businessman and former educator Matt Susin currently

serves on the insurance and tax review committees for the

school board, and said a major problem the board faces are

that many teachers are leaving the profession. When he

taught, he was involved with a group of high school students

who eventually got the Florida State Legislature to pass the

American Flag Act, ensuring that all flags flying on

government property in the state are made in the U.S.A. Dana

DeSantis, who spent 15 years as a special education teacher,

said her campaign is focusing on results-based teacher

recruitment and retention, fiscal responsibility by the board,

and ensuring that decisions and control of the schools is

facilitated by local input and local decision making. Former

teacher Dean Paterakis said that since leaving the profession,

he has observed our schools being manipulated to no longer

serve the students and citizens of the county, and decisions are

being given by the board to special interest groups. He added

that if the board did the will of the citizens instead, it would

make a difference at the local level and make priorities for the

children’s education and safety. The four school board

candidates will be listed as non-partisan on the August 30

primary ballot. By Florida statute, if any candidate receives

50 percent of the vote cast plus one, he or she is elected to the

post. If none receives a majority, then the top two vote getters

will be on the November 8 general election ballot.

DIGITAL BLUNDER. Anyone interested in visiting the

website of Texas Senator Ted Cruz has to pay attention.

You have to type: www.tedcruz.org. That dot o-r-g. If you

make the mistake of typing: www.tedcruz.com – that’s dot c-

o-m. – you will be directed to a website asking you to “support

President Obama.” Dirty tricks, anyone?

THIS AND THAT

MORE FLORIDA BILL SIGNINGS.

After our March issue went to press,

Florida Governor Rick Scott signed

into law dozens more bills that were

passed by the 2016 State Legislature.

Among the measures signed was one to

strengthen the state’s anti-public

corruption law – to make it easier to

prosecute public officials and contractors

on charges of bid rigging, bribery and

other official misconduct. Other bills signed by the governor

were to defund Florida’s abortion clinics, including those run

by Planned Parenthood; to allow for the use of medical

marijuana for terminally ill patients in certain situations; to

establish a Florida Holocaust Memorial on the grounds of the

Capitol; to prohibit the state from doing business with

companies that favor a boycott of Israel; to allow All Aboard

Florida to sell beer at its train stations; to permanently

eliminate a sales tax on manufacturing equipment and set up

a three-day tax "holiday" that will run August 5-7 for back-to-

school shoppers; to offer discounts on park entrance fees to

surviving family of military service members and first

responders who die in the line of duty; and to repeal a148-

year-law in Florida that criminalized an unmarried couple

living together. He also vetoed a measure that would have

overhauled the state's alimony laws. It had recommended that

the courts use a formula based on the lengths of marriages and

the incomes of spouses as a guide when determining alimony

payments. It also wanted judges in determining child-custody

arrangements to begin with a "premise" that children should

split time equally between parents.

OFFSHORE DRILLING. After President Obama reversed

his position on offshore oil and gas exploration, and will now

refuse to allow the sale of leases to energy companies to work

off the Atlantic coast from Florida to Virginia, Texas

Congressman Louie Gohmert had a tongue-in-cheek

response to the irritating decision. Speaking with WND.com

and Radio America, Gohmert “quoted” the president as

saying: “Oh, you actually thought I was going to keep that

promise and let you drill out there because that would make

us energy independent? You fools. Don’t you realize I just

gave Iran a hundred billion dollars? Do you think I’m really

going to be serious about becoming energy independent?'”

U.S. SUPREME COURT. Justice Antonin Scalia, we miss

you and your stand for the U.S. Constitution! Voting in a 4-4

deadlock, the U.S. Supreme Court announced on March 29

that it was unable to resolve a major challenge to organized

labor. The deadlock meant a group of California teachers who

say their free speech rights are being violated, will still be

forced to pay dues to the state’s teachers union.

In another case, 43 U.S. Senators have filed a brief with the

Supreme Court in the case of United States v. Texas, arguing

that President Obama seeks to deal with certain classes of

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illegal aliens “by the extra-constitutional assertion of a

unilateral executive power.” At issue is the constitutionality

of DAPA – Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and

Lawful Permanent Residents. The brief says, “With millions

of illegal aliens not permitted to remain in this country, work

in this country, or receive government benefits pursuant to

federal law, the Executive decided to provide such privileges

to them anyway through administrative fiat.” Congress

allows aliens to receive such benefits as Social Security and

the Earned Income Tax Credit, but has a specific formula for

determining when an alien may lawfully enter the country.

The court challenge says, “The Executive claims the power to

ignore these statutes and unilaterally deem lawful the

presence of any unauthorized alien it chooses not to remove.”

It adds that while the president originally agreed to the

Congressional action, once voters elected a majority of

Republicans in both the Senate and the House, he abandoned

the action in favor of unilateral executive power.

FLORIDA FAMILY ASSOCIATION. Efforts by the

Tampa-based Florida Family Association (FF)

www.floridafamily.org and its supporters to influence

companies to stop advertising on the Al Jazeera America

played an important role in the network’s decision to close the

channel. Comcast Channel 107 has not aired Al Jazeera

America since April 11, and there is no longer a Channel 107

on the network. FF’s efforts influenced 260 out of 275

companies to stop. FF’s slogan is “Defending American

Values.”

CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL. According to the

website www.citizen-action.com – a daily journal of news and

opinion for free citizens wishing to defend their liberty – the

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has found a unique way to

waste taxpayer money. In Los Angeles, the CDC has given

the Alta Med Health Services Corporation a $1.3 million grant

for HIV prevention among “Young Latino Men Who Have

Sex with Men.” Part of the funding is being used for outreach

to homosexual clubs in the city, as well as free screening and

“patient engagement navigation,” whatever that is, and part is

being put to use to produce “educational videos” that highlight

the different lifestyles of Latino homosexuals, including

“Cowboy, Fitness Buff, Day Laborer and Transgender/Drag

Queen.” And it’s all part of our $19+ trillion deficit.

EDUCATED EDUCATORS? The Brevard County School

Board, hopefully embarrassed, is now dealing with a 2013

decision by former Superintendent Brian Binggeli to get the

then-board members to spend $8 million on a no-bid contract

to provide new payroll and accounting software. Nearly three

years later, the contractor, Educational Data Resources

(EDR), has failed to deliver a finished product. About half of

the funding has already been paid, and current Superintendent

Desmond Blackburn has frozen payment for the balance.

EDR has since been acquired by a new company, Harris

Computer Corporation of Canada, and Desmond wants the

school board attorney to negotiate new delivery deadlines and

payment schedules. Meanwhile, according to “Florida

TODAY” newspaper, if the board had fully vetted the project,

the members would have learned that another company, Focus

School Software, which serves 16 other county school

districts in the state, would have offered a comparable

program for less than half the price. The newspaper also

attributed the problem to negligence by senior administrators

who failed to research the software market and pressured the

2013 school board to buy the service, and to the board itself

for its lack of oversight and questioning. In response, current

school board member Andy Ziegler, who urged support for

the original contract and thought no competitive bids were

possible or needed, now says he should have been “more

aggressive “ in oversight responsibility at the time.

YOUR EDUCATION TAX DOLLARS AT WORK.

There should be a special place in Hell for these alleged

“educators”: 1) the elementary school principal in Magnolia,

Texas, who prohibits parents from walking their children to

and from school and threatening them with arrest for

trespassing for even a single step on school property; and 2)

the middle school Spanish teacher in Tampa, Florida, who

asked her students to fill out a form by circling answers about

race, skin color, religion, sex, a separate listing for gender, a

separate listing for sexual orientation, and physical disability

– all without clearing the project in advance with school

authorities. The teacher was pulled from the classroom while

the school district investigated the unsanctioned incident.

Meanwhile, in Ranier, Oregon, officials at Hudson Park

Elementary School are apologizing to parents after the library

allowed fourth grade students access – without parental

permission – to a sex education book filled with illustrations

depicting various sexual acts. The apology letter said

procedures “have been put in place to make sure this doesn’t

happen again,” and the school’s current policies regarding

which books are to be allowed in the library for student access

is under review.”

FOUNDATION FOR INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS IN

EDUCATION. Offering students, a crash course on the First

Amendment, with an emphasis on the importance of its

protections to the presidential election campaign, the

Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE)

conducted a regional workshop at Yale University on April 9,

giving students the knowledge, strategies and resources to

assert their free speech and assembly rights on campus. The

emphasis was on students’ rights to engage in political

campaigning. Censorship of such expression by college

administrators is so prevalent, that the Philadelphia-based

FIRE releases a statement each national election cycle that

[8]

reminds students and faculty of their rights – and puts colleges

on notice about their obligations to abide by the First

Amendment for their promises of freedom of expression

during an election season. www.thefire.org.

LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE. The Virginia-based

Leadership Institute, whose mission since 1979 has been to

train conservative activists, students and leaders, has

compiled a list of 1,769 conservative campus groups located

at colleges and universities throughout the United States.

Leadership Institute President and Founder Morton

Blackwell said the non-profit organization recruits

conservative students on these campuses and helps them

organize independent groups and publications “to fight back

against the radical liberals who dominate the faculty,

administration and campus life at the majority of American

colleges.” He pointed out the campus groups are in all 50

states, and 67 of them are at colleges and universities

throughout Florida. www.leadershipinstitute.org.

HEARTLAND INSTITUTE. There’s a new digital event

space and studio at the Chicago-based Heartland Institute

named the “Andrew Breitbart Freedom Center” in honor of

the late Conservative media giant. Heartland Institute

President Joseph Bast called Breitbart “a genuine American

hero who inspired millions of people to stand up and speak

the truth about what is happening in America.” The center

will be used for live-streaming policy events, forums, movie

screenings and other fare, and will be available to

conservative, libertarian and other “liberty-centric” groups at

no cost. www.heartland.org.

GLOBAL WARMING. The U.S. Consulate in Bergen,

Norway, reported to the Commerce Department that the

Arctic Ocean is warming up, icebergs are growing scarcer,

seals are finding the water too hot, and it is predicted that

within a few years, due to the ice melt, the sea will rise and

make most coastal cities uninhabitable. That sure seems to be

a coming global warming disaster. Except that this AP report

from the “Washington Post” was dated November 2, 1922 –

more than 93 years ago.

GEORGIA GOVERNOR. After the Georgia State

Legislature passed a bill last month protecting the rights of

religious organizations to refuse services that clash with their

faith – particularly with regard to same-sex marriage –

Governor Nathan Deal vetoed the measure. Homosexual

groups praised him, and social conservatives said he flinched

in the face of liberal opposition. Guess Georgia’s governor

isn’t such a big Deal after all.

HORSEBACK HERO. Reaganreports.com blogger

Michael Reagan reported on a recent incident that he said

would have given “quite a kick” to his late father, President

Ronald Reagan, who enjoyed horseback riding at his Rancho

del Cielo. The event concerns a woman shopper whose purse

was grabbed by a thief in the parking garage of a shopping

mall in Northridge, California. When the woman began

screaming for help, there suddenly appeared a man on

horseback who happened to be riding by the mall. Galloping

off to the rescue, the rider chased down the running thief,

retrieved the purse, and returned it to the woman. Reagan said

witnesses enjoyed the show, and there was “no word on

whether or not the rider cried out ‘Hi-yo Silver, away!’”

OBAMACARE EXPLAINED. Even though Obamacare

regulations number 10,535 pages, an engineer at Notre Dame

condensed the explanation to four simple sentences: 1) In

order to insure the uninsured, we first have to un-insure the

insured. 2) Next, we require the newly un-insured to be re-

insured. 3) To re-insure the newly un-insured, they are

required to pay extra charges to be re-insured. 4) The extra

charges are required so that the original insured, who became

un-insured, and then became re-insured, can pay enough extra

so that the original un-insured can be insured, so it will be

“free-of-charge” to them. Understand now?

THE GERMAN CHANCELLOR. After comedian Jan

Bohmermann read a satirical poem on a German television

station that criticized Turkish President Recep Tayyip

Erdogan, German Chancellor Angela Merkel approved a

criminal investigation against him. Germany’s penal code –

which was established in 1871 – says that anyone who insults

a foreign head of state is liable for imprisonment of between

three months and five years. Merkel, who has been criticized

for allowing more than one million Middle Eastern refugees

in the country, was skewered in her own CDU party for

favoring diplomatic ties with Turkey over press freedom.

Question: Is “The Space Coast Tusk” now in trouble for

referring to the German chancellor as “Merkel the Jerkel”?

EXPERTS’ EXCERPTS

Heritage Foundation President Jim

DeMint, writing on liberal hypocrisy in a

message to supporters:

“Liberals like to consider themselves open-

minded and accepting, but in reality they are

responsible for building a culture of

intolerance. If you don't want your daughter

to have to share bathrooms with ‘gender fluid’ boys, liberals

will call you a bigot. If you believe in constitutional rights like

religious freedom, gun rights, and freedom of speech, you are

labeled ignorant. Theirs is a dangerous approach, but an

effective one. It's insulting to be called an ignorant bigot, and

[9]

there's no way to counter ad hominem attacks like that. The

liberals have capitalized on this for their own ends. More and

more, we see the government using its power to restrict speech

and intimidate private groups and businesses. College

campuses are hostile to diverse viewpoints and students shout

down public speakers in the name of ‘tolerance.’ Corporate

leaders are forced to resign and pastors are fined for

proclaiming church teaching. These are just a few examples

of liberalism’s legacy in America. Now at its zenith,

progressive liberalism is turning on itself. It is becoming its

opposite: closed-minded and intolerant to different points of

views and interests. My colleague Kim Holmes recently

published a new book confronting this epidemic, ‘The Closing

of the Liberal Mind: How Groupthink and Intolerance Define

the Left.’ In it he reveals how liberals in America have

abandoned their traditions and become a force for denying

people’s rights and freedoms. The closing of the liberal mind

threatens not only free speech and freedom of conscience, but

constitutional rights that at one time had been among

America’s greatest causes. It is upending the very

constitutional order that once was the bastion of American

freedom and equality, which is a grave threat to the country.

Holmes believes that it is still possible to ‘save [America]

from the ravages of the postmodern left.’ But, he counsels, it

will require moderate liberals who still care about our

freedoms to come together with conservatives at this pivotal

time in history.”

Pacific Legal Foundation President and

CEO Robin Rivett, writing on Supreme

Court cases and his pending retirement in

PLF’s “Rescuing Liberty” newsletter:

“Gratitude. That’s my overwhelming

feeling right now. First, while the passing

of Justice Antonin Scalia brought sadness,

we at PLF also have deep gratitude for his legacy. His

powerful opinions helped shape the thought of judges and

scholars nationwide, setting a new standard of respect for

property rights, colorblind equal rights, and the rule of law.

Second, I am grateful to be able to report that the Supreme

Court has accepted two new PLF cases – bringing to ten the

PLF direct-representation cases that the High Court has taken

up since our founding…Both cases – U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers v. Hawkes and Murr v. State of Wisconsin and St.

Croix County – involve PLF’s signature cause: property

owners’ fundamental rights. Incidentally, even though they

were accepted before Justice Scalia’s passing, I am optimistic

about both, because under his influence, the justices have

shown an appreciation for property rights that transcends

differences in other areas. Third, I have a special personal

reason to be grateful as I share this news with you: In late

May, I am retiring, closing my 41-year career – and decade as

president – at America’s leading public interest legal

organization dedicated to liberty and limited government.

Saying goodbye isn’t easy, but it’s satisfying to be retiring on

a high note…. Along with my predecessors, I have had the

privilege of helping guide PLF through a long saga of

accomplishments, including seven straight Supreme Court

victories – a number that could now rise to nine, with the

Court accepting an unprecedented two PLF cases in a single

term. When I came aboard, PLF had a limited presence with

a handful of attorneys and one small office in Sacramento.

But we were driven by a big vision – to defend freedom in

America’s courts. That vision has produced victory after

victory, from county courthouses to the highest court in the

land….Our national reputation and effectiveness keep

growing, with expansion of our regional offices in Florida,

Washington State, and the District of Columbia. And we’ve

founded PLF’s Liberty Clinic at Chapman University –

offering law students ‘real world’ litigation experience….I’ll

always be cheering and supporting as PLF keeps ‘rescuing

liberty’ from coast to coast.”

Carol Bauer, wife of Campaign For

Working Families President Gary

Bauer, writing on the presidential election

campaign on the organization’s “End of

Day Report”:

“The twists and turns of this year's

presidential primaries and caucuses are

like watching a reality TV show. The only difference being

that the future of the United States is at stake. And an

enormous difference it is! The personal drama is all there, and

as the calendar unfolds the story line takes unexpected twists

and turns among the candidates and their families. As the

focus moves from state to state, we the voters are given a

glimpse of how each candidate reflects the values and

personality of the state they represent. And, we can get a better

read on personal and leadership qualities. Nearly every

Tuesday a different state or set of states has voted. As the

results are analyzed, a certain trajectory for the race is either

affirmed or, as seemed to be the case last week with the

Wisconsin results, a reset button is hit. Both parties seem to

be in disarray with the establishment, represented by party

leaders and big money contributors, on one page and the

actual voting public on a completely different page. One thing

we have learned is that this election cycle is like none other,

completely unpredictable in nature. The number of

endorsements a candidate enjoys has mattered little. Polls

have been unreliable. Turnout has been unusually high. In

short, it has been a volatile mix of outsized personalities,

intense voter interest, a focus on issues as they relate to what

is best for America and its role in the world, large rallies and

divisive rhetoric. The calendar and the contests spread out

before us. There will be more twists and turns. But by

summer's end the two parties will have chosen their

candidates. And then, the general election campaign will

begin in earnest. Some will be proud that their candidate

became the party's nominee. Others will be disappointed or

may already be disappointed that their preferred candidate

dropped out some time ago. But in November each of us will

need to make a choice.”

American Civil Rights Union Policy Board Member and

economics professor Dr. Walter Williams, writing on

college campus lunacy on the website www.townhall.com:

[10]

“Students, often with the blessing of

faculty, have discovered that names for

campus buildings and holidays do not

always fit politically correct standards

for race, class and sex. Stanford students

have demanded the renaming of

buildings, malls and streets bearing the

name of the recently canonized Junipero

Serra, an 18th-century Franciscan priest

who was often unkind to American Indians. Harvard Law

School is getting rid of its seal because it bears the coat of

arms of the Royalls, a slave-owning family. This renaming

craze is widespread and includes dozens of colleges and

universities, including Amherst, Georgetown, Princeton, Yale

and the University of California, Berkeley. The students have

decided that some politically incorrect people from centuries

ago are bad. Other politically incorrect people are not quite so

bad if they were at least sometimes liberal; their names can

stay…. Should UC Berkeley students and faculty demand the

renaming of Warren Hall, named after California Attorney

General Earl Warren, who instigated the wartime internment

of tens of thousands of innocent Japanese-American citizens?

UC Berkeley students and faculty might consider renaming

their Cesar E. Chavez Student Center. Chavez sent his thug

lieutenants down to California’s southern border to use

violence to prevent job-seeking Mexican immigrants from

entering the United States. President Woodrow Wilson was a

racist who, among other racist acts, segregated civil service

jobs. Should Princeton University rename its Woodrow

Wilson School of Public and International Affairs plus

rename its Woodrow Wilson fellowship program? Recently,

Brown University changed its Columbus Day celebration to

Indigenous People’s Day…Our military has a number of

deadly aircraft named with what the nation’s leftist might

consider racial slights, such as the Comanche, Apache,

Iroquois, Kiowa, Lakota and the more peaceful Mescalero.

Should they be renamed? Our military might also be seen as

disrespecting the rights and dignity of animals. Should

military death-dealing aircraft named after peace-loving

animals – such as the Eagle, Falcon, Raptor, Cobra and

Dolphin – be renamed? Renaming deadly aircraft might

receive a sympathetic ear from our politically correct

secretary of defense, Ashton Carter.”

THOUGHTS TO PONDER

“I would like Donald Trump or any other candidate (for the

presidency) to pledge to reinstate any and all military officers

discharged because they disagreed with Obama or his

policies.”

--Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich

-0-

“Just think -- If Donald Trump wins the election, it will be the

first time in history that a billionaire would move into public

housing vacated by a black family.”

--Author unknown

-0-

“Are conservatives ready to rumble? They’ve got pitchforks

in their hands. They are ready to take back their country, to

be actively involved in the legislative process – and they’re in

the mood to nominate an outsider….Conservatives believe if

they don’t win during this important election year, they’re

going to wake up one day and not recognize America.”

--American Conservative Union President Matt Schlapp

-0-

“In past elections, some voters have complained about being

forced to choose between the lesser of two evils. If the

nominee for the Democrat Party is Hillary Clinton, and if

Republicans select Donald Trump, this election may force

voters to choose between the least evil of two lessers.”

--Syndicated columnist Cal Thomas

-0-

“The United States spent approximately $1.5 billion on

resettlement in fiscal 2015…. Among other benefits, each

refugee will receive $1,000 in spending money once they are

here. The Obama Administration doesn’t want Americans to

know about how it places refugees from terrorist states in their

local communities.”

--Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton

-0-

“Who is and what is the biggest enemy of liberalism, folks?

Honestly now, ask yourself: Who do liberals consider to be

their greatest threat? It’s us, conservatives.”

--Radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh

-0-

“The U.S. Constitution provides a floor for freedom, not a

ceiling. We can use state constitutions and powers reserved

to the states to restore and grow our freedoms far above the

federal baseline. If the federal government will not protect

the rights of the American people, the people will….The

Goldwater Institute is doing what the Framers equipped us to

do – use state constitutions in a thoughtful and strategic effort

to restore our constitutional republic.”

--Goldwater Institute President Darcy Olsen

-0-

"One of the consequences of such notions as 'entitlements' is

that people who have contributed nothing to society feel that

society owes them something, apparently just for being nice

enough to grace us with their presence.”

--Economist and author Thomas Sowell

-0-

“A jarring paradox exists in our nation’s politics. While the

American people and Congress are showing steadfast

commitment to the Second Amendment, President Barack

Obama is determined to shove gun control down America’s

throat by any means necessary.”

--NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris Cox

-0-

“Bruce Springsteen is blowing off his tour date in North

Carolina because the state is daring to let businesses set their

own bathroom policies. What a scandalous idea! Like other

liberal extremists, The Boss (or is it Bossy?) is furious that the

[11]

North Carolina government won't barge into board rooms and

tell companies how to operate. Apparently he wants to do

away with the free market principles that are making

conservative states thrive, and orchestrate a hostile takeover

of businesses.”

--Family Research Council President Tony Perkins

-0-

“Common Core math has destroyed a generation of students.

They should use a short rope with a tall oak tree on the

mathematician who invented the process.”

--A former teacher who shall remain nameless

UPCOMING BREVARD COUNTY EVENTS

May 2 – Republican Liberty Caucus of Central East Florida

meeting, MeMaw’s Restaurant, Melbourne, 7 pm.

May 4 – Brevard Federated Republican Women meeting,

Holiday Inn, Viera, 11 am.

May 5 – Heritage Isle Republican Club meeting, Viera, 10 am.

May 5 – Brevard 9/12 meeting, Kol Mashiach Synagogue,

Melbourne, 6 pm.

May 9 – The Space Coast Patriots meeting, Merritt Island

Library, 6 pm.

May 10 – ACT! For America Space Coast Chapter meeting,

Government Complex Building C, Viera, 6:30 pm.

May 11 – Brevard Republican Executive Committee meeting,

Holiday Inn, Viera, 7 pm.

May 16 – New Millennium Conservative Club meeting,

Suntree-Viera Library, 6:30 pm.

May 17– North Brevard Republican Club meeting, La Cita

Country Club, Titusville, 7 pm.

May 19 – Republican Women’s Network of South Brevard

meeting, Eau Gallie Yacht Club, 11 am.

May 25 – The Space Coast Republican Club meeting, Red

Lobster, Merritt Island, 11 am.

May 26 – Brevard Young Republicans Club meeting,

Intracoastal Brewery, Melbourne, 6:30 pm.

May 26 – Ronald Reagan Clubs meeting, Jimmy’s Restaurant,

Rockledge, 7 pm.

ABOUT THE NEWSLETTER

There are more than 1,300 people on our ever-increasing

distribution list, and the newsletter goes to readers not only all

over the country, but also across our borders and beyond.

Editor Stuart Gorin and Designer Frank Montelione hope

to see the numbers continue to grow as we pass on

information. We continue to cover activities of the Brevard

Republican Executive Committee, Republican clubs in the

county, and conservative organizations, so both elected

officials and the typical “man-in-the-street” are kept abreast

of what is happening at the local, state and national levels.

Since Republicans as well as Conservatives will never agree

100 percent on all issues – for example, differences between

Tea Party members and establishment Republicans – we will

not necessarily support any writer’s positions, but will present

them so you, the reader, can make up your own mind – fair

and balanced. There is a link to this issue at www.thetusk.org,

and several recent back issues are available in the archives on

the same website. To sign up for your free subscription (or to

unsubscribe, if you are so inclined), or to send your

comments, suggestions or information to share, email:

spacecoasttusk@gmail.com.

COMICAL CLOSERS

Following the deadly terrorist attack in

Brussels, when President Obama

visited Argentina and took some heat

for dancing the tango, MRC’s

“NewsBusted” host Jodie Lewis

explained that “his female partner had

to lead, because as you know, Obama is

not a leader.”

-0-

Regarding Democrat presidential candidate Bernie Sanders,

Lewis said that he “has proposed a $15 trillion tax increase on

all Americans. Everything he promises us is free, but the $15

trillion covers shipping and handling.”

-0-

Ohio Governor John Kasich needs 130 percent of the

remaining Republican convention delegates to claim the

presidential nomination. This would be “mathematically

impossible,” Lewis said, “without Common Core” math.

-0-

And since authorities have discovered dozens of underground

tunnels between Mexico and the United States, Lewis said this

was an embarrassment to President Obama, because “in

digging these tunnels, the drug smugglers have created more

shovel-ready jobs than he has.”

SEVERAL PAGES OF PERTINENT POLITICAL CARTOONS AND PHOTOS FOLLOW

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Air Force One Returns Home From Cuba

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