THE RHEA COUNTY REPUBLICAN
ADVANCING THE CONSERVATIVE CAUSE
Vol. 2 – No. 9
November 2018
DO NOT FAIL TO VOTE!
RHEA COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Keith Flatness, Chairman Bitsy Gryder, Vice Chairman
Donna Taylor, Secretary Larry Pendergrass, Treasurer
Linda Pendergrass, Vice Treasurer Marv Keener, Chaplain
Gary Drinkard, Parliamentarian Jim Murphy, PAC Chair
NOVEMBER MEETING
The November meeting of the Rhea County Republican Party will be held on Thursday, November 1st, at 7:00 PM, at the Rhea County Sheriff’s Training Center, 711 Eagle Ln, Evensville, TN. We look forward to seeing you there!
RANDOM THOUGHTS
A businessman cannot force you to buy his product; if he makes a mistake, he suffers the consequences; if he fails, he takes the loss. A bureaucrat forces you to obey his decisions, whether you agree with him or not . . . If he makes a mistake, you suffer the consequences; if he fails, he passes the loss on to you, in the form of heavier taxes. – Ayn Rand
SURVEY RESULTS
THANK YOU to the thirty-one newsletter recipients responded to the survey posted in the October issue of The Rhea County Republican. Following are the results in the order rated highest by the respondents:
- Repeal the 16th Amendment and eliminate the IRS by passing the Fair Tax, set at 17.5%, and stipulate that a 3/5th majority vote by both houses of Congress is required to raise the base tax rate.
- Reduce wasteful spending, and the size and scope of government by auditing all government agencies, eliminating those agencies that are not sanctioned under the Constitution, and those that are duplicative in nature.
- Improve border security and effectively address illegal immigration by deporting illegal aliens who are identified as gang members and have committed crimes after entering our country.
- Pay off the national debt and reduce the deficit by passing a Balanced Budget Amendment.
- Prosecute government officials who have committed crimes and fire those who have used their positions for political purposes.
- Conduct an independent audit of all government agencies and prosecute those found guilty of waste, fraud, and abuse.
- Investigate organizations with ties to known terrorist groups and prosecute the leaders of those organizations under sedition and espionage laws.
- Pass universal concealed carry with nation-wide reciprocity.
- Utilize the best available technology to improve cyber security so that our elections and government agencies are not hacked by foreign entities.
- Stop foreign aid to countries that deal with our enemies and support terrorist organizations.
The results of this survey have been forwarded to Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and to Mitch McConnell, Senate Majority Leader.
RANDOM THOUGHTS
The secret of freedom lies in educating people, whereas the secret of tyranny lies in keeping them ignorant. – Maximilian Robespierre.
BOOK OF THE MONTH
“199 Things Every American Should Know” is a 57 page excerpt from John A Garraty’s work “1001 Things Every American Should Know About American History.” Covered in this brief work are topics ranging from politics, the Supreme Court, quotations, dates, cartoons, inventions, and numerous other topics that enables the reader to understand our history. It is a fun read of interest to persons of every age group.
RANDOM THOUGHTS
Seven blunders of the world that lead to violence: wealth without work, pleasure without conscience, knowledge without character, commerce without morality, science without humanity, worship without sacrifice, politics without principle. -Mahatma Gandhi (2 Oct 1869-1948)
COMMENTS FROM OUR REPRESENTATIVES
Commenting on his vote to pass the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Representative Scott DesJarlais offered the following: “Democrats will tell you that individual and small business tax cuts expire, but that’s because they refused to cooperate with Republican efforts to help the middle class. We forged ahead anyway, and the results have been stellar. Americans are finding full-time jobs with rising wages and better benefits. Yet today, when they had an opportunity to make tax cuts permanent, Democrats voted ‘no.’
If they were to control Congress, Big Government liberals would hike taxes immediately. I’m committed to reducing Tennesseans’ taxes, as well as Washington spending, to help people of every income bracket and background attain the American Dream,”
[The National Federation of Independent Businesses and The National Taxpayers Union recently awarded Representative Scott DesJarlais their highest honors for his work to grow jobs and the economy. – Editor]
READERS ANNOUNCEMENTS & COMMENTS
This section is provided for our readers to make announcements about activities in their area or offer commentary on current events; they do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. All comments are welcomed for so long as they can be verified. Readers are encouraged to offer appropriate responses. Please e-mail your announcements or comments to pyrope84045@mypacks.net – Editor.
Sylvia Parsons, a reader from Sheffield, AL offers the following opinion: It seems obvious to me that the recent “discovery” of all those “bombs” being sent to various liberals is a false flag. Have you noticed that the people who received them haven’t gone to their own mailbox in years to check their mail – much less opened their mail? Have you noticed that none of those “bombs” have exploded? Even though we’re told the bombs “might” have “potentially detonated” (their design is functionally correct) is it possible that all of them should have failed? No! I think the liberals have come up with a trick designed to energize their base, and nothing more.
Terri Richman-Nicholson, a reader from Rutherford County, TN reminds of the words by Saul Alinsky, in “Rules for Radicals.” This book was offered as the “Book of the Month” in a previous issue of The Rhea County Republican; it’s encouraging to think some of you may have read it! Paraphrasing, Alinsky instructs his followers on how to create a socialist state: There are eight levels of control that must be obtained before you are able to create a Socialist State: 1. Healthcare: Control healthcare and you control the people. 2. Poverty: Increase the poverty level as high as possible, poor people are easier to control and will not fight back if you are providing everything they need for them to live. 3. Debt: Increase the debt [of a nation] to an unsustainable level. That way, you are able to increase taxes and that will create more poverty. 4. Gun Control: Remove peoples’ ability to defend themselves from the government. That way you are able to create a police state. 5. Welfare: Take control of every aspect of their lives – food, housing, and income. 6. Education: Take control of what people read and listen to – take control of what children are taught in school. [Think Common Core] 7. Religion – Remove the belief in God from the government and schools. 8. Class Warfare – Divide the people into the “wealthy” and the “poor.” This will cause more discontent and it will be easier to take [tax] the wealthy with the support of the poor.
Rocky Silverman, Seattle, WA: I’ve got a hunch that the Kavanugh hearing will go down as a turning point where America will come to a realization that the Democrats, the main stream media and Hollywood cannot be trusted. Yes, the same America elected Donald J Trump similarly. But this episode so blatant a lie, so cruel, and malicious will not be overlooked or easily forgotten.
Democrats have marshaled their army of minions to loudly protest the nomination of Judge Kavanaugh. We have watched and witnessed these several weeks them parading one tardy and unbelievable women witness hoping to find some reason some weakness to dissuade the judiciary committee from recommending his nomination. Of course everyone knows the Democrats are trying to delay the nomination until (hoping) they win the majority in the House of Representatives. Now that their delay has failed the chorus that they assembled has reached a crescendo filling the halls and offices of Congressman and Senators. They are nothing more than an organized mob attempting a lynching. They try to make it seem as though the whole nation is behind them when most people can see through the shenanigans and antics to defame and destroy anyone who is in their way. They are desperate to prevent this nomination of a good man; a constitutionalists, a family man, and an American. But what they really did is stir up a hornet’s nest of righteous indignation. Most Americans and most women are disgusted by this parade of harlots pretending to be victims, pretending innocence when, in fact Dr. Ford is known as a Democratic activist. There are two things that I hope for: one is Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court as an associate judge, and; two, that folks reject Democrats who have truly earned [our] disrespect and wrath.
Kathleen Marquardt, a reader from Knox County, TN, offers this enlightening article:
Advice and Consent – Under the Constitution, presidential nominations for executive and judicial posts take effect only when confirmed by the Senate, and international treaties become effective only when the Senate approves them by a two-thirds vote. U.S. Senate Glossary Term.
Watching the circus with Kavanaugh and Ford, I marveled at what was going on. You don’t have to play 3-D chess to see the machinations taking place. First, we had Kavanaugh, Trump’s pick for the SCOTUS, someone the Dems would go for (his history shows that) before the mid-term elections. A quick confirmation would look great for Rs in the election. But right away that was turned upside-down by the Christine Blasey Ford ‘smoke and mirrors’. The whole focus was now on a supposed groping by a teenage Kavanaugh. His interpretation of the Fourth Amendment and other pertinent issues, which should have, and would have, been scrutinized were barely (or not at all) brought up. The whole three-ring circus kept the focus strictly on the prurient. What an incredible feat. Or not so incredible; the general public has been thoroughly conditioned to want the licentiousness we were subjected to thanks to Deep State machinations.
So there was no ‘advice and consent’, or should I say, no advice. Had there been, maybe both the Ds and Rs might have advised that Kavanaugh’s views on the Fourth Amendment were beyond scary. And there was more than one case that showed his stance. In the 2005, United States v. Askew that decided that the police violated the Fourth Amendment rights of Ulice Askew by, after a stop and frisk that produced no results, unzipping his jacket to search him. Kavanaugh, in his dissent, said that the action was justified as “a reasonable continuation to the stop and frisk.” The majority disagreed, that his findings were “both contrary to the District Court’s factual findings and unsupportable on any plausible reading of the record.”
In Klayman v. Obama, a challenge to the federal government’s bulk data collection program, where the government collected ‘metadata’, information on phone numbers called and the length of the calls. “is deemed “metadata” is often murky (such as subject lines and URLs) and context dependent—and not clearly distinguishable from content, which everyone agrees is protected by the Fourth Amendment. Second, and more important, even without listening in on a conversation, metadata reveals private information—sometimes more than would be revealed by content.” [1]
And, “(a) federal district judge issued a preliminary injunction against the program in both 2013 and 2015, finding that the program improperly collected metadata on people not suspected of any crime. After the 2015 injunction was stayed on appeal by a three-judge panel, Judge Kavanaugh had the chance to state his views in no uncertain terms.
“While the full D.C. Circuit declined to review the stay order, in his concurring opinion Kavanaugh went out of his way to assert that the metadata program was “entirely consistent with the Fourth Amendment.” Even in the absence of full briefing, Kavanaugh concluded that the alleged ‘critical national security need’ for the program ‘outweighs the impact on privacy.’” [2]
“Kavanaugh argues that even if the government’s collection of millions of Americans’ telephony metadata did constitute a search it would nonetheless not run afoul of the Fourth Amendment:
Even if the bulk collection of telephony metadata constitutes a search, […] the Fourth Amendment does not bar all searches and seizures. It bars only unreasonable searches and seizures. And the Government’s metadata collection program readily qualifies as reasonable under the Supreme Court’s case law. The Fourth Amendment allows governmental searches and seizures without individualized suspicion when the Government demonstrates a sufficient “special need” – that is, a need beyond the normal need for law enforcement – that outweighs the intrusion on individual liberty. Examples include drug testing of students, roadblocks to detect drunk drivers, border checkpoints, and security screening at airports. […] The Government’s program for bulk collection of telephony metadata serves a critically important special need – preventing terrorist attacks on the United States. See THE 9/11 COMMISSION REPORT (2004). In my view, that critical national security need outweighs the impact on privacy occasioned by this program. The Government’s program does not capture the content of communications, but rather the time and duration of calls, and the numbers called. In short, the Government’s program fits comfortably within the Supreme Court precedents applying the special needs doctrine. [3]
There are more cases but, by now, you should see the writing not on the wall or the record because instead of a proper procedure for advice and consent, we had bread and circuses – again. As I noted in my article, “Political correctness, just one tool in the arsenal of Sustainability”: look at this from the BSTEP program our government (Department of Health, Education, and Welfare) hired Michigan State University to design. “A small elite will carry society’s burdens. The resulting impersonal manipulation of most people’s life styles will be softened by provisions for pleasure seeking and guaranteed physical necessities. Participatory democracy in the American-ideal mold will mainly disappear. The worth and dignity of individuals will be endangered on every hand. Only exceptional individuals will be able to maintain a sense of worth and dignity.” [4]
The above is from “Behavioral Science Teacher Education Program, designed from 1965-1969 by Michigan State University with funding [5] by the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare. They have achieved their goal and it was demonstrated in the Kavanaugh hearings. Are we proud?
[1] https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2014/11/klayman-v-obama-eff-explains-why-metadata-matters-and-third-party-doctrine-doesnt
[3] https://www.cato.org/blog/kavanaugh-klayman-fourth-amendment
[4] https://americanpolicy.org/2018/09/10/political-correctness-just-one-tool-in-the-arsenal-of-sustainability/
[5] Funding also by American Academy of Arts and Sciences, American Academy of Political and Social Science, UN future-planning operation in Geneva, World Future Society of Washington, D.C., General Electric Co, The Air Force and Rand Corporation, Hudson Institute, Ford Foundation, IBM. Universities involved: Stanford, Syracuse, U. of Illinois, Southern Illinois University.
Cathie Malpris, a reader from Rutherford County remarked on a recent statement offered by Warren Buffet, on CNBC. Mr. Buffet made the claim: “I could end the deficit in 5 minutes. You just pass a law that says that anytime there is a deficit of more than 3% of GDP, all sitting members of Congress are ineligible for re-election. The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it. That was in 1971…before computers, e-mail, cell phones, etc. Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took 1 year or less to become the law of the land…all because of public pressure.” Ms. Malpris notes: Once an old dwelling has raccoons in the attic and termites & mold in the foundation, it’s tough to reconstruct; the temptation is to just burn the dang thing down and rebuild. But that’s why we hired Trump; to deal with these problems, and, if possible, in such a way as to not have to burn the house down, but only make repairs needed to make it a functional dwelling place again.
RANDOM THOUGHTS
Title 8 U.S. Code Sub. 1182(f) – Whenever the President finds that the entry of any aliens or any class of aliens into the United States would be detrimental to the interest of the United States, he may by proclamation, and for such a period as he may deem necessary, suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants or non-immigrants, or impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he may deem to be appropriate.
Any questions?
EDITORIAL
Take a close look at the news and concentrate your thoughts on what we are seeing almost every time we turn on a television, pick up a newspaper, or view a clip on social media. We see or read about a growing faction of elected Democrats who openly identify as “Democrat Socialists.” They proclaim that equality is only a reality when all people are provided with equal outcomes – not only for US citizens, but for everyone who happens to traipse across our porous borders. To illustrate their meaning, in many of the so-called “sanctuary cities” – run by Democrats of course – we are witnessing that not only are non-citizens allowed to vote, they’re actively encouraged to do so! (Only for as long as they vote for the Democrat ticket!)
To make matters worse, virtually all Democrats now openly advocate for the overthrow of the Trump administration, or any Republican held seat! The Democrats proclaim the will of the people matters not; only their attaining power is an acceptable outcome.
It would be generous of us to blame all the destructive behavior on that Democrat Socialist faction within the Democrat Party, but in so doing we would only be deceiving ourselves. The facts are revealed to us when we hear the leadership of the Democrats – the likes of Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi, Keith Ellison, Maxine Waters, Eric Holder, and many others – state in no uncertain terms that they will do all within their power to disrupt anything resembling the advancement of a conservative agenda. Does the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation process ring a bell of truth here?
In our cities and towns we see the sycophants of the Democrats rioting, destroying private property, inflicting great harm on citizens who identify as conservatives, and screaming at the tops of their lungs about their hatred of the United States. They are demanding that everyone who lives in our country must conform to their way of thinking, or die! Meanwhile, those elected representatives on the Democrat side are not only silent in condemning the atrocious behavior of their followers; they’re encouraging their followers to “get in their faces,” and worse.
If we had a time machine, we could dial ourselves back to those days when such attitudes and behavior would never have been tolerated by either party; many of us well remember those times as we reflect on the disorder we are seeing today, yet only the naïve and disconnected among us are genuinely shocked by what we are seeing now. So, how did we get ourselves into this mess? The answer is quite simple: Complacency.
I fear at some time in the near future, the status of complacency will be over. You see, a long time ago, there was a fairly bright fellow by the name of Isaac Newton who posited that “for every action there is an opposite and equal reaction.” One of the ways he demonstrated his claim was by applying tension on a spring and then measuring the response force exerted when the tension was released. His reasoning and set of proofs became widely accepted by all rational people. But how, you might ask, does all that tie in with the behavior of the Democrats and their toadies? It’s really quite simple:
The Democrats and their followers are exerting pressure on a “societal spring” – they’re forcing those who see the fallacy in their arguments to accept their view or suffer the consequences. If the current trend is allowed to continue, sooner or later one of the Democrats and/or their useful idiots will go too far, and somewhere, some individual will finally take a stand and declare “enough is enough!” This my friends will be the start of that “opposite and equal reaction” that old Isaac spoke of, and historians will mark that day as the beginning of the second Civil War in the United States. But, unlike the first Civil War, this one will have no winners.
The rational among us offer the query: Is there still a way and is there still time to relieve the tension on that “spring” that is threatening literally everything we know as our “freedom” under a constitutional republic? Maybe.
Maybe, if “We the People” return to the moral and ethical standards on which our country was founded and commit ourselves to living in accordance with the ideals that have made our country the greatest nation to ever exist on planet Earth, and then electing those representatives who embody those same ideals, our country can be saved.
Maybe, if everyone who reads this will step up to do their part in understanding, and then inviting an honest and open discussion with our friends about the gravity of the threats posed by our enemies, our country can be saved.
Maybe, if we decide we shall become fully engaged in the political process by knowing our candidates, selecting those who by word and deed represent our ideals, working for their election, and then closely monitoring their activities once we’ve elected them to ensure they are, indeed, representing us in the ways they should under the threat of being defeated or recalled if they fail to serve honorably and fulfill their commitment to us, our country can be saved.
Maybe, if we engage those who have for so long now been misled and harshly used by the Democrats and, with compassion and reason, make our case in persuading them to come over to our side in numbers such that every dissident Democrat will be marginalized and ultimately defeated, our country can be saved.
Maybe, if we demand that our just laws are applied in prosecuting all the crimes committed by those who hold office and appointed positions in our government, as well as those who commit mayhem on their behalf, our country can be saved.
Will “We the People” shed our complacency, engage those on the other side who have become a part of the #WalkAway movement by offering them safe haven with us and, in so many other ways, step up to do our part to save our country? Maybe . . . but I doubt it.
MINUTES FROM THE SEPTEMBER MEETING
[The minutes from the September meeting of the Rhea County Republican Party are provided in a different format due to the absence of our Secretary, Donna Taylor – Editor]
Prayer – Marvin Keener, Pledge [of Allegiance] – Joe Gryder.
Recognition of special guests: Liz & Chuck Holloway, newly elected [Register of Deeds] Teresa Hulgan.
Secretary’s report, read by Debbie Byrd in Donna Taylor’s absence. Bitsy Gryder motioned to approve with correction of 51 years of service [by Gladys Best] be changed to 56 years, seconded by Kris Bancroft.
Treasurer’s report, read by Keith Flatness in Larry Pendergrass’s absence (due to kidney stone), [was moved to be accepted] by Marv Keener and seconded by Joe Gryder.
PAC report was given by Jim Murphy. Bitsy Gryder motioned to accept [the report as read], seconded by Joe Gryder.
Announcements:
- Gladys [Best’s retirement] celebration was great, lots of thanks to Linda Pendergrass, whom followed the bench [project] through from beginning to end
- Judge Shannon Garrison [filed a motion with the County Commission to make] the [election of the county] Judge . . . to be nonpartisan. Republicans and Democrats . . . opposed [the motion]. Please show up at the September 18th County Commission meeting to support the Republicans.
- Notice from the Election Commission for anyone who wants to attend September 27th Thursday, 8:00 AM to certify the election machines.
- October 9th is the last day to register to vote.
- Marvin Keener provided a handout announcing the Lion’s Club yard sale.
- Kris Bancroft circulated a questionnaire requesting members to rank the issues of greatest concern to those present.
Legislative Report was given by Kris Bancroft.
Old Business:
- Approval of payment for the “Best” bench was motioned by Marv Keener, seconded by Joe Gryder.
New Business:
- A Membership Drive committee was named (Gary Drinkard, Glenn Varner, and Kris Bancroft), to conduct a study on how to increase RCRP membership and participation.
- A Corporate Sponsors committee was named (Marv Keener, Joe Gryder, Brock Harris) [to solicit sponsors for the Reagan Day Dinner.]
- The Farm2Table event was discussed and a decision was made that the RCRP would not sponsor this event.
- The question of whether the RCRP should petition to have closed elections was discussed. A motion was made (Bitsy Gryder, seconded by Joe Gryder) to invite Tom Davis to attend a future meeting to explain the ramification of such a change and explain how this change could be effected.
- A committee (Gary Drinkard and Marv Keener) was appointed to coordinate radio and newspaper ads for the November elections. Gary Drinkard said that Tennessee has a Senate seat available and the seat is in danger – we need to get Marsha Blackburn elected. Laura Travis was unable to attend this meeting but said that she would work on ads for Bill Lee.
Open Discussion:
- Joe Gryder motioned (seconded by Bitsy Gryder) to host a chili supper at the October meeting. Volunteers to provide chili were Keith Flatness, Debbie Byrd, and Jody Bauer.
- Jody Bauer was sworn in on September 6th as a Spring City Commissioner.
- Jody Bauer announced that on September 13th there would be a Meet & Greet event for Spring City police officers and the new Police Chief, Jason Lawson, to be held at Veteran’s Park, in Spring City.
Chairman Flatness delivered his “Joke of the Month.”
The meeting was adjourned.
RANDOM THOUGHTS
Once a country is habituated to liars, it takes generations to bring the truth back. -Gore Vidal, writer (3 Oct 1925-2012)
LAGNIAPPE
[This stellar article was written by Diane Bederman, a reader from Toronto, Canada. I heartily recommend that you read it, absorb it, and share it with everyone you know! I also recommend that you sign up to receive her blog. Thanks. – Editor]
A Liberal leaning neighbour gave me a book about Fascism. Lots of angst on the Left that America is heading toward a fascist state under President Trump. So here I am reading “FASCISM: A Warning” by Madeleine Albright.
For some background: Albright’s extended family was incinerated during the Holocaust. Her father got her immediate family out just in time. After the war, having spent six years in exile, they returned to their home in Czechoslovakia and were forced to flee again when Communism came knocking in 1948. Keep that in mind as you read this article.
The book is 245 pages long. Spoiler alert. On page 246, Albright writes: ”The shadow looming over these pages, is, of course, Donald Trump” On page 252, Albright tells us that she had been working on this project on Fascism for some time.
“Had Donald Trump not been elected president I would still have embarked on this work, for it is a project I conceived with the thought of lending momentum to democracy during Hillary Clinton’s first term. Trump’s election added to my sense of urgency.” (Democracy under Hillary, The DNC bought and paid for a fake dossier on Donald Trump to try and prevent his election and then interfere with his administration after that).
Albright writes: “…I believe that Fascism and Fascist policies pose a more virulent threat to international freedom, prosperity and peace at any time since WWII.”
She defines a Fascist as “ someone who claims to speak for a whole nation or group, is utterly unconcerned with the rights of others, and is willing to use violence and whatever other means are necessary to achieve the goals he or she might have… a Fascist will likely be a tyrant, but a tyrant need not be a Fascist.”
For her, the United States, which historically championed the free world, is now led by a president who exacerbates division and heaps scorn on democratic institutions.
Trump, she writes, is “the first antidemocratic president in US history”. He “flaunts his disdain for democratic institutions, the ideals of equality and social justice, civil discourse, civic virtues, and America itself”. He is one of a kind with such tinpot dictators as “Maduro, Erdoğan, Putin, Orbán, Duterte and – the sole example among them of a true fascist – Kim Jong-un”.
Ms. Albright, though, is a fan of Bill Clinton, George Bush and of course Barack Obama. She fears that under Trump (she published the book in 2018), she no longer recognizes America. And she shares those fears about Trump’s turning inward, caring more about Americans than people of other countries. She fears he is leaving the Global stage and is breaking with allies. Turning on the Iran treaty, naming Jerusalem as the Jewish capital for the Jewish state. This coming from a Holocaust survivor. Yet, she stood with Obama who put Israel under a bus when he refused to veto UN Resolution 2334 that took away the Jewish status of Jerusalem and the Western Wall. Obama gave billions to Iran, in small bills, for a treaty that was supposed to stop the buildup of nuclear weapons but didn’t stop Iran from paying cash to spread terror all over the Middle East, North Africa and terrorists all over the world. And, it seems, build up her atomic weapons.
Let’s take a look at more facts on the ground regarding the Trump administration compared to accusations and innuendos by Albright.
The Trump administration is pushing international nuclear inspectors to launch a new investigation into evidence Iran has been stockpiling nuclear weapons technology and materials at a secret undisclosed site, according to U.S. officials who spoke to the Washington Free Beacon. Trump is not alone. France has concerns about Iran as well.
While pundits and politicians accuse Trump of cozying up to Russia, it seems, as Trump stated, Germany is the problem, supporting the Russian economy by buying oil from Russia. Should America stand with Germany? And when the European Union refuses to increase sanctions on Iran which are crippling the economy and hopefully will bring down the leadership, should Trump stand with the EU or stand with the people of Iran?
What about Trump and Turkey, a NATO member.
Trump has increased tariffs on steel and aluminium against Turkey because of their treatment of Pastor Brunsen, held in jail as a spy. Should Trump still stand with his “allies”? Trump holds dictators to account for harming Americans. Trump brought home prisoners from North Korea without paying a ransom. This after he brought home Otto Warmbier, when Obama had done nothing.
Fascists also take over the democratic institutions and destroy them. Attacking the military and the media can undermine freedom. Albright fears Trump. Let’s talk about her favourite, President Obama.
Obama micro managed the military. He seemed to know better than his Generals. That tends to be the view of fascist leaders. “You know, the president is quoted as having said at one point to his staff, ‘I can do every one of your jobs better than you can,’” said former secretary of defense Robert Gates, who served under eight presidents, and told MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” in 2016.
More than half of troops surveyed in the Military Times/Institute for Veterans and Military Families poll said they have an unfavourable opinion of Obama and his two-terms leading the military.
Ex-defense secretaries are amongst secretaries among toughest critics of Obama’s military strategy
Yet, Trump does not tell his generals what to do. Who’s the potential fascist?
Fascists control the media to control the message.
Alan Bloom wrote: “The most successful tyranny is not one that uses force to assure uniformity but the one that removes awareness of other possibilities…that makes it seem inconceivable that other ways are viable, that removes the sense that there is an outside.”
If Trump is a fascist he is doing a terrible job of controlling the media or their message.
It has been a pattern since President Trump was inaugurated well over a year ago. Coverage of the White House on the “Big Three” broadcast networks — ABC, CBS and NBC — remains 91 percent negative, according to a new study by the Media Research Center, which has been tracking the phenomenon since Mr. Trump hit the campaign trail in 2016.
This egregious bias could silence the President. But it doesn’t because this President shares his thoughts all the time. The good, the bad and the ugly. American citizens never have to ask what the President is thinking or doing. It’s out there in social media.
And if shutting down the media is a fascist act then the Left had better take a look at Europe. Not Trump.
Many Western European governments are prosecuting their own citizens for criticizing Islam or Muslims in, for example, Sweden, Germany and the UK.
In France it appears the PM Macron is trying his best to silence an opponent, Mme Le Pen and her party, his main opposition. It seems her comments might be the sign of a mental illness. She needs a psychiatric exam. Is this France or the Gulag?
Donald Trump has not squashed the news or put opponents on trial.
A Jewish survivor of the Holocaust, Madeleine Albright is standing with Barack Obama and laments the election of Trump over Hillary Clinton who backed Obama. She sees fascism in Trump, a man who has gone after tyrants like those in Iran and Turkey and North Korea, when Obama did not. She laments the negative comments and actions of Trump regarding Europe but says nothing about fascist actions taken by European leaders, especially regarding free speech and freedom of the press. Or their financial support of Russia and Iran.
Fascism exists Mme Albright. But not in Donald Trump. It lives and breathes in the values and practices of the Progressive left, their support of mob-rule, and as Bernard Goldberg wrote, Liberals behaving like Stalinists which opens the door to guilty until proven innocent:
“Show me the man and I’ll show you the crime.”
LEGISLATIVE REPORT
October has started out to be the month that the Senate (especially Democrats) have chosen to advance numerous pork-laden bills falling under the guise of their “concerns” for environmental issues. Bills such as S 32, (Feinstein, D-CA, 97 pages), California Desert Protection and Recreation Act of 2017, “to provide for conservation, enhanced recreation opportunities, and development of renewable energy in the California Desert Conservation Area, and for other purposes,” would make it a federal crime to drive or ride an off-road vehicle on federal lands and bring funding to the state of California to deploy state employees to ensure no one breaks the rules. Next is S 414, (Heller, D-NV, 34 pages), Pershing County Economic Development and Conservation Act, “to promote conservation, improve land management, and provide for ‘sensible’ development in Pershing County, Nevada, and for other purposes,” places government controls (with attendant fees exacted by the government) on the conveyance (sale or lease) of any lands in the “checkerboard” section of Nevada. Mr. Heller’s bill also prohibits hiking, camping, hunting, fishing, and photographing on any lands designated by local indigenous tribes as “sacred.” Some of the other 17 bills of interest in this vein include S 441, Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks Conservation Act, (Udall, D-NM, 23 pages); S 569, (Cantwell, D-WA, 4 pages), Land and Water Conservation Authorization and Funding Act, and; S 941, (Tester, D-MT , 3 pages), Yellowstone Gateway Protection Act, a bill to withdraw certain National Forest System land in the Emigrant Crevice area located in the Custer Gallatin National Forest, Park County, Montana, from the mining and mineral leasing laws of the United States, and for other purposes.
HR 6740 Border Tunnel Task Force Act. (Sessions, R-TX, 6 pages). This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish Border Tunnel Task Forces in areas significantly threatened by cross-border threats and where facilitating collaboration and enhancing information sharing among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies can reduce cross-border tunnel related threats. These task forces shall be comprised of U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel, personnel from other Department components and offices, personnel from other federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies, and other appropriate personnel at the discretion of the Secretary.
HR 6911 To Amend the Service Members Civil Relief Act to prohibit the enforcement of certain policies of homeowners associations regarding real property of Service Members. (DesJarlais, R-TN, text not yet available). Introduced on 26 September.
S 1862 Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2017. (Corker, R-TN, 27 pages). This bill amends the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 to modify the criteria for determining whether countries are meeting the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking, and for other purposes.
PN 2259 On the nomination to confirm Brett M. Kavanaugh, of Maryland, to be an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States. The nomination was confirmed on 6 October 2018 by a vote of 50 to 48. [Hurrah! – Editor]
S 2785 DETER Act, (Durbin, D-IL, 3 pages). This bill may be cited as “Defending Elections against Trolls from Enemy Regimes Act,” and was cosponsored by Lindsey Graham (R-SC). The bill amends Title 8, US Code, 1110(a), to designate foreign persons who improperly interfere with United States elections as “inadmissible aliens,” and for other purposes. The bill passed the Committee process and has been forwarded to the Senate for consideration.
S 2553 Know the Lowest Price Act of 2018 (Stabenow, D-MI, 2 pages). This bill amends Title XVIII of the Social Security Act to prohibit Medicare part D plans from restricting pharmacies from informing individuals regarding the prices for certain drugs and biologicals.
S 2554 Patient Right to Know Drug Prices Act, (Collins, R-ME, 4 pages). Americans overspend by an estimated $135 million on prescriptions through their insurance, in cases when they would cost less out of pocket. Yet pharmacists are often under gag orders from telling customers about that discrepancy. Senator Collins’ new bill would end this practice.
[A “pharmacy gag clause” is a tactic under which a pharmacist may not inform customers which of the two options would cost less for a certain product: using their health insurance or paying fully out of pocket.
These clauses are usually instituted by an insurer or pharmacy benefit manager (PBM), the most famous of which include CVS Health, Express Scripts, or United Health. They’re put in for cases in which most consumers would save money by paying out of pocket — if only they knew. Pharmacy benefit managers pocket the difference.
States are increasingly banning the practice, including three in March alone: Mississippi, South Dakota, and Virginia. The total is now 14 states, from red states like the ones mentioned above to blue states like Minnesota and Connecticut. – Editor]
CONTACT YOUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES
| President Donald Trump
The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington D.C. 20500 Phone: (202) 456-1414 Fax: (202) 456-2461 |
U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander
455 Dirksen Senate Office Building Room 40 – Suite 2 Washington D.C. 20510 Phone: (202) 244-4944 Fax: (202) 228-3398 http://www.alexander.senate.gov http://alexander.senate.gov/contact.cfm
|
| U.S. Senator Bob Corker
Dirksen Senate Office Building SD-185 Washington, DC 20510 Phone: (202) 224-3344 Fax: (202) 228-0566 http://corker.senate.gov/contact.cfm
|
U.S Representative Dr. Scott DesJarlais
2301 Rayburn HOB Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-6831 Fax: (202) 226-5172
|
| Governor Bill Haslam
Tennessee State Capitol Nashville, Tennessee 37243 Phone: (615) 741-2001 Fax: (615) 532-9711 http://www.state.tn.us/governor
|
Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House
https://www.speaker.gov/contact Link above provides all methods of contact.
Mitch McConnell, Senate Majority Leader https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=contact
|
| State Representative Ron Travis
301 Sixth Avenue North Suite G-3 War Memorial Building Nashville, Tennessee 37243 Phone: (615) 741-1450
|
State Senator Ken Yager
301 Sixth Avenue North Suite G-19 War Memorial Building Nashville, Tennessee 37243 Phone: (615) 741-1449 Fax: (615) 253-0237
|
