THE RHEA COUNTY REPUBLICAN

ADVANCING THE CONSERVATIVE CAUSE

Vol. 5 – No. 4                                                                                                    June 2021

Table of Contents Editorial ——————————————————————— 1 Happy Birthday Donald J. Trump ———————————- 3 A Bill for the Birds ——————————————————- 7 Wading in the Swamp by Jim Clarkson————————— 9 Congratulations  Ted Engle and Joshua Arnold ————–10 Comments From Representatives——————————— 12 Comments From Correspondents ——————————– 14     Legislative Report —————————————————— 17 Rhea County Republican Party News—————————- 26 Lagniappe – Are Americans Becoming Sovietized———- 29  Contact Your Representatives ————————————- 32

Wishing you and yours a Happy and Safe Memorial Day!

 

EDITORIAL

Kris Bancroft, Editor, and Publisher

The Rhea County Republican

 

THERE IS A DISTURBANCE IN THE FORCE – AND IT’S A GOOD THING!

In the Lagniappe feature in the April 2021 edition of this newsletter, the question was posed as to whether “purges” within organizations do more harm than good.

Specifically, the article dealt with what seemed, at the time, to be an overreaction – the call from some in the Conservative Caucus for a general purge of the “less pure” Republicans – over what seemed to be a minor flap.

This flap centered on the continuing acerbic exchanges between Representative Liz Cheney (R-WY), the Number Three figure in the House Republican Party who, after what seems to be an extraordinary amount of time, has been unable to let go of her animosity toward former President Trump, and the rejoinders sent “back across the net” from the world’s champion counter puncher.  The flap has become a bona fide disturbance, and the ripples are spreading from the epicenter.

More on that in a moment.

Regardless of one’s opinion of our former President, Representative Cheney’s repeated stirring of the pot has led to her censure in the House and removal from her position as Chair of the House Republican Conference.  Representative Cheney also serves on the House Committees on Natural Resources and Armed Services Committee; it is unclear as to whether she will be reappointed to those committees, even if she is reelected in 2022.

Elise Stefanik (R-NY, 21^st District), an individual whom most would never describe as a Rock-Ribbed Conservative, seems to be the current choice to assume Liz Cheney’s vacated position.  In all fairness, given Ms. Stefanik’s historic moderate-to-conservative positions on immigration and border security, national security and foreign relations and, spending cuts and debt, the House Republican Conference could do a lot worse where selecting leadership is concerned.  But, the Party could do a lot better, too!  Most likely, Ms. Stefanik’s consideration to be Liz Cheney’s replacement is something of an overture to the more “moderate” faction of the Republican Party.

As eluded to earlier, here are some details on those “spreading ripples.”

Senator Mitt Romney, as the entire world knows, has jousted with our former President on more than one occasion.  That his ego continues to suffer from not being named as President Trump’s VP pick is generally accepted as fact.  His unproductive (if not outright sophomoric) remarks have been countered with some verbal flamethrowers that would wilt all the daisies in a five-acre field.  With his tail feathers singed, Senator Romney has tried his best to project a statesmanlike aura, all the while digging in his heels and refusing to just let matters go.  It’s almost as if the Senator doesn’t understand that if he stops throwing barbs at Mr. Trump, Mr. Trump will stop returning them.

Much to the delight of the Left, his ego has cost Senator Romney – and the Republican Party – some serious political credibility.

It came as something of a shock when the Weber County (Utah) Republican Party censured Senator Romney, for his being the only Republican to have voted for the Articles of Impeachment in both his Senate trials.

Even more shocking was the news from Senator Romney’s home State when, on 1 May at their yearly convention, the entire Utah Republican Party narrowly voted down censuring their Senator.  Nonetheless, when Senator Romney spoke, he tried to offer an excuse for his impeachment votes by cajoling his audience with platitudes:  “Now you know me as a person who says what he thinks, and I don’t hide the fact that I wasn’t a fan of our last President’s character issues.”

The Senator was literally booed off the stage!

The ripples were also felt in the Buckeye State, as the Ohio Republican Party voted to censure ten of their Republican representatives, all of whom had voted to impeach Mr. Trump.  The state’s GOP Governing Board went so far as to call for the immediate resignation of Anthony Gonzalez (Cleveland).  The Ohio Republican Party is backing Max Miller, who formerly served in the Trump White House, to primary Anthony Gonzalez.

Many of the self-described pundits have tried to convince us this current rash of censures (and other episodes of Republican voters thumbing their noses at their party’s RINO politicians), are mere coincidences – random acts of frustration held over from a presidential election that was perhaps stolen, or maybe the symptoms of our being confined too long due to the Wuhan virus – but, just as it is with contradictions, there’s really no such thing as a coincidence.  But what we’re seeing isn’t really a purge – at least not in the classical sense – it is better described as a realignment or, perhaps, a refining or redefining process; a process where the People are standing up to demand their Republican Party return to its fundamental values.

What there is, in fact, is a definite “Disturbance in the Force” but it’s not of the nature Ben Obi-Wan Kenobi talked about . . . unless you’re a Democrat.  The disturbance we are seeing is more of the nature of the “A New Hope” variety, and it’s coming to your state and to your town.

You will know it when you see it.

You will know it when you read the letters to the Editors of your newspapers, letters of genuine passion written by just your ordinary, everyday Patriots, letters calling for a return to governance that not only guarantees our Individual Human Rights – just as they are spelled out in our Constitution – but governance by just laws that fully comport our Constitution.

You will know it when you hear the voices of law-abiding citizens declaring in no uncertain terms their full and genuine respect for the law enforcement officers who guarantee our safety, countering the irrational calls of the anarchists and dimwitted politicians who want to defund our Police.

You will know it when you realize you are not the only person in your circle of friends who have expressed their concern for our open borders and the encroachment of millions of illegal aliens into our country.

You will know it when you hear the demands for the removal of culturally divisive notions such as Critical Race Theory from our schools’ curricula and hear the calls to cancel the Cancel Culture.

You will know it when you notice more articles in more newspapers and magazines and begin seeing more commentators on TV advocating – if not outright calling for – the abandonment of socialism in favor of a once-and-for-all return to free-market capitalism, and a return to fiscal sanity within our government that includes a workable plan to put – and keep – America first!

You will know it when you see American Citizens rise up to demand those who are sworn to uphold and defend our laws make criminal referrals to prosecute those whom we know have, for years, violated those laws – repeatedly and flagrantly – without fear of punishment.

You will know it when you see campaign buttons and bumper stickers and announcements for Town Hall Meetings displaying the name of that candidate you heard about who was touted to be a true reformer.

You will know it when you answer a knock at your door to see the bright smiling face of a young and energetic person asking you to support a candidate you know to be a true conservative.

You will know it when you see your friends putting their shoulders to the wheel to campaign for the most constitutionally Conservative and fiscally responsible candidates in every primary, for every political office, at every level of government.

You will know it when you realize all these things you’re seeing are merely parts of one idea, an idea that was right all along:  Making America Great Again.

You will know you are a part of that disturbance and that “the Force is with you,” when you summon the energy and make the commitment to do your part to return our country to the highest values ever envisioned by our Founding Fathers.

 

RANDOM THOUGHTS

“When you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing – When you see that money is flowing to those who deal, not in goods but in favors – When you see that men get richer by graft and pull than by work, and your laws don’t protect you against them but protect them against you – When you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrifice – You may know your society is doomed.” – Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged 1957

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DONALD J. TRUMP – JUNE 14, 1946

Kris Bancroft, Editor and Publisher

 

What made America great?

There are many answers to that question, but what seems tops on most peoples’ list is the quest for freedom, and rightfully so.  When you think of it, the desire for freedom is born in the hearts of all creatures.  It is our nature to want to be independent – to be entities unto ourselves!  That independent spirit lives within each human being until it is canceled out by circumstances.

In the land that came to be known as America, this independent spirit was nurtured in large part by a belief system that bore an undying faith in a Supreme Being who had created humankind and placed humankind in the role of Stewards of the Earth; this Creator had given humans determination, problem-solving skills, inspiration leading to motivation, and motivation leading to innovation – human traits that can be summed up under the heading of work ethic.

All creatures have an inborn determination to survive; for the lower order of animals it is referred to as instinctual reaction to events of the moment; only humans are capable of creating a process, or conceiving a plan, to help them formulate plans that are based on:  their recollection of experiences from the past; observation of conditions of the present, and; calculating the probabilities of the future.  While some lower-order creatures have displayed problem-solving skills only humans are capable of solving abstract problems.

Sometimes life knocks us flat.  We’ve all had our low moments and the people who founded and built the America we know today – the greatest nation to ever exist on planet Earth – certainly suffered their share of hard times, as well.  After centuries of tyrannical rule by innumerable monarchs who dictated terms and conditions based on whims of the moment, a socio-economic (quasi-caste) system that prevented an individual from improving their station in life on the basis of their own merits, and religious persecution, all of which was exacerbated by various diseases and plagues, those people who made the pilgrimage to the New World were inspired by the hope for something better.  Their inspiration motivated them to leave behind the only homeland they’d ever known with a determination they could find something better.

Once these European immigrants arrived on the continent of North America, the inspiration that had fueled their motivation to venture into this New World called forth a level of innovation and technological advancement, unlike anything that had ever been seen in human history.

Looking back through the history of our country we can see how America rose to become the world’s most prominent industrial superpower.  Many people have asked how that happened.  Although America has produced some truly brilliant engineers, scientists, architects, and entrepreneurs, other countries have their own brilliant folks.  Although America has an abundance of natural resources, our own resources pale by comparison with those found elsewhere.  The quick answer to the question is often to make note of our work ethic; surely, there is no other country that can boast of a population so dedicated to accomplishing their goals but, ultimately, even our amazing work ethic is not the answer.  The answer lies in a more in-depth analysis of the association between inspiration and motivation.

Quite simply, the American worker is inspired to work hard and thus motivates themselves to do so because of one unique factor found only in the United States:  Free market capitalism.  Only in America is an individual free to rise to the limits as determined by their abilities and their efforts.

Did America make some grievous errors along the way?  Certainly, it did, and our enemies – both foreign and domestic – are always so very eager to remind the world of our imperfections.  But, as our enemies – especially our domestic ones – seem so unwilling to admit, the difference between America and all the other countries is that we corrected our own mistakes, by our own volition, and not as a result of being forced by others to make those corrections.  Even more important is this wonderful country that came to be known as The United States of America, the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave have, in every case, corrected our errors in ways that would prevent those errors from ever being repeated.  This is simply one more thing that made America great.

Until now.  Now, we are seeing an intensifying plot against our country that was launched more than a century ago coming to fruition.

What was originally known as the “Progressive Movement” (which began in the 1890s) was an era of social and political reform whose purveyors described it as an effort to create a “better” society.

The Progressive’s vision of “reform” was to eliminate free-market capitalism that had brought about the Industrial Revolution.  In short, the Progressives thought they could create a better world if only they could enforce their vision of utopia through a two-step process:  First, by controlling industry through the application of regulations, incentives, and punishments.  Secondly, by using the power of the federal government to “improve the individual and transform society” through forced sterilization and selective breeding – what we know today as eugenics.

Fundamentally, the Progressive Movement, Marxism, and communism are interdependent and through the years these ideologies have melded into one force operating under the banner of Socialism – or “Democratic Socialism.”  Their success is dependent upon their ability to destroy the ideals that Americans have held immutable, or even sacrosanct:  That each individual is endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, and among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

To destroy the status of the individual, our enemies – the Democratic Socialists – have attacked the foundational cornerstones of what may be defined as “Americanism:”   The unique culture formed by a society that treasures its unified goal of being a working part of the greatest nation ever known to humankind; a culture that derives its strength through the family unit and from its faith in something greater than itself, and; a nation of individuals who understand and accept their responsibilities to one another that must be fulfilled if each individual is to continue enjoying the rights and privileges that go with being an American.

For many years Americans have witnessed the erosion of the ideals that gave rise to our wonderful country and, at some level, we all understood the peril we found ourselves in as we’ve watched it slip away.  All the good things that “America” has meant would have surely continued to slip away had it not been for one man who stood up to remind us of what we were losing – had it not been for one man who stood against the Liberals, the Progressives, the RINOs, and the Democratic Socialists and challenged us to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN – DONALD JOHN TRUMP!

The Progressive Movement and the Transformation of American Politics | The Heritage Foundation

 

RANDOM THOUGHTS

The difficulty lies not in the new ideas but in escaping from the old ones. – John Maynard Keynes

[Even a broken clock is right twice a day. – Editor]

 

A BILL FOR THE BIRDS

Kris Bancroft, Editor, and Publisher

 

I like birds (except when they poop on my car), and I’ll bet you do, too.  Heck, I even feed birds – all kinds of birds!  I feed big birds (wild turkeys in winter), itty-bitty birds (hummingbirds in the summer), and even crows.  Yes!  I even feed crows!  Crows are about the most intelligent of all birds and they keep hawks away.  I do wish the crows got along better with the hawks, because hawks, along with automobiles, help keep down the “tree rat” (squirrel) population . . . alas, I digress.

Although we know birds are, in comparison with other creatures, not too bright (hence the most commonly-used disparaging remark we make at our liberal friends “birdbrained”), none of us like to see some poor bird get whacked simply because it made a poor choice . . . unless, of course, we saw it poop on our car.  Yet, as sad as it might be to see one of our feathered friends assuming room temperature as a result of their flying into a building (or some other formidable object), I’m not about to advocate spending Billions of taxpayer’s dollars to try to prevent a bird from doing something, well, birdbrained!  That is why, when I saw these companion bills introduced by Mike Quigley (D-IL) and Corey Booker (D-NJ), HR 1986 and S 791, respectively, entitled the Federal Bird-Safe Buildings Act of 2021, I had to investigate and respond.  https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/117/hr1986 and https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/117/s791

As it turns out, I’m glad I did take a closer look at these bills – it turns out that Rep. Quigley and Sen. Booker just may not be the champions of our feathered friends they’d like the world to believe.  To wit:

Back in 2014, a group of scientists published a “peer-reviewed” article in the journal of ornithology The Condor claiming that between 100 million and 1 Billion birds die each year as a result of flying into buildings.  (Keep in mind, they are admitting their estimate could be off by as much as 900 million – hardly something a rational individual would want to hang their hat on).  In other words, the “study” (propaganda?) published in The Condor, which serves as the basis for this legislation may be off by as much as 90%!

https://nas-national-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/loss_et_al_bird-building_collisons_condor_2014.pdf

According to its text, the Federal Bird-Safe Building Act of 2021 would only apply to federal buildings, and by crude estimation, fewer than 1 in 100,000 buildings of significant stature in the United States house Federal facilities.  Among those Federal buildings, certain “landmark” buildings (which would be about half of all Federal buildings), would be exempt from this Act.  All other buildings on Earth would be exempt from the Federal Bird-Safe Building Act of 2021, as well!  So, ultimately, the best results one might hope for, in terms of preventing our feathered friends from sailing off to Valhalla (as a result of their charging head-on into a Federal building), is a reduction of 10,000 bird deaths per year.  That, by the way, is about one-tenth of the number of birds reportedly killed in wind farms!  (Please don’t share that with Rep. Quigley and Sen. Booker, they’ll write a bill proposing we hang nets over every windmill on Earth!)

At this point of course, we have absolutely no way of knowing how much of our tax dollars would be siphoned off to fund Representative Quigley’s and Senator Booker’s bill, but whatever that number is, one would simply divide the total amount by 10,000 to determine how much money per bird was spent to alter (deface?) half the Federal buildings on the planet with accouterments described by those who would provide consultation to the Federal government.  And it is in this juicy little detail where we may find the true motive.

As stated in the Purpose of the bill, “[T]itle 40, United States Code, to direct the Administrator of General Services to incorporate practices and strategies to reduce bird fatality resulting from collisions with certain public buildings, and for other purposes.”

As we look more closely, we see how “certain individuals” may benefit from this legislation whereas, that Chapter 33 of Title 40, U.S. Code is amended by adding the following:

 

Section 3319.  Use of bird-safe features, practices, and strategies in public buildings:

(c) Identifying best practices

To carry out subsection (b)(3), the Administrator may identify best practices for reducing bird fatality resulting in a collision with public buildings, including best practices recommended by –

• Federal agencies with expertise in bird conservation;
• Nongovernmental organizations with expertise in bird conservation, and;
• Representatives of green building certification systems.

 

Do items 3319 (c) (2) and (3) cause you to suspect those “scientists” who published that article in The Condor have a quid pro quo arrangement with Rep. Quigley and Sen. Booker?

At a time when our tax dollars are needed for so many more crucial things, are you willing to just let a few hundred million more be squandered on a program that serves the interests of a few well-connected individuals?  If not, maybe you’ll write to your Reps and tell them you think HR 1986 and S 791 are for the birds.

 

FACT CHECKING MR. BIDEN’S CLAIMS ABOUT HIS BORDER CRISIS

Fact-Checking Biden’s 6 Border Crisis Claims (dailysignal.com)

 

RANDOM THOUGHTS

As of 14 May 2021, the National Debt is $28.1 Trillion – that’s $85,000 for every man, woman, and child in the United States.

 

WADING IN THE SWAMP

By Jim Clarkson, President

Resource Supply Management

jclarkson@rsmenergy.com

I was appointed to be on a Department of Energy advisory board.  It’s called the State Energy Advisory Board consisting of about 20 state-level bureaucrats and one private sector person – me.  The advisory board’s mission was to give advice on energy efficiency and renewable state policies to an Assistant Secretary of DOE.
I quickly found the swamp culture is not confined to Washington.  The other members of the Board were appointees of Governors, usually the state government energy manager, state consumer advocate, or a public utility commissioner.  All sincerely believe there are no limits on government actions, as long as the goals are politically popular.  This is a whole other world; I was on Mars.
After my first meeting, I made a policy proposal for the Board to adopt and submit to the Assistant Secretary.  The first sentence read: “The Department of Energy should not in any way encourage Utility EE programs, nor should any state agencies encourage utilities in their state to have such programs.”  This was followed by a pithy but profound list of reasons for such a recommendation.
I wasn’t so surprised this proposal was overwhelmingly rejected, but the Board further adopted a recommendation saying the exact opposite of my proposal.  The official recommendation was sent up the DOE hierarchy, so I sent my proposal as a dissent up the chain also.  I was told it was improper to file dissents.  Oh, well.  Wading in the swamp.
The Board meeting consisted mostly of presentations by various other departments in DOE.  These folks are really good at PowerPoint.  They all discussed how they “touched base” and “plugged in” with other groups in DOE and other federal agencies.   These people spend a lot of money.  The Board’s recommendations to these various groups were that they should publicize their programs better.  The DOE presenters said they already had their program information online for the state-level energy managers to see.
In a social gathering of DOE people and Board members, a Federal employee asked what I did and why I was on the Board.  I tried to describe what I do, but she looked confused. I airy waved at the group and said:  “I’m the only one here making an honest living.”  That didn’t go over very well.  I shouldn’t have said it.  After over 50 years of observing state utility regulation, it still upsets me to see smart young people devoted to limiting freedom and prosperity when they could be doing something useful.  They are not really communists or socialists they are just “governmentists.”

Hand raised in the back of the room

Q. What is a libertarian who is hostile to all government intervention in the economy doing on a Board that wants to expand government in the first place?

A. Good question.  I was told the Trump transition team wanted to see new ideas on these various Boards of questionable value.  Actually, my ideas are not new but date back to the founding of this country.

 

CONGRATULATIONS

Ted Engel, Treasurer for the Rhea County Republican Party, recently received Temple University’s Faculty Award for Trial Advocacy LL.M. for having demonstrated outstanding achievements in courtroom presentation and performance.

“On receiving the award, Ted commented:  “When I applied to Temple University’s Trial Advocacy LL.M. program, I wasn’t sure I would even be accepted.  I felt incredibly fortunate when I found out that I had been admitted to the nation’s best school for trial advocacy.

“I was ecstatic when I learned last week that I would be graduating today with distinction.  Then came news that left me feeling both stunned and incredibly honored:  I was the 2021 recipient of the Faculty Award for outstanding achievement in courtroom presentation and performance.

“The entire experience over the past year has been incredible.  Temple’s methodology for teaching trial skills is innovative and outstanding.  I learned more about courtroom advocacy in nine months of a class than I had in nearly a decade of hard-earned experience.

“The program transcended mere academic instruction.  I looked forward to seeing my wonderful classmates each week, even if the pandemic meant those interactions would be by video.  They are all talented attorneys and amazing people.

“Thank you, Marian Braccia, for this incredible experience.  Your dedication to this program and to your students is truly remarkable.  Temple is made better by your hard work.”

 

Joshua Arnold, a graduate of Rhea County High School, was recently appointed to attend the United States Air Force Academy.  The appointment came via Representative Scott DesJarlais, (R-TN, 4^th District).  Way to go Joshua!

 

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A COINCIDENCE

From Healio News – Healio Special Report – Healthcare and Politics

On 11 January 2017, Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, MD, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said there is “no doubt” Donald J. Trump will be confronted with a surprise infectious disease outbreak during his presidency.

Fauci has led the NIAID for more than three decades, advising the past five United States Presidents on global health threats from the early days of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s through to the current Zika virus outbreak.

During a forum on pandemic preparedness at Georgetown University, Fauci said the Trump administration will not only be challenged by ongoing health threats such as influenza and HIV, but also a surprise disease outbreak.”

https://www.axios.com/fauci-rand-paul-wuhan-lab-coronavirus-eff1bb08-f6c7-4d63-b170-c49e87c2e3dd.html and

https://nypost.com/2021/05/11/fauci-admits-covid-19-could-have-come-from-wuhan-lab-butts-heads-with-rand-paul/

NOTE:  This report was “Fact Checked” by USA Today and was not refuted.

Fact check: In 2017, Anthony Fauci warned of potential outbreak (usatoday.com)

 

RANDOM THOUGHTS

When you start paying people to be poor you end up with an awful lot of poor people. – Milton Friedman

 

RANDOM THOUGHTS

What we do in life echoes throughout eternity.

 

RANDOM THOUGHTS

A man with honorable work has meaning; a man with meaning has a purpose; a man with purpose justifies his existence. – Darius Bancroft, 1894-1990

 

COMMENTS (AND NEWS) FROM REPRESENTATIVES

     Elected representatives from all States and all levels of government are encouraged to share their thoughts, opinions, ideas, and announcements by emailing them to pyrope84045@mypacks.net .  Your constituents want to hear from you! – Editor

 

A GIFT FROM SENATOR TIM SCOTT

In case you missed it, following are two links to Senator Scott’s response to Mr. Biden’s address to Congress:

Transcript:

https://apnews.com/article/tim-scott-joe-biden-business-race-and-ethnicity-health-789601bb6410b6756358893bea33d5a9

Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRFJdwIlbOQ

     It was noteworthy that CNN ‘fact-checked” Senator Scott’s comments but no one in the liberal media has yet taken time to “fact check” or analyze anything said by the current occupant of the 0val 0ffice. – Editor

 

SENATORS MARSHA BLACKBURN & BILL HAGERTY, AND REPRESENTATIVE CHUCK FLEISHMAN penned a letter to the Biden regime expressing their thoughts on Mr. Biden’s sending a plane load of illegal immigrants to Tennessee, without first obtaining permission from Governor Bill Lee.  What is most curious is arrangements had been made with Tennessee Temple University, located in the Highland Park section of Chattanooga, to provide housing and food for these illegal immigrants until they could be transported to their final destination – which is still unknown.

 

Dear Secretary Becerra and Secretary Mayorkas:

     We write to seek information on the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) management of unaccompanied alien children (UAC) in federal custody and the facilities used to house them.  We are particularly concerned about recent reports regarding the use of Chattanooga, Tennessee, as a central location for resettling UACs in the United States.

     There are media reports that, within the last week, at least four planes carrying UACs landed at Wilson Air Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee, before swiftly boarding the children onto buses and transporting them to multiple cities across the southeastern United States for apparent resettlement, with zero transparency regarding what was happening.  For months, reports have detailed how thousands of children are being housed in neglectful conditions at mass shelters operated by HHS under a veil of secrecy.  We are deeply troubled by the lack of transparency and accountability regarding the conditions that HHS is subjecting these children to.

     Several governors, including Governor Bill Lee of Tennessee, have written to President Biden expressing alarm over how the federal government has circumvented state authorities by placing UACs in their states’ facilities with little transparency, consent, or coordination.

     These reports raise many questions that need to be answered, but the basic question that must be answered is whether the federal government is using Tennessee as a central location for resettling UACs in the United States.  The citizens of Tennessee are entitled to more information.  After all, their schools, hospitals, and law enforcement agencies will bear the burden of this reported resettlement, which is the product of an ongoing border crisis that is making every town a border town. 

     In 2014, Congress became aware of a similar matter regarding a facility operated by HHS that housed over a thousand children.  Attempts at oversight of how HHS was managing care for children were limited by undue visiting restrictions and heightened secrecy.  Sadly, it appears this pattern is repeating itself.

     In light of these recent reports and HHS’s past secrecy, we ask that you schedule a briefing with us to discuss the Department’s management of UACs, including any operations in Chattanooga and Tennessee at large.

 

THANKS SCOTT DESJARLAIS

     Scott DesJarlais (R-TN, 4^th District) took a stand for our rights under the 2^nd Amendment when he introduced H. Res 388 Expressing the Sense of the House of Representatives that President Biden’s Gun Policies are Unconstitutional and Should Never be Approved. You can find the text of the Resolution at the following link.  Please contact Dr. DesJarlais to thank him for his efforts on our behalf and encourage your Representatives to support this resolution.  Thank you. Text of H.Res. 388: Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that President Biden’s gun policies are … (Introduced version) – GovTrack.us

 

CONGRATULATIONS TO STATE REP JAY REEDY

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — State Rep. Jay Reedy, R-Erin, was recently named the second most conservative legislator in the Tennessee House of Representatives by the American Conservative Union (ACU).

The ACU’s ratings are based on a wide range of bills that reflect a legislator’s unwavering support of initiatives throughout the 2020 legislative session that have made crucial conservative reforms and that have enhanced Tennessee’s economic prosperity. Reedy received an 87 percent conservative rating for 2020 and boasts a 90 percent lifetime average rating.

“I am humbled to once again be recognized by the ACU for my conservative voting record,” Reedy said.  “I will continue to fight on behalf of the people of my district and for all Tennesseans who realize that conservative solutions are what have made our state a model for good governance and the envy of the entire nation.”

According to its website, the ACU believes that the Constitution of the United States is the best political charter yet created by men for governing themselves.  It is the organization’s belief that the constitution is designed to guarantee the free exercise of the inherent rights of the individual through strictly limiting the power of government.

The Tennessee General Assembly received an overall conservative average of 66 percent for 2020.

 

     Jay Reedy represents House District 74, which includes Houston, Humphreys, and part of Montgomery Counties.  He serves as vice-chairman of the Government Operations and Joint Commerce, Labor, Transportation, and Agriculture Committees.   Reedy is also a member of the Agriculture and Natural Resources and Local Government Committees and the Agriculture and Natural Resources and Property and Planning Subcommittees.  He can be reached at rep.jay.reedy@capitol.tn.gov or 615-741-7098.

 

CONGRATULATIONS SCOTT DESJARLAIS!

OK, Scott DesJarlais (R-Tn, 4^th District) is getting a lot of ink this month, but he deserves it!  Rep. DesJarlais has been named a 2020 “Taxpayer Superhero” by the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste!

On receiving the award, Rep. DesJarlais remarked “President Biden’s frivolous and wasteful spending cannot go unchecked. I am committed to continuing to be a watchdog for your tax dollars.”

Council for Citizens Against Government Waste Releases 2020 Congressional Ratings | Business Wire

 

COMMENTS FROM CORRESPONDENTS

     You are invited to become a Correspondent and share thoughts, opinions, ideas, and announcements with subscribers to this newsletter.  Please state your city, state, or country in your submissions and email them to:  pyrope84045@mypacks.net .  Your fellow Conservatives want to hear from you! – Editor

 

McMinn County Young Republicans

Quentin Kaus informs us of two events during the month of June.

 

June 8^th, 6:00 PM McMinn County Courthouse

Representative Mark Cochran will be the guest speaker

Hosted by the McMinn County Young Republicans

Pizza and soft drinks will be served.

June 19^th, from 11:00AM to 1:00 PM, Robertson Farm Pavilion, County Road 439

Anthony Brian Logan will be the guest speaker

Hosted by the McMinn County Republican Party

BBQ & fixings will be served.

Games & other festivities will take place

Tickets are only $25.00 ea. – proceeds benefit the McMinn County Republican Party

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bbq-luncheon-featuring-anthony-brian-logan-tickets-148023310707?fbclid=IwAR1sZAYNtDZidwxVIcokbhx1GSPhthnJB39VuO34LidXx9FYQBfuQlOgaGA and https://youtube.com/c/AnthonyBrianLogan

 

Derrick Vidor of Liberty, TX shared the following:

On 6 May we received some wonderful news.  The Texas House passed SB 7 on second reading, a bill to safeguard our elections in Texas, despite immense pressure from woke corporations and the liberal media.  The bill protects the voting rights of 29 million Texans and will make the elections in Texas more accessible and more secure.  When Texans go to cast a vote, they can be assured their vote will be counted as it should – ONCE!

We should be grateful for the Republicans and the Leadership in the Texas House and Senate who have been leading the fight to protect the integrity of the elections in Texas.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all states could do as much to ensure integrity in their elections?  (HINT!) – Editor

 

Christine Lundstrom shared an excellent observation:

The contemporary left “likes the Middle Ages.”  They want to dismantle police departments, and return, apparently, to medieval systems of attempting to control brigandage by roving knights for hire.  That’s where the expression “freelance” originated.

The left wants to dismantle the hydrocarbon industries, and return to “biomass,” i.e. wood-burning, supplemented by wind & solar, the energy system of the pre-industrial world.  The left wants to “go organic” even if that means supporting 1/10th of the present world’s population at the lowest dire level of poverty, the way it was in 1700 before the modern science of chemistry was understood and applied for human betterment.

The left hates Columbus, is skeptical of the global commerce Columbus initiated and would prefer to “go local” like the illiterate, poverty-stricken, mutually hostile tribes that prevailed almost everywhere before the modern era.

As near as I can make out, the only modern system the left likes is mind-control as practiced by mass media’s herd of independent minds.  That too, is medieval in character, like ancient theocracies that kept the peasants in thrall with repetitive imprecations, macabre superstitions, and doomsday myths.

 

Adam Laxalt of Las Vegas, NV and President of Morning in Nevada PAC invites us all to attend their 6^th Annual Basque Fry.  The event will be held on 14 August, from 10:00 AM ‘til 2:00 PM PDT, at the Corely Ranch, located at 859 US Hwy 395 South, in Gardnerville, NV 89410.   Adam and his crew have put together a truly stellar lineup of speakers this year – Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR), Governor Ron DeSantis, and Ric Grenell (Former U.S. Ambassador and Acting Director of National Security.  Early bird tickets are only $45, Active Military (w/valid ID) $25, College Students (w/valid ID) $25, Youth under 21 $15, and children under age 7 are Free.  The meal will be catered by Liberty Food & Wine Exchange.  To find out more phone: (775) 285-6920 or email:  info@MorningInNevadaPAC.org

 

Cyril Ostiguy, Chairman, Carroll County Republican Party invites you to attend:

We would like to invite everyone to attend the Law & Order Community Forum that will be held on 8 June 2021, beginning at 6:00 PM Central Time.

 

Kinder Performing Arts Center (KPAC)

650 Volunteer Drive

Paris, TN

 

Speakers will include:

• State Representative Bruce Griffey (R-Paris)
• Matthew Stowe, District Attorney
• Sheriff Josh Frey, Henry County Sheriff
• Chief Ricky Watson, Paris Police Department

 

Paris Mayor Carlton Gerrell will serve as Moderator

 

This is a FREE event and open to the public.  A Q&A session will follow the speakers’ opening remarks.  Please invite and encourage others to attend.

 

Bruce Walters of Mt. Vernon, OH sent the following message:

The following link is to an article by C. Douglas Golden, that appeared in the April 15th (2021) edition of the Western Journal.  This article covers some of the remarks made by Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who serves as Mr. Biden’s ambassador to the United Nations, and her claims that our founding documents are “riddled with white supremacy.”  It also includes some quotes by Al Sharpton that I think your readers will find interesting.
Biden’s UN Ambassador: ‘White Supremacy’ Is in America’s ‘Founding Documents and Principles’ (westernjournal.com)

 

Tracy Lincoln explains How the Biden Stimulus Plan Works

Three contractors bid to fix a broken fence at the White House. One is from Chicago, another is from Kentucky and the third is from New Orleans. All three go with a White House official to examine the fence.

The New Orleans contractor takes out a tape measure and does some measuring, then works some figures with a pencil.

“Well,” he says, “I figure the job will run about $9,000. That’s $4,000 for materials, $4,000 for my crew, and $1,000 profit for me.”

The Kentucky contractor also does some measuring and figuring, then says, “I can do this job for $7,000. That’s $3,000 for materials, $3,000 for my crew, and $1,000 profit for me.”

The Chicago contractor doesn’t measure or figure, but leans over to the White House official and whispers, “$27,000.”

The official, incredulous, says, “You didn’t even measure like the other guys. How did you come up with such a high figure?”

“The Chicago contractor whispers back, “$10,000 for me, $10,000 for you, and we hire the guy from Kentucky to fix the fence.”

“Done!” replies the government official.

And that, my friends, is how the Government Stimulus plan works.

Remember … Four boxes keep us free: the soapbox, the ballot box, the jury box, and the cartridge box.

“I love my country … it’s the government I’m afraid of!”

 

LEGISLATIVE REPORT

     The Legislative Report provides information on some of the more remarkable bills that have been introduced in Congress.  Its purpose is to provide the reader with information about pending legislation that may prompt the reader to contact their representatives to express their views.

     In the emailed version of the Legislative Report, you will see markers + and + on certain bills.  The red icon is placed to encourage the reader to contact their representatives and ask them to vote against the legislation.  On bills marked with the green icon, the reader is encouraged to contact their elected representatives and encourage them to support the legislation.  The reader is always encouraged to keep informed about all legislation so they may be aware of bills that affect our lives.  Decide today that you will make your voice heard.  If you remain silent, your representatives will never know your thoughts! – Editor

 

Tennessee –

Governor’s Civics Seal Award

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and the Department of Education announced on Tuesday, May, 18, that 59 schools in the state will be receiving Governor’s Civics Seal Grants.  These funds are being awarded in order to help schools implement civics education programs to prepare students for post-secondary life.

Governor Lee said, “We are proud that so many Tennessee schools are prioritizing strong civics education for their students.  By providing grant funding to support civics instruction for our students, we are preparing the next generation of Tennesseans for life beyond the classroom and to become active leaders in their communities and in our state.”

The Department of Education took to Twitter to share the news.

“With @GovBillLee, we’re excited to announce nearly 60 Tennessee districts and schools have been awarded Governor’s Civics Seal grants!  Totaling $500K, this funding will help boost student readiness and civics education across the state,” TDOE said.

Of the 59 grant applicants, 42 are schools and 17 are districts.  The funding equals $500,000, which comes from Governor Lee’s Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER).

The Civics Seal initiative was initially announced on March 4, 2019.  The Department of Education said they were awarded “to recognize Tennessee schools and districts that prioritize teaching our nation’s and state’s history and civic values.”

They come as a second round of GEER funds to support schools and school districts in reaching the Tennessee Excellence designation for Civics Education.  These designations will be shown on the State Report Card by the Governor’s Civics Seal online.

The newly awarded grants will triple the funding that was awarded in the 2019-2020 school year.  Grant recipients now represent 26 counties and 32 school districts or charter management organizations.

“Thanks to Governor Lee’s vision for preparing our students for life beyond the classroom, we are thrilled to invest in nearly 60 Tennessee districts and schools across the state that are prioritizing civics education,” Department of Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn said.  “These grants will provide access to programs and resources to help our students learn the importance of civics and how to become engaged citizens in our communities.”

The Department of Education said grant applicants “were encouraged to address two key priorities, high-quality instructional materials, and resources as well as teacher preparation and professional development.”

For the 2021-2022 recipients, all state public schools, districts, and charter schools were able to apply.  Individual grant awards range from $3,000 to $20,000.

The Director of Schools for Oak Ridge, Dr. Bruce Borchers, was thankful his district was selected as a recipient.

“Oak Ridge Schools is thrilled to be awarded funding to support civics and citizenship to help prepare our students for success in our classrooms now and well beyond as they enter the workforce and become contributing members of Tennessee’s society,” Borchers said.  “Thank you to Governor Lee and the Tennessee Department of Education for making these grants available to continue providing opportunities for advancement and preparation for our students.”

All recipients will receive support to plan and implement civics initiatives.  They will also be able to use a needs assessment to find assets and opportunities in their own programs.

 

Saving Money by Reducing the Length of Jail Sentences

The Tennessee Senate passed two criminal justice reform bills that aim to alter how many Tennesseans go to jail for minor offenses and to require mandatory supervision once people leave prison.

The bills, which passed unanimously and previously passed the House, will now head to Gov. Bill Lee, who recently held a roundtable discussion with guests such as former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry on why he believes the legislation will have a positive impact in Tennessee.

“I think it is safe to say that these are the governor’s top two priorities for this legislative session,” Sen. Jack Johnson, R-Franklin, said.

     Senate Bill 767 was conformed to House Bill 784 and looks to keep lower-level drug-related and mental-health-related offenders out of jail and to place them in community-based rehabilitation programs.

It redefines “violent offender” to allow for more offenders to be eligible for drug court.  The exceptions are those who used a firearm in their crime, were convicted of domestic assault, or caused death or great bodily harm.

“I think this is unquestionably an improvement in our laws,” Sen. Jeff Yarbro, D-Nashville, said.  “But these are first steps.  The work is ongoing.”

The bill also eliminates sentence stacking, increases the use of drug or recovery court, re-evaluates those already in jail for eligibility in rehabilitation programs, and releases those in jail pending trial for driving on a revoked or suspended license.

     Senate Bill 768, which conformed to House Bill 785, focuses on rehabilitating those set to leave the prison by creating a mandatory supervision program where each parolee released will meet with someone once a week after release.  The goal is to help prisoners re-enter society in hopes of lessening their chances of returning to prison.

Sen. Ken Yager, R-Kingston, said 80% of the Tennessee Department of Correction’s $1 billion budget is spent on incarceration.

“Tennessee has one of the highest incarceration rates in the country, which is growing,” said Sen. John Stevens, R-Huntingdon.  “Are you getting your money’s worth in criminal justice spending?”

Stevens said that while 95% of prisoners in the system ultimately will be released, nearly half of those (47% within three years) prisoners will end up back in prison.  He said 40% of those who leave prison on parole leave with no support.

“[Parole officers] will be there to help these parolees stay on the straight and narrow,” Stevens said.

HB 784’s fiscal note estimated it will cost the state $20 million a year to fund the program but also save $1.6 million in the first year and $74 million annually over the next 10 years by housing fewer prisoners.

HB 785 is estimated in Lee’s budget proposal to save the state $9 million annually while keeping people out of jail or prison and utilizing community-based alternative programs.

 

Washington D.C. –

On 6 May 2021, the House Committee on Veteran’s Affairs brought twenty-five bills to the floor.  For the greater part, these bills aren’t overly “porky” (although a few of them seem rather narrowly applicable to what may be defined as “trouble spots” where the Department of Veterans Affairs needs some guidance).  Rather than providing an in-depth analysis of each bill, the following is presented the Number and Title of the bill, its primary author, and the number of pages the bill so the reader may determine whether it is of specific interest to them.  All bills amend or influence Title 38, U.S. Code, which covers Veterans Affairs, which can be found at the following link.  https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/38

 

HR 234 Korean American VALOR Act (Mark Takano, D-CA, 2 pages)

HR 239 Equal Access to Contraception for Veterans Act (Julia Brownley, D-CA, 2 pages)

HR 293 VA Hospitals Establishing Leadership Performance Act (Mike Bost, R-IL, 3 pages)

HR 290 To Amend Title 38, United States Code, to render an individual, who transfers certain educational assistance, to which the individual is entitled because of an agreement by such individual to serve in the Armed Forces, to a dependent of that individual, and who fails to complete such agreement, solely liable for the overpayment of such educational assistance (Mike Bost, R-IL, 3 pages)

HR 711 West Los Angeles VA Campus Improvement Act of 2021 (Ted Lieu, D-CA, 3 pages)

HR 958 Protecting Moms Who Served Act (Lauren Underwood, D-IL, 9 pages)

HR 1257 Homeless Veterans CREDIT (“Credit Repair, Enhancement, and Debt Improvement for Tomorrow”) Act (Frank Pallone, D-NJ, 9 pages)

HR 1448 PAWS (“Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemen”) for Veterans Therapy Act (Steve Stivers, R-OH, 8 pages)

HR 1510 To Direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress a report on the Use of Cameras in Medical Centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs (David McKinley, R-WV, 4 pages)

HR 1948 VA Employment Fairness Act of 2021 (Mark Takano, D-CA, 2 pages)

HR 2093 Veterans and Family Information Act (Hakeem Jefferies, D-NY, 3 pages)

HR 2167 GI Bill National Emergency Extended Deadline Act Mikie Sherrill, D-NJ, 4 pages)

HR 2195 To Amend Title 38, United States Code, to clarify the Scope of Procedural Rights of Members of the Uniformed Services With Respect to Their Employment and Reemployment Rights, and for Other Purposes (David Cicilline, D-RI, text not available)

HR 2429 VA Police Improvement and Accountability Act (Kathleen Rice, D-NY, 7 pages)

HR 2419 Affordable Housing for Homeless Veterans Act of 2021 (Tracey Mann, R-KS, 3 pages)

HR 2441 Sgt. Ketchum Rural Veterans Mental Health Act of 2021 (Cynthia Axne, D-IA, 4 pages)

HR 2494 To Amend Title 38, United States Code, to establish in the Department of Veterans Economic Opportunity and Transition Administration, and for Other Purposes (Brad Wenstrup, R-OH, 11 pages)

HR 2704 Improving VA Accountability to Prevent Sexual Harassment and Discrimination Act (Chris Pappas, D-NH, 5 pages)

HR 2726 To Direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to Establish a Plan to Reduce the Backlog of Requests for Information made to the Department of Veterans Affairs pursuant to Section 552, Title 5, United States Code, and for Other Purposes (Reuben Gallego, D-AZ, text not yet available)

HR 2788 VA Equal Employment Opportunity Counselor Modernization Act (Connor Lamb, D-PA, 2 pages)

HR 2878 To Direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to Carry Out a Native Vet Success at Tribal Colleges and Universities Pilot Program (Reuben Gallego, D-AZ, text not yet available)

HR 2935 To Amend Title 38, United States Code, to Improve the Processing of Veterans Benefits by the Department of Veterans Affairs, to Limit the Authority of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to Recover Overpayments made by the Department and Other Amounts owed by Individuals to the United States, to Improve Due Process accorded Individuals with Respect to such Recovery, and for Other Purposes (Chris Pappas, D-NH, text not yet available)

HR 2911 To Direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress a Plan for Obligating and Expending Coronavirus Pandemic Funding Made Available to the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for Other Purposes (Mike Bost, R-IL, text not yet available)

 

+ HR 1065 Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (Jerold Nadler, D-NY, 12 pages).

To eliminate discrimination and promote women’s health and economic security by ensuring reasonable workplace accommodations for workers whose ability to perform the functions of a job are limited by the pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition.

It has often been said that the road to hell is paved with good intentions.  Looking at the items for which an employer may be criminally charged for violating, it is easy to see how an unscrupulous individual might force an employer to give them a paycheck for not working!

From Section 2:  It shall be an unlawful employment practice for a covered entity to:

• not make reasonable accommodations to the known limitations related to the pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions of a qualified employee, unless such covered entity can demonstrate that the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of the business of such covered entity;
• require a qualified employee affected by a pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions to accept an accommodation other than any reasonable accommodation arrived at through the interactive process referred to in section 5(7);
• deny employment opportunities to a qualified employee if such denial is based on the need of the covered entity to make reasonable accommodations to the known limitations related to the pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions of a qualified employee;
• require a qualified employee to take leave, whether paid or unpaid, if another reasonable accommodation can be provided to the known limitations related to the pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions of a qualified employee; or
• take adverse action in terms, conditions, or privileges of employment against a qualified employee on account of the employee requesting or using a reasonable accommodation to the known limitations related to the pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions of the employee.

 

Employers who are accused of violating the rules of this law are subjected to personal damages suits from the employee, as well as charges for Federal crimes under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prescribes both fines and incarceration.

 

+ HR 1480 HERO Act (Ami Bera, D-CA, pages)

This bill may be cited as the “Helping Emergency Responders Overcome Act,” requiring the Secretary of Health and Human Services to improve the detection, prevention, and treatment of mental health issues among public safety officers, and for other purposes.

 

On 7 May 2021, several bills were added to the House of Representatives schedule that focused on suicide prevention, reducing domestic violence and mitigating the harm caused by drug addiction.  The more notable bills include:

HR 433 Family Support Services for Addiction Act of 2021 (David Trone, D-MD, 6 pages).

HR 586 STANDUP Act of 2021 (Scott Peters, D-CA, 7 pages) which may be cited as the “Suicide Training and Awareness Nationally Delivered for Universal Prevention Act of 2021.”

HR 721 Mental Health Services for Students Act of 2021 (Grace Napolitano, D-CA, 7 pages)

HR 1205 Improving Mental Health Access from the Emergency Department Act of 2021 (Raul Ruiz, D-CA, 5 pages).

HR 1260 Bipartisan Solution to Cyclical Violence Act of 2021 (A. Dutch Ruppersberger, D-MD, 7 pages)

HR 1324 Effective Suicide Screening and Assessment in the Emergency Department Act of 2021 (Gus Bilrakis, R-FL, 8 pages)

HR 1475 Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act (Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-NJ, 11 pages).

HR 2862 To Require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to Conduct a National Suicide Prevention Media Campaign, and for Other Purposes (Donald Beyer Jr., D-VA, 6 pages)

HR 2877 To Amend the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to Develop Best Practices for the Establishment and Use of Behavioral Intervention Teams at Schools, and for Other Purposes (Drew Ferguson IV, R-GA, 4 pages).

HR 2981 To Amend the Public Health Service Act to Ensure the Provision of High-Quality Service through the Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and for Other Purposes (John Katko, R-NY, 7 pages)

HR 2955 To Authorize a Pilot Program to Expand and Intensify Surveillance of Self-Harm and Suicide Prevention Services in Hospital Emergency Departments, and for Other Purposes (Chris Stewart, R-UT, 8 pages).

 

S 1244 Legislative Performance Review Act (Rand Paul, R-KY, text not available).

This bill would encourage Congress to regularly review federal programs and look for ways to improve them or otherwise consolidate or eliminate duplicative or wasteful efforts.
Similar legislation was previously passed in a bipartisan manner by several Congresses and was championed in the 95th Congress by then U.S. Senator Joe Biden (D-DE). Today, there are over 1,000 different programs that have not been reauthorized yet continue to get funded, totaling over $410 billion annually. Funding these programs without review leads to duplication, fragmentation, inefficiency, and waste of taxpayer money.
“We cannot afford to keep spending taxpayer dollars on expired programs and ones that are never reviewed. I just want to exert the power of the purse, and that means spending must expire. My bill, will end expired programs, require Congress to review the need for programs before spending more money, and make sure we are only using tax dollars on things that make sense,” said Dr. Paul.
“It is clear that there is the growing sentiment around the country for less government, more efficient government, less costly government, and less intrusion into people’s lives by government. I do not believe that this sentiment is going to go away. In fact, I think it may get stronger. It is our responsibility, as I see it, to meet this feeling with action. Spending control legislation will benefit the taxpayers of the country. It should help assure better service for the dollar and fewer dollars spent. This legislation will save considerable amounts of money,” said then U.S. Senator Joe Biden (D-DE) on S 1244. 1977 June Hearing- Biden Opening Statement.pdf (senate.gov)

 

S 1351 Safeguarding American Innovation Act (Rob Portman, R-OH, 43 pages).

This bill would strengthen the security and integrity of the United States scientific research enterprise mainly by preventing theft and espionage through universities and other government-funded research principally by China.

 

S 1303 Build America, Buy America Act (Sherrod Brown, D-OH, 12 pages).

This bill would ensure that certain Federal infrastructure programs require the use of materials produced in the United States, and for other purposes.

 

S 1316 Cyber Response and Recovery Act of 2021 (Gary Peters, D-MI, 12 pages).

This bill would amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002, to authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security to make a declaration of a significant incident, and for other purposes.

 

S 1306 Make PPE in America Act (Rob Portman, R-OH, 7 pages).

This bill would provide for domestic sourcing for all personal protective equipment (PPE).  It is chiefly a response from the lessons learned following the outbreak of the Wuhan virus when we learned that not only had the 0bama administration failed to replenish the nation’s emergency supply of PPE following the SARs pandemic but that the United States did not have the ability to manufacture its own PPE.

 

S 1353 Advancing American AI Act (Gary Peters, D-MI, 17 pages).

This bill promotes United States values and serves to help fulfill its missions through the use of artificial intelligence technologies, and for other purposes.

 

S 1143 No TikTok on Government Devices Act (Joshua “Josh” Hawley, R-MO, 3 pages).

This bill prohibits certain individuals from downloading or using TikTok on any device issued by the United States government, or a government corporation because TikTok is owned and controlled by the Chinese Communist Party and they use it to spy on Americans.

 

HR 3146 SAVE Act of 2021 (French Hill, R-AR, 5 pages), which may be cited as the “Securing America’s Vaccines for Emergencies Act of 2021,” would amend the Defense Production Act of 1950 to ensure the supply of certain medical materials essential to national defense, and for other purposes.  This bill was passed in the House of Representatives and has been forwarded to the Senate for consideration.

 

HR 3125 COVID 19 Emergency Medical Supplies Enhancement Act of 2021 (Juan Vargas, D-CA, 7 pages), would amend the Defense Production Act of 1950 to enhance the authorities under the Act to provide additional oversight to those suppliers who provide emergency medical equipment and supplies used by the military.  This bill was passed in the House of Representatives and has been forwarded to the Senate for consideration.

 

HR 2655 Insider Trading Prohibition Act (James Himes, D-CT, 7 Pages).  After Hillary Clinton got a 1000-to-1 return on her investment on buying cattle futures one might have thought Congress would have finally daubed up all the holes in the insider trading racket but that surmise would have been wrong.  This bill further amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to prohibit certain securities trading and related communications by those who possess material, non-public information.

 

HR 1711 Financial Inclusion in Banking Act of 2021 (David Scott, D-GA, 2 pages).

This bill amends the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 to direct the Office of Community Affairs to identify causes leading to, and solutions for, under-banked, unbanked, and underserved consumers, and for other purposes.  Basically, Mr. Scott is seeking to learn why banks don’t want to set up shop in certain neighborhoods.  There is a one-word answer to Mr. Scott’s quandary: Crime.  Banks don’t like to be robbed, they don’t like to see their customers being robbed going in or coming out of their offices, they don’t like to have their property vandalized.  99% of all the banking done by most customers can be done at an ATM located in a secure location, e.g. inside a supermarket that is open 24/7.

 

+ HR 2027 MSI STEM Achievement Act (Eddie Johnson, D-TX, 10 pages).

This bill would direct federal science agencies and the Office of Science and Technology Policy to undertake activities to improve the quality of undergraduate STEM education and enhance the research capacity at the Nation’s HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs, and for other purposes.

First, to understand where Ms. Johnson is going with her bill, we must wade through all of her befuddling acronyms.  “STEM” is one most everyone is familiar with; it means; Science Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.  “HBCU” is short for Historically Black Colleges and Universities.  “TCU” means Tribal Colleges and Universities.  The Congresswoman cleverly invents “MSI” to mean a “Minority Serving Institution” when, in actuality, she means Hispanic-Serving Institutions, as defined in section 502 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1101a); Alaska Native Serving Institutions and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions as defined in section 317 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059d); and Predominantly Black Institutions, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions, and Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions as defined in section 371 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(c)).

Rep Johnson opines that simply funding scholarships for students whose grades and academic performance qualify them to attend major STEM-curricula universities like Cal Tech, Vanderbilt, MIT, FSU, University of Chicago, Georgia Tech, Princeton, et al – those universities that are already equipped and staffed to provide those educations – simply will not do!  Instead, the Congresswoman proposes the taxpayer $275,000,000 per year (that’s $175,000,000 from the National Science Foundation and $100,000,000 from the “Federal Science Agency” whatever the heck that is).

 

+ HR 1135 LITE Act (Alcee Hastings, D-FL, 15 pages).

This bill would establish the Leadership Institute for Transatlantic Engagement to develop a diverse community of transatlantic leaders committed to democratic institutions, processes, and values.

Alcee Hastings has been around for a very long time and he has learned almost all the tricks when it comes to writing bills that have murky sources of funding to help his pals and contributors to his campaign fund.  This bill is no different.

Even though the set up in Section 2 (b) would indicate to the casual observer that the oversight of his proposed leadership team is bipartisan, when we examine Section 3 (a) of his bill, we learn Mr. Hastings’ bill is simply a clever attempt to impose quota hiring practices when selecting “Leaders.”  Qualifications mean nothing!

In Section 3 (d), we learn Mr. Hastings not only intends to provide grant money to U.S. colleges and universities to cover training and incidental costs for these quota-hired (or quota-appointed, as the case may be), “Leaders,” he is actually proposing to send grant money to foreign colleges and universities – half of which goes to “minority-serving institutions and entities that have made significant efforts to work with racially and ethnically diverse populations in the United States or abroad.”

So, where does the money to pay all these “Leaders” come from?  According to Mr. Hastings’ bill, digging deeply into the text, we learn these “Leaders” would be paid on par with Congressional Employees, which includes expenses, benefits, and be given an opportunity to gadabout over the globe to Section 3 (a) (3) increase the “awareness of the importance of international public service careers in racially and ethnically diverse communities.”  (See Title 5 – U.S. Code Subsection 2107, paragraph 5.

 

+ HR 1096 Represent America Abroad Act of 2021 (Karen Bass, D-CA, 14 pages).

The purpose of this bill is to ensure that the United States diplomatic workforce at all levels reflects the diverse composition of the United States, and for other purposes.

Not to be outdone by her old pal Alcee Hastings (See H.R. 1135, above), using heavily manipulated and nefarious data to support her argument, Karen Bass has conjured up a quota hiring bill of her own.  She is advocating changes to Section 404, of the Department of State Authorities Act, that all qualifications other than race be thrown out the window so as to ensure “the lateral entry pilot program authorized under this section should be an avenue for the Foreign Service to diversify its mid-level ranks aby including applicants from traditionally underrepresented groups in terms of racial, ethnic, geographic, and gender diversity, and disability status.”  Further, in Section 4 (a) (3) (c) (1) requires at least 50% of all new recruits shall be (as specified in Section 4 (b)) “from minority groups.”

 

S 1775 Protecting Communities and Preserving the Second Amendment Act of 2021 (Chuck Grassley, R-IA, 52 pages)

A bill to address gun violence, improve the availability of records to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, address mental illness in the criminal justice system, and end straw purchases and trafficking of illegal firearms, and for other purposes.

This bill was co-sponsored by Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), who has been a staunch supporter of the 2^nd Amendment.

 

RHEA COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY NEWS

Rhea County Republican Party Executive Committee

Bitsy Gryder – Chairman                            Kris Bancroft – Vice Chairman

Judy Bancroft – Secretary                          Ted Engel – Treasurer

Marvin Keener Sr. – Vice Treasurer

 

The Rhea County Republican Party Monthly Meeting

The next meeting of the Rhea County Republican Party will be a social gathering, held on 10 JUNE 2021, at 7:00 PM, at the

GONDOLIER RESTAURANT

200 Able Drive

Dayton, TN.

 

Minutes from the Previous Meeting

RHEA COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY

Meeting Minutes for May 13, 2021

 

Chair Elizabeth Gryder called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm.

 

Marvin Keener offered prayer and Elizabeth Gryder led the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

OLD BUSINESS –

Minutes from Previous Meetings –

Judy Bancroft read the minutes from the March 11^th meeting.  Motion by Donna Taylor, second by Jody Bauer, to accept the minutes as read.  Motion carried.

 

Judy Bancroft then read the minutes from the April 8^th Executive Committee meeting.  Motion by Donna Taylor, second by Marvin Keener, to accept the minutes as read.  Motion carried.

 

Treasurer’s Report –

Marvin Keener gave the Treasurer’s Report.  Motion made by Kris Bancroft, seconded by Tom Taylor, to accept the report as read.  Motion carried.

 

Marvin Keener reported that our monthly rental for our Brown Storage unit will increase from $50 to $55 on August 26^th.  After a group discussion regarding whether to consider other options for storage, a motion was made by Tom Taylor and seconded by Bill Bastenbeck to continue with Brown Storage.  Motion carried.

 

Treasurer/Vice-Treasurer Positions –

Due to vision problems, Marvin Keener has asked to exchange officer positions with Ted Engel, who is agreeable to doing so.  Elizabeth Gryder made a motion, and Kris Bancroft seconded it, that Ted Engel assume the position of Treasurer and Marvin Keener that of Vice-Treasurer.  Motion carried.

 

Visitors – Self-introductions were made by all.  Visitors Michael Monaco and Ricki Dash were welcomed, as well as recent new attendees Bill Bastenbeck, Stacy Griffin and J. B. Griffin.

 

OLD BUSINESS

Bylaws:  Elizabeth Gryder shared the changes recommended by Executive Committee members.  It was decided that further discussion by the Executive Committee needs to occur to finalize recommendations.  Motion made by Jody Bauer, second by Marvin Keener, to table the discussion until the July meeting.  Motion carried.

 

Spring City Chamber of Commerce:  Judy Bancroft is obtaining information on the fee amount we will need to pay for membership.  Motion made by Marvin Keener, seconded by Jody Bauer, to authorize payment of $75.  Motion carried.  After joining, we may wish to have a table at the annual Chamber of Commerce dinners.

 

Interim PAC Treasurer’s Report:   Kris Bancroft reported the beginning and ending balances.  Kris noted that in order to provide the required activity to prevent account closure by the bank, a motion was made by Elizabeth Gryder, seconded by Jody Bauer, to move $5.00 from the Rhea County Republican Party bank account to the PAC account.  Motion carried.

 

PAC Treasurer:  The Executive Committee recommends and makes the motion, with Judy Bancroft seconding the motion, to ask Marvin Keener, Jr., to take the position of PAC Treasurer.  Motion carried.

 

NEW BUSINESS

Rhea County Fair   A motion was made by Kris Bancroft and seconded by Jody Bauer to pay $250 for an ad in the Fair catalog.  Motion carried.

 

Donation to Rhea County Sheriff’s Department   A motion was made by Donna Taylor and seconded by Marvin Keener to donate $500 for the Sheriff’s Toys for Tots program.  Motion carried.

 

Spring City’s Shake the Lake July 3^rd Event    Jody Bauer informed the group of an opportunity for us to have a presence at this event by having a booth.  The discussion provided suggestions for the booth, such as giving out small flags and pens, making available flyers about the Rhea County Republican Party, and providing for voter registration.  After further discussion, it was decided not to pursue doing the event this year but to plan to participate in next year’s Shake the Lake event, when there will be more time for planning.

 

Car Cruises   Jody Bauer stated that antique car cruises are being held on the fourth Friday of the month.  We may wish to have a table at those events closer to the next election.

 

Vice-Chair Kris Bancroft spoke about several items of concern:

1. Members were asked if they would be interested in meeting on the second Thursdays of even-numbered months for a social (non-business) gathering, possibly including a speaker. There was some interest expressed.  Kris Bancroft stated that he would discuss the matter with others, explore options, and make an announcement both on the Rhea County Republican Party Facebook page and website, and in the June edition of The Rhea County Republican
2. Kris noted that a consistent line of communication is an integral component of maintaining a presence in the community, as well as within the State Republican Party. There are inconsistencies between our RCRP website and the State GOP website as far as our contact information is concerned.  We need to have a more solid identification amongst the Tennessee county Republican parties, with a consistent address, phone number, and e-mail address listed at the above websites, as well as on Facebook.

Currently, at the Tennessee Republican Party website, the contact information for the Rhea County Republican Party has been changed when a new Chairperson is elected.  For the sake of consistency, Kris Bancroft recommended that we purchase and fund a cell phone that can be passed from Chair to subsequent Chair while maintaining the same phone number.  The Post Office box should be the mailing address listed.  E-mail communication needs to be available and maintained.

3. We do business with Keener Marketing for our printing, copying, faxing, and shipping services. Kris Bancroft recommended that we establish a $100 operational account with Keener Marketing that can be debited for official RCRP business by any Executive Committee member or their designee.  This would avoid the need for checks to be written by the Treasurer to reimburse for small amounts.

 

After discussion, it was decided that Item 2 would be discussed at the next meeting of the Executive Committee but Item 3 would be tabled.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Elizabeth Gryder announced that Joe Gryder is making progress in regard to his health.

 

Elizabeth Gryder stated that our next meeting will be Thursday, July 8^th, at 7:00 pm.

 

The meeting adjourned at 8:32 pm.

 

Judy Bancroft

Secretary

 

 

LAGNIAPPE

ARE AMERICANS BECOMING “SOVIETIZED?”

Dr. Victor Davis Hanson, Historian for the Hoover Institute, at Stanford University recently posed the question in one of his articles:  Are Americans becoming “Soviet-ized?”

In his article, Dr. Hanson presented ten symptoms that marked those dark days in Russia and encouraged his readers to ask themselves whether we think we are headed down the same road that eventually brought an end to virtually every worthwhile thing in Russia.

1. There was no escape from ideological indoctrination—anywhere. A job in the bureaucracy or a military assignment hinged not so much on merit, expertise, or past achievement. What mattered was loud enthusiasm for the Soviet system.

 

Wokeness is becoming our new Soviet-like state religion. Careerists assert that America was always and still is a systemically racist country, without ever producing proof or a sustained argument.

2. The Soviets fused their press with the government. Pravda, or “Truth,” was the official megaphone of state-sanctioned lies. Journalists simply regurgitated the talking points of their Communist Party partners.

 

In 2017, a Harvard study found that over 90% of the major TV news networks’ coverage of the Trump administration’s first 100 days was negative.

3. The Soviet surveillance state enlisted apparatchiks and lackeys to ferret out ideological dissidents.

 

Recently, we learned that the Department of Defense is reviewing its rosters to spot extremist sentiments.  The U.S. Postal Service recently admitted it uses tracking programs to monitor the social media postings of Americans.

CNN recently alleged that the Biden administration’s Department of Homeland Security is considering partnering with private surveillance firms to get around government prohibitions on scrutinizing Americans’ online activity.

4. The Soviet educational system sought not to enlighten but to indoctrinate young minds in proper government-approved thought.

 

Currently, cash-strapped universities nationwide are hiring thousands of diversity, equity, and inclusion staffers and administrators.  Their chief task is to scan the admissions, hiring, curriculum, and administration at universities.  Like good commissars, our diversity czars oversee compliance with the official narrative that a flawed America must confess, apologize for, and renounce its evil foundations.

5. The Soviet Union was run by a pampered elite, exempt from the ramifications of their own radical ideologies.

 

Now, woke Silicon Valley billionaires talk socialistically but live royally.  Coke and Delta Air Lines CEOs who hector Americans about their illiberality make millions of dollars a year.

What unites current woke activists such as Oprah Winfrey, LeBron James, Mark Zuckerberg, and the Obamas are their huge estates and their multimillion-dollar wealth.  Just as the select few of the old Soviet nomenklatura had their Black Sea dachas, America’s loudest top-down revolutionaries prefer living in Martha’s Vineyard, Beverly Hills, Montecito, and Malibu.

6. The Soviets mastered Trotskyization, or the rewriting and airbrushing away of history to fabricate present reality.

 

Are Americans any different when they indulge in a frenzy of name-changing, statue-toppling, monument-defacing, book-banning, and cancel-culturing?

7. The Soviets created a climate of fear and rewarded stool pigeons for rooting out all potential enemies of the people.

 

Since when did Americans encourage co-workers to turn in others for an ill-considered word in a private conversation?  Why do thousands now scour the internet to find any past incorrect expression of a rival?  Why are there now new thought criminals supposedly guilty of climate racism, immigration racism, or vaccination racism?

8. Soviet prosecutors and courts were weaponized according to ideology.

 

In America, where and for what reason you riot determines whether you face any legal consequences.  Politically correct sanctuary cities defy the law with impunity.  Jury members are terrified of being doxxed and hunted down for an incorrect verdict.  The CIA and FBI are becoming as ideological as the old KGB.

9. The Soviets doled out prizes on the basis of correct Soviet thought.

 

In modern America, the Pulitzer Prizes and the Emmys, Grammys, Tonys, and Oscars don’t necessarily reflect the year’s best work, but often the most politically correct work from the most woke.

10. The Soviets offered no apologies for extinguishing freedom. Instead, they boasted that they were advocates for equity, champions of the underclass, enemies of privilege, and therefore could terminate anyone or anything they pleased.

 

Our wokists are similarly defending their thought-control efforts, forced reeducation sessions, scripted confessionals, mandatory apologies, and cancel culture on the pretense that we need long-overdue “fundamental transformation.”

So if they destroy people in the name of equity, their nihilism is justified.

(C)2021 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

 

 

CONTACT YOUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES TODAY!

Regardless of where you live you can find your elected representatives at any level of government by visiting the following link.  Remember:  While they might be fairly bright, none of them can read your mind, so it is your duty as a citizen to express your thoughts (and to urge all your friends and family and like-minded folks to do the same!)

https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials

 

Here’s a handy guide for Tennesseans in the 4^th Congressional District:

Joseph Robinette Biden (a.k.a. the “Big Guy”) The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington D.C. 20500 Phone:  (202) 456-1414 Fax:  (202) 456-2461 e-mail http://www.whitehouse.gov president@whitehouse.gov	U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty Russell Senate Office Building Suite SR-B11 Washington D.C. 20510 Phone:  (202) 244-4944 Fax:  (202) 228-3398 e-mail:  https://www.hagerty.senate.gov
U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn 357 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Phone:  (202) 224-3344 Fax:  (202) 228-0566 To contact visit website: www.blackburn.senate.gov	U.S Representative Dr. Scott DesJarlais 2301 Rayburn HOB Washington, DC 20515 Phone:  (202) 225-6831 Fax:  (202) 226-5172 e-mail http://desjarlais.house.gov
Governor Bill Lee Tennessee State Capitol Nashville, Tennessee 37243 Phone:  (615) 741-2001 Fax:  (615) 532-9711 e-mail .http://www.state.tn.us/governor	Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House https://www.speaker.gov/contact The link above provides all methods of contact.   Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority 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 Rep.ron.travis@capitol.tn.gov	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 sen.ken.yager@capitol.tn.gov