{"id":519,"date":"2019-09-30T13:10:19","date_gmt":"2019-09-30T17:10:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rheagop.org\/?p=519"},"modified":"2019-09-30T13:10:19","modified_gmt":"2019-09-30T17:10:19","slug":"the-rhea-county-republican-october-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rheagop.org\/the-rhea-county-republican-october-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"The Rhea County Republican &#8211; October 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">RHEA COUNTY REPUBLICAN<\/span><\/h1>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">ADVANCING THE CONSERVATIVE CAUSE<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><em>Vol. 3 \u2013 No. 8\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 October 2019<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>RHEA COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Bitsy Gryder \u2013 Chairman\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Gary Drinkard \u2013 Vice Chairman<br \/>\nLaura Travis \u2013 Secretary\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Larry Pendergrass \u2013 Treasurer<br \/>\nLinda Pendergrass \u2013 Vice Treasurer<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>MINUTES FROM THE PREVIOUS MEETING<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The minutes from our August meeting were not provided.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>NEXT MEETING OF THE RHEA COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Rhea County Republican Party will be held on 3 October, at 7:00 PM, at the Rhea County Sheriff\u2019s Training Center, 711 Eagle Drive, Evensville, TN.\u00a0 (Bring a friend.)<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>EDITORIAL<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>OK, I\u2019ll own it, I am a fiscal hawk.\u00a0 I don\u2019t believe in wasting money and I don\u2019t believe I should spend more than I earn.\u00a0 I wasn\u2019t always that way.\u00a0 Like many people, back in my younger days, I couldn\u2019t wait to spend half my salary on a Friday night.\u00a0 The older I get the more I find I don\u2019t like being in debt.\u00a0 Who does?\u00a0 Wait!\u00a0 Let me rephrase that:\u00a0 Who in their <em>right mind<\/em> likes being in debt?\u00a0 I\u2019ll tell you who, it\u2019s our government!<\/p>\n<p>The people running this country seem to have a fetish for wasting money and running up our country\u2019s debt.\u00a0 Their bad habits are only getting worse.\u00a0 According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the projected deficits \u2013 that is, the amounts of money spent that exceed revenues \u2013 for the years 2020 through 2029 are expected to average $1.2 trillion per year!\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbo.gov\/publication\/55551\">https:\/\/www.cbo.gov\/publication\/55551<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The annual \u201cPig Book,\u201d published and compiled by Congressman Tom Cole (R-OK) and Citizens Against Government Waste <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cagw.org\/reporting\/pig-book\">https:\/\/www.cagw.org\/reporting\/pig-book<\/a>, barely scratches the surface on the wasteful earmarks that are included in practically every piece of legislation passed by Congress.\u00a0 A few examples of what one will read in the Pig Book include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>$214.5 million (21 earmarks) for the \u201cPacific Coast Salmon Recovery Fund\u201d<\/li>\n<li>$23.9 million (129 earmarks) for \u201cAbstinence Education\u201d<\/li>\n<li>$984.6 million (39 earmarks) to correct design flaws in the M-1 Abrams tank<\/li>\n<li>$102.1 million (3 earmarks) for Screwworm research.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It would require much more time to discover and report on all the wasteful spending that our representatives engage in, but wasteful spending is one matter, while making improper payments is quite another.\u00a0 Wasteful spending is an act of stupidity, while making improper payments is, in at least some cases, a crime!<\/p>\n<p>The following examples of how various government entities overpay and make improper payments is a matter that should shock everyone who ever considered themselves to be a \u201cconservative.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Since 2004, twenty large federal agencies admit to having paid out $1.2 trillion in improper payments.\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/fas.org\/sgp\/crs\/misc\/r45257.pdf\">https:\/\/fas.org\/sgp\/crs\/misc\/r45257.pdf<\/a>\u00a0 That amounts to more than one-quarter of President Trump\u2019s proposed $4.7 trillion budget for 2020. \u00a0Last year, these improper payments <a href=\"https:\/\/paymentaccuracy.gov\/high-priority-programs\/\">https:\/\/paymentaccuracy.gov\/high-priority-programs\/<\/a> totaled about $140 billion, or approximately $406.7 million every single day!<\/p>\n<p>As I noted above, under numerous Titles of the US Code, it is a violation of Federal law for a Federal employee (some employee in Federal government has to give their OK for every dollar they spend) to improperly use taxpayers\u2019 dollars.<\/p>\n<p>The crime for doing so is generally known as \u201cwaste, fraud, and abuse.\u201d\u00a0 The following publication clearly spells this out:\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/paymentaccuracy.gov\/faq\/\">https:\/\/paymentaccuracy.gov\/faq\/<\/a>.\u00a0 The terminology used is \u201cpayments made by the government to the wrong person, in the wrong amount, or for the wrong reason.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It would be impossible for a government bureaucrat to claim ignorance of the law as an excuse for their illegal behavior; laws against the misappropriation of taxpayer dollars are among the oldest Federal laws on the books.\u00a0 The oldest example I could find goes all the way back to 1863 (updated in 1982), and that was \u201cThe Federal Civil False Claims Act\u201d found under Title 31 US Code, subsection 3729, <em>et seq.<\/em>\u00a0 The text of this law (and the numerous other related laws at the following link) are clear:\u00a0 Those who mishandle taxpayer dollars are criminals! <a href=\"https:\/\/mnscha.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/docs\/compliance\/Deficit-Reduction-Act-Information.pdf\">https:\/\/mnscha.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/docs\/compliance\/Deficit-Reduction-Act-Information.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Government employees destroy our trust in our government when they make improper payments to people or companies, and when those who represent us fail to apply appropriate checks and balances to stop waste and fraudulent spending, it erodes our trust in them, too!<\/p>\n<p>In an article published in Forbes Magazine (written by Adam Andrzejewski), improper payments in healthcare have recently become as egregious as the improper payments that the Pentagon have long been known for.\u00a0 As you may recall, back in 2011, when President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act, Congress promised to help pay for it by rooting out waste, fraud, corruption and taxpayer abuse from the Medicare and Medicaid programs.\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carper.senate.gov\/public\/index.cfm\/the-affordable-care-act-q-a#0319CF76-8FD7-4782-8502-0001CE33504\">https:\/\/www.carper.senate.gov\/public\/index.cfm\/the-affordable-care-act-q-a#0319CF76-8FD7-4782-8502-0001CE33504<\/a><\/p>\n<p>I hope no one was holding their breath because, as you know, it never happened!\u00a0 In fact, improper payments within these programs skyrocketed from $64 billion in 2012 to $85 billion today.<\/p>\n<p>Right now, you might want to take something to lower your blood pressure because it only gets worse!<\/p>\n<p>Mr. Andrzejewski went on to inform us of the following:\u00a0 The biggest offenders across government include: Health &amp; Human Services (HHS); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Social Security Administration (SSA); and the departments of Defense (DOD), Labor (DOL), and Education (ED).\u00a0 So, what were some the ways these agencies wasted our tax dollars last year?<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Dead people received $1 billion in benefits. Medicare, Medicaid, social security payments and also the federal retirement annuity payouts (pensions) kept flowing to dead recipients.<\/li>\n<li>College students were overpaid by nearly $6 billion in Pell Grants and student loans. Approximately four percent of all payments were improper, and ED forecasts a worse figure in FY2019.<\/li>\n<li>Social Security recipients were overpaid by $10 billion. Six million active Social Security numbers belong to people aged 112 and older. Here\u2019s the problem: there are only 40 people in the entire world aged 112 and over. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/thetwo-way\/2015\/03\/10\/392112708\/6.5-million-social-security-numbers-linked-to-those-112-or-older\">https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/thetwo-way\/2015\/03\/10\/392112708\/6.5-million-social-security-numbers-linked-to-those-112-or-older<\/a><\/li>\n<li>There was $18.4 billion in Earned Income Tax Credit overpayments. Millions of low-income families whom Congress designated as qualified recipients were overpaid billions of dollars. The program is rife with errors: \u00a0the government overpaid $1 in every $4 to beneficiaries.<\/li>\n<li>Medicare &amp; Medicaid improperly paid $85 billion in benefits with overpayments amounting to $67 billion. Administered by HHS, Medicaid admits to overpaying recipients $36 billion. Medicare admits to $31 billion in overpayments.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Shockingly, we learned that our government has no interest in recapturing these improper payments; the Office of Management and Budget claims that recapture audits don\u2019t make financial sense! They argue that it costs too much to recoup the improper payments.\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/paymentaccuracy.gov\/faq\/\">https:\/\/paymentaccuracy.gov\/faq\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Before I wrap this editorial up, I\u2019d like for you to have a look at the following link.\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usdebtclock.org\/\">https:\/\/www.usdebtclock.org\/<\/a>.\u00a0 Looking in the upper left hand corner you will see our country is more than $22,529,221,596,841 in debt.\u00a0 However, if you look farther down, you will see the US Total Debt is more than $74,052,847,353,766.\u00a0 The higher number represents our debt PLUS some of the unfunded mandates (Social Security, Medicare, etc.) that the US Taxpayer is on the hook for.\u00a0 If interest rates are increased, the debt will increase proportionally, because it will cost more to service the debt \u2013 which means paying the interest on it.\u00a0 There\u2019s more than a fair chance that interest rates will most certainly will increase.<\/p>\n<p>Various economists have predicted numerous scenarios of what will happen to our economy \u2013 and our country \u2013 if we fail to pay down this debt and none of those scenarios are pleasant to consider.\u00a0 In fact, all of them paint a picture that depicts the end of the United States of America.\u00a0 I find all of these scenarios to be totally unacceptable.\u00a0 At this point, there is only one thing we can do.<\/p>\n<p>In the past, the American people have asked, pleaded, and begged our elected representatives to stop wasteful spending and prosecute waste, fraud, and abuse.\u00a0 They have ignored us.\u00a0 We must, therefore, raise our voices in unison to demand that they honor our demands and their oath of office by acting fiscally responsible and by making criminal referrals to the Department of Justice for all those who break the law.<\/p>\n<p>At first, they will likely ignore us thinking that our demands are the \u201chot-button\u201d issue of the moment, so we must continue making our demands until our voices are heard and meaningful action begins.\u00a0 Then, we must never let up until our country is out of debt and those who have broken our laws are justly punished.<\/p>\n<p>It CAN be done!\u00a0 Andrew Jackson proved it could be done way back in 1835 <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/History_of_the_United_States_public_debt\">https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/History_of_the_United_States_public_debt<\/a>, and it can be done again.\u00a0 It must be done again.\u00a0 NOW!<\/p>\n<p>So, to wrap this up, there are three steps in achieving our essential goal:<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Demand that our elected representatives construct and operate effective safeguards to stop wasting money through misappropriations and uphold our laws by exacting quick and meaningful punishment for any Federal employee engaging in such waste, fraud, and abuse, and, to the extent possible, recover all improper payments.<\/li>\n<li>End all domestic programs that do not provide a necessary and meaningful benefit to US Citizens, in general.<\/li>\n<li>Contract an independent auditing firm to perform an audit on every governmental department, agency, bureau, and office (entity) to ensure that its mission is:\n<ol>\n<li>Constitutionally necessary<\/li>\n<li>That it fully meets and succeeds in its mission statement<\/li>\n<li>That its mission is not duplicated by any other government entity. If a government entity is discovered to be failing in any of these criterion, we must demand that that entity be defunded and dissolved.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>[Next month, I will provide more information on the enormity of our debt but, in the meantime, if you are unsure as to how to contact your elected representatives, please read the \u201cLAGNIAPPE\u201d column in this issue.\u00a0 Remember, your representatives cannot read your mind, if you want things to change, you must ACT! \u2013 Editor]<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>COMMENTS FROM REPRESENTATIVES<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Jay Dean Reedy<\/strong>, Tennessee State Representative \u2013 District 74, shared the following statement, which was co-signed by forty-six of his colleagues:<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLast year, the Tennessee Legislature approved House Bill 2315, now Public Chapter 973, which requires all law enforcement agencies in the state to fully cooperate with federal immigration officials in compliance with federal and state laws.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe explicit aim of HB 2315 was to prohibit formal or de facto sanctuary policies, under which local governments or law enforcement departments in Tennessee shield illegal aliens from detection, or refuse to honor lawful requests by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency to remand individuals who are in their custody for removal. The law was enacted to protect the welfare and safety of all citizens of Tennessee, and is consistent with a federal statute that prohibits so-called sanctuary policies.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNashville, the state\u2019s capital and largest city, continues to flout both federal and state law and provide sanctuary to illegal aliens, including criminal aliens. Recently, Mayor David Briley asserted his refusal to \u2018use our local resources to enforce ICE orders,\u2019 and to ensure that \u2018resources are available for undocumented immigrants should the need arise.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn addition to obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration laws by duly authorized federal authorities, Nashville officials are further compromising the public interest by failing to comply with Public Chapter 973. Under the law, recalcitrant city officials are jeopardizing much needed funding from the state. The law states clearly that local government entities that do not comply are potentially \u2018ineligible to enter into any grant contract with the department of economic and community development.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe strongly urge Nashville officials to act in the best interests of law-abiding citizens of the city. Nashville is subject to the laws of the State of Tennessee and the United States of America, and the laws of both are clear: Sanctuary policies that shield illegal aliens are themselves illegal.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Mark Greene<\/strong> (R-TN 7<sup>th<\/sup> District) offered the following comment:<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn July, Congress passed an irresponsible budget deal that suspended the debt limit until July 2021. Congress now has until the end of September to pass bills to fund the government for the new fiscal year. However, Democrats remain committed to defunding the border wall, and are even willing to risk a shutdown to appease their radical base.<br \/>\n\u201cIn addition, despite the Special Counsel\u2019s report clearing President Trump of any collusion, House Democrats remain committed to impeaching the President. Last week, the House Judiciary Committee voted to formalize procedures for an impeachment investigation. Democrats seem ignorant of the fact that the vast majority of Americans don\u2019t want President Trump to be impeached.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Lamar Alexander<\/strong> (R-TN) responded to a letter I wrote to him expressing my concern that a label showing the country of origin often does not appear on packaging of products and food items.\u00a0 Following is a copy of his letter.<\/p>\n<p>Dear Kris,<\/p>\n<p>Thanks very much for getting in touch with me and letting me know what\u2019s on your mind regarding food safety and Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) requirements.<\/p>\n<p>COOL required retailers to provide their customers with information about the origin of various food products, including fruits, vegetables, fish and shellfish, and meats. These mandatory requirements were intended to help consumers make informed purchasing decisions about the food they buy.<\/p>\n<p>In June 2012, the Appellate Body of the World Trade Organization (WTO) upheld an earlier WTO Panel decision that the United States\u2019 COOL requirements for beef, pork, and poultry discriminated against Canadian and Mexican livestock imports and thus were inconsistent with the WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade.<\/p>\n<p>After the WTO ruled in favor of Canada and Mexico, the U.S. revised the COOL requirements. However, the WTO again ruled against the U.S. saying that the revised requirements still violated U.S. trade obligations and imposed a disproportionate burden in record-keeping and verification requirements on meat producers and processors. In December 2015, the WTO ruled that Canada and Mexico could legally retaliate against American-made exported goods in the form of over $1 billion in tariffs on various U.S. products.<\/p>\n<p>On December 18, 2015, in an effort to avoid over $1 billion in tariffs that would have negatively hurt businesses in Tennessee and across the nation, Congress approved and the president signed into law the 2016 Omnibus Appropriations bill, which repealed mandatory COOL requirements. While I think consumers have a right to know what\u2019s in their food, the tariffs Canada and Mexico could have imposed would severely impact several Tennessee companies.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m grateful you took the time to let me know where you stand, and I\u2019ll be sure to keep your comments in mind as this issue is discussed and debated in Washington and in Tennessee.<\/p>\n<p>Sincerely,<\/p>\n<p>Lamar<\/p>\n<p><em>[I thought Senator Alexander\u2019s letter was informative, but the topic of my letter to him concerned country of origin labels on manufactured goods. \u2013 Editor]<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Scott DesJarlais<\/strong> (R-TN, 4<sup>th<\/sup> District) offered the following remarks in response to the latest attempt by the Democrats to harm President Trump . . . and the United States!<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBefore and after last year\u2019s midterm elections, a few of us predicted Democrat leadership would fall prey to their most strident members and move to impeach President Trump.\u00a0 Sadly, having accomplished nothing but fruitless investigations in this Congress, Speaker Pelosi has allowed this radical element to dictate another partisan investigation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAn overwhelming majority of the American public rejects impeachment. However, some individuals, who still cannot accept that their candidate lost the 2016 presidential election, are pursuing a purely political agenda. Congress must reject it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Randy Weber<\/strong> (R-TX, 14<sup>th<\/sup> District) offered the following response to the latest coup attempt by the Democrats:<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSpeaker Pelosi\u2019s impeachment inquiry announcement is just another attempt by Democrats to delegitimize the President in an attempt to overturn the will of the people as stated in the 2016 election. Instead of fighting this Administration at every turn, Democrats should remember what the American people sent us here to do \u2013 come together and legislate, not investigate.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere are House and Senate committees already doing their jobs by investigating the \u2018whistleblower\u2019s\u2019 allegations. The progressive left-wing\u2019s obsession with impeachment is overshadowing any respect for due process, and the more important business of legislating for the needs of the American people, like passing an actual budget. Let\u2019s get the facts &#8212; actually read the call transcript for a start &#8212; before wasting taxpayer dollars on an impeachment hearing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>RANDOM THOUGHTS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>You may not be able to change the world, but at least you can embarrass the guilty. -Jessica Mitford, author, journalist, and civil rights activist (11 Sep 1917-1996)<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>COMMENTS FROM READERS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>John Droz<\/strong>, a reader from Morehead City, NC offered the following comment:<\/p>\n<p>I read your commentary about China and thought you did a fine job with that.<\/p>\n<p>My only beef is that you never once mentioned the word \u201cCommunism.\u201d The concern with China is not just because they are a large competitor, but rather that they are a large competitor that is advancing a completely different world view: Communism.<\/p>\n<p>Without exaggeration, the very survival of our Country is at stake.<\/p>\n<p>See the short trailers for\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/wiseenergy.org\/Energy\/Grinding_America_Down.mov\">Agenda: Grinding America Down<\/a>\u00a0<em>and<\/em>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/136798883\">Agenda 2: Masters of Deceit<\/a>, which do a superior job of explaining what\u2019s going on.<\/p>\n<p>Regards<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>[Indeed, the threat of Communism is too often ignored by Americans.\u00a0 I highly recommend viewing these short clips.\u00a0 To do so, press \u201cControl\u201d and then left click on the links. \u2013 Editor]<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Arkady Polishchuk<\/strong>, a reader currently living in St. Petersburg Russia writes:<\/p>\n<p>Thank you very much for your high opinion about my memoir \u201cDancing on Thin Ice.\u201d Time is running fast. \u00a0I am not anymore with Radio Free Europe\/Radio Liberty. \u00a0After being expelled from Russia, for the first time in more that forty years my wife and I are back to Russia\u00a0[we] have been trying to prolong in St. Petersburg the life of her ill mother. \u00a0My ability to communicate with my Western friends and readers is limited and this is the reason for me to be repetitive.<\/p>\n<p>My memoir \u201cDancing on Thin Ice,\u201d published last year in the USA, is about a Russian journalist who knew too many Soviet spies working as foreign correspondents but dared to turn into anti-Soviet human rights activist, attended anti-Semitic trials and gathered information on the persecution of Evangelicals. \u00a0It was submitted for the annual award given by the American Library Association for achievement in Jewish Literature. \u00a0The gold medal did not go to me, but the very fact of the nomination pleased me as it was my first book in English. \u00a0For me, this memoir was more about human rights than of being Jewish.<\/p>\n<p>In March, my wife traveled to neighboring Estonia to send to America safely a contract for another memoir. \u00a0\u201cAs I Was Burying Comrade Stalin\u201d explains how and why a child, in my case, a Jewish child, becomes secular and brainwashed. I just found the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/l.facebook.com\/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2FAmazon.com%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR2fcAOC79FGFaYBpypUI5IBUzlQIqMJtEzs-BolKm7uyfF3QcPe4oJICm8&amp;h=AT1LY_eROEvR4fnSTafCG3zP4WgNmWjt70DOyTLuyWNWDRrXQWyZN_HJ-klboXi2YXytj5rfsCv2ZvGLl0-Ewo6sR8yGYuJ4oXxEKhzECMr8No0Db1CDW5BqQ8mx-gl1dV_ocvOnmtdZ0odRe0PVX1Dr_YOVo0k\">Amazon.com<\/a>\u00a0ad saying that it will be published in January 2020.<\/p>\n<p>Have no doubt, here in St. Petersburg Stalin&#8217;s fans from certain state services were first to read this manuscript on my computer. \u00a0They would be puzzled to learn that Marxism and communism are fashionable in some American universities and we have a member of the Democratic Socialist Party in Congress and even sympathizers of Muslim Brotherhood.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Lisa Schiffren<\/strong>, a reader from the Bronx, NY shared her observation:<\/p>\n<p>It has to end. \u00a0And there is no good end in sight. \u00a0The fact that we, the US, are negotiating to give the Taliban power, is deeply shameful. \u00a0The Taliban should not exist twenty years on. \u00a0The Saudis created them, and should have been asked to get rid of them. \u00a0The fact that the Afghan government remains weak and incapable of defending its own interests, is also shameful. \u00a0And that is on them. \u00a0Yes, the US facilitated corruption by handing out money and stuff. \u00a0But worse, Afghan leaders and strongmen everywhere, including in the heart of Kabul, demanded that baksheesh to play ball. \u00a0So, yeah, lots of stuff we paid for didn&#8217;t get built.<br \/>\nOne reason we all loved the Afghans back in the day, was that they were the most exuberantly proto &#8220;Live free or die,&#8221; &#8220;Don&#8217;t tread on me,&#8221; people. \u00a0They rose against the world&#8217;s strongest totalitarian power, at great cost, and fought till the Soviets left, and dissolved. \u00a0No one expects one of the planet&#8217;s most backward third world nations to move from monarchy to Soviet occupation, to New England town meeting style Democracy in a generation. \u00a0But 18 years on, it would be nice if the government we backed, and the military we trained, could hold on to the nation. \u00a0The Afghans have traditionally preserved many of their freedoms and local control by guaranteeing that the king, in Kabul, was weak. \u00a0It should not be a surprise that when a more vehement, vicious form of their ancestral religion showed up, and had no problem consolidating and exercising power, Taliban leaders had an easy time taking power from the weak central government. It is clear enough that the Afghan men, and, especially, women, who fear what the Taliban will do to their new rights to education and some self-determination, if the US is not present, have good reason for that fear.<br \/>\nNo one who ever thought hard about it would have suggested that the U.S. would be good, or even competent, at running a traditional empire. \u00a0We lack the tenacity and conviction for colonialism. \u00a0Our two party system makes consistency impossible. Especially in a place like Afghanistan, where the inherent nature of the people forces them to resist, even if what they are resisting, is precisely what they need and want. Which is to say that our failure, and that is what it is, was both knowable in advance, and inevitable.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Joni Bryan<\/strong>, a reader from Nashville and Executive Director and Founder of the Tennessee Chapter of the 917 Society provided the following press release:<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>The 917 Society Announces Free Program Available to Teachers<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>NASHVILLE- The 917 Society is excited to announce the 3rd annual distribution of free pocket constitutions to 8<sup>th<\/sup> grade social studies teachers to give to students in Tennessee this school year. For Constitution Day, September 17th, The 917 Society distributed free pocket Constitutions to 90,000 8th grade students across the state with the help of Founders Club Members led by President Dr. Ming Wang, Vice President Lee Beaman and many other 917 Society Members.\u00a0 \u201cDr. Wang grew up in China and knows firsthand what it means to live in a communist ruled country. \u00a0He is passionate to share his American Citizenship and love of our Constitution with our youth,\u201d said 917 Society Founder and Executive Director Joni Bryan.<\/p>\n<p>The 917 Society relies on individuals, community leaders, elected officials and private businesses to provide the program each year. \u00a0\u201cOur elected officials take an oath to uphold our Constitution and it is important as citizens to know their oath and hold them accountable to it. \u00a0We are thrilled to have so many of our community leaders and elected officials helping with this project to ensure our youth are equipped with their very own copy of the Constitution. \u00a0We feel it is a great way to show support for our educators by providing this free resource for the classroom. \u00a0This year, Kris Bancroft joined our effort to provide the 917 Society pocket Constitutions to 8<sup>th<\/sup> grade students in Rhea County.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are excited to help teachers commemorate student\u2019s \u2018citizenship\u2019 and supply them with their very own long-lasting pocket U.S. Constitution.\u201d \u00a0Ms. Bryan said, \u201cWe want every year for all 8<sup>th<\/sup> grade students to receive their Constitution as a \u201crite of passage\u201d into citizenship. \u00a0We appreciate all our 917 Society volunteers and Professional Educators of Tennessee for helping with orders and deliveries.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Tennessee is the first state making this program available statewide each year- including public, private and home schooled students. \u00a0According to Ms. Bryan, schools in several other states have requested the program and the organization plans to expand nationally this coming year.<\/p>\n<p>The 917 Society is a non-partisan non-profit 501(c)3 educational organization providing free constitutions and programs to 8th grade educators to celebrate Constitution Day, September 17. \u00a0This upcoming September 17 will mark the 232<sup>th<\/sup> anniversary of the signing of our U.S. Constitution. \u00a0The 917 Society welcomes all who support and uphold the Constitution to participate. \u00a0You may contribute to or volunteer for The 917 Society by visiting <a href=\"http:\/\/www.917society.org\">www.917society.org<\/a>, or visit us at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.givingmatters.org\/\">www.givingmatters.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Jim Clarkson<\/strong>, President of RSM Energy, Columbia, SC, published this satire in his newsletter:<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHow do you plead?\u201d<br \/>\n\u201cI\u2019m innocent, your honor. I did nothing wrong.\u201d<br \/>\n\u201cWhaddaya mean \u2018nothing wrong\u2019?\u00a0 The cops caught you coming out of a bank wearing a Bernie Sanders mask, with a gun and a sack of money!\u201d<br \/>\n\u201cBut that money came from only business and institutional accounts, and I\u2019m going to use it to help poor people pay their power and gas bills.\u00a0 I\u2019m a caring compassionate person.\u201d<br \/>\n\u201cA crook is what you are.\u00a0 Do you give any of your own money to poor people?\u00a0 Did it occur to you to ask these businesses if they would donate money to your cause?\u201d<br \/>\n\u201cNo, but I don\u2019t spend much of the money on myself.\u00a0 Besides I\u2019m a Public Service Commissioner. We are constantly taking money from one group and giving it to another group with more political clout. Our policy is to give away other people\u2019s money to deserving voters and campaign-contributing lobbyists.\u201d<br \/>\n\u201cYou may be guilty of greater crimes than I thought.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Nicholas LaMorte<\/strong>, from Long Island, NY, and President of CSEA (Long Island Region) shared the following:\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAccording to Long Island Weekly (3-01-19), roughly 71% of young adults are determined to move off Long Island. And, Hempstead Supervisor Laura Gillen isn&#8217;t helping matters&#8230;she proposed hiking town taxes by millions, voted &#8220;NO&#8221; on a bipartisan tax cut and even voted against cutting town spending by $11 million. Maybe it&#8217;s time to move High-Tax Laura Gillen out of Hempstead Town Hall.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>David Flint<\/strong>, a reader from Elkhart, IN offers the following:<\/p>\n<p>Nancy Pelosi\u2019s authority is being constantly challenged by the radical leftists in her party.\u00a0 She realizes there is a genuine threat to her position as Speaker if she doesn\u2019t offer something in the way of \u201cred meat\u201d to those radical Democrats if she doesn\u2019t at least <em>appear<\/em> to be on board with those who are demanding the impeachment of President Trump.\u00a0 That\u2019s why she has called for an <em>inquiry<\/em> to impeach the President.\u00a0 An <em>inquiry<\/em> does not mean that she\u2019s ready to move ahead on an impeachment process, in fact, she\u2019s just trying to buy time.\u00a0\u00a0 She knows there are no grounds for impeachment because President Trump has not committed any impeachable offenses.\u00a0 Meanwhile, most Americans know that the radical leftists are destroying their party\u2019s credibility, and she\u2019s merely hoping the semantics of her empty and baseless threats will calm the whackos down for a while.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>RANDOM THOUGHTS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The death of the 4<sup>th<\/sup> Amendment is at hand; one of many symptoms is diagnosed below:<\/p>\n<p>In an article published by <em>Forbes Magazine<\/em> we learned the government wants Apple and Google to hand over names, phone numbers and other identifying data of at least 10,000 users of a single gun scope app, <em>Forbes<\/em> has discovered. It\u2019s an unprecedented move: Never before has a case been disclosed in which American investigators demanded personal data of users of a single app from Apple and Google. And never has an order been made public where the feds have asked the Silicon Valley giants for info on so many thousands of people in one go.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/thomasbrewster\/2019\/09\/06\/exclusive-feds-demand-apple-and-google-hand-over-names-of-10000-users-of-a-gun-scope-app\/#188a83b72423\">https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/thomasbrewster\/2019\/09\/06\/exclusive-feds-demand-apple-and-google-hand-over-names-of-10000-users-of-a-gun-scope-app\/#188a83b72423<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>LEGISLATIVE REPORT<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>HR 3717<\/strong> <u>Dollars for the Wall Act<\/u> (Green, R-TN).\u00a0 This bill has some interesting history and takes a clever and innovative turn to enable taxpayers to donate money to a political campaign on their income tax form.\u00a0 Here\u2019s the story:<\/p>\n<p>After the Watergate scandal, which revealed the influence of large political donors on the President, Congress changed the campaign finance laws so that taxpayers could mark a box on their tax form to donate money to a publicly-funded presidential campaign fund.\u00a0 The thought was that millions of taxpayers, each making small contributions, would outweigh the influence of large donors.\u00a0 At this time, taxpayers filing singly may donate $3.00 and those filing jointly may donate $6.00.\u00a0 See: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/wp-srv\/politics\/special\/campfin\/intro3.htm\">https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/wp-srv\/politics\/special\/campfin\/intro3.htm<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Given that Congress has repeatedly failed to allocate funding that would enable President Trump to keep his pledge to \u201cbuild the wall\u201d along the U.S. and Mexico border, Representative Green\u2019s bill would change the tax forms by providing an option that would empower the citizens to fund the wall if only they would check the box on their tax form!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>HR 3776<\/strong> <u>Changing Hurtful and Alienating Names in Government Expression (CHANGE) Act<\/u> (Castro, D-TX).\u00a0 Following the lead of the City of San Francisco, whose Commissioners recently changed their Charter to replace language that might be offensive to convicted felons, drug addicts, and illegal aliens with more \u201cpolitically correct\u201d language (see\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/san-francisco-board-adopts-new-language-for-criminals-turning-convicted-felon-into-justice-involved-person\">https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/san-francisco-board-adopts-new-language-for-criminals-turning-convicted-felon-into-justice-involved-person<\/a> ), Mr. Castro has introduced a bill that would, in effect, remove and replace such terminology in all Federal documents.<\/p>\n<p>The Heritage Foundation (Hans A. von Spakovsky) noted \u201c\u2019Undocumented immigrant\u2019 is a politically correct, made-up term adopted by pro-illegal alien advocacy groups and liberal media outlets to obscure the fact that such aliens have violated U.S. immigration law and are in the country illegally.\u00a0 Precision in the law is a vital principle, since the exact words used in statutes, regulations, contracts, guidance documents, and policy statements can significantly affect how they are applied and interpreted.\u00a0 If we are going to discuss and debate the issue of immigration and what our public policy should be, we should at least use accurate, precise terms, and talk about, for example, legal aliens vs. illegal aliens.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>[Our language is slowly being corrupted by the \u201cNewspeak\u201d advocates.\u00a0 We are living in Orwell\u2019s \u201c1984,\u201d and the trend must be reversed if our country is to survive.\u00a0 To wit: <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.govtrack.us\/congress\/bills\/114\/hr4238\"><em>https:\/\/www.govtrack.us\/congress\/bills\/114\/hr4238<\/em><\/a><em> &#8211; Editor] <\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>HR 1941<\/strong> <u>Coastal and Marine Properties Protection Act<\/u> (Cunningham, D-SC, 4 pages).\u00a0 The Democrat\u2019s war on fossil fuels continues; this bill would prohibit offshore oil and gas exploration along the Atlantic coast.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>HR 3620<\/strong> <u>Strategy and Investment in Rural Housing Preservation Act of 2019<\/u> (Clay, D-MO, 14 pages). \u00a0This bill claims its intent is to provide rental assistance to low-income tenants in certain multifamily rural housing projects financed by the Rural Housing Service of the Department of Agriculture, and to develop and implement a plan for preserving the affordability of rural rental housing, and for other purposes.\u00a0 This bill would amend Title V of the Housing Act of 1949 (under Title 42, US Code 1471) by adding a new section which includes the following language in Section 545:\u00a0 \u201cNotice under this paragraph shall be provided in plain English and shall be translated to other languages in the case of any property located in an area in which a significant number of residents speak such other languages.\u201d\u00a0 Clearly, this language implies that at least some of the residents will include illegal aliens.<\/p>\n<p><em>[This bill was passed in the House of Representatives and has been forwarded to the Senate for consideration. \u2013 Editor]<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>HR 1690<\/strong> <u>Safe Housing for Families Act of 2019<\/u> (Garcia, D-IL, 5 pages).\u00a0 This bill would require the installation of carbon monoxide sensors in public housing.\u00a0 There is no provision within the bill to ensure such sensors are installed in a way that would make it difficult or impossible for them to be removed and then sold on the black market.<\/p>\n<p><em>[This bill was passed in the House of Representatives and has been forwarded to the Senate for consideration. \u2013 Editor]<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>HR 281<\/strong> <u>Ensuring Diverse Leadership Act of 2019<\/u> (Beatty, OH-D, 14 pages).\u00a0 This bill amends the Federal Reserve Act to require Federal Reserve banks to interview at least one individual reflective of gender diversity and one individual reflective of racial or ethnic diversity when appointing Federal Reserve Bank presidents, and for other purposes.\u00a0 In other words, Ms. Beatty\u2019s bill expands quota hiring practices to include the Federal Reserve banks.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>[This bill was passed in the House of Representatives and has been forwarded to the Senate for consideration. \u2013 Editor] <\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>HR 1146<\/strong> <u>Arctic Cultural and Coastal Plain Protection Act<\/u> (Huffman, CA-D, 6 pages).<\/p>\n<p>This bill would amend Public Law 115-97 (commonly known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act) to repeal the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge oil and gas program, and for other purposes has passed in the House of Representatives and has been forwarded to the Senate for consideration.<\/p>\n<p>In other words, Mr. Huffman\u2019s bill would halt oil and gas production in the ANWR region \u2013 a field that has been instrumental in the United States becoming energy independent and has produced more than 5400 new jobs in ANWR alone.<\/p>\n<p><em>[Note:\u00a0 A companion bill <strong>HR 205<\/strong>, which would, in effect shut down oil and gas exploration off the Florida coastline was recently passed in the House of Representatives.\u00a0 These bills would severely limit the United States\u2019 ability to remain energy independent. \u2013 Editor]<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>HR 2567<\/strong> and <strong>S 1353<\/strong> <u>Speak Up to Protect Every Abused Kid Act<\/u> (Wild, D-PA and Casey D-PA, respectively).\u00a0 This bill ties a state\u2019s federal child abuse funding to whether the state adopts the federal standard about who should report suspected child abuse.\u00a0 The federal standard would include ~10 special categories of adults, including teachers, foster parents, camp counselors, most clergy or religious officials, daycare or childcare practitioners, school administrators, doctors, and law enforcement officials.\u00a0 Since most child abuse occurs within the home, unfortunately, parents are not included.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>HR 3979<\/strong> and <strong>S 2435<\/strong> <u>BASIC Act<\/u> (Meuser, R-PA and Daines, R-MT, respectively).\u00a0 The House and Senate versions of this legislation would require governmental budget and spending estimates that are provided by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), to include interest added to the national debt.<\/p>\n<p>It was noted by Representative Meuser and Senator Daines that, in ten years, the interest on the deficit alone will be higher than the entire deficit was last year.\u00a0 Thus, their bill would require that the impact made by added interest obligations should be reflected in all government spending and budget estimates.<\/p>\n<p>Senator Daines stated on the Senate floor (and, as such, his remarks were archived in the Federal Register):\u00a0 \u201cWhat this bill does, it will finally allow the American people to understand the true cost of the irresponsible spending that\u2019s going on here by Congress.\u00a0 It\u2019s going to face Congress, and force Congress to deal with the reality of our debt.\u00a0 So, we can make decisions that need to be made going forward \u2013 knowing the true impact they will have on our children and grandchildren.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe way we\u2019re calculating budgetary costs now, it actually deflates the true cost [of the legislation passed.]\u00a0 So, it\u2019s painting a rosier picture for the public than what actually exists.\u00a0 If I go back home, chatting with a Montanan, and tell the Congress allows gimmicks that shields how much it spends, they\u2019d be furious \u2013 and they <em>should<\/em> be furious.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>HR 1186<\/strong> <u>Keep America Safe Act<\/u> (Deutch, D-FL, 7 pages).\u00a0 This bill serves as yet another example of the liberal meme to \u201cnever let a good crisis go to waste, and would limit magazines and other ammunition feeding mechanisms to 10 rounds.\u00a0 <em>[Most magazines for 9mm semi-automatic pistols \u2013 the most common firearms used for home defense purposes \u2013 hold 15 rounds. \u2013 Editor] <\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>HR 1236<\/strong> <u>Extreme Risk Protection Order Act of 2019<\/u> (Carbajal, D-CA, 14 pages).\u00a0 This bill is, in essence, everything the proponents of \u201cRed Flag\u201d laws have in mind to arbitrarily and capriciously usurp the citizen\u2019s rights under the 2<sup>nd<\/sup> Amendment, in that <em>any<\/em> individual may, without bona fides, petition a court to name another individual as an individual who poses an \u201cextreme risk.\u201d\u00a0 Once an individual has been cited as an \u201cextreme risk,\u201d that individual must petition the court to regain their right to keep and bear arms and, in doing so, must provide proof that the claim made against them was unfounded.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>HR 2708<\/strong> <u>Disarm Hate Act<\/u> (Ciciline, D-RI, 7 pages).\u00a0 This bill would modify Title 18, US Code &#8211; Section 921(a), so as to prevent a person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor hate crime, or received an enhanced sentence for a misdemeanor because of hate or bias in its commission, from obtaining a firearm.\u00a0 Examples of a \u201chate crime\u201d in this bill is defined as being \u201cmotivated by hate or bias because of the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity.\u201d\u00a0 Further, the proposed addition enumerated as Paragraph 36(b)(ii)(II) states \u201cthe pardon, expungement, or restoration of civil rights does not expressly provide that the person may not ship, transport, possess, or receive firearms.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>RANDOM THOUGHTS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Never let a crisis go to waste. \u2013 Rahm Emmanuel.<\/p>\n<p><strong>S 2474<\/strong> <u>Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2020<\/u> (Shelby, R-AL, 160 pages).\u00a0 This bill makes appropriations for the Department of Defense for the Fiscal Year ending on 30 September 2020, and for other purposes.\u00a0 The total allocation will not be available until it is reviewed by GAO.<\/p>\n<p><strong>HR 4337<\/strong> <u>Property Rights for Patriots Act<\/u> (DesJarlais, R-TN, 3 pages).\u00a0 This bill amends the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to prohibit the enforcement of certain policies of homeowners associations regarding real property of servicemembers.<\/p>\n<p><em>[Hurrah! \u2013 Editor]<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>RANDOM THOUGHTS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Socialism is found at the intersection of Evil and Laziness. \u2013 Kenny White, Host of the \u201cSouthside Unicorn Show.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>LAGNIAPPE<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Lately, I have received quite a few requests from readers who expresses a desire to contact their representatives and express their views on a bill posted in the <strong>LEGISLATIVE REPORT<\/strong> but they are reluctant to do so because they simply don\u2019t know how.\u00a0 This month, I will share with you my approach for contacting representatives and some other relevant information on this topic.<\/p>\n<p>First of all, it is essential that each citizen contact their representatives to express their ideas, opinions, and concerns because they are, after all, hired by We the People to do what we ask of them \u2013 they are our voice.\u00a0 Secondly, it is important to realize our representatives cannot read our minds; they won\u2019t know the specifics of our expectations unless we tell them.\u00a0 They (well, most of them), really do want to know what we think and they really do want to keep us happy because, by serving their constituents, they can get reelected.\u00a0 Thirdly, when you contact the offices of your elected representatives BE POLITE!\u00a0 It\u2019s OK to disagree with your representatives and it\u2019s OK to offer criticisms but ALWAYS BE POLITE!<\/p>\n<p>Generally speaking, our representatives will receive four types of communications, these include:\u00a0 requests that they support a bill or program; requests that they vote against a bill or against a program; requests for assistance with a matter of concern to their constituents or an individual, and; requests to appear at an event or function.<\/p>\n<p>There are three principal methods for contacting a representative:\u00a0 phone, email, and written communication handled by the USPS or a privately owned delivery service e.g. UPS or FedEx.\u00a0 While many elected representatives currently have Facebook or Twitter accounts, these are not truly an effective means of communication because the representative may or may not see a post.\u00a0 If one has something meaningful to say it makes sense that one should do all that is possible to ensure the representative sees and responds to one\u2019s communication.<\/p>\n<p>Many people like to phone their representative\u2019s offices.\u00a0 Their phone numbers are generally listed in the Blue Pages of the phone directory \u2013 both local office numbers and in the State Capitol or Washington, DC \u2013 but, while this is expedient, it is not the most effective means of communication because the representative\u2019s staffers field the call and often do not capture the full purpose of the call.<\/p>\n<p>A more effective means of communication is via email.\u00a0 Although emails are received by a staff member, one\u2019s complete thoughts are contained therein and the representative (or their delegated communications officer), receives the full context of what is communicated when the representative or their delegated individual meets with their staff.\u00a0 In these staff meetings, the representative or delegated individual instructs the staff on the response.\u00a0 There are several ways one can locate their representative\u2019s email address.\u00a0 The easiest way is to phone their local office and ask a staffer to provide it to you.\u00a0 Another way is to type the following into your search box at the top of your home page on your email service, e.g.:\u00a0 \u201cContact Senator _______\u201d\u00a0 NOTE:\u00a0 Once you reach the representative\u2019s home page you will likely see several tabs and one of them will likely be \u201cContact\u201d or \u201cEmail Me.\u201d\u00a0 Simply click on the appropriate tab and type your message.<\/p>\n<p>The most effective means of communication is made by putting words on paper and sending them to the representative but there is a problem in that all physical materials must pass through security apparatus that ensures the message does not contain harmful objects or materials \u2013 since terrorists have sent harmful agents through the mail in the past it is only reasonable that extraordinary security measures must be taken.\u00a0 This is, unfortunately, the world we live in, and if one\u2019s communication is time-sensitive, one should opt for sending communications via email or via telephone.<\/p>\n<p>Responses to communications are customarily made in the same fashion in which they are received; if we communicate by phone it is likely that our response would be by phone, etc.<\/p>\n<p>Formulating one\u2019s communication requires thought and planning.\u00a0 Responses to one\u2019s communications are more effective if they are focused on one \u2013 and only one \u2013 topic and, while a complete thought with all essential background information or reasoning will help yield the desired action, stating one\u2019s message as briefly as possible is essential to achieving the desired end.\u00a0 If you have chosen to express your thoughts by phone, take time to write out what you want to say and make certain what you will say actually makes sense and covers all the salient points.\u00a0 If you have decided to write your message, start with a draft and refine it until it fulfills your purpose.\u00a0 Here is an example:<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>Dear Representative _______:<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>I am writing to ask that you please vote against H.R. (Bill Number), \u201c(Title of the Bill)\u201d because it will not (state your reasons e.g. that it will not achieve the desired results, wastes too much money, etc.).\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Thank you.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Sincerely,<\/em><em>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Name &amp; Contact Information<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Expect a response and, by all means, track your representative\u2019s vote if you are writing about a bill.\u00a0 Sometimes you will receive a form letter in the way of a response.\u00a0 If this happens, write again to restate your topic and express your disappointment with a request for a more definitive answer.\u00a0 However, if your representative takes action of which you approve, by all means write back with a message of thanks!<\/p>\n<p>If you have a specific concern in your District or State, formulate your communication to address your concern and provide the solution to that issue.\u00a0 Here is an example:<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>Dear Representative _________:<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0The stretch of interstate highway between ________ and ________ has been getting worse for the past five years yet nothing has been done to improve this road.\u00a0 These conditions attribute not only to numerous accidents but also cause damage to our cars.\u00a0 The people who travel this stretch of highway would greatly appreciate your efforts to secure more funding to repair these problems.\u00a0 Please keep us posted on your efforts to help us.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Thank you.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Sincerely<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Name &amp; Contact Information<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>If you need further assistance, please send me an email and I\u2019ll be happy to help.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>RANDOM THOUGHTS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cThe receptivity of the masses is very limited, their intelligence is small, but their power of forgetting is enormous. In consequence of these facts, all effective propaganda must be limited to a very few points and must harp on these in slogans until the last member of the public understands what you want him to understand by your slogan.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<strong>\u2013 Adolph Hitler<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>CONTACT YOUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"243\">President Donald Trump<\/p>\n<p>The White House<\/p>\n<p>1600 Pennsylvania Avenue<\/p>\n<p>Washington D.C. 20500<\/p>\n<p>Phone:\u00a0 (202) 456-1414<\/p>\n<p>Fax:\u00a0 (202) 456-2461<\/p>\n<p>e-mail<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\">http:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:president@whitehouse.gov\">president@whitehouse.gov<\/a><\/td>\n<td width=\"381\">U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander<\/p>\n<p>455 Dirksen Senate Office Building<\/p>\n<p>Room 40 \u2013 Suite 2<\/p>\n<p>Washington D.C. 20510<\/p>\n<p>Phone:\u00a0 (202) 244-4944<\/p>\n<p>Fax:\u00a0 (202) 228-3398<\/p>\n<p>e-mail<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.alexander.senate.gov\/public\/index.cfm\/email\">https:\/\/www.alexander.senate.gov\/public\/index.cfm\/email<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.alexander.senate.gov\">http:\/\/www.alexander.senate.gov<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"243\">U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn<\/p>\n<p>B40B Dirksen Senate Office Building<\/p>\n<p>Washington, DC 20510<\/p>\n<p>Phone:\u00a0 (202) 224-3344<\/p>\n<p>Fax:\u00a0 (202) 228-0566<\/p>\n<p>To contact visit website:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.blackburn.senate.gov\">www.blackburn.senate.gov<\/a><\/td>\n<td width=\"381\">U.S Representative Dr. Scott DesJarlais<\/p>\n<p>2301 Rayburn HOB<\/p>\n<p>Washington, DC 20515<\/p>\n<p>Phone:\u00a0 (202) 225-6831<\/p>\n<p>Fax:\u00a0 (202) 226-5172<\/p>\n<p>e-mail<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/desjarlais.house.gov\">http:\/\/desjarlais.house.gov<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"243\">Governor Bill Lee<\/p>\n<p>Tennessee State Capitol<\/p>\n<p>Nashville, Tennessee 37243<\/p>\n<p>Phone:\u00a0 (615) 741-2001<\/p>\n<p>Fax:\u00a0 (615) 532-9711<\/p>\n<p>e-mail<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.state.tn.us\/governor\">http:\/\/www.state.tn.us\/governor<\/a><\/td>\n<td width=\"381\">Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.speaker.gov\/contact\">https:\/\/www.speaker.gov\/contact<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Link above provides all methods of contact.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Mitch McConnell, Senate Majority Leader<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcconnell.senate.gov\/public\/index.cfm?p=contact\">https:\/\/www.mcconnell.senate.gov\/public\/index.cfm?p=contact<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"243\">State Representative Ron Travis<\/p>\n<p>301 Sixth Avenue North<\/p>\n<p>Suite G-3<\/p>\n<p>War Memorial Building<\/p>\n<p>Nashville, Tennessee 37243<\/p>\n<p>Phone:\u00a0 (615) 741-1450<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:Rep.ron.travis@capitol.tn.gov\">Rep.ron.travis@capitol.tn.gov<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/td>\n<td width=\"381\">State Senator Ken Yager<\/p>\n<p>301 Sixth Avenue North<\/p>\n<p>Suite G-19<\/p>\n<p>War Memorial Building<\/p>\n<p>Nashville, Tennessee 37243<\/p>\n<p>Phone:\u00a0 (615) 741-1449<\/p>\n<p>Fax:\u00a0 (615) 253-0237<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:sen.ken.yager@capitol.tn.gov\">sen.ken.yager@capitol.tn.gov<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>RHEA COUNTY REPUBLICAN ADVANCING THE CONSERVATIVE CAUSE Vol. 3 \u2013 No. 8\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":291,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"cc_featured_image_caption":{"caption_text":"","source_text":"","source_url":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rheagop.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/519"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rheagop.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rheagop.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rheagop.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rheagop.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=519"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/rheagop.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/519\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":520,"href":"https:\/\/rheagop.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/519\/revisions\/520"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rheagop.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/291"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rheagop.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=519"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rheagop.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=519"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rheagop.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=519"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}