h/t Net Right Daily
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Republicans Vs. Constitutionalists
I am certain you are just as dismayed as am I by the political events that have transpired over the last few months. I never imagined that I would be fighting to prevent Republicans from conveying driving privileges to illegal immigrants or that McConnell and Boehner would become Obama's strongest congressional allies. Our Supreme Court has managed to read between the lines, to interpret legislation, and the Constitution, as it was "intended" rather than as it was written.
In conversations with elected officials, I am continually given reasons why unconstitutional legislation cannot be stopped and why constitutional legislation cannot be passed. I always thought the goal of elections was to place our best and brightest in government positions where they would use their superior brain power and abilities to resolve the difficult problems facing our republic. Evidently, we are no longer selecting our best and brightest, as once elected, they are overwhelmed at every turn. Republican leaders insist on complying with Marquis of Queensbury rules against bare knuckled street fighters who will win by any means, (though they seem to have few problems removing the gloves when it comes to punishing their own!). It is frustrating to see Republicans continually surrendering before the battle has even begun. Sometimes, I have to wonder if they worked as hard to come up with solutions as they do to come up with excuses, they just might win. As an hourly production employee I was paid to produce results, not excuses; why should our expectations of our elected officials be any different?
How do you think the GOP is doing? What do you think we grass roots patriots should do, if anything? Take our little survey and register your opinion (anonymously if you wish). When prompted, enter the password "gope" (no caps and no quotes). One of our members has volunteered to compile the results and report them in next month's newsletter. -Miriam
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Note: If you haven't updated you Moore Tea Citizens email preferences in the last few months, there have been some changes that allow you to choose what you want to see. Scroll to the
bottom of the letter and click the "Update my profile/email address" link in the footer.
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Legislative Co
mmitte
e Up
date
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h
/t Net Right Daily
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CONTORTIONS OF CONGRESS
How Congressional Leaders Pass the Legislation They and the President Want
TPP, TPA, TAA.... confusing? I've color-coded the terms in bold italics in an attempt to help you follow along.
TPP
is
Trans Pacific Partnership
, an actual trade agreement being drafted behind closed doors. Legislators are allowed to see it and take limited notes, but not to have copies of it.
TPA is Trade Promotion Authority. It gives the president fast-track authority for trade agreements. It is not a new concept and has been used for decades. When the Executive Branch agrees on a trade deal with a foreign country(ies), Congress can approve or disapprove it, but not amend it. In the past, whenever fast-track trade authority has been in effect, Congress has never voted down subsequent trade agreements. Sen. Ted Cruz, who initially supported TPP, explained that negotiations would be virtually impossible if other countries knew that partisan tinkering could amend a deal they work out with the U.S. Ultimately, he voted against it (see his reasoning, here). However, one could certainly argue that we have never before had a president that was seemingly so anti-American. Everything Obama does seems to be contrary to the interests of the U.S., so is now the time to give the Executive branch that power?
TAA is Trade Adjustment Assistance. It is essentially a new welfare program; "aid to US workers who have lost their jobs as a result of foreign trade." (see Dept. of Labor's TAA Website)
TPA and TAA were both contained in House Bill 1314.
H.1314 was originally an act to provide tax-exempt organizations the right to appeal. The House passed it by voice vote on April 15 and sent it to the Senate.
The Senate decided it would be a wonderful vehicle for TPA. The Senate amended H.1314 by stripping out the House wording and inserting TPA wording from Senate Bill 995. The Senate also added a section on TAA. The Senate passed H.1314 on May 5 and sent it back to the House.
The House passed (217 for, 212 against) a rule that they would vote first on the TAA portion of the bill and then on the TPA portion. The TAA portion failed 126-302, with 158 Repubs and 144 Dems voting "nay." The TPA section passed 219-211, with 54 Repubs voting against it. Since both sections did not pass, H1314 did not pass.
TPA and TAA were temporarily dead. However, the House amended H 2146, "Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act" by adding TPA. The Senate agreed with the House amendment. The bill was sent to the President. It was really more complicated than that; more like how TAA was passed, thusly:
HB 1295 was originally the "IRS Bureaucracy Reduction and Judicial Review Act" which dealt with 501(c)(4) organizations. On May 14, the Senate stripped out the provisions on 501(c)(4)s and amended it to become "Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015" dealing with African and Haitian preferential trade. On Jun 11, the House agreed with the Senate's amendments and added its own amendments. On June 24, the Senate amended it to include TAA. The House and Senate resolved differences by agreeing to the Senate version. The bill was sent to the President.
And that is the shell game the Republican Leaders in Congress use to pass the legislation that they want.
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Did You Know?
Mohammad in the Supreme Court
An image of Mohammad is on one of the walls of
the supreme court, complete with customary sword.
See Mental Floss story
First Post-Reconstruction
Civil Rights Act
As with he vast majority of civil rights and equality issues for black Americans, the first 20th century Civil Rights Act did not come from Democrats. It was proposed by Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1957. It was the first legislation if its kind to
not
opposed by Democrat Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson, who had been fighting such bills for 20 years.
See the Eisenhower Archives
"Federal" Government or "National" Government?
Is there a difference? Yes. The "national" or "central" government is the highest form of governance in a country. Virtually all nations have one. "Federal" refers to the system of governance where in power is split between the national and some lower governments. For example, the United States is confederation of 50 semi-independent States. There is a national government but its powers are limited. What is does not do, each state does for itself. Conversely, a little country the size of New Jersey will have a single government that is responsible for all internal and international functions. Both it and the USA have national governments, but only the USA has a federal government. Historically, this was a sharp and important distinction for Americans. The rights of the individual states were jealously guarded (to the point of war in 1860)! As any Tea Partier well knows, that autonomy has been being eroded and the national government has been assuming more power. The Supreme court has been approving these power grabs, making "states' rights" more nominal; less real.
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h/t Legal Insurrection
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Charleston Trip Report
On Friday, June 19, I made a trip to the Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston. I joined join Glenn Beck; Rabbi Irwin Kula, President of The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, New York; Bishop Jim Lowe, pastor of the Guiding Light Church in Birmingham, AL, and about 400-
 500 others. The purpose of the gathering was to demonstrate support for and solidarity with the members of the church after the devastating murder of nine of its members by a white supremacist. When Beck called for the gathering, he stressed t was not a political rally. There were no flags, loud speakers, posters or signs. It was humid and about 97ยบ. Mr. Beck, Rabbi Kula and Bishop Lowe all spoke at the park where we assembled then we walked two blocks to the church. There was some singing led by a few folks in front of the church whom I took to be church members, but it was otherwise an low-key, informal and personal pilgrimage. Both during the assembly and while walking alone from and to my car, I saw no evidenced upheaval or anger in the city. People were friendly. The police were not in riot gear and seemed at ease.
I am white. I have very little use for racial differentiation in most circumstances. However, I do think racists should be immediately and vociferously confronted by the good people that are the majority of their own race. I feel no personal guilt about a criminal scumbag because he shares Caucasoid features with me, but people like that need to know they are isolated anachronisms of a fading time. They need to understand that most Americans of their race find them vile and repugnant. In this case, where a white hater murdered black citizens during time where influential powerbrokers are manufacturing race-based resentment, I believe it was important for me to counter that image. (Photos)
-Matt Horsley, Contributor
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h/t www.LegalInsurrection.com
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| Programs Neil Oakley, Programs Chair |
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July's Monthly Dinner Program
You think it's hot now? Wait 'til you see us put the
heat
on the political candidates for office at our next meeting on Monday, July 20,
5:30pm at
- Michele Nix, the newly elected Vice Chair of the NCGOP, will be speaking to us about all the new goings-on with the North Carolina Republican Party.
- Jim Duncan, candidate for U.S. House of Representatives (2nd District), will address us about his primary contest.
from Burlington and candidate for North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction (aka the leader of the NC public school system). Dr. Stein will be speaking on "Raising Patriots."
Submit your reservation
here
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Filing Period For Municipal Office Candidacy in Moore
County
As a friendly reminder, the filing
period this year is July 6-17, 2015. You can find more information about filing fees, available seats, and other details at the Board of Elections' website
here
. Moore TEA Citizens would love to see a constitutional conservative running for each and every available seat this year, so please consider filing to run for office in your municipality. It's a great way to have a positive impact on your community, and it gives you experience in case you decide to run for higher office. Just remember - our county commissioners and state legislators will all leave office at some time. It's important that we have qualified conservative candidates who are ready to take their places.
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MCGOP Precinct Chairs Wanted
For those of you who are registered Republicans, the Moore County GOP is looking for precinct chairs for the following precincts: Seven Lakes, West End, Little River, East Knollwood, and Taylortown. If you live in one of these precincts and would like influence the county GOP by being a precinct chair, please contact MCGOP Chairman John Rowerdink at [email protected].
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h/t www.LegalInsurrection.com
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| Upcoming Events
July 4 -
MTC will have a float in the Carthage Independence Day Parade. We'll have four of our kids--each wearing the uniform of one the four, primary military Services--on the float and we'll with the Stars and Stripes, and we'll be playing the songs of each Service over a PA system. We need as many of our members as can participate to pass out Pocket Constitutions and U.S. Flag magnets. The parade begins at 11:00am. We'll be marshaling at 10:15am in the parking lot of the John Deere Building in Carthage, 804 Monroe St. The point of contact for this event is Mrs. Jo Mordini and she'll have her phone at the event: (910) 986-0201.
July 31 - Summertime is upon us, and that means the public policy season--like the weather--is heating up! There are a number of great events coming up which I encourage you to attend. On July 31
from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM, please join the Pope Center for Higher Education Policy at The Clubhouse at the Pinehurst Hotel and celebrate the life and legacy of economist Milton Friedman on his 103rd birthday! Isaac M. Morehouse, founder and CEO of Praxis, will give a talk titled "Competition Makes Everything Better: Innovation beats politics in higher education reform." Tickets are $30, and you can register for the event by going
here
August 21-22 - Americans For Prosperity's "Defending the American Dream Summit" will be in Columbus, Ohio. Confirmed speakers include Sen. Ted Cruz and Gov. Rick Perry. If you've never been to the "DAD Summit," you need to go. Find out how to register here.
Thursday, September 3 - Dr. Mike Adams, conservative professor at UNCW and frequent guest on Hannity, The O'Reilly Factor and Glenn Beck, is coming to Moore County at 6:30 pm! Life Care Pregnancy Center, our county's pro-life pregnancy resource center, will host Dr. Adams, who will speak on "LIFE, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness" at Owens Auditorium on the campus of Sandhills Community College. Dr. Adams, an atheist-turned-Christian, will talk about the rights of the unborn, religious liberty, and his own legal battle for free speech that set a major First Amendment precedent. There will be no admission for this event, but an offering in support of Life Care will be taken, and attendees will have an opportunity to meet Dr. Adams and purchase his books, which include Welcome to the Ivory Tower of Babel, Feminists Say the Darndest Things: A Politically Incorrect Professor Confronts "Womyn" On Campus, and Letters to a Young Progressive.
October 3, 2pm - 5pm - You can sigh at your seat or think on your feet!
Our free Saturday Seminar w
ill be
a public speaking workshop for activists, candidates & citizens alike that will help you verbalize your thoughts. We move, convince and lead when words become tools. Put the success dynamics of this seminar to work for you. So, get off your seat and think on your feet! The seminar will be facilitated by Mr. Cliff Sumrall at the Pinehurst Village Hall, 395 Magnolia Road. Cliff has an M.A. in Speech Communications and is a retired college professor.
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/t Net Right Daily
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Wisdom
If it is wrong for you to take money from someone else who earned it, to take their money by force for your own needs, then it is certainly just as wrong for you to demand that the government step forward and do this dirty work for you.
~Neal Boortz
The Conservative does not despise government. He despises tyranny. This is precisely why the Conservative reveres the Constitution and insists on adherence to it.
~Mark R. Levin
Conservatism is an active intellectual pursuit; it requires a constant vigilance. It has nothing to do with feelings. Liberalism is the most gutless choice you can make. You just see suffering and say, 'Oh, I feel so horrible!
~Rush Limbaugh
At heart, American conservatives like myself are believers in the Constitution. We believe that the principles embodied in the Constitution are enduring, and that to whatever extent we deviate from them we put our liberties at risk. Our views are consistent because we believe in absolute truths and the essential soundness, even righteousness, of the Founder's vision of government.
~Sean Hannity
'Hello my name is the Republican Party and I got a problem. I'm addicted to spending and big government.' I'd like one of them just to stand up and say that.
~Glenn Beck
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| Please patronize those who support MTC |
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