Friday, January 30, 2009
RNC Nominations So Far....
Blackwell, Steele and Duncan have been nominated and seconded so far. Florida National Committeeman Paul Senft seconded Steele's nomination from the floor.
RNC Elex Rundown
Couple helpful analyses today in Politico and NBC's First Read on the RNC Chair Election, which is happening now...stay tuned...
Politico: RNC VOTING STARTS AT NOON. CONVENTIONAL WISDOM SAYS IT'LL GO 4-6 BALLOTS, WITH EACH BALLOT TAKING ABOUT 30 MINUTES, BUT IT COULD BE A LOT LONGER OR SHORTER.
First Read: The self-help saying "Today is the first day of the rest of my life" could very well apply to the Republican Party today as it meets in DC to elect a new chairman after its stinging political defeats in 2006 and 2008. There are five candidates: current chairman Mike Duncan of Kentucky, Michigan party chair Saul Anuzis, former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, South Carolina party chair Katon Dawson, and former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele. (A sixth candidate, former Huckabee campaign manager Chip Saltsman, who distributed the CD with "Barack the Magic Negro" on it, withdrew from the race yesterday.)
The vote offers several mini-themes. There's the referendum on the incumbent Duncan (the vote will likely turn into a race between Duncan and an anti-Duncan choice). There are the candidates' regional differences (Anuzis and Steele are from reliable Dem states; Dawson and Duncan are from solid GOP ones). There's ideology (Blackwell and Dawson are the most conservative candidates; Steele is perhaps the most moderate).
There's race (Blackwell and Steele are black, Dawson once belonged to a whites-only country club, "Barack the Magic Negro"). And then there's the members-only angle (Duncan, Anuzis, and Dawson are RNC members; Blackwell are Steele are outsiders). In fact, that final point could very well swing the election in the second and third rounds of balloting. If Anuzis and/or Dawson drop out, do their supporters bolt to the outsider Steele? Or do they back Duncan, the man they've worked with for quite some time?
*** The Mechanics Of The Vote: The 168 RNC members convene at 10:30 am ET, and here's what follows: They conduct a head count (determining how many members and proxies are in attendance); they determine how the vote is conducted (it's expected to be by secret ballot); they give nominating and seconding speeches; and finally they begin the balloting. To win, a candidate needs a simple majority (so 85 votes out of the 168). There is no cut-off threshold -- for example, if Blackwell finishes last in the first round of voting, he isn't forced out of the contest -- so it's anyone's guess how many round of ballots there will be. Also, the results from each round of voting will be announced publicly. As of Thursday, First Read's survey of the 168 RNC members had Duncan with 44 first-vote supporters, Steele with 30, Dawson at 18, Blackwell and Anuzis at 16 each, and Saltsman (who has since dropped out) at 1.
Politico: RNC VOTING STARTS AT NOON. CONVENTIONAL WISDOM SAYS IT'LL GO 4-6 BALLOTS, WITH EACH BALLOT TAKING ABOUT 30 MINUTES, BUT IT COULD BE A LOT LONGER OR SHORTER.
TOTAL UNCERTAINTY ABOUT OUTCOME ACROSS ALL CAMPS AND OBSERVERS.
First Read: The self-help saying "Today is the first day of the rest of my life" could very well apply to the Republican Party today as it meets in DC to elect a new chairman after its stinging political defeats in 2006 and 2008. There are five candidates: current chairman Mike Duncan of Kentucky, Michigan party chair Saul Anuzis, former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, South Carolina party chair Katon Dawson, and former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele. (A sixth candidate, former Huckabee campaign manager Chip Saltsman, who distributed the CD with "Barack the Magic Negro" on it, withdrew from the race yesterday.)
The vote offers several mini-themes. There's the referendum on the incumbent Duncan (the vote will likely turn into a race between Duncan and an anti-Duncan choice). There are the candidates' regional differences (Anuzis and Steele are from reliable Dem states; Dawson and Duncan are from solid GOP ones). There's ideology (Blackwell and Dawson are the most conservative candidates; Steele is perhaps the most moderate).
There's race (Blackwell and Steele are black, Dawson once belonged to a whites-only country club, "Barack the Magic Negro"). And then there's the members-only angle (Duncan, Anuzis, and Dawson are RNC members; Blackwell are Steele are outsiders). In fact, that final point could very well swing the election in the second and third rounds of balloting. If Anuzis and/or Dawson drop out, do their supporters bolt to the outsider Steele? Or do they back Duncan, the man they've worked with for quite some time?
*** The Mechanics Of The Vote: The 168 RNC members convene at 10:30 am ET, and here's what follows: They conduct a head count (determining how many members and proxies are in attendance); they determine how the vote is conducted (it's expected to be by secret ballot); they give nominating and seconding speeches; and finally they begin the balloting. To win, a candidate needs a simple majority (so 85 votes out of the 168). There is no cut-off threshold -- for example, if Blackwell finishes last in the first round of voting, he isn't forced out of the contest -- so it's anyone's guess how many round of ballots there will be. Also, the results from each round of voting will be announced publicly. As of Thursday, First Read's survey of the 168 RNC members had Duncan with 44 first-vote supporters, Steele with 30, Dawson at 18, Blackwell and Anuzis at 16 each, and Saltsman (who has since dropped out) at 1.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
NRCC: Do Alan Grayson and Suzanne Kosmas Support $335 Million for STD Prevention in "Stimulus"?
Washington- Rep. Alan Grayson (FL-08) and Rep. Suzanne Kosmas (FL-24) are set to cast their vote today on a so-called “stimulus” package, which has shattered the trillion dollar mark. The question is: Will Alan Grayson and Suzanne Kosmas still support the massive spending bill now that it has become public that the House Democrats’ so-called “stimulus” has been stuffed with an astonishing $335 million to fund prevention programs of sexually transmitted diseases?
The Drudge Report lays out the facts:
“Democrats may have eliminated provisions in the ‘job stimulus’ on birth control and sod for the National Mall -- but buried on page 147 of the bill is economic stimulation for the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases!
“The House Democrats’ bill includes $335 million for sexually transmitted disease (STD) education and prevention programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.
“In the past, the CDC has used this STD education funding for programs that many Members of Congress find objectionable and arguably unrelated to a mission of economic stimulus [such as funding events called ‘Booty Call’ and ‘Great Sex’ put on by an organization that received $698,000 in government funds.]
“‘Whether this funding has merit is not the question; the point is it has no business in an economic plan supposedly focused on job creation,’ says a stimulated Hill source.” (Drudge Report, 1/28/09)
Americans are outraged as revelations continue to surface that even more wasteful Washington spending has been tucked into this bill at the expense of solutions that would actually stimulate the economy and create real jobs for struggling middle-class families. Just yesterday, Democrats were forced to nix their idea for handing out taxpayer-funded contraceptives as a way to “stimulate” the economy.
“It’s obvious that Congressional Democrats are trying to pull the wool over Americans’ eyes as they rush this so-called ‘stimulus’ bill through Congress, while middle-class taxpayers are still finding out about frivolous spending provisions that have been hidden in the bill,” said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain. “It is one thing to believe that we can borrow and spend our way out of recession like Alan Grayson and Suzanne Kosmas do, but it is quite another to use this trillion dollar spending bill as a vehicle for liberal pet programs.”
Will Alan Grayson and Suzanne Kosmas really support this massive trillion dollar spending package full of new and wasteful government spending? Even the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office says will not actually create real jobs for years to come (Wall Street Journal, 1/22/09).
The Drudge Report lays out the facts:
“Democrats may have eliminated provisions in the ‘job stimulus’ on birth control and sod for the National Mall -- but buried on page 147 of the bill is economic stimulation for the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases!
“The House Democrats’ bill includes $335 million for sexually transmitted disease (STD) education and prevention programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.
“In the past, the CDC has used this STD education funding for programs that many Members of Congress find objectionable and arguably unrelated to a mission of economic stimulus [such as funding events called ‘Booty Call’ and ‘Great Sex’ put on by an organization that received $698,000 in government funds.]
“‘Whether this funding has merit is not the question; the point is it has no business in an economic plan supposedly focused on job creation,’ says a stimulated Hill source.” (Drudge Report, 1/28/09)
Americans are outraged as revelations continue to surface that even more wasteful Washington spending has been tucked into this bill at the expense of solutions that would actually stimulate the economy and create real jobs for struggling middle-class families. Just yesterday, Democrats were forced to nix their idea for handing out taxpayer-funded contraceptives as a way to “stimulate” the economy.
“It’s obvious that Congressional Democrats are trying to pull the wool over Americans’ eyes as they rush this so-called ‘stimulus’ bill through Congress, while middle-class taxpayers are still finding out about frivolous spending provisions that have been hidden in the bill,” said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain. “It is one thing to believe that we can borrow and spend our way out of recession like Alan Grayson and Suzanne Kosmas do, but it is quite another to use this trillion dollar spending bill as a vehicle for liberal pet programs.”
Will Alan Grayson and Suzanne Kosmas really support this massive trillion dollar spending package full of new and wasteful government spending? Even the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office says will not actually create real jobs for years to come (Wall Street Journal, 1/22/09).
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Ricky L. Polston Formally Invested A Florida Supreme Court Justice
Governor Charlie Crist praises Polston’s humility, judicial restraint
TALLAHASSEE – Governor Charlie Crist today celebrated the investiture of jurist Ricky L. Polston to the Florida Supreme Court. Polston, was Governor Crist’s second appointment to the seven-member high court and has been serving since October 2, 2008.
“Justice Polston has already demonstrated wisdom, fairness and humility in serving Florida’s highest court,” said Governor Crist. “The people of Florida can rest assured that he is dedicated to upholding our justice system.”
Before being appointed to the Supreme Court, Justice Polston enjoyed an extensive career in public and private practice. Prior to his appointment to the Supreme Court, he served as a judge on the First District Court of Appeals in Tallahassee, starting in 2001.
“I am committed to serving Floridians and our justice system in this important post,” said Justice Polston. “I am honored to have the confidence and support of Governor Charlie Crist.”
Justice Polston filled the vacancy left by Justice Kenneth B. Bell, who served on the Florida Supreme Court beginning in 2003 to 2008.
# # #
TALLAHASSEE – Governor Charlie Crist today celebrated the investiture of jurist Ricky L. Polston to the Florida Supreme Court. Polston, was Governor Crist’s second appointment to the seven-member high court and has been serving since October 2, 2008.
“Justice Polston has already demonstrated wisdom, fairness and humility in serving Florida’s highest court,” said Governor Crist. “The people of Florida can rest assured that he is dedicated to upholding our justice system.”
Before being appointed to the Supreme Court, Justice Polston enjoyed an extensive career in public and private practice. Prior to his appointment to the Supreme Court, he served as a judge on the First District Court of Appeals in Tallahassee, starting in 2001.
“I am committed to serving Floridians and our justice system in this important post,” said Justice Polston. “I am honored to have the confidence and support of Governor Charlie Crist.”
Justice Polston filled the vacancy left by Justice Kenneth B. Bell, who served on the Florida Supreme Court beginning in 2003 to 2008.
# # #
Florida Federation of Young Republicans Hosts Young Republican National Federation in Orlando
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. – Florida Federation of Young Republicans will host their Quarterly Convention in conjunction with the Young Republican National Federation Board Meeting in Orlando, Florida, February 20-22nd.
“I’m honored to host this event right here in Florida. Our Reagan Day Gala promises to be one of the largest Young Republican gatherings in the country,” stated Brian Graham, Chairman of the Florida Federation of Young Republicans.
The weekend will commence on Friday with an “Earned Media and Public Relations" course taught by the Leadership Institute. Committee meetings and a welcoming reception featuring John Bolton, Tucker Carlson and Grover Norquist will follow.
Saturday will include the FFYR and the YRNF Board meetings, an "Activist Training" seminar hosted by FreedomWorks and a panel discussion on foreign affairs, healthcare, campaign finance, and economics moderated by Inside Edition’s Rita Cosby. The day will include a lunch with George P. Bush and former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio and the FFYR Annual Reagan Day Gala featuring Joe Scarborough & George Allen. The day will conclude with a reception featuring Pete Coors and Attorney General Bill McCollum.
The weekend will close Sunday afternoon with a “Principles of Fundraising" course taught by the Leadership Institute.
For more information or to register for the convention, visit www.ffyr.org or contact State Chairman Brian Graham by email at Chairman@ffyr.org
“I’m honored to host this event right here in Florida. Our Reagan Day Gala promises to be one of the largest Young Republican gatherings in the country,” stated Brian Graham, Chairman of the Florida Federation of Young Republicans.
The weekend will commence on Friday with an “Earned Media and Public Relations" course taught by the Leadership Institute. Committee meetings and a welcoming reception featuring John Bolton, Tucker Carlson and Grover Norquist will follow.
Saturday will include the FFYR and the YRNF Board meetings, an "Activist Training" seminar hosted by FreedomWorks and a panel discussion on foreign affairs, healthcare, campaign finance, and economics moderated by Inside Edition’s Rita Cosby. The day will include a lunch with George P. Bush and former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio and the FFYR Annual Reagan Day Gala featuring Joe Scarborough & George Allen. The day will conclude with a reception featuring Pete Coors and Attorney General Bill McCollum.
The weekend will close Sunday afternoon with a “Principles of Fundraising" course taught by the Leadership Institute.
For more information or to register for the convention, visit www.ffyr.org or contact State Chairman Brian Graham by email at Chairman@ffyr.org
Monday, January 26, 2009
Lt. Governor Kottkamp Delivers $350,000 in Grants to Survivors of Tropical Storm Fay
BAREFOOT BAY – Lt. Governor Jeff Kottkamp today, while visiting Brevard County survivors of Tropical Storm Fay, announced that the Florida Disaster Recovery Fund will provide a total of $350,000 in grants to long-term recovery organizations in Brevard, St. Lucie, Duval, Seminole and Volusia counties to help storm survivors rebuild from the devastation of Fay.
“The most challenging part of a tropical storm like Fay is often the weeks and months of recovery that follow,” said Lt. Governor Kottkamp. “These grants, made possible by generous businesses and individuals, will help survivors rebuild their communities and businesses.”
The organizations receiving the grants are as follows:
• Brevard Long Term Recovery Coalition ($100,000)
• Volusia Interfaith/Inter-Agencies Networking In Disaster ($100,000)
• St. Lucie INTACT – Inspired Network to Achieve Community Together ($99,984)
• Northeast Florida Commission on Recovery ($25,000)
• Seminole Heart ($25,000)
Corporations giving to the Florida Disaster Recovery Fund include: AT&T, PBS&J, Florida Power & Light, Bank of America, BP Foundation, and Mosaic Fertilizer LLC. Fund chairman Sen. Connie Mack and his wife Priscilla have donated $10,000.
The Florida Disaster Recovery Fund, formerly the Florida Hurricane Relief Fund, was initiated during the 2004 hurricane season to assist with the unmet and long-term recovery needs of survivors. The Fund is fueled entirely by private sector donations, with grants made to long-term recovery organizations. The Fund is managed by the nonprofit Volunteer Florida Foundation. For more information, please visit www.FLADisasterFund.org.
“The most challenging part of a tropical storm like Fay is often the weeks and months of recovery that follow,” said Lt. Governor Kottkamp. “These grants, made possible by generous businesses and individuals, will help survivors rebuild their communities and businesses.”
The organizations receiving the grants are as follows:
• Brevard Long Term Recovery Coalition ($100,000)
• Volusia Interfaith/Inter-Agencies Networking In Disaster ($100,000)
• St. Lucie INTACT – Inspired Network to Achieve Community Together ($99,984)
• Northeast Florida Commission on Recovery ($25,000)
• Seminole Heart ($25,000)
Corporations giving to the Florida Disaster Recovery Fund include: AT&T, PBS&J, Florida Power & Light, Bank of America, BP Foundation, and Mosaic Fertilizer LLC. Fund chairman Sen. Connie Mack and his wife Priscilla have donated $10,000.
The Florida Disaster Recovery Fund, formerly the Florida Hurricane Relief Fund, was initiated during the 2004 hurricane season to assist with the unmet and long-term recovery needs of survivors. The Fund is fueled entirely by private sector donations, with grants made to long-term recovery organizations. The Fund is managed by the nonprofit Volunteer Florida Foundation. For more information, please visit www.FLADisasterFund.org.
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