Warning To Supporters of Congressman Henry Bonilla

The mass exodus of illegal immigration from Mexico and South America and the explosion of drug trafficking have occurred under the tenure of Congressman Bonilla. He has been consistently negligent on border security issues, as millions of illegal aliens have crossed our 800-mile border in the past 14 years. God knows how many billions of dollars of illegal drugs have entered this nation through the 23rd Congressional District. Let there be no doubt that these drugs have destroyed the lives of millions of young Americans. Where was Henry?

Earlier this year, Congressman Bonilla sent you a strong letter demanding more attention from your administration on border security issues. Where has he been on this issue for 14 years?  Why wasn’t he demanding a wall, troops, enhanced security and massive enforcement 10 -14 years ago? The grassroots of the party has given the Congressman a free ride on border security issues. I suspect we treat him with kid gloves because nobody wants to criticize our precious “Hispanic Republican Congressman” in South Texas. 

I say enough is enough. The sovereignty of our 800-mile Texas/Mexico border is more important than the political career of our “Senator in waiting” in Washington, D.C. Nuevo Laredo, the out of control drug haven, is located at our largest border crossing. Who is protecting us from this chaotic and drug infested zone? Let me repeat: Where is Henry?

President Bush, please take Congressman Bonilla off our hands. Would you please make him an Ambassador? Why don’t you give him a fancy position and keep him busy in D.C.? His uncontrollable and passionate desire to move up demonstrates that he is no longer interested in being our Congressman. We need serious leadership in South Texas on border security issues NOW. This constituent is tired of waiting for authentic leadership in the 23rd. It is time for a change.

Congressman Bonilla has failed us on border security issues. We are now paying the price.   

Please take him. We deserve better after 14 long years.

Sincerely,
Joe Solis/South Texas Republicans
 

Joe,

I am definitely grassroots, definitely a small businessman, and I definitely supported the tax changes. You do not make note that the money was used to cut property taxes that have far too large a share of the tax burden and you did not note the very low rate that is to be charged. I already pay the franchise tax and my tax will go down along with my property tax. If the legislature had failed to act, Republicans would have gone down to defeat in November.

Your friend,

Mike Bergsma
 

Copyright 2005 Texas Insider. All rights reserved.

The Special Session called to address the issue of school finance ended last week.  I am extremely disappointed that HB 3, which includes the new tax on businesses, passed both the House and the Senate and has been signed by the Governor. 

All Texas corporations and business partnerships that receive liability protection and earn more than $300,000 per year will be affected.  Sole proprietorships, general partnerships and small businesses with receipts less than $300,000 are exempt from this business tax.  Affected businesses will make their first tax payment in May 2008 for the 2007 tax year. 

Several weeks ago, I received an email from Steve South, Director of the Music Conservatory of Texas, a business located in Frisco that provides music lessons for all ages and individuals at varying levels.  In his letter, Mr. South told me that his business aims for a five to seven percent profit each year. 

With the business tax created as a result of the passage of HB 3, the Music Conservatory of Texas and a multitude of businesses like it will be forced to make tough decisions in order to stay in business.  As a result of this tax, too many businesses will now have to consider increasing rates for services, eliminating personnel, abolishing plans for expansion, or closing their doors altogether.   

Below is an outline of HB 3.

1.) Generally, the new tax is 1% on gross receipts, minus a deduction for either employee compensation or the cost of goods, whichever is greater.

2.) This tax represents a significant tax increase for Texas businesses. The Sharp Commission said the businesses they tested would be taxed somewhere between 4% and 14%.  For the average Texas business, it represents a 7% tax on business profits. (The current franchise rate is only 4.5%).

3.) The new tax will be imposed whether or not a business makes a profit. This will be especially damaging to the creation of new businesses as new businesses frequently struggle on little or no profit during their first years of operation.

4.) Gross receipts taxes are particularly damaging to high-volume, low-margin businesses, which are usually employers of large work forces. Job loss will almost certainly be a consequence of the implementation of this new tax. 

5.) The Gross Receipts tax has a number of weaknesses:

             a) The new gross receipts tax was promoted as being simpler than the existing franchise tax. However, it is complicated and contains special exemptions for certain industries.

             b) It has failed or is failing in many other states. 

6.) To use the old adage from President Ronald Reagan: Businesses don’t pay taxes, people do.  Business taxes are hidden taxes and, therefore, more dangerous because they are simpler for government to raise.

7.) Supporters of the bill argue that only 1 in 16 businesses pay the current franchise tax. Under the new tax plan, the ratio increases to a mere 2 in 16. This attempt at creating a more "broad-based business tax" is barely worth noticing and comes at a tremendous cost to the Texas business economy.

8.) Texas business already bears 60% of the state's tax burden, the 4th highest percentage in the nation (the national average is 43%). Even California businesses shoulder a lower percentage of their state’s tax burden than Texas businesses.

9.) Increasing business taxes will damage our competitive advantage, slowing the growth of jobs and investment in the state.

10.) I encourage the Legislature to re-consider this plan during the next regular session before it adversely affects Texas business.

11.) To contact Rep. Paxton by phone, call 972-562-4543 or his capitol office at 512-463-0356.  Capitol Steps is Representative Paxton’s views on issues affecting the well being of Texas citizens. 
 

Schuylar Crist and Class of the Jesse Helms Center School of Communications In Foreign Policy Inside the State Department.

Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich Takes A Moment Before Our Flight From Detroit to D.C. To Pose For A Photo With Schuylar Crist.

This is part one of my article regarding my trip to D.C. for foreign policy training, part two will be coming to you next week. I want to thank all of you who made this trip possible for me; I hope you enjoy reading about my experience and what I learned while attending this amazing class. Your support is so critical to our PAC’s mission of growing the grassroots efforts of Republicans. We must continue our efforts in South Texas, but why stop there? We need strong conservative Republicans all over the nation! Your support has allowed me to go to DC twice this year, and meet with so many people at the national level both in the political and media arenas. Getting our message out is so very important and your help has been crucial in the networking process. THANK YOU!! Divided we can do nothing, united, we can do ANYTHING.

During my 2 days of Foreign Policy Communication training in D.C., I met many interesting and captivating individuals. I would like to thank the Leadership Institute for allowing us to use their facilities (classroom and television studio) for this training. I also wish to take a moment to thank Derek Skinner and Genevieve Wood of the Jesse Helms Center for their hard work in putting this program together and inviting me to join them. The application process to attend the school is extensive. Some of my classmates either worked for or interned with a U.S. Congressman, while others worked in media or went to college to study Political Science and History. We heard from Deborah DeMoss Fonseca, who was Former North Carolina Senator Jesse Helms’ Latin American expert (including Nicaragua). We also heard from Senior Fellow Peter Brookes of the Heritage Foundation and others. I will tell you more of their discussions next week, in part 2.

On our first day, we spent 2 full hours at the State Department! We had a very interesting discussion with James Wilkinson, Senior Advisor to Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice. Mr. Wilkinson had just gotten back from 3 weeks in Iraq. In our meeting room, we sat at the very table used by our President Reagan and other world leaders at the International Summit of Industrialized Nations in 1983.

We talked about a wide range of issues, from the war on terror to Iran, to the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, and also the then-pending installation of the new Iraqi government under Prime Minister Nouri al-Malaki (This took place two days after our meeting!). On the Iraq issue, Wilkinson said that there is still great need for trustworthy police and basic necessities like electricity. Wilkinson says at this point the Iraqi people get about 6 hours of electricity a day outside Baghdad.  He also says Malaki must meet with ‘real Iraqis’ and deal hands-on with security issues. Regarding the war on terror, he said that 65% of Kuwaitis believe that the attacks against us on September 11, 2001 were justified. This, coming from a nation we helped liberate in 1991. Moving to Iran, Mr. Wilkinson says the U.S. is still very much engaged in a diplomatic effort to bring Iran into compliance with international law. He states, “We are viewing Iran through the prism of Iraq.” Further, he believes we are “reaping the rewards of our government’s inability to understand terror since 1979”. We also discussed the Hamas victory for control of the Palestinian organization. Mr. Wilkinson said of Hamas, ‘Hamas is very organized and knows how to run on essential services.’ He also says Hamas is still considered by our government to be a terrorist organization and that there is a double-standard when it comes to Israeli-Palestinian relations.

After our meeting, Mr. Wilkinson took us on a brief tour, where we were shown the area used by Secretary Rice for press conferences with her foreign counterparts. We also had the chance to actually see the Secretary’s office and her immense library. According to Wilkinson, the Secretary and he each read about 2-3 books a week and those books tend to circulate around the office so everyone winds up reading them. Currently, the Secretary is reading the biographies of our Founding Fathers.

Mr. Wilkinson also mentioned several books that everyone interested in foreign policy and politics should read:

1.) “Guests of the Ayatollah”---by Mark Bowden

2.) “No God, But God”---by an Iranian Muslim (Mr. Wilkinson could not recall the name offhand)

3.) “Assassin’s Gate”---by George Packard

4.) “Crisis”---by David Harris

5.) “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln”---Doris Kearns Goodwin

Genevieve Wood

Director of Helms Foreign Policy Communications School

Ms. Wood is the president of W Media, a firm specializing in media training and video production.  She has worked for over 10 years in the Washington world of politics, policy and media, helping numerous members of congress, political candidates, book authors, organizational spokesmen and policy analysts, craft and shape their messages. Wood is a frequent commentator on MSNBC, FOX and CNN and began her career as a publicity coordinator for NBC News.

Jim Wilkinson

Senior Advisor to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice

Specializing in strategic planning and policy communications, he plays a key role in shaping the message used to promote and defend U.S. foreign policy both at home and abroad. Wilkinson served as Director of Strategic Communications for General Tommy Franks before becoming deputy national security adviser at the White House.

Derek J. Skinner
Director of Marketing

Derek Skinner joined the Helms Center staff in July of 2001. His responsibilities include all marketing related functions of the Helms Center. His responsibilities include the Free Enterprise Leadership Conference, Teacher Workshop program and the Laws of Life Essay Contest, in addition to guest speakers and lecturers as part of the Jesse Helms Lecture Series. He also manages the website and oversees all technology related issues involving the Helms Center.
 

Actually, for the tour around the Capitol, Friday night, David Barton was at the hospital with his son who was in critical condition; however, Rick Greene (on staff with the Wallbuilders) did a marvelous job filling his shoes. No one could replace David, but he kept us on our toes as we tried to keep up with him. We had about 100 pastors from around this country that night. Three quarters of them were Military chaplains. They’ve endured recent attacks on their religious freedoms to pray in Jesus’ Name, which prevents them from fulfilling their office and praying their conscience. David had freely given us the book, "The Faith of the American Soldier", by the same author of "The Faith of George Bush"...Stephen Mansfield. There should be more tours for high school Youth as well, in order to solidify their knowledge and understanding of our country’s heritage. 

Through many prayers, David Barton's son greatly improved and David was able to join us on Saturday to introduce our many Congressional Speakers. It was encouraging to see such strong Christians in office as "Statesmen / women" and not just "Politicians." The main theme throughout all their speeches was to regain our First Amendment Rights or Religious Freedoms. They informed us of their personal backgrounds and the many bills for which they were fighting to get Co-Sponsors in order to pass Godly Laws without ungodly amendments and what we could do to help them. A couple of the outstanding Speakers were Congressman Walter Jones, who was in the process of presenting a bill to Congress fighting for the rights of the Military Chaplain to say the "Prayer of their Conscience" anywhere in public. He also had been fighting for HR 235, which is the Houses of Worship Freedom of Speech Restoration Act. Also Representative Marilyn Musgrove, who is sponsoring the Marriage Amendment Bill to Congress that would take away the rights of the Judicial Courts in all States to go against the Constitution and the Will of the People, updated us on the progress of the Bill. Congressman Aderholt was fighting for the Ten Commandments Defense Act. (HR 3895) and on and on. Lt Col. Birdwell gave us an avid description of 9/11 when the terrorists hit the Pentagon, as he was the closest one to the plane who remained alive, and by divine providence was in another part of the building, sparing him from a direct hit. Since the gas from the plane spewed all over him, and it was hard to put the fire out. He ended up with 39 operations just to put him back together and excruciatingly painful physical therapy and he spoke about how God helped him through it all.

I want to thank all those who helped make it possible to send me, as I believe the Lord is sending me to educate and activate people to fulfill their responsibility to God. I believe I have a firmer foundation on which to do this and a list of all the Congressmen/ women to visit. If you find it in your heart to help me to wake up the people to get out and "do something" please help support our efforts to inform "particularly the "Values Voters" on where the candidates stand EARLY. The trip to Washington, DC would be about $700, or everything altogether would be a little over $7,000 for two phone calls per state (Democrats and Republicans) for candidates names and addresses and then sending the Survey to the 1,000 or so candidates by certified mail. Also, all the printing that is needed and, along with Web Site, etc., expenses. It would also help to take a few months off work to get all this done. I also need prayer warriors---please get back with me.

Thank you again for this powerful informative trip and may God Bless you 100- fold through it all. I know God has many treasures stored up for you in heaven. If there are any questions, do not hesitate to call me. (210) 744-8102. If I am working, leave a message and when I could call you back.

God Bless you,

Nancy Goettman

Awake America Ministries
President / Founder 
 

May 23, 2006

Washington, D.C. – Chairman Lamar Smith (TX-21) today introduced the “Orphan Works Act of 2006” (H.R. 5439), which creates new guidelines for use of copyrighted material when the original owner cannot be located.

“The orphan works issue arises when someone who wants to use a copyrighted work cannot find the owner, no matter how diligently they search,” said Chairman Smith. “The owner may have moved several times, died, or in the case of businesses, changed their name or gone bankrupt.”  

“For example, a local civic association may want to include old photographs from the local library archive in their monthly newsletter, but there are no identifying marks on the photo,” explained Smith. “Under current law, the civic association must locate the owner to ask permission and in many cases may not be able to find the owner. Under the Orphan Works Act, they could follow guidelines posted by the Copyright Office as a show of due diligence to reduce the threat of litigation for simply doing the right thing.”  

The Orphan Works Act is the product of over 20 hours of negotiations among various interested parties and the Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property, chaired by Smith. It incorporates language from a yearlong study conducted by the United States Copyright Office. The bill does the following: 

Provides for payment of attorney’s fees and costs when an infringer refuses to pay a reasonable royalty;

Directs the Copyright Office to conduct an inquiry on remedies for small copyright claims;

Provides explicit description of steps a potential user must undertake before using a work;

Requires that paid search tools be used when reasonable;

Limits the monetary relief safe harbor to uses that are for a “primarily charitable, religious, scholarly, or educational purpose;”

Includes joint and several liability for those working with or on behalf of users;

Makes clear that a lack of visible copyright ownership information on a work is not sufficient to determine that a work is an orphan work;

Requires the Copyright Office to host a list of search tools and best practices guides on how to conduct a reasonably diligent search;

Establishes a definition of reasonable compensation;  

Ensures that an orphan works system does not trump existing statutory licenses;

Recognizes the state sovereign immunity issue; and

Delays the effective date of the bill until June 1, 2008 to ensure copyright owners have time to develop best practices guides for searchers.

“This bill upholds the rights of copyright owners while providing rational limitations and remedies for cases in which the owner cannot be located,” concluded Smith. “I look forward to mark-up of this legislation at tomorrow’s Subcommittee meeting.”

Beth Frigola
Press Secretary
(202) 225-4236
 

We have invested thousands of dollars in the past few years in these licensed services for our readers. We encourage you to use our web site as a reliable source of information about your government.

This week we are featuring our link to the Supreme Court in Washington.

Supreme Court

The Supreme Court, created by the Judiciary Act of September 24, 1789, has final authority in all legal questions or controversies arising under the Constitution or the laws of the United States.

The Justices of the Supreme Court:
John G. Roberts, Chief Justice
John Paul Stevens, Associate Justice
Antonin Scalia, Associate Justice
Anthony M. Kennedy, Associate Justice
David H. Souter, Associate Justice
Clarence Thomas, Associate Justice
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice
Stephen G. Breyer, Associate Justice
Samuel A. Alito, Associate Justice

Web Site: www.supremecourtus.gov

Public Comments (must be printed and mailed):
Public Information Officer
Supreme Court of the United States
Washington, DC 20543
 

Be Alert When Dealing With Pop-up Ads Online

Consumers should proceed with caution when following up on unsolicited online advertisements, especially pop-up advertisements. My office has received reports of people being scammed by sweepstakes offers.

The reason the scam works is because of an appealing risk/reward factor. The pop-up ad will offer you a chance to enter a sweepstakes with a lucrative pay out, for a very small amount of money, in some cases just a single dollar. You will then be asked for your bank account information.

When victims review their accounts, they find that there have been periodic debits of $15-20 or more. In some cases, consumers reported being charged for two or three years.

When surfing online, always proceed cautiously:

1.) Never pay a fee to enter a sweepstakes or contest of any kind.

2.) Never submit your bank account information online, especially in response to a pop-up ad or unsolicited email.
 

If an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Greg Abbott
Attorney General of Texas
 

Date: THURSDAY, JUNE 1ST

Time: 5-8PM

 

FREE BEER, WINE & MARGARITAS

MUSIC BY THE MO-DELS
 

DONATIONS GREATLY APPRECIATED BUT NOT REQUIRED

FOR INFORMATION CALL 271-3888

THANKS!

 Wayne
 

Schuylar Crist in Front of WWII Memorial, May 2006 His grandfather, U.S.N., Petty Officer 3rd Class, served as a signalman on the USS Burdo in the South Pacific From 1944-1945
Photo Courtesy of an unnamed WWII Veteran

Korean War Memorial May 2006
Photo Courtesy of Schuylar Crist

Defending the ideals of our Nation has required the service and sacrifice of those from every generation. From Valley Forge, across Europe and Asia, and in Afghanistan and Iraq, courageous Americans have given their lives so that others could live in freedom. These Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen took an oath to defend America, and they upheld that oath with bravery and decency. They have liberated the oppressed, spread freedom and peace, and set a standard of courage and compassion for our Nation. All who enjoy the blessings of liberty live in their debt.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Memorial Day, May 29, 2006, as a day of prayer for permanent peace, and I designate the hour beginning in each locality at 11:00 a.m. of that day as a time to unite in prayer. I also ask all Americans to observe the National Moment of Remembrance beginning at 3 p.m., local time, on Memorial Day.
--George W. Bush

Thank you to all who have served and continue to serve our country at home and overseas. Your sacrifices, and those of your families will never be forgotten.
 

By John Merrifield,
Professor of Economics
Director, Entrepreneurial Conservatism Institute

May 7, 2006

By real school choice I mean a 'system' in which there are no attendance areas.  Each school is managed by its principal.  The politics of reform would probably keep taxpayer support of K-12 education at least at current levels.  In a 'system' with real school choice, the allocation of tax dollars to schools would occur through tax credits or vouchers issued to parents.

The elimination of the administrative overhead of school district control of school policies, and because some parents will want premium education services costing more than their vouchers would be worth, more money will be available to pay teachers.  Since schools must compete for the best teachers to compete for students, it is very likely that a large share of those additional funds will go into teacher salaries. 

Salaries are higher when there are more competitors for teachers, currently school districts. With real choice, more numerous individual schools would compete for teachers. Parent/customer-funded schools would also behave more competitively than tax-funded school districts.

To be competitive, schools will also have to give their teachers much more autonomy to use their personal strengths, and to improve through innovation. Paychecks will reflect teachers’ achievements in the classroom. That would be in stark contrast to the status quo in which the political process regulates textbook content, teaching methods, and the curriculum, often through insulting 'teacher-proof' materials, and where paychecks reflect only credentials, and time served.

Also as a result of the change in their employers from a few districts to numerous individual schools, teachers will enjoy greater mobility, campus choice, and less vulnerability to administrative decisions that are arbitrary or personal. Now, with teachers hired by school districts, the district chooses which school to assign them to. They can end up in a very undesirable school. It can take years of begging for a transfer to get a better assignment, including an escape from disagreeable superiors, or just to work at a school that is closer to their homes.

Real school choice would let teachers specialize in what they are best at, and like the most, and it would produce a better match between students’ and teachers’ unique skills, aspirations, and requirements. With the elimination of attendance areas and political micro-management of content and method, schools will specialize in several significant ways, including teaching style, use of technology, governance structure, and subject emphasis, and parents will be free to choose among the diverse offerings. That would mean an end to much of the conflict between over-extended teachers and unhappy, trapped parents. By better matching them with tasks they like the most, and are best trained for, it would also increase teachers' professional satisfaction (students achieve more), and reduce their stress level. The status quo has produced a teacher burnout epidemic, and widespread dissatisfaction is well documented.

When teachers begin to see that real choice is in their self-interest and break ranks with their union leadership, real choice will be implemented much more quickly. The benefits that school choice programs can produce for teachers, as well as children, are diminished to the extent that restrictions limit parental freedom and entrepreneurial initiative. For their own sake, and for our children, teachers should work for real school choice. For everyone’s sake, our leaders must begin making this case directly to teachers.
 

The toll tax canker is spreading. What ever happened to the gas tax system? The political fallout over tolls (which cost dollars a day and thousands more a year) versus a gas tax increase (pennies per day and hundreds a year) has already cost many Texas politicians (most recently the Vice Chair of the Central Texas MPO and Mayor of Westlake Hills Dwight Thompson: Anti-toll Knocks Out Vice-Chair of CAMPO) their jobs. 

Bush administration officially endorses privatizing and tolling existing "busy" roads.

Texas is for sale (and so is America)! Courtesy of the US DOT, TxDOT, and the highway lobby's chokehold on government.

See Barron's Magazine article analysis.



 

So whom should I rag on this week? Should I focus on Democrats or the Republicans? Since I am accused by Democrats of only ridiculing Democrats, today it is the GOP’s turn in the spotlight.

How about the Republican dominated Legislature that is rampant with nihilists in golf pants and snake oil salesmen?

The question is, “Did the Republican legislators address public school finance or did they just provide a smoke screen by approving another tax to punish those who do business in Texas?”

It is interesting that they approved a $1 state tax on cigarettes, but no tax on alcohol. Do you think that Republican legislators are receiving contributions from the deep pockets of the liquor lobbyists?

Can anyone out a Democrat receiving alcohol contributions?  I am just posing the question to appear to be “fair and balanced” on the issue.

Since the Republican ditto heads in the legislature would have us believe that they have the monopoly on the moral high ground as far as God and country, and taxes, it appears a little disingenuous at best. And for all this time, I was under the notion that it was those liberal, shrieking midget Democrats who were the ones who never met a tax they didn’t like. Imagine my surprise?

Is the state’s misanthropic frat boy Governor planning to win re-election in November by touting the recent special session as a success for public school? Surely honorable Republicans can’t be that naive! (Can they?)

Those ads the Governor is running on the tax savings are deceptive and blatantly misleading. At worst, they are outright lies. Ironically, local Republican State Rep. Joe Straus is the only state rep. actually defending the ads. What is wrong with this picture? 

Where ARE the additional funds for public education? Now that the wealthy school districts are liberated from having to share some of their monies, I guess the rest of our kids must fend for themselves.

From what I have learned, the business tax will compensate the loss to the state of the property tax revenues and will directly benefit only the wealthy friends of the Governor. Seems that the Republican dominated legislature obviously did nothing to solve the public school dilemma.

But in all fairness, they did lower the property tax from $1.50 to $1.37 per one hundred dollars, but did not cap the amount. That means the school districts will be the bad guys if they are forced to raise those taxes to pay for their schools. Talk about chutzpah.

Speaking of Republicans and public school, now that ultra-conservative Susan Galindo, a principal of a private Christian school is a newly elected school board member for the Northeast Independent School District, it looks like we will be inundated with bills to approve school vouchers.

Of course, we can’t forget former Republican State Rep. Ken Mercer who is now a member of the State Board of Education. Remember who funded his candidacy. Do you think we could convince billionaire Dr. James Leininger to part with some of his millions to pay for the tuition of a few hundred thousand needy students across the state? Just thinking out loud.

The Alamo Community College District is, of course, also dominated by Republicans as well. Pretty soon no one will be able to afford to attend college, except the well-to-do, Republican off-spring. Education in the hands of Republicans is a scary thought.

The fate of Spanish-speaking residents is also in jeopardy with the Republican controlled Senate in Washington, passing the English-Only amendment. Being a minority is about to become more difficult as we participate in the heated debate of illegal immigration.

Something tells me it is going to be a long hot summer.

Not a good time to be a Democrat.

Speaking of Democrats, I can’t end my column without taking a shot at my newfound Democratic punching bag, that liberal curmudgeon, John McConnell. I was informed the other day that he is a retired public school teacher and a veteran.

Can you believe that someone with his credentials would openly refuse to recite the pledge? What a role model. God help us all.

That’s the moderate viewpoint. I AM the Republicrat.