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08/20/10:

RESOLUTION: REPUBLICAN PARTY OF PASCO EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

At a duly noticed meeting of the REPUBLICAN PARTY OF PASCO EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE the following resolution was passed by a majority vote of its members.

WHEREAS the national border with Mexico is an entrance for illegal immigration and the federal government has failed in securing the border and:

WHEREAS as a consequence of the Federal Governments failure to secure the border for the American people it has resulted in increased drug traffic, burden on local law enforcement agencies, the taking of jobs from American citizens deeply in need of employment, increased burden on social services such as police, fire and medical and an overall burden on local economies and;.

WHEREAS as a further consequence of the Federal Governments failure to secure the border the State Of Arizona was compelled to pass legislation empowering its law enforcement officers to do that which the Federal Government ahs failed to do.

IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED THAT:
The Arizona immigration law as amended has the committees’ full support.

Passed in Pasco County on the 19th day of August 2010.

____________________________
Randy Maggard Chairman

08/20/10:

RESOLUTION: REPUBLICAN PARTY OF PASCOEXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

At a duly noticed meeting of the REPUBLICAN PARTY OF PASCO EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE the following resolution was passed by a majority vote of its members.

WHEREAS the President of the United States has signed into law sweeping national healthcare legislation and:

WHEREAS the content of such legislation is only now coming to light in terms of its tax burdens, increased premiums for Americans, increased bureaucracy, potential healthcare rationing and raising the national debt and;

WHEREAS such legislation has exceeded federal powers in penalizing individuals for failing to purchase health insurance and for commandeering state assets.

IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED THAT:
We support the attorney generals lawsuit filed by Bill McCollum which has been joined by 19 other states and the National Federation of Independent Business to have federal healthcare reform legislation declared unconstitutional.

Passed in Pasco County on the 19th day of August 2010.

____________________________
Randy Maggard Chairman

08/11/10:

Eighteen months ago, the American people put their faith in President Obama to make good on his promises of renewed responsibility, instead he has used the economic crisis as a means to his liberal ends. With the help of his Democrat Congressional allies, he has forced through a failed $862 billion stimulus package on America.

· It’s clear that President Obama has not brought post-partisanship to Washington and instead has resorted to politics as usual – driving up taxes, spending and borrowing – all while demagoguing his opponents.

· As a result, Americans are now suffering from a Deficit of Hope.

· President Obama promised his $862 billion stimulus would “create or save” 3.5 million jobs and keep unemployment below 8 percent but since then 2.5 million jobs have been lost and unemployment is at 9.5 percent.

o There Are Currently 14.6 Million Unemployed People In The United States.

o Nearly half of those unemployed have been out of work for more than six months.

o Real unemployment, including those working only part-time instead of full-time, is at 16.5%.

o Over a million workers have given up looking for work.

o Nearly 700,000 manufacturing jobs have been lost since the stimulus was passed.

o More than 4 million homes have been foreclosed since Obama took office.

· The Democrats’ answer for every challenge has been to throw money at the problem without a roadmap for recovery. The results, as was predicted by Republicans at the time, were record-breaking deficits and a failure to create jobs.

· Last year’s $1.42 trillion deficit was a record and economists expect an even larger deficit this year. Democrats refuse to address their reckless spending habits, leaving to future generations bills they won’t be able to pay.

· The actions of President Obama and Congressional Democrats in the face of a stagnant economy and nearly double-digit unemployment represent the worst case of fiscal malpractice since Jimmy Carter sat in the Oval Office.

· President Obama promised 3.5 million jobs would be created by December 2010 which means Democrats need to create 6 million jobs over the next four and a half months to meet their own standard, a level of job growth that has never been achieved in American history.

· Republicans have consistently offered proven alternative solutions for job creation and economic growth centered on lower taxes and less regulation but these ideas have been consistently shot down by President Obama and Congressional Democrats.

· After 18 months and nearly a trillion dollars , it’s clear that President Obama and his Democratic allies are unwilling to put aside their liberal philosophy in order to make the necessary and responsible decisions to put our country back on the path towards economic growth and real job creation.

· The only way to turn back the liberal agenda of higher taxes, higher spending and deeper debt is to elect Republicans this fall and provide a strong check on Democrats who refuse to listen to constituents who are suffering under Obamanomics.

08/07/10: RPOF Celebrates Tampa’s Official Designation as the Site of the 2012 Republican National Convention

RPOF Chairman John Thrasher, RNC Secretary and Florida National Committeewoman Sharon Day, Florida National Committeeman Paul Senft, and RPOF Vice Chairman and Hillsborough County Republican Executive Committee Chairman Debbie Cox-Roush on hand for historic vote.

Kansas City–Republican Party of Florida officials today marked the official designation of Tampa Bay as the site of the 2012 Republican National Convention during the Republican National Committee’s (RNC) Summer Meeting.

“I was honored to join National Committeewoman Day and National Committeeman Senft to cast my vote in favor of bringing the 2012 Republican National Convention to Tampa Bay,” said RPOF Chairman John Thrasher. “It’s a great day for Florida, and I couldn’t be more proud of the hard work our Vice Chairman Debbie-Cox Roush, Al Austin and his team, the Republican grassroots community of Tampa Bay and so many others put into making this day possible.”

The RNC Site Selection Committee presented its recommendation to hold the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa Bay in May during the RNC’s State Chairman’s Meeting in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Today, the full RNC voted to confirm that recommendation. Florida’s National Committeewoman Sharon Day, who serves as the Secretary of the RNC, represents Florida on the Site Selection Committee.

Earlier this year, the Site Selection Committee visited each of the three final cities prior to making a recommendation. The Hillsborough County Republican Party (HCRP) organized thousands of Republican volunteers to welcome the Site Selection Committee to Tampa Bay for a two-day site visit packed with a detailed tour of the city, multiple options for event space, and a grassroots event at Channelside Bay Plaza.

Vice Chairman Cox-Roush, who serves as Chairman of the HCRP, led a team of grassroots volunteers who participated in the site selection visit and has worked tirelessly both at the local level and across the state to increase awareness and energy surrounding Tampa’s bid for the convention.

Florida has previously hosted two Republican National Conventions. The convention was held in Miami in both 1968 and 1972. The full RNC will vote on the recommendation at its Summer Meeting in August, 2010.

08/05/10: Dems Accused of Tea Party Tampering in Pennsylvania, Michigan, New Jersey and Florida

“In all of the affected races, the outcome is expected to be close enough that a third-party candidate who wins just a few percentage points could end up swinging the outcome to the Democratic congressman or candidate.”

Dems Accused of Tea Party Tampering
Politico
August 5, 2010

Nationally, Democrats say they intend to campaign against the tea party movement. But locally, Democratic officials and activists in at least four states now stand accused of collaborating with tea party candidates in an attempt to sabotage Republican challengers in some of the closest House races in the nation.

The charges of dirty tricks are being leveled in Pennsylvania, Michigan, New Jersey and Florida—and they involve more than a half-dozen contests that could tip the balance of power in the House.

The accusations range from helping tea party activists circulate candidate petition sheets to underwriting the creation of official tea parties, which then put forth slates of candidates that local conservatives accuse of being rife with Democratic plants.

In all of the affected races, the outcome is expected to be close enough that a third-party candidate who wins just a few percentage points could end up swinging the outcome to the Democratic congressman or candidate.

“The Democrats have come to the realization that they can’t win on issues, and with their flawed candidates, so they are forced to skirt the rules by running candidates who they hope can split the vote with Republicans,” said Paul Lindsey, a National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman.
…
A similar scenario is unfolding in Florida, where there is also evidence—though not conclusive—of Democratic tampering. There, accusations of trickery have sparked a bitter battle among tea party activists.

The skirmishing began when grass-roots conservatives learned that a local attorney, Fred O’Neal, and a Republican political consultant in Orlando, Doug Guetzloe, had registered the Florida Tea Party with state election officials. Within months, the two sides were engaged in a legal battle over who had the right to the tea party name.

As local activists began digging into the backgrounds of O’Neal and Guetzloe, they discovered several connections between the consultant and Democratic Rep. Alan Grayson, an outspoken freshman who is at the top of GOP target lists.

Grayson advertised on Guetzloe’s conservative talk show. He also appointed Guetzloe to a small-business advisory group and Guetzloe’s son interned in the Democrat’s congressional office.

Armed with those links, tea party activists across the state accused the two men of forming a front group designed to help Democrats in tight elections.

But Grayson’s office pointed out that the polarizing congressman had advertised on Guetzloe’s show before in an attempt to reach out to libertarians disaffected with the Republican Party — a claim backed up by campaign finance disclosure reports.

“This story is conspiracy theory, nothing more,” Sam Drzymala, a Grayson spokesman, said in an e-mail to POLITICO.

Still, the accusations grew more heated when the Florida Tea Party released a slate of 20 candidates to run for state and federal offices.

Although the vast majority of the challengers are aimed at state officials, the organization recruited candidates for three important House races—two Republican-held open seats and the Grayson contest.

“The recent flurry of last-minute filings by so-called ‘tea party candidates’ looks awfully suspicious when many of the candidates were recently registered Democrats and have filed to run in districts hundreds of miles away from their residences,” Florida Republican Party Chairman John Thrasher said.
…
Click below to read the full article.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0810/40699.html

11/02/09: GOP on Health Care: In 568 Words, What's Wrong With 1,990 Pages

House Republican Leader John Boehner gave the Republican radio address today, and in 568 words made a simple and compelling case for what is wrong with the Democrats' 1,990-page health care proposal — and for what should be done instead.

"This 1,990 pages of bureaucracy will centralize health care decision making in Washington, DC," Boehner said. "It'll require thousands of new federal employees. It'll put unelected boards, bureaus, and commissions in charge of who gets access to what drug and what potentially life-saving treatment."

"The best way to get a sense of what Speaker Pelosi's takeover of health care looks like is to actually look at it," Boehner continued. "Just shy of 2,000 pages, it runs more than 620 pages longer than the government-run plan Hillary Clinton proposed in 1993."

Boehner then offered four proposals to improve the health care situation in America — not a universal fix, but four significant improvements:

a. Number one: let families and businesses buy health insurance across state lines;

b. Number two: allow individuals, small businesses, and trade associations to pool together and acquire health insurance at lower prices, the same way large corporations and labor unions do today;

c. Number three: give states the tools to create their own innovative reforms that lower health care costs; and

d. Number four: end junk lawsuits that contribute to higher health care costs by increasing the number of tests and procedures that physicians sometimes order not because they think it's good medicine, but because they are afraid of being sued.

No doubt the White House and Democrats in Congress will continue to insist that Republicans "have no plan." But Boehner's four proposals are contained in fleshed-out legislative form in several GOP reform bills. They really exist. You can check them out.

Of course, Republicans have been saying this for months, and few have listened. But there is the possibility that House Democrats, by unveiling a plan even more gargantuan than some supporters expected, have finally pushed too far; the giant stack of paper that is the printed version of the 1,990-page bill is a physical representation of what Republican critics have long branded a massive government takeover of health care.

Here is the full text of Boehner's radio address:
I'm House Republican Leader John Boehner. At the beginning of this year, I told President Obama and Speaker Nancy Pelosi that Republicans would be ready to work with them whenever possible to address the nation's biggest challenges. I also said that where there are differences, it was our obligation as a party to explain to the American people how we would do things better. And on the "stimulus," the budget, the energy bill, and health care, we have done exactly that.

As a matter of fact, only Republicans have offered solutions to lower health care costs and make it easier to obtain quality, affordable coverage without imposing a massive burden on the American people.

We first released our health care plan in June, and over the last six months, we have introduced at least eight bills that, taken together, would implement this blueprint. You can go right now to healthcare.gop.gov and get all the details, but for now, I just want to share with you four ideas Republicans have proposed:

Number one: let families and businesses buy health insurance across state lines;

Number two: allow individuals, small businesses, and trade associations to pool together and acquire health insurance at lower prices, the same way large corporations and labor unions do today;

Number three: give states the tools to create their own innovative reforms that lower health care costs; and

Number four: end junk lawsuits that contribute to higher health care costs by increasing the number of tests and procedures that physicians sometimes order not because they think it's good medicine, but because they are afraid of being sued.

These are four smart, fiscally-responsible reforms that we can implement today to lower costs and expand access at a price our nation can afford. Again, you can learn more about these and all the health care initiatives Republicans have supported by visiting healthcare.gop.gov.

The best way to get a sense of what Speaker Pelosi's takeover of health care looks like is to actually look at it. Just shy of 2,000 pages, it runs more than 620 pages longer than the government-run plan Hillary Clinton proposed in 1993.

This 1,990 pages of bureaucracy will centralize health care decision making in Washington, DC. It'll require thousands of new federal employees. It'll put unelected boards, bureaus, and commissions in charge of who gets access to what drug and what potentially life-saving treatment.

And it won't come cheap. Speaker Pelosi's health care bill will raise the cost of Americans' health insurance premiums; it will kill jobs with tax hikes and new mandates; and it will cut seniors' Medicare benefits.

We now have a choice: we can come together to implement smart, fiscally responsible reforms to improve Americans' health care or we can recklessly pursue this government takeover that creates far more problems than it solves.

It's clear where the American people stand on this issue. They're frustrated and fed up. The 'stimulus' bill isn't working. Unemployment is rising. The debt to be paid by our kids and grandkids is exploding. And now, Speaker Pelosi's 1,990-page government takeover of health care.

Enough is enough. Breaking the bank and taking away the freedoms Americans cherish is not the answer to the challenges we face.

This coming week, Republicans will continue to stand on principle, defend freedom, and fight for our better solutions to make health care more affordable and accessible for American families.

Thanks for listening.

10/07/09: Republican plan for Health Care

Republican 10 step plan for Health Care:

• Voluntary purchasing pools: Give individuals and small businesses the opportunities that large businesses and the government have to seek lower insurance costs.

• Portability: As people change jobs or move across state lines, they change insurance plans. By allowing consumers to "own" their policies, insurers would have incentive to make more investments in prevention and in managing chronic conditions.

• Lawsuit reform: It makes no sense to ignore one of the biggest cost drivers in the system — the cost of defensive medicine, largely driven by lawsuits. Worse, many doctors have stopped performing high-risk procedures for fear of liability.

• Require coverage of preexisting conditions: Insurance should not be least accessible when it is needed most. Companies should be incentivized to focus on delivering high-quality effective care, not to avoid covering the sick.

• Transparency and payment reform: Consumers have more information when choosing a car or restaurant than when selecting a health-care provider. Provider quality and cost should be plainly available to consumers, and payment systems should be based on outcomes, not volume. Today's system results in wide variations in treatment instead of the consistent application of best practices. We must reward efficiency and quality.

• Electronic medical records: The current system of paper records threatens patient privacy and leads to bad outcomes and higher costs.

• Tax-free health savings accounts: HSAs have helped reduce costs for employers and consumers. Some businesses have seen their costs decrease by double-digit percentages. But current regulations discourage individuals and small businesses from utilizing HSAs.

• Reward healthy lifestyle choices: Providing premium rebates and other incentives to people who make healthy choices or participate in management of their chronic diseases has been shown to reduce costs and improve health.

• Cover young adults: A large portion of the uninsured are people who cannot afford coverage after they have "aged out" of their parents' policies. Permitting young people to stay on their parents' plans longer would reduce the number of uninsured and keep healthy people in insurance risk pools — helping to lower premiums for everyone.

• Refundable tax credits (for the uninsured and those who would benefit from greater flexibility of coverage): Redirecting some of the billions already spent on the uninsured will help make non-emergency care outside the emergency room affordable for millions and will provide choices of coverage through the private market rather than forcing people into a government-run system. We should trust American families to make choices for themselves while we ensure they have access to quality, affordable health care.

10/06/09: October Phone Blitz

09/21/09: Resolution opposing public option health care reform, “cap and trade” and “card check” legislation.

WHEREAS, the undersigned in furtherance of promoting an informed electorate through political education and to unify the voice of the Republican Party of Pasco on contemporary issues find it necessary to plainly set forth the desires, opinion, positions and reasoning of the committee.

WHEREAS, issues of health care, union “card check” and “cap and trade” are of extreme importance to our Nation. The Republican Party of Pasco is of the opinion that the position of the committee needs to be set forth to create an informed electorate.

WHEREAS, the right of employees to a secret ballot when voting to determine union membership is a constitutional right of all workers. We affirm the right of individuals to voluntarily participate in labor organizations and bargain collectively. However, the denial of workers to a secret ballot in union referenda is an assault not only against a fundamental principal of labor law, but also against the dignity and honor of the American work force. We oppose “card check” legislation which deprives workers of their privacy and their right to vote, because it exposes workers to intimidation and reprisal by union organizers.

WHEREAS, we support common sense legislation which will ensure reasonable steps today to reduce adverse impacts on the environment. However, such steps should be consistent with our global competitiveness and not be adverse to our national security, our energy independence and our economy. Present “cap and trade” legislation is draconian in nature, will have a substantial devastating effect on the national economy, will be burdensome to those of who can least afford such measures and be adverse to the overall economy putting at risk our national defense.

WHEREAS, we desire the best health care system in the world for our citizens. It is not enough to offer only increased access to a system that costs too much and does not work for millions of American. We seek better health care for our citizens. We will not replace the current system with the staggering inefficiency, maddening irrationality, and uncontrolled costs of a government monopoly. We advocate the simplification of the system and the empowerment of patients.

WHEREAS, with regard to health care legislation we desire that legislation be proposed after reasonable studies, not rushed, which address issues such as tort reform of a reasonable nature, the abandonment of restrictions disallowing interstate sale of insurance policies, legislation that is specific as to costs and does not increase the national debt, does not threaten Medicare, allows consumers choices and privacy with their chosen medical provider and options regarding possible co-ops or other innovative measures to reduce costs and improve quality of care.

NOW THEREFORE, it is hereby resolved by the Republican Party of Pasco Executive Committee that they:

• Oppose any “card check” legislation which denies the freedoms of the American worker.
• Oppose “cap and trade” legislation whose economic damages far exceed any alleged benefits.
• Oppose any “public option” health insurance provisions in pending legislation, as well as any health care legislation which does not address the concerns and issues set forth in this resolution.

SO RESOLVED.

Unanimously adopted by the Pasco County Republican Executive Committee, at a duly noticed meeting this 17th day of September, 2009.

S/s Randy Maggard______________________
Randy Maggard, Chairman, on
Behalf of the Board

7/18/09: Endorsing Bill McCollum

Last evening, at a special meeting of the Republican Executive Committee, a vote was taken to endorse Bill McCollum for Governor of the State of Florida. The vote of      For 113       Against 1 , evidences overwhelming support of Bill McCollum for the top Executive seat.

Opening comments by Chairman Randy Maggard, State Committeeman William Bunting and Tax Appraiser Mike Wells was enthusiastically welcomed by those in attendance.

Formal notices of this endorsement, pursuant to law, are being sent to appropriate County and State Officials. Maintaining the Governors seat is paramount to members of the Pasco Executive Committee. All appropriate efforts will be employed to support Bill in his campaign to further Republican goals, projects and reform necessary to keep Florida fiscally sound, sensitive to the needs of the citizens and maintain a coalition of Republican leadership.

5/19/09: RPOP disapproves of Greers endorsing

RESOLUTION OF THE PASCO COUNTY REPUBLICAN EXECUTIVE COMMITTTEE BOARD

WHEREAS, the undersigned recognizes in accordance with Florida Law (F.S. 103.091) that a political party of the state shall be represented by a state executive committee. Further, that an executive committee and other committees may be established in accordance with the rules of the state executive committee.

WHEREAS, in furtherance of State Law the Republican State Executive Committee of Florida, as a duly formed entity has set forth the following purposes in their constitution as follows:
A. To develop a strong, effective, informed Republican Party of Florida.
B. To support the principles, objectives and platforms of the Republican Party, and to secure the election of all duly nominated Republican candidates.
C. To encourage able and qualified Republicans to seek office at all levels of government.
D. To regulate the use of party name and symbols …

WHEREAS, the undersigned understand, acknowledge and confirm that the Republican State Executive Committee Party Rules of Procedure Rule 8 sets forth the procedure for both the State Executive Committee and the County Executive Committee to endorse, certify or recommend candidates in contested Republican primaries.

WHEREAS, the undersigned, understand, acknowledge and confirm that the Rules for endorsing of candidates in contested primaries should be in furtherance of the constitutional purposes of the Party as set forth above.

WHEREAS, the undersigned hold and assert, that the action of the Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida , since the announcement by Governor Charlie Christ of his candidacy for U.S. Senate, have contravened and ignored the principles and ideals of the Republican Party, the underlying philosophies of party primaries, the objectives set forth in the Constitution of the Republican Party of Florida, Rule 8 of the Republic Party of Florida Rules of Procedure, the Republican Party of Florida’s representative form of government, and the inherent duties obligatory to any constituency so represented.

NOW THEREFORE, the undersigned resolve that the actions of the Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, since the announcement by Governor Charlie Christ of his candidacy for U.S. Senate, have ignored the intent and spirit of Rule 8, and such actions have in fact been in furtherance to support one Republican candidate over another, without the appropriate vote in accordance with Rule 8 of the Republican Party of Florida Rules of Procedure.

Where information is disseminated by the Republican Party, The Republican Party of Florida, or any duly recognized subdivision thereof, such information should be fair, impartial, and not infer preference by the leadership of the Republican Party, The Republican Party of Florida, or any duly recognized subdivision thereof, of any one Republican Candidate over another, unless such endorsement has been duly voted upon in accordance with Rule 8 of the Republican Party of Florida Rules of Procedure.

Where Republican candidates are invited by the Republican Party, The Republican Party of the Florida, or any duly recognized subdivision thereof, to attend any event sponsored by the Republican Party, The Republican Party of Florida, or any duly recognized subdivision thereof, all Republican candidates for the same office of the invitee shall also be invited to attend. In the event that such invite was extended prior to a Republican candidate’s candidacy for any government office, such engagement shall be acceptable and not contrary to this resolution if such invitation was accepted in good faith.

SO RESOLVED.

Unanimously adopted by the Pasco County Republican Executive Committee Board this 18 day of May 2009.

S/s Randy Maggard______________________
Randy Maggard, Chairman, on
Behalf of the Board

5/18/09: Running for Governor
Attorney General Bill McCollum announces he's running for Governor.

4/24/09: Tobacco Tax
The Republican Party of Pasco Executive Committee unanimously agreed at its April meeting NOT to support any legislation for an additional tobacco tax.

While the Republican Party is fundamentally opposed to any tax increases and supportive of fiscal restraint and discipline, the RPOP has specifically voted not to support any pending legislation to place additional taxes on cigarettes or other tobacco products.

The State of Florida is already slated to receive billions in Federal Stimulus Funding and the RPOP has decided that the State should not increase taxes on its citizens and should seek fiscal austerity in a direction of less government.

The tobacco tax is a user fee which will severely harm the economic well-being of already struggling Floridians and is a further government attempt at regulating personal behavior and loss of personal freedoms.

4/22/09: Third Party Voter Registration Organization
The RPOP has registered as a “Third Party Voter Registration Organization” with the State Division of Elections. State law (F.S. 97.0575) requires that any organization that solicits or collects any voter registration applications to register with the Division of Elections.

A constitutional challenge by the League of Women Voters of Florida against the state law has recently been declined by a Federal court in Miami. As such, the RPOP has determined that the law is now clear and the proper course is to register.

Past abuses by organizations seeking voter registrations, such as failing to turn in registrations, turning in registrations late and other abuses is unacceptable to the RPOP. We have educated our members on proper and fair procedures and will be taking responsibility for any and all voter registrations drives we may participate.

The new law requires registration with the State and quarterly reporting. Failure to follow state law may result in the imposition of fines.

Being responsible for the activities of all of our members may be a daunting task but the RPOP has determined that the integrity of the voting process is a cornerstone of our democracy and is willing to take the high road and step up to the plate in full disclosure.

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