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Volume 5
Issue 30
July 25, 2016
"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be. If we are to
guard against ignorance and remain free, it is the responsibility of every American to be informed." – Thomas Jefferson
National News - pages 1 – 9
Putnam County – Pages 9 - 11
Op-Ed – pages 11 – 13 & 15
Sponsors – page 14
Munich Suspect was Obsessed with Mass
Shootings
By George Jahn and Paul Wheatley, Associated Press
The gunman whose rampage at a Munich mall left nine
people dead was a depression-plagued teenager who avidly
read books and articles about mass killings and apparently
tried to lure young victims to their deaths through a faked
Facebook posting, authorities said Saturday.
Information from witnesses indicated that his hatred of
foreigners might have played a role in the mass shooting,
even though he himself was the German-born son of Iranian
asylum-seekers.
Most of the dead were youths and all were Munich
residents of varied ethnic backgrounds. Hueseyin Bayri,
who witnessed one boy's death, told reporters the shooter
screamed a profanity about foreigners and said "I will kill
you all" as he pulled the trigger. A video shot of the
perpetrator also showed him yelling anti-foreigner slurs.
The 18-year-old high-school student from Munich with
Iranian and German citizenship also wounded more than
two dozen others Friday night before turning his illegal
Glock 17 pistol on himself, ending a shooting rampage that
could have become even more tragic.
Police told reporters that a search of the red backpack
lying next to his black-clad corpse revealed that the shooter
was carrying more than 300 rounds for the 9-millimeter
handgun he used to kill his victims.
The filed-off serial numbers of the Glock made it difficult
to establish its origin. But investigators said the gunman,
identified by German officials only as David S., had no
permit to carry it.
One victim was 45, another 20 and the rest were between
14 and 19, Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae said. The
fact that most of the dead were so young added to what
Chancellor Angela Merkel called "an evening and night of
horror."
It started as a normal Friday evening. A Munich mall was
buzzing with shoppers, and across the street, customers
were enjoying a meal at a McDonald's restaurant.
Earlier that day, the shooter hacked a Facebook account
and sent a message inviting people to come to the mall for a
giveaway, said Robert Heimberger, the head of Bavaria's
criminal police.
Investigators say they are still looking for a motive for the
attack but Munich prosecutor Thomas Steinkraus-Koch
noted the gunman apparently was undergoing psychiatric
treatment for problems including depression. Interior
Minister Thomas de Maiziere said authorities were
checking reports the teen may have been bullied by his
peers.
Witnesses and a dramatic cell-phone video that police
think is genuine indicated the gunman was unstable and
disliked foreigners.
The shooter yelled anti-foreigner slurs both at a person
verbally sparring with him from a balcony, which was
caught on film by a neighbor, and later also inside the mall.
At another point, he yells, "I'm German!" to which the man
on the balcony, identified by the Bild newspaper as Thomas
Salbey, a 57-year-old construction worker, responds, "You
are a jerk!" and demands to know what he is up to, saying
"you should be in psychiatric care." The gunman orders the
filming to stop, and shortly after that starts shooting,
causing the neighbor filming to duck.
Law enforcement officials think the Munich tragedy could
be a copy-cat attack, considering it was carried out on the
fifth anniversary of the killing of 77 people by Norwegian
right-wing extremist Anders Behring Breivik, whose
victims included dozens of young people.
A search of the shooter's home overnight revealed a trove
of literature about mass killings, including a Germanlanguage translation of the English book "Why Kids Kill:
Inside the Minds of School Shooters."
De Maiziere said the shooter had researched a 2009
school shooting in Germany as well as the Breivik attack.
"There was material found in the apartment of the suspect
that showed a particular interest in shooting sprees," de
Maiziere said.
Munich's mayor, Dieter Reiter, declared a day of
mourning for the victims. "These are difficult hours for
Munich," he said, adding that residents had shown great
solidarity toward each other. "Our city stands united."
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being Christian. The U.S. resettled 1,682 Syrians in fiscal
year 2015 and only 105 in 2014.
Editor’s Note: Whether a long time resident of a country or
a recent immigrant, these terrorists have an indoctrination
that make them dangerous in any country.
Refugees Secretly Flooding into These States
By Leo Hohmann, WorldNetDaily.com
Despite more reports in recent weeks about Muslim
“refugees” raping and attacking people in the U.S. and
Europe, President Obama has ramped up his Syrian refugee
program – delivering 625 to U.S. cities in one week and
crossing the 6,000 mark for total Syrians who have entered
the country since October.
With a little over two months before the Sept. 30 deadline
to fulfill his promise to the United Nations to resettle 10,000
Syrians, Obama has delivered 6,227 Syrian migrants to 38
states and dozens of cities.
That means more than 1,000 have arrived just since July
1st. Of the 6,227 total who arrived since Oct. 1, 2015, only
23 have been Christian and 10 Yazidi. All the of the
remaining 6,194 Syrians, more than 98 percent, have been
Sunni Muslim. That’s the same sect that makes up the ranks
of ISIS, al-Nusra Front and other groups that are viciously
persecuting Christians in Syria.
Michigan, California, Arizona, Texas and Illinois are the
top five states for numbers of Syrian refugees received so
far in fiscal 2016. These refugees are hand-selected by the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to be
permanently resettled in the U.S.
Only 12 states and the District of Columbia have not
received any Syrian refugees so far in fiscal 2016. Those
states include Alaska, Alabama, Delaware, Arkansas,
Hawaii, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota,
Vermont, Wyoming and West Virginia.
Wyoming is the only state that does not participate in the
federal refugee program. Montana has been among the
states being eyed for future resettlement of Syrians. A
resettlement office has been opened there but so far no
Syrians have arrived.
More than 99 percent of the Syrians being permanently
resettled in the U.S. are Muslim, with less than 1 percent
The 10,000 Syrian refugees coming in fiscal 2016 are in
addition to the 75,000 refugees being delivered to U.S.
cities and towns from all other countries. They come from
Somalia, Afghanistan, Sudan, Iraq, Burma, Bosnia, Congo
and many other countries. The refugee drop-offs are done in
almost total secrecy, often without the knowledge of even
the mayor or schools superintendent.
More than 24 mostly Republican governors sent letters to
the Obama administration following the attacks on Paris and
San Bernardino last November and December, saying they
did not want any Syrians delivered to their states, but to no
avail. Obama sent them anyway.
On Monday a 17-year-old Afghan refugee in Germany
attacked train passengers with an ax, severely injuring five
people. The U.S. also has an active Afghan refugees
program, having admitted 1,581 since Oct. 1, 2015.
Is your city a Syrian destination?
Cities receiving Syrian refugees over the past nine months
include the following:
• Arizona: Glendale, Tucson, Phoenix
• California: San Diego, Sacramento, Los Angeles
• Connecticut: New Haven, Hartford, New Britain,
Stratford, West Haven
• Florida: Tampa, Clearwater, Jacksonville, Del Ray
Beach, Palm Beach, Miami, Orlando, Kissimmee,
Lauderdale Lakes, Opa-Locka, Pensacola and
Tallahassee
• Georgia: Atlanta, Savannah, Stone Mountain, Marietta
• Illinois: Chicago, Rockford, Aurora, Moline, Hickory
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Hills
Colorado: Denver and Thornton, Colorado
Idaho: Boise
Indiana: Indianapolis and Carmel
Des Moines: Iowa
Kansas: Kansas City and Wichita
Kentucky: Louisville and Lexington
Louisiana: New Orleans and Baton Rouge
Maine: Portland
Maryland: Baltimore, Riverdale, Ellicott City, Silver
Spring
Massachusetts: Worcester, Springfield-West
Springfield, Lowell, Westfield, Billerica
Michigan: Dearborn, Clinton Township, Detroit, Grand
Rapids, Troy, Battle Creek, Ann Arbor, Bloomfield
Hills, Bloomfield Township, W. Bloomfield Township,
Madison Heights, Sterling Heights, Ypsilanti, Lansing
Minnesota: Minneapolis, Rochester and Savage
Missouri: Saint Louis, Columbia, Creve Coeur, Kansas
City
Nebraska: Omaha
New Hampshire: Concord
New Mexico: Albuquerque
New York: Buffalo, Albany, Syracuse, Brooklyn, Utica,
Rochester, New York
New Jersey: Elizabeth, Camden, Bellmawr, Hawthorne,
Jersey City, Moorestown, Woodland Park and Paterson
Nevada: Las Vegas
North Carolina: High Point, Raleigh-Durham,
Greensboro, Winston-Salem and Charlotte
Ohio: Columbus, Toledo and Cleveland
Oklahoma: Tulsa
Oregon: Portland and Beaverton
Pennsylvania: Erie, Philadelphia, Harrisburg and
Pittsburgh
Rhode Island: Providence
South Carolina: Columbia
Tennessee: Nashville and Memphis
Texas: Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, Houston, Plano,
Sugar Land, Tomball and San Antonio
Utah: Salt Lake City
Virginia: Charlottesville, Newport News, Roanoke,
Harrisonburg, Powhatan and Falls Church
Washington: Spokane, Seattle, Richland, Kent
Wisconsin: Oshkosh, Sheboygan, Milwaukee, Madison.
Turkish President Grants Citizenship to
300,000 Syrians
By Alice Greene, PunchingBag.com
As I wrote in a previous article
(last week), Turkish President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan is
responding to last weekend’s
failed military coup without
mercy. America and the EU are
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begging him not to use the attempted coup as an excuse
to downgrade Turkey’s civil rights – but Erdogan isn’t
listening.
After purging the nation’s military and police forces of
thousands of “traitors,” Turkey’s president has decided
to grant 300,000 Syrians citizenship. Those 300,000
people will be able to vote in the next election and –
when the EU grants Turkey visa-free access – travel to
Europe.
In one fell swoop, President Erdogan has stacked the
next election and threatened the fragile stability of the
EU.
Sharing a border with Syria has made Turkey that #1
destination for Syrian refugees. As of September 2015,
Turkey had absorbed 1.9 million migrants – nearly half
of all who had fled the war-torn country at the time.
In its most recent bid to join the EU, Turkey agreed to
help stem the flow of migrants crossing through Turkey
into Europe. It also agreed to outlaw the death
penalty. Last weekend’s failed coup has led President
Erdogan to reconsider using the death penalty, a decision
that would bar him from joining the EU.
President Erdogan’s decision to naturalize 300,000
Syrians comes as the Turkish government starts to
realize that many of the migrants are never going to
return to Syria. Erdogan’s Premier Binali Yildirm argues
that the president’s controversial decision is a “turning
point” for Turkey’s approach to the migrant crisis and
Syrian civil war. The Turkish government has long
opposed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, but
Erdogan’s decision appears to signify a change in
attitude.
As I mentioned above, many believe the decision to
naturalize 300,000 Syrians is nothing more than a way
for Erdogan to secure 300,000 loyal voters. Opposition
leader Kemal Ataturk begs Erdogan to present the issue
as a referendum and notes that most Turks oppose the
idea.
The deal Turkey made with the EU grants all Turkish
citizens visa-free access into Europe. If those 300,000
Syrians become Turkish citizens, there will be no way to
stop them from traveling en masse to Europe and seeking
asylum upon arrival.
Many politicians worry that granting visa-free travel to
Turkish citizens will guarantee a new wave of migration
even without the 300,000 Syrians. It is likely that
oppressed minority groups like the Kurds would travel to
Europe seeking new homes. Horst Seehofer, an ally of
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, warns that granting
visa-free access to the Turks could result in millions of
Turks moving into Europe - a situation that Europe
absolutely cannot handle right now.
Editor's note: This is a frightening development.
Europe is just starting to realize its mistake in allowing
so many refugees. This series of events not only locks
Erdogan into power but could be a devastating influence
on Europe. The same is true for Obama’s push to bring
in 10,000 Syrian refugees into the United States.
Update: Erdogan seems to have now targeted the
education system, instructing the Ministry of Education
to fire 15,200 personnel for alleged involvement in the
attempted coup. The Interior Ministry followed suit by
dismissing 8,777 employees, and Turkey’s Board of
Higher Education has forced more than 1,500 university
deans to resign.
More than 250 employees working at the prime
minister’s office were sacked, the Directorate of
Religious Affairs dismissed 492 staff, and the Family
and Social Policy Ministry fired nearly 400
personnel. These shocking numbers do not take into
account the 9,000 people detained immediately following
the attempted coup.
President Erdogan was quick to blame Pennsylvaniabased cleric Fetullah Gulen and his followers for plotting
the coup and has asked the US to extradite him.
Secretary of State John Kerry has refused to do so unless
Turkey can present the White House with evidence of
Gulen’s guilt.
“There will be legal evidence collected in this
investigation and we will present all of this to the
Americans as part of our extradition request,” said
Erdogan spokesman Ibrahim Kalin. “On the grounds of
suspicion, he can be easily extradited. We would like to
see cooperation from the US authorities on this issue.”
Gen. Akin Ozturk, former air force commander, and
Gen. Adem Hududi, commander of Turkey’s 2nd Army,
have also been accused of plotting the coup. Both men
have been arrested.
Many rightly worry that Erdogan is using the coup as
an excuse to accomplish his own goals, and targeting the
education system makes me wonder if eradicating
supporters for a secular education is one of them. This is
purely conjecture at this point, but could Erdogan be
using the failed coup as an excuse to support the
Islamification of Turkey through education?
Turkey has always had a strong secular side, but if
Erdogan’s behavior matches our guess, we could see the
nation evolve into an Egypt or a Saudi Arabia.
In addition to using the failed coup to his personal
benefit, Erdogan has managed to piss off the entire EU
by promising to nationalize 300,000 Syrian refugees. He
has also endangered his possibilities of joining the EU
by suggesting a reintroduction of the death penalty,
which was outlawed in 2004 as part of a bid to join the
EU. “In a country where our youths are killed with tanks
and bombs, if we stay silent, as political people we will
be held responsible in the afterlife,” said Erdogan.
The European Union has made it clear that no country
enforcing the death penalty will be allowed to join.
John Kasich Demands More Immigration,
Says “Nationalism” is the Problem
By Eric Scheiner, CNS News
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Ohio Gov. and former Republican presidential
candidate John Kasich (R-Ohio) told an audience in
Cleveland that he looks at immigration as an
opportunity because Ohio has a “stagnant growth of
population – we want people to come to Ohio.”
“When I look at immigration I look at a new level of
energy,” Kasich told an International Republican Institute
gathering on Tuesday.
“I look at immigration as an opportunity. One of the
things that we face in Ohio is a stagnant growth of
population – we want people to come to Ohio. We want to
integrate these folks and we want them to become part of
our economic dynamo. So this refrain we hear around the
world, and I understand some of the problems we have, is
this anti-immigration is unhealthy.”
Kasich also told the audience that he is concerned about
extreme nationalism and isolationism. “When I look around
the world, what is it that I see, I see growing nationalism.
There is nothing wrong with nationalism, until it becomes
extreme — we all love our countries. Secondly there is an
increasing tide of isolationism, lets just take care of us, lets
pull the shades down, lock the doors and lets just forget the
rest of the world and take care of ourselves,” Kasich said.
NRA Exec Says Hillary Will Spend Every
Minute of Every Day Doing One Thing if
Elected - By Jenn Jacques, BearinArms.com
NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris Cox joined USA
TODAY’s Susan Page on Wednesday to address Hillary
Clinton’s latest claim that her goal is ‘not to take away
people’s guns’. Cox kept his response short and sweet,
saying “It’s another lie from Hillary Clinton.”
“Hillary Clinton said that she will spend every minute of
every day working to pass gun control,” he told Page.
“We’d like to think that she’d focus on terrorism or keeping
us safe, but her focus is going to be on gun control and
we’re going to make sure American voters know that
between now and November.”
“We know with 100 percent certainty that Hillary Clinton
will be an unmitigated disaster when it comes to the rights
of law-abiding gun owners,” Cox said, adding that he
believes the NRA-endorsed GOP nominee will be a strong
supporter of Americans’ Second Amendment rights. “So
truly, you could make a very valid argument that the 2nd
Amendment is on the ballot in November.”
Cox became the first top official from NRA to speak at a
political convention on Tuesday when he took the stage in
Cleveland, OH to address the RNC delegates.
If you can stomach the audio from the USA Today
interview, the full video can be seen here:
https://www.facebook.com/usatoday/videos/101536857129
60667/
Democrats have been clinging to the issue of gun control
this year, knowing that decisions may come down to a
single issue for many Americans: guns. So naturally, the
wolves are tailoring their sheep’s clothing according to what
suits them best.
According to the results of poll and focus-group message
testing conducted by the Americans for Responsible
Solutions PAC,
candidates aiming to
take out the NRA
“need to stop attacking
the gun-rights group
and start sounding a
little more like it,
particularly when it
comes to respecting
freedom and safety”.
Last week,
representatives from a
multitude
of progressive groups
met at the Washington
offices of Global Strategy Group, co-founded by former
Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-Ariz.) and her husband, Mark
Kelly, to learn how to adjust their narrative on gun
control based on what the poll and focus-group data
indicated would be most effective.
Their goal? To create a message that “will take root in an
American culture that has long accepted gun ownership, if
not revered it in parts of the country”. For example, the
representatives were told not to use the phrase “gun control”
and instead use more palatable options like “gun violence
prevention” and “preventing gun tragedies.”
“We’ve stepped away from a debate about guns that was
sort of postured pro-gun or against-gun,” said Peter Ambler,
the PAC’s executive director, “into one that’s centered
around data-tested ideas like the background checks that we
know increased public safety and save lives, but don’t sort
of disapprove of the individual gun owner and don’t
disapprove of the responsible use of firearms in society.”
So what about Hillary Clinton’s continued promise to
“keep taking on the NRA”? According to ARS’ findings,
that kind of message is a grossly negligent way of reaching
voters. “The NRA has great favorabilities in a lot of
places,” said Global Strategy Group Jeff Pollock, pointing
to the 144-year-old organization’s popular — and apolitical
— hunting and safety training programs.
Stick to stressing “the gun lobby” as a special interest out
to “protect the profits” of manufacturers, Pollock told the
assembled representatives of Priorities USA, NARAL,
AFSCME and the Senate and House Majority PACs. A
strategist from the Democratic side of Google’s political
consulting operation was also there.
The group also suggests candidates need to stop trying
to make a case out of the total donations lawmakers receive
from “the gun lobby” and the NRA. “Their money isn’t that
big,” Pollock said. “It’s not what they do. Their power rests
in their stupid postcards and their ability to terrorize
members on the Hill and have them panicked about their
rating.”
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In fact, ARS and other gun control groups like Everytown
for Gun Safety spends far more than the NRA on lobbying,
not to mention ads and messaging. Last week, ARS threw
down on a six-figure purchase for a new spot against New
Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte, in which they accuse her
of ‘misleading voters’ about her position on gun rights to
win reelection.
While gun control advocates continually harp on how
much Americans choose to give the NRA for their efforts to
protect the Second Amendment, ARS has invested heavily
in developing an effective message. Aside from hiring
Greenberg Quinlan Rosner to run several polls, Global
Strategy Group has committed to host online discussion
boards and hired Anzalone Liszt Grove to hold five focus
groups around the country with the fastest growing
segments of gun owners: women, millennials and minority
voters.
“The ’60s called, they want their clichés back,” said Larry
Keane, senior vice president at the National Shooting Sports
Foundation. Based on a description of the new strategy,
Keane called it “very pretty looking camo” and said people
have been going after the “corporate gun lobby” for
decades. Adding, “Saying it isn’t gun control doesn’t mean
it isn’t gun control. Their agenda remains the same.”
Dave Walker, a pollster with Greenberg Quinlan
Rosner, said the strongest message resonating with those
polled is “with freedom comes responsibility” which rides
the coattails of the NRA, who calls itself “freedom’s safest
place”.
“Essentially, we co-opted their language,” Walker said.
Similarly, another point stresses that “as adults, we have a
responsibility to make our country a safer place to live.”
ARS’ strategy also subtly suggests that its allies are
overplaying some strategies. “Relying on victims’ and
survivors’ stories alone can amplify feelings of
hopelessness,” its strategy booklet cautions.
“Mothers have also been powerful advocates for stronger
gun laws, but we need to show through our messengers that
they are not the only ones who want to reduce gun
violence,” it advises, before suggesting bringing in more
men, gun owners, hunters and experts like ER doctors and
police.
Conversely, the NRA continues to encourage people to
arm themselves before becoming victims through a series of
hard-hitting videos featuring strong women and mothers,
veterans and activists.
According to Prentice, Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.)
distributed the ARS’ strategy booklet to every House
Democrat last week and they also plan to coordinate
with the Congressional Black and Hispanic Caucuses, as
well as the LGBT Caucus as well.
The hypocrisy of all this is that in order to win
Americans’ approval to cut down gun rights, Democrats are
instructing each other to sound more like the strong sensible
gun rights’ groups they hate so vehemently.
Beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing, patriots.
6 Figures Speaking At The DNC Who Will
Make You Sick – The Daily Wire
Last Monday night, the media went apoplectic over Pat
Smith, the mother of Sean Smith, who was murdered in the
Benghazi terror attack of September 11, 2012. Smith blasted
former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, stating, “He was
murdered by radical Islamic terrorists. I blame Hillary
Clinton personally for the death of my son…She lied to me
and then called me a liar…she looked me squarely in the
eye and told me a video was responsible.” She concluded,
“How could she do this to me? How could she do this to
any American family?”
The media lost what was left of its collective mind. Chris
Matthews says that this was a “gross accusation” that ruined
the night.” Eugene Robinson of The Washington Post said
that the accusation was “extraordinary.” Rachel Maddow
said that Smith was “playing with a very specific kind of
fire that almost is impossible for me to watch, I have to
say.”
These are the same people who cheered wildly when the
Democrats trotted out the “Jersey Girls” widows of 9/11
during the 2004 convention.
These are the same people who will cheer wildly when the
Democrats unveil their latest round of absurd pseudovictims in order to target police at the DNC in Philadelphia.
Here are just some of the speakers slated for the DNC:
Sybrina Fulton, Mother of Trayvon Martin. The
Democrats have attempted to play the Martin’s killing as a
case-in-point of white police racism. There are just three
problems: first, the man who shot him, George Zimmerman,
was not white; second, George Zimmerman was not a cop;
third, Trayvon Martin was by all available evidence sitting
atop Zimmerman’s prone body and slamming his head into
the concrete when Zimmerman shot him. Zimmerman was
not only acquitted of a murder charge, the Department of
Justice couldn’t find anything to charge him for either.
Lezley McSpadden, Mother of Michael Brown. Michael
Brown was a thug who strong-arm robbed a convenience
store, then punched Officer Darren Wilson, tried to grab his
gun and shoot him, and finally tried to charge him before
being shot. This is true according to witness testimony;
even Eric Holder’s DOJ could not find something wrong
with the shooting. That didn’t stop the left from
manufacturing from whole cloth a narrative of evil white
police officers shooting black men surrendering by shouting
“Hands up, don’t shoot!”
Gwen Carr, Mother of Eric Garner. Eric Garner was not
murdered by police. He resisted arrest and was placed in a
submission hold by the cops; he then died of a heart attack
because he was dramatically overweight. Garner had a long
history of health issues ranging from diabetes to sleep apnea
to asthma so bad that he had to quit a city job. Garner
shouldn’t have died over selling “loosies,” but blaming his
death on cop racism is asinine.
Maria Hamilton, Mother of Dontre Hamilton: This case
isn’t a household name because Hamilton grabbed an
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officer’s baton and hit him in the neck with it before the
officer shot him. The officer was fired because Hamilton
was a diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic.
Lucia McBath, Mother of Jordan Davis: Jordan Davis
was murdered by Michael David Dunn at a gas station in
Florida. Davis was playing his music loudly in his car;
Dunn confronted him, then got a gun and shot 10 rounds
into the car. Davis was convicted of first degree murder. So
what exactly is the problem with the criminal justice system
or police, then?
Geneva Reed-Veal, Mother of Sandra Bland. Sandra
Bland committed suicide while in police custody. Rumors
of an evil police murder and cover-up circulated on the
internet, but there was no evidence to back any of them.
These women are all deemed “Mothers of the
Movement,” although what “The Movement” is remains
unclear.
There is one member who should speak: Cleopatra
Pendleton-Cowley, mother of Hadiya Pendleton. Pendelton
was a 15-year-old girl who performed at events surrounding
Obama’s second inauguration, then was murdered by gang
members in Chicago weeks later. But undoubtedly she
won’t target Rahm Emanuel, the mayor of Chicago, for his
failure to crack down on crime in the city; she won’t blame
the culture of gang violence fostered by the Democratic
Party, which ignores single motherhood and cultural
deprivation as rationales for violence. Instead, she’ll likely
talk gun control.
Next time Democrats complain about Pat Smith, everyone
should remind them that she’s telling the truth: her son died,
Hillary did nothing to stop it, and then Hillary lied about it.
But Democrats drag out grieving mothers to push nasty
smears about the cops, the criminal justice system, and gun
control.
Judge scorched for saying ignore U.S.
Constitution - It's like being a member of the Armed
Forces and supporting ISIS' – WND.com
Legal expert Daniel Horowitz has blasted Judge Richard
Posner for his jaw-dropping admission he doesn’t think
judges should spend “one second” studying the Constitution
of the United States. “It’s like being a member of the
Armed Forces and supporting ISIS instead of America,”
thundered Horowitz. “A judge swears an oath to uphold the
Constitution, yet Judge Posner has, in the past, said that the
oath is now applied to the precedent from the Supreme
Court, not the Constitution as written.”
In a recent contribution at the left-wing publication Slate,
Posner, chief judge of the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals,
argued judges should not spend any of their time studying
the original intent of the Constitution.
He stated: “I see absolutely no value to a judge of
spending decades, years, months, weeks, day, hours,
minutes, or seconds studying the Constitution, the history of
its enactment, its amendments, and its implementation
(across the centuries – well, just a little more than two
centuries, and of course less for many of the amendments).
Eighteenth-century guys, however smart, could not foresee
the culture, technology, etc., of the 21st century. Which
means that the original Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and
the post-Civil War amendments (including the 14th), do not
speak to today. David Strauss is right: The Supreme Court
treats the Constitution like it is authorizing the court to
create a common law of constitutional law, based on current
concerns, not what those 18th-century guys were worrying
about.
“In short, let’s not let the dead bury the living.”
Posner is not a fringe figure. According to a study compiled
by Fred Shapiro in The Journal of Legal Studies, Posner is
the most cited legal scholar of the 20th century. Kermit
Roosevelt, a professor of constitutional law at the Ivy
League University of Pennsylvania Law School and the
great-great-grandson of President Theodore Roosevelt,
called him “arguably America’s greatest living judge” and
“uniformly sensible and frequently brilliant.”
Despite being appointed by President Ronald Reagan to
the United States Court of Appeals in 1981, Posner has
established a reputation for his dismissive tone toward the
supreme law of the land. At the 2015 Loyola Constitutional
Law Colloquium, Posner stated he didn’t really care what
the Constitution actually said.
According to Prof. Josh Blackman, Posner stated:
“I’m not particularly interested in the 18th century, nor am I
particularly interested in the text of the Constitution. I don’t
believe that any document drafted in the 18th century can
guide our behavior today. Because the people in the 18th
century could not foresee any of the problems of the 21st
century.”
He even suggested certain provisions of the Constitution
which are unambiguous, such as age limits for certain
offices, should simply be thrown out by the Supreme Court.
And Posner reportedly stated the oath judges take to uphold
the Constitution is meaningless.
According to Blackman, Posner said: “It’s funny to talk
about the oath judges take to uphold the Constitution since
the Supreme Court has transformed the Constitution in its
decisions. The oath is not really to the original Constitution,
or to the Constitution as amended. It is to some body of law
created by the Supreme Court. You can forget about the
oath. That is not of significance.”
In a more recent interview, Posner also dismissed the
Constitution as an “old document,” that is “not going to tell
you how to deal with new problems.”
7
Despite his role as a judge, Posner is also well known for
freely giving his viewpoints on public policy, national
politics and other subjects. He told the left wing National
Public Radio in 2012 he had become “less conservative
since the Republican Party started becoming goofy.”
Posner has also allowed a polemical tone to creep into his
judicial opinions. In 2014, Posner referred to the state of
Indiana’s efforts to protect traditional marriage as “a
tradition of hate… and savage discrimination.”
Horowitz, author of the upcoming book “Stolen
Sovereignty: How To Stop Unelected Judges From
Transforming America,” warned conservatives not to
dismiss the popularity of Posner’s anti-Constitutional views
among federal judges.
“These are the views of a respected intellectual appointed
by a Republican,” he cautioned. “These are clearly the
views of every Democrat appointee and at least one third of
the GOP appointees to some degree. This is why there is a
permanent imbalance on the courts. You can never win if at
least 50 percent of the judges believe in the exact opposite
principles of the Constitution.”
In the same article in Slate, Posner insulted the late Justice
Antonin Scalia, sneering, “I regard the posthumous encomia
for Scalia as absurd,” dismissing tributes paid by Scalia’s
liberal colleagues including Justice Elena Kagan and
Harvard Law School Dean Martha Minow.
In response to criticism at this smear of the deceased,
Posner didn’t back down.
“My principal criticism was not of Scalia, but of what
seems to me the hypocrisy of those liberals who are praising
Scalia so extravagantly,” Posner told the Wall Street
Journal’s “Law Blog.”
Posner was a frequent critic of Scalia and the late justice’s
philosophy of “originalism,” with Posner authoring a
blistering review of Scalia’s book “Reading Law” in the
leftist magazine The New Republic.
Horowitz argues Americans cannot afford to give any
power to judges like Posner who will ignore what the
Constitution plainly says. “There is really nothing
conservatives can do under the existing system,” Horowitz
claims. “Party politics have voided out the utility of
impeachment. This is why conservatives will never win the
judiciary game and must, instead, take the ball away from
them.”
And Horowitz charges judges like Posner have already
destroyed their own legitimacy by unmooring themselves
from the Constitution and openly proclaiming their
intention to make the law whatever they want.
“They can’t have it both ways,” Horowitz said. “They
can’t fashion themselves as the final arbiter of all social and
political questions, and at the same time, render those
decisions using something other than the Constitution as it
was originally ratified as their guidepost.”
Ultimately, Horowitz says it is up to Republicans in
Congress to take action and end the rule of unelected
judges.
“Congress must begin stripping them of the power to
adjudicate broadly consequential political issues,” he
suggested. “Congress must go back to the original plan that
was adopted at the constitutional convention when the
judiciary would not serve as a council of revision but as a
means to redress individual grievances under the laws duly
passed by the people’s representatives.”
Highest Rated Moment of RNC: When
Trump Said “Corruption Has Reached a
Level Like Never Ever Before in Our
Country - By Jim Hoft - Gateway Pundit
Frank Luntz, American political analyst and pollster, was
on FOX News’ Hannity Thursday night after Republican
Presidential Candidate Donald Trump’s acceptance speech.
Luntz was at the RNC all week with a focus group of
voters. When asked by Hannity about Trump’s speech,
Luntz said, “Sean, I want to show you first the highest
moment of Donald Trump’s speech, because it was the
highest moment of anything in this convention in the
four days and it specifically spoke about corruption and
both Republicans, Independent and Democrats dialed it
through the roof!”
When asked about the speech, one Independent focus
group member said “I came into this #NeverTrump. I’m 39
years old. That’s the best speech by a Presidential
candidate I’ve heard in my entire life!”
Another member who came in to the week backing Bernie
Sanders said, “I am now Donald Trump. I feel patriotism. I
feel completely safe. I felt this love of country. And with a
leader like Donald Trump, ok, who believes in the people,
the chaos in this country will turn to unity!”
Wow!
Clinton VP Pick Tim Kaine’s Islamist Ties
By Ryan Mauro, Breitbart.com
Democratic presidential
nominee Hillary Clinton’s
newly-announced running mate,
Virginia Senator Tim Kaine,
has a history of embracing
Islamists. He appointed a
Hamas supporter to a state immigration commission; spoke
8
at a dinner honoring a Muslim Brotherhood terror suspect;
and received donations from well-known Islamist groups.
In 2007, Kaine was the Governor of Virginia and, of all
people, chose Muslim American Society (MAS) President
Esam Omeish to the state’s Immigration Commission. A
Muslim organization against Islamism criticized the
appointment and reckless lack of vetting.
Federal prosecutors said in a 2008 court filing that MAS
was “founded as the overt arm of the Muslim Brotherhood
in America.” A Chicago Tribune investigation in 2004
confirmed it, as well as MAS’ crafty use of deceptive
semantics to appear moderate. Convicted terrorist and
admitted U.S. Muslim Brotherhood member Abdurrahman
Alamoudi testified in 2012, “Everyone knows that MAS is
the Muslim Brotherhood.”
According to Omeish’s website, he was also President of
the National Muslim Students Association (click there to
read our profile about its Muslim Brotherhood origins) and
served for two years on the national board of the Islamic
Society of North America (ISNA), which the Justice
Department also labeled as a U.S. Muslim Brotherhood
entity and unindicted co-conspirator in a Hamas-financing
trial.
His website says he was Vice President of Dar al-Hijrah
Islamic Center, a radical mosque known for its history of
terror ties including having future Al-Qaeda operative
Anwar Al-Awlaki as its imam and being frequented by two
of the 9/11 hijackers and the perpetrator of the Fort Hood
shooting. Omeish’s website says he remains a board
member.
It says he was chairman of the board of Islamic American
University, which had Hamas financier and Muslim
Brotherhood spiritual leader Yousef Al-Qaradawi as
chairman of its board until at least 2006. Omeish was also
chairman of the board for the Islamic Center of Passaic
County, a New Jersey mosque with heavy terrorist ties and
an imam that the Department of Homeland Security wants
to deport for having links to Hamas.
Omeish directly expressed extremism before Kaine
appointed him. He claimed the Brotherhood is “moderate”
and admitted that he and MAS are influenced by the
Islamist movement. In 2004, Omeish praised the Hamas
spiritual leader as “our beloved Sheikh Ahmed Yassin.”
Videotape from 2000 also surfaced where Omeish pledged
to help Palestinians who understand “the jihad way is the
way to liberate your land” (he denied this was an
endorsement of violence).
When a state delegate wrote a letter to then-Governor
Kaine warning him that the MAS have “questionable
origins,” a Kaine spokesperson said the charge was bigotry.
Kaine obviously failed to do any kind of basic background
checking in Omeish.
Omeish resigned under heavy pressure and Kaine
acknowledged that his statements “concerned” him. But,
apparently, they didn’t concern him enough to actually learn
about the Muslim Brotherhood network in his state and to
take greater precautions in the future.
Speaking at a Dinner Honoring Muslim Brotherhood
Terror Suspect
In September 2011, Kaine spoke at a “Candidates Night”
dinner organized by the New Dominion PAC that presented
a Lifetime Achievement Award for Jamal Barzinji, who the
Global Muslim Brotherhood Watch describes as a
“founding father of the U.S. Muslim Brotherhood.”
He first came on to the FBI’s radar in 1987-1988 when an
informant inside the Brotherhood identified Barzinji and his
associated groups as being part of a network of Brotherhood
fronts to “institute the Islamic Revolution in the United
States.” The source said Barzinji and his colleagues were
“organizing political support which involves influencing
both public opinion in the United States as well as the
United States Government” using “political action front
groups with no traceable ties.”
Barzinji had his home searched as part of a terrorism
investigation in 2003. U.S. Customs Service Senior Special
Agent David Kane said in a sworn affidavit that Barzinji
and the network of entities he led were investigated because
he “is not only closed associated with PIJ [Palestinian
Islamic Jihad]…but also with Hamas.” Counter-terrorism
reporter Patrick Poole broke the story that Barzinji was
nearly prosecuted but the Obama Justice Department
dropped plans for indictment.
Barzinji played a major role in nearly every Brotherhood
front in the U.S. and was vice president of the International
Institute of Islamic Thought, which came under terrorism
investigation also. Barzinji’s group was so close to
Palestinian Islamic Jihad operative Sami Al-Arian that
IIIT’s President considered his group and Al-Arian’s to be
essentially one entity.
The indictment of Al-Arian and his colleagues says that
they “would and did seek to obtain support from
influential individuals, in the United States under the
guise of promoting and protecting Arab rights”
(emphasis mine).
The quotes about Brotherhood operative Barzinji’s
aspirations to use civil rights advocacy as a means to
influence politicians are especially relevant when you
consider that video from the event honoring Barzinji shows
Kaine saying that it was his fourth time at the annual dinner
and thanked his “friends” that organized it for helping him
in his campaign for Lieutenant-Governor and Governor and
asked them to help his Senate campaign.
Islamist Financial Support
Barzinji’s organization, IIIT, donated $10,000 in 2011 to
the New Dominion PAC, the organization that held the
event honoring Barzinji that Kaine spoke at. The Barzinjitied New Dominion PAC donated $43,050 to Kaine’s
gubernatorial campaign between 2003 and 2005. That figure
doesn’t even include other political recipients that assisted
Kaine’s campaign.
The PAC has very strong ties to the Democratic Party in
Virginia, with the Virginia Public Access Project tallying
almost $257,000 in donations. This likely explains why
Barzinji’s grandson served in Governor McAuliffe’s
administration and then became the Obama
9
Administration’s liaison to the Muslim-American
community.
The Middle East Forum’s Islamist Money in Politics
database shows another $4,300 donated to Kaine’s Senate
campaign in 2011-2012 by officials from Islamic Society of
North America (ISNA) and the Council on AmericanIslamic Relations (CAIR). Another $3,500 came from
Hisham Al-Talib, a leader from Barzinji’s IIIT organization.
It’s worth noting that Barzinji’s IIIT donated $3,500 to
Esam Omeish’s 2009 campaign delegate campaign, tying
together the cadre of Muslim Brotherhood-linked leaders
who got into Kaine’s orbit.
Conclusion
Kaine has no excuse. If he has an Internet connection,
then he and his staff should have known about their
backgrounds. They were either extremely careless
(something Kaine would have in common with the top of
the ticket) or knew and looked the other way in the hopes of
earning donations and votes.
Clinton’s choice of Kaine is widely seen as a way of
strengthening her campaign’s national security credentials.
How can you trust a candidate on national security who
appoints a Hamas supporter to their immigration
commission and speaks at a dinner honoring a Muslim
Brotherhood terror suspect?
And how can you trust a candidate who picks such a
person as their “strong on national security” running mate?
Putnam County on the Verge of Bankruptcy
APN STAFF
With the county budget process now into its fourth week
for the 2016-2017 fiscal year, Putnam County is on the
verge of bankruptcy with a $4.5 million deficit. This will
mean that once again the BOCC will have to borrow from
the “rainy day money” or rather the Contingency Fund to
balance the up coming budget.
The BOCC has borrowed from the fund for the last three
years, $3 million each year. This year they are blaming
diminished ad valorem tax returns. But never mind that
thousands of acres of once taxed acreage has been removed
from the tax rolls, either by land purchases by the BOCC or
other land conservation entities have bought acreage to
prevent any possibility of industrial growth that would have
the potential to bring in vast amounts of tax dollars.
In that budget process, the BOCC has voted to decrease
on landfill fees by a measly $9. However, they are
increasing the recycle fee by $3 per household and
increasing the tipping fees. If you should take anything to
one of the transfer centers in Crescent City or Interlachen or
the central landfill north of Palatka, those fees also increase.
Household garbage will increase to $11 per cubic yard
while construction debris from a remodeling project will go
to $14 a yard and yard waste to $10 a yard. There will be a
minimum fee of $5 for any waste.
The millage rate is proposed to decrease this year, but
appraisals are certain to increase, so don’t expect your ad
valorem tax bill in November to be any less than last year,
but rather expect an increase of 7 – 10%, if we are lucky.
All of this extra funds, not to reduce Putnam County’s debt,
but rather to pay for some of those pet projects of four of
the current commissioners and county administrator Rick
Leary. Only Commissioner Larry Harvey has voted against
the senseless spending and increases.
Now the next shoe has dropped and insurance rates for
county employees are going out of sight. So much so, that
Sheriff Jeff Hardy has promised to pay all deputies to attend
the next BOCC meeting on July 26th.
A letter from Major Richard Harrell, Director of Law
Enforcement to all deputies dated July 8th states, “that
Sheriff Jeff hardy is aware of, and extremely unhappy,
about the pending insurance rate increase. Sheriff Hardy is
asking ALL employees to join in solidarity on this matter
by attending an up coming county commissioners meeting
at the same time….. scheduled for July 26, 2016 at 0830
hours.” The letter continues, “Sheriff Hardy understands
that some people are off that day, but he will pay everyone
to be there. Mark your calendars for July 26th, 0830
hours and plan to be in your uniform to show our unity
against this increase.”
From Tim Ho: Recently there were revelations that the
county spent $460,000.00 more on health insurance than
budgeted in FY 2015 yet apparently failed to notify the
Commissioners to wave their magical wands.
I came over information from that exact time frame where
the Schools System was cheering over a new employee
health insurance contract designed to contain costs. As I
recall, Putnam County extended the contract with it's twenty
+ year vendor (Ben Bates) without competitive bidding.
HEALTH INSURANCE FUND for County Employees
Has Been "FULLY "UTILIZED" said Rick Leary on July
12. BOCC approved rate hike of up to 300% with Ben
Bates Insurance. And the county has nothing left in the
insurance fund to subsidize health care for employees. Now
it’s all on the employees. Unaffordable health care indeed.
County Commissioners Violate State Statutes
Several members of the current Board of County
Commissioners have and are violating Florida State Statutes
110.223(b) that forbids elected officers from campaigning
for or against a candidate or an issue that will appear on our
ballots.
At the last BOCC meeting county chairman Chip Laibl
had to resign from the Canvassing Board, those select
citizens that count our votes on election night and get to
decide whether some ballots cast are proper or improper.
Commissioner Laibl had been helping in the campaigns of
both Walt Pellicer and Bill Pickens who are running for
seats in Districts 5 and 1 respectively, a violation of the
above statute! Laibl asked Commissioner Nancy Harris to
take his place on the Canvassing Board, at which point Ms.
Harris indicated that she too had been helping in Bill
Pickens’ campaign. As a matter of fact, Commissioner
Harris a Democrat has donated to Bill Pickens’ campaign, a
Republican and also a violation. Isn’t that interesting?
10
If you believe that anything would change with the
election of Bill Pickens, I have some land for sale in
Payne’s Prairie Florida.
Of course, if we had a constitutional Sheriff, these birds
would be in handcuffs for these violations, but we don’t.
And don’t expect any of the run of Democratic sheriff’s
candidates to act according to the law in the future,
especially the anointed one Gator DeLoach. I doubt that
many of the Republican sheriff’s candidates would act in
this circumstance, but there is one. Tom Williams has told
me personally, that if he is elected Sheriff, the illegal
activities of the BOCC would come to an end!
So Listen up Putnam County Voters
With the primary elections for state and local elections
coming up on August 30th, and early voting beginning on
August 17th.
After the employee insurance disaster and the budget
disaster revelations, the county commissioner incumbents
who presided over this mess must be replaced for the
survival of our county. The primary is crucial to getting
some new candidates on the board and removing failing
incumbents. Only Commissioner Larry Harvey voted
against the budget and he is often the lone voice of reason
against the other 4 commissioners. Larry Harvey cannot do
this alone: it takes two other commissioners standing with
him to change anything. All voter hands on deck for the
primary election. Here's the nitty gritty to consider...
3 commissioner seats are up for grabs.
District One will have a Republican Primary
Nancy Harris (D) is retiring after 20 years on the board.
Yes, she's had plenty of time to help drive the train off the
track. Do your homework and you will find that both
incumbents Nancy Harris and Chip Laibl (D) (16 years on
the board) are both campaigning for and contributing
campaign funds to Bill Pickens. Usually supporting
someone means they think like you doesn't it? Additionally
using one's position to influence an election or issue is in
violation of FL statute 110.223(b)....nothing new to these
commissioners as we have reported previously.
Primary election for District 1:
Chose Robert Bley over Bill Pickens on the Republican
ticket. The winner will face Democrat Harry L Banks in the
general election. You can find out more about Robert Bley
on his Facebook Page "Robert Bley for Commissioner"
There is also a phone number if you would like to speak w
Robert. (See page 12 for questionnaire answers)
No in Primary District 3:
There are three candidates all from different (or no)
parties. You have a choice in the general election of Tommy
Stillwell (R) and Douglas Hayes (NPA) running against
incumbent Karl Flagg (D).
Only a Democrat Primary in District 5:
Defeat incumbent Walt Pellicer (D) in the primary by
choosing Mary Kay Engleking (D). The winner will face
Buddy Goddard (R) in the general election. That leaves NO
incumbent in the General election for district 5 if Walt
Pellicer is removed in the primary.
New Registration & Party Change Deadline August 1,
2016 to vote in the PRIMARY.
PLEASE DO YOUR HOMEWORK to find the most
capable candidate to get Putnam out of its financial mess.
Who has a real written platform for how to get the county
out of this mess? Who has actually studied county records
and proceedings to get at the real truth? Voting for anyone
simply because you've heard the name, they're your
neighbor, they belong to your club etc., rather than on the
merits of having the knowledge and a plan to fix our
problems is to send Putnam County down the financial
drain.
In Florida, transparency is not up to the
whim or grace of public officials.
Instead, it is an enforceable right.
— Attorney General Pam Bondi
That is unless you happen to live in Putnam County……..
American Patriot News
Op-Ed
Things to Make YOU Think
Founders' Talk With God
George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, to God:
"Wow, they've really blown it down there!"
God: "Well, you two did the best you could. I'm going
to let them wander in the desert for forty years, maybe
longer."
GW and TJ: "Who will be their leader in the desert?"
God: "They have no one worthy of being called leader,
so this will take a great while."
GW and TJ: "Will America ever be America again?"
God: "All I will tell you is that your America is a long,
long way from Me, And from home."
TO PROTECT, SERVE, UPHOLD AND
DEFEND – from CSPOA.org
Throughout America, Law
Enforcement agencies have a
slogan that defines the primary
function the agency. Essentially, it
is the goal and mission of that
agency, intended to communicate to
the public the intent of each officer
or official charged with upholding such slogan.
Nevertheless, how many people stop to think what this
slogan actually means?
11
Across the nation we once saw, from patches to patrol
cars, the slogan “To Protect and Serve,” and in rare cases
some would note “To Uphold and Defend”. These slogans
hold a significant importance to the United States of
America. Though Interpretation of these slogans is
somewhat of a debate between the People and Government.
What are the nation’s peace officers protecting and
serving? What are they upholding and defending? Whether
it be a peace officer, sheriff, legislator, military member,
public official or government employee; a consistency lies
in the fiduciary duties of our Government officials. In the
spirit of party lines, whether Republican, Democrat or third
party, a consistency exists that all are charged to “Uphold,
Defend, Serve and Protect” the constitutional rights of the
people.
The Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers
Association encompasses this obligation of government
which is found in the Declaration of Independence,
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are
created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with
certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life,
Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness; That to secure these
rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving
their just powers from the consent of the governed.“
Simply put, it is not the government that institutes
government. Government, of right, is instituted solely by
the people, that all political power is VESTED in and
derived from the people. All government officials are
charged, by the people, to secure the essential rights of Life,
Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. Pursuit of happiness
is the right of a citizen to pursue an occupation – Butchers
Union Co. v. Crescent City Co. 111. U.S. 746, 757. Point
being that regardless of the rank of government, the
fiduciary duties of all Government begins at lowest level.
Most Americans think that federal authority is ever most
powerful and can usurp any governing entity below it.
Though somewhat logical, that is simply a fallacy when one
would consult the constitution. It is not the job of the federal
government to interpose between you and the local law, it is
your local government that will interpose. Is it the duty of
the federal government to enforce State or County law?
When we view the power structure of government in
America, we find that the foundation and strength of
government begins at the local level and the Federal
government is very limited in its powers.
Early America was not forged by appealing to a
centralized power figure, but was forged by an idea, local in
nature, which set a brush fire of freedom in the minds of
men. Considering there is nothing new under the sun; the
founders had a vast comprehension as to the governments of
old. Recognizing the faults pertaining to those systems, they
structured one Divine in form, which would succeed the
current forms of government in which many were
accustomed to around the world.
In the many stages of British law that governed the early
colonies, one thing that “stuck” was the Reeve of the Shire
or the Shire Reeve, known today as the Sheriff. The Sheriff
has a pedigree so long it is debatable as to the exact date the
office was founded in 9th century England. Making its way
to America, the Sheriff held its office as the highest law
enforcement officer within that county jurisdiction. This is
very important considering that most all peace officers are
“sworn officers”, who take oaths to support the State and
U.S. Constitutions. The same oath being sworn by the
sheriff when constitutionally elected to office is significant
in the fact that he or she is the first line of defense in
preserving the constitutional rights of a citizen.
When we look at the Office of the Sheriff, combined with
the historical powers held by that office; the sheriff stands
as the upholder, defender, protector and servant to the
liberties of the people within the county.
In addition to upholding the law, the sheriff is also
charged with upholding the supreme law, the Constitution.
The law enforcement powers held by the sheriff supersede
those of any agent, officer, elected official or employee
from any level of government when in the jurisdiction of the
county. This power even supersedes the powers of the
President. Furthermore, it is this preponderant responsibility
that grants a Sheriff the Constitutional authority to check
and balance all levels of government within the jurisdiction
of the County.
The Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers
Association conjoins the People with Law Enforcement,
educating both in an effort to restore America peacefully for
our future posterity.
This week Brandon Oliver of the Palatka Daily News sent
questionnaires to all of the candidates running for a seat on
the Putnam Co. Commission (numbers added).
Here is the response from Robert Bley;
COUNTY COMMISSION DISTRICT 1
Budget:
1. What are your opinions of how the budget process has
been handled for the upcoming fiscal year?
Only 2 meetings are held and there is no running
tabulation by department of current spending/overspending
until after an audit is published. This has caused us to be
$4.57 million over-budget for 2015 without commissioners
or the public knowing about it until the next fiscal years is
almost done. This must change! Currently we are operating
out of reserves which should require monthly updates to a
budget committee and commissioners so as not to
overspend any more. Being $4.57 million over-budget for
2015 is unacceptable and having to wait till the next fiscal
year is almost over to find out is criminal.
Given the news about the dwindling general fund and
insurance reserves, what would you suggest to build those
reserves to be securely in the black?
Spend less! Initiate essential spending only moratorium. If
it is not required to keep the County functioning it can’t be
allowed until reserves can be rebuilt.
2. What would you cut from the budget to ensure Putnam
County residents have basic services and a balanced
budget?
12
No more new vehicles every year, no pay raise for
administrator and no non-essential projects/agreements. Too
many contracts have been set up without going out for bid.
Some contracts have been kept for 20 years without seeking
a competitive bid which would lower our cost.
Aside from the current Budget Review Committee, county
commissioners and department heads, who, if anyone, else
should have input in the budget review meetings? The
Public needs to have an advisory role like what the county
had set up for BPP Committee and then refused to allow.
3. How would you suggest the county solve its insurance
crisis and lower costs for county employees who are facing
rate hikes?
Put it out for bid and let an employee committee choose
the right plans. Any time you put out a RFQ you cause
competition and that reduces rates. We have not done so in
20 years for insurance. The school just did this and the
employees selected the best option for them. We should not
be bullied or threatened by an insurance agent to continue to
pay for a bloated plan that makes the Broker more money at
the expense of our struggling employees who have not seen
a pay increase in a decade.
Economic Development:
4. How can Putnam County increase its economic
development and lure businesses and resident to the county?
Direct and indirect incentives to qualifying industry with
direct marketing. Right now we depend on our local
chamber of commerce to do our marketing. That has never
worked and that private organization refuses to share
information with the county or the Public about what they
are doing for the nearly quarter million dollars per year they
receive. That job can be done by staff and as a
Commissioner I would volunteer to head up that effort
utilizing volunteers from the community and staff.
5. Lack of infrastructure like water, sewer and Internet
access are often cited as reasons businesses don’t want to
open in the county.
6. How would you secure funding to get these amenities to
more areas in the county to attract businesses?
What are the benefits/drawbacks of the wastewater system
in East Palatka? Why do you feel that way?
Increasing industry will improve income from taxes
allowing more infrastructure to be put in place. We will also
apply for larger grants from the State when available.
Industry pays more than the service industry and their taxes
are higher. Currently the schools are getting linked in to the
state fiber optic network and when that is complete we will
be able to piggy back off that network for qualifying
industry as part of a statewide effort to encourage industry
growth here.
7. How important are schools, health care services, fitness
and recreational activities in attracting businesses and
residents to the county?
Very. We must finish parks that were purchased to give
more access to waterways for boaters. The schools will be
advancing to provide more technical training and hopefully
we will be able to attract industry that will utilize these
skills. We must be vigilant in keeping Putnam beautiful so
residents take pride in their home and visitors return.
8. How would you work with the Chamber of Commerce
and/or other business entities to make strides toward
economic development?
(I understand) 75% of businesses do not belong to the
chamber of commerce so I would meet with the ones who
don’t to see why. We should not subsidize any business that
produces no benefit to the county. A chamber is supposed to
make its money from members of the business community
so if 75% of businesses refuse to join it says a lot about
their business model and motivation.
9. What can be done to boost economic growth specifically
in District 1?
The four lane completion on hwy 17 should be complete
to Volusia County line within the next 6 years. When it is
complete industry will be able to move into that area
without causing too many traffic problems to residents.
Obviously crumbling and poor quality roads plague this
district as they do all others. When finances are available
we will improve these areas, but in order to do that we must
accept industry and the inconvenience it may create for the
public. I think as long as growth is controlled using a
formula of housing to jobs ratio we can retain our small
town feel and afford a lot of the infrastructure we need.
Animal Control:
10. Given the high-profile cases last year that put strain on
an already strained budget, how do you think Animal
Control has functioned since this time last year?
As best they can with what they have to work with.
11. What problem areas do you see with the division? How
would you improve these problems?
They require a new facility away from the landfill. The
department should be independent and accountable to
Commissioners with their own budget. A partnership makes
sense if it allows us to get more animals adopted to good
families.
Almost 20 dogs from Animal Control found new homes
somewhat easily at a Jacksonville adoption event. What are
your opinions on letting Animal Control qualify to attend
the quarterly event alone rather than through the grace of
other groups’ charity? Absolutely necessary. This is the first
time we ever participated even though we have been invited
in the past. We need to continue to participate in all of these
events in the future.
12. What can be done to increase the number of adoptions
from the local facility so the county can reach and maintain
a no-kill status?
Improve public relations. We need to partner with
Veterinary students at U.F. or elsewhere to provide
neutering and other emergency medical attention for
incoming animals. We can also utilize prisoners more by
offering training and possible employment with the
department when they have served their time.
13
This picture was taken outside the Republican Convention
in Cleveland. Which will you choose; a land where
everything is FREE or the Land of the Brave and the Home
of the Free?
14
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