THE QUILL. Benzie County Republicans. always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action.

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1 THE QUILL Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action. Benjamin Disraeli County Commissioners Almira Township: Bob Roelofs Almira/Lake/Platte Townships: Art Jeannot Frankfort/CrystalLake Township: Roger Griner Benzonia: Coury Carland Homestead: Frank Walterhouse Colfax/Inland Township: Evan Warsecke Blaine/Gilmore/Joyfield/ Weldon Gary Sauer Benzie County Republicans NATIONAL NEWS: Memorial Day 2017 To every Gold Star family, God is with you, and your loved ones are with him, Trump said. They died in wars so that we could live in peace. Every time you see the sun rise over this blessed land, please know your brave sons and daughters pushed away the night and delivered for us all that great and glorious dawn. President Donald J. Trump I wonder just how many people saw this Memorial Day Tribute at Arlington National Cemetery? I had to see it in my Conservative blogs on my because the mainstream media decided this was just unimportant and did not fit their narrative. It s time to put the mainstream media in their place when a female comedienne can make a video showing the severed head of our President, gives a fake mea culpa, and expects to get away with it because she knows the media will have her back and liberal judges will likely not act against her. Rush Limbaugh in his May 2017 LIMBAUGH LETTER postulates my new theorem that I ve been discussing on the air, this lust to regain dominance has caused the media to take over the lead from the Democrat Party itself. In the last 30 1

2 Republics are brought to their ends by luxury; monarchies by poverty. Montesquieu Committee Officers Monika Fiebing County Chair Gary Sauer Vice Chair Donna Clarke - Treasurer dclarke@chartermi.net Jan Mick - Secretary micktjh@gmail.com Editor Marian Mayer cmmayer8@gmail.com Gallagher Thompsonville Michigan State Rep Curt Vanderwall CurtVanderwall@house.mi.gov Darwin Booher- State Senator SenDBooher@senate.michigan.gov Washington Congressman Jack Bergman RepJackBergman@mail.house.gov years, the media has weaponized to marginalize, intimidate, impugn anyone who doesn t agree with liberalism. So the media is no longer an arm of the Democrat Party; the Democrat Party is now an arm of the media. I have deliberately chosen to view only limited amounts of news on television because most of it is not fact- based but just rumor and innuendo. Every aspect of our lives now is being dominated by those who believe in ABSOLUTES. They have decided to propagandize every aspect of our lives. President Trump made his first overseas foray into foreign affairs. I applaud his brisk, brutal, and honest approach to these countries who have had constant stroking and pampering by the past administration. Honesty is far more important and Americans should not be footing the bill for every foolish wish of diplomats. All of his triumphs were down played by the media. Today, President Trump mistyped a word in his daily tweet covefefe for coverage. Being only a moderately competent typist I wholly understand, but the mainstream media has gone bananas over this one word. Charlie and I have decided that covefefe is the new fubar. Every member of the military takes an oath to protect this country from all enemies foreign and domestic. Our greatest challenge before us is to face the enemy within, who is totally domestic, who is totally dedicated to a philosophy or ideology anthem to our Constitution, who is so sure of their objectives that no one can stand in their way and no action is beyond them. The time for confrontation is now; spread the truth; oppose the ridiculous restrictions on freedom of speech and disparage political correctness; and most of all stand up and stand firm for a limited government. 2

3 NATIONAL NEWS Our national security is under direct threat [has been reported by Jay Sekelow of Judicial Watch.] Yesterday, the center of the shadow government storm - former Obama holdover acting Attorney General Sally Yates - was called to account before Congress. She attempted to malign and manipulate the truth, refusing to answer key questions under oath, but the facts remain. Sally Yates was an operative of the shadow government. She refused to enforce the law as an Obama holdover. Her claims became deceptive. The result: a failed political takedown of President Trump. But the ramifications of the shadow government s actions are far worse: dangerous to our national security, detrimental to our Republic, and disastrous to the rule of law. This is only one instance of the disastrous leaking taking place in D.C. These leakers are dishonorable, dishonest and treasonous individuals. Just look at what happened after the Manchester, England, terrorist attack and the leaking of details to an American newspaper. Prime Minister May had a right to be upset. Taking back the Government There are several pieces of legislation, Senator Mike Lee (Utah) said, that could help address executive overreach. (DAILY SIGNAL March 6, 2017} 1.) REINS Act The REINS Act, which has passed the House but has yet to pass the Senate, would require both congressional and presidential approval of major rules, which have an economic impact of $100 million or more, Rep. Doug Collins, R-Ga., wrote in a recent op-ed. Under this law, the specialized know-how within each agency would still be allowed to contribute to the regulatory process, Lee said. But ultimately, Congress would be responsible for every major regulation that went into effect. This would make it easier for American voters to know who to blame for bad policies. As things currently stand, lawmakers can have it both ways. 2.) Separation of Powers Restoration Act The second piece of legislation Lee suggested to help restore congressional authority is the Separation of Powers Restoration Act, which has passed the House in In a 2016 op-ed in The Hill, Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, warned that The practice of administrative agencies engaging in de facto lawmaking was exacerbated by a 1984 Supreme Court decision, [Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council], which determined that courts must defer to agencies interpretation of ambiguous laws as long as their interpretation is deemed reasonable. 3

4 The Separation of Powers Restoration Act, which Ratcliffe has introduced in the House again this year, would [reverse] the 1984 Supreme Court decision that established the Chevron doctrine, placing the power to determine ambiguous laws back into the hands of the judiciary. The bill would end the dysfunctional status quo that tilts the legal playing field in favor of bureaucrats who pass the legislation to [place] federal law in the hands of legislators and the power to write and judges power to interpret just as the Constitution, Lee said. 3.) Agency Accountability Act The third piece of legislation, the Agency Accountability Act, will do exactly what its name implies, Lee said, and will hold agencies accountable. The act, which has been introduced in the House, would make federal agencies accountable by directing most fines, fees, and unappropriated proceeds to the Treasury instead of letting federal agencies keep the money and then spend it as they see fit, the Utah senator said. Right now agencies have the ability to use funds received through fines, fees, and proceeds from legal settlements without going through the formal appropriations process, thus avoiding congressional oversight, according to a report from The Heritage Foundation s Justin Bogie, a senior policy analyst in fiscal affairs. If signed into law, this legislation would help restore Congress role in overseeing how money is spent, Lee said. You see the Constitution has this pesky little provision that Congress has the power and the responsibility to direct spending of federal dollars. The power of the purse is one of Congress most potent tools for controlling bureaucracies, Lee said. While Lee said that many Americans feel like they have lost control of their government, legislation like the Agency Accountability Act would be a remedy. If we can pass all three bills, it would constitute a fundamental, generational shift of power in the country, a shift of power back to the people. Free Speech [ Kimberley Strassel wrote an article that was printed in Imprimis in April ] My main point today is that we ve experienced over the past eight years a profound shift in our political culture What makes this shift notable is that unlike most changes in politics, you can trace it back to one day: January 21, 2010, the day the Supreme Court issued its Citizens United ruling and restored free speech rights to millions of Americans. Over the decades, the Left had found it harder and harder to win policy arguments, and had come to rely more and more on these laws to muzzle political opponents. And here was the Supreme Court knocking 4

5 back those laws, reopening the floodgates for non-profits and corporations to speak freely again in the public arena. In the Left s view, the ruling couldn t have come at a worse time. Remember the political environment in Democrats were experiencing an enormous backlash against the policies and agenda of the Obama administration. There were revolts over auto bailouts, stimulus spending, and Obamacare. The Tea Party movement was in full swing and vowing to use the midterm elections to effect dramatic change. Democrats feared an electoral tidal wave would sweep them out of Congress. In the weeks following the Citizens United ruling, the Left settled on a new strategy. If it could no longer use speech laws against its opponents, it would do the next best thing it would threaten, harass, and intimidate its opponents out of participation. It would send a message: conservatives choosing to exercise their constitutional rights will pay a political and personal price. Former IRS official Lois Lerner was well aware of Democratic demands that the agency go after conservative Tea Party and non-profit groups. Senate Democrats and left-wing interest groups had been sending letters to the agency for months, demanding it go after the very groups it ultimately went after. And Ms. Lerner had her own biases we know this from her recoverable s that put her politically and substantively in the anti-free speech camp. The result is that the IRS deliberately put some 400 conservative organizations, representing tens of thousands of Americans, on political ice for the 2010 and 2012 elections. Another intimidation tactic is for prosecutors to abuse their awesome powers in order to hound and frighten political opponents. Recently we have seen this tactic in the joint action of 17 state attorneys general, who launched a probe into Exxon and some 100 different groups that have worked with Exxon over the years. The implicit prosecutorial threat: get on board with our climate change agenda or we might bring racketeering charges against you. What is to be done? For starters, we need to be aware that this is happening, and that it is not random. The intimidation game is very real. It is the work of left-wing groups and politicians, it is coordinated, and it is well-honed. Many of the targets of intimidation who I interviewed for my recent book weren t aware of what was happening to them, and that allowed the intimidation to go on for too long. Awareness is key. [Look what happened to O Reilly of FOX.] We need to think hard about ways to limit the powers of the administrative state, to stop rogue agents at the IRS and other agencies from trampling on free speech rights. We can make great progress simply by cutting the size of federal and state bureaucracies. But beyond that, we need to conduct systematic reviews of agency powers and strip from unaccountable bureaucracies any discretion over the political activities of Americans. The IRS should be doing what it was created to do making sure taxpayers fill out their tax forms. We need to push corporations to grow backbones and to defend more aggressively their free speech interests rather than leaving that defense to others. 5

6 We need to overhaul our disclosure laws, and once again put the onus of disclosure on government rather than citizens. At the moment, every American who donates $200 or more to a federal politician goes into a database. Without meaning to sound cynical, no politician in Washington is capable of being bought off for a mere $200. We need to raise that donation threshold. And we need to think hard about whether there is good reason to force disclosure of any donations to ballot initiatives or to the production and broadcast of issue ads ads designed to educate the public rather than to promote or oppose candidates. Most important, we need to call out intimidation in any form and manner we see it and do so instantly. Bullies don t like to be exposed. They d rather practice their ugliness in the dark. And one lesson that emerged from all my interviews on this topic is that speaking out works. Those who rolled over merely set themselves up for future attacks. Those who called out the intimidators maintained their rights and won the day. Finally, conservatives need to tamp down any impulse to practice such intimidation themselves. Our country is best when it is engaging in vigorous debate. The Framers of the Constitution envisioned a multiplicity of interests that would argue their way to a common good. We succeed with more voices, not fewer, and we should have enough confidence in our arguments to hear out our opponents. STATE NEWS Senate Bill 349: Restrict campus free speech restrictions Introduced by Sen. Patrick Colbeck (R) on May 2, 2017 To prohibit state colleges and universities from restricting expressive conduct in public area unless the restriction serves a compelling government interest, is the least restrictive means for doing so, leaves open ample opportunities for expressive conduct and allows for spontaneous assembly and distribution of literature. Individuals aggrieved by violations could sue for up to $1,000. Official Text and Analysis. Senate Bill 350: Require campus free speech and due process protections with sanctions Introduced by Sen. Patrick Colbeck (R) on May 2, 2017 To direct state universities, and require community colleges, to adopt policies that ensure the fullest degree of intellectual freedom and free expression, and which include an assertion that it is not the school's proper role to shield individuals from speech protected by the First Amendment, without exception, even if they find the ideas and opinions expressed unwelcome, disagreeable, or even deeply offensive. Schools would also have to assert that students and faculty are permitted to assemble and engage in spontaneous expressive activity as long as the activity is not unlawful and does not materially and substantially disrupt the functioning of the institution, and that protests 6

7 and demonstrations that infringe upon the rights of others to engage in or listen to expressive activity are not permitted. Sanctions would have to include suspensions and expulsion. Additionally, the institutions would have to ensure that in a serious expressive conduct - related disciplinary case against a student, the accused would be given due process rights including confronting the accuser, calling witnesses, active counsel, and more. The bill defines several classes of behavior including true threats and quid pro quo sexual harassment where these protections would not apply. Official Text and Analysis. Senate Bill 122: Allow dogs in outdoor cafés Reported in the Senate on May 23, 2017 With the recommendation that the bill pass. Senate Bill 245: Repeal switchblade ban Reported in the House on May 23, 2017 Without amendment and with the recommendation that the bill pass. Senate Bill 249: Ban government, school district discrimination against charter schools Passed 25 to 13 in the Senate on May 23, 2017 To prohibit a school district or local government from refusing to sell property to a charter or private school, or taking other actions designed to keep these potential conventional public school competitors from using property for a lawful educational purpose. Prohibited actions could also include imposing deed or zoning restrictions. A number of local governments and conventional school districts have adopted such restrictions in the past. A PLEA FOR AMERICA On Monday, May 1, :28 AM, Larry Coots <lcoots6801@earthlink.net> wrote: I do not understand how living in a country with its democracy established over 200 years ago, and for the first time in history, suddenly we have one of our former presidents set up a group called "Organizing for Action", (OFA) 30,000 strong working to disrupt everything that our current president is trying to do. This goes against our Democracy, it is an operation that will destroy our way of governing. It goes against our Constitution, our laws, and the 7

8 process established over 200 years ago. If this is allowed to proceed then we will be living in chaos very much like third world countries are run. What good is it to have an established government if it is not going to be respected and allowed to follow our laws? If this does not scare you, then we are in worse trouble than you know. It is explained below. Do your part, read it and at least pass this on so others will know what we are up against. We are losing our country and we are so compliant. We are becoming a "PERFECT TARGET" for our enemy! Article from the New York Post... If you had an army some 30,000 strong and a court system stacked over the decades with judges who would allow you to break the laws, how much damage could you do to a country? We are about to find out in America. The ex-president said he was going to stay involved through community organizing and speak out on the issues and that appears to be one post-administration promise he intends to keep. He has moved many of his administration's top dogs over to an organization called Organizing for Action (OFA). OFA is behind the strategic and tactical implementation of the resistance we are seeing across America, and politically active courts are providing the leverage for this revolution. OFA is dedicated to organizing communities for "progressive" change. Issues are gun control, socialist healthcare, abortion, sexual equality, climate change, and of course, immigration reform. OFA members were propped up by the ex-president's message from the shadows: "Organizing is the building block of everything great we've accomplished. Organizers around the country are fighting for change in their communities-and OFA is one of the groups on the front lines...commit to this work in 2016 and beyond." OFA's website says it obtained its "digital" assets from the ex-president's re-election effort and that he inspired the movement. In short, it's the shadow government organization aimed at resisting and tearing down the Constitutional Republic. AMERICA Paul Sperry, writing for the New York Post, says OFA will fight President Donald Trump at every turn of his presidency and the ex-president "will command them from a bunker less than two miles from the White House." Sperry writes that the ex-president is setting up a shadow government to sabotage the incoming administration through a network of nonprofits led by OFA, which is growing its war chest (more than $40 million) and has some 250 offices nationwide. OFA IRS filings, according to Sperry, indicate OFA has 32,525 volunteers nationwide. The ex-president and his wife will oversee the operation from their home/ office near the White House. 8

9 Think about how this works, for example: Trump issues an immigration executive order; OFA signals for protests and statements from pro-immigrant groups; ACLU lawyers file lawsuits in jurisdictions where activist judges obstruct the laws; volunteers are called to protest at airports and Congressional town hall meetings; the leftist media springs to action; the twitter sphere lights up with social media; violence follows- all emanating from the ex-president's signal that he is heartened by the protests. If Barack Obama did not do enough to destroy this country in the 8 years he was in office, it appears his future plans are to destroy the foundation on which this country has operated on for the last 241 years. wiki/organizing_for_action THE ENEMY IS WITHIN OUR BORDERS; RECOGNIZE AND DENOUNCE THEM. Local News LINCOLN DAY DINNER Crystal Mountain, June 3, 2017 Dinner at 6:45 Cost $45 a ticket Social hour and silent auction: 6:00 pm Speaker: Congressman Jack Bergman Executive Committee Monthly meeting went well. It was a full house. Speaker was Shane Trejo from the 10th Amendment Center. ( Next meeting June 20, 2017 Tuesday 6:30 Benzonia Township Hall. 9