News & Weekly Comment...

GOP Dates in History

January 15, 1901 -- Republican Booker T. Washington protests the Alabama Democratic Party’s refusal to permit voting by African-Americans

February 19, 1976 -- President Gerald Ford formally rescinds President Franklin Roosevelt's notorious Executive Order authorizing internment of over 120,000 Japanese-Americans during WWII

April 20, 1871: The GOP Congress adopted the Ku Klux Klan Act, banning that pro-Democrat domestic terrorist group

June 24, 1940 -- Republican Party platform calls for racial integration of the armed forces; for the balance of his terms in office, FDR fails to order it

September 9, 1957 -- President Dwight Eisenhower signs the Republican Party's 1957 Civil Rights Act

November 7, 1916 -- Jeannette Rankin, Republican from Montana, becomes first woman elected to U.S. House of Representatives

(from The Republican Freedom Calendar 2005)

In the Spotlight: Frederick Douglass, Republican

February 14, 2010

Grand Old Partisan salutes Frederick Douglass, born this day in 1817. One facet of the great man's life that deserves more emphasis is Frederick Douglass, Republican.

His political career began 1860, when he supported Abraham Lincoln for the presidency. Three years later, he was appointed by the Republican governor of Massachusetts to recruit African-American soldiers for the 54th and 55th Massachusetts regiments during the Civil War. His sons Lewis and Frederick Douglass Jr. participated in the celebrated attack on Ft. Wagner portrayed in the movie Glory.

Douglass was a key advisor to President Lincoln. At his second inaugural ball, the war virtually over, Lincoln was confident enough to go public about his friendship with a black man. Hearing that Douglass was being denied entry, the President had him shown in, greeting him with "Here comes my friend Douglass and shaking his hand." Such a gesture was unprecedented and could scarcely have been thought possible just a few years before. As token of their friendship, Mary Lincoln later presented Doulgass with Lincoln's walking stick.

President Grant appointed Douglass an envoy to the Dominican Republic. President Hayes appointed him Marshall of the District of Columbia. During the Garfield and Arthur administrations, Douglass served as Recorder of Deeds of the District of Columbia. He was ambassador to Haiti during the Benjamin Harrison administration. Many prominent Republicans, including Susan B. Anthony, attended his funeral.

"I am a Republican, a black, dyed-in-the-wool Republican, and I never intend to belong to any other party than the party of freedom and progress." Frederick Douglass.

From http://grandoldpartisan.com/ - check out the site for more historical facts.

Political cartoon from the Chicago Tribune 1934

This cartoon from 1934 is scary; the press ridiculing FDR's recovery programs. The BIG difference between FDR and today, is FDR made people WORK for assistance. And, remember folks: "It wasn't FDR's socialism and spending that ended the depression. It was WW II.
(click on image for larger view):

American Minute with Bill Federer

September 4, 2009

Rome fell SEPTEMBER 4, 476AD.

In the centuries preceding, Rome was overrun with illegal immigrants: Visigoths, Franks, Anglos, Saxons, Ostrogoths, Burgundians, Lombards and Vandals.

They first assimilated, many working as servants, but then came so fast they did not learn the Latin language.

Militarily superior Roman Legions marched rapidly on advanced roads but were strained fighting conflicts worldwide.

Rome had a trade deficit, having outsourced its grain production to North Africa, and when the Vandals captured that area, Rome did not have the resources to retaliate.

Attila the Hun committed terrorist attacks.

Rome was on welfare with citizens given free bread.

One Roman commented:

"Those who live at the expense of the public funds are more numerous than those who provide them."

Tax collectors were "more terrible than the enemy."

Rome was in debt with huge government bureaucracies.

A history of court favoritism, infidelity, exposure of unwanted infants, perverted bathhouses, sexual immorality, as seen in Pompei's ruins, and violent entertainment by gladiators in the Coliseum, led 5th-Century historian Salvian to write:

"O Roman people be ashamed...Let nobody think otherwise, the vices of our bad lives have alone conquered us."

Click here for more Bill Federer Commentaries

INITIATIVES & REFERENDUMS IN THE WORKS

Protect Marriage Washington PAC Organizes to Gather
Signatures for Referendum 71

The mission of the new PAC is to gather the 120,577 required signatures for Referendum 71 by July 25, 2009.

Those who would like to sign the referendum and/or help gather signatures for the campaign are encouraged to e-mail their contact information to Larry Stickney at info@valuesaction.org.

Those who would like to donate directly to the Referendum 71 signature gathering campaign can now do so by mailing a check to:

Protect Marriage Washington
PO Box 501
Arlington, WA 98223

Lower Property Taxes Init. 1033

Initiative 1033 would limit the growth of state, county and city general fund revenue to the annual rate of inflation. Voters could approve revenue exemptions, but otherwise any money exceeding the exemption would go toward reduced property tax collections the following year.

Citizen activist Tim Eyman is organizing the Initiative 1033 which would limit the growth of state, county and city general fund revenue to the annual rate of inflation. Voters could approve revenue exemptions, but otherwise any money exceeding the exemption would go toward reduced property tax collections the following year. The initiative doesn’t reduce the size of government but it ensures that government grows at an affordable, sustainable, voter-controlled rate, and dedicates excess revenue toward lowering the state’s property tax burden.

Taxpayers would get a break, and the government would have to reprioritize its goals to spend what it has.

“They have to find ways to spend money more effectively,” said Eyman. “We’re not interested in business as usual but rather with less money.”

Sponsors have until early July to gather approximately 300,000 valid signatures to place the measure on the November 2009 ballot.

In the News...

GOPUSA - Current News from Washington State

Grassroots Conservative Majority - Returning the Republican Party back to fiscal and moral responsibility

Real Clear Politics - Check out the latest polls on all candidates, and follow the issues on the campaign trail.

On The Issues - Every Political Leader on Every Issue

Keep tabs on the legislature with www.washingtonvotes.org

About Party Caucuses: Download an excellent brochure about the caucus process - click here.