08 Sunday Jan 2012
Posted in Politics, Republican Party
I’d like to see Newt Gingrich take on foreign leaders such as Putin, others.
Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich participated in the New Hampshire ABC/Yahoo! debate. He discusses the economy, jobs, Middle East, the sacrament of marriage, an American energy plan, and providing for our Veterans.
Learn more at http://www.newt.org
Originally broadcast by ABC on January 7, 2011
05 Saturday Nov 2011
Posted in Politics, Republican Party
Despite his past, I’m beginning to consider former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich more seriously. Here’s what Keith Fournier had to say about him recently. (The entire article can be found on Newt’s website; see link below.)
———————————
Quoted from Catholic Online, by Keith Fournier
Candidate Newt Gingrich: Competent, Consistent, Calm, Convincing and Catholic
I have followed the political career of former Speaker of the House of Representatives Newt Gingrich for a long time. There are few Americans unaware of his role as the architect and “idea man” behind the historic “Contract with America”.
His leadership helped to bring the Republicans to victory in the House of Representatives in 1994. As the Speaker of the House he provided leadership which led to a balanced budget amendment and a period of fiscal stability. He was named an “exceptional leader” by Time Magazine in 1995 for this contribution.
Speaker Gingrich is also an accomplished scholar. He is a history Professor with an earned Doctorate. He is a very intelligent man with a grasp of public policy issues like few others in public service. Over the years I have followed his career, I have been impressed with his willingness to propose fresh solutions for ever challenging public needs.
For example, his proposals in the early 2,000’s for person, family and free market based health care reforms, are just now being given the due consideration they deserve. His genuine concern for those who are in need of medical care is one of the areas where he has not received the recognition he deserves.
The man is brilliant. Anyone who has listened to him in the 2012 Presidential debates – if they are being honest – agrees he is well informed on every issue of public policy. The man is articulate- and he is prolific. He has written twenty three books – including thirteen New York Times bestsellers. He is comfortable with creative ideas and unafraid of big picture thinking.
Coupled with all of these abilities, Newt Gingrich has a hopeful vision for the future. This defies the stereotypes too often associated with “conservative” politicians. I recall years ago when the amazing rise in communications technology had just begun, I searched for a “futurist” among the ranks of the then “conservative” leaders. I found just such a “conservative” futurist in Newt Gingrich.
However, I must admit that it was his faith journey in later life which made my respect for him become something more, admiration. I have learned in my own life that the past is either a tutor or a millstone. For Newt Gingrich, a man comfortable in his own skin, the past has become a tutor.
This Professor has learned that we are always students. His response to questions concerning his own past reveal the wisdom borne of experience, infused with real faith. It is not how many times we fall down, but whether we get up and learn how to walk…
It comes as no surprise that Newt Gingrich’s poll numbers are beginning to climb. His performance in the Presidential debates demonstrates that he is competent, consistent, calm and convincing. He is clearly Pro-Life, defends the primacy of marriage and the family and society founded upon it and is a passionate defender of authentic freedom. He is also a man with ideas and the ability to articulate them.
The pundit class is finally beginning to take the candidacy of this intelligent and gifted man seriously. He shows calm in the chaotic displays called debates and stands out. In an age filled with crisis, suffering under ill informed and ineffective leaders, such calm and competence are refreshing. Visit the Gingrich campaign’s web site and see where he stands on the vital issues.
There’s more to this article, well worth reading. Newt’s website includes much more, of course, especially his stands on the issues.
http://www.newt.org/callistas-canvas/candidate-newt-gingrich-calm-compassionate-convincing-catholic
22 Saturday Jan 2011
Posted in Politics, Republican Party
Tags
Dr. Neal Thigpen, Florence County Republican Party, GOP, Mal Weatherly, South Carolina Republican Party
Dr. Neal Thigpen, “Father of the Florence GOP” and retired Chairman of the FMU Political Science Department, was recently targeted by the Executive Committee of the Florence County Republican Party, expelled and “banned” from any and all GOP activities in the future in a vindictive motion by another member of the Committee.
This behavior simply cannot go unchallenged. Here’s the background:
Back in the summer of 2010, I resigned from my office as Precinct Executive Committeeman and secretary of the Florence County Republican Party, because I supported my longtime friend Ed Clements for reelection as Solicitor. (See earlier post from August 2010.)
Done in accordance with South Carolina Republican Party Rules, my resignation applied only to my 2009-2011 term of office.
As a former First Vice Chair of the SC Republican Party (two terms), party activist and volunteer for many campaigns since the 1980’s (see About Bette Cox in http://www.bettecox.com), I fully expected to return to my usual precinct and county party participation in 2011 and had thus reassured other party officials.
Well, as you know, Ed Clements won reelection by a large margin. That’s when the bile really began to flow.
In December the Florence County GOP Executive Committee voted on the following improper motion made by Stephanie Rawlinson, campaign manager for Ed’s opponent Rosemary Parham in the Solicitor’s race:
“That the Florence County Republican Party remove the following individuals as Officers, Executive Committee Members and precinct officers from the Florence County Republican Party: Mr. Mal Weatherly and Dr. Neal Thigpen. These officers of the Executive Committee openly and publicly endorsed a local Democrat who was running against a vetted Republican candidate in the elections which were held on November 2, 2010. My motion is made pursuant to SC Republican Party Rule 4-d-2.
“Further, that we remove these individuals from their current party offices and we ban these individuals from ever being allowed to serve as Florence County Republican Officers, Precinct Officers, Executive Committee Members and County convention delegates.
“Also, that the Florence County Republican Party ban these individuals from ever being endorsed Republican candidates.
“These individuals should be notified by the party secretary via certified letter that they have been removed as organizational officers and be asked to turn over all party information, computer files, databases or materials they may have in their possession within ten days of the passing of this motion or legal action will be pursued by this organization’s executive committee.”
The motion passed with no individuals voting against. Shame on you!
An earlier motion with similar wording that would apply to anyone was tabled until the January 13, 2011 meeting, and was passed at that time.
Both motions were improper, out of order, and should never have been given a hearing by the committee. Why? Because South Carolina Election Law and State Republican Party Rules take precedence over any local party rules and bylaws.
Title 7 of the South Carolina Code of Laws defines requirements for participating in party activities:
CHAPTER 9. PARTY ORGANIZATION
SECTION 7-9-20. Qualifications for party membership and voting in primary election.
The qualifications for membership in a certified party and for voting at a party primary election include the following: the applicant for membership, or voter, must be at least eighteen years of age or become so before the succeeding general election, and must be a registered elector and a citizen of the United States and of this State. A person may not vote in a primary unless he is a registered elector. The state convention of any political party, organization, or association in this State may add by party rules to the qualifications for membership in the party, organization, or association and for voting at the primary elections if the qualifications do not conflict with the provisions of this section or with the Constitution and laws of this State or of the United States.
South Carolina Republican Party Rule 4(c)(3) gives the following requirements for participating in party precinct organization:
Membership eligibility is determined by the member having a current, valid voter registration certificate in that precinct, and either (1) the person having voted in the election designated for the purposes of delegate allocation set forth in Rule 4(c)(5) or (2) the person being elected to membership at a precinct meeting.
As they attempt to greatly expand the scope of the South Carolina Code of Laws and the SC Republican Rules, according to Robert’s Rules of Order sections 10 and 39 the motions were improper, out of order, and thus null and void.
Having said that…
Specifically targeting Dr. Neal Thigpen is disgraceful to say the least, not to mention short-sighted.
Dr. Thigpen has contributed many years of dedicated, faithful service to the local and state Republican parties. Discarding his experience and wisdom would be highly detrimental to both.
And discounting his experience and wisdom in this way has been – and is – detrimental to the well-being of Dr. Thigpen.
Mal Weatherly, one of Ed’s cousins, is a fellow musician and band member – it would have been abnormal for him NOT to support Ed in this election. Mal has served the Republican Party for many years, getting involved as a volunteer during President Reagan’s reelection campaign. He has served as a Delegate to the State Convention numerous times. He has always gladly done whatever he was called upon to do to aid the party and its candidates, with this one exception made for his family member.
Stepping back from the executive committee for the remainder of our 2009-2011 terms is one thing. Those terms expire shortly.
But being banned from ever serving the party in any capacity? Being banned from running for any public office as an endorsed Republican candidate?
Regardless of the fact that these improper motions are not enforceable, damage has been done by their very introduction.
For newcomers to Florence, Dr. Thigpen recently retired after a long and distinguished career at Francis Marion University. Francis Marion established the “Neal D. Thigpen Chair in Public Affairs” in Dr. Thigpen’s honor in 2002, making this announcement:
FLORENCE—The Francis Marion University Foundation plans to honor long-time faculty member Neal D. Thigpen by creating an endowed chair in his name. The announcement of the fund-raising campaign was made at a campus reception Thursday evening, July 18.
The Neal D. Thigpen Chair in Public Affairs will be awarded to a senior faculty member in the Department of Political Science and Geography. When fully funded, this $100,000 endowment remains secure in perpetuity and only the earnings derived from the invested funds will be used for the recipient to pursue research and scholarly activities and to transmit the fruits of these efforts to FMU students.
“This chair will serve as a means for the university to recognize the long and distinguished career of Neal Thigpen,” said FMU President Fred Carter. “As a department chairman for 24 years, he built one of the stronger and more collegial political science programs in South Carolina. I am personally proud to be a part of that department’s faculty.”
Thigpen came to FMU in 1971 and has distinguished himself as an educator, political analyst and community leader. He served as chairman of FMU’s political science program from 1971 to 1996 and still serves as a professor of political science.
He holds a doctorate in public administration and American government from the University of Maryland. He earned a master’s degree and a bachelor’s degree from the same institution.
Author of numerous articles on American politics, Thigpen frequently speaks before business and political organizations. He is active in state and local politics and has served as a delegate to the S.C. Republican Convention numerous times and the National Republican Convention five times. He is married to Patsy S. Stone, and they reside in Florence.
If you are also appalled by this situation, please make your voice heard to the Florence County GOP and its newly elected chairman, Bill Pickle. You may reach him at bpickle@sc.rr.com.
02 Wednesday Jun 2010
Posted in Politics, Republican Party
Tags
6th District Congress – Jim Pratt
www.jimprattforcongress.com
Having heard all three candidates on several occasions, my choice is Jim Pratt. 50 years old, Jim is married to Karen and has three adult sons James, Joshua and David. He lives in St. Matthews, Orangeburg County, SC. Please visit Jim’s website to read his stands on the issues facing our Congressional district. Jim’s qualifications for office include his present and past work and community service experience.
Present:
Deputy Reserve Certification from SC Criminal Justice Academy.
Active Reserve Deputy – Lexington County Sheriff’s Department / Oath Keeper.
One hundred ninety-two hours instruction in areas of Constitutional and Criminal Law, Law Enforcement principles and tactics.
Certifications from The U.S. Department of Homeland Security include Incident Command Training, National Incident Management System (NIMS); Single Resource and Initial Action Incidents.
Oathkeeper. (See http://oathkeepers.org)
Awarded a football scholarship to the University of Florida, Jim earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Recreation with emphasis in Parks and Tourism. Director of Sales and Marketing for several South Carolina markets with Revelation Outdoor Management (South Carolina), he is a former principal of the Antelope Valley Christian School (K-12).
Other activities / projects include:
Orangeburg County Development Commission
National Black Republicans Association (N.B.R.A.)
Christian Action Network – Promoting the Documentary “Radical Islam” in South Carolina and other U.S. cities
Life Ads Organization – Anti-Abortion campaign
Local Orangeburg Rotary and Orangeburg County Chamber
2010 Disabled American Veterans Commanders Club Bronze Leader
27 Thursday May 2010
Posted in Politics, Republican Party
Straw Poll – Florence County GOP – 25 May 2010
U.S. Senate
DeMint 123, Gaddy 8
Governor
Haley 72, McMaster 46, Barrett 12, Bauer 11
Lt. Governor
Conner 72, Ard 55, Richter 5, Kitzman 1
Attorney General
Wilson 100, Lord 22, Bolchoz 7
State Treasurer
Loftis 85, Chellis 37
Comptroller General
Eckstrom 77, Meilinger 28
Superintendent of Education
Zais 84, Payne 21, Moffly 17, Nelson 6, Burgess 1, Price 0
Sixth District Congress
Pratt 53, Payne 46, Harrelson 28
(Results received from Florence Co. GOP Chairman Dr. Joe Griffin, 843-992-1678.)
08 Wednesday Apr 2009
Posted in Politics, Republican Party
Tags
Benjamin Franklin, Florence County Republican Party, GOP, government, Obama, pirates, Politics, republic
“Well, Doctor, what have we got—a Republic or a Monarchy?” a lady asked Benjamin Franklin.
“A republic – if you can keep it,” he replied.
It was at the close of the Constitutional Convention of 1787 as he left Independence Hall on the final day of deliberation, according to the notes of Dr. James McHenry, one of Maryland’s delegates to the Convention.
We have struggled to keep it from that point to this, and it has indeed been a struggle.
I fear that the days of that Republic are drawing to a close, at least the Republic as defined by the hard-fought Constitution they were drafting back then.
Some things have been changed for change-sake, not for the better. The definitions and dimensions of our Republic are being redrawn, our Constitution being redrafted even if not on paper. So many things are going on before our eyes and behind our backs that it’s hard to know where to begin reversing this course, this downhill slide backward toward — what? Monarchy? No, at least not yet, although I think Obama sees himself that way.
Well, I don’t think it’s time to wring our hands, throw in the towel, give up the ship, and any other cliche you can think of that declares defeat.
We can still keep our Republic, though we may to fight to re-take it first. Sort of like the news story that came across my email a little while ago…
“American Crew Overpowers Somali Pirates”
American Sailors Turn Table on Somali Pirates
(By LUIS MARTINEZ, DANA HUGHES, MARTHA RADDATZ and ZOE MAGEE
NAIROBI, Kenya, April 8, 2009)
A crew of American sailors turned the tables on armed Somali pirates today who hijacked their ship after a high seas chase – and then were overpowered by the U.S. crew.
The pirates picked on the wrong ship when they went after the Maersk Alabama, a 17,000 ton container ship carrying relief aid to Mombasa, Kenya.
Sometimes you just have to resist change – change of leadership of the Alabama, for example – have to fight, fight to retake ground and then fight to keep it.
Whatever it takes, we need to keep our Republic.
26 Thursday Mar 2009
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
Florence County, Florence County Republican Party, GOP, Kevin Hall, Politics, SC GOP, SCGOP Chairman, technology
In case you were wondering, I am supporting Kevin Hall for Chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party.
He is right on target with his comments about the use of technology – good advice for building the party (or finding a job, for that matter).
17 Tuesday Mar 2009
Posted in Politics, Republican Party
Tags
Florence County, Florence County Republican Party, GOP, Politics, precinct reorganization, Republican party
… there’s one more chance to become a delegate or alternate to the upcoming Florence County GOP Convention. This Saturday, March 21st, go to Horne’s Restaurant on South Irby Street at 9 AM, so your precinct can elect you. Most precincts have empty slots for one of those, and we would love to have them all filled!
The County GOP Convention will be Saturday, April 11th, 9 AM, at South Florence High School. Officers will be elected that day for the Florence County Republican Party for the next two years — Florence County Chairman, Executive Committeeman, several Vice Chairmen — also delegates and alternates to the State GOP Convention will be elected.
If you couldn’t get to your precinct reorganization meeting last Saturday but would still like to go to the county convention, then meet us this coming Saturday at Horne’s Restaurant, 9 AM.
16 Monday Mar 2009
Posted in Uncategorized
15 Sunday Mar 2009
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
County Convention, Florence County, GOP, organization, precinct reorganization, precincts, Republican party
The turnout at the Florence County GOP precinct reorganization was really good, despite the cool rainy weather. Most of those present had been invited in one of the hundreds of phone calls made by volunteers in recent weeks.
If you couldn’t make it to the regular precinct reorganization on March 14th, there is a make-up day this coming Saturday, March 21, 9 AM at Horne’s Restaurant on S. Irby Street.
This is for precincts to meet and elect additional delegates and alternates to the Florence County Republican Convention, and most precincts did have some empty slots. You must be a registered voter in Florence County to participate so bring your voter registration card with you.
The county GOP convention will be Saturday, April 11th, 9 AM at South Florence High School. 
Here’s another photo to enjoy… Ellie Elephant attended his precinct meeting, and yes, he was elected as a delegate to the county convention. Many people had their photos taken with Ellie at precinct reorganization.
