Peter Feaman – Reasons for Optimism
On Wednesday, March 26, 2014, the Republican Club of the Palm Beaches had our own member Peter Feaman, the elected Palm Beach County’s State Committeeman and Florida’s Republican National Committeeman, as our guest speaker. What a treat! Dismissing doom and gloom, he said we should be excited about things like the recent David Jolly election.Peter talked to us about the positive things that are happening at both the state and national levels of our party. He told us how the Republican party is “getting it” regarding how we can reach potential Republican voters through non-traditional media which was used so successfully by the opposition in 2008 and 2012.
Republicans believe that people who rely on themselves, their families and their god, are going to prosper when government gets out of the way. People are now being told to rely on government, but this is wrong and it has never worked before. As Republicans we must stand up on every front and say that’s wrong, whether it is in a restaurant or the checkout line at the supermarket. We are fighting an entire philosophy.
He pointed out how important the 2014 election will be as a preface to 2016’s election cycle and one key race will be re-electing Governor Rick Scott in 2014. You may have noticed the recent ads being run by RPOF telling the Governor’s compelling story about his background as someone who came from nothing and succeeded on his own merits. It is a truly American story that needs to be told. He has been a good Governor and has significant achievements in increasing employment and tourism, and in decreasing taxes, while caring for those who need help the most.
Republicans need to realize that even if there are areas of disagreement, we need to elect Republicans to office, pointing out that “while pragmatism without principle is surrender, principles without pragmatism is suicide.” The opposition to our view of limited government grew slowly starting with adoption of the income tax in 1917 and we will not turn things around overnight. We can’t change policies until we elect people to govern who can move policies more to the right. Republicans and other conservative voters need to realize that having access to elected Republican officials, who they may view as less than 100% consistent with their views, is far better than having no access to a Democrat who will move on liberal policies without regard for our views.
Financially, the RNC has been successful in raising money in 2013. Instead of hoarding it until the 2016 election, it is spending money now to get the message out and to help get more Republicans elected. It is also building up a staff, most of whom are located outside of Washington, D.C., to lead and organize the boots on the ground effort. For example, the RPOF has an Executive Director who is from Wisconsin, a former blue state which through the work of Scott Walker, Reince Priebus, and Paul Ryan has turned into a red state. If this can be done in Wisconsin, it can be done elsewhere. With the RNC’s new approach, fund raising results, better use of new media, a beefed up staff and tens of thousands of precinct captains throughout the United States, there is a new model in play.
Some pictures from the event:
Time Shift Interview
Peter Feaman is March Guest
Invites You to Attend its upcoming meeting
on Wednesday March 26
featuring:
Republican National Committeeman for the State of Florida as well as Palm Beach County State Committeeman,
He will be addressing issues and current plans of the State and National Parties for this election cycle–how we are going to WIN!!
Peter Feaman was unanimously elected in 2012 by the Executive Committee of the Republican Party of Florida to be its National Committeman to represent Florida Republicans at the Republican National Committee in Washington, DC. He currently sits on the Rules Committee of the RNC.
As a practicing trial attorney, Mr. Feaman was recognized by the Florida Trend magazine as one of Florida’s “Elite Lawyers” in the field of business and commercial litigation in 2011.
In 2007, Mr. Feaman published his first book entitled “WAKE UP, AMERICA!” subtitled, “Understanding Jihad for Dummies!” His second book “THE NEXT NIGHTMARE” with a forward by former Congressman Allen West, was published in 2012. Mr. Feaman has appeared on Fox News and numerous radio talk shows throughout the United States to discuss the threat of radical Islam, current political issues and how political correctness will destroy America.
This will be another great program, so we hope you will be able to join us.
Program Noon – 1PM, doors open at 11:30AM
Bear Lakes Country Club
1901 Village Blvd.
West Palm Beach, FL 33409
$20/Members $25/Guests
Pay at the door (RSVP “No Shows” will be invoiced.)
Make sure you submit your RSVP in advance by clicking on our link below
or by emailing info@gopclubpb.org, or by calling 561-855-0749.
Please respect Club rules: Cell Phones Silenced, Business Casual Attire, Please No Jeans
Republican Club of the Palm Beaches
PO Box 2585
West Palm Beach, FL 33402
(561) 855-0749
February Lunch Featured DEP Secretary and Madison Institute CEO
Our February meeting featured Herschel Vinyard, Florida Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection, and Dr. Bob McClure, CEO of the Madison Institute.
After the Invocation and Pledge led by Virginia Brooks, Rick Kozell (Club President) kicked off the meeting by describing the successful Lincoln Day Dinner. Many in the group had attended the sell-out event.
Rick is on the board of the Palm Beach County Chapter of the James Madison Institute, a conservative think tank, and personally knew both keynote speakers. After introducing both, Mr. Vinyard took the podium.
He began by giving a boost to Governor Rick Scott. The Governor has had a tremendous impact on bringing Florida’s economy back from the depths of the recession. Mr. Vinyard said that the Governor’s ‘laser-focus’ on jobs was deeply personal to the Governor. The Secretary of DEP then segued to two examples of ‘federalism in action’, where Florida was able to wrest control back from the Federal government with Florida-based solutions.
The first, water body nutrient levels, has been an ongoing issue with the EPA. Rather than accept the federal solution, Vinyard’s team came forward with an alternative proposal that was found acceptable, yet customized for the state.
The second was Everglades water management, another long-term conflict with the federal government. Florida had been embroiled in a lawsuit since the 1980s and Governor Scott, solutions-oriented as he is, found that unacceptable. The DEP was able to offer an acceptable, Florida based solution to satisfy all the federal administrative organizations.
Admitting it is not always easy, Secretary Vinyard has shown that it is possible for states to engage productively with the Federal regulatory bodies.
In closing, he also encouraged us to partake of the wonderful Florida State Park System which also falls under the DEP.
Dr. McClure, President of the James Madison Institute, talked about “bending the river current” towards greater freedom in this country. His theme was the “great sorting out” of the states that is in progress, with red states led by conservative governments attracting people and money away from the high-taxes, oppressive regulations, and infringements of our freedoms of the Progressive-led Blue states.
There are four states to watch that could be a harbinger of all our futures. Will we emulate Texas, with its supercharged economy, low taxes, and minimal government? Or will we go the way of California, Illinois or New York – arguably examples of crumbling infrastructure, excessive debt and failing governments after years of Progressive policies.
Believing that “everyone is conservative, privately“, he pointed out that “Freedom works every time it is tried./em>”
Present at the meeting were CD18 candidates Alan Schlesinger and Ilya Katz, and a spokesperson for Carl Domino. Alan spoke with respect about the admirable candidacy of Ellen Andel, who recently withdrew from the race.
Some pictures from the event:
