Heritage Action Candidate Forum

Last week in Greenville, South Carolina, Heritage Action hosted a Presidential Candidate Forum at which 10 of the Republican candidates participated. Unlike the two cable news debates, this event avoided pitting the candidates against each other, and actually focused on policy.

Stretching from 4:00 in the afternoon to after 9:00pm with only a short break, each candidate was given about 20 minutes on stage, with questions provided from a panel of Heritage Sentinels and CEO Michael Needham. South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley closed each session by providing a personal story about the candidate and asking them to expand on it. What came across was an in-depth look at their positions on issues, and a sampling of their human side – some that have not been seen before on the campaign trail.

From this unique format, a very good contrast can be found, and it is worth at least sampling the video from the candidates you are interested in. Links to those segments on the Heritage Action youtube channel can be found below.

Although all of the candidates were enthusiastically received by the audience of about 900 sentinels on the floor and over 10,000 more in the stands of Bon Secours Wellness Arena, two candidates really stood out.

Ted Cruz rallied the crowd with the theme of “don’t elect a President to manage the decline of America”, and was clearly the policy favorite with talk of judicial retention elections, a flat tax, and “breaking the cartel”. But it was Carly Fiorina, when asked by Governor Haley what her most difficult job as a leader has been, who spoke from the heart about the anguish that comes from having to fire a close associate who, although competent and a satisfactory performer, proved to be ethically challenged and could no longer be trusted. Her answer revealed a very admirable mix of courage, compassion and loyalty to the goals of the enterprise.

Following is a brief synopsis of the major points made by the candidates, in order of their appearance. Click on their picture to see the Heritage video of their segment.

Jeb Bush Need for “disruption”, “change the culture” Block grants to states for Medicaid, school vouchers, zero based budgeting Gridlock is dangerous – Congress will come along with right leader Energy – states should decide offshore drilling, expand leases, support XL No federal control of education but states need high standards	Scott Walker Cancel Iran Deal Send power back to the states Defund Planned Parenthood, repeal Obamacare Refundable health tax credits, cross state lines, HSAs Approve XL Eliminate NLRB – make all states “right to work”
Ben Carson Congress should call Obama’s bluff on Planned Parenthood Seal the border, cut off the “goodies”, farms need workers but no citizenship Eliminate regulations, implement a flat tax Obama doesn’t get to decide if we are a Christian Nation Was radical liberal until heard Reagan speak	Ted Cruz Don’t need next president to manage the decline of America Need someone as conservative as Obama is liberal to fix things Break the “cartel”, repeal Obamacare, implement flat tax Judicial retention elections to rein in rogue judges School choice is civil rights issue of our time Day of appeasement and apology for America must end
Rick Santorum “Blue collar conservative” Flat tax, stop illegal immigration, incentivise manufacturing Supports Ex-Im bank, federal minimum wage Refugees – all the Syrians are Muslim, where are the Christians? Reform social security by indexing retirement age	Marco Rubio Reform education – emphasize alternatives to college, trade schools, etc Must address debt and deficit, reform social security by extending age for younger people Moral clarity on foreign policy, expand military, take care of veterans Immigration reform: close border, e-verify, visa tracking, entry based on merit not family Need president with “sense of urgency”, term limits for Congress
Rand Paul Lower taxes, less regulation, defend 2nd amendment Take message to new audiences Resist encroachments on religious liberty Too many government agencies have swat teams Reform social security and medicare with higher retirement age	Carly Fiorina Fix tax code – make it 3 pages long We never roll back regulations – just talk, want to do After winning Senate – should have made a difference Can lead congress through technology, public pressure Core values matter
Bobby Jindal Religious liberty created the USA Need to fire everyone in DC to make things work Don’t accept there is no way to end Obamacare with Obama in White House If Republican party can’t do the job, create a new one that can Education dollars should follow the children	Chris Christie Make the GOP live up to its rhetoric Entitlement reform – raise retirement age, eliminate for those >$400K retirement income Freedom of religion not only for churches, but officials must follow the law Would enforce federal marijuana laws on the states Education – refinance loans, have national service option , colleges should itemize bills

Freedomworks 9/12 Summit Spotlights Freedom Caucus

Liberty Beats “The Right To Be Left Alone”

Magna Carta: Eight Centuries of Liberty

Conservatives and Republicans frequently cite the “rule of law” and “constitutional government” as the basis of our exceptional country, and point to the founding documents – the constitution and Declaration of Independence as defining a new direction in human history. These documents were not created from whole cloth however. We owe much to the British declaration of rights under King John in 1215 – the Magna Carta.

As Daniel Hannan wrote in the Wall Street Journal in May, to mark the 800th anniversary of that document:

“It was at Runnymede, on June 15, 1215, that the idea of the law standing above the government first took contractual form. King John accepted that he would no longer get to make the rules up as he went along. From that acceptance flowed, ultimately, all the rights and freedoms that we now take for granted: uncensored newspapers, security of property, equality before the law, habeas corpus, regular elections, sanctity of contract, jury trials.”

See the full article HERE.

Join us on September 23rd at Bear Lakes to hear PBAU Associate Professor of History Doctor Wes Borucki explain why this document is so relevant today.

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Dr. Borucki, who has taught at PBA since 2003, specializes in the antebellum South, the Civil War and Reconstruction, Colonial America, and presidential history. He teaches undergraduate history and humanities and also serves as a faculty member in the Frederick M. Supper Honors Program. Dr. Borucki’s first book, George H.W. Bush: In Defense of Principle, was published in early 2011 by Nova Science Publishers as part of its First Men: America’s Presidents series. His second book, Ronald Reagan: Heroic Dreamer, was published as part of the same series in 2014.

The history of sports is one of his side interests: his article “Moving on Up?: Whether Leaps to Division I-A in American College Football Benefit Universities” was published in June 2015 in The Journal of Sports Management and Commercialization; and in 2003, his article, “You’re Dixie’s Football Pride: American College Football and the Resurgence of Southern Nationalism,” was published in the journal Identities: Global Studies in Culture and Power.

Dr. Borucki has written book reviews for The Journal of Southern History, The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, and The Alabama Review. He had the honor of serving as both a junior fellow and senior fellow in The University of Alabama’s Blount Undergraduate Initiative, in which he taught the freshman sequence of this interdisciplinary studies program that is similar to PBA’s humanities core program in its subject matter. At Alabama, he served as editor-in-chief of the journal Southern Historian in 1998-1999. He is a contributor to Oxford University Press’s Encyclopedia of African American History, Macmillan Press’ multi-volume Civil Rights in the United States, and the Gale Group’s Women in World History. His dissertation, “Yankees in King Cotton’s Court: Northerners in Antebellum and Wartime Alabama,” was the basis of presentations at the Families at War Conference at the University of Richmond, the Alabama Studies Symposium in Montgomery, and local historical group meetings for the Alabama Humanities Foundation’s Speakers Bureau. Dr. Borucki is a long-standing member of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and is currently the secretary of the vestry of Redeemer Lutheran Church in West Palm Beach. He served as a lay delegate to the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod’s convention in St. Louis in 1998 and to the LCMS’s Florida-Georgia District Conventions in 2006 and 2015.

Dr. Borucki has a B.A from Michigan State, an M.A from the University of Massachusetts – Amherst, and a Ph.D. from the Univerity of Alabama.

Senator George LeMieux on the Challenges We Face

Opening with “the 2016 election is the most important of our lifetime!”, Senator George LeMieux joked that we always say that, but unfortunately, for the last 10 years it has really been true.

Giving us a broad overview of challenges facing us abroad as well as at home, he made the case that the country can be saved from the ravages of the Obama years but only if conservative ideas prevail. If we lose the White House and/or the Senate in 2016, the country left to our children and grand children will be unrecognizable.

Touching on the “nuclear deal” with Iran, which is the most pressing problem of the day, he spoke of how bad a deal it is. Iran is not our friend, as they spread their radical Shiite ideology into dominance of Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Gaza and Yemen. Much of the inspection regime in the “deal” requires trust of Iran – and we cannot trust Iran.

Isis, as much a threat to us at home as to the people of Iraq and Syria, have been able to create their terrorist “caliphate” because Obama turned his back on Iraq. With Russia rampaging across Ukraine and threatening its neighbors, and China building up its military in Asia and threatening us with cyberespionage, we need a President who is competent to manage America’s role in the world.

At home, we have slow growth and many feel we are still in a recession. Obama’s regulatory regime has bogged down the economy, and it will take a change in the White House before growth can be restored. If we returned to 4% growth, the debt could be retired in 10 years.

In summary, we can recover but it requires a change of direction.

Also at the meeting, were CD18 candidate (and former club President) Rick Kozell, and US Senate candidate Todd Wilcox, each of who spoke briefly, and Jay Goldfarb gave us an update on Lobster Fest. Hanna Matry, one of our scholarship recipients from last month who could not be with us then, also spoke about her current work at NASA.

GOP Summer Social

Senator George LeMieux for July Lunch

Join us on July 22 at Bear Lakes Country Club, for Senator George LeMieux, co-founder of the LeMieux Center for Public Policy at Palm Beach Atlantic University.

Senator Lemieux will discuss “The 2016 Presidential Race and Why it Matters”.

Currently Chairman of the Board of the Gunster Law Firm, Senator LeMieux has broad experience in Washington and Tallahassee, having served as both as US Senator and chief of staff to former Governor Charlie Crist, chairman of the Governor Jeb Bush re-election campaign, and as a Broward county GOP Chairman. From politics to public policy, he will give us his perspective on the issues and events of the day.

Read Senator LeMieux’s recent op-ed on U.S. Supreme Court overreaches in the Tampa Bay Times.

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George LeMieux focuses his practice on resolving business and governmental disputes, and advising CEOs and “C” level executives on business, law and politics from a state and national perspective.

He has advocated for clients before state and federal trial and appellate courts, as well as governmental agencies and regulatory bodies.

George served as Florida’s 34th United States Senator in the 111th Congress. In the United States Senate, he served on the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, the Armed Services Committee, and the Special Committee on Aging. He successfully passed legislation on health care fraud, export promotion, rating agency reform, small business promotion, as well as a treaty resolution on tactical nuclear weapons.

George served as Florida’s deputy attorney general overseeing more than 400 attorneys and appearing before appellate courts on behalf of the state of Florida, including the United States Supreme Court. George also served as the Governor’s chief of staff overseeing all state agencies and operations. In that role, he negotiated a gaming compact with the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

George LeMieux serves as the chairman of the board of the Gunster law firm.

PBAU President William Fleming Presents 2015 Anne Roberts Scholarships

This year, the Republican Club of the Palm Beaches was happy to award the Anne Roberts Scholarships to five deserving scholars – two new awards and continuing support for three previous winners.

The awards were presented by William Fleming, President of Palm Beach Atlantic University. In his remarks, he highlighted the strengths and accomplishments of PBAU, most particularly its focus on the American Free Enterprise system. Unlike many peer institutions that are openly hostile to the ideas of the free market and capitalism in particular, President Fleming leads an organization that lives and breathes free enterprise, and instills in its students the importance of character, morality and public service.

PBAU is also a partner with former Senator George LeMieux in the LeMieux Center for Public Policy which is located on campus.

The new scholarship recipients are (Click on their name to read their winning essay):

Aaron Mejias

Aaron grew up in Tampa but resides in West Palm Beach at Palm Beach Atlantic University where he is studying Political Science and History. In addition to being a scholar he excelled in music in high school where he was a Concert Master in the Honor Band and led the Marching Band. He is presently interning with the Republican Party of Palm Beach County, expecting to graduate in 2017. Following graduation, Aaron intends to use his leadership skills and education as an officer in the US Army after which he will again become involved in politics and public service.

Ryan Walker

Ryan graduated from Glades Day School, attended Palm Beach State, and is now enrolled at the University of Florida studying Political Science. He was a member of the Republican Executive Committee and led the Western Communities Caucus. He served in the campaigns of Governor Rick Scott and other campaigns for US Congress and City Commissions. Ryan will graduate in 2017. He may not be specific about his future but we see a great political and public service life.

Our returning scholars are:

Daniel Kozell

Daniel grew up in Palm Beach County, graduating from Jupiter High School. He is studying Mechanical Engineering at FSU. He interned at Simmons and White, Inc, Civil Engineering firm in West Palm Beach and was an undergraduate research assistant at Florida Center for Advanced Aero-Propulsion at FSU. He is presently Children’s Ministry Coordinator for his church in Tallahassee, ministering to young adults with disabilities. He will graduate in 2017.

Dylan Brandenburg

Dylan grew up in North Palm Beach, graduated from SunCoast Community High School in Riviera Beach and is studying Computer Criminology at FSU. He also works part time at Florida’s Division of Insurance fraud under the administration of CFO Jeff Atwater. Dylan should graduate in 2017.

Hanna Matry

Hanna graduated from PB State with an AA degree before her graduation from our local William t. Dwyer High School. She is in her final year at UF studying Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering. In addition to working through school and tutoring in math, she has worked with the Design and Manufacturing Lab at UF and the rocket team at UF. She is spending her summer at the Aircraft office of NASA’s flight Facility in Wallops, VA as an engineering trainee, working on engineering modifications towards some of NASA’s airborne science missions. Her dream is to become an astronaut or work in her field at NASA’s Cape Canaveral facility after graduation.

Hanna was unable to be with us at the meeting, but her mother, JoAnna Matry, provided us with the following video:

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Candidates present included former RCPB President Rick Kozell who has thrown his hat into the crowded ring for the Republican primary for Congressional District 18. Rick is the brother of Daniel Kozell, our scholarship winner.

Some photos from Delia:

Lobster Fest 2015

Support the Republican Party and join us for our 14th annual lobsterfest hosted at Broken Sound Country Cub in Boca Raton. The event will begin with a cocktail reception, followed by dinner and a desert. Featuring Lieutenant Governor Carlos Lopez-Cantera,Congressman Ron Desantis, Congressman Jeff Miller and many more to come!

PBAU President William Fleming to Present 2015 Anne Roberts Scholarships

Please Join us for the awarding of the 2015 Annual Anne Roberts Scholarships and celebrate the day with our young scholars.

Presenting the awards for the club will be our featured speaker, Palm Beach Atlantic University President William Fleming.

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William M. B. Fleming, Jr. was elected 8th president of Palm Beach Atlantic University on May 7, 2012, after serving as interim president for the previous 14 months. Up to that time, he served Palm Beach Atlantic as vice president for development, joining the University in 1992.

Under President Fleming’s leadership the University has gained significant momentum as illustrated by ratings as a “best” choice in U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review, and inclusion in the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. In the fall of 2013, the University brought in a record class while maintaining strong academic standards.

Further, the University has established four Centers of Excellence; was chosen as a model for community engagement by the NCAA Division II; and increased its local economic impact to $326 million in 2013. In addition, the Rinker Athletic Campus officially opened on Sept. 4, 2014. President Fleming has been instrumental in raising more than $142 million for Palm Beach Atlantic during his tenure as vice president for development and president.

Prior to coming to Palm Beach Atlantic, Fleming served in several administrative roles at Wingate University and Guilford College, both in North Carolina. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in political science from Guilford. Judson University in Illinois presented him with an honorary doctorate degree. He lives in Wellington, Fla. with his wife, Pam. They are members of St. Peter’s United Methodist Church and parents of two sons.

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