Lake County Fiscal Rangers

Lake County Republican "Listening Tour" Set for 5 Locations - BE there to provide input

May 22, 2012 - Tavares, FL

This is the official press release from the Lake County Republican Executive Committee

============================================================

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 17, 2012

Contact: Alan Winslow, Chairman

352-742-9953

dional99@aol.com

Lake County Republicans Get Innovative, Host Five “Listening Tours”

Reaffirming the Importance of Grassroots Involvement, a Series of Town

Hall Meetings is Scheduled Across Lake County.

In preparation for the upcoming elections, the Lake County Republican Party is seeking to increase the involvement of Republicans across the county. Alan Winslow, Chair of the Lake County Republican Executive Committee, stated “Our party is already actively engaged in the 2012 Election Campaign, but our Lake County Executive Committee wants to ensure that we are addressing the vision and the expectations local Republicans have for their Party.  Valuing the experiences and insight of our local supporters, we are confident that enlarging the input of local citizens can only strengthen our Party and positively contribute to a successful campaign in 2012.”  

As our nation stands at a crossroads, so does Lake County. “Over the past three years, we have seen an explosion of citizen interest in how we are being governed”, said newly elected Lake County Republican State Committeewoma n, Patricia Sullivan. She continued, “People have distinct opinions about the direction government is headed, and it has resulted in a flood of grassroots activists. Their input is valuable, and desired.”

In calling for the Listening Tours, Republican leaders appointed a committee to organize a series of gatherings fashioned after town hall meetings. The meetings will be held across the county in five locations easily accessible from all population centers.

Mike Levine, one of the upcoming Listening Tour facilitators, shared that “Participants will be encouraged to communicate their vision for the role of the Lake County Republican Party in the 2012 Election cycle and voice their expectations for the values and priorities that the party should embrace.” Mr. Levine currently serves as a District Representative for the Republican Executive Committee in the South Lake area.

Everyone is encouraged to attend and play a vocal role.

Once the input is gathered, the Lake County Republican Executive Committee will put together a plan of action to advance the recommendations.

For more information regarding the locations of the Listening Tour, visit www.lakecountyrepublicans.org or email listeningtour@lcrec.us

DATE                                        LOCATION                                ADDRESS

Tuesday, May 29                      Community Building                237 W Gauva St,  Lady Lake

Wednesday May 30                  Lakeside Inn                            100 N Alexander St., Mt Dora

Thursday May 31                     Astor Community Center         24148 Ann St.,  Astor

Monday, June 4                        Community Building                109 E Dixie Ave, Leesburg

Tuesday, June 5                       Jenkins Auditorium                 691 W. Montrose Ave, Clermont                     

Doors open at 6:30pm begins at 7:00pm

Lake County Veterans Confront Democrats Regarding Defaced American Flag in Tavares, FL

Updated March 17, 2012 - Tavares, FL - March 13, 2012 (original publication date) - Updated to add links to other press stories at 10:30pm (bottom of document)  More updates added 3/14, 15 & 17.  This has gone really viral.   We are almost the only free source for the pictures.

The Lake County, FL Democratic Headquarters in Tavares has been flying TWO American flags outside their office.  The first is an American Flag, the second is an American flag where the area with stars has been covered over with a picture of Barack Obama.  A veterans group from Leesburg and media arrived today at 4pm to demand the flag be pulled down.  The democratic Party Chair for Lake County, Nancy Hurlbert, initially refused to allow the veterans to pull the flag down, saying it was private property and she would review the issue.  The leader of the Veterans, Don Van Beck, had a copy of a law saying that such "defacement" of the American Flag was illegal.  Beck is the organizer of the Veteran's Memorial at Fountain Park, in nearby Leesburg, FL.

About 10 minutes later, Nancy Hurlbert came out and took down the flag.  About 20 people were present, two County Commissioners were seen watching from a distance, and photographers and reporters were there from Channel 9 Orlando TV,  the Orlando Sentinel and the Daily Commercial.  Some well known tire guy named Ralph Smith may have tipped them off as well as this writer.

This is one photo.   Many more are on our Facebook page HERE:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.379793598706586.94354.115680445117904&type=3 

vj - pictures here and on the FiscalRangers Facebook page were taken by Vance Jochim.  Permission is granted to copy them or details from the text, but please give credit to "Vance Jochim - FiscalRangers.com"

Other story links:

Orlando TV 9 video report - ABC affiliate - by Berndt Peterson

http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/vets-angry-over-american-flag-featuring-obama/nLR5Q/ 

Orlando Sentinel ( READ the comments )

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/lake/os-barack-obama-flag-face-20120313,0,7169871.story#tugs_story_display

 Going viral - this article was cited on the www.wethepeople.com blog:

http://www.wethepeoplenation.com/showthread.php?9295-Lake-County-Veterans-Confront-Democrats-Regarding-Defaced-American-Flag-in-Tavares-FL  

This blog used two of our pictures and some of the facts, and gave credit to us for the pics:

http://www.floridapoliticalpress.com/2012/03/13/florida-veterans-demand-democrat-party-remove-american-flag-altered-with-obamas-image/  

 Fox News Orlando Channel 35 had this short article citing the Orlando Sentinel as the source:

http://www.myfoxorlando.com/dpp/news/lake_news/031312-obama-flag-at-democratic-headquarters   

Fox News Network (National) posted this article (3/14/2012):

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/03/14/us-flag-depicting-president-obama-removed-from-floridas-lake-county-democratic/

Rush Limbaugh and Neil Boortz were both talking about the incident today, Mar. 14,  on the radio.

Fox New York was tracking down the head of the Lake County Republicans, Alan Winslow.

CNN emailed me to get permission to use the pictures here and on my Facebook album related to the incident, which I gave them.  (Mar. 14, 2012).

The Government Gone Wild Facebook page posted a picture of the flag and by 11:30 pm on Mar. 14, had over 7000 "likes" and over 1700 comments.

The ChristianPost.com Politics page used one of our pictures and gave us credit.

http://www.christianpost.com/news/veterans-call-obama-flag-disrespectful-demand-removal-from-democrat-hq-71440/ 

The Daily Commercial in Leesburg, FL ran two articles, one on Wed., and one today (Thursday, March 15)  The 2nd one talks about how they got over 11,000 hits on their website by Wed. afternoon. However, their website search and design is so screwed up I cannot ever find the actual articles.  But, if you search on the term "Obama Flag Campbell Tavares" in google, you may find her articles (Theresa Campbell, the reporter, has written at least three articles).

March 14 - the Christian Broadcasting Network asked permission to use some of my pictures which will be used tomorrow, Friday.

Fri., March 16 - This lists many hits on the Dems & their flag via a Google alert on the city of Tavares. FL:  (I didn't even search on Democrats or Obama) - The ABC News article clearly is downplaying the event by saying it was a "Democratic Club" when it was not a club, but the actual Lake County, FL headquarters of the Democratic party.

Florida Democratic Club Flying Obama American Flag Receives Death Threats

ABC News - ‎9 hours ago‎

It's been a difficult week for members of the Lake County Democratic Club in Florida after they received thousands of angry emails, phone calls, and even death threats for displaying an American Flag with President Obama's face on it.

American flag with President Obama's image sparks outrage at Florida DemocratsFox News

Obama flag at Florida Democratic Party office removed after veterans call it ...New York Daily News

From Florida:Attorney threatens to sue Lake DemsDaily Commercial

See all 36 sources »

 March 16 - Attorney threatens to sue Lake Democrats - Daily Commercial, Leesburg, FL

http://www.dailycommercial.com/News/LakeCounty/031612FlagAttorney 

 

 

 

 

 

FiscalRangers Event Alert: Florida Republican US Senate Candidate Craig Miller to "Work" for four hours in a Tavares, FL Tire Store on THIS Monday, Sept. 26 between 11am to 3pm

Tavares, FL – Sept. 24, 2012 - One of the four Republican candidates for Florida US Senator, Craig Miller, will be in Lake County, Florida THIS Monday, Sept. 26^th, to “work” for four hours at a local Tire Dealer in Tavares, FL.

Miller calls these events “Miller on Main Street” where he works in REAL jobs for four hours to get feedback from citizens.  The picture shows an earlier event when Miller worked in a local gunshop, A.W. Peterson Gun Shop in Mount Dora

Miller and the other Republican candidates are running to replace incumbent Democratic Florida US Senator Bill Nelson.

The public, press and local officials are invited to visit the shop to meet Miller, have him check their tires (or more…) and lobby for issues.

Miller’s campaign website is http://miller2012.com/  .

Here is his webpage on his “Miller on Main Street” workday program.

Miller has been visiting different businesses in Florida and this one in Tavares, Lake Tire & Auto, is owned by local radio personality and conservative political pundit Ralph Smith.  Smith has a radio program on WLBE AM 790 on conservative political issues and arranged the visit during this week’s Presidency 5 campain conference in Orlando.

Smith has a Facebook page HERE.   Here is what Lake Tire & Auto owner Ralph Smith posted on his Facebook page:

Monday between the hrs. of 11 AM and 3 PM, we are going to have GOP Senate candidate, Craig Miller performing manual labor at Lake Tire & Auto in Tavares. He will sweat, get dirty and get tired working for me(He'll be tempted to quit). But it will pale in comparison to the heavy lifting and getting his hands dirty he'll have to do in DC to clean up that cesspool, if elected. As my Gov. says, as of 11 AM Monday Craig, "Let's get to work"

The Google map location of Lake Tire in Tavares, FL is HERE.    The address is 812 W. Burleigh Blvd (HWY 441), Tavares, FL at the “Triangle” fountain area at the intersection of Highway 19 going south.

Everyone is invited.  Refreshments and Republican and conservative political hyperbole will be freely available.

 

 

Fiscal Rangers Endorses Larry Metz for Florida State Representative, Dist. 25

Yesterday, the main editorial board of the Orlando Sentinel endorsed Metz.  Then today, the Lake Section had a "front page" article reviewing Metz and his opponent Rick Joyce.

My endorsement is based not on what they said, but my observations of Metz as School Board member and Chairman while I have been attending School Board meetings for four years.

The guy has a steel trap for a mind.  He is able to mentally organize facts (just like an attorney, which he is), and describe the factors to make a decision in a logical manner, then make a recommendation based on those factors.   Emotional reasons without substance don't get past him. 

I have also met and know Rick Joyce through the Republican Executive Committee, and his appearance at some candidate forums, although Metz attends many more REC meetings than Joyce.  I have not been able to observe Joyce in leadership positions like Metz.  Both Metz and Joyce have their own law firms and specialize in mediation.

At Lake County School District Board meetings, I have watched as he Metz championed the creation of an internal audit function AND wrote the policies for both it and the related audit committee (which I was a member in 2007-2008).  He initiated a cell phone policy that cut down of cell phone costs, and he initiated a review of many policies this year.   He was able to define the relevant factors last year in a very powerful, off the cuff speach last year that helped the rest of the Board understand that they didn't need to raise taxes by .25% of a mill after many unsubstantiated, emotional "the roofs will all leak" pleas from union members.

So, Larry Metz is the one that I believe will be able to professionally prepare legislative proposals that solve problems in the State of Florida and is probably smarter than the lobbyists.   He would be able to use a strategy to push the law through all the hoops needed, and get improvements.   It would not surprise me if he was able to implement laws to reduce illegal immigration problems, fix school funding so it is predictable, etc.

Vote early, and vote often (ok, that was a joke for you Democrats...) for Larry Metz if you are in Florida's District 25.   You won't just have another attorney filling a slot and talking to lobbyists - he might actually get some things improved in Florida State government like change laws to reduce illegal immigration, or improve funding and funding consistency for the schools.  

You can read the Orlando Sentinel Lake section article on Metz & Joyce HERE. 

Here is a shorter version of the above article.

HERE is the Orlando Sentinel editorial endorsement for District 25, which is Larry Metz - and they have a video of him.

vj

Florida State GOP Chair Jim Greer to Resign today

The first article has appeared on Google News so more will be coming.

Jim Greer has been under pressure to resign by many State Republicans due to various decisions not regarded as appropriate.

Locally, I only met Greer once when he came to Tavares to hold a meeting that resulted in him pulling the "Republican Club" affiliation with the local Lake County Republican Founder's Club.  He did the same to two local women's Republican clubs (I believe).  So, now the Founder's club is known as the Lake County Conservative Founder's Club.

I can't even remember the reason why Greer was antagonistic towards official "Republican" clubs, but he was.  Some say it was because he wanted more control over any effort using the Republican name, but it turned off a lot a people towards him.

Below is the link to the first article from a Palm Beach paper - look for more, with details why...

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/florida-gop-chairman-to-step-down-under-pressure-163248.html