Weekly Update – May 8, 2010
1. IMPORTANT BUSINESS MEETING, MONDAY, MAY 10.
a. Our by-laws give us not less than 3, not more than 13 Directors/Trustees with three year terms. We now have the following 10, with two possible resignations.
i. Betty Lou Barnard (2010)
ii. Mary Kazmarck (2010)
iii. Joel Rubinfine (2010)
iv. Bruce Barkoff (2011)
v. Jesse Kurtz (2011)
vi. Charles Lukens (2011)
vii. Dennis Mahon (2011)
viii. John Mayher (2012)*
ix. Mel Nathanson (2012)
x. Tim Phelans (2012)* * Possible resignations
b. We choose new directors/trustees at our annual meeting in May. We must re-elect or replace Betty Lou Barnard, Mary Kazmarck, and Joel Rubinfine, whose terms expire this year. Betty Lou Barnard is also our treasurer. She is now in the hospital and not yet well enough to receive visitors. We hope and pray for her speedy recovery. She is personally responsible for much of the success we had during the past few years
c. Our by-laws require the Board to nominate Trustees ?not less than 30 days prior to the annual meeting?. The by-laws require that ?the names and addresses and a brief statement by each candidate. . . be delivered in writing to each member not less than 14 days prior to the annual meeting?.
d. Last month, the Board nominated Mark Hutchinson of Mays Landing to be on the Board. However, it neglected to replace or re-nominate Betty Lou Barnard, Mary Kazmarck, or Joel Rubinfine?and I forgot to distribute a written statement from Mark Hutchinson to all members.
e. For those reasons, I suggest that we follow these formalities at this Monday?s Board meeting, and adjourn the annual meeting to our June meeting.
2. Liberty and Prosperity and Tea Party Patriots of South Jersey??Can?t we all get along??
a. Dueling columns in Current/Gazette Newspapers. Seth Grossman ?Tea Party meeting lacked sense of purpose? at http://www.shorenewstoday.com/index….f-purpose.html. Susan Lord ?Tea Party is effective because it?s positive? at http://www.shorenewstoday.com/index….-positive.html.
b. May 2, 2010 email from Larry Pacentrelli of Ventnor: ?It would be great if you would take some meaningful steps to show support for the TP movement. Many members agree with many of your views and appreciate it when you get those views on the radio or in print. L&P and the TP have similar goals; only our ways of achieving those goals are different ? and that?s ok. Some TP folks are very active, but most are quite content just being counted among the millions of TP patriots nationwide who will go to the polls to ensure a conservative victory in November. I?d venture to say that 95% would not be ?members? if it involved much more than that. . . Personally, I believe L&P has a niche that is different from what the members of the Tea party envision for our movement, but both should easily be complementary ? and complimentary toward each other. Keep up with the latest schedule of TP workshops and events through the TP website www.TeaPartyPatriotsofSouthernNJ.com.
3. Seth Grossman essay this week in Current/Gazette Newspapers: ?In teacher vs. plumber salary comparison, teach comes out ahead. http://www.shorenewstoday.com/index….out-ahead.html
4. Divided we fall? In Ocean City, an independent slate local candidates for mayor and council are campaigning ?for taxpayers?. In Cape May County, Ocean City Councilwoman Susan Sheppard and incumbent Republican Freeholder Jerry Thornton (with help from two time Republican Assembly candidate Michael Donohue) are running ?off the line? against the Republican slate endorsed by party boss David Von Savage. In Millville, one of our active members, Clay Mikolasy is running against the party line with Andrew Van Hook for Republican County Committee. In South Jersey, Linda Biamonte and Donna Ward both running for Congress in the Republican primary against incumbent Congressman Frank LoBiondo. While the established ?institutional? Republicans are prepared, organized, disciplined, and united, each of these ?opposition? candidates appear to be running separately as individuals.
5. Republican Governor Chris Christie refused to re-appoint Supreme Court Justice John C . Wallace when his seven year term expired. In the past, Republican Governor?s always re-appointed Democrat justices and gave them lifetime tenure. This explains why NJ Supreme Court has forced taxpayers to pay for many expensive programs that don?t work. Democratic Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney promised not to confirm Christie?s proposed replacement. The Supreme Court Chief Justice promised to pick a liberal temporary replacement for Wallace until the vacancy is filled. Will Governor Christie hold his ground for 18 months?then lead a campaign to oust Democrat Senators who refuse to approve conservative judges? Or will he cave in like so many Republican Governors in the past?
6. Mark your calendar for The Border, our Liberty at the Movies for Tuesday, May 25 from 6 pm to 9 pm at the Mays Landing Library. ?Chris Burgard’s award winning documentary film BORDER takes an impartial look at the agonizing and complex issue of our southern U.S. border? . For more info see http://www.bordermovie.com/ and More info at http://www.libertyandprosperity.org.
7. Prepare for Memorial Day Parade: Monday, May 31. We can show our strength?or our weakness. We need at least 12 fit men and women to carry our flags and banners on that long walk through Northfield, Linwood, and Somers Point. Can you join us? A drummer will greatly enhance the effect of our color guard and we are willing to pay for that detail. Can you join us on May 31? Please contact Seth Grossman at grossman@snip.net or 609-927-7333 for any help you can give on this project. Thanks.
8. Final review, changes, rejections, approval of Nine Principles for 2010:
I. No eminent domain for private gain.
II. Enforce Federal immigration law. No amnesty. Deport foreigners who are illegally in this country.
III. Make tax and zoning laws fair, simple, and apply them equally to everyone.
IV. Cut taxes by cutting government spending.
V. Post all government salaries and contracts online.
VI. Repudiate (refuse to pay) all government debts incurred without voter approval in violation of our State Constitution, or for purposes not permitted by Article I, Section 8 of our Federal Constitution.
VII. Bring ?government of the people, by the people, and for the people? back to our public schools and local governments. Let parents apply taxpayer money spent to educate their children to the qualified schools they choose. Don?t force public employees to pay dues to unions they don?t want to join. Let elected officials again decide what salaries, pensions, and benefits we can afford to pay our public ?servants?.
VIII. Hold frequent non-binding referendums (public votes) on all issues of public importance.
IX. Term limits for all elected officials. Pensions for none.
9. Members have also suggested the following additional points for consideration:
a. Audit, then end the Federal Reserve System to create our money
b. Tort reform to limit lawsuits
c. Health care tax-free savings accounts instead of insurance
d. Re-establish state sovereignty under Article X of U.S. Constitution.
Which, if any of these ideas, should be added to our list?
10. WE NEED YOUR HELP TO GET OUR MESSAGE OUT!!! We need 400 people to pay $30 dues to keep our message on the radio, the internet, and on road signs. If you land near a well traveled rural road, please let us put a sign there! Contact Seth Grossman at grossman@snip.net or (609) 927-7333.
11. Prosperity 1776, Inc. is a non-profit, education organization. We are registered and recognized by both the State of New Jersey and the IRS as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charity. Our mission is to learn and teach why ‘Liberty and Prosperity’, New Jersey’s motto since 1776, is still true and relevant today — and how Americans can again be free and effective citizens.”
MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS: Voting Members: $60 dues, Attend 3 business meetings per year, Work on one board approved project per year. Non-Voting Members: $30 per year, no attendance or volunteer requirements
Seth Grossman, Executive Director, http://www.libertyandprosperity.org,
453 Shore Road, Somers Point, NJ 08244, grossman@snip.net.
Tel. 609-927-7333.