What happened to www.brevardgop.org? It still exists and is more popular
then ever. The name was changed to the Brevard Republican but the
address remains the same. www.brevardgop.org is still the most up to
date website dedicated to Brevard Republican News.
Archived
Opinion Columns
Nursing Homes
A one room apartment, a daybed, a television purchased by relatives, some
personal pictures on the wall and a small bureau for what little possessions you
can keep in there. Prison? You might think so but, rather, it is a room in an
Assisted Living Facility for the elderly. The only thing different is that
there is a bathroom.
A dining hall, no menu,
regimented times to eat. A prison? No, the same ALF.
Some used paperback books
sitting on an old shelf that is barely standing next to an old T.V. in front of
an old couch. You may wish to be in prison but it’s the same ALF.
As some of you know who know
my family personally this Assisted Living Facility is in Connecticut. It is
attached to a nursing home that two years ago had 102 on their waiting list and
now has 78. They have an even longer list for someone with dementia, or as most
know it as Alzheimers.
I made a trip two years ago
knowing that it wouldn’t be long before my sisters and I would have to make the
decision we all dread but some of us have to face someday – placing an elderly
parent in a nursing home. We visited many homes and saw two that I would think
of placing my mother in. Both had waiting lists that would necessitate having my
mother move in with us while we waited. What we would be waiting for would be
either her acceptance into one of these places or her demise.
Fast forward to the decision
being made. Now the hard part begins. I know you thought the decision would
be the difficult part but the really hard part is when you have to break the
news to the elderly parent in question. Next is moving them in. Make it worse,
bring her to Florida to be closer to her eldest son.
Let the search begin! We,
my wife and I, have visited at least 6 nursing or assisted living facilities in
South Brevard County. We learned there are a number of questions that must be
asked:
1.
What is the daily cost (average from $175 to $210
per day then add food plans, health care assistance like assuring the person has
supervised showers, etc… A DAY!
2.
Do you accept Medicaid (because of the above we are
forced to be a member of the entitlement community)?
3.
Do you have a secure dementia ward?
4.
How long is their waiting list?
In many cases the answer to
number 4 is that the list is long and the possibility of getting a family member
into a nursing home that can oversee their disease is near impossible. I’ve
been told that a family can deal with this at home in their caring houses. The
needs of a dementia patient’s family are myriad and burden the family of a
dementia patient are great and, in many cases, impossible.
I guess my major question is
not so much about the waiting list but for the price these homes are charging I
could put my family member in a Red Roof Inn, have meals delivered, get a gps
and have nursing care come in daily and it would be cheaper.
When did we let our elderly
reach such a position as being turned out of proper assistance and aide? How
did this country reach the point of such little caring and sympathy? Why can a
Hotel and individual payments to specialists handle our disabled better then we
can?
The requirements, the
mandates, the government interference with the medical profession and the allow
the legal profession file frivolous law suites with impunity has caused many
doctors and nursing homes to pull their plaques down and move to safer locations
or just close their doors. Tort reform has been virtually forgotten in the
rhetoric that we hear today about Medical Reform. I don’t care if you favor
Obama Care or the repeal of it. Fix what is wrong. Remember the old saw “if it
ain’t broke don’t fix it”? Well it’s broken but it can be fixed without turning
the system upside down.
Do it before you need to
write an article such as this.
Iowa Debates
On the day of the
Iowa Debate, August 11, 2011, some talking heads, even on Fox said that the one
that they think will come out of this the winner was going to be Ron Paul. I
watched the debate and listened carefully to every word as best I could.
Biggest Unelectable Winner - Newt Gingrich
Biggest Loser Ron Paul
Ron Paul is, in my mind, is the most
delusional candidate in this race. I heard a clear statement from him that
didn’t change throughout the debate, “bury your head in the sand and bring our
troops back…mind our own business”. I felt that I was back in grammar school
when we were told that if there was a nuclear attack to go under our desks cover
your head and don’t look at the flash. I think Ron Paul looked too long at the
flash.
Ron Paul, in my opinion, was the biggest
loser on the stage that evening. Advocating allowing Iran to have nuclear
weapons was the most outrageous statement made that night or maybe it was
allowing terrorists to have all the rights of an American Citizen in our courts
and under the UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION. Let's see, what harm would it do
if Iran had a nuke? Who would it harm? How about Afghanistan, Iraq
ISRAEL and has he ever heard of a suitcase bomb? He sounded like my
mother's neighbor - did I mention she's in a nursing home?
Newt Gingrich came out fighting and accused
the questioners of proposing “gotcha” questions and focusing on the minutia
rather than on the greater problems in our nation. He demanded that Congress
and the President return to Washington to do the work of the people in the open
and not behind closed doors. He said the Super Committee is the most ridiculous
thing to come out of D.C. in many years.
Then there was poor Rick Santorum who had
to practically wave his arms to get to say anything. When he did speak he made
more sense than anyone speaking that night.
I was waiting for Don King to come out and
give boxing gloves to Mitt Romney and Rick Pawlenty. Pawlenty spent more time
defending himself by attacking other candidates including, most heavily Michelle
Bachman, than he spent explaining his positions. He looked sexist and
desperate.
During the second half of the debate Mitt
Romney was hardly heard from. I thought he and Pawlenty were out in the alley
duking it out.
Michelle Bachman was asked the most sexist
question and anti-Catholic question I have ever heard or expected from
professional journalists when asked if she would be submissive to her husband
and he actually used a Biblical verse to ask the question.
And what a surprise, no one would have
raised the debt ceiling nor raise taxes and they would all create jobs. I’m
shocked!
Then there was Ron Huntsman. That’s about
all I can say about Don Huntsman, Ron Huntsman or whoever he is.
The most intelligent candidate was Newt
Gingrich who I feel, unfortunately, has no chance of winning the primary and if
for reason he did could not beat Obama. Romney looked the most presidential but
August 12th the entire field will change when we find out what Sarah
Palin is doing in Iowa and when the official announcement that Rick Perry is a
candidate.
Stay tuned.
(July 13,
201,1Satellite Bch.) On the heels of the County Special Taxing District meeting,
the City of Satellite Beach held a special meeting to try to resolve the key
issue facing the City, The Community Redevelopment Plan Advisory Agency (CRAAC).
The meeting ended with no immediate resolution but with the Board and City
Council fielding questions and remarks from the public and setting another
meeting in four weeks. The City Attorney, James Beadle, and the City Manager,
Michael Crotty, together with the State Joint Legislative Community
Redevelopment Committee will be trying to resolve the main issue, can the CRA
funnel money into the General Account then into the Fire/Rescue and Police
budget to offset the additional cost of complying with the 25 year CRA Plan?
The meeting room was standing room only
and the doors were left open for those who could not find room inside. A
scattering of red shirts symbolizing opposition to CRAAC’s were seen in the
room.
Mayor Joe Ferrante started the meeting
explaining that the City Council often takes the form of various Councils and
Agencies and they were meeting as the Community Development Advisory Agency. He
asked that applause not be displayed because that may intimidate some who would
want to speak in opposition.
Present at the meeting were the chair and
president of the regional state CRAAC organization who spoke about the
importance of a CRAAC to a city to attract new residents and businesses. They
spoke about people who currently live in a community that were not residents
long enough to know what the city looked like in the past and what, through the
efforts of CRAAC’s, the city looks like now. The funding for CRAACs are a
compilation of city, county and state sales taxes and a portion of city’s
property taxes. The “impact” zone for Satellite Beach has been designated as
State Rt. A1A, South Patrick Drive and Cassia Boulevard. Some projects are a
combination of private/public partnership.
The members of the City Council/CRAAC Board
had the opportunity to ask questions after a power point presentation given by
Comm.
Dev. Dir. Laura Canady. Board Member Scott Rhodes asked the Mayor and
Ms. Canady what is being done to answer a question from Senator Jim Norman and
the State Joint Legislative Community Redevelopment Committee regarding the
possible misuse of CRAAC funds by using some of the funds to supplement the
Fire/Rescue and Police Department budgets and the practices of the City’s CRAAC.
Councilman Rhodes pointed out that some
cities were who used this practice was ordered to reimburse the The Community
Redevelopment Plan Advisory Agency in their cities and the cost of that for some
were as much as $5 million. The possible impact to Satellite Beach could start
at $1.2 million and rise from there. Mayor Ferrante and City Manager Michael
Crotty said they will be putting out a Request for Proposal for a performance
audit and that the questions brought up in Senator Jim Norman’s letter will be
addressed and answered within 30 days. Councilman Scott said “all work should
stop and all efforts should be focused on answering the legal questions asked
within the week”.
Questions were taken from the public.
Mayor Ferrante said that all questions pertaining to the CRAAC would be
recorded, written out and answered if they couldn’t be answered at that
meeting. Cards requesting to speak would be pulled in no particular order.
One speaker, Gregg Billman, said “the
council, the CRAAC employees and volunteers were either guilty of incompetence,
malfeasance or misfeasance or all three”. There were about 10 people who spoke
and most were there to speak about subjects other than Community Redevelopment
Plan. Two speakers asked for a “forensic” audit.
Another issue brought to the Board was why
the The Community Redevelopment Plan Advisory Agency plan currently available is
labeled “Final Draft”. City Manager Crotty explained that in 2002 and again in
2003 the “Final Draft” was adopted by ordinance as official.
To end the CRAAC portion of the meeting,
Vice-Mayor Michael Chase went through the process that began the CRAAC for
Satellite Beach. He addressed the issue that The Community Redevelopment Plan
Advisory Agency plan was a 25 year plan and at 9 years into any plan that plan
would be adjusted. The issue of moving CRAAC funds to the General Fund than to
the Police and Fire/Rescue budgets were actually to enhance the community which
is the basis of any Redevelopment plan. When Jim Beadle was asked after the
meeting what is the CRAAC Advisory Committee’s reasoning for this he replied “If
they hadn’t used the money then the extra 6 firefighters hired to protect not
just the Impact Zone but the entire city would not have been hired and community
policing would not have been instituted. Both these are enhancements to the
City and that’s the purpose of the CRAAC.”
One citizen of Satellite Beach said that
“we moved here because of the quality of life, the schools and the family
community Satellite Beach is. If it means paying an extra $100 a year to keep
the City that way I wouldn’t mind paying it.”
To end the meeting Mayor Ferrante said
“since 2002 the City has submitted an Audit to the County, State Joint
Legislative Committee and the State Auditor General and has not received any
negative comments on them.”
The Community Redevelopment Agency Advisory
Committee meeting ended with the Mayor assuring those whose questions were not
answered to do so within 30 days when the results of the Joint Legislation
Redevelopment Committee presents their findings to the CRAAC.
Bickering at the
BREC
Bickering at the
BREC has resulted in the following letter going out and the email questioning
the job description and the performance of the Vice-Chair of the Executive
Committee.
The true
finances of the BREC are in question and the health of the Committee is in the
worst shape I have ever seen it and I have been involved with the BREC for over
15 years. Although not currently a member I still receive regular
questions from "the old guard" who remain as to what is the actual mission and
duty of the Committee. Those who have been active in local and state
politics can't remember a time when the Republican Party of Brevard has been in
such disarray. Now the following is forwarded to me because the BREC Board
doesn't keep in contact with staunch republicans who had been on the Committee.
Rather than keeping them in the loop those that leave for whatever reason are
shunned as much Amish are shunned for not returning to the fold. Enormous
amount of institutional knowledge has been lost because of this behavior.
You be the
judge:
Dear BREC Members:
As Precinct Committeemen and
Committeewomen, we are leading the way in the grassroots efforts to insure
Barack Obama is only a one-term President, elect a Republican Senator to replace
Bill Nelson, and elect qualified Republicans to State and Local offices.
In order to accomplish our
goals, the Republican Party of Brevard needs your financial support along with
your time and energy. Your partnership and support is extremely important for
us to continue to survive and support the Republican Party. Please open up your
hearts and your wallets and make a generous donation today. We desperately need
to pay our bills and maintain our Headquarters office. Together we can make a
difference and take back our country!
Your Finance Committee and
Executive Board is exploring other fundraising avenues, but we need your help
and your ideas now.
Please make checks payable to
"Republican Party of Brevard" and mail them to the address below by June 30:
Republican Party of Brevard
PO Box 410153
Melbourne, FL 32941-0153
In the memo line of the check,
in accordance with finance laws, please list your occupation. Your cooperation
and support is very much appreciated.
Thank you in advance for your
contribution.
Best regards,
Barbara Davis, Chairman
Republican Party of Brevard
Home:
(321) 751-0797
Cell:
(321) 223-0808
barbara.davis@brevardrepublicans.org
www.brevardrepublicans.org
=================
From: James Marshal [mailto:james@shfnow.com]
Sent: Tuesday, June 14, 2011 2:26 PM
To: 'Barbara Davis'
Cc: 'pdiaz@rpof.org';
'Peter Fusscas'; 'Thomas, Tim'; 'Terry Bales'; 'Roman Scharf'; 'RMCBsecretary1@gmail.com';
'josiahpatriot@aol.com';
'margie Kinder'; 'barbjweiner@aol.com';
'eddeanradio@yahoo.com'
Subject: RE: BREC requests financial support
Dear Chairwoman Davis,
It is my understanding that fund raising is the
responsibility of Vice Chairman Mr. Bob White. Is this not true, as it has
always been the Vice Chairman’s responsibility? Did he not himself vow to
focus on raising money during his bid for the Vice Chairman’s position? Would
it be appropriate to ask you to disclose how much Mr. White has actually raised
our organization thus far, as I am unable to determine the answer to that
question from the monthly Treasurers reports provided previously?
You should know that Mr. White has attended the RMCB
monthly meetings on several occasions as Vice Chair of the BREC. While at our
meetings and/or events, he had at various times requested to share an
announcement which he was given the opportunity to voice. However, rather than
speaking about BREC fundraising or even BREC activities, to my surprise and to
those in attendance as well, he solicited additional support for the RLC
organization and announced coming RLC events. Additionally, in recent months
while visiting other conservative clubs, I’ve seen Mr. White speak several
times… each asking for funding for his new PAC organization and providing
updates supporting the RLC; not one word about the needs of our BREC nor have I
ever witnessed him support the BREC organization outside of our regular monthly
meetings.
If Mr. White had spent an equal amount of time in service
to the BREC in the capacity of his duties as Vice Chairman, perhaps our BREC
Chairwoman would not be requesting financial support today. I suspect that we
will not be receiving any such financial support request from the well run,
efficient, and focused leadership of the RLC organization anytime soon.
Perhaps the following Biblical quote may provide you solace
in this regard: Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate
the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the
other.”
At your service,
James Marshal
Friendships
Over the years I have learned one thing about many people. I especially have
come to appreciate real friendships but the truth is that people have very few
friends, a little more when you speak of acquaintances and more who just like to
say “I know him, he’s a close friend” when you actually met them once.
Friends are those people
who will be there for you when you call in the middle of the night without
asking “why are you calling me”. Friends are those who, when they hear a rumor,
come to you to find out the truth and believe you. Friends are people who give
you the benefit of the doubt. Friends are those who stand by you because they
know you and trust in you.
Over the past few years I
have been sorely disappointed in some I considered friends. I include in that
groups, clubs and committees as well as individuals. Power to some is worth the
loss of a friend. The feeling of “knowing something no one else knows” even if
that “something” is so outrageous as to be totally ridiculous and not worth the
“knowing”.
I once was told I trust too
many people and my only answer to that is that I would rather trust people and
be disappointed than never trust anyone at all. Loyalty is a word in the
dictionary. Faithfulness rarely exists. More than 50% of marriages fail which
is one measurement of faithfulness, friendship and loyalty.
It is a rare person that
would value friendship over power. It is a rare person that would rather agree
to disagree and still remain friends. I have worked for friends and had them
turn their backs on me when they had the power to help. I have trusted and been
there for “friends in need” only to find that when a new person with different
views comes into their lives they were quick to switch allegiances rather than
understand that friends don’t need to have mutual friendships. I have “friends”
who insist on being right about almost any subject without actually checking
facts and never gives you the benefit of the doubt.
You may hear from “friends”
once a day, once a week, once a month or once a year. I have friends I hear
from occasionally but haven’t seen in years from the Service and from my youth.
I have friends who know much more then I about some subjects and no matter when
or what I ask I get an answer. I have friends who have been told they shouldn’t
be a friend and remained loyal because they simply know me and knew better then
to believe what someone who heard from someone had to say. I have friends that
feel I have helped them when all I did was what I consider the right thing to do
and I DID NOT expect thanks. Doing what is right does not require anything more
than a simple “thank you”.
Sadly I have been
disappointed many times but I still trust in some I call “friend” and feel that
when help is needed I must be there for them sometimes fully knowing the help is
not mutual.
But that’s me and as often
as I’m told I need to change my views and behavior when it comes to that level
of trust I will always be a “friend” and will be there for those in need without
expecting anything in return. As many times as I say “I will never do that
again” I know I will.
I hope I can call you
“friend”.
I'm nobody! Who are you?
Emily Dickinson
I'm nobody! Who are you?
Are you nobody, too?
Then there's a pair of us -- don't tell!
They'd banish us, you know.
How dreary to be somebody!
How public, like a frog
To tell your name the livelong day
To an admiring bog!
Dangerous
Change of Direction
The President, on May 19, 2011, state
that the United States Position on the Middle East Crisis was to side with the
Palestinians. Every President since 1948 when Israel was created has tried to
deal with this issue but have spoken on behalf of THE ADMINISTRATION.
To radically change direction and turn
our backs on our only real ally in the region is not just foolish, it’s insane.
And what is his plan…to leave Israel
defenseless and to give over to the sworn enemies of the Jewish nation more than
half of Israel’s territory. “Israel must be able to defend itself BY ITSELF.”
If we ever had a President who did not understand foreign relations and the
impact of a Palestinian State run by Hammas and Fatah we have one now.
President Obama in all his ignorance has
called for a return to the 1967 borders. He said, “a Palestinian State for a
homeland for the Palestinian people, will secure a viable Palestine and a secure
Israel based on 1967 lines for a Palestinian State.”
For those who do not remember the ’67
war, Syria, Egypt and Lebanon amassed troops on the Israeli border. Once the
invasion began Israel defended itself and defeated all three nations. The
concessions made by the invaders were to give up the West Bank, the Golan
Heights and the Gaza Strip.
Anyone that has been to Israel knows
that the indiscriminate bombing of Israel is coming from the Gaza Strip which is
in Palestinian hands, and Jerusalem, the capital of Israel is in the West Bank
and the from the Golan Heights Syria can reach any area of Israel with the least
amount of effort.
Brilliant plan. And what do the
Palestinians have to give…take out the clause in their charter about the
destruction of Israel and recognize Israel’s right to exist. In other words
Israel gives up land and the Palestinians give up nothing. This sounds to me
like a road map to the destruction of Israel.
Obama’s plan is like saying the United
States should go back to the borders prior to when California and Texas were
taken from Mexico and give back those “occupied” territories to Mexico.
Now let’s examine what this does for all
Muslims in the Middle East. In their eyes we have now changed sides and will be
assisting them in obtaining a base for a Palestinian State that will be the
training grounds for their efforts to push “the Jews” into the ocean. They are
adamant about the killing of all Jews no matter where they are found. Some will
say this is the belief of only the radical Muslims but we have now given those
same radicals the hope of achieving their goals. We have empowered the Muslim
world by giving them the impression that we, the United States, not the
Administration, is fully behind a Muslim take over. What happens when they ask
for our assistance and we don’t give it? Are we then going to be their
targets? Have we now given those who want the destruction of not only Israel
but the “Great Satan”, the United States, another reason to hate us as if in
their minds they don’t have enough reason already?
If President Obama thinks this will gain
us a better reputation with the Muslim world he is delusional.
As reported by
FoxNews.com “Obama had no solution to the question of Hamas,
and no blueprint for how to solve enormous conflicts over the status of
Jerusalem and the fate of Palestinian refugees. The border issue, he conceded,
was just a start.”
Apparently Obama has no solution period
and has done nothing more than make a complicated problem even more dangerous
and even more difficult did, nothing to help the Palestinians, made matters
worse for Israel and the United States and has made the world a more dangerous
place to live in.
The full text: Obama's speech on the Middle East and North Africa
The Opinions Found On This Page
Are Mine.
They belong to me and I don't care whether you
agree or not.
More of my rants will be made in
the future. Hopefully some, the few who
read this, will take it to heart and start to
make the changes needed and do it soon.
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