The children vs. Alabama Dems

Democrat Vice-Chair, Union Boss, Hubbert Opposes Measures to Protect ‘The Children’

Birmingham, AL – The state Board of Education voted yesterday to officially adopt a code of ethics for teachers, effectively solidifying the guide for ethics into the administrative code. All Republicans on the board backed the guide for ethical standards, and the move was backed by Republican Governor Bob Riley. By passing this code, Republicans on the board took a stand for each and every parent, student and educator in Alabama – we applaud their efforts.

However, not everyone was on board with formally instituting the ethics code, as Vice-Chair of the Alabama Democrat Party, and AEA Union Boss, Paul Hubbert was vehemently opposed. It is unfortunate that the head of the “Education Association” would rise in opposition to measures that will work to protect Alabama’s children from “inappropriate contact,” or their teachers showing up in the classroom under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Hubbert’s power in the State of Alabama is well noted, but it is disturbing that the Democrat Vice-Chair would try to wield his power to the detriment of school children.

“We certainly support teachers, and believe that education is the foundation for the future of our state, but Paul Hubbert’s fight against this ethics code is really unconscionable,” said Rep. Mike Hubbard (R-Auburn), Chairman of the Alabama Republican Party.

“So often in the legislative session, Hubbert leverages ‘the children’ in the media to gain public support,” Hubbard added. “His opposition to measures that will give children a safe learning environment should be a good indicator that ‘the children’ are the last of his priorities.”

From ALGOP

Another Republican Victory!

Republican Phil Williams Claims Victory in House District 6 Special

Birmingham –Unofficially, Republican Phil Williams claims victory in the House District 6 special election – by a total of 62% to 38% over Democrat Jenny Askins. The HD6 win is the second election in just five weeks that the Alabama Republican Party has picked up a seat in the Legislature. Even more historic is the blow delivered to the over 113 years of Democrat rule in Alabama, as Republicans are within single digits of the majority in the House for the first time since Reconstruction. In the winning effort, the Party was able to contribute two television spots, numerous direct mail pieces and a “Get Out The Vote” assault that resulted in 26,000 phone calls into the district for Phil Williams, as well as volunteers who knocked on over 5,000 doors during the campaign. This was truly a team effort and a model for the Alabama Republican Party as 2010 approaches.

“Phil Williams and his team ran a remarkable campaign, and the Party is happy to have been able to play a part in his victory,” said Rep. Mike Hubbard, Chairman of the Alabama Republican Party. “We had a great candidate, the right message and Alabamians showed today that they are poised to end the culture of corruption that the Democrats have fostered for far too long.”

“In just five weeks, we have taken two Democrat seats, and the District 6 win puts us within single digits of a majority in the House for the first time since Reconstruction. There should be no doubt that the Alabama Republican Party has the team and resources to continue making history in 2010,” Hubbard added.

From ALGOP

From ALGOP

Artur Davis Copying Republican Ideas… Again Birmingham, AL – Democrat gubernatorial candidate Artur Davis is currently championing an idea of his own that he has plagiarized from Congressman John Fleming (R-LA4). On Wednesday, July 8, 2009, Congressman Fleming rolled out a resolution stating:

“Members (of the House) who vote in favor of the establishment of a public, federal government run heath insurance option are urged to forgo their right to participate in the Federal Employees Heath Benefits Program and agree to enroll in the public option.” (full Fleming resolution HERE)

Congressman Davis liked the Republican idea so much that on Friday, July 10, 2009, Davis entered his own resolution that is identical, with the exception of a “whereas” or two, to the Fleming resolution. (Davis resolution HERE)

And then today, Congressman Davis’ office is pushing a press release detailing why the Congressman felt so strongly about this resolution. The press release states, in part:

“On Friday, I introduced legislation that would apply to members of Congress the same policies and burdens that we are about to lay on our constituents…” (Davis Press Release HERE)

“Congressman Davis must really like Republican ideas, first he copied the Governor Riley’s plan for ethics reform and now he’s at it again,” said Rep. Mike Hubbard (R-Auburn), Chairman of the Alabama Republican Party.

I think it is terribly sad that Davis is attempting to take full credit for Congressman Fleming’s original idea, it speaks to the heart of credibility and trust – values that the people of Alabama want to see in their next Governor.”

Cap and Trade Info from NFRW

Cap and Trade Passes House, Moves to Senate

***Please note that the American Clean Energy and Security Act is actually HR 2454. I apologize for the confusion. Thank you for calling this error to my attention. On June 26, 2009, The US House of Representatives passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act (HR 2454), commonly referred to as "Cap & Trade" in a 219-212 vote. The bill is currently on the Senate Legislative Calendar for consideration during this next five week session. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has stated that he wants to pass the legislation by the fall. The bill mandates that 15% of the nation's electricity come from renewable sources such as wind and solar power by 2020. Companies will be forced to buy permits to emit carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses. The bill places caps on those emissions which would drive the cost of energy up on American businesses and consumers. Estimates place the cost to American families at over $3,100 per year. American jobs may be forced to move out of the US to countries where there are no caps on carbon emissions. HR 2454 also contains a provision that imposes taxes on goods imported from countries that don't match US carbon restrictions-a slap at major trade partners such as China and India-that some fear could start a trade war. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) came out with a study that shows the danger of this new legislation. To read more, click here. TAKE ACTION NOW: Contact your Senators today and tell them to VOTE NO to HR 2454 and higher energy costs for American families and businesses! For a great breakdown by RealClearPolitics of the upcoming cap and trade debate in the Senate, click here.

"The Greatness of America: A Speech by Beth Chapman

America is the greatest country on the face of the earth.
There is no other country where people would risk their lives,
And give up everything they own
Just to step foot on our sacred soil . . .
To get a chance to start a new,
And to know the true meaning of freedom.

There is no other country,
Where sixteen people would get on a raft
made for ten,
And risk their very lives and the lives of
their children,
Just so they could know the freedom we know,
Every single day of our lives.

America is a strong and proud nation.
We are proud of our heritage, our Constitution,
The Declaration of Independence,
Our second amendment rights,
Our Civil Rights,
Our God-given rights -
The entire multitude of our rights,
And the principles and ideals created,
crafted,
And framed by our forefathers.

We love our monuments and our history,
And remember all of the battles in which
we were victorious,
But we also remember Pearl Harbor and
September 11th,
Because we take the good with the bad in
our country,
Because it is what drives us to overcome,
To learn from the past and to prevail,
In order to become a better nation and a
stronger people.

Indeed history does repeat itself,
And America has a great history -
A brilliant past,
And an even brighter future.

Americans love and support our military,
And their valiant efforts,
To protect and preserve our freedom,
Even if it means risking their own lives
to do so.

That is the raw courage and American spirit,
Of our brave men and women in uniform,
Who fight to protect and preserve what we
have . . .
Because they believe it is worth fighting
for and protecting -
And it is.

We love our sports, hotdogs, cornbread and
apple pie,
Museums, education, fast cars, literature,
rock-n-roll and religion,
And while we come in all shapes, sizes,
backgrounds and colors,
We have a plethora of principles and
ideals to maintain.

For what we love the most,
Is the freedom to express ourselves,
And to worship, serve and think as we like,
(Even if it is sometimes wrong) -
Just because we have the right to think it.

We respect and reserve the right to be
independent thinkers,
Without the government dictating our
values to us.
We have a right to pursue happiness - not
to be given happiness,
But the sheer joy of pursuing it and the
freedom to do so.

Americans are hard-working people,
Who love God and country,
And are darn proud that the two often
collide,
And honestly believe that they should.

We acknowledge that you cannot have one
without the other.
As a matter of fact,
God and country are so engrained in who
and what we are,
As a nation and as a people,
That we would dare fail to think of them
in the same breath.

This is due in part to the fact,
That we believe one is dependent on the
other,
Because it was founded on those principles,
And under that sacred and Holy name.

America is great because it was bought
with a price,
And has sustained years of conflict and
strife.
It has been criticized and attacked,
Taunted and terrorized,
But it has withstood the test of time,
And has passed those tests with flying
colors -
The red, the white and the blue.

America is a great nation,
Because it is made up of great people,
Who work hard and mean well.
It is comprised of the very spirit, upon
which it was founded,
Some three hundred years ago.

The spirit of Betsy Ross, Francis Scott
Key, George Washington Carver, John
Wesley, Benjamin Franklin, Florence
Nightingale, James Madison, Thomas
Jefferson and Jefferson Davis,
Can still be found in our schools and in
our homes.


For our founding fathers all paid a price,
For their passion,
Which has outlived them all,
And continues to live in our hearts, souls
and minds.

The tapestry that has our woven our goals
and objectives,
Principles and purpose throughout
generations,
Still flows in our veins and breathes life,
Into the very essence of what our love of
country means.

Patriotism is our very countenance,
The aura that surrounds us as we work
forty-hour weeks,
Run a business, balance a budget, work in
a steel mill,
Attend church, heal a patient,
Plow a field, clean a home, care for and
educate our children.

We are great because of what we were,
What we are and how we got here.
We will be even greater still,
When we get where we are going,
And arrive leaps and bounds above the
others,
Because we wanted the dream more than they
did,
And were willing to work harder,
Sacrifice more and shed blood, sweat and
tears to get it.

America is a vision that has been seen,
A sound that has been heard,
A greatness that is yet to be known,
And a future that awaits our lineage,
To live out when we are gone.

America is not a dream;
It is a reality,
And one that dims in comparison to no one,
No thing and no place on this earth.
America is still that "city on a shining
hill,"
Whose lights burn as bright or brighter,
Than ever before,
Because there is so much left to see and
to do.

Our best days are ahead of us, not behind
us.
While proud of our past and working on our
present,
It is our future that shines brightest,
Because America remains a beacon for all
the world to see.

America has a spirit which cannot be broken,
Packaged or sold,
Because it was bought with the blood of so
many.
It cannot be penned or drawn,
Because words and art are inaccurate to
describe or define it.

The spirit of America is a feeling,
A dream realized and a greatness known
only too few,
But is available to all who dare to want it,
And are committed enough to work hard to
get it.

America is a stronghold,
A bastion of greatness and a nation of
goodness.
God bless America,
And the flag that waves as a testimony to
its greatness,
And symbolizes its solitude,
And the sanctity of all who love it,
As it stands guard over us.

In closing,
Let us remember these truths,
Of which we are to be proud, confident and
remain faithful:

We have a government,
We can be a part of our government if you
choose to be.
We were created as a republic and remain a
republic.
We are governed by a democracy.

Patriotism is alive and well.
The American Dream is alive and well.
We are one nation founded on Godly
principles,
And though we have growing pains,
It only means that we are growing.

And last but not least:

We may have our problems, our obstacles,
our weaknesses,
Our challenges and our burdens,
But let us never forget that on our very
worst day,
America is still better than any other
country on their very best day.

God bless America and the flag that
symbolizes its greatness!

Happy Fourth of July from Secretary of
State Beth Chapman
Copyright (c) June, 2009

The Day of Deliverance aka The Fourth of July

I'm one of those sappy patriots. I am likely to shed a tear (or a hundred) when "The Star Spangled Banner" is sung. Just the sight of a military person makes me want to rush up and give them a hug. Break out "God bless America" and I get a lump in my throat big enough to choke a horse. The appreciation I feel for being blessed to be born and live in this country overwhelms me at times. I like it that way.

It is said that just after signing the Declaration of Independence, John Adams wrote to his wife with specific instructions on how he believed they should celebrate the America's Birthday. He anticipated that the celebration would be big and he was right. He wrote to his wife, "I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated, as a Day of Deliverance by Solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with shews (shows), games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other from this time forward forever more."

How will you celebrate the 4th? Will it just be warm summer day off from work with family and friends eating good ol' fashioned American food? Or will you do as Adams suggested and celebrate it as a "Day of Deliverance".

With John Adam's suggestions in mind, here are some tips for celebrating the true spirit of the 4th of July:
1. Begin your day with some "solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty" by praying together as a family, giving thanks for all we have been blessed with in this country. Petition God to heal our land and help us in future days. Focus on praise and worship to God for the gift of this country.
2. Go to a patriotic concert or if none if available, crank up the CD players with patriotic music.
3. Attend a parade in your area. No parade? Encourage little ones to make their own backyard parade with bicycles and wagons. Talk about some lifetime memories!
4. Play some backyard ball with family. Why even John Adams could foresee the link between sports and national pride.
5. And fireworks. There are many opportunities in many communities to view professionally done firework shows. You can even watch them on television. But you may want to venture into your own backyard (if it's legal in your area and there are no fire warnings) and make your own "bonfires and illuminations".
6. Rent some patriotic movies and watch as a family. Some of our favorites are the National Treasure Movies. Action and adventure wrapped around American history. Gotta love that.

Whatever you choose to do to celebrate our deliverance and independence, do it with gusto, pride and reverence with as many folks as you can. Help keep those patriotic fires burning from sea to shining sea for many years and many generations to come.

Written by Kelley Smith
Americanism Chair/Blog Editor/Photographer





Happy Fourth of July from The Alabama Federation of Republican Women. God bless America.

Campaign season getting in high gear!!!

Just added a bunch of new campaign links. Make sure to visit the sites and learn about each candidate. Remember it doesn't take much to be a voter, but it does take some effort to be an informed voter.

ALGOP blast state dem party's stance on ethics reform

Birmingham, AL – In an article that appeared in the Montgomery Advertiser, written by Markeshia Ricks, Alabama Democrat Party Executive Director Jim Spearman admits that ethics reform is simply not a priority – click HERE for article. Specifically, Spearman suggests that a ban on PAC-to-PAC transfers, a ban that the majority promised to deliver in 2006, isn’t important to taxpayers and voters. It seems that the Alabama Democrat Party doesn’t want to do away with their major source of funding, money from liberal special interest groups. The Democrat position on PAC-to-PAC, as well as all other ethics reform proposals, simply shows that after 113 years in power, they’d rather not have transparency in government – because then the people may actually realize how ugly their culture of corruption really is.

In response to the Democrats blatant disregard for the need for ethics reform, Rep. Mike Hubbard (R-Auburn), Chairman of the Alabama Republican Party, issued the following:

“Statements like this prove that the Democrat’s ‘covenant,’ during the 2006 campaign, was simply empty rhetoric, and not a sincere commitment to ensure transparency in government. While the Democrats may feel that they own the government in Alabama, especially after being in power for 113 years, we must return government to the hardworking people of our State. It appears that the Democrats are fully aware that ethics reform will prevent misuse and theft of taxpayer dollars – a luxury that they have enjoyed for far too long. Those dollars are better spent creating jobs, funding education and providing critical infrastructure for new industry. The majority’s arrogance on ethics reform shows that their only real priority is staying in power. It is a shame that Democrats are working so hard to fulfill their commitment to the special interests - while completely ignoring the people’s interests.”

North Alabama opportunity to hear and ask questions

with our own Senator Jeff Sessions:

Senator Sessions joins WVNN's live and local morning show host Dale Jackson, Tuesday June 30th during the 8am hour, to talk about the important issues facing our nation.

Dale will talk to the ranking GOP member of the Judiciary Committee in the U.S. Senate about the controversial nomination of Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor. And after the U.S. House passed the historic "cap and trade" legislation by a narrow 219-212 margin on Friday, Sen. Session will be asked about it's chances in the Senate.

If you have a question for Senator Sessions, e-mail Dale at dale@wvnn.com and maybe he will ask your question on the air tomorrow morning

From NFRW

"Cap and Tax" Bill Barely Passes House

All Clubs Should Monitor Bill Closely in the Senate as Harry Reid Wants a Vote Before August Recess

The "Cap and Tax" bill designed to protect against greenhouse-gas emissions by imposing a cap on the amount of carbon that utilities and companies could produce passed the House by a vote of 219-212 late Friday. This bill will pass costs along to businesses and consumers and could lead to jobs going overseas.

"You're going to find signs on manufacturing doors, if this bill passes, that say, 'Moved, gone to China,'" said Sen. Charles Grassley (R., Iowa) on ABC's "This Week." (Wall Street Journal)

The bill is now in the Senate and will soon face votes from the Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the Environment and Natural Resources Committee. But Obama and Harry Reid's Democrats want to rush a vote before the August recess in Congress.

It is clear this legislation will add costs to small businesses that will hurt their ability to hire more workers. It will also drain your pocketbook as utility bills will rise. Contact the senators in your state and also tell Senator Jeff Bingaman and Senator Barbara Boxer who chair the committees where the bill now resides that we will not stand for cap and tax.

Opportunity to meet and greet with candidate

The Republican Women of East Alabama

Meet Monday, July 6, 2009 6 Central/7 Eastern Time

at Logan's Roadhouse Restaurant in Tiger Town Mall in the Auburn/Opelika area

GUEST SPEAKER WILL BE TIM JAMES CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR OF ALABAMA

The Election for Governor of Alabama will be November 2, 2010.

Other Republican Candidates who have announced they are running for Gov. of Alabama in 2010 are:

Kay Ivey, State Treasurer of Alabama;

Bradley Byrne state two year college chancellor appointed by Gov. Riley;

Robert Bentley state representative from Tuscaloosa;

Bill Johnson who was appointed by Gov. Riley to head the Alabama Dept of Economics and Community Affairs.

Please bring a friend, or family member. Hope to see you there.

Opportunity to show your support for Phil Williams

Make plans now to join Governor Bob Riley, Rep. Mike Hubbard along
with other District 6 primary candidates Tommy Carter, Frank Prabel,
Glenn Watson, and Shawn Terry for a "DOWN HOME BLUES AND
BBQ" to support Alabama House District 6 Republican candidate
Phil Williams! The event will be held on
Tuesday, June 30 from
5:30 pm - 8:30 pm
at the Huntsville Botanical Garden.

AFRW at the RNC Women's Summit

8 of Alabama's AFRW ladies attended the RNC Woman's Summit in Washington D.C. June 25, 2009.

They heard from Chairman Michael Steele, Jan Larimar, Dana Petrino and Liz Chaney. Much of the day was spent on Technology and we look forward to a report from them on how the Federation can help to impact Alabama on this front.

Be sure to check out the candidate campaign links

Regarding House District 6 from ALGOP

HD6 Democrat Candidate Shuns Voters, Declines Candidate Forum Birmingham – With three weeks remaining before the critical House District 6 Special Election, the Democrat candidate has declined to participate in a candidate forum with Republican Phil Williams. The forum, hosted by both The Huntsville Times and television station WHNT on July 7^th, was to be televised throughout the district so that voters could hear directly from the candidates. A similar issues based discussion was recently held during the Senate District 7 race. The Alabama Republican Party believes that the hardworking families in House District 6 deserve better than to be ignored by those who seek to represent them, and commend Phil Williams for his willingness to participate in the discussion.

Rep. Mike Hubbard (R-Auburn), Chairman of the Alabama Republican Party, compared the Democrat’s refusal to discuss the issues facing the district was a sad reminder of everything that is broken in Montgomery.

“In these economic times, taxpayers want to hear what their next Representative is going to do to create jobs and ease the financial burden on their families,” Hubbard said. “Republican Phil Williams has developed a 5-point plan for new job creation, and will continue working to earn the trust of voters based on his vision for the future of the district.”

“If the Democrats had a plan to create new jobs for Madison County, they would have jumped at the opportunity to participate in this forum,” Hubbard added.

Come meet
Kay Ivey
Candidate for Governor
at OYSTERELLAS
on the Causeway

Wednesday, June 24
5:30-7:30 p.m.

Many Azalea City Republican Women are involved in this event, and they would like to see a big crowd. If you have not heard or met Kay, this would be an excellent opportunity to do so.

AZALEA CITY REPUBLICAN WOMEN
will meet
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Heron Lakes Country Club
11:45 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
for lunch.
(Note the new time for this meeting!)

This will be a business/planning meeting. Guests and candidates are welcomed to attend. All candidates will be encouraged to introduce themselves to the group.
ACRW meetings are an excellent time to network.
Every member is urged to take her lunch-hour to try this new time and venue--and bring a prospect.

Kickoff events announced by Kay Ivey

Kay Ivey will officially announce her candidacy for governor at a series of campaign kick-off events on Wednesday, June 24. You are cordially invited to attend the one nearest you:

8:30 a.m. Montgomery State Capitol South Avenue of Flag
11:00 a.m. Birmingham Statue of Liberty Liberty Park
2:00 p.m. Huntsville U.S. Space and Rocket Center
5:30 p.m. Mobile Oysterella's Seafood

Welcome Marshall County!

The Marshall County Republican Women: Sherry Sprulin President and fellow officers with AFRW Pres. Bobbie Lou Leigh. This is a very energetic group of women who are going to make a big impact in Marshall County. Welcome to the Federation!

Birthday Success!

A big thank you for all the hard work on the Birthday Wish Party. Our Caring for America co-chairmen Mary Saggus and Janie Dollar. Program provides for birthday cards and gift cards for Alabama's 6000 foster children.

Amen, Governor Palin

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Membership boom!

I am so proud of the leadership in this organization in what you have achieved in a short 6 months in membership. As you know, we have to submit our numbers for the year so far to get credentials for NFRW convention. We are very pleased to announce that we have already surpassed our numbers from last year at the end of the year. The best news is that we can continue to add to those numbers for the rest of the year and we will. I travel to Guntersville to meet with a new club that is forming The Marshall County Republican Women and the ladies in Pike County are working very hard to get their paperwork completed as well. I know that there are more members out there that may have not renewed yet for some reason or have not yet found us. Let's continue to push for membership and add to our numbers for it only makes us stronger. Remember: One Day! One Woman! One Vote! We do make a difference. Bobbie Lou President, AFRW

Sympathies extended to the Kay VanSant Family

The AFRW extends our deepest sympathies to AFRW Legislative Chair and Cherokee County President, Kay VanSant. Kay's son, Tom VanSant, III was killed in a motorcycle accident on Sunday in Arizona. Please lift up this family in your prayers.

If it can happen in Georgia.....

Obama Justice Department Decision Will Allow Non-Citizens to Register to Vote in Georgia

Decision Bars Georgia From Continuing Voter Verification Process

Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel issued the following statement following the U.S. Department of Justice’s denial of preclearance of Georgia’s voter verification process

Atlanta - “The decision by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to deny preclearance of Georgia’s already implemented citizenship verification process shows a shocking disregard for the integrity of our elections. With this decision, DOJ has now barred Georgia from continuing the citizenship verification program that DOJ lawyers helped to craft. DOJ’s decision also nullifies the orders of two federal courts directing Georgia to implement the procedure for the 2008 general election. The decision comes seven months after Georgia
“DOJ has thrown open the door for activist organizations such as ACORN to register non-citizens to vote in Georgia’s elections, and the state has no ability to verify an applicant’s citizenship status or whether the individual even exists. DOJ completely disregarded Georgia’s obvious and direct interest in preventing non-citizens from voting, instead siding with the ACLU and MALDEF. Clearly, politics took priority over common sense and good public policy.

“This process is critical to protecting the integrity of our elections. We have evidence that non-citizens have voted in past Georgia elections and that more than 2,100 individuals have attempted to register, yet still have questions regarding their citizenship. Further, the Inspector General’s office is investigating more than 30 cases of non-citizens casting ballots in GeorgiaHenry County non-citizen who registered to vote and cast ballots in 2004 and 2006.
“It is important to underscore that not a single person has come forward to say he or she could not vote because of the verification process. Further, while DOJ argues that the process is somehow discriminatory, the historic voter turnout among Hispanic and African-American voters in the 2008 general elections clearly says otherwise.
“This decision provides a specific example of the inherently illogical and unfair nature of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. It is a sad day for the rights of our state and for the integrity of our elections. I remain committed to continuing the fight for citizenship verification. In the coming days, I will consider every option available to the state, including the possibility of legal action.”
Background:
As required by law and ordered by federal courts in October 2008, the eligibility of new applicants to register and vote is checked against the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) and Social Security Administration databases to ensure that individuals registering to vote report similar information. If information in these databases does not match information reported on the voter registration form, the applicant is asked to clarify the information. Additionally, if the applicant previously reported to DDS that he or she is not a U.S. Citizen, that person is asked by a registrar to provide proof of citizenship.
Prior to the November 2008 General Election, Secretary Handel sent letters to 4,771 voter registration applicants whose records at DDS indicated they were not U.S. Citizens, asking them to provide documentation of their citizenship. As of March 2009, 2,148 of these applicants still have chosen not to resolve the question about their U.S. Citizenship.
In the November 2008 General Election, county election officials reported that 599 individuals cast a challenged ballot because the voter had previously indicated to DDS that he or she was not a United States citizen and had not resolved their status with county officials at the time of the election. Of those, 369 ballots were accepted because the voter provided documentation of their citizenship after the election; and 230 were rejected because the individual chose not to confirm his or her citizenship status.
On October 10, 2008, activist organizations including the Mexican-American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit to attempt to prevent Georgia from verifying the eligibility of applicants to register and vote in the November General Election, including whether those individuals were citizens of the United States.
On October 16, 2008, U.S. District Court Judge Jack Camp denied the motion by MALDEF and ACLU; directed the State to continue the verification process; and acknowledged the State’s requirements to verify information under the Help America Vote Act. In his order, Judge Camp stated:
HAVA requires that Defendant Handel match information in the statewide voter registration database with information from the Georgia DDS and the SSA databases “to the extent necessary to enable each such official to verify the accuracy of the information provided on the applications for voter registration.”
Judge Camp also stated:
Since the possibility of fraudulent and inaccurate voting could significantly injure and diminish the public’s respect and confidence in the electoral process, the State’s ability to maintain reliable voter lists is paramount to a temporary and minor inconvenience to a few individuals.
On October 27, 2008, a U.S. District Court three-judge panel again directed the State to continue its voter registration verification process and challenge ballot procedures through the November General Election.
The 2008 elections were the largest in Georgia’s history, featuring record turnout among minority voters with the citizenship verification program in place. The figures below represent voter turnout statistics among Hispanic/Latino, African-American and White voters from the 2004 and 2008 General Elections. requested an expedited review of the preclearance submission. elections, including the case of a

Voter Demographic	2004 Total Number of Votes Cast	2008 Total Number of Votes Cast	Percentage Increase in Votes Cast
Hispanic/Latino	18,000	43,000	140%
African-American	834,000	1.2 million	42%
White	2.3 million	2.5 million	8%

Karen Handel was sworn in as Secretary of State in January 2007. The Secretary of State's office offers important services to our citizens and our business community. Among the office’s wide-ranging responsibilities, the Secretary of State is charged with conducting efficient and secure elections, the registration of corporations, and the regulation of securities and professional license holders. The office also oversees the Georgia Archives and the Capitol Museum.

Birthday Wishes!

Please don't forget that our Project for Caring for America "The Birthday Wish" Party is this Sunday, June 7 from 2 to 4 at the Wynfield Plantation in Montgomery. This started with us and has grown into a 501 3(c) organization. Please come by if you can and show support for this project. Tickets can be purchased from

http://alabamabirthdaywish.com Even if you can't come purchase a ticket to support this endeavor for the foster children of Alabama.

Special attention needed

AFRW Membership:

As Obama said this past week, it is now or never on the health care bill. Well our response is never! Two ladies from Tuscaloosa have taken on this challenge and they are asking all clubs to find two ladies that will do the same. NFRW is also working on this issue for the upcoming Captiol Connection and we have asked them to have all clubs in the Federation to take it on as well. If only Alabama is calling it will not be as effective. Calls from all states need to be involved. Be on the look out for next Capitol Connection from NFRW for more information on this.

I have not attached the article that is referred to later in this e-mail. Please visit http://www.voiceforvoters.com for additional information. This page is being monitored by Elois Zeanah 1st VP of AFRW. Elois does a lot of research for her writings and we appreciate her efforts in getting this message to us.

Please pay special attention to this matter,
Bobbie Lou

HEALTH CARE: A Challenge to Obama

President Obama has asked Congress to pass health care reform legislation for his signature by the end of July. This “change” despite its complexity is rushed – apparently to avoid debate, transparency and protest until the ink becomes indelible as with the Stimulus Bill. If Americans don’t want nationalized health care, we can’t wait for details; we must act immediately.

Democrats have already organized neighborhood coffees in states across the nation to help push through Obama’s health care reform. They know the power of Republican Women when we turn our attention to education and lobbying, so their intent is to handicap us. We don’t have time to organize grass roots coffees or distribute flyers at fairs or to organize forums, but we can be creative and have a huge impact.

While we don’t know how the cogs and gears of Obama’s socialized medicine machine will work, we know that the best health care in the world will be compromised, technological innovation will shrink, and quality of life will suffer. If we don’t want long waiting periods and the government deciding who will get operations, etc., Republican Women must act now to counter the Democrats’ highly oiled political tank.

What can we do?

The most effective tool, given the restriction of time, is to call every Member of Congress. We need at least two committed volunteers from every club to call every Member of Congress (one call per club to every Member). RWTC is already doing this. If clubs across our nation would join us, Republican Women could roam the corridors of Washington with our voices. Calls should go to every Member of Congress, not just Republicans.

What should our message be?

We should tell every Member of Congress that if the primary purpose for Obama’s health care bill is to cut costs of health care so that all Americans can have health coverage, as Obama says, the president should first fix loopholes in federal law to cut hundreds of billions of dollars in waste and abuse in current health care programs. There are many examples, but one of the easiest fixes is to clarify the 1985 EMTLA legislation that allows wealthy foreigners to fly into the United States, get expensive operations, then fly home without paying a cent, bilking U.S. taxpayers of billions of dollars every year.

The EMTLA legislation is explained in the attached article that RWTC is posting on websites, blogs, and in op-ed articles. Congress will know that EMTLA stands for Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act. This one example is dramatic so it will get the attention of Congress! This is just one way Obama and Democrats can save hundreds of billions of dollars a year. Other examples are also listed in the attached article for your information.

Clubs in Alabama need to:

1. Calling every Member of Congress with a concise message. (Two of our members are making all calls. So we know it can be done with at least
two committed volunteers. More, of course, would reduce the burden.)

2. Emailing every Member of Congress. (Two of our members are doing this task.)

3. Posting this message on Twitter and other blogs.

4. Writing an Op-Ed for our local paper (that we hope will be picked up by other papers as has happened in the past).

Again, we're not asking that other clubs multi-task this issue as we are. We hope that NFRW will approve the request that all clubs get at least two
volunteers from each club to call Congress. This will make a huge impact!

Immense thanks! If you need additional information, I would love to hear from you.

Elois Zeanah
President, Republican Women of Tuscaloosa County
1st VP, Alabama Federation of Republican Women

Info from ALGOP

ALGOP: SD22 Result Doesn’t Change 2010 Focus

Birmingham – Rep. Mike Hubbard, R-Auburn, Chairman of the ALGOP, issued the following statement regarding the outcome of the special election in SD22:

“Greg Albritton is a fine man and a strong, conservative Republican. We enjoyed working closely with him, and his team, to make sure that we did all that we could do to win this election. This district is a traditional Democrat district, so our goal was to be competitive and help put our candidate in the best possible position to win. I believe that we achieved that goal. Our entire team thanks all of our volunteers and folks on the ground who poured all they had into this effort. I know that the campaign is very appreciative as well. One election will never tell an entire story, or define an election year, and it certainly doesn’t change our focus. Taxpayers deserve transparency in government, and in 2010, we will fight hard to prove to the voters that Republican leadership will clean up the culture of corruption in Montgomery. We believe that after 113 years of Democrat rule, and the refusal by the current majority to discuss ethics reform, the voters will respond positively.”

Richard Shelby responds to GM announcement

Link here

From ALGOP regarding Democrat Candidate Laura Hall

Birmingham — Democrat Laura Hall’s campaign announced yesterday that they will be hosting a rally this weekend, and Laura Hall herself will be in attendance. Hall’s public appearance will be one of her first in the nearly five months since the Democrat announced her candidacy for Senate District 7, her only other noted appearances include an interview with a liberal blog and a Democrat club. It is sad that Laura Hall refuses to discuss the issues with voters, the same voters who pay her salary.

Citizens of the district deserve to know exactly why Hall falsified her time sheets, vote to give herself a 62% pay raise, how she plans on bringing jobs to Huntsville, and if she will continue to vote for tax increases as she has been doing while being a State Representative.

Philip Bryan, ALGOP Communications Director said the following regarding Hall’s rare appearance, “It’s simple, Democrat Laura Hall is a 15-year Montgomery insider, double-dipper, pay raiser, timesheet falsifier and tax hiker – it’s obviously safer for her to run on name recognition rather than on her record.”

New Links

As we become aware of campaign links, they will be added to the link list on the right side of the blog. Also be aware there is a link there for "Voice for Voters". This blog is managed by AFRW's 1st Vice President and Illegal Immigration Committee Chair, Elois Zeanah.

If any of you are working on campaigns and know of links we are missing, please let us know so we can add as many as possible.

Need for debate from Phillip Bryan ALGOP

Executive Committee Members, Senate District 7 voters and concerned citizens: It has become apparent that Democrat Laura Hall is not going to reach out to the voters and taxpayers of Senate District 7 to inform them of her vision for the district. Therefore, the need is there for the media outlets to begin the conversation for her and host a debate, or multiple, so that voters will have an opportunity to hear Paul Sanford and Laura Hall and to decide which is the best suited to represent them in the state senate. I encourage you to call the media outlets listed below and urge them to put on this debate on Saturday, June 6^th, right before the election (election on Tues, June 9^th) so that the people will have a chance to make the most informed decision possible. If you aren’t in the district, I would urge you to call as well, the state senate makes decisions for all of us, so it will benefit everyone if the voters in senate district 7 make the right choice – both for them, and for the good of our state.

The more calls, the more likely that a debate will be held.

Please politely call the following and urge them to encourage or host a debate between Laura Hall and Paul Sanford. The voters deserve to know where each stands on the issues.

WHNT CBS 19: (256) 533-1919

WAFF NBC 48: (256) 533-6397

WAAY ABC 31: (256) 534-0482

WZDX FOX 54: (256) 533-5454

Huntsville Times: (256) 532-4000