Cheryl Storer, President, 559-325-1525, storer77@gmail.comJudy Harlan, Membership Secretary, 559-431-9631, harlan.j@comcast.netRoberta Genini, Editor 559-435-7667, r_genini@yahoo.com

Visit us on the web at www.fresnorepublicanwomen.org

FEBRUARY 2014Edition XV, Number 2

TRUNK LINEFRESNO COUNTY & CITY REPUBLICAN WOMEN FEDERATED

Affiliated with the California & National Federated Republican WomenTHE LARGEST ALL WOMEN’S VOLUNTEER POLITICAL ORGANIZATION IN THE UNITED STATES

Join us for the February luncheon !Featured guest speaker:

California Republican Party ChairmanJIM BRULTE

“The Future of the California Republican Party”Thursday, February 27, 2014

Ramada Inn University(Shaw Avenue & Freeway 41) Room Shaw A

MENU: Turkey Avocado Croissant Sandwich with Potato Salad and DessertCheck-in starts at 11:30 a.m. with lunch served at 12 Noon. All attendees must register for the

luncheon. Luncheon costs $18. Vegan/dairy-free or gluten free options are available if requested atthe time of reservation. Payment accepted at the door with reservations. (Please make checks outahead to FCCRWF for luncheon and dues.) Or pay online at www.fresnorepublicanwomen.org. For

more information, or to make a reservation by phone, call Una Freitas at (559) 224-3720 or emailresnorepublicanwomen@reagan.com Please reserve by Tuesday, February 25.

Cancellations will be accepted until 24 hours before the luncheon.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Cheryl Storer, President

CARING for AMERICABy Mary Heredia, Caring for America Chairman

At the February luncheon, FCCRWF wil lgrateful ly receive your tax deductiblemonetary contributions to Evangel Home,http://www.evangelhome.org/

Evangel Home has beenserving homeless women andchildren since 1955. Yourcontribution by check made out toEvangel Home will serve as yourreceipt. When donating to Evangel Home

you may rest assured that your contribution isused in the most direct way to help needywomen and their families in our localcommunity.

FCCRWF Wants to Casta Ray of SunshineThrough theWintry HazeBy Connie Silva, Sunshine Committee

Do you know of a member who has had arecent bereavement, an illness, or who couldjust use a kind word of encouragement?Please let me know at (559) 276-2386 oremail me at muffin-gal@comcast.net

Do not forget to inform me of contactinformation for the person who mightappreciate a card or other greeting fromFCCRWF.

I am convinced that if theRepublican Party is going tosurvive it will do so becausemembers of the RepublicanWomen Federated are doingthe work needed to keep themessage of “Liberty for All”alive. There are so manyreasons to be a member, forexample, monthly meetings

with great speakers to keep us informed. And yourmembership supports the Youth Government Forum(this year’s forum will be the twelfth FCCRWF hasorganized.) On March 7 it will bring 50-eighth gradestudents to the Fresno County Hall of Records fora full day of workshops on federal, state and localgovernment, followed by a trip to Sacramento tovisit the Capitol and California Highway Patrol onMarch 11. As a member, you are invited toparticipate at the monthly Book Club discussions,Movie Club events the first ever NFRW “CampaignSchool” here in Fresno on Saturday, March 1. Itwill take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Ramada.The cost is $75 perperson, $80 afterFebruary 21, whichincludes box lunch andcourse manual. Localcandidates andcampaign managerswill benefit especiallyfrom NFRW’sacclaimed training.The March 1 Fresnosession is taught byHolly Roubichaud,nationally recognizedGOP political strategist.

You can still sign up for Campaign School by goingto our website www.fresnorepublicanwomen.org tomake reservations. FCCRWF’s number one goalis to help more Republicans get elected. Pleasecome to FCCRWF’s monthly meetings, where youwill have the opportunity to meet all of thesecandidates!

Thank you for your support, and I hope to see youFebruary 27 at the FCCRWF luncheon meeting!

GOP political strategistHolly Roubichaud

Look for the ladies offeringopportunity drawing tickets at the

FCCRWF February luncheon!Celebrate

Our American Presidentswith patriotic jewelry for sale

at the luncheon!

Local Republican Congressmen Snubbed by Obama in Fresno VisitTheir press release of Feb. 14, 2014, following, expresses the dismayed reaction of Reps. David Valadao,Devin Nunes, and Kevin McCarthy to the ongoing lack of presidential leadership to end the water crisis, inspite of the Presidential visit to Fresno.

These Republican Valley leaders were aced out of any opportunity to show the President their concerns inperson during his visit: No Valley Republican Congressmen were invited to join the President in his shorttour of the areas affected by drought.

“The President missed a prime opportunity today,” said Rep. Valadao. “As farmers, farm workers andcommunities in the San Joaquin Valley suffer, this Administration has chosen handouts and a climate changelecture over real solutions. We feed the world and all we ask for is a reliable, clean water supply. I will remindthe President that my constituents are part of the environment too, and the lack of a long-term solution couldspell economic and social destruction for the Central Valley.”

“To blame the California water crisis on global warming is ludicrous,” Rep. Nunes said. “The state has an incredibleirrigation system designed to supply water through five years of drought. But as a result of excessive regulationsand lawsuits by environmental extremists, we cannot fully use this system, and billions of gallons of water havebeen flushed into the ocean that could have supplied drought-stricken farmers and communities. Invoking globalwarming shows ignorance of California’s irrigation system and of basic math and engineering. President Obamacould have taken the lead in solving this crisis, but he is apparently more concerned with placating his radicalenvironmentalist allies.”

“The President’s decision to use his visit to California as an opportunity to launch a massive spending initiativeto explore the impacts of climate change will simply leave California Central Valley communities dry,” saidRep. McCarthy. “Unfortunately, nothing the President proposed today changes the underlying issue that ourcommunities are not receiving the water they have contracted and paid for; thus exacerbating the impacts of thecurrent and future droughts. House Republicans on the other hand are continuing to work to find a bipartisan,bicameral solution to ensure our communities are not crippled by future droughts. We look forward to comingtogether with the Senate to find areas of common ground and common sense to finally achieve a solution thatallows desperately needed water to flow in our state.”

SHINING THE SPOTLIGHT onLinda DubbelsBy Roberta Genini, Editor

Linda Dubbels was born and raised in Fresno, graduated from Fresno State andpursued a career in public elementary education that lasted 38 years. She is a wife, mother,

and grandmother, as well as the daughter of a ninety-five year old mother. After retiring from teaching five years ago she began to wonder: “What do I do now?” She found

herself volunteering at the Meux Home Museum and continues to do so. This fascinating contributionto the community has allowed Linda to participate in displays and tours of what she calls a “trulyhistoric local treasure.”

Finding that retirement afforded her time to pay attention to politics, she attended a Tea Partymeeting—and learned not only to pay attention, but also to start participating. Next she attended anFCCRWF luncheon. She comments, “I got to know some wonderful, dedicated ladies.”

This year, she is serving as chair of the Government Youth Forum. “I feel grateful to be mentoredby a group of knowledgeable ladies from the Education Committee,” says Linda.

She remarks on the Youth Government project: “This wonderful two-day forum allows local eighthgraders a very special opportunity to interact with elected officials and have a meaningful chance toparticipate in and have a better understanding of our government.”

DO YOU KNOW?Education Committee

. . . that you can find information on the General Plan for Fresno—including the BRT (Bus Rapid Transit)—by goingto www.co.fresno.ca.us? Under “Government” scroll down to “General Plan”. We need to know more about thisplan before another item comes up for discussion and decision. . . . that Sharon Gerardi led a lively discussion at the February 13 FCCRWF Read toKnow Book Club? The topic was Paul Johnson’s biography of Winston Churchill entitled,simply, Churchill. The March selection is Mexifornia: A State of Becoming, by Victor DavisHanson. All women are invited to read the book, save the date (March 13) and come to thehome of Adair Murphy at 10 a.m. to share your thoughts about its contents. For details,please call Adair at (559) 439-7094. . . . that the children’s books which many of you donated at Christmastime were taken tothe Nelson Elementary School library in Pinedale on February 14 by members of theEducation Committee? Making the delivery were Paula Guzman, Chairman, Nancy Enloe,MaryAnn Dews and Adair Murphy. Nancy also donated enough dictionaries for one fourthgrade classroom, and MaryAnn instructed the students in their use.

Thank you, President Washington,for Refusing a CrownBy Roberta Genini, Editor

I was surprised to learn that Monday, February 17 (as it falls this year) isnot officially called Presidents Day. As a federal holiday it is in fact calledWashington’s Birthday, albeit not celebrated on his actual birthday, February22, due to Congressional action in the early 1970’s to move some federal

holidays to the Monday nearest the holiday. The prevalence of the term Presidents Day, according toWikipedia, came from advertisers who felt that this designation lent itself to planning sales aroundthe Monday holidays in February originally intended to honor Abraham Lincoln and GeorgeWashington. Ronald Reagan’s birthday is February 6, which may have influenced the shift to thegeneric “Presidents Day” designation.

The status of Lincoln’s and Washington’s birthdays as holidays is, at best, in a state of confusionright now. I sincerely hope Americans regain the rightful focus of these day on the virtues and gloriesof these two great presidents.

George Washington refused both a crown and the title “your highness”, termed himself out afterserving nearly eight years, and set the gold standard for the modest citizen president. As somecommentators have noted this month, he no doubt would be appalled at the power grab indulged in byPresident Barack Obama, who makes up the rules as he goes along, apparently considering theConstitutional separation of powers a mere suggestion. Indeed, the amusingly titled Affordable CareAct (neither offering affordable care nor treated by the President as what it is, an act of Congress)is starting to look like the ax in the old joke about George Washington’s hatchet of cherry tree choppingfame: The original item, but with 3 new handles and 2 new heads.

George Washington is honored by the careful preservation of his Mount Vernon home, a monumentthat, thankfully, receives no federal or state funding, and shows it! I highly recommend that everyonewho can do so visit Mount Vernon and take the opportunity to marvel at what private foundationfunding can accomplish, as my husband and I did a few years ago.

In fact, Mount Vernon has refused to take a dime of government funding since opening to thepublic in 1860. It can and does stay open 365 days a year without any governmental restrictions orinterference. Incredibly, it is reported by its fundraising foundation that during the October 2013government shutdown the National Park Service placed barricades in the visitors’ parking lots atMount Vernon in the embarrassing assumption that the site was a government monument. They had tobe told by docents to remove the barricades!

Author Victor Davis

��IN MEMORIAM��Delores Howell

December 24, 1927 – January 8, 2014

Politichicks? - You Will Want to Check This Out!At http://politichicks.tv/ you will find a treasure trove of conservative information. Recently,contributors to the Politichicks website visited a Fresno area Tea Party gathering where localRepublican Women enjoyed meeting them.

From L to R, Ann-Marie Murrell, Edie Kassabian, Morgan Brittany, Dr. Gina Loudon, Yvonne Eytchison,Cheryl Storer, and Sandra Lakeman

Help Wanted:Volunteer responsiblefor selling Republican

jewelry at FCCRWFluncheon meetings.

Retail sales experiencewould be helpful.

If interested pleasecontact Jessie Robb,

Ways and MeansChairperson, at

(559) 284-0913 orjessierobb@comcast.net

February is Black History MonthWith thanks to Lorin Meeks-Harris and Carl Burton

If it were not for the Republican Party there would be no Black History month. In 1862 at theurging of Republican Senator Henry Wilson of Massachusetts, President Abraham Lincolnsigned the Washington, D.C. Emancipation Act written by Senator Wilson that freed the slavesin the District of Columbia. Every Democrat in Congress voted against it.

In 1864, Abraham Lincoln, in his opening remarks at the Republican National Convention,called upon the delegates to produce an amendment to the Constitution to positively prohibitAfrican slavery in the United States.

Abolishing slavery became part of the Republican Party convention platform. In 1865 all 86Congressional Republicans voted in favor of passage of the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery.Only 15 Congressional Democrats voted in favor and 50 Congressional Democrats voted tooppose passage.

In 1866 the first Civil Rights Act was passed by a Republican Congress. For the first time, “allpersons born in the United States (except Indians not taxed)” were citizens and were givenfull and equal benefit of all laws.

In 1868 it was Republicans in Congress who passed the 14th Amendment with oppositioncoming from Democrats and their allies. Four principles were asserted in the text of the 14thamendment. They were:

1. State and federal citizenship for all persons regardless of race, both born andnaturalized in the United States, was reaffirmed.2. No state would be allowed to abridge the “privileges and immunities” of citizens.3. No person was allowed to be deprived of life, liberty, or property without “dueprocess of law.”4. No person could be denied “equal protection of the laws.”

In 1976 President Gerald R. Ford urged Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughoutour history”. Since then each American president has issued a Black History Monthproclamation in the month of February.

All Americans now recognize the importance of black history in the drama of the Americanstory of life and liberty for all. Also, let us remember it was the Republican Party who wasthe in the forefront of this transition.

The Republican Party will do well toguide its future by these words ofPresident Lincoln in his GettysburgAddress: “…we here highly resolve that thesedead shall not have died in vain—thatthis nation, under God, shall have anew bi r th o f f reedom—and thatgovernment of the people, by thepeople, for the people, shall not perishfrom the earth.”

ACTIONACTIONACTIONACTIONACTION ITEMSITEMSITEMSITEMSITEMS for FEBRUARYWith thanks to “Capitol Update”, Feb. 14, Allison Olson, CFRW Advocate

SB 1 (Steinberg, D) would create Sustainable Community Investment Authorities, with no voter oversight orapproval, in effect repackaging redevelopment agencies with the power of eminent domain for the creation ofsmall, walkable transit communities with focus on clean energy manufacturing sites. SB 1 only needs one moresenate vote to pass to Governor Brown’s desk. Please continue to call your senators and ask them to VOTENO on SB 1!

Silly BillsLast week, Senator Bill Monning (D) introduced legislation that would require soda and other sugary drinks toinclude a label on their packaging that warns of sugar leading to tooth decay, diabetes and obesity. The currentlanguage of SB 1000 states the label would apply to beverages containing over 75 calories of sugar per 12 ounceserving. Monning admits that the support for a tax on these beverages “isn’t there,” but failed to mention thepotential loss of California beverage manufacturing companies if they do not comply with altering their labels.Another bill to watch is SB 837 (Steinberg, D), which would create universal transitional kindergarten forCalifornia. These transitional kindergartens would bring 4-year-olds to school a year before they beginkindergarten. This would only expand union memberships for the already extremely powerful teachers unionsand put children in increasingly liberal public schools, to begin indoctrinating our children at younger ages.Studies have shown that students do perform better in the first year or so, having gone through transitionalkindergartens first, but there is no difference in performance for students in later grades whether or not theyattended transitional kindergartens. What California needs is more efficient funding to California schools andmore local control, not more union members to contribute to the billions of dollars in unfunded public pensionliabilities! The CFRW is following these bills and will have official positions shortly. Please stay tuned!

WITH STUDENTSAT NELSON ELEMENTARY

Paula Guzman and MaryAnn Dewschat with Nelson Elementary students.

STUDENTS IMMERSED IN READINGNancy Enloe and Paula Guzman

enjoy the students' reaction toFCCRWF's book donations.

1486 W. Menlo • Fresno, CA • 93711CFRW Central Division 1st Place Newsletter-- 2008 & 2009, Large Clubs

FRESNO COUNTY & CITYREPUBLICAN WOMEN FEDERATED

CALENDARPLEASE MAKE PLANS!

Inside This Issue . . .

NFRW Campaign School Comes to Fresno March 1!

Youth Government Forum Will Enlighten Eighth Graders.

Water Follies and a Presidential Visit.

Start Setting Your Sights on June and November Elections!

Celebrate Black History Month.

Is Agenda 21 in Fresno’s Future?

“The biggest problems that

we’re facing right now

have to do with George

Bush trying to bring more

and more power into the

executive branch and not

go through Congress at all.

And that’s what I intend to

reverse when I’m president

of the United States of

America.” - Senator Barack Obama,

March 31, 2008

February 10 through March 7 - Candidate filing period.............. This is extended to March 12 for races where............. incumbent is not running for re-election.27 ......... FCCRWF Luncheon Meeting @ Ramada

March 6........... FCCRWF Board of Directors Meeting7 ........... Youth Government Forum at Hall of Records11 ......... Youth Government Bus Trip to Sacramento13......... FCCRWF Book Club, “Read to Know”27......... FCCRWF Luncheon Meeting @ Ramada

April 3........... FCCRWF Board of Directors Meeting10......... FCCRWF Book Club, “Read to Know”14......... FCCRWF Education Committee Meeting24......... FCCRWF Luncheon Meeting

May 1........... FCCRWF Board of Directors Meeting5 ........... First day to vote by mail (former absentee).............. This is also the day most vote-by-mail ballots are mailed.19 ......... Last day to register to vote for June 3 Primary27......... Last day to request a vote-by-mail ballot by mail.

June 3........... Primary Election Day in CaliforniaNovember 4........... General Election Day in the U.S.

Name_______________________________________________Date_________

Mailing Address____________________________________________________

City&State_____________________________________________Zip________

E-MAIL______________________________________Phone________________

(Please print e-mail clearly and notify us of changes. This is our preferred communication.)

Make check payable to FCCRWF Dues: $30.00 active member $15.00 associate member

Active membership is for all women with FCCRWF as their primary membership. Associate membership is for women with other Republican Women memberships, and men. Associate women please specify your other current active membership_______________

Who referred you to us?_________________________________________________

For more information, please visit our website at www.fresnorepublicanwomen.org or

email us at www.fresnorepublicanwomen@reagan.com

Mail completed application and check payable to FCCRWF to:

FCCRWF Membership Secretary PO Box 27590 Fresno, CA 93729-7590

Fresno County and City Republican

Women Federated

Membership Application