Articles
RLC ENDORSES RON PAUL FOR PRESIDENT! Friday, 06 January 2012 15:59 |  Written by Philip Blumel |   
But the national RLC announced on the eve of the Iowa primary, after the required consultation with the state RLCs including Florida, that the RLC is officially endorsing Ron Paul for president of the United States. “Paul has often been a lone vote against big government and big spending in the wilderness of the House of Representatives, but as president that lone vote would become a veto and stop government abuses dead in their tracks,” observed Earl Bandy, Chairman of the RLC of Colorado. “That alone is a great reason to put Ron Paul in the White House and give him that power.” To get involved with the Ron Paul campaign in Florida, join your local Meetup group. You can find a list of Meetups and links to other resources here. RLCer's resolution adopted 170-0 by Palm Beach RECThursday, 08 September 2011 07:50 | Written by Philip Blumel |
Half of Florida's 20 "home rule" charter counties have adopted term limits via a direct vote of the people, as you can see on this chart. A gaggle of politicians in Broward County challenged their term limits law -- passed in 2000 with 80% of the vote -- and found a local judge to strike down the law. The decision was written by Judge Carol Lisa Phillips, wife of the term limited former mayor of Ft. Lauderdale, who couldn't resist editorializing against term limits in her decision. An appellate court overturned the flawed Phillips decision, unanimously and unequivocably, on Aug. 10. But the politicians have appealed and the case is going to the Supreme Court. You can follow the case on Blumel's statewide term limits blog. To read the Palm Beach County resolution in its entirety, go here. If any RLCers are members of their local REC in a county with term limits, you are encouraged to submit a similar resolution in your county. If you would like help drafting it, contact Philip Blumel at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Florida Senate approves Guns at Work Bill - Call Governor Crist to VetoMonday, 09 June 2008 19:59 | Written by Will Pitts |
Background: Governor Crist has a critical decision to make and he needs to hear from you! Today, the Florida Senate joined the House of Representatives in passing the Guns at Work bill (HB 503) and the bill now awaits action by Governor Crist and only the Governor can now prevent this irresponsible legislation from becoming law. The Governor has only seven days to take action or the bill becomes law so it is imperative that you contact him immediately!
Please contact the Governor immediately to express your opposition to the Guns at Work bill and urge him to VETO this misguided legislation. Please call (850) 488-4441 or click here to send an e-mail directly to Governor Crist. There are 5 key reasons why the Governor should veto this legislation:
This is a comment on "The Dangers of a nation divided by parties or groups"
Palm Beach County RLCers lead defense of citizens' initiativeFriday, 01 July 2011 06:30 | Written by Philip Blumel |
In Palm Beach County, two county commissioners – Burt Aaronson and Karen Marcus, a Democrat and a Republican -- have announced they intend to defy 70% of the voters by running again in 2012 in spite of a voter-approved and initiated term limits law. RLCers and others are not taking this news sitting down. Citizens – including RLCers Rick Shepherd, Bill Skinner and George and Philip Blumel – met on Monday to plan a response. The meeting, called just two days before, drew over 20 activists, most veterans of the successful campaign to impose term limits in 2002. Earlier this year a new local website was launched to track this issue, www.pbctermlimits.com. At Monday’s meeting, activists raised some Monday and decided to buy ads in local media and start a 93,000 home robocall informing voters of the commissioners’ intentions and directing them to the website. A poll has been created on the site, allowing readers to weigh in on the controversy. Palm flyers were created for distribution at public places and citizens are encourage to participate in the current charter review process, calling for retention and defense of the people’s term limits law. On Thursday, Philip Blumel spoke to the Palm Beach County Young Republicans and distributed the flyers. The goal of the so-far unnamed group is to educate voters about the law and discourage Marcus and Aaronson from running against the clearly expressed will of the people. Both commissioners are pinning their hopes on a legal challenge to the Broward County term limits law, but the citizens committee is echoing the Palm Beach Post’s call for commissioners to stand down in accord with the clearly expressed will of the people. The term limits law is typical of those in home rule charter counties throughout the state. It imposes an 8-year consecutive term limit and passed with 70% of the voter. Activists collected over 60,000 petition signatures to put the idea on the ballot for a vote. The term limits went into affect in 2010. In the eight-year period before the limits went into effect, four members of the commission have been indicted and three have gone to prison for corruption.
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The RLC rarely endorses a presidential candidate. In order to preserve the integrity of the organization, an endorsement requires near unanimity among all its active state affiliates. In fact, the last time the RLC has endorsed a presidential candidate was Steve Forbes in 1996.
In support of the Palm Beach County 8-year county commission term limits law, the Palm Beach County Republican Executive Committee approved a pro-term limits resolution 170-0 at their Aug. 10 meeting. The resolution was written by Philip Blumel, a Florida RLCer and president of the Fairfax, VA, based 
[UPDATE 8/10/11 -- Florida's 4th District Court of Appeals rule today IN FAVOR of county term limits. Thanks to the Broward County attorney's office and all the RLCers and others who rallied behind their voter-approved term limits laws!]
Sabrin challenges Republicans to cut, cut, cutSaturday, 11 June 2011 10:35 | Written by Philip Blumel |
In his manifesto-like address, “The Case for Zero Taxes,” Dr. Sabrin drew on his professional experience as finance professor at Ramapo College in New Jersey and political experience as an RLCer and Republican candidate to make his seemingly radical case to mainstream Republicans. He said this is only possible by drastically reducing the scope of government, returning it to the Founders' limited, Constitutional vision. The four major classes of taxes under fire included direct taxes (income tax), indirect taxes (tariffs and excise taxes), regulation and inflation.
He noted that noone in Washington – “except for Ron Paul and maybe a few others” are serious about cutting spending and, hence, taxes. In his run for the U.S. Senate, Dr. Sabrin was endorsed by U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas and has served on the national board of the RLC. |
Former New Jersey Senatorial candidate Dr. Murray Sabrin, echoing Milton Friedman’s famous advice, told Republicans to work to reduce all taxes, everywhere, in his address to the Republican Club of Central Palm Beach County on June 2.
Dr. Sabrin warned Republicans not to get enthused about some novel new tax, like the Fair Tax, but instead should focus on cutting spending and taxes, not adding or shifting or improving them. “Taxation is not a solution,” he said, “It’s the problem."