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SILICON VALLEY REPUBLICAN WOMEN FEDERATED NEWSLETTER

February 2008

President: Ellen Longworth (408)354-0419 ~ 1st V.P & Program: Carol Greenleaf (408)867-5680

~2nd V.P/Membership: Laura Riffle (408)263-0990 ~ Treasurer: Naomi Blais ~

Secretary: Gloria Estes ~ Newsletter Editor/Legislation: Eve Bretzke

Website: www.svrwf.org, Address: PO Box 2153, Sunnyvale, CA 94087

PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY ELECTION ISSUE

VOTE FEBRUARY 5^TH, 2008

All SVRWF Luncheon and Dinner Meetings are held at the Ramada Inn,

Silicon Valley located at 1217 Wildwood Ave. Sunnyvale, California.

Luncheon Meetings: Social 11:30 AM., Lunch 12:00 PM, Cost $18.00.

Our next luncheon meeting is February 7th at 11:30 AM. Menu Choices:

Caesar Salad w/ Strips of Grilled Chicken or New York Steak Sandwich - Served On French Roll

Louise Kenny 739-4724 or Alice Wilson 733-6352 for reservations.

“A reservation made is a reservation paid!”

Our guest speaker this month is Thomas Orecchia. Program Coordinator, San Jose ICE Office. His presentation is titled “Immigration Enforcement of Criminal Aliens.”

Thomas Orecchia joined the US Maries Corps out of High School, served 4 years active and 8 years reserve. A former Federal Prison Guard turned INS agent. Thomas is part of the Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) organization and has served for 21 years. Over this time, Mr. Orecchia has been part of every aspect of immigration enforcement including liaison with the San Jose FBI’s Joint Terrorist Task Force (JTTF). One of his cases there led to the successful criminal prosecution and subsequent deportation of suspected Palestinian terrorist Nabil Serarna.

Mr. Orecchia is now the program coordinator at the San Jose ICE office, for both Operation Predator which targets alien sex offenders, and Operation Community Shield which targets alien street gang members. He is also a participating member with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s sexual assault enforcement team. Thomas, like his father, and grandmother, is a life long Republican.

Let’s welcome Thomas Orecchia to this month’s luncheon meeting. Bring a friend to learn about this important and timely topic! See you there.

Jan. 30 Republican Presidential Debate in California, CNN and the LA Times will host event.

Feb. 5 Presidential Primary Election: Tuesday, February 5, 2008. Be sure to vote!

Feb. 7 Regular Luncheon Meeting, 11:30 AM Social, 12:00 PM Lunch. Thomas Orecchia - Speaker, Topic: Immigration Enforcement of Criminal Aliens. Ramada Inn Silicon Valley, Sunnyvale

Feb. 14 Regular Board Meeting, Naomi Blais home, 868 S. Stelling, Cupertino. Phone (408) 252 0658.

Apr. 20-22 CFRW 33rd Advocacy Workshop and Spring 2008 Board of Directors' Meeting,

Hyatt Regency at Capitol Park, Sacramento, April 20-22, 2008.

SILICON VALLEY REPUBLICAN WOMEN FEDERATED NEWSLETTER – FEBRUARY 2008

LEGISLATION

California Update from CRWF and other sources:

CRWF Positions on CA Ballot Measures:

Proposition 91 (Transportation Funding Protection Act)

The Federation recommends “No” on this proposition. The proposition has no real backing. It would close a loophole that could be used to help California get though our budget crunch.

Proposition 92 (Community College, Funding, Governance, Fees, Initiative Constitutional Amendment)

The Federation recommends “No” on this proposition. The proposition would create a bigger Board of Governors that would turn into a fat pig that is unneeded and unwanted.

Proposition 93 (Limits on Legislator’s Terms in Office)

The Federation recommends “No” on this proposition! The Proposition is a vanity exercise and power grab.

Proposition 94, 95, 96, 97 (Indian Gaming Referendums)

The Federation has taken a “No-Position” stance on these propositions. Here is a summary of the Referendum Measures to Amend the California Constitution Relating to Gambling from CRWF:

Arguments in Support: Passage of Propositions 94, 95, 96, and 97 would preserve four tribal gaming agreements and protect hundreds of millions of dollars each year they will provide to our state. The agreements increase the percentage of revenues tribes pay to the state, mandate strict new environmental protections, and share revenues with non-gaming tribes. These referendums would bring badly needed money into the state treasure. The revenue would help fill the budget gap.

Arguments Against: these measures are part of a political deal for the four wealthy, powerful tribes. They are a bad deal for California that would encourage huge casino gambling expansion and could economically devastate other tribes. Revenue claims are wildly exaggerated and schools not guaranteed one cent. California made a deal with Nevada that we would have horseracing and they would have gambling. It

seems to us that California has broken that deal by having Indian Casinos. The state should not be in the gambling business.

Comments: It is the consensus that taking a support or oppose position would be a waste of political capital. We need to pick battles that we can win. This is not one of them. There are many political groups on both sides of these propositions. These propositions are essentially local issues.

Don’t Be Tricked by Prop 93 - It's Bad for California

Published by Santa Clara County Republican Party

Perhaps even more important than voting for a presidential candidate on February 5th, is casting a “No” vote on Proposition 93. Prop 93 masquerades as a term limits initiative, when, in fact, it is the opposite. It will loosen California’s term limits law for incumbent legislators, enabling them to serve 12 years in either the Senate or Assembly. In effect, the maximum Assembly term will be increased from 6 years to 12 years and the maximum Senate term from 8 years to 12 years. Does that sound like stricter term limits to you?

The reality is that Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez and Senate President Don Perata railroaded this onto the

February 5th ballot in their self interest. If Prop 93 were to pass on February 5th, both Nunez and Perata would be able to run for re-election in June. Otherwise, they will be termed out this year and they will be out of a job. And they aren’t the only incumbents that stand to benefit from Prop 93. Consider this: 40 other incumbents will be able to extend their terms under this sham of legislation. 60% of the Senate would be able to serve up to 18 years! This is not what California voters had in mind when we passed term limits

SILICON VALLEY REPUBLICAN WOMEN FEDERATED NEWSLETTER – FEBRUARY 2008

(cont.) legislation in 1990. But wait, there’s more. Did you think that the reason for California taxpayers to pay for a third election in 2008 (the February primary) was so that we could have more impact on the presidential race? No, not at all. The real reason was so that Prop 93 could slither onto the February ballot and then, if passed, Perata, Nunez and company would be able to extend their terms by running in the already scheduled June 2008 primary. Slick, no? Learn more by visiting www.stopprop93.com.

National Update from NRWF and other sources:

Despite a liberal Congress, The following was accomplished in 2007:

Immigration Reform - The Senate amnesty bill (S. 1639) was defeated. Grassroots level pressure helped kill the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act.

The Dream Act - we successfully defeated the Senate liberals' bill that would have provided amnesty to any illegal alien that came here before the age of 16 and earned a GED or high school diploma in the U.S.

Healthcare - President Bush vetoed the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) that would have raised the cost of the program from $25 billion to $60 billion over a five-year period. Far from being about children, the program currently covers 670,000 adults. This inclusion leaves some poor children uncovered while allowing illegal aliens to apply.

Energy – Currently opposing the so-called "energy" legislation in the House and Senate. We succeeded in defeating $28 billion in new energy taxes in the Senate's version of the energy legislation. However, the energy bill passed by the House includes billions in new taxes. At this writing, the House and Senate are trying to reconcile their differences on energy legislation.

H.R. 1585, the Defense Department authorization bill.

The first piece of important business for the newly returned Congress was disposing of President Bush’s veto of H.R. 1585, the Defense Department authorization bill. The House passed the revised version, H.R. 4986, by a vote of 369-46, for $696 billion in defense spending. The new iteration allows the President to grant Iraq immunity from civil lawsuits, while also boosting our troops’ pay by 3.5 percent, retroactive to the beginning of the year.

Fred Thompson Quits Presidential Race (1/22/08)

NAPLES, Fla. (AP) - Republican Fred Thompson, the actor-politician who attracted more attention as a potential presidential candidate than as a real one, quit the race for the White House on Tuesday after a string of poor finishes in early primary and caucus states. "Today, I have withdrawn my candidacy for president of the United States. I hope that my country and my party have benefited from our having made this effort," the former Tennessee senator said in a brief statement. Thompson's fate was sealed last Saturday in the South Carolina primary, when he finished third in a state that he had said he needed to win. Thompson did not say whether he would endorse any of his former rivals. He was one of a handful of members of Congress who supported Arizona Sen. John McCain in 2000 in his unsuccessful race against George W. Bush for the party nomination.

Just in Case You Are Still Undecided - A List of Republican Presidential Candidates Websites:

(In Alphabetical Order)

Mayor Rudy Giuliani www.joinrudy2008.com

Governor Mike Huckabee www.mikehuckabee.com

Congressman Duncan Hunter www.gohunter08.com

Senator John McCain www.johnmccain.com

Congressman Ron Paul www.ronpaul2008.com

Governor Mitt Romney www.mittromney.com

SILICON VALLEY REPUBLICAN WOMEN FEDERATED NEWSLETTER – FEBRUARY 2008

Republican Delegate Count - Need 1,191 for nomination.

Source: Associated Press.

Romney

59 delegates

States Won: WY, MI, NV

Huckabee

40 delegates

States Won: IA

McCain

36 delegates

States Won: NH, SC

Commentary from the Campaign:

“One of the obvious differences between Democrats and Republicans is the role that religion plays in their presidential campaigns. For instance, every Democrat, while pretending to believe that ‘separation of church and state’ actually appears somewhere in the Constitution, must also insist that religion plays an essential role in his or her life. But just about the only time you see them going to church is when they’re posing for the cameras while addressing a black Baptist congregation. What’s more, when questioning these people, the liberal media kindly limits itself to a yes or no question regarding the existence of God. However, when the candidates are Republicans, you might get the idea that the members of the MSM were boning up for their theology exams. Is Huckabee too Christian? Does he actually believe the universe was created in six days? When he was a governor, did he go out of his way to commute the sentences of felons because he was a sucker for anyone who announced he’d found Christ in the slammer? Is Giuliani, who contributed to Pro-Choice organizations, flying under false colors as a Catholic? Does Romney really believe that Satan and Jesus are brothers, or at least third cousins, once removed? Why is it, I wonder, that nobody is asking Barack Obama about his religious convictions? From what I’ve gathered, they’re far more fascinating than Mitt Romney’s.” —Burt Prelutsky, former humor columnist for the L.A. Times and left-turned-right freelance journalist.

SILICON VALLEY REPUBLICAN WOMEN FEDERATED NEWSLETTER – FEBRUARY 2008

UPDATE: Adopt-A-Chaplain - Valentines Day Outreach

Bring valentines and whatever else you can to give to the chaplains for the troops! Currently Adopt-A-Chaplain is shipping to 109 chaplains in the field, both inside the green zone and all the way out to the foxholes! Most Requested Items: Energy bars, beef jerky, Crystal Light and other power mixes, individually wrapped candies, toiletries, feminine products, CD,s, DVD’s, books (fiction – younger set), school supplies, white socks, sports magazines, chap stick, baby wipes, foot powder, popcorn, brownie mix, single chip packs, canned fruit, mints, gum, canned tuna, easy Mac and cheese, trail mix, shampoo, conditioner, envelopes / paper, inspirational books, playing cards, puzzle/word find books, and all occasion cards are especially appreciated so that the troops can write to loved ones back home. Bring donations to the meeting and we’ll have the items shipped to Iraq in February.

AAC Highlight (photo above)

They called him The Flying Padre; Chaplain Quinn was a Marine grunt in Vet Nam. Here he is preparing communion in the helicopter. Following Viet Nam he entered the priesthood. He taught at Bellarmine and Santa Clara University. At the time he became an Army chaplain he was serving at the Noviate in Los Gatos. His superiors would not sign on for him to do another tour in Iraq so he's getting out of the Army shortly and returning home.

From the field:

My Soldiers are discovering the power of prayer against evil. The first time I prayed that God would cause the enemies' weapons to backfire on them, my Soldiers returned with big eyes, reporting, "Chaplain, what you prayed this morning really happened! An insurgent's weapon literally backfired on him!" Thanks for the support you give us. The goods you and your supporters
send keep Soldiers flowing through our office. Ch DM
Thank you very much for your ministry. It is a great blessing during deployment to know that there are congregations and individuals that have us in prayer and are willing to do what they can to help. Ch MK
Please know that your support is greatly appreciated. Your efforts have made my stay here much easier. Ch MK
Life is very different here. Nearly everyday we go to sleep with the sound of helicopter blades roaring above us and wake up to the sound of either machine gun fire or the Muslim call to prayer. Other than that, the food is pretty good. And, the people are genuinely friendly. Many are grateful for our presence and appreciate what it is that we are able to do for them and their families. Ch RF (in Baghdad)
“Keep us all, including the Iraqi people, in your prayers, things continue to go well with us and I am more encouraged about the future of Iraq and its people with every trip out. So many good things are happening.” Ch SD
I think you guys are going to win the award for putting the most amount of stuff in such a small box! Ch CW

SILICON VALLEY REPUBLICAN WOMEN FEDERATED NEWSLETTER – FEBRUARY 2008

COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN

MEMBERSHIP

REMINDER: Membership dues for 2008 are due. Stay active! Bring your dues to the next meeting

Laura Riffle

NFRW / CFRW CLUB WEBSITES

Don’t have a computer? Visit your local library for free internet access and assistance as needed.