“When you listen to it with the knowledge of what is going to happen to these people and the way they are being treated… well, it’s just plain evil,” said Ellis.

Click to listen for yourself:

Part One (31 mins):
Part Two (31 mins):
Part Three (17 mins):

While the party itself still claimed those values and espoused their virtues, the candidates that the party began nominating in primaries were not so closely tied to them. Oh sure, they would talk conservatism on the campaign trail and tout family values and fiscal responsibility. Then they would get elected to office and we found ourselves wondering how government continued to grow apparently unchecked. Something was not quite right.Before I moved to Florida in 1998 my native West Virginia would occasionally elect a Republican governor and other than that, we were happy to keep the Democrat controlled legislature in check. I was excited upon my move to Florida that we had a Republican governor (Jeb Bush) and a Republican controlled legislature. Washington was a similar picture for most of my adult life. Democrats controlled the Congress for most of my voting years. We had Republican presidents in Nixon, Reagan, Bush and Bush and we were fortunate to get occasional tax cuts (but no real tax reform) and in some years we were successful in limiting the damage done by the left. We took the US House in 1994 with the Contract with America. The Clinton’s had promised to nationalize health care and America woke up. We stopped it… for a while.

The problem we had as a majority party was that we did not know how to act like we were in charge. Our representatives were coaxed into reaching across the aisle, giving up on the principles that got them elected and going along to get along. The idea that our principles were the right ones for the country was lost along the way. Even when we had a Republican White House and Congress under George W. Bush, we allowed the Democrats to control much of the agenda. Instead of taking filibuster rules back to where a real, stay all night event had to be held to stop our agenda, we played nice and let them derail nominations and legislation that the people had elected republicans to implement.

It was the same in my new Florida home. Jeb allowed his views on education to grow government. Times were good and money was flowing so the growth of governments themselves and the programs they provided were largely unnoticed by a fat, dumb and happy public. Medicaid has become a significant chunk of the Florida budget. Education demands more and more dollars all the time and we have embraced “stimulus” funds to keep the ship of state afloat for another year. All the while, Florida continues to increase the dollars being spent by the state while slight of hand is played with the budget numbers to make the unknowing or uncaring public believe that someone in Tallahassee is being conservative.

It is similar on the county and city levels where alleged Republicans are helping government intrude into citizen lives in areas that government should never reach. More taxes for this, more land buying for that, a new ordinance that makes rural areas act like incorporated cities and churches that complied with signage restrictions when the signs were erected are now asked to change a perfectly good sign to meet a code change. Oh, and on the churches, don’t worry; there is a grant that pays for the sign changeover so it is no cost to the church. Really? Funny, I believe most of those church members paid taxes to the government that is handing out the money saying it is no cost. There is the respect the elected officials have for our tax dollars – NONE!

It’s all come to a boiling point. And that is where you come in. You’ve joined a Tea Party or 9/12 group. You are tired of getting lip service for your beliefs and not seeing them implemented by people who espouse them when running for office. You are showing up at Town Hall Meetings in numbers like never before. You are not being silent. You are becoming active in Republican circles. You realize a third party would be ineffective as others have been. You see the way to change what we get from government is to change how we elect our officials. A Republican designation on a voter’s registration card is meaningless without the conviction to back up the principles for which it should stand. You are speaking out to elected officials that don’t vote the way they run. You do this in spite of party acquiescence to whichever “R” happens to get the nomination as being just fine.

Some call this a take over. I call it a pull back. No one is trying to take over the Republican Party. We are trying to pull the Republican Party back to the core principles it still claims to uphold. That’s why you‘ve seen the Republican establishment rebuffed when less than conservative candidates were endorsed. The electorate in the last year or so has time and time again nominated the new guy as opposed to that old Republican that was part of the problem. You’ve seen a State Party Chair expelled from office for failing to uphold principles. You see new faces in politics getting to the front of races because old time politicians are repeating unbelievable themes because their actions have not held them up. You see incumbents being challenged where previously they would have reached office by acclimation. Yes, change is coming and it’s all thanks to you being involved.

This year is no time to stop. We have to continue to encourage new faces to step up and run for office. We have to continue to speak out for our beliefs and hold those elected officials accountable who claim to hold them, too. There is a ripple that is becoming a wave and you are in charge of keeping it going… it’s nowhere near an accomplished goal. Oh, and the go along to get along Republicans, they’ll back you, too. We just have to get past the old ways of taking any “R” for “R’s” sake and backing the truly conservative candidates in spite of what the “establishment” may try to force on us. We’ve seen how that worked in the past and, quite frankly, we’re tired of it.

Bill is the host of Bill Mick LIVE weekday mornings on WMMB (1240 & 1350 am) and online at WMMBAM.COM

Political activist Matt Nye and a group of volunteers have organized the Brevard Tea Party to celebrate the founding of the country and to protest big government and out of control spending.

“This event will honor our Founding Fathers and provide a forum for people to speak out against the outrageous activities taking place in Washington, DC,” Nye said. “This country was founded on the principles of individual rights, limited government and free enterprise. Arrogant, short sighted politicians at every level of government have forgotten that, and so now we must remind them what made this country great, and of the oaths they took when sworn into office.”

The event will feature WMMB AM’s Bill Mick as the emcee, almost a dozen guest speakers, entertainment and a host of exhibitors. Given the proximity to the August primaries, a candidate hobknob has been added to this year’s event. “For the Tea Party movement to have an impact, the energy must be translated into votes,” Nye said. “The hobknob will give voters a chance to meet and vet candidates who espouse Tea Party principles.”

Adult admission is $3, and children 12 and under are admitted for free. The stadium concession stands will be open and serving food and beverages.

“The Tea Party movement serves as the catalyst to get ordinary working people involved – we want them to come out, get engaged, and learn how they can make a difference in the process,” Nye said. “Apathy is no longer an option; just as our forefathers stood against the redcoats so many years ago, Americans must once again stand up and fight if they want to preserve the greatest country known to man.”

For additional information on the Brevard Tea Party or to find out how you can help, please contact Matt Nye at 321-626-9791 or visit the official web site at http://www.brevardteaparty.com

About the Brevard Tea Party:
The Brevard Tea Party is a non-partisan movement to revive the spirit of the Founders and restore the Constitutional Republic. It is organized and run by local grassroots volunteers, and it not affiliated in any way with the Republican Party or the Florida Tea Party. Supporters of the Tea Party believe in limited government, free markets and the rule of law.
Contact: Matt Nye, Organizer
321-626-9791

http://www.brevardteaparty.com

Dear fellow BREC members,

With the election of a new Chair tomorrow night, we have the opportunity to change both the face and dynamic of the BREC. While I am excited about the election, I have been disappointed by some of the behavior I have witnessed and the logic being employed by many who will be voting.

First, full disclosure: I have only been a registered Republican and active member of the BREC for the last few years. I cannot claim 10 plus years of service like others, but I will let you be the judge as to whether or not I have had an impact in the short time I have been involved.

Prior to becoming active in this committee I was registered No Party Affiliation because I thought both parties were corrupt. Guess what I learned upon becoming an active member? I was absolutely, 100% correct, as has been proven by numerous RPOF scandals and the voting record of almost our entire Brevard legislative delegation.

Let’s be clear: it does absolutely no good to elect Republicans that betray their oaths and act like Democrats. I am not here to elect Republicans in name only. I am here to elect candidates who understand and believe in the US Constitution, and, more importantly, whose votes will reflect that understanding and belief. By this I mean candidates who vote for less government, less spending, lower taxes and more freedom.

If one uses the above as the standard for whether or not our local Executive Committee is a success, instead of just referencing how many “R”s or “D”s we have in office, one has to conclude the BREC is a dismal failure. With the exception of a handful of local officials, most of the Republicans elected act and vote like Democrats.

Worse still, the elected officials know the BREC is toothless and has nothing to offer in terms of helping to get them elected, or holding them accountable after they are elected. The absence of said officials at the monthly committee meetings sends the message loud and clear: “Except for the cameo right before the election where I pop in to do a Barbie wave and try to pick up a few volunteers and votes – you have nothing to offer me”. This attitude must change if we want to get solid leaders elected and expect to hold them accountable.

Albert Einstein once defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. At the time of this writing, we have four candidates in the race for Chair. Three of them are long time BREC members that have invested countless hours over many, many years, and I truly respect and appreciate their service.

The other, Frank Zilaitis, has only been a registered Republican for 18 months (previously registered NPA), and is being vocally criticized for it. But there is no “tenure” when it comes to politics and activism; there should be no ring to kiss when it comes to volunteerism.

This is about who can effectively articulate and implement their vision of what the Brevard Republican Executive Committee should be. So far the only candidate I have seen that has even expressed a coherent vision is Frank Zilaitis.

I encourage everyone that will be voting tomorrow night: please *read* what you have been sent, forget the labels and who has been involved for how long and instead focus on the substance of what these candidates have proposed.

Ask yourself if you think the person has the right ideas, and whether or not you trust that person to stand on principle no matter what pressure is applied by state or national leadership.

In the short time we have been involved, I have watched Frank Zilaitis step up to the plate time and again. He wrote the much lauded resolution condemning pre-primary endorsements that put the BREC in the media last year. He represented members of the Republican Liberty Caucus pro bono at the kangaroo court known as the grievance hearings last year.

In January of this year I watched him go toe to toe with Senator Thrasher over the RPOF Chair race, and call out Senator Haridopolos and Representative Cannon over the credit card charges. I watched him stand up to Chairman Steele over the “sense of the body” to see whether the members of the BREC supported Day or Thrasher.

I do not always agree with Frank, but the one thing I know with absolute certainty is that he is one of the most principled and honest individuals I know, and he absolutely will not back down, no matter what threats are leveled against him.

The choice is ours. Will we act like entrepreneurs and take the view that merit, not tenure, is the standard by which we should judge? Or will we adopt the government bureaucrat mindset that time served entitles you to a promotion? As a walking, talking example of the former mentality, you know who I will be voting for.

May the best candidate win.

Sincerely,

Matt Nye
Organizer, Brevard Tea Party
Chair, Republican Liberty Caucus of Central East Florida
Candidate, Brevard County Commission, District 4

Almost half of the Board of County Commissioners’ budget goes to the Constitutional Offices, but the board currently has no authority to perform internal audits of those offices.

Advocates say approval of this amendment would increase transparency between the Board of County Commissioners and the Constitutional Offices and potentially save Brevard County millions of dollars each year.The Sheriff and Property Appraiser have written letters to the Charter Review Commission opposing the idea. Reasons cited range from the concern over “abuse” of the position to increased costs to the taxpayer. Only one of the proposals would actually increase the size and cost of government, however.

Tax Collector Lisa Cullen isn’t opposed to the concept, but she is opposed to the authority being vested with the office of the Tax Collector, which was one of the options discussed.*

Brevard Clerk of Courts Scott Ellis has spoken before the Charter Review Commission in favor of the position, citing the success of Orange County’s model.

The Supervisor of Elections, Lori Scott, has remained officially neutral on the item because of her position on the Election Canvassing Board.*

Citizens are encouraged to attend the CRC meeting Thursday night at 6pm to speak for or against the amendment. The meeting will be in the Florida Room on the 3rd Floor of the Viera Government Center at 6pm Thursday.

*Editor’s Note: I initially reported the Tax Collector wrote a letter opposing the Comptroller position; to be exact, her letter stated  she didn’t think it would be appropriate for *her* office to perform the duties of the Comptroller, and I have since been informed Mrs. Cullen is in favor of the overall concept.

*Editor’s Note II: In my original story I inadvertently lumped Supervisor of Elections Lori Scott in with the others as opposing the amendment, which was not accurate. The Supervisor has taken no position on the issue because of her position on the Election Canvassing Board. I sincerely regret the error and have apologized to Ms. Scott for the mistake.

Supporter after supporter took the podium to share why they support Sharon Day as the new Chair of the Republican Party of Florida. The recurring theme expressed by committee members was principles over politics, with members pointing to Day’s refusal last year to sign the Rule 11 letter put forth by Jim Greer that would have allowed the RNC to endorse Governor Charlie Crist over rival Marco Rubio for the United States Senate seat being vacated by Mel Martinez as the hallmark of a principled leader. Other supporters pointed to her years of service and experience as a grassroots volunteer.

Only Chairman Steele spoke in support of Senator Thrasher, saying he would support Sharon Day if the party weren’t in such dire straits, but that extraordinary times call for extraordinary fund-raising abilities, something he believes Day lacks. In spite of the support expressed for Day, Steele said he will cast his vote for Thrasher because he gave his word he would support Thrasher when the deal was made to oust Greer. Steele said he was in a very unpleasant position, and understood how people would be frustrated, but he was a man of his word and had to honor his commitment to support Thrasher. Steele personally endorsed Thrasher last month.

The vote taken by the BREC is significant because it highlights the disconnect between rank and file Republicans and party leadership, including some of the leadership at the county level.

BREC State Committeeman Mike Thomas has intimated he will be voting for Thrasher despite BREC members asking him to vote for Day. Unlike Steele, Thomas has made no mention of any prior commitment to vote for Thrasher, stating only that his vote is his own. Thomas was not present at Thursday’s meeting.

BREC State Committeewoman Carlie Rogers has been a staunch supporter of Sharon Day since the news of Greer’s resignation broke.

There are currently three candidates for RPOF Chair: Florida Senator John Thrasher, RPOF National Committeewoman Sharon Day, and Osceola County State Committeeman Mark Cross. The special election for RPOF Chair is next Saturday, February 20th, at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando. You can get details about and register for the event here.

Where is the critical discussion to demand the back-up material that delineates these jobs and improvements, and not some number extrapolated or estimated numbers, but numbers where it can be shown WITHOUT the involvement of the EDC itself the jobs and improvements would not have happened. And by the way, getting a company to leave Palm Bay to expand in Melbourne does not count.

Like President Obama, who ‘saved’ 3 million jobs with the stimulus, statistics equivalent to quackery.

I wonder about the infamous Project Jaguar, the private jet builder with the free gift of $1.8 million from the taxpayers, and if a shovel of dirt has been turned since the politician photo op. This big EDC ‘coup’ of a year ago went completely unmentioned at the Commission budget meeting.

When I worked at the Cape, I was not a rocket scientist. My job was to blow up their errors.
The tradition continues …..

“This is more than twice the attendance we had last month, and proof positive that Americans will no longer sit idly by while our Constitution is trampled by short sighted politicians and special interest groups,” said Matt Nye, Chair of the RLCCEF. “Every single person at that meeting has a sincere desire to effect positive change, and that is exactly what we are going to do.”

State Chair Pitts focused on getting the Republican Party back to the basics of Constitutionally limited government and the enormity of the financial crisis we now face.

“Our national debt is now in excess of $10 trillion; we are fast approaching the point where all of the income generated by Federal income taxes will pay only for the interest on our debt,” Pitts said. “If our country is to have a future, the states must declare their sovereignty and refuse to participate in these federal spending programs.”

According to Nye, District 30 House Representative Ritch Workman’s office submitted a Tenth Amendment Resolution similar to the one passed in the state of Oklahoma to bill drafting at the end of last week. “Rep. Workman is both a personal friend and a friend of liberty, and the highest compliment I can pay him is that he submitted the resolution not because I asked him to, but because he thought it was the right thing to do,” Nye said.

“The Republican Liberty Caucus of Central East Florida (RLCCEF) represents Volusia, Brevard, Indian River, Saint Lucie and Okeechobee Counties,” Nye said. “The RLCCEF advocates individual rights, limited government, laissez faire capitalism and a strong national defense. We believe these are the proper positions of the Republican Party. I hope everyone reading this will join us at our next meeting on July 6th.”