Announcing Americans for Prosperity’s big education choice event at the Virginia General Assembly!

Join us January 5^th in Richmond to witness the moment when significant education legislation for Virginia families is introduced at our State Capital.

 

Be there when ground breaking bills are publicly announced to provide true parental choice for K-12 education.  This is a full throated effort by Americans for Prosperity and the Virginia Education Opportunity Alliance to make education choice law across Virginia.

 

The event is coming up on Thursday, January 5^th.  Hear a great line-up of speakers including Lt. Governor Winsome Sears.  Plus, we'll have full media coverage of the event.

 

 

AFP is providing FREE transportation to Richmond from Charlottesville, Harrisonburg, and Fishersville.  Plus, we'll have a complimentary lunch for all attendees in Richmond.  Pick-up locations and departure times to be announced.

 

Please reserve your bus seat today!  Please RSVP directly to Flint Engleman to secure your seat.  Contact Flint @ FEngleman@afphq.org or call/text (540)226-4591.

 

Let's provide education choice for Virginia families!

 

For Freedom,

 

Flint Engleman

State Strategic Education Capability Leader

Americans for Prosperity-Virginia | Skyline Region

(540)226-4591 | FEngleman@afphq.org

#AFPSkyline

 

Christmas Revelations

By Gary Bauer

12-27-2022

There were more astonishing revelations about the full extent of the Deep State's involvement with Twitter over the Christmas holiday weekend. 

Former Rolling Stone editor Matt Taibbi reported that the CIA, the Pentagon, the State Department and other government agencies were heavily involved in Twitter's censorship regime. 

In fact, the frequency of contacts between government agencies and Twitter was "dizzying." So much so, that Twitter employees had to create a "new system for processing/triaging them." Curiously, Twitter's employees referred to the CIA as "OGA" or "other government agency."

And it wasn't just Twitter. These intelligence/security agencies were also pressuring Facebook, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Reddit, Pinterest, Verizon, Yahoo and other platforms to censor information and opinions.

But the Twitter problem is media wide. The systemic censorship is obvious in that the "mainstream media" refuses to report these disclosures. 

Not that long ago, the liberal media would have been livid over government efforts to manipulate the media. But when it involves left-wing bureaucrats pushing left-wing narratives, suddenly the talking heads fall silent.

We now have overwhelming evidence of Big Government, Big Tech and Big Media working together to censor the American people and to censor the news of the censorship. 

But wait. . . There's more!

Yesterday we learned how Twitter worked with the government to suppress debate and information about COVID that was inconvenient to official narratives, "No matter whether such views were correct or adopted abroad" in other countries.

For years now, libertarians and some conservatives have fallen back on the defense that Twitter was a private company enforcing its own standards. That defense has been totally shattered now. Twitter and other social media platforms were doing the government's bidding. That is a blatant violation of free speech. 

The reason the Founders believed the freedom of speech was so important is because it's only through free speech and free thought that you discover the truth. What Twitter and the government did by censoring opinions and discussions about what COVID was, where it came from and how to fight it was to delay our discovering the truth.

Remember when the "experts" had us wiping down our groceries in the garage when it was an airborne virus? Remember all the pressure to shut down schools and mask and jab children who were at virtually no risk of serious illness and death? 

Even now, Big Media and the Deep State have no interest in nailing down the origins of the virus – whether it leaked out of the Wuhan lab in communist China. Why is that? 

Big Government's abuse of the First Amendment, the media and private companies for ideological purposes is a huge issue – 63% of Americans want it thoroughly investigated. 

Every conservative -- from Congress to the county commission -- should be pounding non-stop on the dangers of government censorship. As history clearly shows, that's the real threat to democracy and to our constitutional Republic!

 

Speaking Of Communist China. . .

There's a lot of debate in Washington about when communist China will make a move against Taiwan. Some think an invasion is imminent. Others think it will be several years from now. 

Over the weekend, communist China launched its largest incursion yet into Taiwan's defense zone – more than 70 aircraft and seven ships were involved. 

Just as disturbing as the size of the force is the increasing frequency of these incursions. In 2020, there were 146 Chinese military "probes" of Taiwan's defense zone. Last year, there were 969, and there have been more than 1,700 so far this year. That speaks volumes about Beijing's view of America's leadership or lack thereof.

But I think everyone is missing the bigger story about Taiwan that is happening right now. 

These forays aren't just mere irritations. Communist China is a behemoth compared to Taiwan. It can rotate pilots, ships and aircraft and conduct these incursions day after day after day, as the numbers clearly indicate.

But Taiwan has no way of knowing when an incursion is just another probe or the beginning of a war. It has to assume the worst every time, scrambling jets and pilots, and it does not have the massive power that communist China does. 

Beijing is basically exhausting Taiwan's defense forces. In fact, Taiwanese officials announced today that they are extending compulsory military service.

This is a form of psychological warfare, and it's a hint of what China could do without ever invading. For example, Beijing could impose a blockade around the island. Meanwhile, these constant forays are bolstering a powerful peace movement in Taiwan. 

One of the arguments in Washington for the continued blank check to Ukraine is that if we fail to stand with Ukraine, it will encourage communist China to move on Taiwan. That may well be true. 

But what do you think the news stories that we are depleting our military reserves are accomplishing? That very fact, not to mention our own dependence on communist China, is likely encouraging Beijing to move sooner rather than later. 

Congressman Bob Good - Saying NO to the Left’s Reckless Spending Spree

Dec. 24, 2022

In their final hours in the majority in a lame duck Congress, Democrats frantically passed an earmark-loaded 4,100-page "omnibus" spending bill to implement more of their radical leftist agenda using your hard-earned taxpayer dollars. The omnibus bill drains over $1.7 Trillion from American wallets, with $15 billion funding 7,200 pet projects known as "earmarks".

Those earmarks include $4 million for "soy-enabled rural road reconstruction", $3.6 million for the Michelle Obama Trail, $3.5 million for a Congressional Office of Diversity & Inclusion, $3 million for an LGBTQ+ museum, $3 million for bee-friendly highways, $1.5 million for the COVID-19 American History Project, and a building named after Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

In typical Democrat fashion, the Schumer-Pelosi regime waited until the end-of-the-year to drop this massive spending bill, giving us little to NO time to read the budget-busting legislation. Instead of securing our Southern Border, ending unconstitutional vaccine mandates, or restoring the successful Trump energy policies, this reckless package furthers the Radical Left's agenda on the backs of hardworking Americans. No Republican should have voted in favor of this bill that will add $1.9 trillion to the national debt, and surrender House Republicans' budgetary leverage in the New Year.

This bill is a bad backroom deal that is a Christmas present to the special interests in Washington. Rather than fighting for the voters who elected them to office, some weak and compromised Republicans chose to help pass this terrible bill filled with Biden-Schumer-Pelosi priorities.

I reject this gross misuse of power and taxpayer dollars. Americans deserve better than politicians who promise one thing and deliver another. This week I joined Congressman Chip Roy of Texas and 31 of my House Republican colleagues and pledged to oppose any future bills sent to the House from any Republican Senator who supported the passage of this bill.  

As we look towards the swearing in of the new Congress on January 3rd, it is clear that we need new strong House leadership to fight on behalf of the American people.  

Omnibus Spending Bill Does Not Secure the Border, but Further Incentivizes and Enables Illegal Immigration, Charges FAIR

(December 23, 2022, Washington, D.C.) — The 117th Congress finally wrapped up business by approving a lame-duck, pork-laden $1.7 trillion spending bill – consisting of more than 4,000 pages that not a single member had the time to read and fully analyze – funding the federal government through the remainder of the fiscal year. Passage of the omnibus coincides with a full-blown crisis along our southern border that is about to get a whole lot worse, as the Biden administration is close to ending Title 42, the last remaining mechanism in place under which a limited number of border-crossers are being removed from the country. Yet, not only did the Democratic-led Congress reject an amendment to keep Title 42 in place, they expressly barred increased funding for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) from being used to secure the border. "The final spending package approved by a Congress on their way out the door leaves little doubt that chaos at the border is the policy of the Democratic Party today and that their goal is to create even more of it," charged Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). "Only a party that affirmatively wants open borders – regardless of the fiscal, security, and humanitarian costs – would let the one remaining policy that allows for the expedited removal of even some illegal migrants lapse, and deliberately tie the hands of our border enforcement agency. "Let's be clear, the president can restore operational control of the border simply by enforcing laws that are already on the books – many of which he voted for as a senator. Instead, he and his party continue deflect blame by claiming they inherited a broken system. The truth is they deliberately broke it themselves and are standing in the way of efforts to fix it. "Rather than do anything to regain control of our borders, the omnibus is focused entirely on processing illegal aliens as quickly as possible and transporting them to already overwhelmed communities all across the United States. This massive spending bill effectively turns CBP into a federally administered travel agency for illegal aliens and saddles state and local governments with the costs of education, health care, housing and other basic needs for the endless flow of illegal aliens the Biden administration is waiving into the country," concluded Stein. Below is a summary of harmful immigration provisions included in the omnibus spending bill at the urging of Democrats, as well as proposals that were successfully defeated due in part to FAIR's aggressively lobbying efforts.: Harmful provisions of the omnibus: - Provides $1.563 billion for CBP "border management" but does not allow using those funds to hire permanent border security officers, deport illegal aliens (only allows transportation to American communities), or expand border security technologies and capabilities unless it is for improving the processing of illegal aliens. This is not "border management," it is $1.563 billion to essentially convert CBP into a federal travel agency for illegal aliens.   - Provides $800 million from CBP to FEMA to pay for "sheltering and other services" through grant programs awarded to open border aligned non-governmental organizations and charities. This broad appropriation could be viewed as enticing others to illegally enter the country and there is no prohibition against funds being distributed to organizations in the interior, meaning that illegal; aliens could be sheltered throughout the country under this section.    - Prohibits the use of funds for border wall construction in certain areas.   - Allows the Office of Refugee Resettlement to accept private donations from politically motivated organizations for the care of unaccompanied alien children.   - Provides funds to both CBP and ICE to transport unaccompanied alien children, demonstrating that domestic transportation throughout the United States is a large part of CBP and ICE operations. This is a key enticement for parents to pay smugglers to take their children on the dangerous trek up to the southern border.      - Provides millions for a controversial case management pilot program to aid illegal aliens facing deportation – which is being overseen by a nonprofit that has previously called for the defunding and abolition of ICE.   - Provides $29 million for the Justice Department's Legal Orientation Program, which empowers NGOs to coach large groups of detained aliens on immigration court proceedings. The effectiveness of this program is dubious as it does not provide actual legal counsel to aliens, the aliens who use this program are less likely to get an attorney and their matters take longer to resolve. Additionally, program participant organizations often blur the line between providing basic information about the process and providing legal advice.    - Provides $25 million for the USCIS Citizenship and Integration Grant Program, a program utilized by many of the same NGOs receiving federal grant money to process illegal aliens. This self-congratulatory grant program has been routinely awarded to organizations involved in active litigation against DHS and does nothing to enhance the administration of the immigration system.    - Leaves it up to the DHS Inspector General's discretion whether to allocate funds for partnerships between state and local law enforcement to assist in enforcing immigration laws. While seemingly an independent auditor, The DHS Office of Inspector General has been mired in reports of political bias. We have already witnessed the dangerous consequences of an administration unwilling to utilize the 287(g) program as the Obama era saw a plethora of cancelled agreements. Congress is essentially relinquishing control of a critical force multiplier for immigration enforcement.    - Allows detention contracts to be rescinded based on arbitrary performance evaluations.   - Extends discretionary authority for DHS to issue more H-2B guest worker visas than the cap allows, which displaces American workers and drives down wages.   - Provides funds to eliminate processing backlogs and expedite adjudication of Afghan Special Immigrant Visa cases, as well as a cap increase of 4,000. Recent reports have exposed the lack of proper vetting for many of the Afghans in the program and the associated risks to public safety and national security. Any actions taken to expedite processing will detract from security checks and further vetting activities and increase the risks.    - All budget increases directed towards immigration enforcement are below inflation. An unprecedented border crisis calls for funds at appropriate levels – the increases are simply insufficient.  Among the damaging immigration proposals that were defeated or withdrawn during the lame duck: - A mass amnesty proposal led by Senators Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) in exchange for an extension of weakened Title 42 and other meaningless promises of future immigration enforcement.   - The Afghan Adjustment Act, which would have granted permanent residence to largely unvetted Afghans who were allowed to enter the country under President Biden's abuse of parole authority. Most of the Afghans who arrived in the U.S. after the administration's disastrous withdrawal in 2021 played no role in assisting U.S. forces.   - An agriculture bill containing both an amnesty for illegal aliens and an expanded guestworker program. The last farmworker amnesty, crafted in part by current Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer when he was in the House, was the most fraud-ridden immigration program in American history.   - The Biden Administration's attempt to slash ICE detention capacity by 30 percent. The Sinema-Tester amendment to the omnibus, which sought to process and release illegal aliens into our country more efficiently.   - The EAGLE Act, which would have resulted in more than 90 percent of employment-based green cards being awarded to citizens of just two countries: China and India.   - The misleadingly named Veterans Service Recognition Act, which would have provided amnesty for illegal alien relatives of veterans and even allowed deported criminals to return the U.S.

We've Saved Your Seat: MCRW's Christmas Celebration is Tuesday, December13th

A Few Seats are Still Available!

Please Call Deb Hunter, Treasurer MCRW, (540) 923-4810

AND TELL HER THAT

YOU'LL BE JOINING US AT OUR

MCRW CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION

You can pay at the door.

2022 MCRW Christmas Celebration
December 13, 2022
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm



Guest Speaker: Delegate Nick Freitas

Nina May - Artist

Music by Jeff Light, Gene Ferrer & Co.

MENU: Roast Beef dinner with all the fixings

Fellowship Baptist Church Hall

725 Gate Rd., Madison, VA

Cost: $25 per person

Please make your check made payable to MCRW

MCRW

 PO Box 314

Madison, VA 22727

Get ready for a blessed Christmas.

Family Research Council's Tony Perkins' Statement on the Final Passage of 'Respect for Marriage' Act

December 8, 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. House of Representatives voted today on final passage of the (Dis)Respect for Marriage Act. The bill passed 258-169.

The bill, now awaiting President Joe Biden's anticipated signature, will accelerate and intensify the already-existing attacks on religious liberty (by creating a private right of action); legislatively cement anti-family policies harmful to children; make faith-based adoption and foster-care agencies a greater target for frivolous litigation, curtailing or ending their ability to help children find homes; threaten the tax-exempt status of adoption and foster care agencies (and other vitally needed non-profit organizations, whether religious or secular); and tacitly vilify millions of Americans who believe in natural marriage by labeling that belief as "sex discrimination," tantamount to racism.

Family Research Council president Tony Perkins released the following statement after the (Dis)Respect for Marriage Act achieved final passage in Congress:

"Today is a dark day for religious freedom. The Left's forces of religious hostility, aided by 12 Republican senators and 39 Republican representatives, advanced what history may ultimately record as one of the greatest assaults on religious freedom in modern history. These members are yielding to the temporal forces of the culture rather than the transcendent principles of our nation's constitution.

"With their vote in support of this bill, these Republican members of Congress have marked their departure from the U.S. pro-family movement. For with this vote, they are exacting a price from their pro-family supporters and laying a heavy burden on Christians in the United States (and even worldwide), who will be increasingly marginalized and cast out of 'proper society.'

"Who created the institution of marriage and why? God created marriage for the well-being of children and a well-ordered society. The congressional vote to redefine marriage in federal law puts both at risk. Whether by the Court or by the Congress, truth cannot be altered--nor will our commitment to that truth," Perkins concluded.

The Republican Primary for the 12th Senatorial District was determined last night to be a state-run primary to be held on Tuesday, June 20, 2023

December 8, 2022

Senator Chase supports the Legislative District Committee's decision to have a state-run primary to be held on Tuesday, June 20, 2023

CHESTERFIELD, VA - Virginia Senator Amanda Chase has expressed that she supports the decision made last night by the Legislative District Committee as she seeks re-election to the Virginia State Senate in Senate District 12, representing most of Chesterfield and all of Colonial Heights.

"I'm pleased that the Legislative District Committee has chosen a nomination process that is both easy and convenient for voters. All registered voters are able to participate in the process and most importantly they are familiar with the process because they do it every year. There are no additional hurdles, paperwork or meetings to attend. They simply must be a registered voter to participate. This process is inclusive and allows all registered voters to vote at their regular polling location on Tuesday, June 20, 2023 as they do in general elections every year."

"It's important that voting is both convenient and the process familiar to busy voters who want to participate in choosing their nominee for state senate. I look forward to making my case before the voters as to why they should re-elect me to the Virginia State Senate representing Senate District 12, continuing to represent Chesterfield and Colonial Heights."

"It's been on honor to serve and represent Chesterfield, Colonial Heights and Amelia Counties for almost 8 years. I've worked tirelessly for the people of our district and they know they can trust me to stand strong and not waiver on our conservative values. The American Conservative Union consistently rates me as Virginia's #1 most conservative senator."

"Voting records matter. And after 8 years of voting on thousand of bills, you know I'm a conservative. It's proof that I'm the only true conservative running in this race that you can trust. Also as important, I'm the only candidate that knows how to win as a conservative. That's important. I've been elected in a general election not just once but twice to the Virginia Senate representing Chesterfield and Colonial Heights. Additionally, I've received lifetime perfect scores from conservative organizations like the Family Foundation, the Virginia Citizens Defense League and the NRA. I've also proven I'm electable, having won every primary and general election and re-election campaign to the Virginia Senate over the past 8 years. I know how to win for the people and I know how to win as a conservative. I've done it, even during the blue wave."

"Not only am I a fighter for the people and their interests, but I also know how to get things done. I'm able to successfully challenge the status quo in Richmond on true election integrity, medical freedom, pushing back against all mask and Covid vaccine mandates and school choice, at the same time getting things done like the historic coal ash clean up, regulatory red tape reform, the Healthcare Transparency Act, exempting Military Retirement Benefits up to $40k from state income tax, Hoax Crime legislation, repealing mask mandates in public schools, and requiring public schools to report to parents sexually explicit materials."

"I know how to get things done and I look forward to making my case to the people as to why they should re-elect me to the Virginia Senate."

Senator Amanda Chase grew up in Bon Air, Virginia and has lived in the 12th Senatorial District since 1979, 44 years. She attended Bon Air Elementary School, Robious Middle School and graduated from Monacan High School. She graduated from Virginia Tech with a degree in business and after graduating married her high school sweetheart . They just celebrated 30 years of marriage. Immediately after college, Senator Chase worked in management in the banking, credit card and finance industry before coming home to homeschool her 4 now grown adult children. She began working for a number of local, state and federal elected officials and eventually started a consulting business, which she retired from when she was elected to the Virginia Senate in 2016. Senator Chase also hosted a radio show for 3 1/2 years beginning in 2016 called, "Cut to the Chase with Senator Chase." Amanda and her husband faithfully attend Cloverhill Church in Chesterfield County.

Fwd: CCRC: Candidate Event/Christmas Party

From the Freitas Campaign:

From the Events Chair:

CCRC Christmas Party

(If possible, please RSVP by Wed, Dec 7.)

Thurs, Dec 15 @ 6 PM

Luigi's Restaurant

Cost: $20/person buffet

Payment: Pre-pay by check (made out to CCRC, plus employer/company info), cash or credit card (service fee applies). Drop check or cash off at HQ during hours of through mail slot, or mail to P.O. Box 484, Culpeper, 22701.

Barby Mouring

Corresponding Secretary, CCRC

(540) 219-3794

Join Bryce THIS SUNDAY for a Picture Party with Santa!

The SAFE Act "Save Adolescents from Experimentation Act" officially introduced as SB791

November 30, 2022

Prohibits permanent, irreversible and experimental radical gender transition medical procedures for minors by "Woke" Doctors

CHESTERFIELD, VA - Senator Amanda Chase has officially filed SB791 the SAFE Act, otherwise known as the Save Adolescents from Experimentation Act, to prohibit permanent and irreversible experimental gender transition procedures on minors. Similar legislation sponsored by Arkansas Representative Lundstrum HB1570, which passed in 2021 and has been introduced in 21 other states.

The bill will apply to minors only and prohibits experimental, permanent and irreversible sterilization and mutilation on minors in the name of "gender transition" procedures.

It also prohibits the use of public funds for "transition procedures" for minors and establishes enforcement procedures for "woke" healthcare providers who chose financial gain over their Hippocratic oath to "do no harm."

Finally, the bill prohibits insurance companies from being forced to cover the tremendous cost of these experimental procedures and passing the cost along to the consumer.



"Public school children, who still believe in Santa and the Easter Bunny, are being allowed to make permanent irreversible medical decisions that will affect them for the rest of their lives. This is outrageous given students can't even legally get tattoos or take aspirin on their own on school property. "

"Trusting parents are seeking help from trusted doctors only to find out these "woke" doctors are encouraging these experimental procedures and coercing parents into going along with expensive transition surgeries that they are falsely told will save their child's life. Ultimately many of these children detransition when they become adults and regret the decision."

"It's time to put an end to "woke" doctors taking financial advantage of vulnerable parents and their children. "

Maritime Migration a Growing Threat to America’s Borders

November 30, 2022

IRLI investigation exposes the dangers of waterborne smuggling

WASHINGTON—While the crisis at our southern land border has rightly been a focus of significant media coverage the last few years, it is not the only threat to America's sovereignty. A new investigation by the Immigration Reform Law Institute (IRLI) addresses the reasons why a rise in waterborne attempts by migrants to enter the U.S. unlawfully is a risk we cannot ignore. Because of the unprecedented violence and chaos at the southern border, migrants are increasingly turning to the seas for illegal entry into America.   "The maritime path into the U.S. typically enables would-be illegal aliens to make covert entry further into the interior, allowing them to avoid the gangs, drug cartels and other roving organized crime groups that make a full-time business out of preying upon migrants making their way to the U.S./Mexico frontier," the report says.   The immigration agenda of the Biden Administration, the report details, has been a catalyst not only for overall higher migration numbers, but for more seaborne human smuggling.   "Since the Biden White House has abdicated control of our southern border to the cartels, it is not surprising that our maritime borders are also seeing increased activity by those trying to enter illegally," said Dale L. Wilcox, IRLI's executive director and general counsel. "The message has gone around the world that America's borders can be violated without consequence. We deserve better leadership than this."     "American has four borders," said Matt O'Brien, IRLI's director of investigations, whose department produced the report. "Typically, it's the border with Mexico that gets the most attention. However, Team Biden's immigration policies are so destructive, the complete anarchy along the southern border has increasingly caused migrants to choose the more dangerous east and west coast maritime approaches. If America's coasts wind up awash in illegals accepting Biden's invitation to break U.S. immigration law without penalty, the consequences for America's economy and security will be dire."      The full text of the report can be viewed here.