A Lioness For Florida's House Of Representatives

Written by David DiCrescenzo on . Posted in Politics

I had a chance to sit down with Laurel Bennett the other day to discuss her candidacy for the Florida House of Representatives in the 86th District.

The first thing I asked her is what I ask all candidates for any office, and that is why..!  Why would she want to expose herself to the rigors and often nastiness of a campaign..?  

While she is by no means a single issue candidate, like most she has a passion.  That passion was sparked and driven by the recent heartache that she faced while her husband, a US Navy “Blue Water Sailor” Veteran of Vietnam, who served aboard a carrier that provided support to ground troops and aircraft, suffered through the ravages of a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease and Lung Cancer that were brought on via intense exposure to Agent Orange and other toxins.  Sadly, Joel succumbed to his illness while the government to this day refuses to admit that AO is a presumptive cause of these diseases for those who served in the Navy.  Other branches yes, but not the Navy.

Laurel intends to make this a huge issue once she arrives in Tallahassee, and she wants to see all vets, regardless of which branch they served in or what calamities they may have been exposed to, treated equally in each state.

We could have talked about that issue during the entire interview; however there were other items to discuss. 

When I brought up the subject of illegal aliens, her immediate response was “if we can’t take care of our veterans, we certainly shouldn’t be taking care of illegal aliens.” 

Another issue that is near and dear to me is the subject of Term Limits, and I’m happy to report that she firmly supports them.

Laurel is also a strong supporter of the 2A and believes the answer to school shootings is not more useless gun laws; instead, she believes that we could solve that nightmare by hiring and placing armed, trained veterans on location in every school.  The shootings would stop and a lot of unemployed vets would have jobs.

We chatted about a lot of other very important things; however, I believe that the most important information is Laurel’s qualifications.  She is an engineer and holds an MBA with a concentration in Health Care, and is a successful business owner with several patents.  I might add, she isn’t a politician; just a very concerned constituent who has justifiably become very dissatisfied with the current state of politics in America.

Laurel has a very soft voice and she may sound like a kitten; but don’t let that fool you because her passion and message are as loud and clear as the roar of a lioness, and her claws are razor sharp. 

You can learn more about this this candidate and her ideas by visiting her website here.

Clear Choices In Florida…

Written by David DiCrescenzo on . Posted in Politics

I really dislike politics at all levels for obvious reasons.  However, just like those in the past, this election cycle has some interesting races happening of which I am focusing this article on two that are taking place on my home turf.

At least for me, the race for Florida Governor ended on Thursday, June 28, 2018 during the televised debate; Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4.  I have to admit that I hadn’t really been following it too closely and for no reason that I can point my finger at, I had been leaning towards Adam Putnam.

Where does one begin..?  I guess I should start with Adam’s siding up with “Big Sugar.”  While I understand the economic importance of “Big Sugar” in Florida, I detest and abhor the thought of any politician being beholden to any corporate interest.

Let’s add to that Mr. Putnam’s dreadful mishandling of about 100,000 background checks of concealed weapon permit applications of which well over 300 of those permits should not have been issued.  I understand mistakes because we all make them, which is why they put erasers on pencils; but 100,000 identical mistakes…?!

I was left less than amused with his responses to illegal entry into this nation, especially where his opponent supports the removal of any officials that support and allow sanctuary cities.  Note to Adam Putnam and any other candidates who support the “rights” of illegal trespassers over our rights as citizens; We the People demand that those who enter this country illegally be shown the door, along with any offspring they brought with them and may have decided to have after they arrived.  The blatant abuse of the 14th Amendment must end decades ago, let alone immediately.

The debate went on and on, and it looked to me as if the sweat was about to break through Adam’s heavy coat of theatrical makeup as his more than capable opponent easily destroyed him issue by issue.

I guess what really clinched it for me was how Mr. Putnam’s words were so reminiscent of my least favorite, soon to be one term Congressman from Florida’s 18th District. 

And since I mentioned that, this is a good time to segue into the next race that has my attention, and that would be none other than the 18th Congressional District in Florida; which is another clear choice for anyone who can read and is fed up with being lied to.

I know that there are still some who not only don’t see it the way I do, they will likely fill my inbox with loads of hate mail.  So with that said, let me do my best to explain.

Two years ago, it would have been hard to find anyone in my circle of friends and influence who did not think that the now incumbent, Brian Mast, was anything less than the “great white hope” or something along those lines.  I mean, let’s face it, he is a service disabled veteran, has a beautiful family, said all of the right things, showed up at every event and rally, shook our hands, and convinced us that he was just like us.

And then as his voting record started reflecting everything we who supported him reject, we also learned of his affinity for #44 and his family, spending time and holidays with them long before he became a household name and ran for office; BTW, there would be nothing wrong with that if he were a democrat, but he does have an “R” after his name and he is supported by a lot of people who rightfully despise #44 and everything he stands for.

In case you missed it, this incumbent wasted no time in voting his true colors, and I started mentioning it on these pages when he made that “mistake” last summer and voted “no” on a bill regarding We the People paying for transgendered surgeries in the military.  A “yes” vote meant he wanted it to end, whereas a “no” meant that he and by extension “us” wanted it to continue.  Oh, by the way, even a “newbie” such as he was at the time would have known that he had ample time to actually change that vote instead of merely having the record show that it was a “mistake.”  As I write this, that vote remains in the “no” column for all to see.

Since then, his record has gotten increasingly abysmal, knowingly voting against many things that his constituents, “us” care deeply about.  Instead of becoming a “seated constituent,” he has become just another politician who goes along with the DC crowd and hopes that we aren’t paying attention. And oh yeah, in case you missed it, the straw that broke the camel's back for many of us was his kneejerk, leftist reaction to the Parkland shooting and his Op/Ed in the NYT.

Which brings me to his opponent, Dave Cummings.  This is a man who has some serious game.  A veteran, successful businessman, and by all appearances, a very decent guy; one who has been attacked by people hiding behind an untraceable group name and has answered those attacks with facts via a video which social media is doing everything it can to squash.

I have to say, much to my chagrin, I fell for the smokescreen and supported the incumbent without question and it has left me jaded.  Refer to my opening statement.

So the question for me and my readers who also fell for it is this, do I believe that Dave Cummings is “all that and a bag of chips…?”  No, I can’t say that I do or that I’ll ever completely trust anyone running for any office again.  However, I do believe that he is a good man who understands that people like me who have a voice and an audience are willing to shake off the past dirt and give him and Ron DeSantis a chance with a simple caveat.

When you get to DC and Tallahassee don’t forget that you are an extension of “us” because we can’t be there and we are giving you the responsibility to vote as we would if we could be there.  Both of you will get ONE chance at earning our votes; what you do once seated and get put on “voter trial” will determine if we cast another for you or cast you to the political lions.

Don’t dare think even for a second that we don’t take this seriously and aren’t watching.

You are “us,” and you’ll do well to never forget it…! 

High Stakes In The 18th...

Written by David DiCrescenzo on . Posted in Politics

I had a chance to catch up with Dave Cummings last week.  If you’re not familiar with him, he is a local businessman and veteran who has decided to toss his hat in the ring for Florida’s 18th US Congressional District.  I might add, he is a Republican which means he is mounting a primary challenge to Republican incumbent Brian Mast.

If you are one of the handful of people in So. Florida who isn’t mindful of politics, this is a much desired swing seat for both parties, and the entire nation watches what happens there.  Which begs the question as to why would any other Republican want to upset the oxcart by presenting a challenge to an incumbent from the same party, when such a thing is almost sacrilege among the movers and shakers in either party..?!

The answer is simple; like a growing number of his constituents, the movers and shakers in the Republican Party have become disenchanted with the once very popular incumbent due to his increasingly unsatisfactory voting record.  The first time he “mistakenly” voted against the will of his constituency, many gave him a pass because he was new, and because he had the record noted that his “no” vote was a mistake.  Apparently, he was so new at that time, he wasn’t even aware that he had ample time to actually change that vote.  To loosely paraphrase part of a speech by President Ronald Reagan, “…I smell what Bess Truman kept trying to have Harry refer to as manure.”  By the way, that “mistake” was just the beginning of a record that left his constituency scratching their heads, and my recent article highlighted some of the doozies that he chose to vote against us on.  However, while there is a lot more, the straw that broke the camel’s back was his position and letter regarding a ban on so called “assault rifles” in the wake of the Parkland tragedy.  

Enter Dave Cummings.  Mr. Cummings was and is as horrified as the growing number of 18th District voters, and I dare say, all voters everywhere in America who demand and expect our elected representatives to do our bidding and voice our collective consciences, not simply rely on their own.  While that statement may leave some questioning why I don’t think any representative at any level of Government should exercise his or her own conscience, my position is clear.  We interview these people during the campaign and we vote for them based upon what should be a clear understanding of what WE want and THINK, not what THEY want and THINK.

Anyway, back to Dave Cummings.  After discussing a lot of the issues and how constituents like himself believe our reps should perform, I believe he has a firm grasp on what needs to be done in Congress should he prevail.  

Will he be perfect..?  Hardly..!  However, if enough voters in District 18 would look past the incumbent’s service related injuries and focus instead on his record, Dave Cummings becomes the clear choice for the Republican ticket.  

In the general election, I doubt either of the Democrat challengers would fare well against him, and I believe he will actually read the bills he is presented with and be in contact with those who help him get elected to discuss those bills before he casts his votes.

Dave is a family man who lives among us in the almost forgotten community of Fort Pierce where he is part of the effort to revitalize that part of So. Florida.  He knows the people who live there and he knows their concerns; he works with them and goes to church with them, and he knows that he is going to have to face them while he serves and when the day comes that he retires from Congress.

During our meeting, we discussed how so many are just tired of politicians who say and do all sorts of things to get elected, only to wind up drinking the DC Kool-Aid once they get up there.  I explained to him that while I cannot speak for anyone except myself, I know that many are as fed up as I am.  I also clearly explained that while my keyboard will be his friend as long as he does what we demand, that same keyboard will become a nightmare for him as it has for others should he become more of the same that we’ve been handed.

So there you have it my friends.  Another new face, another promising story.  Time will tell if he really is different, however he surely says all the right stuff.  You can learn more about Mr. Cummings by visiting his campaign website here.

I sincerely wish him and by extension, all of the 18th District well in the upcoming battle for this coveted seat.  And, I wish Brian Mast well in his future endeavors after his singular term comes to an end.

Clowns To The Left Of Me, Jokers To The Right...

Written by David DiCrescenzo on . Posted in Politics

I see and hear a lot about politicians and the games they play, and I came upon this just today.  Mind you, I don’t know either of these people, but this article doesn’t endear either of them to me. 

One is a Republican and the other a Democrat, and both seem to have been helping each other in the same sandbox for a good amount of time.

In short, one of them, (the Republican) is the mayor of Boca Raton who has been busy trying to stamp out lingering investigations into her ethics and the other, (the Democrat) is a member of the City Council. 

First she was going to run, and he wouldn’t if she did, then she decided not to so he jumped in; she then changed her mind and since he’d already tossed his hat into the ring, the game was on.  Confused yet..?

In my humble opinion, both of them are exactly the sort of people we need to keep out of politics at all costs.  At any level of government, it should be about and for We the People, not the political ambitions of any individual of any party.

Vote wisely Palm Beach County…

"Leave Her Alone, Leave Her Alone...!"

Written by David DiCrescenzo on . Posted in Politics

As always, I look at the election of Donald Trump and everything else from two perspectives; my secular side, and my Biblical Worldview side; and as always, I’ll start with my secular side leaving the real important point for the end.

Remember all the Trump rallies at places like airports, large stadiums, and on street corners all across America that came to an end a couple of weeks ago after Election Day…?  You know, the rallies where everyone, sometimes led by Donald Trump himself, were chanting “leave her alone, leave her alone…?!”   

Yeah, I don’t remember that either, because it never happened.  

Mr. Trump, are you freaking kidding me/us…?!  When We the People stood with you chanting “lock her up, lock her up,” we meant it.  Were you not listening…?!  You recently said you don’t want to hurt the Clintons; that they are good people, and a bunch of other BS about them.  They are in fact NOT “good people;” they are criminals of the highest order and you know very well that anyone else absolutely would have been locked away long ago for committing a fraction of what they’ve done.  Your former opponent and her puppeteer in the person of George Soros are the personification of evil, and We the People want blood; we want her head on a stick.  At very least we want; nay, we demand that once you are seated and have a real FBI Director and AG in place that she and her regime are properly investigated and face judgement.  But of course, it is not the job of the POTUS to decide what and how the FBI investigates things; nor what and how the DOJ prosecutes those findings.

I have to believe that since you haven’t exactly bandied her name about for a cabinet position, perhaps you are building on “The Art of The Deal” and keeping her and the rest of us guessing what your real plans are.  I relish the thought that just maybe on January 21, 2017 or soon thereafter she will be forced to surrender her passport and placed on some sort of a restricted travel list.  If she does get to keep her passport, the only good thing about her heading to a country that doesn’t extradite is that she will be under a self-imposed exile, which while I hate the thought of her living the good life free from our judicial system, at least she would no longer be staining the fabric of our society by her mere presence.

By the way, speaking of a cabinet position, I for one would find it very fitting and amusing if you did in fact exact some “presidential justice” and appoint her as our new Ambassador to Libya as has been joked about in the places that knuckle draggers like me hang around in.  I might add, she should only be allowed the same level of security as those she turned her back on.  Don’t worry, if something did happen to her you could always have “mittens” blame it on a video or something like that, because “what difference at that point would it make…?!”  And speaking of “mittens,” really….?!  Are you actually considering Gov. “Milquetoast” for Secretary of State…?!  In case you hadn’t noticed, he’s only slightly less of a wuss than John Kerry is.