May, 2021 Volume 29, Issue 5

LONG BEACH

Republican Women’s Federated

We are members of NEWSWIRE NATIONAL CFRW and NFRW DIAMOND AWARD

What’s May 8, 2021 Inside Page 1 Mothers’ Day Potluck Tea! Meeting Information May Guest At the Home of Donna Bennett Page 2

President’s Message 395 Bayshore Avenue

Page 3 Long Beach, CA 90803 March Speaker Upcoming 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Page 4 Special guest: Graham Ledger F Y I

Page 5 Please let Dorothy Kistler know that you will be there

Your 2021 Board and what you plan to bring!

Page 6-7 562/439-9390 or [email protected] Legislation Page 8 Redistricting May Special Guest Page 9 April in Photos Page 10 Graham Ledger is a well-known American news anchor and TV show host. Graham is mostly known as being the To think about... host of a news program The Daily Ledger on the One Page 11 America News network. Membership Page 12 Graham Ledger was born Graham Charles Ledger in San Contribution Needs Diego, . He spent his early childhood in his Page 13 hometown where he attended a local school to complete his early education. Graham went to join St. Ignatius College Preparatory in San Fisher House Francisco for higher studies. Page 14 Contact information Graham graduated from San Diego State University in 1984 and achieved his BS degree in Telecommunications. After graduation, Graham started his professional career. In 1990, he joined KFMB-TV as a news anchor. Ledger fulfilled his responsibilities as a news anchor on KFMB-TV for 14 years until 2004. Graham explored other professions too and started photography professionally. For a year until 2005, Graham started his business and established Graham Ledger Photography. Newswire Editor - Jean Steele

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President’s Message

I heard this on a conservative news show the other day—“these are times that try men’s souls” written by Thomas Paine just before the start of the Revolutionary War. Does anyone else see that these words are as true today as they were then. WE have never seen anything like what we are experiencing today— unprecedented assault on our American way of life, corporations and CEO’s bowing to the radical left, cancel culture, the word “racist” thrown at you if you dare disagree with their agenda and on and on and on!! Don’t they understand that socialism, what they ultimately want for this country, has failed around the world. I don’t recognize our country anymore. We can’t let this happen. We must speak up, wake up and save our ideals and what our founding fathers fought and died for. We can do this!!!

Maryann

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Our April Speaker

Randall Avila gave us new insight into the politics of the 2021 SPEAKERS Latino community and how many of these California residents feel about what is going on in the country, state January 2021 and their immediate home territory and especially their Don Jans concerns about the border crisis. (Cancelled) Randall tells us that he was basically born a Republican! February 2021 He now serves as Executive Director (Orange County GOP). His Dr. Craig Smith responsibilities include overall management of the county party, fundraising, political operations and strategic initiatives. Additionally, he is a delegate to (Cancelled) the California Republican Party.

March 2021 While he served three terms as a city commissioner, he currently has no plans

Doug Ose to run for office… even though we think he would be a great candidate based on his commitment to the Party and to his community. April 2021

Randall Avila

May 2021 Upcoming Speakers ! May Tea

June 2021 Don Jans June, 2021 Don Jans September 2021 Don Jans is a nationally acclaimed speaker and author October 2021 contrasting the policies proclaimed by Karl Marx with principles upon which our nation was founded: individualism; rule of law; limited government; November 2021 divided government and sovereignty of the people. His style both speaking and writing is straightforward. December 2021 Don does not tell you how to think, but he gives you the facts so you can determine for yourself with whom you agree. Don has written five books, all based on the spectre haunting the : that spectre of collectivism (Marxism, communism, socialism, progressivism, and Democrat—all virtually the same). This movement has promised to transform the United States, ad that transformation is well under way. Don is an associate member of the Channel Islands CFRW and has spoken to a number of RWF groups.

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F Y I !

In June, we will have our auction of your treasures that you no longer treasure. Please check you cupboards for a special item that you know someone else would love to bid on. Bring your item to the June meeting. Please call Pauline Stenberg with questions and to let her know what you are bringing: 562/760-2346.

Also in June, we will have our big donation drive to benefit Fisher House. Please see the list of needs on Page 13. Bring whatever you are able to the June meeting, and we will deliver your gifts afterwards.

In the Fall, we will have a White Elephant fund raiser. More information ahead!

Pauline Stenberg is looking for gift baskets, preferably with handles, for the Opportunity Drawings. Pauline is also asking for donations towards the gift baskets, such as gift cards and/or bottles of wine.

Is anyone not receiving the CFRW or the NFRW emails? If not, and you would like to get these publications, please let Maryann know.

Also, regarding our own Newswire, if you know someone who is not receiving it, it could be because we do not have a correct email address! If you’ve changed your email address in the last two or three years, please let us know! We are working on a new email provider which should help.

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Your 2021 LBRWF Board

President: Maryann von der Horst [email protected] 1st Vice President: Lois Ledger [email protected] 2nd Vice President: Alia Hardy [email protected] 3rd Vice President: Donna Bennett [email protected] 4th Vice President: Pauline Stenberg [email protected] Membership Secretary: Caryl Miller [email protected] Treasurer: Heidi Bender [email protected] Recording Secretary: Helen Najar [email protected]

Special Assignments: Legislation: Helen Najar [email protected] Parliamentarian: OPEN Corresponding Secretary: Alia Hardy [email protected] Americanism: Beverly Norberg/Kara Nelson Caring for America: OPEN Service Liaison: Eileen Brown [email protected] (Mamie Eisenhower and Lydia House) Chaplain: Dorothy Kistler [email protected] Decorations: Susan Short Newsletter: Jean Steele

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Legislation

An omnibus bill is a single document that is accepted in a single vote by a legislature but packages together several measures into one or combines diverse subjects; because of their large size and scope, omnibus bills limit opportunities to debate and scrutinize. There are two omnibus bills in this week’s recap.

EDUCATION -AB 486- Elementary and secondary education: omnibus bill. The existing AB 486 Bill establishes a system of public elementary and secondary education in this state. Under that system, various persons have specified duties and powers relating to the operation of elementary, secondary schools including among others, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, county superintendent, county auditor, city distract, deputy or assistant superintendents etc. This bill would replace gendered terms with nongendered terms and make various other non-substantive changes to provisions related to those persons.

ELECTION LAW -SB 503-Voting: ballots and signature verification. -Set for hearing March 22 – Existing law requires an elections official, upon receiving a vote by mail ballot, to verify the signature on the identification envelope by comparing it with the signature on specified records within the voter’s registration record, and outlines various methods of verification. This bill would (1) apply a presumption, for purposes of the comparison of signatures in the voter’s registration record, that the signature on an identification envelope, signature verification statement, unsigned ballot statement, or provisional ballot envelope, is the voter’s signature; (2) specify that an exact signature is not required for an elections official to determine that the signature is valid and the fact that signatures share similar characteristics is sufficient to determine the signature is valid; (3) permit an elections official to reject a ballot only if the official determines beyond a reasonable doubt that a voter’s signature does not compare to a signature in the voter’s registration record. This bill would delete verifying addresses on the vote by mail ballot return envelopes from the procedures that the observers may observe and challenge. In essence, this bill reduces the requirements to verify signatures on ballots. Why?

-AB 1591- Elections Omnibus Bill- There are many parts to this bill. (1 ) This bill would require the verification process to confirm the identity of a voter who requests to opt-out of receiving the county voter information guide, state voter information guide, a notice of polling place and associated materials by mail, and instead obtain them electronically by telephone or in-person, upon confirmation of the voter’s date of birth, residence address, and California driver’s license number, California identification number, or a partial social security number. (2) This bill would revise the notice required if an electronic poll book is used to state that only a member of the precinct board may operate the device and that it is a misdemeanor to tamper with, manipulate, or otherwise operate or interact with the device with the intent to falsify or prevent others from ascertaining specified information about the voter. (3) This law would specify that if an electronic poll book is used, a copy of the electronic data file may be preserved in lieu of preserving a paper copy of the rosters or combined rosters and voter lists, if applicable (4) This bill would eliminate the elections official’s duty to preserve a copy of the roster used as the voting record or if an electronic poll book is used, a copy of the electronic data file.

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Legislation-Page 2

GOOD NEWS! SB 663, the bill to allow the personal information of anyone who signs a recall petition to be made available to others including the recall target has been withdrawn. It may come back next year, but for now, it’s DEAD!!! EMERGENCY POWERS SB 397- Essential services: religious services - This bill, the Religion is Essential Act, would, during a state of emergency or local emergency, require the Governor or the local government to deem religious services to be an essential service and to be necessary and vital to the health and welfare of the public. The bill would prohibit the state and local government from taking discriminatory action against a religious organization, as those terms are defined, and would require the state and local government to permit a religious organization to continue operating and engaging in religious services during a state of emergency to the same or greater extent than other organizations or businesses permitted to operate. STATUS 4/14/21: Failed passage in committee, but granted reconsideration! CIVIL RIGHTS SB 238 - Discrimination: Political Affiliation, Political Relief -This bill broadens the Unruh Civil Rights Act to extend the protections to persons regardless of political belief or affiliation. The bill specifies that these provisions are declarative of existing law. Would add political affiliation as a protected characteristic in connection with employment and housing. This bill is in response to persons being stigmatized or terminated because of their political beliefs. TAXES AB 1223, Firearms and ammunition: excise tax. This bill would, until January 1, 2028, impose an excise tax on a retailer in the amount of $25 per firearm on the sale in this state of a handgun or semiautomatic rifle or shotgun sold as new, as provided, and an excise tax on a retailer in the amount of ___% of the gross receipts from any sale of ammunition. The tax would be collected by the state pursuant to the Fee Collection Procedures Law. This bill would include a change in state statute that would result in a taxpayer paying a higher tax within the meaning of Section 3 of Article XIII A of the California Constitution, and thus would require for passage the approval of 2/3 of the membership of each house of the Legislature. Status: Hearing April 26th. INFRASTRUCTURE SB 32- Energy: general plan: building decarbonization requirements - Existing law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to assess the potential for the state to reduce greenhouse gases from the state’s residential and commercial building stock by at least 40 percent below 1990 levels by January 1, 2030. Because municipalities and counties do not have a role in regulating utility resource plans, SB 32 would require local government to mandate policies in their general plans, climate action, or a greenhouse gas emission plan, that would prevent or reduced natural gas in new homes and commercial buildings beginning January 1, 2023. This policy would be another case of Sacramento further eroding local control. On an energy-equivalent basis, natural gas rates are 67% less than electricity. Forced building requiring electrification would have grave effects on California’s overall economics. As the state continues to face a housing affordability crisis, lawmakers should be embracing natural gas, not creating policies that would curtail or eliminate its use. The state wants to eliminate natural gas because it can’t be 100 percent carbon emission-free, however, generating electricity requires natural gas generation plants.

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Redistricting

UPDATE ON CALIFORNIA REDISTRICTING: WHY IT MATTERS AND HOW YOU CAN PARTICI- PATE!

Redistricting is the once-every-decade practice across the United States of redrawing state and federal voting boundaries, with the goal being equal distribution of voters, based on the most current census information. The results impact who represents local voters in the U.S. House of Representatives, the State Board of Equalization (tax and fee districts), and the state Senate and Assembly, based on changes in population and demographics, among other things. In California, the census data is also used to re- draw boundaries for county supervisor districts, as well as cities, school districts and other agencies that elect representatives by geographical districts. The Federal Voting Rights Act also requires that in areas with a high population of minority voters, the lines must be drawn to keep enough of each minority group in a district to give them a chance of electing one of their own to represent them, while at the same time not “packing” a district artificially.

In the past, redistricting in most of the U.S. was handled by state legislators. This led to accusations of “gerrymandering”- drawing district lines to favor a particular political party. In 2008, California voters passed the Voters First Act, which resulted in the formation of the California Citizens Redistricting Commission (CCRC). These are regular citizens from around the state, and they have the final say in how the district lines will be drawn. Their decisions are made using census data, federal and state laws and guidelines, and input from the public. Their meetings are open to the public and they are required to take public input. They are not allowed to use voter registration information or any partisan data to draw lines, and the legislators are not allowed to communicate directly with commissioners about redis- tricting. In fact, contact from politicians is only allowed during public meetings.

In determining what the census information shows and how best to achieve accurate and fair redrawing of boundaries, the CCRC must also consider “Communities of Interest”, among other factors. They must, as much as possible, keep those communities together. Splitting these types of communities up is seen as a negative, minimizing their voices. A community of interest is, as broadly defined by Calif. law “a contiguous population which shares common social and economic interests that should be included within a single district for purposes of its effective and fair representation.” Official examples are a little vague because officials want to leave it open to interpretation, and open for them to get the people to tell them how they think their community fits that definition and where they are. An example, however, might be something like a historic community, or a mountain community- places where people share a common lifestyle and/ or geographic or environmental concerns. It could also be a minority group. By law, these communities cannot be based on political parties, or who their representatives currently are. Due to the pandemic, final results of the California Redistricting Commission may not be available until mid-December of this year, and possibly not until February 2022.

GET INVOLVED!!! The good news about the delay is that it gives all of us more time to contribute our input to this process. A new tool, “https://drawmycacommunity.org” allows anyone interested to sub- mit information on what they think their ideal political community is and why the state should consider their ideas. Residents are not limited to the number of submissions, because one person could belong to more than one community of interest. You can also attend virtual commission meetings and offer com- ments verbally or in writing. You know those who want to promote ideas beneficial to Democrat gerry- mandering will take active participation. Let’s not just sit idly by and let that happen. Contribute to the process! 8 Volume 29, Issue 5

The March Meeting in pictures!

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To Think About...

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LBRWF

Welcomes New Members and Guests!

Colleen Maxfield

Looking forward to seeing everyone at our monthly meetings!

We are behind in Membership Renewals! Please fill out the following form, including the information you want to see in the new Membership Roster. Mail the form and your check to:

LBRWF P.O. Box 8576 Long Beach, CA 90808

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Your Contributions are Always Welcome!

PLEASE NOTE! Critical need for food items!

Drop off locations: Samaritan House, 1335 Pacific Ave., Long Beach, 90813 Thrift Store, 702 W. Anaheim St., Long Beach 90813

For questions regarding Lydia House, please contact Liaison, Eileen Brown at 562/533-7318 or [email protected].

Ongoing: LB Rescue Kitchen (food items) Mission & Lydia House Women’s professional Needs: Needs: clothing Ham Fitted twin sheets Children’s Underwear— Eggs all ages Socks for Men, Women & Potatoes Baby Supplies (Diapers/ Children Yams Wipes) Toiletries (small, trial Vegetables Asstd. Gift Cards (Target, sizes) Pancake Mix & Syrup Wal-Mart) Toothpaste Various: Laptops/Tablets in new or Deodorant Ear Plugs like new condition Shampoo Snore Strips Desktop Computers with Hair Conditioner Aspirin/Ibuprofen Windows 8 OS or newer Shaving Cream Bottled Water Security Screen Door Shaving Razors Pillow Cases (Standard) Outdoor Furniture Women’s Razors Musical Instruments (for Small Fans Jackets, Warm Clothing the Chapel)

Please let Dorothy Kistler know if you would like to give the invocation or the flag salute. Contact Dorothy at [email protected] or 562/439-9390.

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Fisher House will be our big project for this first half of 2021. Please review the list below and start collecting your contributions, and bring what you have to our June meeting after which we will take everything to Fisher House at one time. Let’s make this event a huge success!

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Elected Officials

CA State Assembly (District 70) U.S. Congress (47th District) Assembly Member Patrick O’Donnell-DEM Congressman Alan Lowenthal –DEM Capitol Office Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse P.O. Box 942849 275 Magnolia Avenue, Ste. 1955 Sacramento, CA 94249-0070 Long Beach, CA 90802 Tel: (916) 319-2020 562/436-3828 Fax: (916) 319-2170

CA State Governor Long Beach Office: Governor -DEM 5000 E. Spring Street, Ste. 550 c/o State Capitol, Suite 1173 Long Beach, CA 90815 Sacramento, CA 95814 Tel: (562) 429-0470 Tel: (916) 445-2841 Fax: (562) 429-7871

San Pedro Office: CA State Senate (District 33) 461 W Sixth Street #209 Senator Lena Gonzalez-DEM San Pedro, CA 90731 Capitol Office: Tel: (310) 548-6420 State Capitol, Room 2068 Fax: (310) 548-4160 Sacramento, CA 95814 Tel: (916) 651-4033 LA County Supervisor th Long Beach District Office: Los Angeles County 4 District 3939 Atlantic Ave., Ste. 107 Supervisor Janice Hahn Long Beach, CA 90807 822 Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration Tel: (562) 256-7921 500 West Temple Street | Los Angeles, CA 90012 Tel: (213) 974-4444

CA State Senate (District 34) Long Beach City Hall Senator Tom Umberg -DEM 411 West Ocean Blvd. Capitol Office: Long Beach, CA 90802 State Capitol, Room 5061 (562) 570 6555 Capitol Office State Capitol, Room 3070 Mayor of Long Beach Sacramento, CA 95814 Mayor Robert Garcia-DEM Phone: (916) 651-4034 Fax: (916) 651-4934 411 West Ocean Blvd, 11th Floor Long Beach, CA 90802 (562) 570-6801

LBRWF P. O. Box 8576 Send all mail Long Beach, CA 90808 correspondence to: 562/433-8996

[email protected]

longbeachrepublicanwomen.com

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