DECEMBER 2016 EDITOR: LOUIS R. AVALLONE VOLUME 22, EDITION 12 Lorem ipsum dolor Yes, Virginia, sitthere amet, suspendisse is an nulla, rhoncus temp Electoral College…and placeratit matters! fermentum year, Mayor Ollie Tyler, This Month’s Meeting along with Councilman Our guest speaker for this month’s luncheon at Flurry, supported the 12 noon on Tuesday, December 6, 2016 at more than doubling of the Wyndham Garden Hotel on E. 70th Street t h e t a x e s o n will be Shreveport City Councilman for CenterPoint bills for District E, James Flurry. citizens. The City of Shreveport is set to officially adopt However, the its 2017 budget on December 13, but it has not proposed revenue been without controversy, including a proposed budget for the City $12 per month fee that Mayor Tyler defended, f o r 2 0 1 7 i s a t and that Councilman Flurry supported, as well. slightly more than $203 million, and is $19 million less than “If you privatize solid waste, I feel confident the 2016 city budget. Spending would decline that you will pay more than $12 a month," almost $18 million in 2017, to $201 million, but Flurry said. The City council has received an that’s mainly because of expenses that were earful on the issue since the budget was moved from one category to another. proposed. Some citizens called the new fee a And of course, recently it was learned that the tax, and felt that they did not get the City of Shreveport inadvertently billed opportunity to vote on such. Others thousands of residential water users for less complained that they could not swing the extra than they actually owed for 17½ months, $12 a month, and think the City needs to look costing the city about $1 million in lost in other areas of the budget to make cuts, to revenue. Needless to say, there’s a lot going make up for the funding. on at City Hall, and Councilman Flurry can certainly clear up the myths. Mayor Tyler wanted to use the fees to help fund raises for City employees who have not Join us Tuesday and let’s visit. Reservations had any raises in 10 years. Of course, just last not required. Eating is $13 and listening is free. Copyright © 2016 by Caddo Republican Parish Executive Committee. All rights reserved. Readers may use any articles in their publications, if source is cited. 178,000 citizens, but California only gets 1 From the Chairman electoral vote for each 690,000 citizens? Dear Fellow Republicans, What’s up with that? Why do votes in Wyoming count more than 3 times than those in California? Since the day after the presidential election, the After all, that’s not what our democracy is all number of emails I’ve received has steadily about, right? Well, first, we’re not a democracy, grown. Nearly 30,000 emails now, and the we’re a republic and we elect representatives who number of messages on my Facebook page has vote for our laws, instead of us voting directly on risen into the hundreds. All of these those laws – which would be a pure democracy, communications have escalated into phone instead. But you see, the founding fathers were calls, and they are even writing letters – nearly a actually terrified of a pure democracy (or “mob dozen received in the mail, just today. rule”) and if any of us want to protect the rights of any minorities in our country, we would be terrified So, what’s going on here? After all, for many too, because in a pure democracy, the rights of folks, they think the Presidential election is over, minorities can simply be voted away. As John and that Donald Trump won. Hillary Clinton has Adams once wrote, “Remember, democracy never already conceded the election, saying, “We owe lasts long”. him an open mind and a chance to lead,” and even President Obama referred to Trump as So, what does any of this have to do with the “president-elect” when Trump visited the White Electoral College electing the next President? House. Furthermore, Trump has already started Everything. It’s an example of the genius of our assembling the leaders of his new republic form of government insofar as it places the administration, for both his cabinet and other key country’s best interest above any individual states’ advisors. interest, or balancing the influence of the farmer in Iowa, or the sugar cane farmer in Louisiana, with So, what gives? Well, it’s about the Electoral the powerful and wealthy industrialists and media College, and the fact that on December 19, a elites of the big cities. The Electoral College is slate of electors in each state will cast their merely an extension of our republic form of state’s electoral votes and elect the next government, no different than the very reason why President of the United States, all according to each state is represented by two (2) Senators, Article 2 of the U.S. Constitution. You see, there regardless of population. are 538 electors in all 50 states, including the District of Columbia, and 306 of those electors It is an honor and privilege for me to participate in are expected to vote for Trump on December 19. the constitutional process of electing the But if only 37 of those electors, who are President of the United States this month — a expected to vote for Trump, actually vote for vote cast by the son of an Italian immigrant, someone else – anyone else – or even abstain, whose rights our founding fathers sought to then Trump won’t have a majority of the electoral protect with a republic, and long before most any votes available and Congress will decide who Americans would fully understood why. the next President will be. Yes, Congress. In closing, and as always, please consider And this is the faint hope that liberals and making a contribution to the Caddo Republican progressives are clinging onto – to stop Trump PEC, or to volunteer your time. Contributions of from becoming the 45th President of the United any amount may be made by mailing a check to: States. So they are harassing electors with a Caddo RPEC, 1941-C East 70th Street, constant barrage of emails, phone calls, letters, Shreveport, LA 71105 or by clicking the following and social media posts, sometimes evening link to contribute by credit or debit card, http:// visiting their homes. bit.ly/CaddoRPEC (but you don’t need a Paypal account to contribute online). Sure, at first glance, the Electoral College seems Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! unnecessary, at best, and illogical, at worst. After all, why would anyone support any system that Very truly yours, doesn’t weight each person’s vote equally, regardless of what state they live in? For example, currently Wyoming gets 1 electoral vote for each Louis R. Avallone Copyright © 2016 by Caddo Republican Parish Executive Committee. All rights reserved. Readers may use any articles in their publications, if source is cited. • 40.24% for Democrat Marshall Jones in Medallion Club, New Clubs 2016, for U.S. House of Representatives (run-off) Join The Ranks! • 62% for Democrat John Bel Edwards in The 2016 Medallion Club membership drive is 2015, for Governor (won) coming to a close, and 2017 is just beginning! We • 55% for Democrat Kip Holden in 2015, for are grateful for the tremendous support, and Lieutenant Governor (lost) unwavering commitment of our Caddo Parish • 55% for Democrat John Milkovich in 2015, Republican supporters. As many of you know, the for State Senate (won) Medallion Club effort raises the necessary funds to run the office, pay for the newsletter, and • 55% for Democrat James Stewart in 2015, conduct other Party activities. Gold Medallion for District Attorney (won) members level is $200 and above, Medallion • 54% for Democrat Mary Landrieu in 2014, membership is $100-199 and Supporter level for U.S. Senate (lost) membership is up to $99. You can contribute • 57% for Democrat Charlie Caldwell in online by visiting http://bit.ly/CaddoRPEC or 2014, for City Marshal (won) checks may be dropped off to the office at 1941-C East 70th Street, Shreveport 71105. Contributions • 51% for Democrat Barack Obama in 2012, are not tax deductible. Gold Medallion: Jean for President (won) Laster, D.A. Simpson, Carroll Michaud, Austin G. • 55% for Democrat Caroline Fayard in Robertson, Jr., Harold Coates, PRWC. Medallion: 2010, for Lieutenant Governor (lost) Jim Allen, Martha Allen, Sylvia Norton, Steve Riall, • 58% for Democrat Mary Landrieu in 2008, Jack Daniel, Olive Stuart, and Mike Bradley. for U.S. Senate (won) Thanks again to Creighton Light for being the We are not discouraged by these results. And very first Chairman’s Circle Club member, and neither are you. We know we can come back Harold and Margaret Coates for being our very again and again, and that we’re willing to gut this first Ronald Reagan Club Member. Without the out, regardless of the demographics, and return generous support of our faithful members, our our country to its conservative principles. And with Party’s presence in Caddo Parish would be a historic election behind us, we conservatives greatly diminished. may have their best chance ever, since 1980, to reverse the course that so many know is the wrong one for our country. Please consider contributing your time and any financial support you can lend to the Caddo GOP today. We would appreciate it, and it’s very much needed. Feel free to go online, as well, at: http://bit.ly/CaddoRPEC.