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San Fernando Valley Republican Club
Meeting Notice and Newsletter
In This Issue
Featured Speaker - Assemblyman Cameron Smyth
Operation Gratitude - Carolyn Blashek
Rally against "Redacted" Friday Night
Contact Senators about Troop Funding Bill
Quick Links
November 15, 2007
Dear Gary,

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday, December 4, 2007 at 7:00pm at Galpin Ford, 15555 Roscoe Blvd (just east of the 405), 2nd Floor Meeting Room, North Hills.  There is a $5.00 event fee, except for first time visitors, students and guest speakers who may attend at no cost.

The December meeting will feature Assemblyman Cameron Smyth of the 38th Assembly District.

Carolyn Blashek of OPERATION GRATITUDE will also speak to us about the great work that Operation Gratitude does in sending care packages to our Armed Forces.  Operation Gratitude needs some volunteers to send holiday packages to our troops.

Also, please read the section below about the Support the Troops rally Friday night, November 16th in opposition of the showing of the anti-American film, "Redacted."

Read the section about contacting Senators to get a "clean" troop funding bill passed.

I also want to remind you that the January meeting will be on Wednesday, January 9, 2008.
 
 
Featured Speaker - Assemblyman Cameron Smyth
 
 
Cameron Smyth 38th Assembly District
Elected in 2006, Assemblyman Cameron Smyth is honored to represent the 38th Assembly District, which includes the cities of Los Angeles, Santa Clarita, Simi Valley and Glendale.

Prior to being elected to the state legislature, Assemblyman Smyth served on the Santa Clarita City Council, where he was first elected in 2000 and subsequently re-elected in 2004 - he was grateful to receive the highest number of votes in both elections. During his time on the City Council, Assemblyman Smyth twice served as Mayor, first in 2003 and again in 2005.

In his first year as a Legislator, Assemblyman Smyth was appointed as the Vice Chair of the important Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee. The committee is charged with oversight of issues pertaining to public health and the environment. As Vice Chair, Assemblyman Smyth seeks to direct the committee towards scientifically sound policies that promote a healthy environment and a strong economy and oppose those that needlessly burden the business community and drive our workforce to other states.

Assemblyman Smyth has also been appointed to the Utilities and Commerce Committee and the Local Government Committee, two important committees responsible for overseeing legislation affecting many of California's most critical infrastructure needs. As a member of these committees, Assemblyman Smyth will fight to ensure that our energy supply can meet our growing demand, make certain that California law is fluid and able to adapt to emerging telecommunication technologies, and guarantee that cities and counties maintain the authority to make critical decisions about issues that affect their residents.
 
 
 
Operation Gratitude  
Operation Gratitude
Speaker - Carolyn Blashek
 

Hundreds of thousands of American troops are deployed in hostile and remote regions of the world, including the Middle East, Afghanistan, Africa, Guantanamo Bay and on ships throughout international waters. The physical conditions they must endure are difficult and they may be separated from loved ones for long periods of time. OPERATION GRATITUDE seeks to lift troops' morale, and bring a smile to their faces by sending care packages to service members overseas.Operation Gratitude care packages contain food, toiletries, entertainment items and personal letters of appreciation, all wrapped with good wishes of love and support.

Through Collection Drives, Letter Writing Campaigns and Donations of requested items or funds for shipping expenses, Oepration Gratitude provides civilians anywhere in America a way to express their respect and appreciation to the men and women of the U.S. military in an active, hands-on manner.

Operation Gratitude is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, all-volunteer corporation, funded entirely by private donations. For safety and security, the assembling of all packages occurs at the Army National Guard Armory in Van Nuys, California.

 
Anti-American Film: "Redacted"  
Flag Rally to Support the Troops at the Laemmle Theater
Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks has funded a film produced by anti-war activist Brian DePalma called "Redacted."  The film is about American troops in Iraq who rape an innocent Iraqi girl and kill her family.

This is a anti-American film designed to make the American Armed Forces look bad.  It is in no way favorable to America or its servicemen.  The danger of this film is that it will be shown on Al-Jazeera and other Middle East venues to Muslims who will think it is a documentary or that it represents what American troops are really like.  It is likely to cause intense anger against American troops in the Middle East and may likely lead to the deaths of some of our troops because of the anger it will engender.  In my view, producing a film like this in time of war is not only anti-American, it is treasonous. 

In order to show our support of the troops and our opposition to this movie, Eric Porvaznik of the San Fernando Valley Republican Club is organizing a Support the Troops rally at the Laemmle Theater, 8000 Sunset Blvd. tomorrow night, Friday, November 16th at 6:30PM.

We are encouraging everyone to come to the theater Friday night and bring signs which say "Support the Troops" and American flags. Look for Eric.  Let's have a great turnout to show our displeasure at this despicable film.  Encourage people to boycott this film.
 
 
Contact Senators about Troop Funding Bill  
Democrats at it again

Six weeks into the fiscal year, the Democrats finally managed to deliver for President Bush's signature one of the twelve appropriations bills Congress must pass each year to fund federal operations.  (The President had to veto what could have been the second of twelve because Congress had overstuffed it with wasteful spending.) 

Especially disgraceful is the Democrats' refusal to send the bill that funds veterans' health care -- which President Bush is ready to sign.  The reason: They want to use veterans as "leverage" to suction up more tax dollars for their pet programs.

Of course, the biggest reason for Congress's failure to get around to these "must-do" bills is that the Democrat leadership has wasted week after week on  measures aimed at securing "defeat and retreat" in Iraq.

Now, at a moment when the "surge" policy nearly every Democrat opposed seems to be turning our momentum toward victory, our troops need Congress to act to ensure the uninterrupted flow of vital funds. 

But incredibly, the Democrats have linked this vital funding to a requirement that the the military abandon the mission so many have served and sacrificed to accomplish.  Pelosi's House passed the measure late last night, and Reid hopes to push it through the Senate as soon as tomorrow.

Senate Republicans are pushing back-- demanding that the Senate fund the troops without tying their hands and challenging their Democrat colleagues to put the national interest ahead of their endless quest to gain partisan advantage from a defeat in Iraq.

Here's how you can help: Contact your Senators and demand that they come through for our troops and for our country by 1) supporting the "clean" troop funding bill that Senators McConnell and Stevens have introduced -- and any procedural vote aimed at advancing that measure, and 2) opposing any measure or procedural motion aimed at tying troop funding to an artificial timeline.  Information about how to contact your U.S. Senators can be found at

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
or by calling 202-224-3121.

The Democrats' defeat-at-any-cost strategy must not be allowed to succeed.
 
 
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We will have another great meeting of the San Fernando Valley Republican Club on Tuesday, December 4th.
 

I look forward to seeing you at the meeting.

 
Sincerely,

Gary Aminoff
 
 
Gary Aminoff
President
San Fernando Valley Republican Club
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