| LETTER FROM PRESIDENT VICKI BAILEY |
Dear :
Summer is here and, boy did it come with a vengeance! I now determine my parking space by shade not distance. Keep that in mind as you attend the many opportunities the Republican Party is offering this summer.
Due to a change in the 2012 primary from June to March, Alabama is a player in the presidential elections. Candidates are lining up to speak at events. Herman Cain is speaking at the Shelby County Republican Party Summer Dinner and Governor Rick Perry will be speaking at the Alabama Republican Party Summer Dinner.
Now is a great time to get engaged in Republican activities. In July we are having a Sunday afternoon membership tea at Judge Suzanne Childers' lovely home in place of our regular meeting. The date hasn't been determined yet so stay tuned. This is a perfect time to come and enjoy talking with one other and especially to bring a friend so we can double our numbers. 2012 is going to be a busy election year and we need to be ready for it!
Stay cool!
Vicki
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Legislative Update
by: Slade Blackwell
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Closure of 2011 Legislative Session
The 2011 legislative session will wrap up next week after a successful three months. I am pleased with the way the legislature worked together to accomplish what we set out to do before the session started, despite the challenges we had to face. I think we have made great strides during this session and I hope it is a sign of good things to come. While there were several issues that came up during the session, a few caused quite a stir:
Forever Wild
A bill to renew the Forever Wild program for another twenty years and keep funding "as is" came up in the House and Senate this session. After passage in the House and much debate in the Senate, the bill was sent to a conference committee to decide its fate. The Senate conference committee came up with a solution to allow for a vote of the people on November 12, 2012 to decide whether or not Forever Wild should be renewed. Twenty years ago, the people overwhelmingly voted to establish the program so it seems fitting that the people of Alabama will have the opportunity to, hopefully, renew it for another twenty years.
Immigration
The immigration bill introduced by Senator Scott Beason proved to be a hot topic this session. It makes it illegal for someone to transport or harbor an illegal alien in the state of Alabama. It would also punish an employer for employing an illegal alien by fining them and after several offenses, take away their business license. Additionally, it also provides for all employers in the state of Alabama to utilize the federal E-Verify system. On June 2, this bill was passed and sent to the Governor for approval.
Republican Handshake with Alabama:
In the fall, the Alabama Republican Party announced its Handshake with Alabama which outlined the republican agenda for the upcoming year. Some of the major action items were immigration, ethics reform, responsible budgeting and job creation for the state. We have done an excellent job sticking to this plan and I'm proud to say it is almost complete. After next week, which is the last week of the session, I expect us to have passed most of the items in the "Handshake."
With one week left, there is still room for a lot to happen. I expect some important bills to come up towards the end of next week, including House Bill 650, which would give taxing power to the Jefferson County Commission. As a freshman senator, I was happy with the way the senate conducted itself during the session and I look forward to working with everyone for the next three years. The Alabama legislature has made great strides over the past year and I'm excited to see what the future holds.
Slade Blackwell is serving his first term in the Alabama State Senate representing Jefferson and Shelby Counties in District 15. For more information about Slade, please visit www.sladeblackwell.com or follow him on Facebook or on Twitter at sladeblackwell. To reach him by phone, please call 205.396.114.
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Be sure to renew your membship if you have not already. Membership form with volunteer opportunities is on our website www.greaterbirminghamrepublican.com
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We Won! Now What?
by: Rhonda Hethcox
November brought many Republican victories to Alabama. Some victories were easy and some were hard fought. Some were so hard fought it took days before the candidate and voters knew who the winner was. Ask Judge Julie Palmer of Greater Birmingham Republican Women how hard she had to continue to fight to prove her victory. Without the help of Republican women many of these victories throughout the state would not have come about.
The next presidential election is right around the corner. Americans watched in fear as Obama's healthcare was passed, we continue to watch as gas prices climb to over $4.00 a gallon, and entrepreneurs remain helpless as this administration continues to stifle small business. Higher taxes are the answer from the democrats. There is no answer at all from our opposing party of how to repair our rising national debt.
All of us have choices in life and our choice now has to be to continue to fight for what is right for America. Change will not come by sitting home watching Fox news and continuing to complain about the problems our state and country face. We all have to get involved. Everywhere I go I hear frustration and concerned citizens asking what they can do.
For a Republican to win the presidential election in 2012 I am ready to step up and do my part as a member of Greater Republican Women. Republican Women who get involved have high aspirations and expectations that they will change the world. I am ready to change the world but I can't do it alone. Be a voice for our club and recruit new members who are ready to donate their time and talents! I can't do it alone and Alabama and America is worth fighting for. Make it a point, the next time you hear a friend complain, to tell her to get involved and invite her to our next meeting! Let's roll up our sleeves and get busy.
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