General
Sunday February 4, 2024 Attachment Israel
In Support of Israel!
Israel has been threatened with or engaged in war since the beginning of her existence. Her early history is well documented in the Bible, and the present/future wars were likewise predicted—leading up to the conflict we see today.
The good news is that God has promised to keep Israel and has guaranteed her future existence. Moreover, Scripture declares that Israel shall be exalted to the head of all the nations.
In Deuteronomy we read, “And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them” (Deuteronomy 28:13 NKJV). It is obvious that Israel has not heeded the commandments of the Lord in the past, and is not doing so today! However, that day is coming.
God has regathered Israel making her the only “born again” nation that has literally been raised up from the dead (think May 14, 1948). As mentioned above, Israel is still in rebellion against the Lord but shall soon be spiritually revived, recognize Jesus as her Messiah, and be climactically rescued from all her enemies. Moreover, Israel shall never cease to be a nation before the Lord. She has a guaranteed future (see Jeremiah 31:31–40, Ezekiel 36:19–36, Zechariah 12–14, Ezekiel 38–39 and Revelation 19).
Of Israel the Lord said,
“…I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed throughout the countries; I judged them according to their ways and their deeds. When they came to the nations, wherever they went, they profaned My holy name—when they said of them, ‘These are the people of the Lord, and yet they have gone out of His land.’ But I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations wherever they went. Therefore, say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the Lord,” says the Lord God, when I am hallowed in you before their eyes. For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God. I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. I will call for the grain and multiply it, and bring no famine upon you. And I will multiply the fruit of your trees and the increase of your fields, so that you need never again bear the reproach of famine among the nations. Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good; and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight, for your iniquities and your abominations. Not for your sake do I do this,’ says the Lord God, ‘let it be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel!” “Thus says the Lord God: ‘On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will also enable you to dwell in the cities, and the ruins shall be rebuilt. The desolate land shall be tilled instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass by. So they will say, “This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden; and the wasted, desolate, and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.” Then the nations which are left all around you shall know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted what was desolate. I, the Lord, have spoken it, and I will do it” (Ezekiel 36:19–36 NKJV).
Jeremiah prophesied,
“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah” (Jeremiah 31:31 NKJV).
He said it and he will do it!
Christians are compelled to support Israel—not her present rebellions and blindness. Thus, we pray for her peace, and seek to bless her in every way possible. We seek to demonstrate our love for God’s Chosen People by missionary effort and material support.
God told Abraham,
“I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:3 NKJV).
Therefore, even amidst the present distress, we are planning a trip to Israel and want to invite you to join us for the trip of a lifetime. We are planning to take a group—leaving the USA on April 3, 2024 and returning April 18. We will be visiting several Biblical sites as well as engage in encouragement opportunities that are intended to bless the people of the Land.
If you are interested in going with me on a safe, guided, tour, please contact Liz@Candlelight.org.
Pastor Paul D. Van Noy, Candlelight
Candlelight.org
Sunday February 4, 2024
Jim Hollingsworth
February 4m 2024
Dear Friends,
Here are a few articles for your consideration.
Thanks.
Jim Hollingsworth
If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. (1 Corinthians 15:19)
U.S. Constitution Amendment XXII, Section 2
This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission to the States by the Congress.
(This is a little short today because I was locked out of my computer for half a day.)
- Please see the attachment “In Support of Israel” shared by a friend.
- Senate passes bill to “protect” the border No new bill is needed. This bill will just make it easier to enter the country. Just enforce existing laws and keep them out.
Saturday February 3, 2024 Attachment caucus
Presidential Caucus Fact Check
Brent Regan
“I’m a lifetime Republican and I’m really worried I won’t be able to participate in the Presidential Caucus” said Jim, an 89 year old combat veteran during a call with Idaho GOP Chairman Dorothy Moon. Jim called the state party headquarters after reading Sandy Patano’s “Opinion: Idaho GOP’s Presidential Caucus confusion,” an OpEd full of misleading information, half-truths and outright lies.
One of the few facts in the article is that Patano is a founding member of North Idaho “Republicans” or NIR, a shadowy organization not officially part of Idaho’s Republican Party. NIR was fined the maximum amount allowed by law for lying to the Secretary of State and they received a Cease and Desist letter from the Republican National Committee’s General Council to stop them from falsely using the Republican brand.
NIR founders include never-Trumpers and Biden supporters and, unlike the official Republican Party whose members who are elected by the people, NIR members are self-appointed. They hold secretive meetings where they have physically ejected elected Idaho Republican legislators because they were not “their” kind of Republican. NIR members have used the progressive Democrat tactics of false accusation, bullying, guilt by association and outright lies in their propaganda campaign.
NIR members have claimed the Republican Party is full of racists, “groypers” and anti-Semites and that when good conservative legislators vote against bloated spending bills it is the same as “defunding the police.” The 2023 Idaho State Police appropriations bill had an 18.8% increase over the 2021 base, included 22 new salaried positions, and over $18,000 to pay the lab fees for drug testing race horses (competitors currently pay those fees). Protecting Idaho voters from runaway spending and special interest payoffs is what NIR calls “defunding the police.”
Most NIR claims are so absurd that they only deserve to be mocked. However the misinformation NIR presented about the Presidential Caucus needs to be corrected. To date, no NIR members have participated in organizing or volunteered for the Presidential Caucus so they have no direct knowledge.
What will happen is on Saturday March 2nd at 11:00 AM Pacific Time, Noon Mountain Time the Caucus will open. You will present your government issued photo ID, sign the Poll Book and receive a stamp on the back of your hand. The program will start at Noon Pacific, 1:00 PM Mountain. After an invocation, the Pledge of Allegiance and a few words from the Caucus Captain the 5 minute candidate presentations will begin. To receive your ballot you show your hand stamp, which will be canceled by a second stamp and you will be issued a ballot. There will be a privacy area for you to mark you ballot which you will then deposit in the ballot box. It’s just that simple.
Here are some of the false claims made by NIR and the facts from the IDGOP and the Presidential Caucus Handbook.
False Claim: The Idaho GOP eliminated the Presidential Primary.
FACT: House Bill 138 was presented as moving the Presidential Primary from March to May but what it really did was to eliminate the Presidential Primary altogether, disenfranchising EVERY Republican voter. The Idaho Republican Party (IDGOP) supported and lobbied to repeal this bill but the legislature’s leadership was not interested in calling an emergency session. The 218 members of the IDGOP Central Committee voted to establish a “Firehouse” Caucus on Saturday March 2.
False Claim: The Caucus will “cut the average voter out of the primary election process”
FACT: The Caucus is open to ALL affiliated Republican voters and just like regular voting you will need to go to the location assigned to your precinct and present photo ID to vote.
False Claim: Only eligible voters with a postcard Golden Ticket will be admitted.
FACT: Every registered voter who was affiliated with the Republican Party before January 1st 2024 will receive a courtesy postcard informing them of their precinct name and the location of their Caucus. When you arrive you will need to know the name of your precinct so you know which precinct Poll Book will have your name listed. If you don’t know your precinct there will be precinct maps so you just have to point to where you live. The postcard is not required but will speed your check-in if you have it.
False Claim: The Caucus will be a prolonged, hours long “dumpster fire” event.
FACT: The Presidential Caucus in 2012 did take several hours because it had multiple rounds of voting to determine a single winner. The 2024 Caucus will have a single round of voting and could takes as little as a few minutes if all you want to do is cast your vote and not listen to the 5 minute candidate presentations.
False Claim: Results will be secretly tabulated by IDGOP party members.
FACT: The ballots will be transparently tabulated immediately after balloting finishes at each of the 215 caucus locations statewide. Ballots will be hand counted by at least two tabulators that were nominated by the Caucus Captain and affirmed by the voters at that location. Witnesses assigned by the campaigns and any voters who wish to remain will be allowed to observe, but not interfere, with the tabulation. Ballots must be counted twice and both totals must match exactly or they must be counted again. The results for each caucus location will be entered onto a Tabulation Sheet, signed by the Tabulators and the Captain and then transmitted to IDGOP headquarters. The Poll Books, Tabulation Sheet and all cast, spoiled and unused ballots, will be sealed in a box and securely transported to the IDGOP headquarters for canvasing.
False Claim: Countless professionals, constrained by work commitments may find it impossible to participate in person, members of the military and parents with small children will be disenfranchised.
FACT: The Caucus is being held midday on a Saturday specifically so that working voters will be able to participate. There are 579,773 Republican affiliated voters in Idaho. 582 of those, 0.1%, have mailing address outside the lower 48 states and a fraction of those are deployed military. Minor children can accompany their parents to the Caucus.
Your Idaho Republican Party has a dedicated team working every day to ensure the 2024 Presidential Caucus is a success. The Presidential Caucus is funded by the IDGOP, your local Republican Central Committee and fees from the six Presidential Candidates. The Caucus will save Idaho taxpayers the 2.7 million dollars it costs to hold a primary election.
It seems that for political reasons there are those who want the Presidential Caucus to fail. You probably shouldn’t take caucus advice from those people. It’s just common sense.
Saturday February 3, 2024 Attachment
Republican Party & Crazy Critics
Brent Regan
Republicans from all over the state gathered earlier this month in Boise for the IDGOP Winter meeting. Every six months the 218 members of the Idaho Republican State Central Committee gather to take care of party business. This Winter Meeting was a total success. Not only was all business accomplished, but it was done in record time.
The Idaho Republican Party is a bottom-up, grassroots organization. At the base are the Precinct Committeemen. Every two years during the May primary the Republican voters in each of Idaho’s 976 precincts elect their precinct committeeman. These Precinct Committeemen are organized into County Central Committees for each of Idaho’s 44 counties and into Legislative District Committees for each of Idaho’s 35 legislative districts.
Each of these county and legislative district committees elects a Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Secretary. County Central Committees also elect a State Committeeman, State Committeewoman and Youth Committeeperson.
Idaho is also organized into seven (ten after May 2024) regions. The county and legislative district chairmen and the State Committeemen, State Committeewomen and Youth Committeepersons in each region elect a Region Chairman, Region Vice Chairman and Region Secretary.
All this organizing and electing is done within two weeks of the May primary and is followed by the Idaho Republican Party State Convention, which this year will be in Coeur d’Alene starting on June 13th. The approximately 700 delegates to the convention are elected by the County Central Committees. Any affiliated Republican can be nominated to be a delegate.
At the Convention the delegates vote on any amendments to the State Party Platform and elect the State Party Chairman, First and Second Vice-Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer. Every four years we also elect a National Committeeman and National Committeewoman who represent Idaho at the Republican National Committee. These seven officers along with the Region Chairman form the State Executive Committee.
The 218 members of the State Central Committee have the final word on adoption of new or amended rules and resolutions. They are the ultimate authority for party business.
An example of this is when someone is aggrieved by some violation of party rules they can file a complaint with the Chairman who will render a decision within 60 days. If someone is aggrieved by the chairman’s decision they can appeal to the State Executive Committee. Finally, if someone is aggrieved by the Executive Committee decision they can appeal to the State Central Committee, the ultimate judicial authority.
The rules of the Republican Party have been improved and refined over time, usually in response to a situation or new requirement. ANY of the 976 precinct committeeman can propose a rule change, but that proposal must be passed by a majority vote by at least one county or legislative district committee. Depending on the size of the county, these committees can have as few as three members or over two hundred.
Once the proposed rule has been approved by at least one committee it can be submitted for consideration at the next State Central Committee meeting, like the one that just happened on January 5th and 6th.
To be considered by the State Central Committee the proposed rule must first be reviewed and passed by the Rules Committee. The Rules Committee members are appointed by the Region Chairmen and the State Chairman appoints the Rules Committee Chairman and Vice-chairman. The Rules Chairman runs the meeting but does not debate or vote unless there is a tie vote.
The Rules Committee reviews the proposed rules, debates it merits, amends the proposed rule if needed, and then finally votes on if the proposed rule will be part of the Rules Committee Report to the State Central Committee.
During this Winter Meeting the Rules Committee met for four hours and considered 17 proposed rules. Of those 17, only six received enough votes to be included in the report to the State Central Committee and four of those were amended by the committee.
Clear minded people see that the Republican Party is structured so that the Chairman does not have dictatorial power and that our processes are open at the beginning to allow any idea to start the process while at the same time there are three layers of committees that the proposal must pass through before finally becoming a new rule or resolution. Claims that the Chairman can push through rules are patently absurd, but being absurd or outright crazy comes naturally to some critics.
Unfortunately the media pretends that all proposals come from the top and then they howl about how horrible the Republicans are for even considering a proposed rule.
A news outlet in Boise ran a several minute piece about a proposed rule that would have prevented a politician from using the Republican brand for 5 years if they repeatedly voted against fundamental Republican principles as enumerated in the Platform. They claimed our chairman was actively trying to control who could run for office and restrict voter rights. This is crazy talk.
If that rule had passed it would only have prevented the politician from using the Republican brand. That’s it. They could still have run for office and people could still vote for them. But that rule did not pass out of the Rules Committee. What did pass was a rule establishing an appellate process for politicians who are accused of violating platform principles. This rule reinforces and broadened due process and fair treatment. Apology? Nope.
Critics of the Republican Party seem determined to be critical, even if they have to misrepresent or even fabricate facts. It is best to ignore these crazy claims and judge the Republican Party for what it does, not what the agenda driven media claims it wants to do.
It’s just common sense.
Saturday February 3, 2024 Attachment
Are You Brainwashed?
Brent Regan
The short answer is yes, we all are to some degree brainwashed. Our society is flooded with competing messages designed to influence your viewpoint and perceptions. Some brainwashing efforts are small and localized while others involve the entire country or even the world. Regardless of scale, every stream of information seems to have a bias.
The reasons for this are power and money. So called “news” sources have a financial interest in attracting as many eyeballs as possible. Revenue is a direct function of attention, so their programming is structured to get as much attention as possible by feeding their audience exactly the information they want to receive and let confirmation bias build viewer loyalty. There is no penalty for lying or misrepresenting the facts, but there is an immediate penalty for a loss of viewers so the truth is sacrificed for clicks and views.
Remember that reality is a construct within every individual’s mind. What you perceive as reality is the sum of all the information you have received and no two people receive exactly the same information. In the information age, most of what you “know” about the outside world doesn’t come from direct experience. What do you know of the situation in Ukraine other than what you have been told by people who have no direct knowledge?
If everyone is brainwashed to some degree then can you tell how badly you are brainwashed? Unfortunately you can’t in absolute terms, but there are clues to follow. People who are highly brainwashed are far from reality and if you don’t understand the reality of a situation then you cannot predict what will happen next.
In 2016 Democrats brainwashed themselves into thinking Trump couldn’t win. They were devastated when he did. In 2020 Republicans brainwashed themselves into believing Trump couldn’t lose to dementia basement Biden. They were devastated when he did….or did he?
Politicians and their parties have little incentive to be truthful. Hyperbolic statements and spin are normal, even expected. There are even examples of “designated liars,” people like Adam Schiff or John Brennan who are trotted out whenever a real whopper of a lie needs to be offered up for public brainwashing. The “Hunter Biden Laptop is Russian disinformation” lie is one example of many.
One of the best examples of a brainwashing campaign is the January 6 Insurrection narrative. You likely have a strong opinion about that event. First question, were you there? If not then everything you know about J6 was fed to you by biased sources. Second question, has anyone presented a rational scenario where unarmed protestors sauntering through the US Capitol building could overpower the world’s most powerful country, its military and its courts and gain access to the nuclear launch codes? No? Unless you have the “means” you don’t have a crime. We have been told it was an insurrection, but nobody has been charged with that crime. Repeat a lie often enough and it becomes the truth. Feeling brainwashed yet?
If you watched the J6 hearing and saw justice served, then you were brainwashed. If you watched the J8 hearing and saw political theater, you resisted the brainwashing.
Half the country thinks that banning a candidate from running for office is protecting “democracy.” I thought democracy is where the people, not the courts decide. Where are you on this? Brainwashed or not?
The scope of this brainwashing proves it can be done on a large scale, which means doing it on a small scale should be easy, and it is.
The current voter initiative campaign is attempting to brainwash people into believing Ranked Choice Voting and eliminating political party primaries will somehow “open” elections to more participation. Using this logic, Idaho should allow residents of other states and non-citizens to vote in Idaho elections, making them even more “open.” If you recognize the absurdity of that argument then you have resisted the brainwashing.
Locally there is a small group of Never-Trumpers and Biden supporters, the “North Idaho Republicans” (NIR), who want you to believe that members of the official Republican Party should have their freedom of speech restricted when it comes to some elections. They say Republicans should not recommend candidates. These same people, who claim to be Republicans, have no problem giving their candidate endorsement as they try to brainwash you into believing that they represent the Republican Party. Again, if you recognize the absurdity of their argument then you have resisted the brainwashing.
Remember how those with a good grasp of reality can better predict the future? If you understand what voters want you can predict and support the winning candidate. Candidates that NIR endorses typically lose their elections. During the last Republican Primary, none of their backed candidates won in Kootenai County while all of the candidates recommended by your official Kootenai County Republican Central Committee, the KCRCC, won in Kootenai County.
Why? Maybe it is because the members of the KCRCC are elected by you, one from each of our 73 precincts. KCRCC members represent an accurate cross section of our county and they better understand what our citizens want in a candidate. The KCRCC also conducts professional polling to help understand your most important issues. Your KCRCC Precinct Committeemen knock on thousands of doors in their precincts to distribute information and hear directly from you what is important to you.
NIR members are a self-selected club that doesn’t even try to interview all the candidates.
NIR wants to brainwash you into thinking they are the true Republicans and yet the candidates they endorse are the same candidates endorsed by Democrats. Members of NIR leadership have already come out for Nikki Haley, the candidate openly supported by Democrats who believe she will lose to Biden.
The KCRCC is working closely with the Idaho GOP to ensure that in Idaho all Republicans, but only Republicans, can participate in our Presidential Preference Caucus. Know that the KCRCC is working hard for you. Don’t be brainwashed into thinking otherwise.
It’s just common sense.
Saturday February 3, 2024
Jim Hollingsworth
Saturday February 3, 2024
Dear Friends,
Here are a few articles for your consideration.
Thanks.
Jim Hollingsworth
For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; (1 Corinthians 15:3)
U.S. Constitution Amendment XXI, Section 1
No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once. But this Article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President when this Article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this Article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of such term.
- Please see the three attachment that deal with the caucus. If you live in Idaho you may want to save this where you can find it easily.
- Epoch Times and Border Crisis 12 Minutes
Friday February 2, 2024
Jim Hollingsworth
February 2, 2024
Dear Friends,
Here are a few articles for your consideration.
Thanks.
Jim Hollingsworth
Let all things be done decently and in order. (1 Corinthians 14:40)
U.S. Constitution Amendment XXI, Section 3
This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by conventions in the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.
- Florida Bill to allow State Guard to assist Texas Border Control The state guard is separate from the national guard, and cannot be controlled by the federal government.
- January 6 Defendant sentenced to 24 months’ probation, fine He was in the building a total of 6 seconds.
- Nikki Haley Not being very realistic Haley should stay in the race to provide some contrast with Trump.
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr for Vice President under Trump: Not Likely This idea was not put forth by Trump or his campaign. Kennedy, a Democrat, is like a breath of fresh air concerning some of his stands, but he still has two things working against him: 1) Kennedy is a Kennedy and always will be with all that comes with the name, and 2) Kennedy is, at heart, a Democrat, with their support for many Marxist ideas.
- Greetings Patriotic American:
WHEN ARE OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS GOING TO EXPOSE AND STOP THE CLIMATE CHANGE FRAUD THAT CARBON DIOXIDE FROM FOSSIL FUELS IS DESTROYING THE PLANET.? Please contact your federal, state and local officials and ask them to expose and stop the Climate Change big lie.
Some of us who have been exposing the HOAX feel like James Stewart in the Frank Capra movie, “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.” (It was nominated for 11 Academy Awards.) Stewart played appointed US Senator, Jefferson Smith, who tries to expose the political machine that was running his state. No body would believe him and the Taylor machine demonized him and tied to get him expelled from the Senate because Smith exposed his devious plans in his state. Truth finally triumphs and Taylor is exposed! The Globalists and leftists radicals need to be exposed for promoting the big lie that Climate Change is destroying the Earth.
Now we have the accelerating destruction of the American and world economies by Globalists and leftist radicals. Because Natural Gas is a fossil fuel, the Biden Administration is starting to ban its use in America. Of course, natural gas heats our homes, cooks our food, etc. It is the back up for the Green Energy wind and solar that are NOT 24/7 sources of electricity. If allowed, we could face cold homes and businesses and blackouts due to the lack of power from wind and solar with no natural gas backup.
Citizens are catching on that Climate Change/Global Warming is a scam, a fraud and a worldwide HOAX. The purpose is to control all human activity on the planet, destroy economies and redistribute US wealth to developing nations including China and India, the world’s largest polluters. This must be exposed and stopped!
Remember, Carbon Dioxide is the Gas of Life. It is not a pollutant! CO2 is used during photosynthesis to produce the food we eat and the oxygen we breathe.
Over 31, 487 US scientists and engineers have signed a petition
(petitionproject.org) against man-caused global warming/climate change due to Carbon Dioxide from fossil fuels. The very small amount of CO2 in the atmosphere could never kill the planet.
It is way past time for our elected officials expose and stop the Climate Change HOAX. Please contact your elected officials to expose and stop the HOAX. Please read the following to show how all the dooms day predictions have been proven wrong. All 73 of the United Nation’s IPCC predictions have been proven wrong! We should get out of the tyrannical UN and move the Nest of Spies out of the US.
A concerned citizen, Adrian Arp, Ph.D. Note: I am a plant scientist, but I have studied meteorology and climatology for decades.
Thursday February 1, 2024 Attachment Regan
Caucus or Primary
Over the last few weeks several individuals have crawled out of the shadows to “explain” the upcoming Idaho Presidential Caucus. Unfortunately these “explanations” are not based on any firsthand information and are full of misinformation, false claims and outright lies. Why would they falsely paint a doom and gloom picture? Who knows, but they aren’t being honest with you.
The facts about the Presidential Caucus are clear, well documented and easily verified. Full information about the Caucus is available at www.IdahoRepublicanCaucus.com. You are encouraged to explore this resource yourself.
There are 210 caucus locations in Idaho. The smallest is in Owyhee County and serves a single precinct with 18 Republicans. The largest is in Meridian and serves 20 precincts with 18,012 Republican voters. Obviously your experience at the caucus will vary greatly depending on where you live. Wisely, the Idaho Republican Party (IDGOP) has empowered the local party officials with the latitude to adapt to best serve their location and their voters.
Some things will be common to all caucus locations because they are specified in the rules.
• All caucus locations will have a Caucus Captain who is responsible for the caucus at that location.
• All caucus voters must be qualified electors that affiliated with the Republican Party before January 1st of this year.
• All Caucus voters must present valid government issued photo ID and sign a Poll Book before they are issued a ballot.
• Mail in voting, the kind of voting most susceptible to fraud, is not allowed
• Only official paper ballots will be used. Ballots have anti-counterfeiting features.
• All caucus locations will open simultaneously, Saturday March 2nd, 11:00 AM Pacific, Noon Mountain Time, and voter check-in will remain open for at least 90 minutes minimum. Saturday at lunchtime was chosen so that the maximum number of working Idahoans would not have to take time off work to participate.
• Caucus programs (Invocation, Pledge, Welcoming Remarks, candidate presentations, etc.) are scheduled to begin at Noon Pacific, 1:00 PM Mountain time, however the Caucus Captains can modify the program start time, but not the door opening time, to best suit the needs of the voters.
• Balloting will continue until all checked-in voters have cast their ballots.
• Ballot counting will be done on site immediately after balloting. Ballots will be counted by two tabulators who were approved by the assembly and witnessed by campaign designated witnesses and any voter who wishes to observe.
• All ballots will be counted at least twice; the results will be announced to the assembly and then reported to IDGOP headquarters by the Caucus Captain and separately by the Caucus Coordinator.
• All marked, unused and spoiled ballots will be preserved and securely returned, along with the Poll Books, to IDGOP headquarters for post-election canvassing.
• Qualified Republican voters will receive a postcard to their mailing address. The postcard will have their precinct name and caucus location. The postcard is not a “Golden Ticket” and is not required to participate but it is recommended you bring it with you so you know your precinct’s name. Fun Fact: 99.3% of qualified Republican voters have Idaho mailing addresses.
Without the caucus there would be no Presidential Nominating process in Idaho. During the last legislative session a bill, intended to move the Presidential Primary from March to May, was proposed by the Secretary of State, passed by the legislature and was signed by the Governor. Unbelievable as it sounds, after the House had voted on the bill, it was discovered that the poorly drafted bill actually eliminated the Presidential Primary altogether. This was known before the Senate voted, but Senate Pro Tem Winder pushed the bill through and the governor signed it.
Claims that IDGOP Chairwoman Dorothy Moon somehow engineered this fiasco are absurd. If Madam Chairman had that power she would have stopped the bill before it was considered. The IDGOP passed a resolution calling for the repeal of the faulty bill and amended party rules so that if it was repealed we would use the March Primary instead of the March Caucus. Alas, it was not repealed.
Even if the bill did what was intended and moved the Presidential Primary to May, it would have been useless. The purpose of the Presidential Primary, or Caucus, is to decide which candidate’s slate of delegates will go to the Republican National Convention in mid-July. National Republican Party rules require that the state submit its list of confirmed delegates 45 days before the convention, which is May 31st. The state run primary this year is on May 21st and Idaho code requires 10 days to canvas the results, which also brings us to May 31st, leaving exactly 0 days for the IDGOP to hold its convention to approve the delegates. If a state is late in submitting the approved list they will lose half or possibly all their delegates. Unacceptable! Those who say a May Presidential primary would be “fine” are either ignorant of the rules or lying.
Soon after the legislature eliminated the Presidential Primary, Madam Chair Moon called an emergency meeting of the Executive committee to discuss options. At that meeting it was decided that options to enfranchise Idaho Republican voters would be developed and presented at the upcoming Summer Meeting.
At the Summer Meeting, the 225 member State Central Committee (SCC) decided that unless the Idaho Legislature acted before October 1st to restore the March Presidential primary then the Republican Party would hold a Presidential Caucus. Because the October 1st deadline to submit Idaho’s Presidential delegate selection plans to the Republican National Committee was before the Winter SCC meeting, the SCC gave temporary power to the 16 member Rules Committee to amend the caucus rules as needed to comply with RNC rules and to ensure a workable caucus plan. Any changes were subject to modification or reversal at the SCC at the next meeting.
Over a thousand Republican Party members and volunteers are working to make the Idaho Presidential Caucus a success. Idaho will be fifth in the Nation to decide whose delegates we will send to the Republican National Convention.
Meanwhile, critics and naysayers, some even claiming to be Republicans, haven’t lifted a finger to help. Their actions tell you they are not working to help you and are not true Republicans. Don’t let them Gaslight you. You are smarter than that.
It’s just Common Sense
Thursday February 1, 2024
Jim Hollingsworth
February 1, 2024
Dear Friends,
Here are a few articles for your consideration.
Thanks.
Jim Hollingsworth
Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. (1 Corinthians 14:22)
U.S. Constitution Amendment XXI, Section 2
The transportation or importation into any State, Territory, or possession of the United States for delivery or use therein of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws thereof, is hereby prohibited. (Compared to Section 1, this article has never made any sense to me. Ed)
- Please see the attached by Brent Regan: Caucus of Primary: Rules for the conduct of the Caucus.
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr for Vice President under Trump: Not Likely This idea was not put forth by Trump or his campaign. Kennedy, a Democrat, is like a breath of fresh air concerning some of his stands, but he still has two things working against him: 1) Kennedy is a Kennedy and always will be with all that comes with the name, and 2) Kennedy is, at heart, a Democrat, with their support for many Marxist ideas.
- North Korea Preparing for War? This would seem really foolish.
- New Drive Slower in California Bill A friend pointed out that if this bill passes there will be many head-collisions if speed is controlled when passing another vehicle.
- Texas Defies Fed at Border What will the fed do? Good question.
Wednesday January 31, 2024 Attachment Caucus
Presidential Caucus Fact Check
Brent Regan
“I’m a lifetime Republican and I’m really worried I won’t be able to participate in the Presidential Caucus” said Jim, an 89 year old combat veteran during a call with Idaho GOP Chairman Dorothy Moon. Jim called the state party headquarters after reading Sandy Patano’s “Opinion: Idaho GOP’s Presidential Caucus confusion,” an OpEd full of misleading information, half-truths and outright lies.
One of the few facts in the article is that Patano is a founding member of North Idaho “Republicans” or NIR, a shadowy organization not officially part of Idaho’s Republican Party. NIR was fined the maximum amount allowed by law for lying to the Secretary of State and they received a Cease and Desist letter from the Republican National Committee’s General Council to stop them from falsely using the Republican brand.
NIR founders include never-Trumpers and Biden supporters and, unlike the official Republican Party whose members who are elected by the people, NIR members are self-appointed. They hold secretive meetings where they have physically ejected elected Idaho Republican legislators because they were not “their” kind of Republican. NIR members have used the progressive Democrat tactics of false accusation, bullying, guilt by association and outright lies in their propaganda campaign.
NIR members have claimed the Republican Party is full of racists, “groypers” and anti-Semites and that when good conservative legislators vote against bloated spending bills it is the same as “defunding the police.” The 2023 Idaho State Police appropriations bill had an 18.8% increase over the 2021 base, included 22 new salaried positions, and over $18,000 to pay the lab fees for drug testing race horses (competitors currently pay those fees). Protecting Idaho voters from runaway spending and special interest payoffs is what NIR calls “defunding the police.”
Most NIR claims are so absurd that they only deserve to be mocked. However the misinformation NIR presented about the Presidential Caucus needs to be corrected. To date, no NIR members have participated in organizing or volunteered for the Presidential Caucus so they have no direct knowledge.
What will happen is on Saturday March 2nd at 11:00 AM Pacific Time, Noon Mountain Time the Caucus will open. You will present your government issued photo ID, sign the Poll Book and receive a stamp on the back of your hand. The program will start at Noon Pacific, 1:00 PM Mountain. After an invocation, the Pledge of Allegiance and a few words from the Caucus Captain the 5 minute candidate presentations will begin. To receive your ballot you show your hand stamp, which will be canceled by a second stamp and you will be issued a ballot. There will be a privacy area for you to mark you ballot which you will then deposit in the ballot box. It’s just that simple.
Here are some of the false claims made by NIR and the facts from the IDGOP and the Presidential Caucus Handbook.
False Claim: The Idaho GOP eliminated the Presidential Primary.
FACT: House Bill 138 was presented as moving the Presidential Primary from March to May but what it really did was to eliminate the Presidential Primary altogether, disenfranchising EVERY Republican voter. The Idaho Republican Party (IDGOP) supported and lobbied to repeal this bill but the legislature’s leadership was not interested in calling an emergency session. The 218 members of the IDGOP Central Committee voted to establish a “Firehouse” Caucus on Saturday March 2.
False Claim: The Caucus will “cut the average voter out of the primary election process”
FACT: The Caucus is open to ALL affiliated Republican voters and just like regular voting you will need to go to the location assigned to your precinct and present photo ID to vote.
False Claim: Only eligible voters with a postcard Golden Ticket will be admitted.
FACT: Every registered voter who was affiliated with the Republican Party before January 1st 2024 will receive a courtesy postcard informing them of their precinct name and the location of their Caucus. When you arrive you will need to know the name of your precinct so you know which precinct Poll Book will have your name listed. If you don’t know your precinct there will be precinct maps so you just have to point to where you live. The postcard is not required but will speed your check-in if you have it.
False Claim: The Caucus will be a prolonged, hours long “dumpster fire” event.
FACT: The Presidential Caucus in 2012 did take several hours because it had multiple rounds of voting to determine a single winner. The 2024 Caucus will have a single round of voting and could takes as little as a few minutes if all you want to do is cast your vote and not listen to the 5 minute candidate presentations.
False Claim: Results will be secretly tabulated by IDGOP party members.
FACT: The ballots will be transparently tabulated immediately after balloting finishes at each of the 215 caucus locations statewide. Ballots will be hand counted by at least two tabulators that were nominated by the Caucus Captain and affirmed by the voters at that location. Witnesses assigned by the campaigns and any voters who wish to remain will be allowed to observe, but not interfere, with the tabulation. Ballots must be counted twice and both totals must match exactly or they must be counted again. The results for each caucus location will be entered onto a Tabulation Sheet, signed by the Tabulators and the Captain and then transmitted to IDGOP headquarters. The Poll Books, Tabulation Sheet and all cast, spoiled and unused ballots, will be sealed in a box and securely transported to the IDGOP headquarters for canvasing.
False Claim: Countless professionals, constrained by work commitments may find it impossible to participate in person, members of the military and parents with small children will be disenfranchised.
FACT: The Caucus is being held midday on a Saturday specifically so that working voters will be able to participate. There are 579,773 Republican affiliated voters in Idaho. 582 of those, 0.1%, have mailing address outside the lower 48 states and a fraction of those are deployed military. Minor children can accompany their parents to the Caucus.
Your Idaho Republican Party has a dedicated team working every day to ensure the 2024 Presidential Caucus is a success. The Presidential Caucus is funded by the IDGOP, your local Republican Central Committee and fees from the six Presidential Candidates. The Caucus will save Idaho taxpayers the 2.7 million dollars it costs to hold a primary election.
It seems that for political reasons there are those who want the Presidential Caucus to fail. You probably shouldn’t take caucus advice from those people.
It’s just common sense.