The combined Republican Clubs of The Villages — Marion County, Lake Sumter Landing and Sumter County — held a rousing indoor barbeque picnic Thursday evening at Laurel Manor Recreation Center that at times reached rally pitch — under the banner “Moving Forward to 2016.”
Rousing speeches by Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera; Florida’s Chief Financial Officer, Jeff Atwater; Rep. Rich Nugent’s chief aide, Justin Grabelle, whose parents live in The Villages; and Sumter County Commissioner, Don Hahnfeldt, were welcomed by the like-minded crowd — who can’t wait until 2016 — to vote in a Republican president, and retain a Republican legislature — to “turn America around.”
Lopez-Cantera thanked Villagers for their traditionally high turnout in past elections and for supporting Republican candidates in Florida, including Gov. Rick Scott.
“You know how to spend your money better than the Federal government does,” Lopez-Cantera said. “Gov. Scott has cut taxes, eliminated hundreds of useless regulations that stymied business — and the ratio of government employees to the population in Florida is lower. People earn their money, and we believe in letting them keep it. We have invested in education, for good outcomes for our future; we have earmarked more than one billion in infrastructure for our ports, so Florida shipping and business will thrive now and for generations to come.”
Lopez-Cantera surprised the audience by saying he would be interested in running for the Senate from Florida in 2016. “We need to keep Marco Rubio’s Senate seat red, not blue. Florida’s election is important to the nation and the world — and when we move a good Republican into the White House in 2016, the new president will need a Republican legislature.”
When asked by an audience member what three things he would do first about Obamacare, he replied: “Repeal it, repeal it, repeal it!”
He described Obamacare as the worst kind of bad idea that looks good. We need to un-do all the harm that has been done in the past six and one-half years and get back to our founding principles — and a division of powers among three branches of government. I have always been a reflection of those I serve, and I look forward to interacting and listening to all of you.”
CFO Jeff Atwater spoke highly of Lt. Gov. Lopez-Cantera. “There are people in Washington who take a walk when a tough call has to be made — they disappear — they are not at their desk. Lopez-Cantera doesn’t take walks — he stands up for what he believes in. He’s the kind of man you’d want to share a fox hole with.” Atwater also talked in positive terms about the resurgence of Florida’s economy. “We want to fundamentally change this country — back to the principles for which we stand,” he concluded.
Justin Grabelle spoke about Rep. Rich Nugent currently voting against a lot of new trade-related bills that have acronyms.
“A lot of people don’t understand what the potential negative ramifications of these bills, if they became law, would have on our economy — on business, on families and on individuals.” He also cited a need to continue Republican majorities in the House and Senate. “It is likely that four elder Supreme Court Justices might retire — and we need to have new judges who will espouse conservative viewpoints,” Grabelle said.
In a welcome moment of comic relief, Hahnfeldt donned a frumpy, greying wig and horn-rimmed glasses — to talk about a female presidential candidate’s “deficient, dismissive, devious, dishonest, dangerous disregard for America’s needs. What difference does it all make?” Hahnfeldt asserted — holding up his arms to a delighted audience.
“We don’t need to learn new phrases like sequestration, undocumented immigrants, the ‘war on women,’ the Dreamers, climate change, Obamacare and ‘you didn’t build that,” Hahnfeldt said with conviction. “Those are all distractions. What we need is new leadership — REAL leadership in Washington, D.C. They increase spending and call it investment. They create new taxes and call it revenue. They appease, and call it negotiation. They demonstrate abdication of leadership and call it ‘leading from behind.’ We deserve much better!”
Hahnfeldt concluded his talk by saying: “We are in the wrong place on the wrong path. Our country is adrift. People have lost trust in their Federal government to fix the economy, strengthen our military and build back our global influence. We need the respect and fear of our enemies, and the respect and support of our friends and allies.”
