Occupy Wall Street Is No Tea Party

Excerpts from an email by Tea Party founder Mark Meckler:

The liberal media says the law-breaking anarchists who are terrorizing New York are simply a “progressive” version of the Tea Party. I’m just one of the thousands and thousands of law-abiding Americans who built the Tea Party movement. However, I take great offense that our peaceful rallies aimed at reining in government are being compared to that violent freak show on Wall Street. And I expect you do, too.

Please help the Tea Party Patriots push back against the liberal media and expose these “Occupy Wall Street” protesters for what they are: America-hating anarchists who want to take their anger out on ordinary, productive citizens.

Tea party rallies have always felt like “parties” — and safe and clean ones at that. Unlike protesters in New York, I can find no reports of tea partiers being arrested, individually or en masse, at the thousands of tea parties across the country with millions of attendees that have taken place for years now.

However, on the streets of New York, these anti-free enterprise anarchists are defacing American flags, defiling police cars, accosting ordinary citizens, threatening businesses and demanding class warfare be waged on anyone who works hard and is successful.

We the people know what caused this terrible economic crisis. It wasn’t capitalism or American freedom. Instead it was out-of-control government spending, sky-high taxes and rampant cronyism and corruption in Washington, D.C.

This is the message Tea Party Patriots needs spread across the nation. Our vision for America is vastly different and far superior to the demands of the Occupy Wall Street crowd.

Mark Meckler
Tea Party National Coordinator and Co-Founder

Repeal the Bad DREAM

According to State Assemblyman Tim Donnelly’s announcement last week on the John & Ken Talk Radio Show, the Referendum to repeal the DREAM Act has been approved by the Secretary of State. Petitions are being printed on Oct. 24, and signature gathering can begin on Oct. 25. To qualify for the ballot, 505,000 valid signatures must be collected by Jan. 5. Go to http://www.StopAB131.com and join 7,000 other Californians who have volunteered to gather signatures.

Tea Party Patriot Dawn Wildman emailed about repealing the DREAM Act, “Keep in mind, 80-90 percent of Californians were and are against giving tens of millions of scarce tax dollars to adult illegal aliens in the form of public grants to attend college. This is above and beyond the in-state tuition [rates] that illegal aliens already get. That means there are at least 15 million Californians who will want to sign this petition. … We the People will send Brown and his corrupt political amigos a message they will never forget: Don’t tread on us!”

Who’s Doing the Math?
Letter to the Editor

Response to letter dated 10/20/11 from: Anthony W. Freeman titled “Retire offensive teacher pension arguments,” http://www.ocregister.com/articles/-142947-ocprint--.html

First the numbers: a $70,000.00 annual salary for a teacher with thirty years of service working a 10 month year. The pension is calculated at the highest monthly salary.

$70,000 / 12 months = $5,833.33 times 30 years of service at 2% for each year of service = 60% comes to $3,500 per month * 12 months or $42,000 per year that the employee receives plus a like amount given to his fund. This will total $84,000 as his yearly pension. In this example it is not known when salary step increases occurred. The following will use the final monthly salary to compute the employee contributions plus interest earned.

At $70,000 with an 8% contribution the amount is $5,600 per year times 30 years of service is the total amount $168,000 / $42,000 he will receive each year. In the first 2 years into the retirement his investment will be recovered less whatever interest (estimated 6%) he might have earned. The pension fund pays out the contributions from the pensioner first. This means no taxpayer funds are included until these funds are exhausted.

Let’s also assume that he was hired at age 25 and retired 30 years later he starts receiving his pension. Twenty years pass and he dies in an automobile accident. He would have received a total $2,352,000.

None of these numbers include the interest earned or pension COLA increases. This is the amount taxpayers pay on this legal pyramid rip-off. 

Joe R. Chavez
Mission Viejo

Non-government Events

Following is a sampling of events and activities that are not funded by taxpayers or promoted by the Nanny State. Please support private enterprise.

Halloween Bootique, costumes and decorations, now open in Kaleidoscope, 27741 Crown Valley Parkway, street level, Mission Viejo, 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday and 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, (949)348-2909.

Jazz Monsters three-day event with eight performances, Soka BluePort Jazz Festival, Soka Performing Arts Center, Oct. 28 – Oct. 30, 3:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., Soka University, 1 University Drive, Aliso Viejo, (949) 480-4000, http://www.info@soka.edu

Create your own miniature indoor garden with a Halloween or harvest theme, Sat., Oct. 29, 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., no charge for instruction with the purchase of materials, Cottage Home and Garden, 31720 Los Rios St., San Juan Capistrano, call to reserve space, (949) 493-3920, http://www.cottage-home-and-garden.com

Kaleidoscope’s Trick-or-Treat & Pumpkin Party, pumpkin painting and other activities, Sat., Oct. 29, 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Kaleidoscope Entertainment Center, 27741 Crown Valley Parkway, Mission Viejo, http://gokaleidoscope.com/f/events.html

Walk to End Alzheimer’s, participate by walking, donating and/or volunteering. Anaheim on Oct. 29, Huntington Beach on Nov. 5, Buena Park on Nov. 12 and Tustin on April 21. (800) 272-3900, http://www.alz.org/walk/findawalk_results.asp?FormSent=1&SearchType=zip&ZipSearch=92691&MaxDistance=30&memo ry=&SearchByZip.x=23&SearchByZip.y=14

Pumpkin City, Laguna Hills Mall parking lot off Carlota, through Oct. 31. Thousands of pumpkins to choose from, pony rides, petting zoo and other activities, open from 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily, 24203 Avenida De La Carlota, Laguna Hills, (949) 586-1103, http://www.pumpkincity.com

“Bringing Nature into Our Gardens and into Our Lives,” gardening with native plants, Wed., Nov. 2, 7:00 p.m., Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens, 415 Avenida Granada, San Clemente, (949) 498-2139, http://www.casaromantica.org

First Saturday Art Walk, Santa Ana Artist Village, Sat., Nov. 5, 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., venues open: Grand Central Arts Center, OC Center of Contemporary Art, Santora Arts Building (28 galleries, restaurants and shops), ample (free) parking is located across the street at the Santa Ana Train Depot on the southeast corner of Santa Ana Boulevard and Santiago Street. Visit the Website for additional information, including a map: http://www.aplaceforart.org/artwalk

Medieval Animal Rescue Charity Faire & Show, Sun., Nov. 6, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., one-day fundraiser and silent auction with 100 percent of proceeds going to animal rescue. Event includes knights jousting and sword fighting. O.C. Fair and Event Center, Equestrian Center, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, (949) 836-3378, http://ns.ocfair.com/ocf/calendar/ViewEvent.asp?EventId=2010 and muellenberg.erin@arentfox.com

Planting, crafts and activities classes for families at Living Green Gardens and Design; help with planting and gardening, visit the Website or call for information, Living Green Gardens and Design, 25290 Jeronimo Road (between Los Alisos and El Toro Road), Lake Forest, (949) 768-4733, http://www.yelp.com/biz/living-green-gardens-and-design-lake-forest

Roger’s Gardens, “The Artisans of Christmas,” Christmas 2011, now open and ongoing. Other activities include a Pumpkin Carving Seminar on Oct. 15 and Oct. 23, Roger’s Gardens, 2301 San Juan Hills Road, Corona del Mar, (949) 640-5800, http://www.rogersgardens.com

Movies, Edwards Kaleidoscope Stadium 10 in Mission Viejo, 27741 Crown Valley Pkwy, (949) 582-4020, get show times, watch movie trailers, see what's coming soon at
http://www.moviefone.com/theater/edwards-kaleidoscope-stadium-10/32/showtimes

Farmers Market, San Juan Capistrano, Wednesdays from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Historic Town Center Park, (949) 493-4700.

Farmers Market, Laguna Hills, Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Laguna Hills Mall, (714) 573-0374.

Political and Government Events Calendar

South Orange County Community College District Board of Trustees will meet Mon., Oct. 24. Meeting times unless otherwise posted: open session convenes at 5 p.m.., followed by adjournment to closed session, open session reconvenes at 6:00 p.m. or 6:30 p.m., adjournment by 9:00 p.m. Ronald Reagan Board of Trustees Room, Room 145, Health Sciences/District Offices Building, Saddleback College, 28000 Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo, (949) 582-4999, http://www.socccd.edu

Orange County Board of Supervisors, Tues., Oct. 25, 9:30 a.m., Board Hearing Room, First Floor, 333 W. Santa Ana Blvd., Santa Ana, (714) 834-3100. http://www.ocgov.com/ocgov/Government/Board%20of%20Supervisors

Saddleback Valley Unified School District board meeting is scheduled for Tues., Oct. 25, 6:15 p.m., 25631 Peter Hartman Way, Mission Viejo, (949) 586-1234, http://www.svusd.k12.ca.us

Capistrano Unified School District Board of Trustees, regular meeting Wed., Oct. 26, 7:00 p.m., 33122 Valle Road, San Juan Capistrano, agenda and supporting documentation are published on the website 72 hours prior to a meeting, (949) 234-9200, http://capousd.ca.schoolloop.com

Santa Margarita Water District Board of Directors will meet on Wed., Oct. 26, 7:00 p.m., 26111 Antonio Parkway, Rancho Santa Margarita, (949) 459-6420, http://www.smwd.com/about-us/meeting-agendas.html

Aliso Viejo Republican Women Federated, Thurs., Oct. 27, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., guest speaker Warren Duffy formerly hosted a talk show on KKLA, Aliso Viejo Conference Center, 31 Santa Barbara Drive, Aliso Viejo, RSVP to Cathy Miller, (949) 859-2818 or Janine Heft, (949) 735-0718.

Republican Club of Laguna Woods luncheon, Fri., Oct. 28, 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., featured speaker will be Assemblyman Don Wagner, Clubhouse 5 on Punta Alta in Laguna Woods. For reservations call Barbara Pearson, (949) 770-8377.

Concert, Sungae Lee, pianist, Sun., Oct. 30, 2:00 p.m., Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum. Future presentations include concert pianist Ann Patrick Green on Nov. 6 and a Veterans Day concert on Fri., Nov. 11. Free concerts are held Sundays, except when otherwise noted, and are open to the public. Doors open at 1:15 p.m., and concerts begin at 2:00 p.m., 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda, (714) 364-1120, http://events.nixonfoundation.org/concerts/

El Toro Water District Community Advisory Group Meeting, Thurs., Nov. 3, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Lunch served at 11:30; meeting starts at noon, 24251 Los Alisos Blvd., Lake Forest, (949) 837-0660, http://www.etwd.com

Veterans Day at the Nixon Library, honoring America’s heroes with a tribute to all who have served, Fri., Nov. 11, free admission all day. Program begins at 11:00 a.m., presentation of the Colors by U.S. Marines and patriotic musical performances, Richard Nixon Library, 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda, (714) 464-1161, http://events.nixonfoundation.org

Moulton Niguel Water District meetings: Engineering and Operations on Mon., Nov. 14, 9:00 a.m., Finance and I.T. on Wed., Nov. 16, 9:00 a.m., Board of Directors on Thurs., Nov. 17, 9:00 a.m., (note this meeting time has been changed) and Personnel, Wed., Nov. 9, 9:00 a.m., 27500 La Paz Road, Laguna Niguel, (949) 831-2500, http://www.mnwd.com/board-of-directors/agenda.aspx

Save the date, ACT for America, Mon., Nov. 14, Norman Murray Community Center, 24932 Veterans Way, Mission Viejo, doors open at 7:00 p.m.

Capo Valley Republican Women Federated, Wed., Nov. 16, program to be announced, Marbella Country Club, 30800 Golf Club, San Juan Capistrano, RSVP to (949) 240-6799 or esue39@cox.net

Saddleback Republican Assembly, Thurs., Nov. 17, 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., guest speaker is Hon. Jesse Petrilla, RSM Councilman, will speak on his experiences in the military. Norman Murray Community Center, 24932 Veterans Way, Jacaranda Room-B, Mission Viejo, (949) -360-1717.

The Buzz

A blog reader’s reaction to the prospect of a weekly Farmers Market in Mission Viejo next to the library: “I have been to the Farmers Market in San Juan Capistrano. It does very well among businesses on a busy street and needs no ‘advertising and marketing’ paid with taxes. When driving on Alicia Parkway in Mission Viejo, I see several retail centers where a Farmers Market would work. It would be good for the centers and give a head start to the Farmers Market to put it among businesses. It is not a good idea to put a Farmers Market next to the library.” – R.D., Mission Viejo

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Kudos to Councilwoman Cathy Schlicht for bringing her Safe Parks Ordinance to the council on Oct. 17. Her proposal passed, banning registered sex offenders from entering public parks. Can citizens remember the last time any other council member proposed something with genuine benefits for the community that didn’t cost a fortune?

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Last week’s Taste of Capo deserves mention as a well-organized and highly successful event. PTA leaders and other parents at Capo High School formed a Foundation to raise money for the school’s needs. That’s the kind of project the community can support, especially when parents work hard for a good cause without asking for public funds.

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Despite several lessons, City Manager Dennis Wilberg hasn’t learned he’s no match for residents on the blogs. Wilberg again last week posted a little jab, and he was immediately smacked down. ( http://missionviejodispatch.com/city-aestheics/letter-the-perfidious-promise/#comments ) Wilberg shows disdain for residents as well as council members – past and present – who have ever disagreed with him. In 2003 when then-city manager Dan Joseph was fired, the council had an opportunity to hire an intelligent, ethical administrator to work for the city instead of against it. Before Wilberg was promoted to city manager, he demonstrated his corrupt nature by creating a stealth grading project to make work for a city contractor, Granich Construction. After watchdogs smoked him out, the council should have fired him.

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Mission Viejo residents frequently comment on how often the city tears out vegetation from the medians. While city-owned slopes around town are either barren or poorly maintained, medians are planted and replanted with flowers of the season. Perhaps City Hall’s goal is to impress commuters speeding through town from points east on their way to the freeway.

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Tea Partier Robert Homesley reminds all patriots to tune in to KCEO AM 1000 every Thursday from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. or listen live at http://www.longliveamerica.com . This is Orange County and San Diego County’s only Tea Party AM radio show. Robert invites listeners to call or send in Tea Party announcements. Call (760) 931-1604 to be part of the live show.

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Columnist Mark Steyn comments on the Occupy Wall Street movement, “ … the 'Occupy' movement has no real solutions, except more government, more spending, more regulation, more bureaucracy, more unsustainable lethargic pseudo-university with no return on investment, more more more of what got us into this hole. ...." http://patriotpost.us/edition/2011/10/17/brief/

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“With the most recent GOP presidential primary debate just concluded, it's clear that the frontrunner is none other than ... you guessed it, Barack Hussein Obama. The incessant bickering bullpucky and petty assaults among most of the GOP wannabes is undoubtedly a source of great glee for the Obama campaign. That infighting, and the fact that Obama's adoring Leftmedia sycophants are promoting the GOP candidates they believe Obama can most readily defeat, largely account for the GOP candidate poll standings -- and are keeping Obama in the lead.” http://patriotpost.us/alexander/2011/10/20/memo-to-gop-contenders-cut-the-crap

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From Tea Party Patriot Dawn Wildman: “John Bryson was approved as Commerce Secretary by a vote that included 21 Republicans. Bryson is founder of the Natural Resources Defense Council, major funder of the "NO on Prop 23" campaign. Remember the "two Texas oil companies are trying to ram this into law" ad campaign? Yep, that was the work of the NRDC. Bryson is a huge investor in electric cars and solar panels. One of his investments, Bright Source, just received $1.6 billion from the DOE and those few remaining dollars from the stimulus. Time to find out what these 21 Republicans got for this vote and boot them out.”