Virginia’s US Senate Race: Trumplicanism vs. Corporate Globalism

MAGA candidates were big winners on the June 12^th primary, a continuing referendum from working, law-abiding Americans who want their elected representatives to put Americans First. Candidates who strayed from Trump’s agenda or spent more time attacking than working toward the President’s goals, they faced a reckoning. Mark Sanford of South Carolina was the most notable example.

Virginia’s US Senate GOP primary was also contentious and the most revealing about the populist trend redefining the Republican Party. It’s bad enough to have a left-wing Sandinista type like Tim Kaine serving as Virginia’s junior Senator. It’s worse that Virginia’s Republican party pundit class seem more interest in accommodating rather than confronting the culture wars head on.

The Liberty Caucus/Koch Brothers/Establishment pick was state senator Nick Freitas. He gave a stirring speech on the floor of the Virginia State Senate which went viral. He has a solid but scant conservative voting record. Corey Stewart is the four-term Chairman of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors. He represents a county which is majority-minority, the second-most populous compared to Fairfax County, which some have likened to Los Angeles County: congested, cosmopolitan, and heavily Democratic. Stewart not only pushed for his county to oppose illegal immigration, but to remove all illegal aliens from the region. He proudly implemented the 287(g) program to deputize county police to help with immigration enforcement.

Stewart has also been a committed conservative activist. He demanded the Virginia GOP leadership to resign following their terrible losses in 2017. He protested the Fairfax County Sheriff’s decision to end its 287(g) programs. He recently rallied railed against Virginia General Assembly Republicans for voting for the Obamacare Medicaid Expansion! Oh, and he also ran Virginia’s Trump campaign.

Despite all this, the Virginia political establishment doesn’t like him.

Stewart’s sharpest critics included a Townhall.com contributor who connected him with an anti-Semite. This allegation stems from his former friendship with populist outsider Paul Nehlen, who ran a primary challenge against Speaker of the House Paul Ryan by going after the Trans-Pacific Partnership. During his second bid against Ryan, Nehlen’s comments veered from fiery populism to violence and anti-Semitism. Breitbart News and Corey Stewart disavowed the man. Case closed.

Critics also slam Stewart’s brief association (if any) with the Unite the Right Rally organizer in Charlottesville. Like Trump, Stewart has condemned white supremacy, including on the Left, and he denounced the violence which erupted on both sides, including Antifa. The media chose to ignore the violence on the Left. Nevertheless, Stewart has sparred valiantly against this bias many times, especially on CNN. Check out his victory lap on the segment, too.

Stewart’s opponents played the “alt-right”  and the race card up until Primary Day, and Stewart carried the nomination. Yes, it was close, but Pastor E. W. Jackson taking 12% of the vote, too. Pastor Jackson’s views are as conservative as Stewart’s, so one can surmise that they will gravitate toward Stewart in the general election.

The attacks from the media, left and right, against Corey Stewart sound a lot like Trump Derangement Syndrome. One Fox Newscaster at the outset described him as the guy who wanted to protect the Confederate statues throughout Virginia. Does this make Stewart that controversial? In 2017, Democrat Ralph Northam stopped campaigning against the removal of the statues, and even Ed Gillespie talked about preserving Virginia’s heritage.

Stewart is not a blackguard but the vanguard candidate which Virginia Republicans need to support. The state has gone from purple to blue since since the mid-2000s. From the DC Swamp to the biased left-wing media, plus mass migration, Virginia is not the ruby-red paradise it used to be.

Instead of rejecting the GOP Establishment playbook of focusing on general income issues and running an “inclusive” campaign, Virginia’s “conservative” political class needs to confront the hard-left policies implemented by the growing Democratic cohort. Illegal immigration is ruining the Old Dominion, and a new class of Republicans like Stewart are tackling the issue head-on.

Is that a political playbook for failure?

Stewart’s primary victory includes precincts in Northern Virginia, which had been dragging the state down. He has voiced the concerns of middle-income families have been feeling the economic pinch. He champions the small businesses are competing with illegal aliens--both workers and employers!-- who don’t play by the rules. He openly embraces President Trump’s record and rhetoric. Like the President, Stewart is a fighter who will wage a “vicious campaign” to brand Tim Kaine as a corporate stiff, a Hillarybot who will sell the country to the lowest bidder. At this victory party, Stewart chanted with stalwarts “Lock Her Up!”

The Establishment backed Freitas because he was not Corey, with a storied military career and the backing of diverse interest groups. He still lost, though, since Stewart had a strong political machine from his chairmanship on Trump campaign in 2016 and his failed gubernatorial bid the next year. But for some fake polls which suggested that he didn’t have a chance, Stewart would have been the nominee.  He lost that race by only 1% point. He won the US Senate primary by the same margin. Poetic justice, perhaps.

Or not. The anti-Trump GOP establishment (The Weekly Standard’s Bill Kristol, former Virginia Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling, among others) would rather lose than back their candidate. Should their arrogant diffidence worry the Stewart campaign or the GOP’s chances to defeat Tim Kaine? The same Beltway Bevy of newsstand conservatives rejected Trump—and he’s our President. Previous statewide candidates ignored illegal immigration (Cuccinnelli) or stayed away from the President (Ed Gillespie), and they lost. Who cares what “yesterday’s men” have to say?

Republican voters have rejected the corporatist, globalist Bush-Boehner brand of Republicanism. They want Trumplicanism, an America First political party which looks out for the little guy, the suburban family, the working-class blue-collar man, and the minority voters who want to enjoy the American Dream as Americans. Stewart supports those values, and Virginians should support, or prepare for the Old Dominion to become the Democratic Domination.

The Rodman Factor: Trump’s Historic Meeting with North Korea

After the Singapore summit between President Trump and North Korean Dictator Kim Jong-un, CNN news (?) anchor Chris Cuomo interviewed Dennis Rodman. Rodman had served as a de fact private citizen-ambassador to North Korea five times. He developed a friendship with the brutal Stalinist dictator, and that day he saw his efforts finally bearing out a slow but steady détente. The celebrity sensation, both on and off the basketball court, was sporting a MAGA hat, and was the ideal draw for a network which can’t even make into the Top 25 ratings. 

Two things stood out from that interview, and it’s about more than another step toward a denuclearized Korean Peninsula. About President Trump, Rodman shared: "Trump would understand that the people of North Korea have a heart, they have soul, charisma, and they love each other.” Then Rodman commented that the previous President rebuffed Rodman’s interest in de-escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula: “Obama did not give me the time of day. He just brushed me off.” Rodman then broke down in tears, so moved to see President Trump accomplish something which the player had believed could happen, yet time and again faced rejection from previous leaders who refused to do anything about it.

Think about it. The first black President didn’t listen to a black celebrity sports player who had taken some steps toward peace in the Koreas. In contrast, President Trump, who has been routinely vilified as a racist, elitist, unfeeling tyrant, not only listened to Rodman, but took the necessary steps to bring Kim Jong-un to the table. Trump is not just a political genius, exploiting the corrupt media while driving the political establishment crazy. He’s more than an engaged populist. He shows heart, he esteems the opinions of other people. His particular regard to the concerns of black Americans, both famous and common, deserve greater recognition.

During the Presidential election, Trump told black voters in Dimondale, Michigan: You might as well vote for me. What do you have to lose? He didn’t toss out this idea to suggest that black voters should resign themselves to casting a ballot for someone else besides a Democrat. He visited Flint, Michigan to address the water crisis. He met with black church leaders in Detroit. He reached out to all types of voters on a variety of issues. Black ministers and civil rights leaders came out for the President, too.

Some critics will contend that Trump’s outreach to black communities is surface-level. The local press mocked Trump when he pointed to one of his black friends at a California rally, for example. On Election Day, the general turnout was higher in key battleground states. In California, historically black communities like Inglewood, Compton, and even Oakland voted in higher numbers for Trump than they had voted for Romney in 2012. Trump’s opposition to illegal immigration and bad trade deals (with an emphasis on bringing back manufacturing jobs) probably resonated strongly with black voters.

Once elected, his connection with black Americans, in the media and in policy, expanded. He invited Bishop Wayne T. Jackson of Great Faith Ministries in Detroit to speak at his inauguration. He hosted a business roundtable with black business leaders. These steps are credible and worth recognizing, but is that enough? Trump’s policies have ensured that black voters have not only had nothing to lose, but now they have gained so much. Black unemployment is at its lowest ever on record. Read that again if you missed it, especially since the media has no interest in reporting this Republican President’s effective outreach and achievement for black Americans. Trump’s Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, is pushing school choice, vouchers, and independent charters. She has not been bullied by regressive leftists union forces or social justice warriors on college campuses, either.

Recently, pop musician and social media mogul Kanye West came out for Trump, sporting a signed MAGA hat, followed by photos with his producers to show his support for President. Kanye mentioned the “Dragon Energy” connection he shared with Trump, too. The President’s favorable with black males doubled within one week.

Then Kanye’s wife Kim Kardashian-West visited the Oval Office. The President’s meeting with the wife of Kanye was more than a shallow photo-op, but a meaningful discussion about prison reform. Then Kim West asked Trump to pardon Alice Marie Johnson, an Alabama grandmother serving a life sentence for drug trafficking. Trump issued the pardon for her. He also issued a posthumous pardon for black boxer Jack Johnson. Despite the silent from the black political establishment, President Trump has done incredible things for black Americans.

In light of these events, one has to wonder: Where was Obama? Why didn’t he bother listening to these black Americans, let alone follow on their suggestions? Trump connected with Kanye West. He took Rodman seriously enough to listen and even congratulate Rodman on his efforts. Trump’s down-to-earth regard for American citizens in general, and his growing rapport with pop icons like Kanye, reflect on the broader political shift in this country. More Americans, especially black Americans see a President who does have their back, who cares about what they care about. He is even taking on the reforms which Democrats paid lip-service to for decades (like prison reform, school choice, economic growth, stopping illegal immigration) but did nothing once in office.

In the first line of his track “Ye vs. the People,” Kanye raps: “I know Obama was heaven-sent, but ever since Trump won, it proved that I could be President.” True leadership is about more than inspiring awe; it’s about lifting others up, appreciating them for doing great things and taking their advice. Trump’s summit with Kim Jong-un is historic, not just for taking steps toward peace and prosperity, but also for the growing rapport which Trump has developed with black Americans, both famous and commonplace. Even CNN had to feature this slow transformation overtaking American politics for the better.

Separation of Illegal Alien Families: What Jeff Sessions Quoted from the Bible

The lamestream media no longer hides their anti-American machinations. They routinely slander the President and his executive team, specifically for enforcing the United States’ immigration laws, something which the previous president refused to do.

The coverage in the printed press and on TV showcases the plights of the poor illegal alien families, refugees who are fleeing their home countries seeking a better life.

Now they have gone full SJW, slamming Trump and his leadership for separating illegal alien children from their parents.

Rebuffing this insensate criticism from the media, Sessions quoted the Bible:

"Persons who violate the law of our nation are subject to prosecution ... I would cite you to the Apostle Paul and his clear and wise command in Romans 13 to obey the laws of the government because God has ordained the government for his purposes. Orderly and lawful processes are good in themselves ... and protect the weak and it protects the lawful."

Specifically, Sessions is quoting Romans 13:1: “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.”

Notice that Sessions referenced “orderly and lawful processes” and to “protect the weak and the lawful.” Why would anyone criticize these goals? If United States citizens go to jail for committing crimes, the children don’t join them. Why should it be any different with illegals and their children?

Of course, the anti-Christian bias spilled over in subsequent reports about Sessions’ Bible reference. The snide inferences in a Washington Post commentary took the same tired, extreme, racist argument:

Sessions says the Bible justifies separating immigrant families. The verses he cited are infamous.

Can you feel the clickbait already? What infamy does the commentator refer to?

When British subjects in the original 13 colonies started rolling up their sleeves for the fight for independence in the 1770s, loyalist preachers hammered on a particular Bible verse from their pulpits.

When Southern preachers blasted Northern abolitionists for defying the Fugitive Slave Act in the decade leading to the Civil War, they cited the same lines.

Such flagrantly misleading headlines shouldn’t be in print. In the two contexts referenced above, the political interests favoring the British Empire and the “peculiar institution” misused that verse to demand allegiance to unjust, ungodly government policies.

Let’s take on the misuse of God’s Word first, then let’s focus on Sessions’ proper application of Romans 13:1.

For starters, God intends for every person to live freely within Him. Jesus came to set us all free from the bondage of sin, for example:

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.” (Isaiah 61:1)

During His earthly ministry, Jesus—The Way, the Truth, and the Life—told the Israelites:

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32)

Paul the Apostle defines the Holy Spirit in line with freedom, too:

“Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” (2 Corinthians 3:17)

God did not intend for rulers to tyrannize their people, for all power does indeed come from God, as Paul wrote in Romans 13:1. In fact, Jesus’ heart is that we would have His abundant life (John 10:10), and the Apostle John voiced God’s desire that we prosper inside and outside (3 John 2). Tyranny and repression are incompatible with God’s will.

During the American Revolution, the British government had no right to deny the rights of Englishmen in one part of the world while recognizing the rights of Englishmen in the home country. The American colonists asserted their Biblical authority to form their own government. Our rights come from God, as affirmed in the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.”  Those words are revolutionary now as they were when Thomas Jefferson penned them in 1776.

 As for slaveholders in the Ante-Bellum United States, no passage justifies enslaving another man because of his skin color. Paul the Apostle recognized that master-slave relationships in Rome, but he told masters to respect their slaves:

“And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.” (Ephesians 6:9)

He even exhorted a slave master (Philemon) to treat a slave (Onesimus) as a brother in Christ. Paul had met Onesimus in prison, shared the Gospel with him, and the slave believed in Jesus Christ.

Paul then sent the slave back to Philemon with these instructions:

“For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever; Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?” (Philemon 15,16)

Now let us consider Sessions’ use of Romans 13:1. In a constitutional republic, leaders receive their power from “We the People.” They draft laws and outline legal processes for all matters, including detainment of illegal aliens. If the people do not like these actions, they can petition for a redress of grievances or change their leaders. Furthermore, these laws are being applied equitably. Trump’s executive team have provided food and housing for the illegal minors.  If the families don’t want to be separated, they should not break the law.

Sessions did not undermine the spirit or letter of God’s Word. The press is just hyperventilating (again) in another desperate bid to smear and undermine the President and his righteous enforcement of our nation’s immigration laws. If the press wants to uphold Biblical principles, they should stop lying, distorting people’s comments and misleading the public.

President Trump is Right: The Fake News Media, Not North Korea, is Our Greatest Enemy

President Trump concluded a peaceful peace summit with North Korea.

No one believed that such a thing was possible, and the American media isn't impressed, either. For years, I didn't pay attention to the North Korean brouhaha, since I wasn't worried about a third-world failed narco-state doing much more than talk, despite all the bellowing about North Korea's nuclear capabilities.

President Trump's timed, well-placed foreign policy actions, hard power and soft power, have worked out to bring the two Koreas together, to bring an official to the Korean War.

This picture captures the new spirit overwhelming the peninsula long fraught with instability and brinkmanship:

The South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un embraced, guided each other into their respective countries within the militarized zone. They planted trees together, exchanged a few words while dining together.

Peace is inching forward, and President Trump's tough talk/tough action diplomacy helped make it happen.

Check out this photo-op of their historic meeting:

President Trump established an expectation of respect and honor from the dictator. When he strayed away from tactful diplomacy, Trump would back away tentatively from a scheduled summit in Singapore. When North Korea's representatives restored a tone of honor toward the President and his diplomatic corps, the meeting returned to schedule.

Trump has accomplished a great deal on the world stage. He has bombed "the hell" out of ISIS. His military directives have led to the utter wiping out of Taliban holdovers in Afghanistan. Where three Presidents had failed, Trump succeeded and brought the United States embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

He ripped up President Obama's failed Iran Deal, then refocused the United States' efforts to impose sanctions against the Islamic theocratic tyranny in the Middle East. The Iranian people are rising up again against this untold tyranny. This time, the Persian protesters have an ally in the White House. The President has racked up an incredible list of victories in the last 500 days.

The media have remained silent or have said damning, untrue things about the President, his family, his efforts, etc. Instead of recognizing the efforts of President Trump and his executive cabinet, the press has hit him with one line of attack after another, They are never happy. If he had the cure to cancer in one hand and free tuition for college and trade schools in the other, the lamestream media would criticize him all the more.

The corporate media have their agenda. They want open borders, big money for their donors and their stockholders. They want a progressive (read, communistic) government. They play off the fears of the public and push distorted and misleading accounts, driving this country further apart while inflaming tensions.

No one should be surprised that President Trump holds the press in utter contempt.

Check out what CNN's rabid beat reported Jim Acosta did at the North Korea summit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFMycsQNZbw

They have lied, cheated, distorted, and maligned the record of President Trump and his cabinet. They play defense for terrorists, communists, and left-wing ideologues, but ignore the good will and interests of the American people and our country.

Thank God that Trump called out the destructive effects of the left-wing press:

So funny to watch the Fake News, especially NBC and CNN. They are fighting hard to downplay the deal with North Korea. 500 days ago they would have “begged” for this deal-looked like war would break out. Our Country’s biggest enemy is the Fake News so easily promulgated by fools!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 13, 2018

President Ronald Reagan had to deal with his fair share of opprobrium and condescension from the Big Three. Back then, television reporting didn't have cable TV, but the Big Three dominated not just the media, but the narrative about the President and his policies for the average viewing public.

Today, the mainstream media don't have the power which they held thirty years ago. But they are still damaging. The routine disregard for the American people, their determination to cover stories which promote their elitist agenda and ignore the will of the American taxpayers, their disdain for reality is costing them big time.

They are enemies of this country, the left-wing Fake News media, and we need more elected officials who stand up to the press and take them down a notch rather than play nice and hope that the cable news, the mainstream media, and the social media universe won't write bad things about them.

One of the biggest promoters of anti-Trump fake news is the Washington Post. The writers for the declining rag are demanding a pay raise. The diminishing number of journalists are not holding back their outrage with the CEO. Reporters ought to consider why newspapers are struggling to make money, and it's about more than the increasing influence of social media and technology to report the news.

Washington Post is not paying their employees enough? Yet the public hasn't heard about this. "Democracy Dies in Darkness", right? How about truth and accuracy? What about professionalism? What about basic dignity?

President Trump has pounced on WaPo hard:

Washington Post employees want to go on strike because Bezos isn’t paying them enough. I think a really long strike would be a great idea. Employees would get more money and we would get rid of Fake News for an extended period of time! Is @WaPo a registered lobbyist?

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 17, 2018

Yes, please, let's watch the Washington Post shutter its doors for a month or two. Wouldn't it be nice for major corporate media interests to lose their voice and their oppressive influence over the wider news narrative? President Trump's tweets are clearly biased, no surprise there, but he speaks his mind for everyone to read--and without a filter.

CA "Immigrant Street Vendors" Bill: Stop Taco Trucks on Every Corner!

Senator Ricardo Lara (916) 651-4033  https://twitter.com/SenRicardoLara https://www.facebook.com/SenatorRicardoLara ​ ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE HEARING FOR STREET VENDOR BILL   Senator Ricardo Lara is the author SB 946, California legislation that would grant street vendors access to public sidewalks in California regardless of local restrictions. He claims the bill is intended to PROTECT hard working immigrants, such as push cart vendors. READ THE BILL BELOW. Senator Ricardo Lara's bill SB 946 is scheduled for a hearing in the AssemblyCommittee on Local Government on June 20th - the same day as the hearing for the federal government lawsuit against the CA Sanctuary State Law. http://alcl.assembly.ca.gov/ LEAVE A WEEKEND VOICE MAIL MESSAGE  CALL AND TELL THE CHAIR AND THE VICE CHAIR OF THE ASSEMBLY LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE TO VOTE NO on SB 946 THE BILL TO LEGALIZE STREET VENDING ON CA PUBLIC SIDEWALKS. The committee hearing date is JUNE 20TH. CA Assembly Local Government Democrat Assembly Member Chair Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters)​ https://a04.asmdc.org/ (916) 319-2004​ CA Assembly Local Government Republican Assembly Member Vice Chair Marie Waldron (R- Escondido) https://ad75.asmrc.org/ (916) 319-2075​ READ THE BILL: http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB946   Introduced by Senator Lara (Coauthors: Assembly Members Eduardo Garcia and McCarty) January 29, 2018 An act to add Chapter 6.2 (commencing with Section 51036) to Part 1 of Division 1 of Title 5 of the Government Code, relating to sidewalk vendors.   LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 946, as amended, Lara. Sidewalk vendors. Existing law authorizes a local authority, by ordinance or resolution, to adopt requirements for the public safety regulating any type of vending and the time, place, and manner of vending from a vehicle upon a street. This bill would prohibit a local authority, as defined, from regulating sidewalk vendors, except in accordance with the provisions of the bill. The bill would provide that a local authority is not required to adopt a new program to regulate sidewalk vendors if the local authority has established an existing program that substantially complies with the provisions of the bill. The bill would apply these provisions to a chartered or general law city, county, or city and county. The bill would require a local authority that elects to adopt a sidewalk vending program to, among other things, not require a sidewalk vendor to operate within specific parts of the public right-of-way, except where when that restriction is directly related to objective health, safety, or welfare concerns, and not restrict sidewalk vendors to operate only in a designated neighborhood or area, except as specified. The bill would authorize a local authority to, by ordinance or resolution, adopt additional requirements regulating the time and manner of sidewalk vending, as specified. The bill would prohibit a person from operating as a sidewalk vendor in violation of, or a sidewalk vendor from violating, a local authority’s sidewalk vending program, as specified. specified, if the requirements are directly related to objective health, safety, or welfare concerns. The bill would also authorize a local authority to prohibit sidewalk vendors in areas located within the immediate vicinity of a permitted certified farmers’ market and a permitted swap meet, as specified, and to restrict or prohibit sidewalk vendors within the immediate vicinity of any part of the sidewalk that is subject to a separate temporary sidewalk use permit issued by the local authority, as specified. A violation would be punishable only by an administrative fine, as specified, pursuant to an ability-to-pay determination, and proceeds would be deposited in the treasury of the local authority. The bill would require the dismissal of any criminal prosecutions under any local ordinance or resolution regulating or prohibiting sidewalk vendors that have not reached final judgment. The bill would also authorize a person who is currently serving, or who completed, a sentence, or who is subject to a fine, for a conviction of a misdemeanor or infraction for sidewalk vending, as specified, to petition for dismissal of the sentence, fine, or conviction. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect. DIGEST KEY Vote: majority   Appropriation: no   Fiscal Committee: no   Local Program: no   BILL TEXT THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:   SECTION 1.  (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (1) Sidewalk vending provides important entrepreneurship and economic development opportunities to low-income and immigrant communities. (2) Sidewalk vending increases access to desired goods, such as culturally significant food and merchandise. (3) Sidewalk vending contributes to a safe and dynamic public space. (4) The safety and welfare of the general public is promoted by encouraging local authorities to support and properly regulate sidewalk vending. (5) The safety and welfare of the general public is promoted by prohibiting criminal penalties for violations of sidewalk vending ordinances and regulations. (6) This act applies to any city or county city, county, or city and county, including a charter city. The criminalization of small business entrepreneurs, and the challenges that those entrepreneurs face as a result of a criminal record, are matters of statewide concern. Further, unnecessary barriers have been erected blocking aspiring entrepreneurs from accessing the formal economy, harming California’s economy in the process, and disrupting the regulation of business, which is a matter of statewide concern. Moreover, California has an interest in the regulation of traffic, a matter of statewide concern, whether in ensuring the appropriate flow of traffic or in ensuring the safety of pedestrians on the road or the sidewalk. (b) It is the intent of the Legislature to promote entrepreneurship and support immigrant and low-income communities. SEC. 2.  Chapter 6.2 (commencing with Section 51036) is added to Part 1 of Division 1 of Title 5 of the Government Code, to read: CHAPTER  6.2. Sidewalk Vendors 51036.  For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply: (a) “Sidewalk vendor” means a person who sells food or merchandise from a pushcart, stand, display, pedal-driven cart, wagon, showcase, rack, or other nonmotorized conveyance, or from one’s person, upon a public sidewalk or other pedestrian path. (b) “Roaming sidewalk vendor” means a sidewalk vendor who moves from place to place and stops only to complete a transaction. (c) “Stationary sidewalk vendor” means a sidewalk vendor who vends from a fixed location. (d) “Local authority” means a chartered or general law city, county, or city and county. 51037.  (a) A local authority shall not regulate sidewalk vendors except in accordance with Sections 51038 and 51039. (b) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to affect the applicability of Part 7 (commencing with Section 113700) of Division 104 of the Health and Safety Code to a sidewalk vendor who sells food. (c) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require a local authority to adopt a new program to regulate sidewalk vendors if the local authority has established an existing program that substantially complies with the requirements in this chapter. 51038.  (a) A local authority may adopt a program to regulate sidewalk vendors in compliance with this section. (b) A local authority’s sidewalk vending program shall comply with all of the following standards: (1) A local authority shall not require a sidewalk vendor to operate within specific parts of the public right-of-way, except where when that restriction is directly related to objective health, safety, or welfare concerns. For purposes of this paragraph, perceived community animus or economic competition does not constitute an objective health, safety, or welfare concern. (2) (A) A local authority shall not prohibit a sidewalk vendor from selling food or merchandise in a park owned or operated by the local authority, except the local authority may prohibit stationary sidewalk vendors from vending in the park only if the operator of the park has signed an agreement for concessions that exclusively permits the sale of food or merchandise by the concessionaire. (B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), a local authority may adopt additional requirements regulating the time, place, and manner of sidewalk vending in a park owned or operated by the local authority if the requirements are any of the following: (i) Directly related to objective health, safety, or welfare concerns. (ii) Necessary to ensure the public’s use and enjoyment of natural resources and recreational opportunities. (iii) Necessary to prevent an undue concentration of commercial activity that unreasonably interferes with the scenic and natural character of the park. (3) A local authority shall not require a sidewalk vendor to first obtain the consent or approval of any nongovernmental entity or individual before he or she can sell food or merchandise. (4) (A) A local authority shall not restrict sidewalk vendors to operate only in a designated neighborhood or area, except where when that restriction is directly related to objective health, safety, or welfare concerns. (B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), a local authority may prohibit stationary sidewalk vendors in areas where commercial uses are not a permitted use, but shall not prohibit roaming sidewalk vendors. (5) A local authority shall not restrict the overall number of sidewalk vendors, vendors permitted to operate within the jurisdiction of the local authority, unless the restriction is directly related to objective health, safety, or welfare concerns. (c) A local authority may, by ordinance or resolution, adopt additional requirements regulating the time and manner of sidewalk vending, vending if the requirements are directly related to objective health, safety, or welfare concerns, including, but not limited to, any of the following: (1) Limitations on hours of operation that are not unduly restrictive. In nonresidential areas, any limitations on the hours of operation for sidewalk vending shall not be more restrictive than any limitations on hours of operation imposed on other businesses or uses on the same street. (2) Requirements to maintain sanitary conditions. (3) Requirements necessary to ensure compliance with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-336) and other disability access standards.(3) (4) Requiring the sidewalk vendor to possess obtain from the local authority a permit for sidewalk vending or a valid business license, provided that the local authority issuing the permit or business license accepts a California driver’s license or identification number, an individual taxpayer identification number, or a municipal identification number in lieu of a social security number if the local authority otherwise requires a social security number for the issuance of a permit or business license, and that the number collected shall not be available to the public for inspection, is confidential, and shall not be disclosed except as required to administer the permit or licensure program or comply with a state law or state or federal court order.(4) (5) Requiring the sidewalk vendor to possess a valid California Department of Tax and Fee Administration seller’s permit.(5) (6) Requiring additional licenses from other state or local agencies to the extent required by law.(6) (7) Requiring compliance with other generally applicable laws.(7) (8) Requiring a sidewalk vendor to submit information on his or her operations, including, but not limited to, any of the following: (A) The name and address of the sidewalk vendor. (B) A description of the merchandise offered for sale or exchange. (C) A certification by the vendor that to his or her knowledge and belief, the information contained on the form is true. (D) The California seller’s permit number (California Department of Tax and Fee Administration sales tax number), if any, of the sidewalk vendor. (E) If the sidewalk vendor is an agent of an individual, company, partnership, or corporation, the name and business address of the principal. (d) Notwithstanding subdivision (b), a local authority may do both of the following: (1) Prohibit sidewalk vendors in areas located within the immediate vicinity of a permitted certified farmers’ market or a permitted swap meet during the limited operating hours of that certified farmers’ market or swap meet. A “certified farmers’ market” means a location operated in accordance with Chapter 10.5 (commencing with Section 47000) of Division 17 of the Food and Agriculture Code and any regulations adopted pursuant to that chapter. A “swap meet” means a location operated in accordance with Article 6 (commencing with Section 21660) of Chapter 9 of Division 8 of the Business and Professions Code, and any regulations adopted pursuant to that article. (2) Restrict or prohibit sidewalk vendors within the immediate vicinity of any part of the sidewalk that is subject to a separate temporary sidewalk use permit issued by the local authority, provided that any notice, business interruption mitigation, or other rights provided to affected businesses or property owners under the local authority’s separate temporary sidewalk use permit are also provided to any sidewalk vendors specifically permitted to operate in the area, if applicable. For purposes of this paragraph, a separate temporary sidewalk use permit shall include, but not be limited to, a temporary permit for filming, parades, or outdoor concerts. A prohibition of sidewalk vendors pursuant to this paragraph shall only be effective for the limited duration of the separate temporary sidewalk use permit. (e) For purposes of this section, perceived community animus or economic competition does not constitute an objective health, safety, or welfare concern. 51039.(a)A person shall not operate as a sidewalk vendor in violation of a program adopted by a local authority if that local authority has adopted a sidewalk vending program that complies with Section 51038. (b)A sidewalk vendor shall not violate the terms of a local authority’s sidewalk vending program that complies with Section 51038. (c) 51039.  (a) (1) A violation of subdivision (a) or (b) a local authority’s sidewalk vending program that complies with Section 51038 is punishable only by the following: (A) An administrative fine not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100) for a first violation. (B) An administrative fine not exceeding two hundred dollars ($200) for a second violation within one year of the first violation. (C) An administrative fine not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500) for each additional violation within one year of the first violation. (2) A local authority may rescind a permit issued to a sidewalk vendor for the term of that permit upon the fourth violation or subsequent violations of subdivision (a) or (b). violations.(d) (b) The proceeds of an administrative fine assessed pursuant to subdivision (c) (a) shall be deposited in the treasury of the local authority.(e) (c) Failure to pay an administrative fine pursuant to subdivision (c) (a) shall not be punishable as an infraction or misdemeanor. Additional fines, fees, assessments, or any other financial conditions beyond those authorized in subdivision (c) (a) shall not be assessed.(f) (d) (1) A violation of subdivision (a) or (b), a local authority’s sidewalk vending program that complies with Section 51038, or a violation of any rules or regulations adopted prior to January 1, 2019, that regulate or prohibit sidewalk vendors in the jurisdiction of a local authority that has not adopted a sidewalk vending program pursuant to Section 51038, authority, shall not be punishable as an infraction or misdemeanor, and the person alleged to have violated any of those provisions shall not be subject to arrest except where when permitted under law. (2) Notwithstanding any other law, paragraph (1) shall apply to all pending criminal prosecutions under any local ordinance or resolution regulating or prohibiting sidewalk vendors. Any of those criminal prosecutions that have not reached final judgment shall be dismissed.(g) (e) A local authority that has not adopted rules or regulations by ordinance or resolution that comply with Section 51037 shall not cite, fine, or prosecute a sidewalk vendor for a violation of any rule or regulation that is inconsistent with the standards described in subdivision (b) Section 51038.(h) (f) (1) When assessing an administrative fine pursuant to subdivision (c), (a), the adjudicator shall take into consideration the person’s ability to pay the fine. The local authority shall provide the person with notice of his or her right to request an ability-to-pay determination and shall make available instructions or other materials for requesting an ability-to-pay determination. The person may request an ability-to-pay determination at adjudication or while the judgment remains unpaid, including when a case is delinquent or has been referred to a comprehensive collection program. (2) If the person meets the criteria described in subdivision (a) or (b) of Section 68632, the local authority shall accept, in full satisfaction, 20 percent of the administrative fine imposed pursuant to subdivision (c). (a). (3) The local authority may allow the person to complete community service in lieu of paying the total administrative fine, may waive the administrative fine, or may offer an alternative disposition.(i) (g) (1) A person who is currently serving, or who completed, a sentence, or who is subject to a fine, for a conviction of a misdemeanor or infraction for sidewalk vending, whether by trial or by open or negotiated plea, who would not have been guilty of that offense under the act that added this section had that act been in effect at the time of the offense, may petition for dismissal of the sentence, fine, or conviction before the trial court that entered the judgment of conviction in his or her case. (2) Upon receiving a petition under paragraph (1), the court shall presume the petitioner satisfies the criteria in paragraph (1) unless the party opposing the petition proves by clear and convincing evidence that the petitioner does not satisfy the criteria. If the petitioner satisfies the criteria in paragraph (1), the court shall grant the petition to dismiss the sentence or fine, if applicable, and dismiss and seal the conviction, because the sentence, fine, and conviction are legally invalid. (3) Unless requested by the petitioner, no hearing is necessary to grant or deny a petition filed under paragraph (1). (4) If the court that originally sentenced or imposed a fine on the petitioner is not available, the presiding judge shall designate another judge to rule on the petition. (5) Nothing in this subdivision is intended to diminish or abrogate any rights or remedies otherwise available to the petitioner. (6) Nothing in this subdivision or related provisions is intended to diminish or abrogate the finality of judgments in any case not falling within the purview of this chapter. SEC. 3.  The Legislature finds and declares that Section 2 of this act, which adds Section 51038 to the Government Code, imposes a limitation on the public’s right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies within the meaning of Section 3 of Article I of the California Constitution. Pursuant to that constitutional provision, the Legislature makes the following findings to demonstrate the interest protected by this limitation and the need for protecting that interest: The Legislature finds and declares that in order to protect the privacy of a sidewalk vendor with regard to his or her California driver’s license or identification number, individual taxpayer identification number, or municipal identification number, when that number is collected in lieu of a social security number for purposes of the issuance of a business license, it is necessary that the sidewalk vendor’s number be confidential, except as provided in this act.​ FILE REPORTS Senator Ricardo Lara is the son of illegal aliens who operated a "safe house for illegal aliens in Los Angeles.  Hear him in his own words: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6y8s_rKus4 Senator Ricardo Lara (916) 651-4033  https://twitter.com/SenRicardoLara https://www.facebook.com/SenatorRicardoLara 6/20 Assembly Hearing For Street Vendor Bill https://mailchi.mp/3a3b1015b01f/senator-ricardo-laras-bill-street-vendors-on-public-sidewalks-passes-senate-vote-fight-back-227733?e=73c2810f42   VIDEO - SENATOR RICARDO LARA LECTURE - DIVERSITY & LEADERSHIP UCR http://us4.campaign-archive1.com/?u=03c427bceddf31727d1b5026d&id=ee14922287&e=73c2810f42 Senator Ricardo's Bill DREAM Loans NOW AVAILABLE http://us4.campaign-archive2.com/?u=03c427bceddf31727d1b5026d&id=b7a2fc1bf9&e=73c2810f42 VIDEO – DRAG QUEEN PARTY August 2014 Senator Ricardo Lara’s Sacramento Office Staff https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrKZ10yRTN8 VIDEO - SEE RICARDO LARA RUN: Sacramento https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-JZQEN_fn8 VIDEO - SEE RICARDO LARA RUN: Gospel Brunch Lynwood https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SraC-3zBn94 VIDEO - Senator Ricardo Lara states CA Republican State Legislators Voting With Democrats https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IRHqhcYA00 Citizen Lobbyists attend Long Beach Business Workshop - No Recording Sign posted http://us4.campaign-archive1.com/?u=03c427bceddf31727d1b5026d&id=63fb7d1ded&e=73c2810f42 Citizen Lobbyists Attend Senator Ricardo Lara Workshop 9/10/15 Long Beach http://us4.campaign-archive2.com/?u=03c427bceddf31727d1b5026d&id=a77acfa2e7&e=a709bdaa7e  Citizen Lobbyists Attend Senator Ricardo Lara Workshop 9/23/15 Lynwood http://us4.campaign-archive1.com/?u=03c427bceddf31727d1b5026d&id=1fd390e64e

Another Conservative Defeats Jimmy Kimmel

In January this year, members of We the People Rising, including myself, went onto Jimmy Kimmel live to give our opinions about DACA. We were ready for anything, including a guilt trip based on misplaced compassion.

We called the situation perfectly. Kimmel introduced us to an illegal alien on DACA named Esmeralda. She had a child with an American in the military, born in Kansas, etc.

We all held our ground and opposed illegal immigration and did not accept the argument that exceptions should be offered to anyone, regardless of how these individuals had been brought into the country.

Kimmel completely lost his cool with me and others as we challenged one

This weekend, Kimmel lost to another conservative, US Senator Cruz, and he got taken down on the basketball court this time:

.**TED CRUZ WINS**
Cruz edges out Kimmel in charity basketball game in Houston
@FairfaxGOP@HunterMillGOP@VirginiaGOP11@realDonaldTrump@ChrisPlanteShow@IngrahamAngle@KTHopkins@ArthurCSchaper
DRIBBLING DOES MATTER!https://t.co/uNnDlPT9Mw pic.twitter.com/gywHnMmHs1

— Fredy Burgos (@fredyburgos70) June 17, 2018

This is such a satisfying victor. Jimmy Kimmel likes talking trash about conservatives on TV. This time, Ted Cruz challenged him to a game of half-court press basketball, and Cruz beat him!

This is what it's all about. Conservatives are not just winning politically, but they are finally gaining the upper hand in the culture wars, too!

Lindsey Graham Goes MAGA

Well, this was refreshing.

US Senator Lindsey Graham has been a thorn in the side for conservatives in general and Trump supporters in particular. He has advanced amnesty time and again, even though the US Senate has not managed to push one open border bill into the House of Representatives since the abortive Obamacare for Immigration Bills in 2013.

In spite of his opposition to the President during the 2016 Presidential Election, not to mention his attempts to dislodge his efforts during the primary, Graham has found reasons to praise President Trump and work with him to a greater degree.

The tax reform legislation has been a huge success for the country.

President Trump's surgical strikes in Syria has warned the world that the United States is reasserting its peace through strength presence in the world.

Lately, Graham has praised Trump for his efforts to denuclearize North Korea. The peace summits between the leaders of the two Koreas sparked great respect for President Trump around the world, and his growing admirers include GOP Establishment types who had butted heads with Trump in the past.

Graham was emphatic about his support for the President, and refuses to back away despite the media shaming which inevitably follows:

Lindsey Graham live on @CNN: "If you don't like me working with President Trump to make the world a better place, I don't give a shit" pic.twitter.com/iNnqiYjZpV

— Saagar Enjeti (@esaagar) June 15, 2018

This break from his anti-Trump past is a welcome change, and it shows a breakdown in the former Graham-McCain alliance which looked for war behind every door and wanted to push Chamber of Commerce policies while ignoring the general interests of the American people.

The ailing senior US Senator from Arizona has tweeted criticisms and undermining asides against President Trump for the last six months. I wonder when he will start attacking his former colleague from South Carolina next?

ICYMI: Hawaii RINOs Serve Restraining Order Against HIRA for ... Telling the Truth About Hawaii RINOs

RINO's at Hawaii GOP Officially Spend Money to Promote Lyin' Andria Tupola's Fraudulent TRO and to Silence Conservatives in 2018 IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING:   So HOW exactly do those RINO's who run the Hawaii GOP feel about conservative HIRA?  Well, here's your answer.  The Hawaii GOP's top priority in 2018 is to attack HIRA and conservatives by paying a staffer with party donor funds to help defame HIRA and its leader by promoting Lyin' Andria Tupola's fraudulent TRO.  You need to remember this when you are watching TV on November 6th and the local news is reporting the election results. Watch the video above and read the transcript (below) from an 10 April 2018 phone message left by Hawaii GOP's paid executive director Aaron Wilson on the National Federation of Republican Assemblies' after-hours phone line at 10:38pm from the Hawaii Republican Party's landline (1-808-593-7983) in order to complain about the conservative NFRA chapter, the Hawaii Republican Assembly (HIRA). Wilson wants to help RINO Andria Tupola to win the August 11th Primary Election by promoting the liberal Republican gubernatorial candidate's failed filing of a TRO against HIRA president Eric Ryan for stalking her at a gubernatorial forum on April 6, 2018 while Ryan was actually miles away having his car serviced at Jiffy Lube.  The best way for RINO's to maintain liberal control of the Republican Party of Hawaii is to attack conservatives and help liberals to win primaries . . . even by falsely portraying liberal candidates as "victims". What's amusing is that Tupola's initial April 9th TRO attempt was rejected by the judge around the same time that Aaron Wilson was leaving this message at NFRA headquarters to complain about HIRA.  For anyone who doesn't think that the HRP leaders and Tupola's Democrat criminal defense team of attorneys and campaign operatives aren't working together, this information was NOT known to the public until the Star-Advertiser wrote about the story weeks later. Some funny, made up facts are thrown together by HRP's latest, here-today-gone-tomorrow executive director Aaron Wilson  . . . but that's how RINO's and their cronies roll.  Democrats and liberals and RINO’s teaming together with phony info (and inside info from Tupola) to keep conservatives quiet from now until the election (and beyond). Not only is Tupola trying to fool state judges and the public with her bogus claim of being stalked at a gubernatorial forum when Ryan was actually at Jiffy Lube, but so are RINO leaders at the Hawaii GOP. One last insight:  HIRA has learned from multiple source inside the Hawaii GOP that the party's TOP 2018 priority is NOT to beat Democrats, but to attack and silence HIRA by helping Tupola to promote her phony TRO and to go on the offensive after Eric Ryan and the conservative Republicans at HIRA.  RINO party leaders have even scheduled yet another in a series of special meetings scheduled THIS Thursday night at Hawaii GOP headquarters to deal with their unhealthy obsession with HIRA.  Too bad.  They really need to develop an obsession with beating Democrats. TRANSCRIPT: "Hi, good evening. My name is Aaron Wilson. I'm actually the executive director here at the Republican Party of Hawaii. Uh, I think we have my may have a small problem with your Hawaii chapter. I'm not sure if they're actually a charter organization or not. But the president Eric Ryan has, I guess um, gotten a restraining order against himself by one of our Republican governor candidates.  Uw, wanted to know, wanted to make sure, that you were aware.  Someone give me a call on my cellphone is 610-505-1879. Uh, he's also caused, uh, two of our other candidates to back, two of our other Republican candidates, to back out of the race, due to the fact that he was just attacking them as well as their supporters.  Again, he's supposed to be working with one of our other governor candidates.  But he's attacking other Republicans in other races.  I didn't see, uh, see that to be anything that you'd, uh, be in favor of.  Once again, that was Aaron 610-505-1879. Thank you." ******** STAY TUNED TOMORROW FOR MORE AUDIO FROM AARON WILSON WHO CONFIRMS THAT HIRA WAS 100% RIGHT ABOUT THE HAWAII GOP THROWING THE 2018 ELECTION DOWN THE GARBAGE.  IF YOU ARE A CANDIDATE OR IF YOU KNOW A CANDIDATE, OR EVEN JUST A VOTER WHO WONDERS WHEN SHIRLENE OSTROV AND HER TEAM OF RINO PARTY OFFICERS ARE GOING TO START FIGHTING DEMOCRATS, YOU'LL HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO BE PISSED OFF AT THESE FAKE REPUBLICAN PARTY BOSSES.  AUWE!!!  ******** Help the Hawaii GOP to Help Lyin' Andria Tupola to Silence HIRA (all this illegal campaign coordination will make sense once we all file our campaign finance reports)