November 17, 2016--My Re-Election Speech to the Beach Cities Republicans

Good evening, fellow conservatives.

My name is Arthur Schaper, a long-time resident of Torrance, CA and life-long conservative citizen. I am also a nationally recognized writer, blogger, radio guest.

Last year, you gave me another title: President of the Beach Cities Republicans,

I have been in contact and worked with the Beach Cities Republican club since 2011, when I became more politically active.

I am glad that today, he is history, and we have a new Republican President—Donald Trump—who will help Make America Great Again.

Since my tenure as President, the following things have occurred.

1. Locally elected Republicans have attended our club—whom had not attended in the past.

2. More Republicans have been elected to local office, especially the candidates we supported were elected to Torrance City Council.

2. Activists from throughout Southern California have shown us how they stand up to bullies like Big Government. Many of you have become activists with me, confronting elected officials. W have the power and we are flexing our muscles!

3. I invited a number of volunteers from throughout the state came down to the South Bay to help David Hadley, and it is my only regret—that he lost re-election.

4. Well-known and recognized conservative authors and artists like Kurt Schlichter of Townhall and now Pulitzer prize-winning cartoonist Michael Ramirez have attended our meetings as featured guests. I have more featured guests coming soon, based on strong contacts which I have lined up over the years.

5. We hosted one of the first US Senate debates here in this room.

Not only I have worked on a number of campaigns, pushing for more victories at the local as well as the state level, but so have many of you!

To this day, I remain friends with local and statewide elected officials, including CAGOP Chairman Jim Brulte as well as our National Committee Representatives Shawn Steel and Harmeet Dhillon.

6. Add to the successes of prior leaders and advance their goals. David Hadley made the GOP effective again in the South Bay. Evan Chase has enhanced our connections with local communities and networks. I want to strengthen our political campaigns and long-term goals.

I love this job, and I want to stay.

I look forward to reaching out to more Republicans, helping them run for office, and ensuring that our voice and values do not diminish, but expand. I look forward to seeing more Independents and Democrats realize that they actually share our values and should join our cause.

Some already have!

This election will also give us the chance to continue the grassroots conservative uprising which Trump has started.

It is a real honor to see this office contested two years in a row. It means that we are making an impact. I cannot tell you how many attacks and upsets I have had to deal with in the last three months.

As a leader, I have stood up for our right to assemble and have voice. We should not lose that

Now why am I running again. I want everyone to feel safe knowing that they can voice their opinions and expound their conservative views without fear of what the media or party leaders may say or do.

1. We need to fight the Big Green Agenda, working with Tracy Hopkins

2. We need to concentrate our efforts to end the abuses of public sector unions in our state, I will be meeting with key plaintiff Rebecca Friedrichs

3. I also want to keep you informed about what is going on in the state, and even in our county party, so that we can have the true influence in our cities and in our state as a whole

And remember – it’s not wise to switch horses mid-stream!

Join with me! Let’s Make the South Bay, California, and America Great Again!

Re-elect me your next Beach Cities Republican Club President!

Townhall Senior Writer Kurt Schlichter at the Beach Cities Republicans--July 21, 2016

The Beach Cities Republicans had a lot of competition to deal with for their July, 2016 meeting.

Beach Cities Republicans

The Republican National Convention was rolling along, and would culminate on July 21.

The GOP nominee, Donald J. Trump, would accept the party nomination for President.

The meeting started one hour before the normal time, but that didn't throw off too many people.

Schlichter was one of the most well-connected conservative writers in the country. He's a respected comic, novelist, and lawyer!

Yes, lawyer too! His office is based in El Segundo, and he lives in Manhattan Beach, the same home for the South Bay Assemblyman David Hadley.

I found out that a national conservative writer lived right in my backyard. From there, we exchanged articles bashing the Democratic incumbent--Al Muratsuchi--and then lo and behold, Hadley won.

I also found a connection to start getting published on Townhall.com!

It was all rising up from there for me.

As soon as I was elected President of the Beach Cities Republicans, Schlichter reached out to me and offered to be a guest speaker at one of my meetings.

July seemed like the perfect time. And despite the overlapping RNC  meeting, everything worked out very well.

Forty people showed up which is pretty impressive, considering the competition we faced.

Tracy Hopkins, our First Vice President, talked about her fight against the corrupt Big Green Agenda in Hermosa Beach.

A friend of mine, Isaac Rodriguez from Pico Rivera, a college student and member of We the People Rising, drove all the way to the South Bay to meet Kurt.

The Townhall writer gladly autographed a copy of Conservative Insurgency.

He's one of his biggest fans.

Isaac Rodriguez and Kurt Schlichter

The meeting started pretty slowly, but mostly because we had to adjust when we started.

Young Republicans from El Camino College also attended. It was really inspiring that they came.

Schlichter joked with me, that he had spoken to smaller crowds before.

So, what did the Senior Columnist have to share with us?

Some really profound insights, despite the fact that he was a #NotTrump supporter up to the moment when the New York City real estate agent/reality TV star clinched the nomination.

Kurt and me, the two dudes from Townhall.com

Here are his first remarks.

His caustic comments were spot on about the Democratic Party,  which has gone communist.

His background is pretty incredible. He was born in Ohio, Because his father was in the military, the Schlichter family moved around a lot, then finally settled in San Mateo, California.

He served with distinction in the military, too, and now works as private attorney with his own firm.

Here is the greater part of his speech.

He talked about the current political climate, where the Republican Party is now, and where it needs to go.

Schlichter, in uncharacteristic fashion, admitted that the Donald Trump phenomenon blindsided him.

He wanted Marco Rubio, and settled for Cruz. Out of seventeen candidates, Trump the total outsider swept the primary.

Unlike much of middle America, South Bay residents such as ourselves don't feel the pinching consequences of illegal immigration, bad trade deals (globalism on steroids), and the breakdown of national security.

Working people are feeling worked over by the political class.

The global economy is working for many upper middle class professionals. For blue collar and middle class families, however, the benefits of the expanding economy are not really helping them.

Donald Trump mastered this frustration and appealed to it.

He knew how to manipulate the media, too, and draw in the highest number of Republican voters ever during a primary.

Voters were angry, and they wanted something done right away.

Schlichter talked about more than Donald Trump.

He talked about the promises that Republicans needed to offer.

At the end of his speech, just before another guy gave his own speech at the RNC (which Kurt said was really good), he took some questions from the audience.

One of the best exchanges started with one of the Millenials.

"How best can the Republicans start reaching out to Millenials?"

His answer: "I don't know! You tell me what are the biggest issues you are concerned about!"

For the rest of the meeting, we watched Donald Trump's acceptance speech.

Big BCR Crowd!

Final Reflection

Donald Trump as the GOP nominee is going to present some interesting challenges and perhaps welcome developments for the Republican Party.

His speech was strong, hit a lot of good themes.

Schlichter's comments were more informed and inspiring.

He outlined the issues which our country needs to deal with. He identified the concerns that our young people will have to overcome in the years ahead.

Despite his resistance to Donald Trump, there is hope that he will win the election, and help bring this country into recovery and prosperity.

Once again, more people than expected attending the meeting, and in spite of the competition which the Beach Cities Republicans faced from the RNC.