| | | | | | Update on Manatee County Elections Curious to know more about the recent elections in Manatee County? Then don't miss our next meeting on Tuesday, January 10, as our featured speaker will be Manatee County Supervisor of Elections, Mike Bennett. Mike will discuss the results of the 2022 Elections and how his organization has adjusted to accommodate the new legislation related to election integrity. Mike will be fielding questions from the audience so be sure to come prepared!
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Please check the "Calendar" link on our website (https://manateepatriots.us) to stay up to date with all of our great speakers in the coming weeks. | |
Next Meeting Details:
Who: Mike Bennett When: Tuesday, January 10, 2023 at 6pm Where: Mixon Fruit Farms 2525 27th Street East, Bradenton, FL 34208
In this Email: - Speaker Bio: Mike Bennett
- Reminder, Manatee County Legislative Delegation Meeting
- List of Concessions Earned By The Freedom Caucus
- You're Invited: Division In America
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Speaker Bio: Mike Bennett
Mike Bennett took office as Manatee County Supervisor of Elections on January 8, 2013, and was re-elected in 2016 and again in 2020. Prior to that, he served in the Florida Senate from November 2002 until November 2012, Representing District 21, consisting of Manatee and Lee Counties and parts of Sarasota, Charlotte and DeSoto Counties.
Bennett served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2000 to 2002. He was involved in chairing and directing Senate committees responsible for building codes, land regulation and other rules and regulations affecting the construction and development industries. Mike was a legislator known to be a champion of business, a community leader, and someone who gets things done. He remains committed to those principles. He passed more legislation benefitting veterans than any other sitting member, including reduction of property tax, creation of the veterans’ hall of fame, and in-state college tuition for all active duty military members.
Born in Brainerd, Minnesota, Bennett moved to Bradenton with his family at 10 years old and is a proud graduate of Sarasota High School. Following high school, he joined the Navy and served 4 tours in Vietnam. After graduating with a BA and MBA from Drake University (Des Moines, Iowa), Mike worked as an Associate Professor in the College of Business at Iowa State University, and subsequently at Drake University. From there he embarked on a business career ultimately founding Aladdin Ward Electric in Bradenton in 1985, and growing it into a thriving enterprise employing 175 people.
Currently, in addition to his duties as Supervisor of Elections, Bennett is a business development consultant with Bright Future Electric. In his spare time, he serves on numerous community boards including the Gulf Coast Builders Exchange and Sarasota Teen Court. Bennett is an enthusiastic supporter of Mote Marine Laboratory, the Greater Sarasota Sertoma Club, the Florida Maritime Museum, and Southeastern Guide Dogs, among others.
He says, “In nine years as the Supervisor of Elections, we have been able to keep the budget consistent commensurate with election schedules, even with an increase in the voter population of over 10%, while significantly increasing staff salaries, and upgrading equipment. This has been achieved by substantially reducing expenses through efficiency of operations.”
As a military veteran (U.S. Navy 1963 – 1967) Bennett remains devoted to veterans’ causes. His most treasured accomplishment is the fact that his lovely wife Dee said “yes” when he asked her to marry him. They celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary in November 2021.
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Reminder, Manatee County Legislative Delegation Meeting
Don't forget! The annual Manatee County Legislative Delegation Meeting will be held on January 12, 2023 between 8:30am-Noon. The meeting will take place at the Bradenton City Council Chambers located at 101 12th St W, Bradenton, Fl 34205.
This is an excellent opportunity to address your elected representatives before they head off to their new offices. | | | |
From The Epoch Times List of Concessions Earned By The Freedom Caucus
In spite of the rhetoric leveled by the Liberal Media, the process we all witnessed this week during the House vote for Speaker earned a number of key concessions. As reported in today's The Epoch Times, these include:
- As has been reported, it will only take a single congressperson, acting in what is known as a Jeffersonian Motion, to move to remove the Speaker if he or she goes back on their word or policy agenda.
- A “Church” style committee will be convened to look into the weaponization of the FBI and other government organizations (presumably the CIA, the subject of the original Church Committee) against the American people.
- Term limits will be put up for a vote.
- Bills presented to Congress will be single subject, not omnibus with all the attendant earmarks, and there will be a 72-hour minimum period to read them.
- The Texas Border Plan will be put before Congress. From The Hill: “The four-pronged plan aims to ‘Complete Physical Border Infrastructure,’ ‘Fix Border Enforcement Policies,’ ‘Enforce our Laws in the Interior’ and ‘Target Cartels & Criminal Organizations.’”
- COVID mandates will be ended as will all funding for them, including so-called “emergency funding.”
- Budget bills would stop the endless increases in the debt ceiling and hold the Senate accountable for the same.
It was quite a spectacle but in the end it was democracy in action.
| | | | From the Manatee County RLC You're Invited: Division In America
| | | | An Informed Citizenry is the best weapon against Tyranny! | | | | Now more than ever, Conservatives need to be organized and informed. There still remains a number of Manatee Patriots subscribers missing vital information. So we are providing a link where you can update your information in order for us to keep you informed on important issues, meetings, and events. To do so, simply click this link.
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