Education
Divide and Conquer – the Open Forum Town Hall
If they come to the table to resolve issues, the conservative cause wins … If they refuse, they further expose themselves
NO … we are not promoting “Divide & Conquer” … it is old school politics and it is one of those political tactics, or short-cuts, that will ultimately fail and ultimately only hurts “We The People”.
But we do find it critically important that you know it exist … and that you understand that people YOU KNOW use it against you (some knowingly, some unknowingly) … and against “We The People”. And we are not talking in far away Washington, DC, we are talking right here locally in your County GOP.
All of our County GOPs, and even the SCGOP, have “division”. It exist and it must be EXPOSED and at least UNDERSTOOD if it is ever to get better.
Do you know how many times I’ve ever been asked in “politics” to meet and see if we can resolve matters? NEVER as far as I can recall. How many times have we asked others to come to the table to resolve matters … hundreds, probably thousands of times.
So why is that? Is it because I am personally so horrible of a person? Because I will badger you because I have to “get my why or nothing”? Or because if you meet with me you will be SUED? Yes, we have heard that too!!!
NO, it is none of the above … it is because there are some people out there that practice and promote “Divide & Conquer” … and if we all come together, as Americans or South Carolinians and just “talk”, that is too risky and dangerous for their personal agenda.
2,400 Years!
The concept of “Divide & Conquer” is attributed to Philip II of Macedon (HERE) who ruled Macedonia from 359–336 BC and was the father of Alexander The Great (HERE). It is not new, so it should not be confusing. [Read the Wikipedia article about it, also called “Divide and Rule”, HERE.]
[CORRECTION – 10/12/2023: One reader reminded us that “Divide & Conquer” goes back much further … to Adam & Eve .. and Satan. Yes, how true, see HERE.]
“Divide & Conquer” is not a concept for good … but it works on the INNOCENT & UNINFORMED … it works on HONEST BROKERS … so it is incumbent upon you to learn about it and make sure it is not tolerated in our politics and everyday lives. We all have a responsibility to #LEARN & #THINK for ourselves.
Don’t be these guys … #THINK!!!
The Stats
These are from 2018 … but reportedly 86% of Americans say they feel exhausted by division and are looking for something better. 85% of Republicans and Democrats view cross-party relations, such as having members of the other party as friends, building consensus, and supporting bipartisan cooperation, as valuable.
These are stats that you probably don’t hear that often. That’s because they’re competing with information that is far more emotionally evoking than the idea that most Americans want constructive politics. In the midst of political division in the country, stats like this are useful to paint a hopeful picture of our political future and plant seeds of curiosity within the American people.
Yes, it is work, but WE can do better … and it starts locally.
Saturday’s TOWN HALL
Can WE just Talk?
No, we did not have that many people at our little Town Hall this past Saturday … but at the urging of some (who are still hopeful for unity … and we always have hope too), we just scheduled an Open Forum Town Hall to discuss the other side (for lack of a better term) problems and concerns with the Greenville County Republican Party (GCRP). They have a lot to say on social media … and at Business Meetings (which is not the appropriate forum to resolve issues) … so why not come together and discuss it in person? Sounds reasonable.
To their credit … two that have expressed concerns did show up. Another 25 or so who were curious showed up as well, all hoping to understand the issues these folks have and help fix them. One of the two theatrically got up to leave after 10 minutes … but at the urging of others agreed to say. But both left 30 minutes early as it was clear their arguments were not holding water with the assembled individuals.
What did not make any sense? Well, I was personally accused of “attacking Matt” because I published the fact that their friend promoting the “divide” has 10 current charges of Criminal Sexual Conduct with a MINOR (HERE). Really? That is my fault? Maybe people need to know one option as to why Matt might be acting like he is. But this same person has no problems whatsoever with his Precinct EC and 1st Vice President supporting false claims the GCRP leadership are NAZIs … or false statements that I am a Communist … or lies that I am funded by George Soros and I am not a Christian … and no problem with his associates supporting the false claim that we are involved in child sex trafficking because my wife posted a picture of herself on social media eating a slice of pizza (like that is somehow connected to Pizzagate – HERE).
One other claim that did not float was feigned concern over some 2022 minutes (of no known relevance to anything) … but zero concern whatsoever about March / April 2021 minutes from the “old guard” approving a $9,800 party, a $5,400 payment to a friend for accounting services (worth about $500) … or a doubling of the rent / new lease with a $2,000 back rent payment to the family of the former GCRP Chairman’s employer … all apparent efforts to DRAIN OUR BANK ACCOUNTS with the GCRP. All that was “in the past” and we need to move forward. LOL … no, no one seems to agree with that claim!!!
I concluded the meeting before the two left with what appears to be our 3 options:
- Work cooperatively in UNITY to further the Republican Platform (my personal choice),
- Work separately … y’all do your thing, we will do ours, and we will just stay out of each others way, or
- All Out WAR … something none of us should want as it only benefits the leftist.
Their selection … they could not pick. They would not even rule out #3.
What do you do??? Obviously someone else is pulling the strings (or actively working for the leftist) if you are not personally empowered to immediately say #3 is bad and unacceptable. And given it has been four days and the one person that folks had “hope” was amenable to working together has now refused all attempts to connect … something else is obviously going on.
Even if you hated us, wouldn’t you think #2 is an acceptable option? Worth trying for the future of our State & Country?
Keep Trying!!!
As others commented after the meeting, the matter is now clear. We do not need to defend ourselves … and these folks have clearly exposed themselves as uninterested in unity in any form or fashion.
But … keep trying is always my advice. It will be a WIN / WIN no matter what happens, just don’t get too distracted off MISSION or waste too much time.
If they come to the table to resolve issues, the conservative cause wins … The People win … if they refuse, they further expose themselves and we win by waking more people up to what appears to be the ulterior motive to “Divide & Conquer”.
And if I can ever help … just call me. I will meet anytime, anywhere, any conditions, publicly or privately, on or off the record … and I’ll sign any legal release requested if they think I will sue them. 😉 Right will win, eventually.
Keep sending us your feedback to team@mySCGOP.com.
Winning!
Dum spiro spero
(“While I breathe, I hope”)
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Jeff Davis is co-founder of mySCGOP.com . Jeff is a ’89 graduate of The Citadel and in 1993 received his Law/MBA from USC. A tax attorney / CPA licensed in Georgia, Jeff is an uncompromised school choice advocate for K-12 children with special needs. Originally from Charleston, and having practiced in Atlanta, Jeff and his wife Olga now live in Greenville. Jeff completed his two year term as Greenville County Republican Party Chairman and is currently serving as GCRP State Executive Committeeman.
Education
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, silence in the face of evil
Silence in the face of Evil is itself Evil
(Feb 4th, 1906 – April 9th, 1945)
Dietrich Bonhoeffer (HERE) was a German Lutheran pastor, theologian and anti-Nazi dissident. His writings on Christianity’s role in the secular world have become widely influential; his 1937 book The Cost of Discipleship (HERE) is described as a modern classic.
Apart from his theological writings, Bonhoeffer was known for his staunch resistance to the Nazi dictatorship, including vocal opposition to Adolf Hitler’s euthanasia program and genocidal persecution of the Jews. He was arrested in April 1943 by the Gestapo and imprisoned at Tegel Prison for one-and-a-half years. Later, he was transferred to Flossenbürg concentration camp.
Bonhoeffer was accused, tired, and convicted (with no evidence) of being associated with the July 20th, 1944 plot to assassinate Hitler … and hanged on April 9th, 1945 during the collapse of the Nazi regime.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer is certainly someone in history to know (HERE). We need more like him today.
Bonhoeffer Wikipedia Article: HERE
Bonhoeffer’s Words To Live By
None of this political stuff is complicated. Politicians and others make it complicated in an effort to avoid the HARD decisions … and to do what they want vs. what they know in their heart is right.
Talk long enough … analyze a situation long enough … and otherwise rational and Godly individuals can “justify” anything. Group think and the echo chamber so many politicians seem to enjoy as they play their political games and try to climb the ladder is what got America in this problem … while following simple principles of right vs. wrong are the only thing that can get us out of this mess.
“Silence in the face of Evil is itself Evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to Speak is to Speak. Not to Act is to Act.”
We were introduced to Bonhoeffer’s above simple principle when we first got involved in politics and school choice advocacy … and it has been a guiding principle in all we do and how we MEASURE others.
How many people in the face of obvious evil speak up? How many politicians are silent when they see obvious wrongs? Children suffer while folks that can fix it fail to act. What type of person would do that?
Do we promote these people, or do we expose them for who they truly are?
Bonhoeffer died for his beliefs. It was the ultimate price, and he paid it because he remained TRUE while others failed to speak up and act out due to their own SELF-INTEREST and FEAR.
History … and God … will not hold us guiltless. ACT!!! SPEAK!!!
This past week the Illinois Democrat Supermajority failed to renew 5-year, $75 million per-year, school choice tax credit program serving 9,600 low-income children each year.
This was only the second state to “go backwards” … SC being the first in 2016 when the government took over the $8 million Exceptional Needs program making it the first 100% government run school choice tax credit program in the Nation – and now the worst rated private school choice program in the Nation as well. But Illinois is a SUPERMAJORITY Democrat legislature … both their House & Senate … so it is no real big surprise. The only real surprise was Illinois passed it in the first place back in 2017.
Center Square Article: HERE
Even the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board stepped into the conversation calling out Democrat Governor J.B. Pritzker (of the Hyatt family – see HERE) and the national and state teachers unions for killing the program.
9,600 low-income children in the program … 20,000 low-income kids on the waiting list … and the DEMOCRATS and a billionaire Governor kill it?!?!?
Sickening!!! #FollowTheMoney!!!
Wall Street Journal Editorial: HERE
Will SC Do Better?
Our SC Legislature will however have the opportunity to do better … better than an Illinois Democrat Supermajority … and put South Carolina at the top of the list in School Choice when they go back into session on Tuesday, January 9th, 2024.
What will SC House Leadership do? What will your SC House Rep. do?
It is going to be a very educational legislative session … and the first indicator will be the PACE / ACE Scholarship Bill (S 285).
Stay tuned … and call your personal SC House Rep to ask them what they think. It is a great opportunity to speak with your SC House Rep.
Find your legislators HERE.
Article: HERE
PDF Copy: HERE
Election Results from SC Votes: HERE
First of all … congratulations to all your candidates that won their elections yesterday (or moved forward to a run-off) … and for those of your candidates that did not make it … just remember that it is easier to surrender than to fight the battle. #NeverSurrender!
Consider too that most of the elected officials you know today … the ones that seem so “in control” and just “could not lose” … check their electoral history. Most lost their first election, and maybe even their second. Don’t throw away the knowledge and experience you have gained even in a lose … RUN AGAIN!!!
Imagine the world today if Winston Churchill & Great Britain had decided to surrender to Nazi Germany …
Sept. 1, 1939 – Germany Invades Poland
Sept. 3, 1939 – England declares war on Germany
May 10, 1940 – Chamberlin resigns & Churchill becomes Prime Minister
June 4, 1940 – Churchill’s NEVER SURRENDER Speech
Dec. 11, 1941 – US Declares War on Germany
Finding Election Results
Now … where in the heck do we find election results?!?!?! One would think that it would be easy to find results, but it really isn’t.
(1) INTERNET SEARCH / SOCIAL MEDIA: Don’t trust it, verify everything … but the fastest and easiest route is a quick internet search, or “X” (fka Twitter), or your local news agencies. We hate to even suggest it, but as you will see below there is no consolidated and easy “official” route to find elections results here in South Carolina.
Millions & millions, actually tens of millions in tax dollars spent on elections … and no centralized and official one-stop-shop resource in South Carolina to find all election results. If they can’t do the simple things right, it really makes you wonder if the hard stuff is being done right.
[NOTE: It should also be noted that RESULTS ARE NOT OFFICIAL generally until they are certified by their respective Board of Elections, usually on Thursday or Friday after election day. These certification meetings are official and open to the public … you should go and watch.]
(2) SCVotes.gov: Our best statewide official resource is the SC State Election Commission (SEC) located at www.SCVotes.gov. There is tons of information there and if you are involved in politics in any form or fashion you should know this website backwards and forwards.
The ELECTION RESULTS are specifically located HERE. But be prepared, it is not as intuitive as it should be, so expect to have to “hen peck” around to find the specific races you are looking for … and even then, some municipalities & towns don’t report through the state website. Geez … wouldn’t it be interesting to know the “drama” behind that why.
(3) Local County Board of Elections: If the information is not on SCVotes.gov … like Greenville, Horry, Chesterfield, and the towns of Iva, Jamestown & Coward … check with your local County Board of Elections. You can find contact information for all 46 County Boards HERE.
As with the SC State Election Commission website which we should all know backwards and forwards … we should all know our local COUNTY Board of Elections website backwards and forwards as well. Knowledge is Power!!!
Have other suggestions? Let us know at team@mySCGOP.com
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