I have come as a Light into the world that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. John12:46

RNHA Wishes You a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Lakeland, FL- The Republican National Hispanic Assembly wishes you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year.
RNHA National Chairman Alci Maldonado stated: “At this wonderful time of year, amidst the rush of preparing for Christmas, let us all pause to remember the miracle that occurred that one silent night so long ago when Heaven’s choir broke the silence to sing the glory of God’s ultimate gift to humanity- His precious Son as Savior for mankind. May the Christmas gift of the Love and Salvation of our Lord Jesus Christ fill your life. Merry Christmas to you, to our brave fighting men and women and to their loved ones who await them on the home front and a Joyous New Year as we share the blessings we have in our America. May our Lord’s light shine in all of you.”

Christmas Poem

This is to honor our fighting men and women, especially for RNHA members Mark Phillippe and Eliazar Valenzuela.

Christmas Poem

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF
PLASTER AND STONE.

I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO
IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
NOT EVEN A TREE.

NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT
CAME THROUGH MY MIND.

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED
A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.

WAS THIS THE HERO
OF WHOM I’D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
THE FLOOR FOR A BED?

I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS
WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

I COULDN’T HELP WONDER
HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVEING, IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

THE VERY THOUGHT
BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES
AND STARTED TO CRY.

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED
AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
‘SANTA DON’T CRY,
THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;

I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
I DON’T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS.’

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN’T CONTROL IT,
I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
SO SILENT AND STILL
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED
FROM THE COLD NIGHT’S CHILL.

I DIDN’T WANT TO LEAVE
ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR
SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
WHISPERED, ‘CARRY ON SANTA,
IT’S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE.’

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
‘MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,!
AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT.’

RNC Chairman Priebus Statement on Democrats’ Extreme Rhetoric On Voter Identification Laws

http://www.gop.com/index.php/news/comments/rnc_chairman_priebus_statement_on_democrats_extreme_rhetoric_on_voter_ident

RNC Releases Web Video: “He’d Rather Raise Taxes”

http://www.gop.com/index.php/news/comments/rnc_releases_web_video_a

“Resurgent Republican Close Gap in Key States”

http://www.gop.com/index.php/news/comments/icymi_resurgent_republicans_close_gap_in_key_states

Marco Rubio encourages Hispanic support of GOP at Dallas event

Note: Marco Rubio encouraged Hispanics to vote Republican this morning, saying that the Hispanic culture and the GOP share similar conservative values and an appreciation for self determination. He said that the notion supported by Obama and the Democrats that the government should help private citizens make decisions was a “false choice” and “ignores our legacy as a people.” Rubio spoke as part of the Hispanic Leadership Forum put on by the Associated Republicans of Texas, which held the event to encourage Hispanic participation in the Republican Party. Texas State Rep. Aaron Pena and Texas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman also spoke at the event, held this morning at the Hyatt Regency in Downtown Dallas. Guzman, the first Latina to sit on the Texas Supreme Court, echoed the notion that Hispanics shared “core values” with the Republican Party, especially the “notion that with hard work the American dream is attainable regardless of your background.”

Marco Rubio encourages Hispanic support of GOP at Dallas event

Politically Inclined11.4.11
http://politically-inclined.com/2011/11/04/marco-rubio-encourages-hispanic-support-of-gop-at-dallas-event/

Marco Rubio encouraged Hispanics to vote Republican this morning, saying that the Hispanic culture and the GOP share similar conservative values and an appreciation for self determination. He said that the notion supported by Obama and the Democrats that the government should help private citizens make decisions was a “false choice” and “ignores our legacy as a people.” “Neither Wall Street nor Washington has made America great,” he said. “You know who has? You have.” Rubio spoke as part of the Hispanic Leadership Forum put on by the Associated Republicans of Texas, which held the event to encourage Hispanic participation in the Republican Party. Texas State Rep. Aaron Pena and Texas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman also spoke at the event, held this morning at the Hyatt Regency in Downtown Dallas. Pena, who began his career in the Texas House in 2002 as a Democrat, said he switched to the Republican Party this year because the values he was raised with had “slowly eroded” from the Democratic Party. “I didn’t leave the Democratic Party,” he said. “The Democratic Party left me.” He said Hispanics were “Republicans who don’t know it yet.” Guzman, the first Latina to sit on the Texas Supreme Court, echoed the notion that Hispanics shared “core values” with the Republican Party, especially the “notion that with hard work the American dream is attainable regardless of your background.” Rubio, whose account of his parent’s arrival in the United States from Cuba has been under fire recently, said his conservative values were instilled in him through the hard work of his mother and father, who worked low-wage jobs in the service industry so their children could have a better life. “This is a good story. I’m proud of this story,” he said. “But this story is not possible in an economy dominated by the government.”He said rules imposed by the government, while they will annoy big business, will not destroy big business because “they can deal with it.” “You know who can’t deal with it?” he asked the audience. “The guy who is trying to open a business from the spare bedroom of his house, or the woman who is trying to start a business in her garage.” He spoke openly about the failure of the Obama administration and the Democratic Party to turn the economy around, saying they “got everything they wanted” when the Democrats held a majority in both the House and the Senate during the first several months of the Obama White House. “They inherited a bad economy, no doubt about it. But what’s happened after that?” he said. “There were 12 million unemployed when Obama took office, now there are 14 million.” After mentioning the increasing debt, the rising number of food stamp recipients, record high poverty and high gas prices, he said the “one thing down” was home values, sparking laughter from the audience. “There is a reason that thousands upon thousands of people every year enter this country to get away from the economic policies we are now trying to implement in our own country,” he said, calling attention to the positive aspects of the free enterprise system and saying it is the “reason there aren’t boatloads of American refugees aren’t arriving on the shores of other countries.” “If what you want is a country where hard work and good ideas are rewarded by prosperity and the opportunity to make your kids better off than yourself, there is only one economic system in the history of the world that has consistently made that available, and that is the American free enterprise system, and there is only one political party in the United States that even pretends to believe that,” he said. He did not simply praise the Republican Party, however. He called for the GOP to lead to charge on reforming immigration policy to make it easier to immigrate to the United States. “It is a mistake for the Republican Party to only be known as the anti-illegal immigration party. It also needs to be known as the pro legal immigration party,” he said, mentioning that he hopes the 2012 presidential election will bring about much needed discussion of immigration policy. “When you are talking about immigration, you are not just talking about statistics. The rhetoric matters,” he said. “It’s the real lives of real people who you know and see.” And while he said immigration was important, he said the “central issue of our time” was economic prosperity, and that the Democratic Party was not fully committed to turning it around because they were too convinced of the risks of the free enterprise system. “Certainly there will people that fall behind in the free enterprise system,” he said, advocating there continue to be a welfare system “not as a way of life…but as a way for you to get back on your feet.” He advocated a country in which we continued to take care of each other, but said that mindset has ballooned into a government that is too expensive. “The United States of America is the largest most prosperous economy in the history of mankind,” he said. “But in America, we have built ourselves a government that not even the richest country in the history of the world can afford to pay for.”

REPUBLICAN NATIONAL HISPANIC ASSEMBLY STATEMENT FOR VETERANS’ DAY 2011

Lakeland, FL.-

The Republican National Hispanic Assembly (RNHA) wishes all veterans, our troops, their families and the rest of America a special day filled with well-deserved tribute and recognition of those unique, brave and patriotic Americans who have served this great country in our nation’s armed forces.

On October 8th, 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower declared that henceforth November 11th would be known as Veterans Day and the President proclaimed that “On that day let us solemnly remember the sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly, on the seas, in the air, and on foreign shores, to preserve our heritage of freedom, and let us reconsecrate ourselves to the task of promoting an enduring peace so that their efforts shall not have been in vain.”

RNHA National Chairman Alci Maldonado observed: “We are the greatest country on earth because of the sacrifice our wonderful veterans and troops have made to preserve the freedom of America and to promote the cause of liberty for the oppressed in other lands. America is liberty, American veterans and our troops each represent those ideals which make America that great shining city on the hill to which President Ronald Reagan made reference. God bless our veterans, troops and their families. Well done! God bless America!”

RNHA Convention Press Release

Tampa, FL.

The Republican National Hispanic Assembly is pleased to announce the conclusion of the National Convention at Tampa, Florida. With the personal endorsement of U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, as well as other officials, National Chairman Alci Maldonado was reelected by acclamation and the RNHA congratulates on their election Chairman Maldonado, First Co-Chairman Tony Benegas of Washington State, Second Co-Chairman Bob Spindell of Wisconsin, National Treasurer Mark McClendon of Texas, National Assistant Treasurer Octavio Sanchez of Arkansas, National Secretary Debbie Bishop of Florida and National Assistant Secretary Genaro Pedroarias of Virginia.

The RNHA and the National Convention received unprecedented and positive coverage by the National and Florida Media, including Univision and Telemundo as Governor Mitt Romney gave a well received and inspirational speech at the RNHA Americans of Faith Breakfast, followed by Mr. Herman Cain’s rousing remarks for the delegates and guests at the RNHA Salute the Troops luncheon, during which the RNHA honored posthumously the late RNHA member Sergeant Eric U. Ramirez who gave his life for his country in Iraq. Also honored was RNHA member and Purple Heart recipient Specialist Javier Fernandez.

At the RNHA Gala Dinner “The Legacy Lives On” Tribute to RNHA Founder President George H. W. Bush, the RNHA Presidential patriarch was represented by his grandson, Jeb Bush, Jr. who urged the delegates and guests to continue to advocate conservative Hispanic values and to spread the word to the nation’s diverse Hispanic American community. Republican National Committee Chairman and RNHA Wisconsin member Reince Priebus’ Keynote speech at the Gala emphasized the importance of the values which the RNHA espouses as well as its grass roots accomplishments and legacy. RNC Chairman Priebus also encouraged RNHA members to work with the RNC and with State Parties to continue to advocate conservative issues during the challenging 2012 election cycle and beyond. The evening concluded with delegates and guests enjoying and dancing to the music of a live orchestra.

The RNHA prayer breakfast the following morning featured a welcome to the RNHA by Florida Governor Rick Scott, a greeting from former Virginia Governor and US Senator George Allen of Virginia followed by the encouraging and enjoyable remarks of U.S. Congressman David Rivera. The RNHA prayer breakfast concluded with the well received and inspirational speech of Florida House Speaker Designate Representative Will Weatherford.

The Delegates enjoyed nuts and bolts workshops presented by nationally renowned political analyst and commentator Dr. Susan MacManus, University of South Florida Political Science Professor, Tamar Jacoby of Immigration Works of Washington, D.C. , Pablo Pantoja of the Republican Party of Florida and his presentation regarding the work of grass roots activists with state party organizations and a workshop on tips about how to effectively lobby elected officials presented by Ralph Lair, Chief Legislative Assistant to Florida House Speaker Designate Representative Will Weatherford. From the Tampa International Airport’s personalized digital signs greeting the RNHA Delegates, to the outstanding Convention Hotel facilities and beautiful Tampa Bay, the RNHA thanks its sponsors, the host Florida chapter and the many volunteers who made the exciting event an unqualified success.

Obama’s Hispanic support collapses

http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/180179-obamas-hispanic-support-collapses