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February 20 Breakfast Meeting Report

“A revolution is not a tea party,” so declared Mao Tse Tung, famous Chinese community organizer who murdered some 65 million persons during his drive to make China into a Communist nation.

The conservative activists who heard Sen. Randy Hultgren speak about his candidacy for Representative from the 14^th Congressional District would probably disagree. He spoke to the TAPROOT Republicans who met for a breakfast meeting, Saturday, Feb. 20, in Lombard, at the Old Country Buffet. The room could hardly contain the crowd of eager Republicans, energized by the spirit of the “Boston Tea Party,” who look forward to November to dismiss Democrats like Bill Foster who currently represents the 14^th district in Washington.

They also heard from other candidates. Robert Enriquez is running for Secretary of State. The others seek election to the Illinois Republican Party’s State Central Committee, Jack Cunningham, Jim Oberweis and Peter LaBarbera.

“We are under attack. We go to church, love God, work hard, pay taxes, yet we are the enemy. The only thing growing is the federal government, foisted on us by the likes of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid. Someone should do something, I said to myself. Maybe it should be me,” explained Hultgren, about how he came to the decision to run for Congress.

He won a tough context against Ethan Hastert, the son of the former Congressman from that district, Dennis Hastert, who also led the majority Republican Party in the House as Speaker. He credited the younger Hastert for being gracious and supportive in defeat—committed to work for party unity.

Hultgren went on to complain that the Democrat Foster votes 95% with the current Speaker, Pelosi. Foster does not respond to his constituency. His town-hall style meetings are set-ups, with scripted answers. “That’s wrong,” said, “we need someone who listens to the voters.”

Foster also voted for public funding of abortion. He already has a million dollars. Hultgren called for an army of volunteers and money, since he lacks the personal wealth of his opponent.

Robert Enriquez made his second appearance before TAPROOT this Saturday. He spoke the first time at the Christmas Party. “We will prevail this fall, for our nation and for our party,” he began.

“Certainly, a case against the current Secretary of State of corruption, mismanagement and ineptitude can be made,” Enriquez said. An immigrant from Honduras, he worked his way through school, in steel mills, graduated from Case-Western University and joined the Marines.

He has amassed experience working for international corporations in management and marketing. His extensive travels took him to Moscow during the 1990’s where he took the opportunity to inspect a Soviet submarine. He was surprised to see that it still relied on vacuum tube technology. This led him to the conclusion that socialists work with camouflage, which also applies to Democrats’ campaigns in the U.S. Enriquez promises transparency in Illinois government.

Jack Cunningham seeks election to the State Central Committee from the 14^th District. He characterized the current GOP in Illinois as a party of elitists. The public used to elect the Committeemen to the national party. But, the leaders changed the rules so that they could keep their jobs. He knows where the skeletons are buried and wants to open the books. He wants transparency in the GOP and supports SB600 which requires the election of Committeemen by vote of rank-and-file Republicans.

Jim Oberweis also wants the voters to choose him for the State Central Committee in the 14^th District. He talked up his conservative credentials. He worked his “heart out” for Barry Goldwater and later for Jack Cunningham, in 1972. His corporate background taught him that business leaders tend to want boards of directors who go along. But, he noted, that what is best for a business is an independent board, which will provide fresh ideas.

Peter LaBarbera is running for State Central Committeeman in the 13^th District, whose U.S. Representative is Judy Biggert. LaBarbera brings his experience as a conservative activist to the table. Before heading up the pro-family and marriage, educational group, Americans For Truth (AFT), he led the Illinois Family Institute. AFT explicitly opposes the homosexual agenda of debasing marriage and normalizing a mental disorder.

He also supports democratizing the GOP with HB600. He complained that the party lacks integrity. The party is supposed to be impartial in primary contests and not support candidates such as Mark Kirk, who tends to vote with Democrats. “Idealism and integrity draw people to the party, not petty political stuff,” he explained. He believes in life, that it is God’s decision, and he opposes the politicization of kids in school.

Republican Precinct Committeemen will vote for candidates like LaBarbera, who serve for four years, at the up-coming County conventions, March 3. They will also vote for the County Chairman, who serves for two years. Votes for County Chairman and State Central Committeeman are weighted according to the number of Republicans who voted in the previous election.

Doors open at 8:00 AM. An all-you-can-eat meal ticket costs $5.99. Your RSVP is not required, but appreciated for planning purposes. We meet in the Old Country Buffet in Lombard at 551 East Roosevelt Road. Doors open at 8:00 AM and the program starts promptly at 8:30 AM and will conclude by 10:00 AM.

Contact: Dave 630-653-0462 or George 630-393-6401

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