Musings, opinions, observations, questions, and random thoughts on island life, Fernandina Beach and more

Musings, opinions, observations, questions, and random thoughts on island life, Fernandina Beach and more

Why Did You Register As A Republican Genece Minshew? Joyce Tuten, Why Did You Abandon The Democrat Party?

Genece Minshew, the former head of the local Pride organization, abandoned the Democrat party the day before she filed to run for Fernandina Beach City Commission Seat 2, Wednesday, April 24, 2024, and registered as a Republican. Why?

Ms. Minshew parading.

Commission candidate Joyce Tuten also chucked her Democrat party affiliation in her bid for the Commission’s Seat 1, against incumbent Mayor Bradley Bean and registered “No Party Affiliation”. Why Ms. Tuten?

They’ve both been asked why they switched but neither candidate will explain their motives. Let’s start with Minshew.

Since she is now allegedly a Republican and a candidate for a seat on the Fernandina Beach City Commission, Minshew was invited to speak to the Nassau County Republican Executive Committee (REC) to explain why they should endorse her and provide funding.

She has an odd way of displaying her appreciation. The new Republican was  a no-show, saying she had a previous commitment.

In 2020 and 2022 the REC endorsed Republicans David Sturges, and Darren Ayscue, respectively for Commission seats. Did Minshew have an epiphany then, thinking: “That’s the ticket! I’ll trick ’em by joining ‘em.”

“Am I a Republican? Why would you ask such a silly question?”

If she had shown up at the Thursday, Sept. 19  session, where she was conspicuous by her absence, an endorsement would have been an uphill slog for the newly minted GOPer, comparable to Hamas military leader Yahya Sinwar seeking the support of the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith.

When the time came to call for endorsements, the REC, using Rule 8 of Florida’s GOP Rules of Procedure,  the crowd thunderously and unanimously proclaimed their support for Minshew’s Republican opponent, David Sturges. They also voted to provide him a $500 campaign donation. When a voice vote for Minshew was called, it solicited dead silence and a few chuckles.

What was Minshew thinking? She has been critical of local Republican candidates for receiving money from the party or Republican Political Action Committees (PACs). Even though the race is nonpartisan, did she believe the Republican party would not endorse or help fund her opponent if two or more Republicans were running for the same seat?

Did she intentionally register as a member of a party, whose beliefs she loathes, to deceive the electorate, hoping they won’t notice and prevent funds from going to her opponent? Or does she think that as a registered Republican she might actually pick up some GOP campaign support and cash, even though there is almost no chance of that happening. Apparently she thinks local voters are as stupid as she is devious and dim. This gal puts an entirely new blush on the term “RINO!”

As a newly registered local Republican does she — the former head of the local Pride group — believe in the party’s principles including:

  • Conservative Values promoting family ideals, such as marriage between a man and a woman, and advocating for policies that support and strengthen families.
  • Keeping inappropriate sexual materials out of K-12 classrooms.
  • Does Minshew agree with Republican Governor Ron DeSantis’ initiated state law that Florida schools cannot indoctrinate children with transgender ideology or attempt to transition children behind their parents backs?
  • Does she agree with the DeSantis initiated “Stop WOKE” law that says Florida’s parents, not school officials, have the say over the upbringing of their children?
  • Does Minshew believe that the city and Nassau County School Board should enforce and endorse that state law that prohibits members of one sex from entering a restroom or changing facility designed for members of the opposite sex?

She won’t respond to these questions when asked.

If she doesn’t believe in these laws and values then why did she register as a Republican? Is it because Republicans vastly outnumber Democrats in Nassau County, 48,890 to 13,275, and she hopes by registering Republican that she’ll dupe voters?

While president of the local Gay Pride organization, Minshew advocated promoting Amelia Island as a gay vacation destination exclusively concentrating on attracting members of the LGBTQA+ crowd. She publicly expressed those intentions. This is not part of the Republican platform. Republicans believe the community should be promoted as welcoming to everybody including the LGBTA crowd, not focusing on just one specific group.

During her last two failed runs for the City Commission, Minshew refused to answer a question sent to all candidates by the local chapter of Citizens Defending Freedom asking if they advocated making the island a gay vacation destination. She refused to answer or return calls or emails from me and others when we attempted to question her about not answering it. Why?

Minshew lost her first run for the Commission to current Commissioner David Sturges, the second time she lost to current Commissioner Darron Ayscue and is now trying again against Sturges. Hopefully she’ll score a losing trifecta.

If Minshew is a Republican then I’m a Marxist.

As far as Ms. Tuten is concerned it appears this newly arrived extreme tree hugger from Maryland is a one-trick pony. Her platform is all environmental. She’s joined every environmental and conservation group hereabouts that exists. If there was a mosquito and gnat sanctuary facility here she’d be its leading advocate.

For some reason she also abandoned the Democrat party registering No Party Affiliation, probably rightly thinking that her Democrat party affiliation would alienate the area’s majority Republicans.

This green climate change zealot filed for Seat 1, currently held by Mayor Bradley Bean, who is seeking re-election.

Tuten lost little time jumping in bed with the “everybody that arrived here after me please get out now” crowd. She dove head first into the fanatical wing of the Nassau County tree-hugging, turtle-watching, anti-business, anti-development, climate change alarmist crowd.

Tuten says she’s a retired AP Environmental Science teacher and a National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration (NOAA) climate steward educator, whatever that is. She is also an officer for Conserve Nassau.

Neither the sad left-wing News Leader nor the pathetic online Observer have ever mentioned the two party-hopping extremists except in glowing terms.  Like these two gals pretending to be something they’re not, those two publications are pretending to be news outlets.

***

Shockingly Exciting News – Not: I don’t know what the folks at the local electricity mill do for excitement but it appears to me that they’re an exceptionally dull crowd.

I received an unsigned letter from Florida Public Utilities the other day exclaiming in the first sentence: “We have exciting news to share!”

The exhilarating news was: “Please note your new account number below.”

I wasn’t as thrilled as they anticipated. I contained my enthusiasm and didn’t contact family, friends, and neighbors to share the news.

I’m hoping my next correspondence from this group, which will be my monthly invoice, is equally dull.

***

Tail Wagging Tales: My pal Fernandina Beach graphic designer, cartoonist and caricature artist, Steve Hall, has a recently published book that will appeal to dog lovers hereabouts and elsewhere. Titled “Tail Waggin’ Howlers,” it’s a volume of black and white cartoons that feature local canine antics, those of their owners and observers.

Though the dogs and their owners aren’t identified in the tome, local readers will recognize some of the faces and/or the hounds. Those interested can obtain a copy by going to https://tinyurl.com/ykc8zswp . It can also be purchased at Amazon by searching for “Amazon, Tail Waggin’ Howlers.”

Book signings are being scheduled at various Amelia Island venues.

***

Unanswered Questions: Donald Trump’s golf outing Monday, September 15 was unplanned, a last-minute schedule change. The UK Daily Mail  and retired FBI Assistant Director Chris Swecker say the most significant and troubling unanswered question thus far is: How did Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, the alleged shooter, know when and where to be?

The Daily Mail’s theory is that someone inside the Trump security apparatus tipped Routh off. Are there any other theories that make more sense? Granted, that could change. But if not, it would suggest a much bigger conspiracy reaching the top levels of the Biden Administration.

Swecker bluntly stated that there is a “scary” possibility that others were involved in the second assassination attempt on former President Trump.

He made the comment to both Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo and Newsweek. Specifically, he wants to know how the suspect Routh knew what Trump’s golfing schedule was and where to set up to take a shot. Swecker believes it’s possible that the shooter had inside information.

“The biggest question to answer is: ‘How did the would-be assassin know to be at that location at that time? There are only three possible answers: He guessed and got very lucky; he conducted surveillance on Trump and followed him to the golf course, or he had inside information about Trump’s schedule,” he noted.

Routh remains alive in custody. If he acted alone, he has no good reason to lie about how he knew to haul shooting gear, protective tiles, and a GoPro to the golf course at that particular moment. If he doesn’t talk, it will raise even more questions than if he does.

 ***

Wait! What? During the presidential debate Kamala Harris proudly said, “The U.S. doesn’t have a single U.S. military person in uniform engaging in combat anywhere in the world right now.”

That must have come as a surprise to the uniformed U.S. troops that were wounded in combat in Iraq last month.

And what about all the sailors and marines aboard the aircraft carriers and battleships in the Middle East, particularly the Red Sea? Who is piloting those planes hitting Iraqi missile sites and shooting down Houthi and Iranian missiles and drones being fired at commercial and U.S. warships and Israel?

According to the Defense Department the U.S. still has about 2,500 troops in Iraq and another 900 in Syria fighting the remnants of the Islamic State, which temporarily carved out its own territory in the aftermath of Iraq’s and Syria’s civil war.

Four ISIS leaders were among the 14 terrorists killed during the U.S. military raid last month in western Iraq, according to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and a number of the uniformed U.S. troops were wounded. In a press release , CENTCOM revealed that it had conducted a joint raid with the Iraqi Security Forces on Aug. 29th.

The raid was meant “to disrupt and degrade ISIS’ ability to plan, organize, and conduct attacks against Iraqi civilians, as well as U.S. citizens, allies, and partners throughout the region and beyond.”

In addition, the U.S. is currently relocating special forces troops formerly stationed in Niger to the West African countries of  Ivory Coast, Benin, and Chad to combat a rise in Muslim terrorist activity.

As vice president why doesn’t she know about any of this? If she does know then she’s a flat out liar. Either way it’s frightening. The ABC moderating duo let it all slip by as they were too busy fact-checking Trump’s tone of voice for sarcasm.

The Harris-Biden duo won’t even mention the term “Islamic terrorism,” saying it’s offensive. To whom? The terrorists?

It’s obvious ISIS still remains a threat to Americans. And thanks to Harris and Joe Biden many of these killers are already in the U.S.  News outlets previously reported how migrants from ISIS-linked Tajikistan have been showing up at the southern U.S. border left and right.

Indeed, the number of illegal aliens from Tajikistan that have arrived at the border has “skyrocketed” ever since President Biden assumed office in early 2021, according to the New York Post.

This is a major problem because Tajikistan is “a hotbed of ISIS recruitment.” Yet over 1,500 Tajiks made it across the U.S. border between October 2020 and May 2024 — 500 this year alone, says the Post.

Contrast this with past data: “Over the previous 14 years there were just 26 Tajik nationals crossing the border,” the Post notes.

Arkansas Republican U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton suggested Vice President Kamala Harris is as effective in fixing the border crisis as O.J. Simpson would have been in trying to “find the real killer.”

  • Comment (24)
  • Two far left candidates try to blend in to the landscape by re-registering as Republicans and putting out ambiguous statements. Very cynical and deceptive. The only thing I like about them is that they would slow down development, but to a fault. Tuten’s Agenda 200/2030 views and Minshew’s make Nassau County into an lgbtq+ destination are unacceptable.

    Voters should know that active Republicans have overwhelmingly (like unanimously) rejected endorsing either one of these phonies. Would they be willing to commit to Republican platforms and priorities?

    Why so few comments today? Is everyone taking shelter from exploding pages and assassination threats?

    • Although I am not gay, I do occasionally enjoy messing around with other women. So why do you care if the LGBTQ+ community want to visit your island? They’ll spend a lot of money that will help the city. I liked my visit there but clearly the place is lacking a citizenry that is willing to invest the necessary funds, derived through sources other than tourism, to really make it a world class destination.

    • CNN is a good source of information too. I watched the post debate debriefing and thought they did an excellent and unbiased job of reporting the FACTS.

    • Wondering why Trump refuses to commit to a second debate with Harris? Perhaps he knows that she is more intelligent than he is and can easily out debate him.

      • Let me see if I can clear this up for you. Trump and Biden agreed to 2 debates on CNN and ABC and agreed to all of the rules of the debates. Trump and Biden held the first debate on CNN and shortly thereafter the liberal elites led by Pelosi, Schumer and Harris led a coup / threat of 25th Amendment to force Biden off the ticket and anoint Harris. Trump agreed to abide by the previously agreed upon debate on ABC. Harris tried everything she could to change the rules. The debate was held and Trump was constantly fact checked (sometimes incorrectly) and Harris was never fact checked (grew up in a middle class family as her first response). Now, who is the intelligent one here who knows these debates are stacked against him? Also, see my response to Conny Carter on the 25 lies Harris told at the ABC debate.

    • factcheck.org (not factchecker.org!) is a left leaning organization along the lines of the New York Times, Washington Post, NPR and the AP.

  • I think we have found the Democrat’s new strategy. Make them think we’re not Democrats to garner votes. The average American will never know. These local candidates are deceitful and committing fraud in their pledge to office. At least Kamala has maintained her Democratic badge even if she too is stealing from the RIGHT platform to appropriate votes from the fence-sitters.
    We conservatives must stand united, be careful how we vote in the local elections, and not get fooled by the rhetoric of Kamala. It’s time the Republicans steal a page from this handbook, take a few of the Democratic ideas, and make them your own. Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water but find those issues that are not strategic to this country’s health and adopt them to keep the ship afloat. Being too hardheaded about issues distances the party from the undecided………avoid or softball some of the topics argued over by celebrities is not a big deal. They’re getting/taking them anyway. Be better negotiators than them……..it’s just good business.

  • As for the Trump golf outing “leak”….the guy was there for 12 hours so he clearly did not know when Trump was going to be out on the course. I think it was a guess on his part as reports say Trump often plays on Sunday when he is at Mar Lago. Kudos to the USSS agent that spotted the rifle barrel poking through the fence. But why did he miss?

    • Because the guy was discovered and apprehended before he could take a shot. What are you trying to imply by saying “why did he miss” ?

      • Publicity stunt by Trump! Unf#*%g believable. One can only imagine the temper tantrum he will have when he loses the election.

      • I’m with you guys. There is more going on here than what the mainstream media is reporting. I hope Dave turns his quill of wisdom and wit to this topic and can enlighten us all!

  • Dave: The replies to comments are sorted wrong. They are sorted newest to oldest, should be the opposite. Thanks.

    • I prefer reverse order with newest first. That way its just like talking over people when I have to correct them – you included.

  • Y’alls who hold McDonalds stock, pay attention to President Trump. I’ve sold mine and am investing in Burger King, which has much better french fries.

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