As we get together to celebrate the 4th of July, Independence Day, with family gatherings, cookouts, parades, and fireworks please take time to stop and remember what we are celebrating. It is the birthday of our great country. We are so fortunate to have the privilege to live in America. But it is only because of the sacrifices of so many that we have the freedom we have today.
Our Founding Fathers, the signers of the Declaration of Independence, paid with their lives and livelihood for their freedom because of their strong commitment to self-government of free men instead of servitude to a monarch. So many generations of brave Americans fought on foreign soil around the world and paid the ultimate sacrifice protecting our freedoms and trying to bring freedom to people they did not even know.
In 1776, no one imagined that a band of militia men could possibly defeat the greatest military and naval power in the world. But the colonists were fighting for their freedom from tyranny and the British Crown. They knew they had to be victorious to establish a free and independent nation where all people would have the opportunity to achieve their dreams, not just the monarchy and the aristocracy.
We are living in challenging times. We get discouraged when we hear many who were elected to protect America seem to be doing all they can to take away our freedoms. President Reagan taught us freedom is only one generation away from extinction. We can make a difference by coming together and fight with words and wisdom to get our message out and keep America the greatest nation the world has ever known.
HAPPY 238th BIRTHDAY AMERICA
God Bless America & the American Spirit
Thank you for all you do,
Roseann
A great way to celebrate America’s Birthday is by seeing the movie America by Dinesh D’Souza and invite friends to join you!
Today the California State Legislators leave the Capitol for their summer recess. They will return in early August to finish up session and decide the fate of thousands of bills still in legislative limbo. Only fiscal committees will meet upon their return, so many bills will be heard in both the Senate and Assembly Appropriations Committees before returning to the floor of both houses for a vote. Some bills that were passed last session went to effect on Tuesday, July 1st, the start of the 2014-2015 fiscal year. Here are a few bills that are now in effect:
-California’s minimum wage jumped to $9/hour on Tuesday, thanks to a law signed by Governor Brown last session
-SB 770 (Jackson, D) expands Paid Family Leave for time off for employees to care for siblings, grandparents, parents-in-law, and grandchildren
-Teacher’s, school districts, and the state will begin paying more into the California State Teacher’s Retirement Fund. This is the first in a series of incremental hikes
Our friend, Dinesh D’Souza, gave us an exclusive look at his new movie, AMERICA, at our Advocacy Workshop back in April. After a long-anticipated month of preview screenings and premieres around the country, America opens wide today around the country! You can see America at over 1,000 theaters in cities and towns across America. If we show Lionsgate the success of the movie this first week, it will open twice as many or more theaters next week! To see a theater list for opening weekend, ◼ click here. Tickets are available now on Fandango. ◼ Order yours today, and then forward this email to a friend or family member that also cares about the future of America.
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