Just Give Strength a Chance

Just Give Strength a Chance
Iraq type surge needed to win war on drugs and secure our borders and coastal boundaries.
I’m making all my holiday salutations now.  Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Year Happy Holiday Season signify a time to I’m thankful for the opportunity to share these words with you. I’m thankful for realizing the fruits of our labor – enforcement is working. The New Year will bring renewed efforts to work on all aspects of the problems created by unsecured borders and mass illegal immigration. We have so much to be thankful for.
It’s likely many of you have responded in many different ways in the weeks post election. I shared my thoughts almost 2 weeks ago and my stance remains the same. Like John Lennon would have, as a conscientious community organizer, I reached out to Obama last week suggesting the importance of  MCDC’s assistance in completing a  realistic and comprehensive approach to border security and illegal immigration.  Like Lennon’s message “just give peace a chance”, I say we establish the peace by just giving strength a chance in 2009. Through strength we will restore peace to our border region with Mexico.

If you missed my message to Obama please visit my blog http://chrissimcox.wordpress.com/

I’m thankful Obama asked for my input.
I’m thankful we have shown great strength in the past year – we built fences – they are working – we need to build more.
I’m Thankful for Border Patrol -enforcement is working and my Christmas wish is we double their ranks with National Guard troops in 2009.
The political implications of our election are still uncertain yet no one is taking a wait and see attitude.

Why?

We already need to start making those calls to our representatives and our message remains firm – No amnesty and a full surge of interior and border security in 2009 and beyond – we must control our borders now!

Why?

It’s a critically urgent national security crisis that has caused both Mexico and the U.S. great harm and will continue to do so. Obama can stop it. Our new administration must deal with the real threat our borders have become, deal with it and establish order to the southern border war region. Even if Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano is put in charge of DHS, no one better shy away from the fact that victory on our own borders must be achieved swiftly and with force.

Click Here to see video of Chris Simcox at David Horowitz Restoration Weekend
http://www.davidhorowitztv.com/restoration-weekend-2008/221-15-border-lines-the-continuing-problem-of-illegal-immigration

Click Here to see video of Texas Sheriff Sigi Gonzalez
http://www.davidhorowitztv.com/restoration-weekend-2008/221-15-border-lines-the-continuing-problem-of-illegal-immigration

Getting tough is working, we are catching up with the many hundreds of thousands of criminals who hide among the “hard working illegal aliens” – both are also leaving voluntarily -attrition through enforcement is working – now is the time for a full surge strategy employed to insure our Hemispheric region is secure and prosperous.

See, from our viewpoint, a surge using National Guard, private security and military assets we can quickly secure our borders and coastal boundaries. The Minuteman Civil Defense Corps firmly backs the surge strategy in order to save lives of U.S. citizens who are victims of crimes; in order to prevent people from dying in the desert; to protect all People from Human Trafficking; to win the war on drugs to establish Humane and secure crossings when people migrate for work, education or visitation.

I’m thankful that in a free country I can work to bring about reform. What a great year. Border crossings are down, apprehensions are down 17 percent from last year and for the first time since 1996 agents apprehended under one million people along our southern border. Over a million people have voluntarily returned to Mexico in 2008 – we need to support their efforts to find support from their government.

My New Year’s resolution is to work even smarter and broadcast our message to more people.
I’m grateful we have millions of citizens who have the will to work for reform and understand the importance of fixing these problems. We have a new president and new administration -The world is watching.

We must end the social friction and not allow the media to fan the flames of dissent and distrust.
Multinational cartels now control our borders like the Chinese control the Panama Canal -you can bet they are watching. The security  implications are graphically documented and the recent reports on the war in Mexico, and the NAFTA Highway organized crime cells recently exposed in a Department of Justice Report.

http://www.usdoj.gov/ndic/pubs25/25921/index.htm#Top

http://m3report.wordpress.com/

I remain hopeful and will continue to pray that Obama makes border security job one.
I’m thankful we can count on all of you to answer the call for action now and in 2009. Our message – No amnesty and full surge of interior and border security.

We know we will be working to introduce legislation in various new states in 2009.  We see the economy is having the desired influence on attrition -people in the U.S. illegally are returning home. If that home is south our border with Mexico then important reform will begin taking root in Mexico and other Latin American countries – however the attitude should not be with animosity towards the U.S., but rather with determination to work for a better life in one’s native country.

The enforcement paradigm is working and should continue especially in regards to border security. Fences are working and construction needs to continue and improvements like topping existing fences with razor wire have proven to act as the most effective deterrent short of the U.S. military.

Workplace enforcement is effective in holding employers accountable, exposing identity theft and locating an alarming number of “undocumented” who have committed other crimes while illegally present in the U.S.
I remain thankful for so much that is right with the world, our country and for so much that we have and value as a society. There I did it, Happy Thanksgiving, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year all together in one message.
A blessed Holiday Season to everyone,
with great hopes for a prosperous and free New Year,
Chris Simcox

International Border War First Challenge For President Elect Obama

International Border War First Challenge For President Elect Obama

National Security threatened by International Drug and Human Smuggling Cartels

Joe Biden, our Vice-president elect deserves credit for breaking away from the script to reveal a concern that many on both sides of the aisle consider of paramount importance.
Yes, Barack Obama will be challenged with an in-your-face confrontation in the first six-months of his administration, but then again the same be true for any presidential nominee.

While the media has driven the agenda of the campaign to be the blue collar victim economic panic-we need change campaign the real crisis facing the new president have been ignored, or purposefully covered up.

We have heard little discussion regarding education reform, no mention of out-of-control violent crime and the expansion of gangs, and most importantly a complete news black out on the raging drug wars in Mexico that will spill across our borders about the time our next president swears to uphold, protect and defend the Constitution.

Border security is not about poor migrant workers coming for work – it is about determined, resourceful people who see an opportunity and stop at nothing to acquire and enjoy the desired fruits of their labor, regardless of the carnage left in their wake.

More than 46,000 illegal aliens with U.S. criminal records were caught returning to the U.S. last year to commit more crimes. That number reflects only the Tucson sector!

10 million formally legal visitors have refused to leave the U.S. when ordered to do so and have assumed new identities and are potentially voting in our elections and living off the hard work and investments of the taxpayers.

Drug cartels now control our borders, National Parks and forests, dealing in drugs, weapons, money and Human misery -cartels are within an inch of taking control of the government of Mexico.

Our response plan so far – 500 million tax dollars to assist Mexico’s government in extinguishing the cartels.
Mexican military incursions across our borders have topped 300 in the past 5 years and they continue on an almost daily basis.
Will Obama respond as our past 3 presidents -business as usual?

Or will Obama address the rampant and expanding international drug cartels with connections right down to the black, brown, and white man and woman on street corners across America?

The only presidential candidates not to mention or address these important issues were John McCain and Barak Obama.
It’s time for Obama to not only break the silence but establish a legacy. Before he can bring our troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan he may need to send troops to the new battlefield – the U.S./Mexico border.   Can Obama even bring an end to the war of drugs?

The first international crisis is already in play and will continue to be a raging battle for our southern border.
Obama will be forced to make historic decisions regarding our border and they will be forced at the hands of the violent drug cartels. Or have many in government already been faced with the inevitable and choose not to bring up the subject through coercion?

I mean most every candidate and hapless news reporter or journalist by some means have managed to completely ignore and side-step our billions-of-dollars  spent on a failed war on drugs.

Avoiding the situation has not made the problem go away, it is now the greatest National Security and public safety threat to citizens of Mexico and U.S. citizens. This threat is comprised of heinously violent criminals, members of alliances from Columbia, Russia, Venezuela, Mexico and Cuba who have bought out or killed most of those who resisted their march toward the northern Mexican border with the United States.

This formidable, well funded, heavily armed Fortune 500 international corporation now controls most of Mexico and has laid claim to our southern border and supply routes north into Canada.
These cartels can bring anything or anyone across our borders, they have the means, the determination and the firepower -we never knew Obama’s or McCain’s or basically anyone’s stance on this critical issue – the media would not allow it. Does Obama have the courage to tackle this threat?

Today, thanks to a brave soul who decided to let slip the case of Obama’s Auntie Zeituni, Americans have learned that upwards of 10 million individuals have entered the country legally, yet overstayed their visas and have refused to report for deportation. Remember, no slight on Obama, this just highlights the importance of this widespread flaw in our system.

Many of the once legal, now turned illegal aliens have easily assumed new identities and or have contemptuously wormed through our broken immigration and social welfare system to defraud the taxpayers. In some cases these squatters receive free housing, free social services, free medical care,free education and yes many are likely to be found on the voter registration rolls of all 50 states. How many may have committed other crimes or are recruited by the gangs and criminal organizations?

Our system of checks and balances is not a joke; our lax attitudes have now resulted in our loss of control or our borders, our immigration system, our financial security and now threatens to upset the balance of power through malicious exploitation of the loopholes and the advertised lack of accountability throughout the system.

Regardless of the outcome of this election, this contest nor any other in our future should become regarded by history as an election won by those stealing the right and privilege to vote based on millions of illegal alien voters.

I have received so many positive responses to our call to civic duty – as Minuteman poll watchers.
We discover we have many Minuteman volunteers who are officially inside the polls as watchers and many others who were positioned outside the 75-100 ft. neutral zone that surrounds polling locations. We know the rules and regulations and follow them.

Just as a neighborhood watch Americans will be volunteering to keep our polling locations safe and secured to those who have the right to vote in our elections.

Along with illegal alien workers who show blatant disregard for our laws to enter the U.S. we also know that last year alone in the just the Tucson sector of Arizona over 46,000 arrested and convicted  murderers, sexual predators, drug dealers and violent criminals re-entered our country after they committed crimes in the U.S. and were previously removed by deportation. They returned again. How many got through and are back on the streets in your community?
We know millions of illegal aliens who have stolen identities of U.S. citizens could also be casting illegal votes.

Not only should we stand vigilant to ensure the rights of all who have a legal right to vote to do so in safety and assurance of the integrity of the system.
When you vote, please insist that your poll worker ask for, and checks your I.D.

These reports will only become more frequent as long as we ignore the situation -it’s not a joke.
Chris Simcox

Day 10 October Border Blog

Friday, October 10, 2008
A couple of things from the night before were clear, I was concerned that quite a few in the group from last night dropped backpacks and empty water bottles.
I stacked them up so it would be easy to find them. Since we had no confirmation from B.P. about the groups we put together 3- 2 man SAR Teams to scout the area first thing this morning. The first team was out by 6:30 a.m. – second team of 4 were in the field by 8 a.m.

An hour sweep of areas the larger of the groups from last night might have been yielded nothing but footprints and evidence of increased activity. We came up empty.

We moved to the site where I encounter the 2 young males and the unknown remainder of the larger group they were with. This is the group that dropped the backpacks. We returned to see if they had come back to pick up what they had left behind – they had – we could not find the stack of packs and bottles. We did find all the fresh footprints left behind. The groupings of footprints included those of one small child with about a size 3 shoe.
We hope they found water. We thoroughly searched the area until noon and returned to camp. Volunteers put in 3 more hours searching for anyone left behind.
Gene and Mike had arrived, our SAR Team briefed them and then it was time for me to drive back to Phoenix to catch a 6:30 p.m. flight to Des Moines, Iowa. I am speaking at an MCDC sponsored rally/candidate forum at the state capital tomorrow at 1p.m.
Arrived home, showered, packed hugged the wife and kids and back out to the airport.
My flight went well – I checked into my room at 12:30 a.m. central -no dinner again.

Day 9 October Border Blog

Thursday, October 9, 2008.
I woke early and joined in coffee and a morning chat with a few other early rising volunteers.
A few Search and Rescue Team volunteers went out to do early-morning scouting.
I spent the morning blogging catching up on e-mails and helping Judy, and others try to figure out a glitch, again, in the satellite Internet system.
A reporter, a journalist from radio Canada arrived an hour early and interviewed other volunteers while I finish my work.
A Border Patrol supervisor stopped by to share the daily Intel report. While we were speaking to him, another kilo unit, followed by an agent on an ATV drove out of the ranch fresh from cutting sign a long the King’s Anvil; they reported no sightings or any foot sign.
I spent about 30 minutes interviewing with the reporter. I was intending to end the interview and do some much-needed scouting to the east, as we continue to seek signs of activity in the area. The reporter wanted to tag along, but only had a short time. So I accommodated him by giving him a short hour-long tour of the ranch.
I was distracted a few minutes by a few phone calls and a couple of other daily administrative tasks at the camp and a loaded up the reporter and reluctantly drove out the line to give him a look see around. I hate to say I was actually looking forward to just completing a short interview and getting rid of this guy because we have so much work to do.
Alas, my generosity and patience paid off, as we had driven just a short distance past the Big Wash when we discovered fresh footprints laid right over the top of recent tire tracks – those made made by Border Patrol and other MCDC scouts.
I counted 12 to 15 sets of footprints, and immediately called our comms operator to relay the message to Border Patrol, who might just still be in the area.
Certainly, the reporter was getting his “money shot” and he seemed excited about what I was telling him. I backtracked my route and took an alternate road that ran north of the area of the initial crossing. This just to get a better sense of the time the group, came through the area, which I knew the group likely no more than an hour down the trail. By that time, an additional search and rescue team had arrived and we all agreed that we would wait on Border Patrol, and not track for rescue aid victims. We hoped Border Patrol would only be 15 minutes from the scene. Unfortunately it took 30 minutes to get Border Patrol back in the area, and they decided to work the group to the north – we never heard or confirmed that they made any apprehensions.

Out of curiosity, I decided to cut the same road further to the west and discovered another four crossings that occurred during the day! Border Patrol agreed this was very uncharacteristic of the patterns, especially at this time of the year, when temperatures still remain in the mid-to high 90s and travel during the day is difficult.
No matter.
It was clear these areas were going to be hit again, and in just a few hours. See, its typical that when you find signs of crossings that it’s a good bet that two or three other groups are kind of “spaced -apart” from each other and will typically all cross the same area within six to eight hours of each other.
On the way back into camp I decided to reward the reporter with a sit down interview with Pat King, the matriarch of the King’s Anvil ranch. The reporter was courteous and polite during his 15 minute interview with Pat.
He was satisfied with his experience and left camp. I was satisfied to have spend time with him, after all he led me to an important find that will help me set my line tonight.
Working on fresh Intel, and always being prepared to accommodate and be flexible in our response, tonight, we set posts at the exact location of every one of the four crossings, we named it the “Bail-Out line. I was line leader tonight and Big Irish sat the post 15 where the large group crossed earlier today.
This way, we also had a search and rescue member at each end of the line. As line leader I was the SAR rover for the evening. We had a seasoned two-man team just to my west on a trail that had been used by a group of about six earlier in the day. They crossed on the west side of the line and the cattle guard so I positioned the far west team directly on the trail.
I stationed myself on the east side of the fence line in the cattle guard concealing my vehicle behind a large rusted steel water tank. Behind me was a cattle corral and a pond tank.

I’ll admit it. I got caught a bit off guard – no longer that I’ve set the line and decided that after not eating all day I would open up in MRE, than I get the feeling
that I was being approached individuals. I had not even suited up with my equipment vest, but had laid my equipment out across the back of my Jeep, which was being obscured from the south by the steel water tank. This also worked to my disadvantage, in that it obstructed the sound of 2 young males who had managed to get within 200 feet of me before I heard their footsteps. Moments later I heard the footsteps of a larger group to my Southwest. I quickly picked up a night vision unit and located the two young males who were carrying water bottles up to the water water tank to refill. Not wanting to startle them nor deny them water I backed off a few feet away from my location, waited for them to approach lit my flashlight on the ground and said ” Hola’ Nessista e agua?
They paused for a split moment, turned and ran. I could hear them loudly whispering to the rest of the group to retreat.
I was joined by another search and rescue volunteer, and we canvassed the area, hoping to find anyone who may be lost or in need of water. We immediately contacted Border Patrol, and they were dispatching an agent to the area. The two of us search the area, only about a quarter of a square mile before deciding to return to our post. As I was returning to my vehicle by main radio battery died and I had to switch over to a peanut with dead batteries – had to quickly change batteries in the dark – good training.
Of course this was at the very same time, that Big Irish was awaiting a group of 15 individuals who were spotted by the eye in the sky unit. The group approached the fence right in front of our line volunteers and began moving laterally to the east
headed right for post 15.
We also dispatched the call to Border Patrol and called in more agents to our area.
I joined Big Irish at the far east section of our line, and together everyone in that area kept an eye on the group. The group would move further to the south remaining on the south side of the fence is key in our efforts to allow Border Patrol time to respond to our call and apprehend the group to our south rather than chasing them having to chase the group to the north.
Big Irish and I joined the two Border Patrol agents, one was a brand-new tracker trainee. He was obviously getting some field experience by tracking groups at
night. Communicating by radio with the two Border Patrol agents, Big Irish and I helped to cover another quarter square mile of area where we located the tracks of the least 15 individuals who were proceeding to retreat to the southeast -now with Border Patrol agents on their trail.
By that time, our shift was over.
Our teams packed up and returned to camp. Just a few miles away. Border Patrol sent in more ground detail agents at the shift change. They continued their pursuit – we never received confirmation as to whether the group was apprehended or not.
Nonetheless, the two busiest days we’ve had during the operation, so far.
With volunteer groups posted along the border from Texas to California and in many other areas here in Arizona. Everyone is reporting drastic decrease in the number of sightings, and even sign that many IA’s are in our areas of operation at least are not getting as far north as they used to. This a result of Border Patrol’s new aggressive tactics which are leading to a higher percentage of apprehensions.

Consequently, as the numbers of illegal aliens decrease, the frustration of the NAFTA entrepreneurs south of our border increases and will likely soon result in what I predicted would happen in 2003 – that the cartel’s that smuggle drugs, Humans, launder money and smuggle weapons across our borders are now directly challenging the United States government and the violence in Mexico may soon spill across our border. What will our response be this time?

BP Reported on October 9, 2008
Tucson Sector – Border Patrol agents arrested an illegal alien from Mexico near Nogales, Arizona. Records checks revealed the subject was previously removed
from the United States and was a registered sex offender in Maricopa County, Arizona.

Day 8 October Border Blog

Wednesday, October 8, 2008 daily border blog.
I returned to camp and began catching up with the newly arrived volunteers from Iowa, Massachusetts and Kansas. Of course Arizona is the home of the
civilian border watch movement, and typically I spend most of my time in Arizona, and I always try to meet and greet and spend time talking with our greatest
asset our diverse group of volunteers.
By early afternoon, after consulting with B.I or Big Irish, we decided we would make another trip 26 miles to the south to about the 10 mile marker. This would be
our second night in that area, hoping to be more of assistance to border patrol. Big Irish led the line, and I teamed up with Pete, a long time MCDC volunteer from Indiana. I remember spending about an hour with the four person team that were manning post 12 , or somewhere in that neighborhood along the Naco
line in April of 2005. Since that time, Pete has traveled from Indiana for every 30 day muster on the Arizona Arizona border.
At age 70. Pete is still spry with a sharp eagle eye and a steadfast vigilant approach to his responsibility on the border. I think Pete was the quietest volunteer I’ve ever shared post duty with.
Pete and I took the high ground along the line. I could see all the way to the border in the mountains to the east and the west. We could see border patrol in
force working south of us at many points spanning the East-West horizon we could see lights and agents on foot with flashlights. Just after dusk, a Blackhawk
helicopter flew into an area about 5 miles south of us to assist a team of agents who obviously were in the process of apprehending a group of suspected illegal
aliens.
Watching border patrol do their job, south of us was a gratifying sight to see. Since I made the call for the citizen border watch phenomenon In October of 2002
is now gratifying to see Homeland Security actually aggressively defending the homeland by actually responding by utilizing the plan introduced by the
American people. A plan we knew would be most effective; put border patrol agents on the border line, and concentrate a majority of your resources within a 2
to 5 mile zone of that border line, keep the problem from spreading north. It is good to see Border Patrol “be all they can be” and get the job done – well done B.P.!

Unfortunately the real fight is yet to come so it is good that agents learn to adpapt quickly -danger looms on the horizon.

Big Irish set a perfect line tonight with volunteers manning eight posts. It was a textbook operation except for the fact that we had no encounters and spent
most of the quiet evening admiring the efforts of border patrol agents to our south. Time well spent.

Day 7 October Border Blog

Wednesday, October 8, 2008.
As I wrote in a previous entry, Monday and Tuesday nights were quiet on the border as volunteers worked two new areas, yet still coming up empty on sightings or much evidence of foot traffic.
For many days now we are finding very little sign of foot traffic, and no encounters with any suspected illegal aliens in the desert.

Monday night I attended the coalition for a Coalition for a Coalition for a Conservative Majority www.ccm.org meeting in Phoenix. I gave the attendees an update on border activity and the imminent threat of the cartel war, which is now spilling over our borders,. As far back as January 2003 I have warned all Arizonans about the impending violent wars.
Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, who started the CCM, along with Ken Blackwell attended the meeting and discuss the importance of laying out a new plan, a new grassroots conservative movement for the future.

Day 6 October Border Blog

Mike decided to split the camp and move 45 miles away to the I-19 corridor. 10 volunteers moved and set up camp on the Parker Ranch. Border Patrol said they were glad to have us on the other side of the Valley.
Border Patrol were everywhere that night. 13 IA’s were apprehended on the train tracks – our volunteers on the Parker Ranch had no sightings.
Big Irish ran the King’s Anvil operation for the day – the eveing shift was moved to within 7 miles of the border at the request of the Border Patrol. They worked two areas closer to the border tonight but all was quiet – no sightings.
I told everyone at the kick off cookout that this would most likely be the slowest month of October we have ever had – so far my predictions are correct. Border Patrol reports brisk activity all around us – we still are looking for the optimal areas to work.
Weather is comfortable with some wind, but spirits remain high and everyone in camp is getting along swell.

Day 5 October Border Blog

I returned to Phoenix to catch up on administrative work and spend time with the kids.
Monday, Mike was in charge of camp and is doing a great job. Judy and Florence are taking care of admin and struggling with satellite web problems but we got them fixed.
Tom is answering the phone and managing comms during the day. J.J. arrived to take over evening shift radio comms.
Only a couple of IA’s found today, they were spotted standing next to Highway 86 -giving up and looking for a ride back south.
Monday evening’s shift came up empty -no sightings, no apprehensions. we continue to hear from Border Patrol that they are busy – we just have not been in the right place at the right time -yet.

Crash Course In Political Action Committees

Ok friends time for a crash course in Political Actions committees – brought to you by the Nutty Professor who sent out this email using a stolen data base and from a position of ignorance – so let’s help the professor.

He wrote this email and put my name on it as if I sent it out -juvenile and just slightly criminal -hey but email him and thank him for the opportunity to learn something new.

Chris Simcox

From: Azcactus@aol.com [mailto:Azcactus@aol.com]
Sent: Sunday, October 05, 2008 7:52 PM
To: Azcactus@aol.com
Subject: MINUTEMAN PAC seeking candidates in AZ

http://www.mcdcpac.com/Candidates.php

Minuteman Civil Defense Corps is seeking candidates in Arizona who are qualified to receive donations from PACs. If you are getting this email, you are running for office in 2008 and may qualify for a donation from Chris Simcoxs’ MCDC or Minuteman PAC.

The Minuteman PAC has taken in over $1.2M this year, and has only donated $10K to candidates nationally. With all that money sitting around collecting interest from folks who donated to help enforce immigration laws, Im sure you wonderful candidates could put it to use in these last few weeks of our Presidential Elections. You can see the detailed Minuteman PAC funding availability by visiting :

http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/lookup2.php?strID=C00417857

Just think, your candidacy may be able to collect $100, $500, or even $5000 in donations from a PAC. Minuteman PAC has been taking donations every year for the past 3 years just for you, its time you asked for it! Use it for mailings, phone calls, your campaigns cost money! These PACs are for you! With $1.2M taken in, and only $10K donated to national candidates, there just might even be enough money to fight off Prop 200 here in Arizona!

To be considered for a donation from Minuteman PAC, please call or email Chris Simcox, President of MCDC. A check could be waiting for you in the mail tomorrow!

Chris Simcox  tootough@gmail.com or 480-652-1638

Semper Vigilans!

Stacey O’Connell
Minuteman

My Response

Dear Friends and Activists:
A benefit of being a volunteer with or keeping up with the activities of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps is citizen education. Through our communications and action we all have a golden opportunity to learn about the political landscape, and master how effective political action works. I have learned so much more than I had ever imagined I would have to. From the International Boundaries and Waterways Commission who control the 60-foot right-of-way that is our northern and southern borders, to land use laws — it has been a journey that has taken me deep into the system that is our government and in essence what is America. We have learned how non-profit advocacy is a tool for the people to lobby and hold elected representatives accountable. We have learned how to staff, train and deploy volunteers in the field and in the people’s houses from D.C. to almost every state capital.  Part of this has been learning the crucial distinctions between “federal” and “state” government — and their distinct and separated respective powers, reach, authority, and regulatory structures and bureaucracies.
CLASS IN SESSION
More for the benefit of our missing “instructor” than our more savvy citizen pupils, here goes. Some people understand the importance of our mission and ARE ACTIVISTS VOLUNTEERING OUR TIME TO ACHIEVE A GOAL. Our dedicated volunteers have steadfastly stood behind the initial vision, understood my plan and believed in what has developed into the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps comprehensive approach to a deadly serious problem. Since then many people have provided the brains and muscle that has built a Juggernaut of an active grassroots majority. Thanks go to so many who have helped me and my executive team of Carmen Mercer and Al Garza refine and judge our next steps in deployment of assets to fulfill the mission to reform border security and fix the broken immigration system — our goals are being realized — but none of the positive developments we have effected, like the stunning defeat of Amnesty legislation instead of the Feds addressing border security enforcement first — would ever have happened if for not a multi-faceted, multi-battlefield “comprehensive approach”.

Trust me, I knew from day one that dragging my lawn chair, my binoculars, my peanut radio and my cell phone down to the border and announcing “Enough is Enough” I took the great risk of being just a boy who cried wolf. I alone would never be enough to solve a problem this big — this effort needed all of you together to tackle the crisis and win a huge victory for all the people and these United States.
But sitting in that lawn chair and then the pride I felt when so many answered the call and dared to challenge the status quo — I will always have the deepest respect for every person who volunteered time on the border — because without every one of you, I would have been just one lone man sitting in a lawn chair trying to keep my finger in the dam — today seven years later we are building a brand new and improved dam, and putting our feet down by passing laws and reforming a lost paradigm of a law abiding, better-ordered society, where everyone plays by the rules and the rules are the same for everyone.
Today we are getting the job done — and yet we have so much to do to reach the goal line — which is why I honor your patience and ask that you indulge me a little more with the honor of your presence in our class today. Unfortunately the instructor is absent, so I will fill in for Professor O’Connell.
And after class I encourage you to respond by email or phone to thank Professor O’Connell for arranging this most informative crash course on POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEES 101. We must all reach out and thank the individual who illegally lifted many of your emails to build a data base he personally exploits to bring you this educational opportunity.

Please understand the urgent necessity to approach the problem from many different angles. We work on our borders assisting Border Patrol and providing life saving assistance to those we find lost and abused in the desert. However, what we have learned goes much further.
It seems a former volunteer has provided an opportunity for us all to lean more about how Political Action Committees — federal PACs, work in the political process, as part of our larger mission.
Somehow along the way some who were volunteers misunderstand, jump to conclusions or just plain don’t understand the specifics, which are vitally important to understand if the PACs and the non-profits are to operate within federal law and fulfill their purposes.

CONCEPT

Bullet Points

Constitutional Republic, democratic elected form of representation.
People care about issues — the people direct the government — if government does not do what the people want
problems arise
people organize to educate others and build coalition with others who are like minded
organizations grow to educate and launch multi-aspect policy and issue advocacy campaign
voters elect and unseat candidates
people keep track of all of them and hold them accountable
organizations work to keep you informed of progress on reform of specific issues.

As MCDC we seized the opportunity and have developed an organization that works with other like minded organizations to achieve our goals. Developing a PAC is another important aspect of advancing our reform movement and is ultimately a net positive benefit for the policies of MCDC.
Thus people represent us as politicians — we want contact with those candidates. As a PAC we bring your voice on our issue directly to those who can vote for change.
We have the opportunity to vet and get to know the elected official or candidate through personal contact and through researching voting records but frankly how many of us have the time to do all that?
Thus is born MCDC a 501-C-4 non-profit community service border security anti-illegal immigration POLICY REFORM ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION. There are thousands of policy advocacy groups in the U.S.A. covering every issue known to mankind — so far.
Then there are PACS. They are separate entities and are controlled by the rules set forth by both the FEC and the IRS.
These are strict and burdensome regulations and rules; it is a tremendously difficult task to create and manage such organizations, especially when the purpose is to embarrass the elected body in D.C. and expose a national disgrace.
There are 2 kinds of PACS – federal PACS and state PACS. They are separate entities, with separate and distinctly difficult reporting requirements, bank accounts, expenditure restrictions, limitations, and on and on.
We in the Minuteman movement have created 2 Federal PACS — we have NO ARIZONA STATE PAC at this point. Thus, not to fecklessly contradict the professor, but our MINUTEMAN FEDERAL PACS CANNOT CONTRIBUTE TO OR WORK IN ANY WAY TO DIRECTLY SUPPORT CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR STATE LEVEL OFFICE.
Got it? It’s ok, I encourage you to read that again so we all know what the facts are — the professor might pull a pop quiz on you — I want you be prepared.  Let’s continue.
WE HAVE 2 PACS? WHY?
Minuteman Civil Defense Corps PAC is a federal non-profit membership PAC. All registered MCDC volunteers and supporters who do not opt-out are the membership base of that PAC. We can only fundraise from those MCDC PAC members for specific Minuteman candidates running for FEDERAL OFFICE.
The Minuteman PAC is an open federal PAC; we can solicit for donations and voter support nationwide — it is not a simple or inexpensive endeavor, however necessary, to continue to educate and influence public opinion in order to lead a reform movement. By reaching out to a mass audience advocating by mail, phone and email to likely voter households all over the country, we seek to keep our issues high-profile, and recruit new support.  The Executive Director is Brett Farley, and he is a very experienced political operative and consultant with Washington, DC experience.
THE BIG PICTURE AND THE SORT OF BIG TENT
Now hopefully you better understand the conceptual foundation of our “big picture” IN TERMS OF ACHIEVING THE GOALS of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps — we need to widen and diversify our advocacy in order to ultimately politically prevail.
In regards to our Minuteman PAC and our Minuteman Civil Defense Corps Political Action Committees, in general the rules and regulations governing PACs are tightly focused between either federal offices and initiatives, or state-level offices and initiatives — in this election cycle, our PAC organizations HAVE SPENT A MAJORITY OF THEIR EFFORTS AND BUDGETS ON FEDERAL POLICY AND ISSUE ADVOCACY PROJECTS, AND INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES AGAINST OBAMA, with a strategic view to the inevitable 2008 outcome of both a Congress and an Executive Administration more hostile to our Minuteman agenda, and the consequent need for us to build a larger national base.
Once again, PACS work in a variety of ways to help educate people about legislative, policy and advocacy issues. A political action committee is not necessarily specifically in business to give money to candidates, and this is especially not the priority if the limited contributions allowable under federal law cannot change the outcome of the election.
All organizations must balance the need to advocate on core issues, and contribute directly to a given candidate. You can research all non-profits and PACs, and analyze their ratio of direct monetary contributions to campaigns, and funds spent on independent expenditures versus the costs of advocacy and fundraising mailings. But any meaningful analysis also needs to make sure it is looking at the discretionary use of NET contributions, not gross income to an advocacy organization, as the costs of advocacy are prohibitively high. Any fair assessment of how effective a mass-messaging organization is politically cannot possibly be made without accounting first for successful recovery of the cost of nationwide advocacy projects.
Most political action committees will have overhead, in that I mean real expenses, setting up bank accounts, attorney fees, filing fees, accountants, phones, and very significant regulatory and reporting burdens. There are tremendous up-front postage and printing costs, website management, data base management, and yes in the free market economy some people make a living by providing professional services to organizations and businesses.
Some PACS give “some” money directly to candidates, but let’s face the facts: no organization can raise any money without educating donors about an issue and keeping that issue prominent in the minds of voters over the long term — and that is accomplished through print media and direct mailing. Renting lists, paying for mailings and postage is an immense expenditure to get any organizing and advocacy “on the map” — it is an initial investment to build a loyal base of activists and supporters, and financial contributors. Still we continue reaching out to educate a wider audience, to develop a base of voters and donors who believe enough in fixing the problem and appreciate our efforts to inform them and advocate for them. And they show that appreciation for our efforts eventually in the form of a donation. It’s an investment in an advocacy issue campaign for change – over the long term.  It is an investment in America’s survival.
WHAT CAN PACS DO BESIDES GIVE MONEY DIRECTLY TO A CANDIDATE?
Some PACS choose to write, produce and buy print ads or air time to run self produced T.V. and radio ads targeted to either support a candidate’s record or more importantly to run ads to educate the voters on a specific candidates’ bad voting record on issues – our issues are border security, a fence and resolving the illegal alien mess.
If a PAC runs ads, they are paid for by the PAC and run without the knowledge or consent of the candidate — there can be no contact between a candidate and an official of a PAC to strategize or plan an independent expenditure ad campaign. Both the MCDC PAC and Minuteman PAC ran ads in 2006 for some of over a dozen FEDERAL candidates for whose campaigns we either first endorsed, or gave direct money. We were fortunate to be able to raise and spend these additional funds to run independent expenditure ad campaigns in favor of some of our embattled “good guys” and to go after some bad candidate’s voting record or stance on our issues.
Another way to help a candidate is to endorse with the support of the PAC or in personal name as I have done on occasion. Sometimes a candidate might not want the official endorsement of a person or organization but they certainly don’t mind independent campaigns against their challenger. In 2006 our PAC spent funds to travel to personally educate voters in specific campaigns around the country by holding press conferences to endorse in person, or speak at fundraisers for the candidate who we deemed strongest on our issue.
I do all of that as honorary spokesperson for a PAC that supports our issues.
I am only the honorary spokesperson and issue consultant for our PACS.
I am not on the board of directors, nor am I involved with the day-to-day management of either PAC. Because of stringent IRS and FEC regulations, to do so would potentially pose conflict of interest difficulties with our non-profit organization.
The PAC works with me to educate me, so that I can then help educate you, by bringing to your attention the news about, voting records, legislation and policy and to look at certain candidates. We do the leg work to meet with legislators and candidates to interview them about the issue so we can make our “educated” choice of supporting or not supporting a bill, a policy or a candidate.
Again, I’m going to stress the point of how a PAC can help candidates by alerting the voter that a problem or a political opportunity exists.
This is an organization of many people who advocate for change with solutions.
Every dollar spent on advocacy, print media, radio media, T.V., personal contact with elected officials or candidates, website, and personal appearances all require funding and are real costs — as do all the endless cycle of activist supporter, constituency and donor solicitation. That’s not to mention we are compelled by law to show due diligence and thoroughly account for and regularly report all funds raised and spent.
Those funds are put to work thoroughly vetting a candidate before we put our support behind them, and we look at a wide spectrum of issues, not just a person’s stance on border security and illegal immigration. Time and money is spent on researching voting records, researching the ability of the candidate to successfully fundraise, writing press releases, maintain the website — all these efforts cost time and money.
So in conclusion class, the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps PAC and the Minuteman PAC are out there working with you and many thousands of others who support our efforts to advocate for them on our issues.
We have been successful in helping to educate millions of voters who have in turn helped elect strong leaders in the federal Congress and the U.S. Senate who will work to help us achieve our goals over the long haul.
Please go to our websites to learn more about our mission statement our educational efforts and to see a list of candidates whom we heartily support because of their support of our platform, and their stance on our issues.
www.minutemanpac.com

www.mcdcpac.com
We hope you continue to keep your eye on the prize and educate others and tell others to support our efforts.
Any day you have the opportunity to learn and expand your understanding of your world is a good day. Today we all learned something that will help us move forward with a better understanding of how we can be more effective… some us us have learned lessons of an entirely different kind.
Remember I’m just today’s guest substitute teacher — if you have complaints or questions please contact the nutty professor directly at azcactus@aol.com.
Thanks for listening,
Chris Simcox

Day 4 October Border Blog

Sunday, October 5, 2008 was another

busy day at camp King’s Anvil.
Search and Rescue volunteers worked

the morning searching known trails and

layup areas for any individuals in

distress -none were found. MCDC SART

volunteers then spent the second half of

their day completing a two-day advanced

tactical training course that included

advanced first aid and triage treatment for

critically wounds. Much thanks and

appreciation to Jeff, a genuine

professional instructor, his donation of the

weekend survival self-defense and first-aid course

was a Patriotic contribution to community service and our public safety.

The advantage is ours; our teams are

better prepared for the more diverse

possibilities volunteers could be forced

to deal with. SART volunteers are better

trained to be more effective in

providing emergency response in life

saving rescue situations.

Daily scouting expeditions to the usual

areas of our operations continue to

yield very little evidence of any foot traffic -

bottom line – so far there is evidence

that few people are getting through the

3 line approach of Border Patrol. These days few IA’s

make it as far north of our location in

the Altar Valley . We will continue to

audit the security of as many areas as

possible over the next 25 days.

Sunday Night Shift-
Within 5 minutes of deploying our 5pm

to midnight shift, volunteers literally

stumbled upon a young woman hiding

in the bushes near one of our posts. The

volunteers showed concern and asked

in Spanish if she needed water or

medical attention; she did not respond

seeming not to understand English. She

then got up and moved away and

quickly met up with 3 other young

males hiding in the bushes nearby. The

group of four then moved to circumvent

our volunteers who had already

contacted Border Patrol for assistance.
The small group of four young very

suspicious IA’S then walked around and

between our volunteers who again

asked them if they needed assistance

and to inform them that we had

contacted Border Patrol.
In broken English the young woman

asked “Who are you? To which

volunteers replied that they were Minutemen. They

responded in broken English that they

wanted no help and ran past our

volunteers.
Border Patrol arrived 10 minutes later

and began tracking the group both

from the south and then sent agents to the north – we had

no confirmation if any of the four

were apprehended.
Earlier in the day two other individuals

were located standing on the side of

the road, having given up their travel to

ask for help, to which they were

afforded water, grapes and

Humanitarian support until Border Patrol

agents arrived to take the two into

custody.

The rest of the evening was uneventful

no individuals were sighted.

We are preparing to move operations

to two new areas – intel and

observation pay off as we suspect we

know where activity is picking up.

Sunday I also spent time working admin and camp

supervisor for the morning. I also made my

blog entry and spent much needed

time talking with volunteers. I left

operations at 2pm on Sunday and

returned home to catch up on other

projects like our rally and candidate

forum at the Des Moines,Iowa State

Capital this Saturday.

Tonight, Monday I attended our Phoenix Chapter

meeting of CCM, Coalition for a

Conservative Majority. Tonight’s guest

speaker is former House leader Tom

Delay. I encourage everyone to

research the organization and join or

start a chapter in your area.

WWW.CCMajority.org.

Want to have more fun in your spare

time? Try researching this site.
www.discoverthenetworks.org

I will return to the border on Wednesday

morning and will work through Friday

morning and then catch a flight to Iowa

for our Border Security Rally at the state

capital. While I am back on the border we will

work with a French TV

crew on Wednesday and on Friday we

meet with a college group studying the

border crisis.

Here’s another interesting educational

site – is this accurate?
www.ballotpedia.org