A recent article in FlaPol (FloridaPolitics.com) reports on recommendations from scientologists “Citizens for Social Reform” (Brett Miller, Joanie and Steve Sigal)
These are the surrogates who deliver the political direction of the church without being a formalized statement from the institution. Why do they do it this way? Because if the church itself published them it would run afoul of 501(c)3 prohibitions against political endorsements (though the Evangelicals don’t seem to be too concerned about that). But make no mistake, the “Citizens for Social Reform” are just another scientology front group and they most definitely speak for OSA.
Brett Miller and Joanie Sigal are featured on the Freedom magazine website (poor Steve is an add on to Joanie — he was at the last candidates forum and looks old, unhealthy and hen-pecked).
The headline news is that they endorse Frank Hibbard for Mayor. He is truthfully the only really qualified candidate in the mayoral race and they would look foolish getting behind any of the other candidates. But Mr. Hibbard must have cringed when he read this. He has no love for scientology. And nobody wants the kiss of death from scientology (except Elesio Santana as noted below).
They did take a jab at him though:
“We make this recommendation with some reservation, however, because of Mr. Hibbard’s choice of campaign consultant who has used slanted promotional materials and misleading surveys to encourage anti-First Amendment divisions in the city,” which is a clear reference to scientology because he sent out a survey to residents that included questions about scientology in the community. Scientologists do not care about “anti-First Amendment” issues unless they feel they are directed at them.
I suspect they realize he is going to be the next mayor and are worried and hope there might be some benefit to being able to say to him in the future “we endorsed you.” As soon as he doesn’t do their bidding, they will change their tune and instead of targeting his “campaign consultant” they will openly claim he is a bigot just as they have done with everyone from Gabe Cazares to Charles LeCher and Rita Garvey.
After Mr. Hibbard is elected I predict they will NOT be endorsing him if he seeks re-election. They will endorse a sea turtle, anyone else or nobody. Frank Hibbard will not be a pushover for scientology and no doubt they are concerned.
Of course, they also endorse the scientology stalking horse Eliseo Santana for Seat 2 — the seat for which Mark Bunker is running. This is a case of “anyone but Bunker.” Santana comes across almost as a joke candidate in the forums I have seen — he does not appear to have a grip on much but constantly refers to the fact that he was in the Sheriff’s Department. The scientologists support him because he is supposedly equipped to “aggressively defend constitutional liberties.” This is code for “he will forward our agenda.” He is the one who has followed written talking points he has obviously been provided by scientology, tried to bring up the 20 year old injunction against Mark Bunker and whose “campaign manager” was one of the most vocal hecklers of Bunker in the forums. Mike Manino, the eminently qualified and impressive candidate running for the same seat was ignored because of his clear stance against scientology’s bullying of downtown. Nothing subtle about this. In this election, Emilio Santana is scientology’s guy. And he has apparently sought their support believing they might be able to turn out some voters to support him.
And for seat 3 they give the kiss of death to Kathleen Beckman supposedly because of her responses to candidate questions in both the Tampa Bay Times and community forums in which she “correctly differentiated between individual citizens who were members of the Church of Scientology and the Church itself.” Kathleen Beckman has continued the old-school Clearwater political two-step of avoiding “poking the bear”, the exact head-in-the-sand mentality that has allowed scientology to run roughshod over the city for decades. It’s especially galling to see their statement, as anyone familiar with scientology knows there is in fact NO distinction. The Citizens for Social Reform IS scientology — members and the instituion speak with one voice. It is a difference scientology wants people to believe in order to not be held to account for things, but inside the bubble there is no difference.. They would not dare say a word about who to endorse without coordination with their OSA handlers.
In fact, Lisa Mansell of OSA Flag was cited in a recent Facebook as the go-to person for the likes of the Citizens for Social Reform to check in with about which candidates to support.
Mark Bunker running for City Council has changed the political discourse in Clearwater once and for all.
Scientology is worried.
That should tell the citizens everything they need to know about how to deal with scientology. Stand up to them and don’t ascribe them the enormous power they want you to believe they have. Like all bullies, when confronted, they cower.
Vote for Mark Bunker on March 17.
And by the way, if you are a local and can make it at 1pm to the SPC campus at Drew and Old Coachman Rd, we would love to see you there:
Good luck Mark ! If I lived there I would vote for you.
Der Dwarfenfuhrer declares election of Mark Bunker as rigged and demands recount, says reporter as she watched a tiny screaming figure at a window of the top of floor of Big Blue. Passersby complain to police about empty scotch bottles raining down on the footpath.
The Evangelicals with whom I am familiar have no such hesitation. This is anecdotal and not intended to paint ALL evangelicals as idiots but my Southern relatives are TOLD by their pastor for whom they must pull the lever both nationally and locally. Maybe not directly from the pulpit, but they are TOLD. In fact, they’ve already been told that not voting for Trump in 2020 is a vote for “a minion of the devil” – never mind that there’s no Democratic candidate yet, whoever it turns out to be is the Devil’s Servant. Except for Hillary. She’s no minion – she IS the devil 🙂 Now, you think I’m joking but I am swearing to you here that they believe this! Yes! How did I get stuck with imbeciles like this in my family? How did I pull this in? 🙂
Scientologists in Clearwater will vote for whom they are told to vote by Scientology. They wouldn’t want to be considered suppressive. They believe that cherchie knows best and is looking out for them. They’re like children; they’ll feel guilty for disobeying and that guilt will hamper their Bridge progress or even put a “stop” on their “flows” (income). They don’t want to undergo an ethics cycle and have to write up O/Ws. They believe it is their duty to support their cherch on every dynamic. And last but not least, if they’re OTVII they’ll be totalling the extra hours and expense for their next sec check and you bet they’ll pull the lever for whomever the cherch tells them they should. They’re idiot children in old bodies. No offense to real children who need their elders and trust them.
Is the CW election for city council about handling city business? Or is it about this?
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
In the unlikely event that the latter is the paramount concern of the city council, a few questions are in order:
When a mayoral candidate exercises his freedom of speech and sends out a questionnaire, how does that create any problems with ANY of the amendment?
When a campaign–one that’s more than a bit co-opted by these first amendment warriors, no less–shouts down a rival candidate, can you spot the first amendment problem? Call me touchy, but I can!
When a candidate regurgitates verbatim the deceptive talking points of a cult, such as “hater” or “bigot”, is he exercising his freedom of speech. Or is he just simply giving up his freedom of speech to be another’s mouthpiece?
Mr Hibbard? When life plays with names…
Right now, all politicians in the United States are well aware of how many members actually have Scientology. Too few to deal with and too toxic to dispose of later.
If “Citizens for Social Reform” received any money from the CO$, they are in violation of the conditions of their tax exemption. So you can be certain that everything from shell corporations to anonymous money drops were used to fund the ‘Citizens’.
Exactly right. “Dark money”.
I hope this is recorded and shared. Good luck guys!
Good luck today! I hope you have a great meeting and get lots of potential voters out. I hope you are able to inform them about Scientology and what will happen if they are allowed to take over City government.
Good luck Mark Bunker. I hope the Clearwater voters make a big statement on the 17th!
I have to drive over to Ybor City today but I sure hope to be back in time to stop by!
By the way, just as expected I’m guessing it got back to Davey how dark the Oak Cove was. Because the other night as I drove by, there were about 12-15 random lights on throughout the building.
Good luck Mark Bunker. You deserve to be elected.
He does, indeed, deserve to be elected!!! All the luck to you, Mark! You’re our man!
Go Mark Bunker! We are so with you!
Mike you will be there too? Wow I already seem to see people running around very worried. Like cockroaches when you do the pest control.