Note: This is a random "Higher Ed" email thread (with congressional staff & colleagues, and a local newspaper and a nationally-known attorney, as well) in which there is actual discussion / dialogue, not merely the usual one-sided "monologue" from me!
Gordon//
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Gordon Watts <gww1210@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Nov 15, 2019, 4:41 PM
Subject: Re: (Black Americans hurt most) re-->> Column submission
To: Edward Boltz <edboltz@gmail.com>
Cc: <logan.wright@mail.house.gov>, <info@rossspano.com>, Alan Collinge <justice@studentloanjustice.org>, studentloanjustice <studentloanjustice@yahoo.com>, alan_collinge <alan_collinge@msn.com>, Alan Collinge <alanmcollinge@gmail.com>, Gww1210@aol.com <gww1210@aol.com>, <tyler.dever@mail.house.gov>, <EBoltz@johnorcutt.com>, <edboltz@gmail.com>, Gordon Watts <gww1210@gmail.com>
Thank you for all you've already done, Ed, and for your generous offer to help us, if needed.
P.S.: When trying to delete a draft email, from which I copied/pasted text to pair with my attachments, I accidentally hit the "send" button on my tiny smartphone, & sent everyone a "blank" email yesterday, after my main one-- My bad. Sorry...
Have a great weekend, everyone!
Gordon Wayne Watts
On Fri, Nov 15, 2019, 12:14 PM Edward Boltz <edboltz@gmail.com> wrote:
Dear Mr. Wright,
I won't pretend that I've been able to go back through and understand the long chain of emails with Gordon Watts, but I would be happy to discuss student loan issues with Representative Spano, you or any other members of his staff at any time. By means of further introduction, I am a consumer bankruptcy attorney practicing in North Carolina, and also the co-chair of the Legislative Committee for the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys. (NACBA). It is from both of those quarters that my concerns about restoring a bankruptcy discharge for student loans arise. As George mentioned, I did testify before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Administration of the Courts this last June and have attempted to work with the Education Department on this issue for several years, both in terms of discharge and the failures of the Income Driven Repayment program. Rep. Spano might also be interested in learning about the Student Loan mediation program that the bankruptcy courts in Tampa Bay and Orlando are pioneering, as those are, I believe in his congressional district. Please doe not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions.
-
Ed Boltz
The Law Offices of John T. Orcutt, P.C.
1738 Hillandale Road
Suite D
Durham, NC 27705
telephone: (919) 286-1695
f ax: (919) 286-2704
eboltz@johnorcutt.com
Please see our Google reviews:
https://www.billsbills.com/check-out-our-google-reviews
"Into the artifice of eternity." William Butler Yeats, Sailing to Byzantium."
CONFIDENTIALITY INFORMATION AND DISCLAIMER:
This message contains information which may be confidential and privileged. Unless you are the intended addressee (or are authorized to receive for the intended addressee), you may not use, copy or disclose to anyone this message or any information contained in this message. If you have received this message in error, please advise the sender by reply and delete this message. Thank you.
On Fri, Nov 15, 2019 at 10:41 AM Gordon Watts <gww1210@gmail.com> wrote:
On Fri, Nov 15, 2019, 10:40 AM Gordon Watts <gww1210@gmail.com> wrote:
You're welcome--And thank *you* for your assistance, Logan. Or should I call you "Dr." Wright? Congratulations on getting your Juris **Doctorate**. It's good to have more smart legal minds around. Since you have legal knowledge... you can see if I'm as smart as my legal reputation alleges...
Just for fun, you might Google my involvement in the Terri Schiavo matter. I'll give you a hint that I did "better than Jeb," all by myself because I used Jesus's food/water arguments in Matthew 25:31-46 (and not merely a feeding tube argument). Are you old enough to remember her? I think I mentioned it, but don't recall: see bellow.
But before that, I want to mention that I'm copying both bankruptcy Atty. Ed Boltz (who spoke to the Judiciary committee recently) and my good friend, Alan Collinge, in my reply to you: Both of them are legendary, famous, and rightly so: Google them to verify.
In other words, if Congressman Ross Spano, also a bankruptcy attorney, needs help, you and I, and Alan (who has 4 email addresses above, and a direct number, 202-594-1120), and Attorney Boltz (all 4 of us), can help Representative Spano with any questions or doubts he may have about my claims that past refusals to get Student Loan Bankruptcy Equality is half, if not more, of the cause of our present woes (the other half being our stubborn refusal to pass the Loan Limits bill that President Trump and I, and Sec. DeVos, keep seeking).
Since Rep. Spano seemed interested in both bills (especially the loan limits bill), I've left them in my forward, and they are in these attachments. All tools you need are attached or linked below. Ok, let's do it! If this isn't why we're here, why is it?
Gordon... see below... and in attached files... the same files i initially sent you (nothing new this time)...
Sources:
[1] In Re: GORDON WAYNE WATTS (as next friend of THERESA MARIE 'TERRI' SCHIAVO), No. SC03-2420 (Fla. Feb.23, 2005), denied 4-3 on rehearing. (Watts got 42.7% of his panel) https://www.floridasupremecourt.org/clerk/dispositions/2005/2/03-2420reh.pdf
[2] In Re: JEB BUSH, GOVERNOR OF FLORIDA, ET AL. v. MICHAEL SCHIAVO, GUARDIAN: THERESA SCHIAVO, No. SC04-925 (Fla. Oct.21, 2004), denied 7-0 on rehearing. (Bush got 0.0% of his panel before the same court) https://www.floridasupremecourt.org/clerk/dispositions/2004/10/04-925reh.pdf
[3] Schiavo ex rel. Schindler v. Schiavo ex rel. Schiavo, 403 F.3d 1223, 2005 WL 648897 (11th Cir. Mar.23, 2005), denied 2-1 on appeal. (Terri Schiavo's own blood family only got 33.3% of their panel on the Federal Appeals level) https://media.ca11.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/files/200511556.pdf
[4] Key Phrase search: (Google search for Watts' campaign)and (Yahoo! search for Watts' campaign) - Archived copies of Official Campaign pages: https://GordonWatts.com/Campaign.html and https://GordonWayneWatts.com/Campaign.html
NOTE: Archives only... I'm not running for office. FLASH Gordon Wayne Watts.///
On Fri, Nov 15, 2019, 9:36 AM Wright, Logan <Logan.Wright@mail.house.gov> wrote:
Hey Gordon,
Thanks for sending all this! I appreciate the work you put in.
I’ll take a look at it as soon as I possibly can (most likely in the later half of next week).
Have a great weekend!
Logan Wright, Esq.
General Counsel & Legislative Assistant
Congressman Ross Spano, FL-15 | 224 Cannon
Office #: (202) 225-1252 | Fax #: (202) 226-0585
From: Gordon Watts <gww1210@gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, November 14, 2019 9:28 PM
To: Wright, Logan <Logan.Wright@mail.house.gov>; info@rossspano.com
Cc: Gww1210@aol.com; Gordon Watts <gww1210@gmail.com>; Gravitt, Blaine <Blaine.Gravitt@mail.house.gov>; Jacobs, James <James.Jacobs@mail.house.gov>; Dever, Tyler <Tyler.Dever@mail.house.gov>; Hilton, Naomi <Naomi.Hilton@mail.house.gov>
Subject: (Black Americans hurt most) re-->> Column submission
Oops, I forgot to mention the disproportionate harm Black Americans encounter in predatory lending ..
Sorry. This should be included in ANY press release, such as the Rough Draft attached... I also attached the unredacted version of my letter to the President, not the version linked below: XXXX was ok with you having an unredacted copy, but not for public posting.
We, Republicans have enough trouble with our Black friends & neighbors hating on us, so please see below, and please put it in a press release, associated with these 2 Conservative antitaxation and antispending bills:
(8) FACT: “Four years after graduating college, black students owe nearly twice as much student debt as their white peers do and are three times more likely to default on those loans, according to a new paper by the Brookings Institution.” Source: “Black College Grads Have Twice as Much Student Debt as Whites,” by Kerri Anne Renzulli, TIME, Oct 21, 2016: LINK:https://TIME.com/money/4540266/student-debt-racial-gap/
(9) FACT: Many people (Blacks, Democrats, the poor) hate us Republicans—& claim we're greedy & don't care for the middle-class—and cite, as “proof,” the fact that rich GOP Lawmakers can get BK discharge repeatedly, but not college students. This is a chief cause (even if not the only cause) of why we ticked off voters & lost the House. I predict we'll lose the Senate & the next Presidential Election if we keep this up. Then (unable to enact our agenda, like protecting the Southern border), we'll lose the nation! I'm NOT asking for a “Free Handout,” just equality here. (Was it worth it to unnecessarily tick off voters –& lose the House? Oh, really?)
(10) God agrees with me: As proof of #9, above, please note that King Rehoboam (King Solomon's son), when taking office, REFUSED to reduce the obscenely-high taxati...
Gordon Wayne Watts///
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Gordon Watts <gww1210@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Nov 14, 2019, 7:22 PM
Subject: Fwd: Column submission
To: <logan.wright@mail.house.gov>, info <info@rossspano.com>
Cc: Hilton, Naomi <Naomi.Hilton@mail.house.gov>, Tyler Dever <tyler.dever@mail.house.gov>, James Jacobs <James.Jacobs@mail.house.gov>, Blaine Gravitt <Blaine.Gravitt@mail.house.gov>, Gordon Watts <gww1210@gmail.com>, Gww1210@aol.com <gww1210@aol.com>
Logan and Sarah (whose email address I don't have) and Jessie:
Thank you all for speaking with me on the telephone. Here is the proposed "press release" that will help Representative Spano not get caught "off guard."
The only 'new' stuff is the House Judiciary testimony by my friend, Bankruptcy/Consumer Attorney, Ed Boltz, also an attorney dealing in bankruptcies like Attorney Ross Spano, when he's doing law.
One thing that I'm not including in my email, Logan, is that letter to President Trump that XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX talked me into sending him--and the 15 MB or so attachment (which is too big to send via dial up Internet that I'm using now). Since XXXX is the XXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX, and a good friend of President Trump (well, they at least know each other), I sent the president my letter. The "part 2" planned attachments in my blog entry are helpful stuff that I can't quite fit in my email here -- here are the proper attachments to help Ross be conversant on this matter:
https://gordonWAYNEwatts.com/proof-read___Letter-to-the-Prez_UPDATED_ATTACHMENTS_PDF.pdf
https://GordonWatts.com/proof-read___Letter-to-the-Prez_UPDATED_ATTACHMENTS_PDF.pdf
https://gordonWAYNEwatts.com/proof-read___Letter-to-the-President_withReferencesAndAttachments_PDF.pdf
https://www.GordonWatts.com/proof-read___Letter-to-the-President_withReferencesAndAttachments_PDF.pdf
Other than the stuff linked above, everything Ross and you all need is attached to my email -- some in 2 formats to be sure you get a copy that works, and some of it in editible Word format, if that helps. OK, I've done my part: If we let voters escape and lose the Senate for being rude to them, then it's not my fault: I've done all I can on this end.
I expect my column to publish in the next few days at https://TheLedger.com (in fact, it may appear on their website at midnight tonight; I hope). --and so I want you all to be up to speed - and not caught off guard. I respect my friends and neighbors, but we still have a hard job to do -- one that is hopefully easier with my research materials, here. Print it all out -- save it to your computer -- and study it early, often, and well. Be well.
(-: Gordon :-)
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Gordon Watts <gww1210@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Nov 13, 2019 at 10:59 AM
Subject: Re: Column submission
To: Voice, Lakeland <voice@theledger.com>
Cc: Thompson, Bill <Bill.Thompson@theledger.com>, Gww1210@aol.com <gww1210@aol.com>, Gordon Watts <gww1210@gmail.com>
(Title goes here)
By Gordon Wayne Watts / Guest columnist
(Date goes here)
On Nov. 16 of last year, The Ledger published my column, decrying skyrocketing tuition & mounting student debt, paid for by our tax dollars. Apparently, in response to my column, Sec. of Education, Betsy DeVos, her 11-27-18 speech, 11 days later, repeated my complaints that “Collegiate debt, now almost $2 trillion, is almost 10 percent of total U.S. debt.” I quote her: “Today, FSA's [student debt] portfolio is nearly 10 percent of our nation's debt. [] Stop and absorb that for a moment. Ten percent of our total national debt.”
Apparently, this chain-reaction even influenced the president to fall in line with Conservative spending cuts: Forbes reported on March 19, 2019 that “Trump Proposes Limits On Student Loan Borrowing.”
But, despite even getting the president's attention, nothing has changed: Lawmakers didn't grant his request, and Trump, distracted by other issues, has dropped this. Based on that, I maintain my initial prediction of a crash of the dollar if lawmakers refuse to cut spending.
Enter Ross Spano, our new Congressman: Against all odds (we have over 750 thousand citizens in our District), he invited me to a personal 1-on-1 meeting this past July 30, 2019 (as he has with other constituents). In attendance were myself, Rep. Spano, and 2 senior staff, Blaine Gravitt & James Jacobs; we spoke for 30 minutes, from 1:30—2:00 P.M—predictably about unfinished business in higher education.
To be clear, I'm Conservative and DON'T seek Free College, Loan Forgiveness, or Liberal Free Handouts. But tuition is technically a tax: Funding to an arm of government (state government colleges), and students are sorely overtaxed. To mitigate this, I proposed Rep. Spano cosponsor HR 2648, the “Student Borrower Bankruptcy Relief Act of 2019.” This would fix current U.S. bankruptcy law, which violates the U.S. Constitution's Uniformity Clause, a special type of equal protection—affording a small amount of “tax reduction” via bankruptcy. Moreover, it would force banks to lower loan limits (because students could declare bankruptcy), forcing colleges to lower tuition to affordable levels (like it was in the past), a sensible compromise between the two extremes: Current Liberal over-taxation supported by RINO Republicans, & the other extreme, Bernie Sanders' 'free' college & loan forgiveness handouts.
Congressman Spano asked me if H.R.2648 was “retroactive” (for past loans) or merely “prospective” (moving forward). When I told him the bill would make bankruptcy retroactive, he objected, complaining this wouldn't be fair to those who've paid off their loans. However, what he didn't consider was the fact that the changes in law which STRIPPED my bankruptcy safety net acted “retroactively”: Thus, to be fair, any CORRECTION must be retroactively too! The various changes in Federal Law stripping my existing student loans of bankruptcy ALSO violated the Constitution's “Contract Clause”: Were this any other contract, it would immediately void the entire contract!
Sanders' claim that college was once free in America was rated “mostly true” by PolitiFact, because it WAS free in some places & very affordable elsewhere. So, if America had the best higher ed in the world—and was free in the past, it's not unreasonable to enact the more-modest legislation that I request.
Finally, news outlets reported last week (Oct. 8, 2019) that Sec. of Education Betsy DeVos was about to be arrested for violating a court order for the DOE to stop collecting on student loans from 16,000 students who went to the defunct Corinthian college— whose fraud made students eligible for a special discharge. DeVos is obviously to blame, but I believe lawmakers' refusal to enact the bills I request were partly to blame for her losing her mind. Therefore, I call upon Rep. Spano to pass both the loan limits bill (which Trump, DeVos, & myself have repeatedly requested) as well as HR 2648, a responsible compromise to the Liberal over- taxation ruining any one who aspires to get an education & better themselves. Over 44 million Americans have college debt, & another 30—40 million as cosigners or family, so changes are needed. My proposals, unlike a minimum wage hike, aren't inflationary (don't require printing of new dollars), and thus the preferred way to offer relief to the middle-class.
Gordon Wayne Watts (contact him at GordonWatts.com or GordonWayneWatts.com) is a constituent in Rep. Spano's district and a former candidate for the Florida House of Representatives.
On Wed, Nov 13, 2019, 8:22 AM Voice, Lakeland <voice@theledger.com> wrote:
Please resend with only the oped you want published attached.
Thank you.
Voice of the People
The Ledger
On Sat, Nov 2, 2019 at 1:28 AM Gordon Watts <gww1210@gmail.com> wrote:
You all, at The Ledger, treat me very well, Bill, so I want to reassure you that I'm not trying to pressure my powerful friends into publishing another column, but in case y'all lost it, here it is again, just under 700 words.
P.S.: Thank you to all y'all for defending my President, Donald Trump, but my Congressman is a bit too tax-n-spend liberal for our tastes, and he's straying from the reservation. Since I'm diplomatic, and polite but firmly document my claims, I have "faith" the I can help give guidance to Representative Spano -- and help avert economic & political meltdown. Together, the 3 of us (you, me, & the good Congressman) can save the nation on multiple fronts. I hope.
Plz see the attached, and let me know what you think; I'm cc copying the subjects of my column, once again.
Gordon ?
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Gordon Watts <gww1210@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Oct 18, 2019, 3:02 PM
Subject: Reprise: "Guest column submission: ATTENTION: Bill Thompson"
To: Thompson, Bill <Bill.Thompson@theledger.com>, <voice@theledger.com>, <tyler.dever@mail.house.gov>, Hilton, Naomi <Naomi.Hilton@mail.house.gov>
Cc: <Blaine.Gravitt@mail.house.gov>, <James.Jacobs@mail.house.gov>, Gww1210@aol.com <gww1210@aol.com>, Gordon Watts <gww1210@gmail.com>
Bill: This is Gordon. The Lakeland Ledger receptionist informs me that y'all are not near telephones due to construction at the Ledger building, to make changes to accommodate PUBLIX SUPERMARKETS, who rent from you. In case you didn't get my previous email or phone call, here's another copy of my guest column submission.
Tyler: Besides the 2 'Conservative' Legislative solutions to the dangerously expanding "Higher Ed Bubble," outlined in my guest column, a 3rd, Liberal, solution exists, and it is worthy of Rep. Spano's consideration:
■SOLUTION #3: Declare higher education an illegal monopoly (it IS already, hello?) and, to make it "legal," regulate tuition like we do with other legal monopoly utilities, e.g., water, gas, electric.
P.S.: The other Higher Ed legislation enrolled is either too much (liberal giveaway) or too lame (feckless and ineffective waste of our time). Did I quote my friends correctly, and are there, still, any objections to my 3 proposed legislative solutions? If so, lay it on me. If not, how soon can we get these bills passed into law?
Gordon Wayne Watts
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Gordon Watts <gww1210@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, Oct 15, 2019, 1:35 PM
Subject: Guest column submission: ATTENTION: Bill Thompson
To: Thompson, Bill <Bill.Thompson@theledger.com>, voice <voice@theledger.com>, Hilton, Naomi <Naomi.Hilton@mail.house.gov>
Cc: info <info@rossspano.com>, Blaine Gravitt <Blaine.Gravitt@mail.house.gov>, James Jacobs <James.Jacobs@mail.house.gov>, Tyler Dever <tyler.dever@mail.house.gov>, Gww1210@aol.com <gww1210@aol.com>, <gww1210@gmail.com>
Bill, this is Gordon.
As you've asked me before, I'm submitting my guest column submission
(less than 700 words) in a dynamically-editable format (e.g.,
Microsoft Word *.doc format), but I'm also including a stable PDF
version(you know, in case the Word version is corrupted or some such).
Since I make some factual claims in my column, I'm including an
annotated version, documenting my factual claims.
My column is another Higher Education commentary, which I am writing,
and am offering commentary on proposed legislative solutions for our
new Congressman, Rep. Ross Spano (R-FL-15th), similar to my prior 2
columns about rerited Congressman Dennis Ross and incumbent Senator
Marco Rubio.
While I believe me memory serves me correctly on the few factual
claims I've made about the meeting which Representative Spano was good
enough to give me, nonetheless, I'm including them in my submission,
here, so we can make sure I'm quoting or characterizing them
correctly.
OK, here's my submission -- how soon can you get it published!
--
*Gordon Wayne Watts, editor-in-chief, The Register*
* www.GordonWayneWatts.com* <http://www.gordonwaynewatts.com/>* / *
*www.GordonWatts.com* <http://www.gordonwatts.com/>
*A**LWAYS FAITHFUL - To God*
*BS, The Florida State University, Biological & Chemical SciencesAS, United
Electronics Institute*
*2046 Pleasant Acre Drive, Plant City, FL 33801-2113
Unlimited Minutes Cell: (863) 687-6141 (but bad connectivity)
Limited Minutes Cell:*: (863) 688-9880* (but great connectivity)
*See also: **http://Gordon_Watts.Tripod.com/consumer.html*
<http://gordon_watts.tripod.com/consumer.html>
*Gww1210@aol.com <Gww1210@aol.com> ; Gww1210@Gmail.com *
*Truth is the strongest, most stable force in the Universe*
*Truth doesn't change because you disbelieve it*
*TRUTH doesn't bend to the will of tyrants**www.GordonWayneWatts.com*
<http://www.gordonwaynewatts.com/>* / **www.GordonWatts.com*
<http://www.gordonwatts.com/>
* Get Truth.*
*"First, they [Nazis] came for the Jews. I was silent. I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists. I was silent. I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists. I was silent. I was not a trade
unionist. Then they came for me. There was no one left to speak for me."
(Martin Niemöller, given credit for a quotation in The Harper Religious and
Inspirational Quotation Companion, ed. Margaret Pepper (New York: Harper
&Row, 1989), 429 -as cited on page 44, note 17, of Religious Cleansing in
the American Republic, by Keith A. Fornier, Copyright 1993, by Liberty,
Life, and Family Publications.*
*Some versions have Mr. Niemöller saying: "Then they came for the
Catholics, and I didn't speak up, because I was a Protestant"; other
versions have him saying that they came for Socialists, Industrialists,
schools, the press, and/or the Church; however, it's certain he DID say
SOMETHING like this. Actually, they may not have come for the Jews first,
as it's more likely they came for the prisoners, mentally handicapped, &
other so-called "inferiors" first -as historians tell us -so they could get
"practiced up"; however, they did come for them -due to the silence of
their neighbors -and due in part to their own silence. So: "*Speak up now
or forever hold your peace!"-GWW
This message may contain confidential and/or privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient or authorized to receive this for the intended recipient, you must not use, copy, disclose or take any action based on this message or any information herein. If you have received this message in error, please advise the sender immediately by sending a reply e-mail and delete this message. Thank you for your cooperation.
--
Gordon Wayne Watts, editor-in-chief, The Register
www.GordonWayneWatts.com / www.GordonWatts.com
ALWAYS FAITHFUL - To God
BS, The Florida State University, Biological & Chemical Sciences
AS, United Electronics Institute
2046 Pleasant Acre Drive, Plant City, FL 33801-2113
Home: (863) 687-6141 ; Cell: (863) 688-9880
See also: http://Gordon_Watts.Tripod.com/consumer.html
Gww1210@aol.com ; Gww1210@Gmail.com
Truth is the strongest, most stable force in the Universe
Truth doesn't change because you disbelieve it
TRUTH doesn't bend to the will of tyrants
www.GordonWayneWatts.com / www.GordonWatts.com
Get Truth.
"First, they [Nazis] came for the Jews. I was silent. I was not a Jew. Then they came for the Communists. I was silent. I was not a Communist. Then they came for the trade unionists. I was silent. I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for me. There was no one left to speak for me." (Martin Niemöller, given credit for a quotation in The Harper Religious and Inspirational Quotation Companion, ed. Margaret Pepper (New York: Harper &Row, 1989), 429 -as cited on page 44, note 17, of Religious Cleansing in the American Republic, by Keith A. Fornier, Copyright 1993, by Liberty, Life, and Family Publications.
Some versions have Mr. Niemöller saying: "Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up, because I was a Protestant"; other versions have him saying that they came for Socialists, Industrialists, schools, the press, and/or the Church; however, it's certain he DID say SOMETHING like this. Actually, they may not have come for the Jews first, as it's more likely they came for the prisoners, mentally handicapped, & other so-called "inferiors" first -as historians tell us -so they could get "practiced up"; however, they did come for them -due to the silence of their neighbors -and due in part to their own silence. So: "Speak up now or forever hold your peace!"-GWW
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Gordon Watts <gww1210@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Nov 14, 2019, 9:28 PM
Subject: (Black Americans hurt most) re-->> Column submission
To: <logan.wright@mail.house.gov>, <info@rossspano.com>
Cc: Gww1210@aol.com <gww1210@aol.com>, Gordon Watts <gww1210@gmail.com>, <Blaine.Gravitt@mail.house.gov>, <James.Jacobs@mail.house.gov>, <tyler.dever@mail.house.gov>, Hilton, Naomi <Naomi.Hilton@mail.house.gov>
Oops, I forgot to mention the disproportionate harm Black Americans encounter in predatory lending ..
Sorry. This should be included in ANY press release, such as the Rough Draft attached... I also attached the unredacted version of my letter to the President, not the version linked below: XXXX was ok with you having an unredacted copy, but not for public posting.
We, Republicans have enough trouble with our Black friends & neighbors hating on us, so please see below, and please put it in a press release, associated with these 2 Conservative antitaxation and antispending bills:
(8) FACT: “Four years after graduating college, black students owe nearly twice as much student debt as their white peers do and are three times more likely to default on those loans, according to a new paper by the Brookings Institution.” Source: “Black College Grads Have Twice as Much Student Debt as Whites,” by Kerri Anne Renzulli, TIME, Oct 21, 2016: LINK: https://TIME.com/money/4540266/student-debt-racial-gap/
(9) FACT: Many people (Blacks, Democrats, the poor) hate us Republicans—& claim we're greedy & don't care for the middle-class—and cite, as “proof,” the fact that rich GOP Lawmakers can get BK discharge repeatedly, but not college students. This is a chief cause (even if not the only cause) of why we ticked off voters & lost the House. I predict we'll lose the Senate & the next Presidential Election if we keep this up. Then (unable to enact our agenda, like protecting the Southern border), we'll lose the nation! I'm NOT asking for a “Free Handout,” just equality here. (Was it worth it to unnecessarily tick off voters –& lose the House? Oh, really?)
(10) God agrees with me: As proof of #9, above, please note that King Rehoboam (King Solomon's son), when taking office, REFUSED to reduce the obscenely-high taxati...
Gordon Wayne Watts///
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Gordon Watts <gww1210@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Nov 14, 2019, 7:22 PM
Subject: Fwd: Column submission
To: <logan.wright@mail.house.gov>, info <info@rossspano.com>
Cc: Hilton, Naomi <Naomi.Hilton@mail.house.gov>, Tyler Dever <tyler.dever@mail.house.gov>, James Jacobs <James.Jacobs@mail.house.gov>, Blaine Gravitt <Blaine.Gravitt@mail.house.gov>, Gordon Watts <gww1210@gmail.com>, Gww1210@aol.com <gww1210@aol.com>
Logan and Sarah (whose email address I don't have) and Jessie:
Thank you all for speaking with me on the telephone. Here is the proposed "press release" that will help Representative Spano not get caught "off guard."
The only 'new' stuff is the House Judiciary testimony by my friend, Bankruptcy/Consumer Attorney, Ed Boltz, also an attorney dealing in bankruptcies like Attorney Ross Spano, when he's doing law.
One thing that I'm not including in my email, Logan, is that letter to President Trump that XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX talked me into sending him--and the 15 MB or so attachment (which is too big to send via dial up Internet that I'm using now). Since XXXX is the XXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX, and a good friend of President Trump (well, they at least know each other), I sent the president my letter. The "part 2" planned attachments in my blog entry are helpful stuff that I can't quite fit in my email here -- here are the proper attachments to help Ross be conversant on this matter:
https://gordonWAYNEwatts.com/proof-read___Letter-to-the-Prez_UPDATED_ATTACHMENTS_PDF.pdf
https://GordonWatts.com/proof-read___Letter-to-the-Prez_UPDATED_ATTACHMENTS_PDF.pdf
https://gordonWAYNEwatts.com/proof-read___Letter-to-the-President_withReferencesAndAttachments_PDF.pdf
https://www.GordonWatts.com/proof-read___Letter-to-the-President_withReferencesAndAttachments_PDF.pdf
Other than the stuff linked above, everything Ross and you all need is attached to my email -- some in 2 formats to be sure you get a copy that works, and some of it in editible Word format, if that helps. OK, I've done my part: If we let voters escape and lose the Senate for being rude to them, then it's not my fault: I've done all I can on this end.
I expect my column to publish in the next few days at https://TheLedger.com (in fact, it may appear on their website at midnight tonight; I hope). --and so I want you all to be up to speed - and not caught off guard. I respect my friends and neighbors, but we still have a hard job to do -- one that is hopefully easier with my research materials, here. Print it all out -- save it to your computer -- and study it early, often, and well. Be well.
(-: Gordon :-)
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Gordon Watts <gww1210@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Nov 13, 2019 at 10:59 AM
Subject: Re: Column submission
To: Voice, Lakeland <voice@theledger.com>
Cc: Thompson, Bill <Bill.Thompson@theledger.com>, Gww1210@aol.com <gww1210@aol.com>, Gordon Watts <gww1210@gmail.com>
(Title goes here)
By Gordon Wayne Watts / Guest columnist
(Date goes here)
On Nov. 16 of last year, The Ledger published my column, decrying skyrocketing tuition & mounting student debt, paid for by our tax dollars. Apparently, in response to my column, Sec. of Education, Betsy DeVos, her 11-27-18 speech, 11 days later, repeated my complaints that “Collegiate debt, now almost $2 trillion, is almost 10 percent of total U.S. debt.” I quote her: “Today, FSA's [student debt] portfolio is nearly 10 percent of our nation's debt. [] Stop and absorb that for a moment. Ten percent of our total national debt.”
Apparently, this chain-reaction even influenced the president to fall in line with Conservative spending cuts: Forbes reported on March 19, 2019 that “Trump Proposes Limits On Student Loan Borrowing.”
But, despite even getting the president's attention, nothing has changed: Lawmakers didn't grant his request, and Trump, distracted by other issues, has dropped this. Based on that, I maintain my initial prediction of a crash of the dollar if lawmakers refuse to cut spending.
Enter Ross Spano, our new Congressman: Against all odds (we have over 750 thousand citizens in our District), he invited me to a personal 1-on-1 meeting this past July 30, 2019 (as he has with other constituents). In attendance were myself, Rep. Spano, and 2 senior staff, Blaine Gravitt & James Jacobs; we spoke for 30 minutes, from 1:30—2:00 P.M—predictably about unfinished business in higher education.
To be clear, I'm Conservative and DON'T seek Free College, Loan Forgiveness, or Liberal Free Handouts. But tuition is technically a tax: Funding to an arm of government (state government colleges), and students are sorely overtaxed. To mitigate this, I proposed Rep. Spano cosponsor HR 2648, the “Student Borrower Bankruptcy Relief Act of 2019.” This would fix current U.S. bankruptcy law, which violates the U.S. Constitution's Uniformity Clause, a special type of equal protection—affording a small amount of “tax reduction” via bankruptcy. Moreover, it would force banks to lower loan limits (because students could declare bankruptcy), forcing colleges to lower tuition to affordable levels (like it was in the past), a sensible compromise between the two extremes: Current Liberal over-taxation supported by RINO Republicans, & the other extreme, Bernie Sanders' 'free' college & loan forgiveness handouts.
Congressman Spano asked me if H.R.2648 was “retroactive” (for past loans) or merely “prospective” (moving forward). When I told him the bill would make bankruptcy retroactive, he objected, complaining this wouldn't be fair to those who've paid off their loans. However, what he didn't consider was the fact that the changes in law which STRIPPED my bankruptcy safety net acted “retroactively”: Thus, to be fair, any CORRECTION must be retroactively too! The various changes in Federal Law stripping my existing student loans of bankruptcy ALSO violated the Constitution's “Contract Clause”: Were this any other contract, it would immediately void the entire contract!
Sanders' claim that college was once free in America was rated “mostly true” by PolitiFact, because it WAS free in some places & very affordable elsewhere. So, if America had the best higher ed in the world—and was free in the past, it's not unreasonable to enact the more-modest legislation that I request.
Finally, news outlets reported last week (Oct. 8, 2019) that Sec. of Education Betsy DeVos was about to be arrested for violating a court order for the DOE to stop collecting on student loans from 16,000 students who went to the defunct Corinthian college— whose fraud made students eligible for a special discharge. DeVos is obviously to blame, but I believe lawmakers' refusal to enact the bills I request were partly to blame for her losing her mind. Therefore, I call upon Rep. Spano to pass both the loan limits bill (which Trump, DeVos, & myself have repeatedly requested) as well as HR 2648, a responsible compromise to the Liberal over- taxation ruining any one who aspires to get an education & better themselves. Over 44 million Americans have college debt, & another 30—40 million as cosigners or family, so changes are needed. My proposals, unlike a minimum wage hike, aren't inflationary (don't require printing of new dollars), and thus the preferred way to offer relief to the middle-class.
Gordon Wayne Watts (contact him at GordonWatts.com or GordonWayneWatts.com) is a constituent in Rep. Spano's district and a former candidate for the Florida House of Representatives.
On Wed, Nov 13, 2019, 8:22 AM Voice, Lakeland <voice@theledger.com> wrote:
Please resend with only the oped you want published attached.
Thank you.
Voice of the People
The Ledger
On Sat, Nov 2, 2019 at 1:28 AM Gordon Watts <gww1210@gmail.com> wrote:
You all, at The Ledger, treat me very well, Bill, so I want to reassure you that I'm not trying to pressure my powerful friends into publishing another column, but in case y'all lost it, here it is again, just under 700 words.
P.S.: Thank you to all y'all for defending my President, Donald Trump, but my Congressman is a bit too tax-n-spend liberal for our tastes, and he's straying from the reservation. Since I'm diplomatic, and polite but firmly document my claims, I have "faith" the I can help give guidance to Representative Spano -- and help avert economic & political meltdown. Together, the 3 of us (you, me, & the good Congressman) can save the nation on multiple fronts. I hope.
Plz see the attached, and let me know what you think; I'm cc copying the subjects of my column, once again.
Gordon ?
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Gordon Watts <gww1210@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Oct 18, 2019, 3:02 PM
Subject: Reprise: "Guest column submission: ATTENTION: Bill Thompson"
To: Thompson, Bill <Bill.Thompson@theledger.com>, <voice@theledger.com>, <tyler.dever@mail.house.gov>, Hilton, Naomi <Naomi.Hilton@mail.house.gov>
Cc: <Blaine.Gravitt@mail.house.gov>, <James.Jacobs@mail.house.gov>, Gww1210@aol.com <gww1210@aol.com>, Gordon Watts <gww1210@gmail.com>
Bill: This is Gordon. The Lakeland Ledger receptionist informs me that y'all are not near telephones due to construction at the Ledger building, to make changes to accommodate PUBLIX SUPERMARKETS, who rent from you. In case you didn't get my previous email or phone call, here's another copy of my guest column submission.
Tyler: Besides the 2 'Conservative' Legislative solutions to the dangerously expanding "Higher Ed Bubble," outlined in my guest column, a 3rd, Liberal, solution exists, and it is worthy of Rep. Spano's consideration:
■SOLUTION #3: Declare higher education an illegal monopoly (it IS already, hello?) and, to make it "legal," regulate tuition like we do with other legal monopoly utilities, e.g., water, gas, electric.
P.S.: The other Higher Ed legislation enrolled is either too much (liberal giveaway) or too lame (feckless and ineffective waste of our time). Did I quote my friends correctly, and are there, still, any objections to my 3 proposed legislative solutions? If so, lay it on me. If not, how soon can we get these bills passed into law?
Gordon Wayne Watts
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Gordon Watts <gww1210@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, Oct 15, 2019, 1:35 PM
Subject: Guest column submission: ATTENTION: Bill Thompson
To: Thompson, Bill <Bill.Thompson@theledger.com>, voice <voice@theledger.com>, Hilton, Naomi <Naomi.Hilton@mail.house.gov>
Cc: info <info@rossspano.com>, Blaine Gravitt <Blaine.Gravitt@mail.house.gov>, James Jacobs <James.Jacobs@mail.house.gov>, Tyler Dever <tyler.dever@mail.house.gov>, Gww1210@aol.com <gww1210@aol.com>, <gww1210@gmail.com>
Bill, this is Gordon.
As you've asked me before, I'm submitting my guest column submission
(less than 700 words) in a dynamically-editable format (e.g.,
Microsoft Word *.doc format), but I'm also including a stable PDF
version(you know, in case the Word version is corrupted or some such).
Since I make some factual claims in my column, I'm including an
annotated version, documenting my factual claims.
My column is another Higher Education commentary, which I am writing,
and am offering commentary on proposed legislative solutions for our
new Congressman, Rep. Ross Spano (R-FL-15th), similar to my prior 2
columns about rerited Congressman Dennis Ross and incumbent Senator
Marco Rubio.
While I believe me memory serves me correctly on the few factual
claims I've made about the meeting which Representative Spano was good
enough to give me, nonetheless, I'm including them in my submission,
here, so we can make sure I'm quoting or characterizing them
correctly.
OK, here's my submission -- how soon can you get it published!
--
*Gordon Wayne Watts, editor-in-chief, The Register*
* www.GordonWayneWatts.com* <http://www.gordonwaynewatts.com/>* / *
*www.GordonWatts.com* <http://www.gordonwatts.com/>
*A**LWAYS FAITHFUL - To God*
*BS, The Florida State University, Biological & Chemical SciencesAS, United
Electronics Institute*
*2046 Pleasant Acre Drive, Plant City, FL 33801-2113
Unlimited Minutes Cell: (863) 687-6141 (but bad connectivity)
Limited Minutes Cell:*: (863) 688-9880* (but great connectivity)
*See also: **http://Gordon_Watts.Tripod.com/consumer.html*
<http://gordon_watts.tripod.com/consumer.html>
*Gww1210@aol.com <Gww1210@aol.com> ; Gww1210@Gmail.com *
*Truth is the strongest, most stable force in the Universe*
*Truth doesn't change because you disbelieve it*
*TRUTH doesn't bend to the will of tyrants**www.GordonWayneWatts.com*
<http://www.gordonwaynewatts.com/>* / **www.GordonWatts.com*
<http://www.gordonwatts.com/>
* Get Truth.*
*"First, they [Nazis] came for the Jews. I was silent. I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists. I was silent. I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists. I was silent. I was not a trade
unionist. Then they came for me. There was no one left to speak for me."
(Martin Niemöller, given credit for a quotation in The Harper Religious and
Inspirational Quotation Companion, ed. Margaret Pepper (New York: Harper
&Row, 1989), 429 -as cited on page 44, note 17, of Religious Cleansing in
the American Republic, by Keith A. Fornier, Copyright 1993, by Liberty,
Life, and Family Publications.*
*Some versions have Mr. Niemöller saying: "Then they came for the
Catholics, and I didn't speak up, because I was a Protestant"; other
versions have him saying that they came for Socialists, Industrialists,
schools, the press, and/or the Church; however, it's certain he DID say
SOMETHING like this. Actually, they may not have come for the Jews first,
as it's more likely they came for the prisoners, mentally handicapped, &
other so-called "inferiors" first -as historians tell us -so they could get
"practiced up"; however, they did come for them -due to the silence of
their neighbors -and due in part to their own silence. So: "*Speak up now
or forever hold your peace!"-GWW
This message may contain confidential and/or privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient or authorized to receive this for the intended recipient, you must not use, copy, disclose or take any action based on this message or any information herein. If you have received this message in error, please advise the sender immediately by sending a reply e-mail and delete this message. Thank you for your cooperation.
--
Gordon Wayne Watts, editor-in-chief, The Register
www.GordonWayneWatts.com / www.GordonWatts.com
ALWAYS FAITHFUL - To God
BS, The Florida State University, Biological & Chemical Sciences
AS, United Electronics Institute
2046 Pleasant Acre Drive, Plant City, FL 33801-2113
Home: (863) 687-6141 ; Cell: (863) 688-9880
See also: http://Gordon_Watts.Tripod.com/consumer.html
Gww1210@aol.com ; Gww1210@Gmail.com
Truth is the strongest, most stable force in the Universe
Truth doesn't change because you disbelieve it
TRUTH doesn't bend to the will of tyrants
www.GordonWayneWatts.com / www.GordonWatts.com
Get Truth.
"First, they [Nazis] came for the Jews. I was silent. I was not a Jew. Then they came for the Communists. I was silent. I was not a Communist. Then they came for the trade unionists. I was silent. I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for me. There was no one left to speak for me." (Martin Niemöller, given credit for a quotation in The Harper Religious and Inspirational Quotation Companion, ed. Margaret Pepper (New York: Harper &Row, 1989), 429 -as cited on page 44, note 17, of Religious Cleansing in the American Republic, by Keith A. Fornier, Copyright 1993, by Liberty, Life, and Family Publications.
Some versions have Mr. Niemöller saying: "Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up, because I was a Protestant"; other versions have him saying that they came for Socialists, Industrialists, schools, the press, and/or the Church; however, it's certain he DID say SOMETHING like this. Actually, they may not have come for the Jews first, as it's more likely they came for the prisoners, mentally handicapped, & other so-called "inferiors" first -as historians tell us -so they could get "practiced up"; however, they did come for them -due to the silence of their neighbors -and due in part to their own silence. So: "Speak up now or forever hold your peace!"-GWW
--
--
Gordon Wayne Watts, editor-in-chief, The Register
www.GordonWayneWatts.com / www.GordonWatts.com
ALWAYS
FAITHFUL - To
God
BS,
The Florida State University, Biological & Chemical Sciences
AS,
United Electronics Institute
2046
Pleasant Acre Drive, Plant City, FL 33801-2113
Home:
(863) 687-6141 ; Cell:
(863) 688-9880
See
also: http://Gordon_Watts.Tripod.com/consumer.html
Gww1210@aol.com ; Gww1210@Gmail.com
Truth
is the strongest, most stable force in the Universe
Truth
doesn't change because you disbelieve it
TRUTH
doesn't bend to the will of
tyrants
www.GordonWayneWatts.com / www.GordonWatts.com
Get
Truth.
"First,
they [Nazis] came for the Jews. I was silent. I was not a Jew. Then
they came for the Communists. I was silent. I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists. I was silent. I was not a
trade unionist. Then they came for me. There was no one left to
speak for me." (Martin Niemöller, given credit for a
quotation in The Harper Religious and Inspirational Quotation
Companion, ed. Margaret Pepper (New York: Harper &Row, 1989),
429 -as cited on page 44, note 17, of Religious Cleansing in the
American Republic, by Keith A. Fornier, Copyright 1993, by Liberty,
Life, and Family Publications.
Some
versions have Mr. Niemöller saying: "Then they came for
the Catholics, and I didn't speak up, because I was a Protestant";
other versions have him saying that they came for Socialists,
Industrialists, schools, the press, and/or the Church; however, it's
certain he DID say SOMETHING like this. Actually, they may not have
come for the Jews first, as it's more likely they came for the
prisoners, mentally handicapped, & other so-called "inferiors"
first -as historians tell us -so they could get "practiced up";
however, they did come for them -due to the silence of their
neighbors -and due in part to their own silence. So: "Speak
up now or forever hold your peace!"-GWW