Each month a presentation is made by a Club Member related to different aspects of our Nation’s traditions, history, and ideals. These short presentations are informative, interesting, and above all, inspiring. For an even bigger impact please come hear them in person by attending one of our monthly Club meetings, held the third Thursday of the month at 10:00 a.m. at the Coronado Center. See you there!
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OCTOBER 2025
What do we know about the US Supreme Court? How many justices currently serve on the Court? 9 This has been the # since 1869.
How many justices served on the Court when it was established in 1789 by the first US Congress? 6
When the Constitution was ratified, those opposed were very concerned about the establishment of a Supreme Court (Article 3 of the Constitution) and that is why 5 – (½ ) – of the first 10 amendments THE BILL OF RIGHTS deal with judicial proceedings (Amendments 4-8).
The Judiciary Act of 1789 established the Supreme Court and one of the ACT’S provisions was the first to be declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. Most cases are appealed from lower court decisions and the Supreme Court hears about 100 cases per year.
Fun Facts: Who served as both a US President and a Supreme Court justice? William Taft
Did you know that The Supreme Court building contains a top-floor gym with a court, thus it is nicknamed truly “highest court in the land” /
There have been 17 chief justices and hence, 17 “Courts.” The Roberts Court is the 17th Court on the books; the Jay Court was the first. The Marshall Court was in session for the longest – 34 years,
Appointments to the Supreme Court must be approved by the Senate. Once approved they serve for life -Note: the longest serving justice was William O. Douglas, who retired in 1975 following more than 36 years and six months on the Court.
Justice Henry Baldwin missed the entire 1833 term of the Court due to hospitalization for “incurable lunacy.” but he remained a voting member of the Court 10 more years until his death in 1844.
When the Justices assemble to go on the Bench each day, each Justice shakes hands with each of the other eight.
Religious affiliations of the current 9 justices
(6) Catholic; (1) Jewish; (1) Episcopalian; (1) non-denominational Protestant Justice
Who was the funniest recent justice? A study done by law professor Jay Wexler of the 2004 Supreme Court term revealed that Antonin Scalia, in recent years, had been the funniest of the justices, triggering 77 rounds of laughter in the term during argument (about one laugh per argument).
Knowing that Supreme Court justices are appointed by the President and approved by the Senate, makes our votes for these offices affect everything from abortion, civil rights, immigration, education, and so many issues that shape our nation.
I encourage you to talk with your grands, nieces, nephews, and children about the Supreme Court and discuss decisions that the court has made. Share with them how important their vote is in determining the future of America. We have choices when we are with the younger generations – we can talk about the weather, our aches and pains, the latest movies or video games, or we can talk about patriotism, voting, current events, and the freedoms that we have and how to keep those freedoms. Pass your love of the US on.
(Presented by Americanism Committee Chair Janis Bremer at our Club meeting on October 16, 2025.)
MAY 2025
May is the month we celebrate mothers. So this month we are going to
look at the influence of some of the mothers of our Presidents.
Many of our presidents have grown up without their biological fathers.
There have been 3 presidents whose fathers died before they were even
born: Andrew Jackson, Rutherford B. Hayes, and Bill Clinton.
Andrew Jackson’s mother, Elizabeth, gave birth to him just days after
his father’s death. In poverty, his mother nevertheless wanted her
son to become a clergyman and worked as a maid to support Andrew and
his older brother. Both boys fought in the Revolution and were taken
prisoners. Both were wounded as prisoners and contracted smallpox.
Their mom fought for their release and brought them home to nurse.
Andrew’s older brother died, but Andrew survived. Hearing of the
plight of other wounded soldiers, Elizabeth traveled to Charleston to
help care for them and died from ship fever. Her example of sacrifice
shaped the future president’s life.
George Washington was 10 years old at the time of his father’s death.
His mother became the owner of a great estate. She never remarried but
focused for the next 46 years on her children and the running of the
estate. And she shaped the history of a nation even in a way you
probably don’t know.
When Washington was 14, he was determined to enlist in the British
Navy. His trunk had been sent abroad. He came to bid his mother
good-bye, and found her in tears . Her distress over his going was so
great that he changed his mind and remained at home. That decision
altered his entire career. Who can tell what the outcome of the
American Revolution would have been had George Washington not been
moved by his mother’s distress?
Did you know that 13 presidents have their mother’s or grandmother’s
maiden name as their middle name, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. John
Fitzgerald Kennedy, Richard Milhous Nixon.
George Herbert Walker Bush had his grandmother’s maiden name as his
middle name. His wife Barbara was both a First Lady and a First Mother
whose son, George Walker Bush. As a mother, Barbara gave George
motherly “tips” throughout his presidency—like reminders to stand up
straight and to make sure his socks were pulled up. At Bush’s GOP
nomination acceptance address in 2000, he had this special message for
his mother:
“…everyone loves you and so do I. Growing up, she gave me love and
lots of advice. I gave her white hair.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt was the 1st president, whose mother was able to
vote for him for president.
The tradition of Presidential Proclamations honoring Mother’s Day was
begun by Woodrow Wilson in 1914. Here is what Ronald Reagan said about
mothers in his proclamation:
“The Wild West could never have been tamed, the vast prairies never
plowed, nor God and learning brought to the corners of our continent
without the strength, bravery, and influence of our grandmothers,
great-grandmothers, and the women who came before them. From my mother
I learned the value of prayer, how to have dreams and believe I could
make them come true.”
John F. Kennedy said, “The strength of our nation depends upon the
strength of the American home, which is based on the virtues fostered
by the mothers of our country.” And JFK’s mother, Rose, who reared 9
children, made a statement that is timely for our day, “I looked at
child rearing not only as a work of love and duty, but as a profession
that was fully as interesting and challenging as any honorable
profession in the world.”
And this is an important concept for our society today as we face a
falling birth rate. Somehow the value of motherhood has been diluted
and many of our young people see children as a burden rather than a
blessing.
We as Republicans must once again extol the virtues of motherhood and
family as part of our contribution to the continued success of our
nation. This is a value that we can believe in and talk about and make
a patriotic difference for the future.
(Presented by Americanism Committee Chair Janis Bremer at our Club meeting on May 15, 2025.)
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APRIL 2025
April is the month when Christians celebrate their high holy day – the resurrection of Jesus. And aren’t we appreciative of our President’s declaration honoring this holy holiday. So today we will remember the words and faith of those who began this great experiment in freedom and self rule.
In 1811 New York Supreme Court Chief Justice James Kent wrote, “We are a Christian people, and the morality of the country is deeply engrafted upon Christianity.” The case was People vs. Ruggles. John Ruggles, speaking in a loud voice in a crowded tavern in Salem, New York, said “Jesus Christ was a bastard, and his mother must be a whore.”
He was arrested, charged with blasphemy and tried. Ruggles was found guilty, sentenced to 3 months in prison and fined him $500. In an appeal of his conviction, Justice Kent said, “The people of this state, in common with the people of this country, profess the general doctrines of Christianity, and to scandalize the author of these doctrines is not only, in a religious point of view, extremely impious, but, even in respect to the obligations due to society, is a gross violation of decency and good order.” Mr. Ruggles’ conviction was upheld unanimously.
Over 200 years ago, this comment was nowhere near as controversial as it is today. In fact, for centuries, it was mainstream to call America a Christian nation. Did you know there are over 300 federal and state court cases that labeled America as a Christian nation. Presidents, governors, congressmen, and the Founders themselves called the United States a Christian country.
President John Adams notably said, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” In other words, the further America digresses from its religious roots, the more the Constitution loses its value and authority.
Noah Webster, who served as a legislator, judge, educator, and soldier in the Revolution, said, “[T]he Christian religion … is the basis, or rather the source, of all genuine freedom in government. … I am persuaded that no civil government of a republican form can exist and be durable in which the principles of Christianity have not a controlling influence.” Again, Noah Webster, “In my view, the Christian religion is the most important and one of the first things which all children, under a free government, ought to be instructed.”
How many of you can remember having the Bible read and prayer in your public school education?
Furthermore, 9 of the 13 original states required public officials to be Christians to hold office. Delaware’s State Constitution specified, “Every person who shall be chosen a member of either house, or appointed to any office or place of trust, shall take the following oath:
‘I, do profess faith in God the Father, and in Jesus Christ His only Son, and in the Holy Ghost, one God, blessed for evermore; and I do acknowledge the holy scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given by divine inspiration.’”
We also cannot deny that many of the founding fathers of the United States of America were men of deep religious convictions. Of the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence, 24 held seminary or Bible school degrees.
So today as we see the tenets of Christianity being eroded in the public square, let us stand for what our founding fathers stood for — faith in God. And let us be faithful to pass that faith and its importance to the continued existence of our country on to our children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
(Presented by Americanism Committee Chair Janis Bremer at our Club meeting on April 17, 2025.)
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NOVEMBER 2024
“384 years ago in September of 1620 102 passengers left England seeking a new home where they could freely practice their faith. After a treacherous 66 day crossing, they landed much farther north than they intended near the tip of Cape Cod with winter upon them.
“A month later their ship, the Mayflower, crossed Massachusetts Bay and began to establish their home in the new world in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Most stayed on the boat during the winter months and less than ½ of the 102 survived. 78% of the women died that first winter.
“In March the remaining settlers moved ashore where they received an astonishing visit from a member of the (AH BUH NAH KEE) Abenaki tribe who greeted them in English and introduced them to Squanto, a member of the (PA TUX ET) Patuxet tribe who had been kidnapped by an English sea captain and sold into slavery before escaping to London and returning to his homeland.
“Squanto taught the Pilgrims, weakened by malnutrition and illness, how to cultivate corn, extract sap from maple trees, catch fish in the rivers, and avoid poisonous plants. He also helped the settlers forge an alliance with the (Wamp uh Nog) Wampanoag Indians, which lasted over 50 years.
“That fall of 1621 22 men, 4 married women and 25 teens and children joined 90 Wamp uh Nog Indians to celebrate a harvest that would see the Pilgrims through the coming winter. 3 days of feasting and giving thanks to God became known as our first Thanksgiving.
“But do your grandchildren and nieces and nephews know this history? You might be surprised how many are no longer taught this history in schools so, this Thanksgiving, I encourage you to retell the story of our first Thanksgiving.
“So how did Thanksgiving become a national holiday? Again ONE PERSON made a difference in our history. Sarah Hale, a magazine editor and the author of “Mary Had a Little Lamb” wrote letters to presidents and elected officials to make Thanksgiving a national holiday. In 1863, in the midst of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday, seeing it as a way to unify a divided country.
“Today with this the month of Thanksgiving, I want us individually to take a minute to think of all we are thankful for and write it down on your paper. I encourage you to continue to add to this list throughout the remainder of this year and share a spirit of gratefulness with those around you, especially the next generation.”
(Presented by Americanism Committee Chair Janis Bremer at our Club meeting on November 21, 2024.)
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JULY 2024
“Having just experienced this past weekend the assassination attempt on President Donald Trump, I decided to look into assassination attempts in America’s history.
“Abraham Lincoln was the first US President to be killed in office in 1865. His assassin was shot after refusing to surrender and 4 other conspirators were later found guilty and hanged.
“In 1881 James Garfield was shot less than 4 months after taking office. He survived for 79 days before passing. His assassin was found guilty and hanged.
“William McKinley was shot and lived 8 days before dying on Sept. 14, 1901. His assassin was captured and beaten severely by the police but survived to stand trial, was convicted and executed in the electric chair.
“This was what prompted Congress to direct the Secret Service to begin protecting the President.
“John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Nov. 1963 and his assassin was shot and killed in the basement of the Dallas Police Station by a night club owner, Jack Ruby who eventually died in prison.
“We’ve had 3 Presidents or former Presidents wounded in assassination attempts. Ronald Reagan, now Donald Trump, but here’s the most interesting one:
“Theodore Roosevelt – 3 ½ years after he left office having served 2 terms (he’s the president after McKinley is killed), Teddy decided to run again on the Progressive ticket. During this campaign in 1912 a saloon keeper shot him at a campaign event in GUESS WHERE? Milwaukee, Wisconsin. But here’s the crazy part:
“Roosevelt, as an experienced hunter and anatomist, correctly concluded that since he was not coughing blood, the bullet had not reached his lung, and he declined suggestions to go to the hospital immediately. Instead, he delivered his scheduled speech with blood seeping into his shirt.
“The 50 page text of his campaign speech folded over twice in his pocket and metal glasses case slowed the bullet, saving his life and obviously allowing him to give his speech. His assailant was found legally insane and institutionalized until his death in 1943.
“And did you know that there have been many assassination plots on our Presidents over the years. Bill Clinton had 5 plots uncovered and thwarted. Barack Obama had 8 plots. In the case of these 2 presidents, several of the plots came from outside the US.
“So how do we use this information to build Patriotism into the next generations? Let’s remind them how thankful we are for men and women who are courageous enough to take these risks to lead our country and keep us free. Let’s us all be thankful for all who lead us and let us pray for our leaders and teach our next generation to pray for our leaders for not only wisdom, but for safety too.”
(Presented by Americanism Committee Chair Janis Bremer at our Club meeting on July 18, 2024.)
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JUNE 2024
“We recently celebrated Flag Day.
“On June 14, 1777, the 2nd Continental Congress took a break from writing the Articles of Confederation and passed a resolution stating that “the flag of the United States be 13 stripes, alternate red and white,” and that “the union be 13 stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.” They wanted to move away from the flag that had the Union Jack on it.
“Over 100 years from that decision, In 1885 Bernard Cigrand, a small-town Wisconsin teacher, originated the idea for an annual flag day, to be celebrated across the country every June 14. That year, he led his school in the 1st formal observance of the holiday.
“31 years later, in 1916, President Woodrow Wilson marked the anniversary of that flag decree made by the 2nd Continental Congress by officially establishing June 14 as Flag Day.
“In honor of that day, I’ve asked my husband, Marc Bremer, to lead us in the song that honors that flag as it has flown over many battles for freedom. Please stand for the Star Spangled.”
(Presented by Americanism Committee Chair Janis Bremer at our Club meeting on June 20, 2024.)
Hot Springs Village Republican Women's Club 