Winsted, CT- watch Right Principles co-founder and fourth congressional district grass roots leader Bob MacGuffie and Barkhamsted Republican Town Committee Chairman and host Juliana Simone, as they discuss in his second appearance upcoming congressional races in the fourth and fifth districts, as well as the Governor’s race; the tea party and the insiders; the recent successful municipal elections for the Republican party and any reflection on Connecticut voters for future state and federal seat gains; Governor Malloy — his record and Bob’s challenge to the Governor to have a debate, and the state and federal budgets.
Dr. Benjamin Carson, director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, delivers remarks to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) 2013 in National Harbor, Maryland {Photo:REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst}
Written by Juliana Simone
March 16th, 2013
National Harbor, MD – Dr. Ben Carson, a new and articulate face among conservatives, talked at length about a variety of subjects at the fortieth Conservative Political Action Conference on Saturday. The pediatric neurosurgery doctor who practices at Johns Hopkins Hospital, came to the attention of the mainstream media and thus the general public when as an invited speaker he made conservative remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast held by President Obama in February.
It appears the Obama’s knew little about the man before asking him to address their guests perhaps other than his title and race since they took umbrage to the words he delivered that morning that were in direct contrast to their own beliefs and policies. Dr. Carson’s words were not to the liking of the President and his wife, the media with its liberal bias and most of the room since they sharply conflicted with everything the current administration believes and is trying to legislatively push through while time is on their side.
Carson talked about Hillary Clinton and how her choice of words in public speaking engagements changed ‘freedom of religion’ to ‘freedom of worship.’ “Freedom of worship,” the esteemed brain surgeon explained, is something that is allowed in China and was also allowed in World War II Germany.
The definition of marriage is also an attack on freedom of religion the good doctor said…by trying to change the definition of marriage and make churches recognize the new definition. In words to religious leaders, Carson said, “The church needs to stand up and be the church. When did America allow church into the public square?” he asked. He noted that Christians started the anti-slavery movement and suggested to the CPAC audience to please read “A Free People’s Suicide” by Os Guinness.
Carson asked, what’s logical – what’s common sense? “Common sense shouldn’t just be for conservatives, but liberals, too.” Dr. Carson told listeners he’s received many letters since his breakfast speech with President Obama; many letters from seniors who said they’d given up until they heard him speak. He said he got a few ‘nasty grams,’ too, saying ‘how dare you insult my President!’ Some of them mentioned his race and Carson asked, “when did it happen you had to have a certain philosophy because of the color of your skin?” A reporter once asked me why I didn’t talk about race, he reminisced. I said, “Because I’m a neurosurgeon – when I operate and open the Dura I see who they really are…it’s not the color of their skin.”
He remembered how difficult his upbringing was with a single mom who worked three jobs until midnight and told the convention how she made them turn off the TV at some point and read three books a day. Friends would ask him, why were we reading when our mom wasn’t home? He said, “Because back then you did what your parents said.” (laughter) We couldn’t call 911 and complain to someone…he reflected with a hint of sarcasm.
Addressing his experiences at school, he revealed how as a child he went from being nicknamed ‘dummy’ by his classmates to being top in his class – and helping the other kids in seventh grade when they went to him for the answers.
In regards to the election process, Dr. Carson said people go in the voting booth and say ‘there’s a name I recognize – I’m going to vote for that one.’ They have no idea how they represent them. “This is a country that’s for, of, and by the people – not for, of, and by the government. And if we turn it over to them, we cannot complain about what they’re doing… because this is the natural course of men, and we have to hold their feet to the fire.”
Speaking about what he knows best, Dr. Carson detailed the human mind saying the brain is amazing…it can process billions of bits of information in one second – remember everything – see everything – strategize – not react like animals…People now would rather react than strategize.
Segueing into America’s debt, he added, “If we begin to spend ourselves into oblivion we’ll destroy this nation.” Enjoying his moment in the new political spotlight, he puffed up and supposed to supporters, “Now, let’s pretend you magically put me into the White House.” (cheers/applause; he laughs and takes it back)
“First, I’d divide everyone against each other,” he inflected with irony to point out the current administrations agenda. “A house divided against itself cannot stand’ a wise man named Jesus Christ once said.”
He continued by laying out a plan that if he were an enemy of the United States, he would set about destroying the nation in four simple steps:
Create division among the people, encourage a culture of ridicule for basic morality, undermine the nation’s financial stability through excessive government debt, and weaken the military. “It appears, coincidentally, that those are the very things that are happening right now,” he observed. ”And the question is, how do we stop it? Can we stop it, or must we inexorably follow the same kind of path that other pinnacle nations have followed before their destruction?”
Additionally, his plan would undermine the financial stability and drive it so far into debt it couldn’t rehabilitate, weaken the military and undermine the moral of the military. All of those things are what happened to other pinnacle nations before they fell, he observed.
We all have responsibility to recognize what’s going on and change it.
Dr. Carson, an advocate for education improvement, talked about the scholarship he created for great students instead of all the trophies given out to kids for everything now that he and his wife saw when visiting schools recently.
“Education is a fundamental principle of what made America a success,” he stated, reflecting on the importance of education in his own life, and noting that well-educated people are better equipped to pursue opportunity and provide for themselves – not lapse into social safety-net dependency. Carson cited the thirty percent high school dropout rate today and suggested a plan to create reading rooms where schools had no libraries. For motivation on the money spent on educating our young, Carson reminded his audience “for every student we save that’s one less person you have to save your family from or pay for in the penal system.” “We can’t afford to throw any young people away,” he professed.
Reflecting on United States history and its industrial empires, Carson reflected American barons didn’t just become European land barons that just passed their wealth down to future generations. They built transcontinental railroads, museums and {became manufacturers.}
On America’s wealthy, the renowned surgeon stated that forty percent of the wealthiest families give half their wealth to charities. “No other country in the world would do that…”
In regards to taxes, he said someone criticized him at the prayer breakfast for bringing up God. “I don’t understand that – it’s a prayer breakfast.”
God – you make ten billion you put in one billion – you make ten dollars you put in one dollar. What’s not fair is when you exempt someone. To me, that’s offensive.
The superior elite people say, ‘there, there, little thing, I’ll take care of you.’ The other ulterior motive is if everyone doesn’t have skin in the game, not everyone will care about raising taxes and you’ll to explain to all.
As he did at the National Prayer Breakfast, Carson warned of the dangers of allowing government to control health care, which represents one-sixth of the economy. “If the government can control that, they can control everything,” he said. Instead, he proposes that 80 percent of the interactions between doctors and patients could be easily handled through health savings accounts, a proposal discussed in more detail in his book, “America the Beautiful: Rediscovering What Made This Nation Great.”
“We need to understand what is going on, because there are much more economic models that can be used to give us good health care than what we have now. And we were asleep at the wheel to let it happen, but we have to find a way still to make it work,” said the neurosurgeon.
Addressing economics, Carson said his critics would say he’s a neurosurgeon so he couldn’t know anything about economics. “It’s not brain surgery,” he mused. (applause)
“Corporations aren’t there to be social welfare programs. They’re there to make money,” he said in terms of pro-business growth. He said there is an awful lot of money floating around beyond America’s borders, and our government could bring it home by “treating businesses as friends, not as enemies.” He repeated his comments about truly fair taxation he stated at the National Prayer Breakfast where he talked about truly fair taxation and a low and flat tax system which would punish no one and exempt no one.
Moving on to social issues and religion, Dr. Carson told the convention “We need to resist this war on God. People don’t want to talk about God and don’t dare mention Jesus Christ. What happened to freedom of religion? Freedom of speech? Let’s let everybody believe what they want to believe,” he countered. ”And that means, P.C. police, don’t you be coming down on people who believe in God and who believe in Jesus.”
“We need to understand that we are not each others’ enemies in this country. And it is only the political class that derives its power by creating friction. It is only the media that derives its importance by creating friction… that uses every little thing to create this chasm between people. This is not who we are. We have much more in common with other people than we have apart. And we have to be smart enough to understand that, and we have to live by Godly principles of loving your fellow man, of caring about your neighbor… of developing your God-given talents to the utmost, so you become valuable to the people around you… of having values and principles to guide your life. And if we do that, not only will we remain a pinnacle nation, but we will truly have one nation – under God – indivisible – with liberty and justice for all.”
# # #
An interview follows with biographer Eric Metaxas. It is noted Dr. Carson will be retiring from medicine in 106 days. The surgeon will be 62 years of age soon. Carson says he understands why pilots are asked to retire before they crash planes. He’s asked if he is leaving medicine to get into the political sphere. Carson is amused and says he’s very dedicated to education and asks people to go to his scholarship website…then, who knows? The interviewer muses that Dr. Carson must be getting into politics because he didn’t answer the question. {they laugh}
Dr. Carson came into the national political spotlight after criticizing President Obama and his Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare, at a national prayer breakfast attended by the president in February, where Carson delivered a staunch defense of conservative and Christian values. His remarks were completely unexpected by President Obama and the First Lady.
Ed.: This article written and reported by Juliana Simone, also appeared on Ameriborn News Network, a CT internet news site taken down in October 2015.
Sarah Palin: CPAC 2013 {photo: hollywoodonthepotomic}
CPAC 2013: Sarah Palin
Written by Juliana Simone
March 16th, 2013
National Harbor, MD – When Sarah Palin speaks it’s always an invigorating experience. Full of energy, amusing and insightful, she is a breath of fresh air for convention goers and armchair CPAC attendees who have heard hours of speakers. They’re all noteworthy, but Sarah brings the same wit and wisdom to the podium Reagan did…Peppering speeches with folksy zingers that reel their listeners in only to club them in the head with a glaring point. No one can ultimately compare to the former two term Republican President, but Palin still emits what the more stalwart presenters don’t – amusing antidotes and observations combined with hard hitting facts.
Taking the stage with a humorous and topical prop, the former Alaska Governor displayed a “Big Gulp” cup, a drink purchase a consumer can buy at a fast food franchise or movie theater. This was in reference to New York Mayor Bloomberg’s recent failed litigation to police the food his constituents could buy for the better of their health when the New York Supreme Court found the mandate nebulous in terms of other sugary drinks that could still be bought like sweetened coffees or milkshakes. Businesses caught selling these were going to be fined two hundred dollars. “Oh Bloomberg’s not around, our Big Gulps are safe,” she jested.
2008 Republican Vice President Nominee started her speech by saying we can have an adult conversation… She asked, “Remember no drama Obama? Now it’s all drama Obama.” Palin told the crowd, “We don’t have leadership coming out of Washington – we have reality television! And it’s really bad reality TV and everyone tuned it out a long time ago!”
“The purpose of politics is to lead and serve,” she told her fans. “They talk about building the party – how about rebuilding the GOP,” she asked. “We can’t ignore though that we just lost a big election – came in second – out of two…Second position on the dog sled team is where the view never changes and the view ain’t pretty,” she mused.
“We’re not here to rebrand the Party – we’re here to rebuild a country!”
“We’re not here to dedicate ourselves to new talking points coming from DC. We’re not here to put a fresh coat of rhetorical point on our party…We’re here to restore America, and the rest is just theatrics. The rest is sound and fury. It’s just noise. And that sums up the job President Obama does today.”
She stated eight percent unemployment rate doesn’t begin to capture how bad things are for everyone…and cited our President fancies himself as the champion of the middle class… but median incomes dropped five thousand dollars even while working longer hours. Gov. Palin noted the family budget has too much to maintain from college costs to the price of gas.
Palin reminded people that no budget has been passed for four years and it’s not just bureaucracy bungling – it’s government refusing to declare what they’re going to do with our money. {Editor’s note: For the first time in four years, a budget was just passed at the time of this posting which adds a trillion dollars of new taxes for United States citizens and made no cuts to the special interest groups that were on the list} “Barack Obama promised the most transparent administration ever,” she reminded members. “Barack Obama – you lied!” (Applause)
“No budget is no leadership,” she continued. “Never before have our challenges been so big and our leaders so small…When we were here last year, we wanted to see Barack pack up and go back to Chicago – but Election Day came and went and the campaign never ended…”
“Leaders take risks for the good of our country. Campaigners make promises they can’t keep. Leaders reach across political differences, campaigners double-down on those differences. Leaders seek to bring Americans together to confront our challenges and campaigners seek to divide and to conquer and to orchestrate crisis after crisis after crisis to exploit. Mr. President, we admit it, you won. Accept it. Now step away from the teleprompter and do your job,” she said. (Cheers)
“The permanent political class is in permanent campaign mode,” she sighed with remorse. “So where do we go from here? One of my idols, Lady Margaret Thatcher – she offered this advice after her party lost…She told fellow conservatives not to get lost in abstract debates and green eye shade accounting. Mrs. Thatcher advised conservatives to focus their concern first and foremost on the people. She said, “Look at every problem from the grassroots – not from the top looking down.” She also cautioned conservatives not to go wobbly on their beliefs, to which I offer a hearty “Amen, sistah!” We could use a leader like Maggie Thatcher today! {former England Prime Minister Margaret}.
Palin suggested imagining a leadership that governs for the people by the people…Imagine leadership that guides by the star…the constitution…that respects the second amendment in our constitution…
Addressing the topical amendment, Palin inquired, “More background checks? Dandy idea, Mr. President. Should have started with yours!” (applause) “Any wonder there was such a run on guns and ammo for Christmas? You should see what Todd got me for Christmas,” she revealed… “Well, it was a rack to put in a four wheeler… I had to get him something to put in the rack – so this go around he got the rifle, I got the rack!” (Cheers and laughter)
The 2008 Republican Vice President nominee told college Republicans in the audience she is so proud of them and tells them they are so bold. “My only advice – you’ve got to be thinking Sam Adams – not drinking Sam Adams!” (Applause) “Just a joke,” she says, saying she doesn’t want to get email, etc. from the Adams people or beer drinkers – but advices students to keep up the good work.
Returning to her vision in this communication, Palin articulates, “Imagine leadership that seeks solutions to real violence…End the poison between different groups and electorates by pandering with different issues; there are no Spanish issues or women issues or African American issues – there are only American issues!”
CPAC must share our message of liberty and freedom to all Americans. They’re not our enemies – they’re our neighbors and friends. Let’s grow. “We’ll never win a contest of ‘identity politics’ – no one’s guaranteed success but everyone’s guaranteed an equal opportunity to success.”
Liberal’s greatest lie is bigger government is a way to this success.
Crony capitalism, green energy, free phones, free prophylactics… “If you don’t have a team of lobbyists in D.C. or a canceled contribution check, well, you’re not at the table. You’re on the menu,” she said. “The last thing we need is Washington, D.C. vetting our candidates…If we had one message to send to Washington, it would be this: Get over yourself. It’s not about you.” She went on to say it was about families finding a half million in tuition fees, what mandates are taxes and coming next…
We the people need to break up the cronyism once and for all. Alaska – read your constitution. Those big resources aren’t owned by big conglomerates – they’re owned by us.
“The next election is twenty months away. Now is the time to furlough the consultants and tune out the pollsters, send the focus groups home and toss the political scripts…because if we truly know what we believe, we don’t need professionals to tell us.”
Creating a government by and for the people means funding candidates willing to lead in your communities – someone whose opinion you trust. Don’t let those in the political bubble tell you who’s worthy and who doesn’t fit the bill. “If these experts keep losing elections, keep raking in millions, if they feel that strongly about who should run in this party, they should buck up or stay on the truck…
“The architect(ssssss…),” Palin said dragging out the ‘s’ with affect to not make it a singular reference to Republican consultant Karl Rove who recently outlined how tea party candidates cost the republican party votes, “can head on back to their Lone Star state and put their name on the ballot, though for their sake I hope they give themselves a discount on their consulting fees…”
There’s more common sense in the solders, students, moms and cowboys I’ve ever met…she proclaimed.
The conservative bestselling author asserted that we need a President who is more concerned with finding the money for the White House to stay open for tours for college students then giving a half million dollars of weapons to the Islam brotherhood.
“With the grace of god we will save our country.” Sarah Palin carries off the Big Gulp to-go cup she holds up to the crowd…(Cheers)
The former Governor of Alaska and Republican Vice President nominee continues to prevail with her words both spoken and written while the mainstream media and democrat caucus continue to dismiss her. As Albert Einstein said, ““Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.”
{editor: this post originally appeared on Ameriborn News – an internet news site Juliana Simone contributed to from April 2010 to October 2015}
The bad news keeps coming for Congressional Fifth District Democrat candidate state House Speaker Christopher Donovan. With more federal arrests yesterday taking in six other people for illegal campaign fundraising, after the initial arrest of Donovan’s former campaign finance director, Robert Braddock, Jr. in May, now charged a second time, the FBI is still continuing its investigation. Though some political pundits and rival candidates made statements after Braddock’s arrest that Donovan should drop out of the race, Donovan held fast and said he would be continuing his bid for Congress. He even hired someone to investigate Braddock’s activities to show he knew nothing about them.
Thursday afternoon after the news broke, Donovan briefly appeared before press at the Capitol reading a statement that proclaimed his innocence but he refused to take questions when finished. With Thursday’s arrests, the party endorsed candidate becomes even less likely to be the right choice on August 14th’s primary day, for both voters and Democrat leaders.
This is both good news and bad news for the four Republican candidates competing for the spot on the November ballot. It’s good news if the perceived front runner has to drop out due to scandal, but its bad news because there go all those easy talking points in debates and television ads. Files with anti-Donovan material in them have been sitting in rival campaign computers for months, and with the possibility of his departure, all of that good stuff will have to be tossed. Pre-printed campaign literature will have to head for dumpsters.
Donovan, known for his union ties was an easy target for more fiscal and business oriented Republicans. Connecticut’s stagnant economy has made more and more voters take notice of the effect the untouchable unions have in our state and how it affects them as taxpayers. Add corruption to Donovan, and he is a very flawed candidate in November if he remains on the ballot, which is clearly beneficial for whichever Republican becomes his challenger.
What’s bad for Republicans, is if Elizabeth Esty wins the nomination on Primary Day. Her being the congressional candidate in November would make this a very different race. She will be much harder to beat for many reasons. She is a moderate Democrat, something more difficult to find these days in Washington and more so in Connecticut, as the states’ democrat majority continues to push them out. If Connecticut does have to remain “blue” she would be a refreshing addition to the five democrat held congressional seats in Washington, as a second female who couldn’t be more in contrast with the only woman serving Connecticut in congress right now, Rosa DeLauro, who is extremely left wing.
Elizabeth Esty served in the state legislature as a state representative and therefore is familiar with the legislative process and has been elected by voters before. She earned a reputation in the Connecticut General Assembly as a deficit hawk, voting against the budget and holding her party leaders accountable for over spending. She even took a 10% pay cut to help save taxpayers money. She also fought hard on education bills.
An attorney, she is well educated and holds two degrees – one from Harvard and a law degree from Yale. As a mother of three, the Cheshire resident, has always been active in her church, schools and many other community organizations. She has likeability and political connections that help get legislation passed.
If I were a democrat voting on August 14th, I would vote for Elizabeth Esty. I’m saying this before the Donovan campaign arrests. Donovan is someone I could never even fathom voting for nor could ever envision serving in Washington. A third democrat candidate, Dan Roberti, is new to voters but has connections through his father, a lobbyist in Washington who has helped him raise special interest money. He needs to do more before seeking high office.
Esty’s main goals as a congressional candidate are to help small business, bring back manufacturing and to create jobs. This is a democrat? These goals sound like the objectives listed on all the Republican mailers and promised during their campaign commercials. That’s what a moderate or blue dog democrat is – and why they are badly missed in both our state and in Washington. They are needed legislators who don’t vote 97% of the time with their caucus but vote across the aisle when it is the best plan proposed and will serve their constituents for the better good.
Not a social conservative, she is pro-choice and does support gay marriage. But the last female Republican and fifth district congresswoman Nancy Johnson and Governor Rell supported these personal choices, as well, as do many other Republicans and unaffiliated. It’s tough to say the majority of Connecticut voters feel differently. Even the women who agree abortion is bad, still believe there need to be pro-choice laws in place for a variety of reasons.
Many candidates and elected officials who support these views legislatively, often live very conservative lives themselves – going to church every Sunday, remaining married to their original spouse for decades, raising children, going to their kids school games, PTO meetings and town budget hearings. As a writer for Ameriborn News whose covered candidates and campaigns over the years, it’s interesting that those who oppose these things and are running as conservatives, or profess to be conservative, do not themselves engage in these traditional conservative actions or haven’t always.
Lastly, another big factor in political campaigns today, Esty’s campaign has money. A million and a half dollars – and most importantly, almost all of it is from individual donations at 96.09%. Just under $25, 000. is from PAC money compared to Donovan who has around $260, 000. in PAC money according to filings shown www.fec.gov . His campaign filing shows just over a million dollars raised, with 76.07% from individuals, but his donations are part of the FBI investigation under way.
Republican fifth congressional candidate Justin Bernier, with around $700,000. is comparable to Esty with about $27,000. in PAC money. State Senator Andrew Roraback (R-30), the party endorsed candidate, has raised over a half million dollars almost solely from individual contributions at the highest percentage of all fifth congressional candidates at 99.52%. He has received only $2,600. in PAC money. The republican candidate with the most campaign money that is equal to Esty’s, Mark Greenberg, is mostly self-funded with 84.04% in personal income invested. Roberti and Republican Lisa Wilson-Foley each have just over a million like Donovan, with Roberti showing 96.89% and Wilson Foley, another self-funded candidate, at 47.07% in individual donations.
For political insiders, reporters and enthusiasts who regularly read the FEC. GOV quarterly filings, one of the most impressive things about Esty’s contributions is she has 111 pages of them. Donovan has 79 shown. Roberti 44. Republican’s list between a dozen and just over three dozen (Bernier).
With state legislative experience, a remarkable education and career, conservative home life, and the ability to raise an impressive amount of money from individual contributions, Esty will be a much more formidable candidate for whomever Republican’s choose to be their candidate on August 14th come Election Day. Donovan’s on-going campaign finance dilemma leaves him open for constant criticism by the press and the Republican Party, making a loss in November more likely and a win a possible embarrassment down the line for the Connecticut Democrats and constituents. Esty’s win on Primary Day gives Republicans a real challenge and a win on Election Day the best it can be if it is to be a democrat held seat once again.
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal in New Orleans addressing the Southern Republican Leadership Conference (photo: blogs.reuters.com)
Written by Juliana Simone
June 17, 2011
New Orleans – Louisiana’s popular Governor Bobby Jindal finished up the Friday speakers list, talking before many state and national supporters in attendance who gathered these three days in June to see first hand the majority of Republican Presidential Candidates for 2012 and active U.S. Senators and Congressmen. A standing ovation greeted the Governor and his lovely wife. The Governor had a VIP buffet dinner in the Hotel Hilton Riverside later that evening.
Looking back in time when he was first elected as Governor, Jindal told the crowd how when he visited the state prison, people there said to him ‘you’re the first Governor to come to our prison without handcuffs on.’
Now years later, the Governor was proud to state Louisiana was number one in economic development in the entire country. “When government creates a job it costs taxpayers money – When Americans create jobs it saves taxpayers money,” he observed.
Addressing child abuse, Jindal said in Louisiana, ‘we’ve passed laws giving our judges the option of castration.’ He wondered why other states and federal lawmakers are so lax in terms of punishment for those who commit such heinous crimes against others.
‘We must focus our energies on replacing President Obama. Hating President Obama is foolish but defeating President Obama is crucial. What President Obama thinks is best for this country is a disaster. America is approaching a tipping point. Despite all this failure, he is asking us for four more years,’ he stated.
On the economy, the Louisiana Governor said, America’s addicted to spending. “Will we continue to be enablers?” he asked.
“We won a majority last year, he said in closing. We must now put that majority to use. Our leaders stopped being conservative,” he reflected.
# # #
Later, at the Governor’s dinner which Ameriborn News attended, the Governor was approachable to any and all of his constituents, and out of state supporters for the entire engagement. Clearly, he is an amiable man who is a true patriot at heart. With views of large freighters floating down the Mississippi River, patrons ate from multiple tables of representative Cajun cuisine. Having to attend many of these functions, I commend the Governor for his generous layout of food – from carving tables of roast beef in every doneness, to Creole jambalaya and Italian pastas. Appetizers, salad and desserts were also on hand as well as a cash bar which many of us had drink tickets for out of appreciation for our service.
Editors note:
Many thanks to the fine carver who assessing the situation, went and fetched me a chair from rooms away to sit down. I am sure this is something she was not in the habit of doing even with Southern hospitality, but noted why I was eating on my own.
Commentary and Rhetoric from Politics to Entertainment
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