Former financial manager and marketing specialist Todd Cefaratti offers his insights to mortgage companies as well as the Tea Party political organization. A graduate of the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and the University of California Irvine, Todd Cefaratti holds degrees in economics and marketing as well as a lifetime membership with chapters of Sigma Chi International at the University of Arizona and UCLA.
The Executive Director of TheTeaParty.net, Todd Cefaratti assists the political movement in enhancing its web presence. One of the Tea Party’s most important online outlets, TheTeaParty.net contains information about the Tea Party’s mission and philosophy, nearby Tea Party chapters, and how to start a Tea Party chapter. Todd Cefaratti also includes a Voter ShoutBox on the website so that any of the page’s visitors can post their thoughts and comments about the Tea Party and the country’s current political situation. A nonprofit organization, TheTeaParty.net also provides information for people who wish to donate to the cause or join in any of the Tea Party events Todd Cefaratti organizes. Responsible for the Tea Party gaining an additional 10,000 members a week, Todd Cefaratti regularly conducts political rallies and bus tours. Through Todd Cefaratti’s efforts, TheTeaParty.net has become one of the largest sponsors at the Conservative Political Action Conference in the nation’s capital.
Professionally, Todd Cefaratti uses his years of experience in the financial market at Glengary Inc., where he acts as CEO and President. A marketing consultancy, Glengary Inc. primarily handles reverse mortgage leads. Under Todd Cefaratti’s leadership, the company connects the country’s largest mortgage lenders with individuals interested in obtaining a reverse mortgage.
Engaging his charitable side, Todd Cefaratti also offers his talents as a Marketing Director and member of the School Board to the private institution Christ’s Greenfield Lutheran Church & School in Gilbert, Arizona. An avid reader, some of Todd Cefaratti’s favorite works include Mario Puzo’s The Godfather, Mark Levin’s Liberty and Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto, and Reagan: A Life in Letters. Todd Cefaratti currently lives in Mesa, Arizona, with his wife and two daughters.
As head of TheTeaParty.net, one of the largest tea party organizations in the country, I am influenced by the political theories and beliefs of leading conservative figures such as Ronald Reagan, William Buckley, and Mark Levin. An advisor to a several of President Reagan’s cabinet members from 1981 on, Levin worked his way into a position as Associate Director of Presidential Personnel and Chief of Staff to Attorney General Edwin Meese. In the past two decades Levin has emerged as an insightful lawyer, talk-radio host, National Review contributor, and constitutional scholar.
I particularly value the carefully researched opinions Levin gives in Men in Black: How the Supreme Court Is Destroying America. Published in 2005, Men in Black explores the way in which activist judges of all political stripes have strayed from their traditional role as impartial arbiters of constitutional precedent, entering into a realm of “enacting political legislation from the bench.” In the name of interpreting the Constitution, they have essentially amended many parts of the document, corrupting the intent of our founding fathers.
A landmark decision in expanding the Supreme Court’s power in an activist direction was Marbury v. Madison, which in 1803 gave the bench the power to declare acts of the other branches of government unconstitutional. This opened the door to biased interpretations in a range of late-20th and 21st century cases that include decisions on same-sex marriage, Roe vs. Wade, affirmative action, and the McCain-Feingold Act.
I applaud Levin’s argument for originalism, which holds that the Supreme Court justices are bound to honor a narrow interpretation of constitutional text. Rather than speaking of the Constitution as a “living” or “evolving” document, as became the norm among many justices in the 1960s, unelected members of the Supreme Court are bound to uphold the vision of America enshrined by constitutional framers such as Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton. I recommend Levin’s Men In Black to anyone concerned about the activist direction in which the Supreme Court is headed.
A Review of the 2011 Conservative Political Action Conference, Todd Cefaratti
June, 2011
Upholding the values of conservative leaders such as Ronald Reagan and Mark Levin, Todd Cefaratti currently acts as Executive Director of TheTeaParty.net. As one of the nation’s largest organizations supporting the Tea Party movement, TheTeaParty.net attracts more than 10,000 new members each week. Todd Cefaratti serves as the leader of the group, leveraging more than 25 years of diverse business experience to his role. Mobilizing supporters across the country, TheTeaParty.net also contributes to large-scale conservative events, such as the Conservative Political Action Conference hosted by the American Conservative Union Foundation and held in the nation’s capital each year.
CPAC 2011, which recently held February 10-14, attracted many of the most respected conservative politicians, businesspeople, and activists. The opening day proceedings began with introductions from CPAC Chairman David A. Keene. Several congressmen lectured on a range of topics on the first day, ranging from political correctness in the military to tax and immigration reform. Social issues also took center stage, with discussions on traditional marriage, media activism, and pop culture. Many presidential hopefuls also spoke, including Donald Trump, Ron Paul, Rick Santorum, Mitch McConnell, Michelle Bachmann, and Newt Gingrich. The second day of CPAC included more in-depth discussions of key policy issues, including an evolving judiciary system, rampant government spending, and the pro-life movement. Other GOP presidential hopefuls also made appearance, including Mitt Romney and Tim Pawlenty. The second day concluded with a banquet in honor of Ronald Reagan’s 100th birthday.
On the final day of CPAC 2011, politicians and business leaders continued with discussions initiated earlier in the week. With a focus on new challenges facing the country, discourse focused on Internet regulation, the war in Afghanistan, and imminent nuclear threats. As with all CPACs, the event ended with a straw poll, a preliminary method of gauging the validity of conservative political candidates. Ron Paul won for the second year in a row, garnering 30 percent of the vote.
