It has not escaped the attention of Republican visitors to this site, that I have had some harsh words for certain Republicans in recent weeks.  Although we are a non-partisan group we attract a heavy traffic of Republicans due to our strongly conservative ideology.  I was even pleasantly surprised to see Texas State Representative Wayne Christian (a Republican) comment favorably on the column What I Learned in Austin. Christian, having voted against Straus and very publicly campaigned for a more conservative Republican Speaker, may be one of those Republicans who are happy to have a line being drawn not just between “Rs” and “Ds” but between “RINOs” and “Republicans.”  And who can blame him?

Republicans were wandering in the desert for a long time.  They were out of power and it was easy for them to point fingers at the Democrats.  But here is a hard truth that Republican Conservatives are going to need to acknowledge and embrace:  Republicans are back in power everywhere.  Not the Senate and the Executive Office, but at the state level Republicans are sitting pretty; and with power comes responsibility.  Those of us who have voted to put them in office have not forgotten the lessons of the ’94 elections when the House and Senate were taken over by Republicans, adding a Republican Executive in 2000 and resulting in the largest federal expansion in history until Barack Obama proved Democrats can rush us to ruin at breakneck speeds RINOs only dreamed of.

Now a very similar revolution to that in ’94 has occurred and those of us who lived and voted through the last one are understandably concerned about how long the determination of our leaders will last this time around.  In Texas I have had harsh words for the majority of Republicans coming back.  I’ve said nothing at all about Democrats which has apparently raised the question of where my loyalties lie.  Well they lie with the principles of our Founders: That government governs best which governs least and governments are instituted among men to protect rights not infringe them.  There is a rumor that the Republican Party also stands for these things but the Jim DeMints, Wayne Christians, James Whites, Ron Pauls, Paul Ryans, and Michele Bachmans of the Republican Party can attest that not everybody is walking that talk.  And let’s not forget that in a world where Republicans voted their platform, Texas Democrats would have literally no voice at all of any consequence.  There would be no possible way for liberal legislation to pass since Republicans have a super-majority.  So if Texas doesn’t see drastic cuts in the size, cost, and intrusiveness of its government, guess who you can blame?

So yes I have some very harsh judgment for those RINO Republicans that make the job of true Republican Conservatives all the harder by launching their own big-government, liberal agenda against the platform of their own party.  Think of it this way: We don’t even pay any mind to the Communist Chinese for being Communists right?  But if you’re an American, pretending to support our government, but secretly working to install a Communist Chinese regime on American soil you are a traitor and subject to being put to death.  There is a reason we reserve much more severe punishments for the wolf in sheep’s clothing than the wolf who openly shows himself.  The enemies among us can do harm on a far greater scale.

So expect to see a lot of complaints about what certain Republicans are or aren’t doing.  They’re holding the reins now, which means they’re also gonna be stuck holding the bag if things don’t change.

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Despite an outpouring of protest from the very grassroots that just weeks ago delivered the biggest Republican advantage since Reconstruction, the word is that Joe Straus is still likely to continue his reign as Speaker.

Sources in Austin are giving him a 75% chance of retaining his seat of power, although it is possible there will be an exodus of supporters next week when the time limit for fund-raising expires in advance of the next session.  The fact is Straus is popular with the lobbyists (which should tell you something) and many legislators may be remaining on his side until the last check is able to be written on December 11.  My advice?  December 12th be burning up the phone lines!

Then there are those like Stafani Carter, who is claiming it is simply a matter of honor that she stand by her pledge to support Straus; a pledge made all the way back at the primaries and concealed from the grassroots that helped put her in office.  That anyone should believe it dishonorable to withdraw support from Straus in spite of the outcry of their constituents is ironic considering Straus himself was still on a pledge card supporting his own predecessor the day before taking his place.

In East Texas, two of the incoming Freshmen, Representatives-Elect James White (R-Hillister) and Erwin Cain (R-Como) issued a joint Press Release detailing their determination to support Paxton based on the overwhelming call for a new direction coming from their constituents.

The ‘Old Guard’ in Austin is supposedly sneering that these Freshmen are “caving to pressure” and I questioned White about this specific charge.  The Tea Party Republican, who won 58-42% unseating a 13-year incumbent (a popular Democrat with strong favorables among voters from both parties) replied, “It’s caving to pressure when an elected representative does what some lobbyist wants in spite of his people; this is not caving to pressure, this is me representing my District.”

Well said.

While not everyone is persuadable, the following is a list of either ‘soft’ supporters of Straus or those who have made no pledge at all.  These are considered prime targets for movement and the list has already paid off.  Last week Representative Van Taylor was on it, now he is committed to supporting Ken Paxton.

Stefani Carter

member elect of Dallas (972) 385-3313

Charles Schwertner

member elect of Georgetown (512) 863-4563

John Frullo

member elect of Lubbock 806-853-8275

Larry Gonzales

member elect of Round Rock 512-244-1280

Sarah Davis

member elect of Houston 713-320-2077

Linda Harper-Brown

incumbent of Irving (972) 717-2871

Kelly Hancock

(HD-91): (512) 463-0599, (817) 590-9280

Larry Taylor

(HD-24): (512) 463-0729, (281) 338-0924

Jerry Madden

(HD-67):  (512) 463-0544, (972) 424-2235

Barbara Nash

(HD 93^rd) bnash1@aol.com barbara@barbaranashfortexas.com

Rob Orr

(capital 512-463-0538)(capital fax 512-463-0897) (district 817-295-5158)(district fax 817-295-5319)

Mark Shelton

(capital 521-463-0608)

(capital fax 512-463-8342)

(district 817-921-6554)

George Lavender Texarkana, TX
(903) 838-7348
(870) 773-4631

Lance Gooden

member elect of Terrell

(903) 386-1276 campaign@lancegooden.com

Marva Beck

member elect of District 57 South Waco

( 903 )536-2290

Jason Isaac

East of Austin (512) 850-5524

Walter T “Four” Price (Not a Joke)

87th District in west Texas (806) 322-1440

Dan Huberty

Member elect of District 127 Houston (713)526-3399

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Can you imagine if the United Nations decided to send its ‘blue helmets’ into the U.S. to the home of a citizen and arrest them

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The race for Texas Speaker of the House is one state-level battle with national importance.  With a stunning sweep by Tea Party candidates, the legislative composition of the Lone Star State has gone overnight from technically-Republican-by-a-nose to overwhelmingly conservative.  With a 99-51 Republican advantage, the small government grass-roots who made this routing possible are not going to accept any excuses come next session.

Excuses like those they heard all throughout the reign of Speaker Joe Straus.  Elevated to power through a back-room deal that involved eleven rogue RINOs voting with the House Democrats, Straus came through for his opposing party by putting either Democrats or liberal Republicans into virtually all seats of power.  Committees that unanimously favored conservative bills with the exception of the Chair saw that legislation killed by these turncoat Straus appointees.  In the final tally, well over a third of all conservative legislation was killed in committee under Straus while only 3% of liberal legislation suffered this fate.  Either Straus is a liar when he says he is a conservative Republican or he is undeniably the worst Speaker of the House ever to wield the gavel.  Either way, he must go.

The legislature of Texas is now awash with “radical restorationists” prepared to push legislation to actually defend the citizens of Texas from the unconscionable assault on our liberties that has been waged for generations.  As the second-largest economy in the nation and the 15th in the world, Texas has considerable weight to throw around if only her leadership had the guts to do it.  For example, an interstate compact to address health care in lieu of the abominable Obama-care mess would benefit greatly from Texan participation and the Texas constitution is one of the most favorable in the nation when it comes to assertion of state power.

Texas State Representative Leo Berman (R – Tyler) has already filed a bill to nullify nationalized health care; and unlike many formats that have been tossed around, this one allows for prosecution and imprisonment of those who attempt to enforce the federal mandates.  The bill isn’t a cure-all and there are many holes that would need to be plugged to make it effective, but it’s a good start and just the sort of example other states may follow if they see a modicum of Lone Star success.

But that success will never come to fruition under Joe Straus.  In fact, this tyrant has asked that the definition of ‘political speech’ be expanded to include blogs and internet communications.  Effectively this would mean I need to file with the Texas Ethics Commission just to say on my blog “Joe Straus is a fascist RINO.”  Wouldn’t that be convenient for his designs on being Speaker again.

With the revelation of this assault on the First Amendment, Straus has simply reconfirmed that he cannot be trusted in any position of power.  With him in control nullification and other legislation to reign in Washington will never see the light of day.  Men of his ilk are interested in power for power’s sake and will never tolerate efforts to reduce it.  For the good of the State of Texas and for the national movement toward Liberty and small government Joe Straus must be defeated.

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