Clear Lake Tea Party “WISH LIST”

Two office rooms, to carry out our campaign plans through November 2012. (Total cost, all inclusive, is $350 a month which equals $116.67 a month each, for 3 donors.)

• Computers, with no less then Windows XP, or Mac.
• Scanner/Fax/Printer
• Filing cabinet
• Tables and/or computer desks
• Chairs
• Gift Cards from Sam’s, Office Depot, Staples, etc., for office supplies. (Ink, printer paper, phones, etc.)
• Books for CLTP lending library

Please see a CLTP Board member for questions or details.

CLTP Election Plan - 2012

The Clear Lake Tea Party’s plan for the 2012 election is a very simple one:

√ Work for Tea Party Candidates and increase Conservative Precinct Chair numbers!
We need your help to do just that!

√ Our goals are to operate a campaign satellite for Tea Party candidates that are running
in local, state, and national races and fill vacant Precinct Chair positions.

√ Please review the CLTP “Wish List” and help where you can. 

Also, we are in the process of building a volunteer data base:

√ Please sign up to help Take Back America!

Your Action Required Immediately

Dear Clear Lake Tea Party Members:

All around us, states are taking action to deal with the high financial and security costs of illegal immigrants.  Texas is sitting in the shadow of states like South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Maryland, and now Louisiana!

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal signed two pieces of legislation into law on Thursday, July 7th that will require and encourage businesses to use E-Verify.  HB342 requires all state and local contractors to use E-Verify, while HB646 requires all private businesses to verify the legal status of their new hires by providing employers that use it a safe harbor against sanctions. Louisiana becomes the sixth state to pass E-Verify since the Supreme Court ruled in favor of state enforcement of E-Verify earlier this year. Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina and Indiana have also passed E-Verify bills. Plus, Virginia passed legislation earlier this year.

Here we sit in Texas not only without E-Verify to cut off the magnet of jobs to illegal immigrants, but the TX legislature's regular and special sessions ended with a failure to pass a simple anti-sanctuary cities law!   House and Senate leadership played games and ran out the clock on this important issue because they were under pressure from business special interests who want cheap labor. This is unacceptable! 

Help us move Governor Perry to take action by doing two things starting today:

1) Call and/or fax his office today.  Tell Governor Perry's staff that you want Texas to end sanctuary cities and mandate the use of the E-Verify system to ensure Texas jobs go to citizens and legal immigrants.  Tell them we cannot afford illegal immigrants accessing social services like Medicaid!

Phone: (512) 463-1782 or (512) 463-2000 Fax:(512) 463-1849  

2) Will you help us reach 2,000 signatures to send a message to Governor Perry?  This letter is going out across the State of Texas.

If you share our frustration with Texas' inaction on illegal immigration, please consider SPREADING THE WORD and endorsing the letter below:

AN OPEN LETTER TO TEXAS GOVERNOR RICK PERRY

June 30, 2011

The Honorable James Richard 'Rick' Perry
Governor of the State of Texas
State Insurance Building
1100 San Jacinto
Austin, Texas 78701

Governor Perry:

We write to express, in the strongest possible terms, our disappointment over the outcome of the regular and special sessions of the 82nd Legislature, in which every single one of the dozens of common-sense immigration reform bills died.

As you are most likely aware, the overwhelming body of polling data shows that Texans are extremely concerned about the effects of unchecked illegal immigration on our state.  A recent University of Texas / Texas Tribune poll of 800 registered voters in Texas found the following:

Texas voters consider illegal immigration to be the most important problem facing the State of Texas, with the lack of border security ranking a close second.[1]  

Fully 87% of Texas voters, including 71% of Hispanic voters, support the passage of a law requiring employers to verify immigration status for their employees, with 70% of Texas voters 'strongly supporting' such a law.[2]

Roughly 69% of Texas voters oppose 'sanctuary city' policies which prevent the enforcement of immigration laws.[3]
Despite an overwhelming consensus among voters on the need for urgent action on illegal immigration, the Texas State Legislature blocked all bills filed in the regular and special sessions relating to employment verification,[4] sanctuary cities, [5] cost reporting[6] state licensing,[7] or any other common-sense immigration reform policies.  The vast majority of immigration-related bills filed in the State Legislature were prevented from even receiving a committee hearing, much less a floor vote.[8]

Although we do not necessarily hold you completely responsible for the inexcusable actions of the House and Senate members during the regular and special sessions, the ball is now squarely in your court. It is solely within your power as Governor to call the legislature into session and demand that they complete the important work that they promised their constituents they would do.

Further, you have the inherent power, as the Chief Executive of the State of Texas, to issue one or more executive orders[9] to address illegal immigration, if you only choose to do so.  You have the inherent executive power, for example, to issue an executive order requiring the use of E-Verify for all state employees and by all state contractors, following the examples set by the governors of Florida,[10] Virginia,[11] Idaho,[12] Rhode Island[13] and Minnesota.[14]

It is a point of pride for many Texans that our Governor is receiving a great deal of attention as a potential contender for President of the United States. Your bold conservative message has clearly struck a chord within the hearts of many Americans.  That said, the American people are hungry for a statesman whose bold words are followed up with bold action.

All eyes are on you, Governor.  Please don't let Texas down.

Sincerely,

THE UNDERSIGNED (CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE LETTER) 

  

JoAnn Fleming, Executive Director (volunteer) Grassroots America - We the People 
www.gawtp.com (903) 894-7204 home office or (903) 360-2858 cell

Ron Paul won't run for reelection to the House Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0711/58792.html#ixzz1RyK3X36h

It's all or nothing for the congressman from Texas:

After serving almost 24 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, Congressman Ron Paul told The Facts this morning he will not be seeking another term for the District 14 seat.

Paul, 75, will instead focus on his quest for the presidency in 2012.  “I felt it was better that I concentrate on one election,” Paul said. “It’s about that time when I should change tactics.”

His announcement will give enough time for anyone with aspirations for his seat to think about running, he said.  Paul didn’t want to wait for filing in the 2012 primary to let people know he wasn’t seeking reelection.  “I didn’t want to hold off until in December,” he said. “I thought it shouldn’t be any later than now.”

The Truth about the 82nd Texas Legislature

By Katrina Pierson

The supermajority of Republicans in the Texas legislature could not seem to make quorum twice in the week prior to the end of the special session to take up the people’s business. Strangely enough, there were 126 members on the roll call, but the House Speaker adjourned for lack of quorum and the members went home. What we have witnessed is how the special interest pulls the strings of politicians, and how the people have become but a mere thorn in the side of the establishment. They don’t like us, and they don’t want us watching. Now, I know why.

I arrived in Austin on Sunday, June 26^th for our monthly Tea Party Caucus Advisory Board meeting in the Senate conference room. After much discussion about the next steps for the movement in Texas, we read through the pending legislation that sat upon our House and Senate. Curiously, the Sanctuary Cities bill still sat in the House State Affairs Committee held to die by Chairman Byron Cook (R – Corsicana) who “holds a special place in his heart for illegal’s”. So, we knew on arrival that the Sanctuary Cities bill was dead. Although Governor tagged this bill as one of his emergency items, this bill died in the Senate in the regular session and was killed by the House in the special session.

Monday, as we prepared to tour the Capitol looking for friends of the movement and doing interviews, we participated in a press conference that highlighted the dangers that we warned the freshman legislators prior to the election of the Texas Speaker of the House have come to pass.

Patiently, we waited to hear when the committee was going to meet to discuss the TSA legislation. By this time, surely the bill would be acceptable since just the day before, a ninety five year old woman dying from cancer had to remove her adult diaper for a TSA search at an airport. Perhaps if she had just worn a burka she would have been ushered on through the check point.

Back and forth through the house (H.B. 41) and senate (S.B. 29) the TSA bill went. Texas had the opportunity to secure the fourth amendment for the citizens of America, not just Texans. We all know that when this bill was first brought to the floor in the senate by Senator Dan Patrick, the Lt. Governor, David Dewhurst, worked diligently against the legislation by seeking a letter from the TSA issuing the threat to suspend all flights in Texas. David Dewhurst began to use the letter that he requested to peel off the votes for the bill quietly behind Senator Patrick’s back. When David Dewhurst allowed the bill to come to a vote he knew that he successfully pulled enough votes for it to ultimately fail.

Lt. Governor David Dewhurst killed the bill in the Senate in the regular session, and then in a press conference leading into the special session, Lt. Gov.  David Dewhurst made the attempt to take credit for the nationally popular legislation. He claimed that there were people in the legislature that tried to stall and run the clock out. And it was David Dewhurst who is guilty of his own allegations. He spoke of principles that are obviously just words to the three kings of Texas:

Just when you thought it couldn’t get worse, Governor Perry was caught on film in New Orleans during a book signing for his book “Fed Up”, ironically,  when he made the claim that they did not have the votes to pass the TSA bill and that there was not enough time left to get it done. However, that video went viral. Governor Perry added the TSA legislation to the special session less than 24 hours of the video hitting the internet. I sat down with the Governor that Tuesday, and he said that he added the legislation because he was informed that they had the votes, not because of the video. You decide.

The house passed a watered down version of H.B. 41 with at least 100 co-authors. Once it was sent to the senate, S.B. 29 (there is that Lt. Governor David Dewhurst again) things got more sticky. Rep. David Simpson passionately carried the legislation and was upset about the watered down version, but upon working the Attorney General,  he accepted the new language to keep the bill viable.

Tuesday morning, as I entered the House chamber at 9:00am it was empty. The Senate was doing the people’s business and the House was scheduled to gavel in at 2:00pm. Why were the Texas legislators not at work. Simple, it was one of those stalling tactics that Lt. Governor David Dewhurst was guilty of doing himself. The house could have gaveled in at 9:00am and voted to suspend the rules to get the work done, but Joe Straus chose not to.

That evening, around 5:45pm everything fell apart. The budget (S.B. 1) did NOT pass. Perhaps real Conservatives in the House tried to hold the budget hostage until the TSA legislation passed? Immediately, a meeting of the Republican Caucus was called, and ironically, so was the Criminal Jurisprudence meeting for the TSA bill. In order for TSA to pass at this point, it still had to go through two more readings before they could take a vote. “There is not enough time” the house claimed. But, they failed to mention that when the Senate sent the TSA bill to the House, the messenger was refused and the bill was sent back, causing further delay.

All of the sudden, the motion to reconsider S.B. 1 was made by Rep. Phil King, so all of the Republicans were called back to the floor to vote. And when they arrived, Chair Rep. Pete Gallego went into the Criminal Jurisprudence meeting and because the Republicans left to vote, they were not there and in that second he canceled the meeting. This is where the bill was ultimately killed. Sadly, Rep. Gallego could have called the Criminal Jurisprudence meeting that evening, but he didn't. Note, Rep. Gallego was appointed by House Speaker Joe Straus.

In order to keep the bill alive, they will now have to vote to suspend a constitutional rule, requiring 4/5 of the vote instead of the normal 2/3. In other words, this would have required 120 votes to pass the bill.

Wednesday,  the House gaveled in at 10:00am with silly resolutions. For example, they spent time talking about honoring a man who had died but had perfect attendance for 60 years at rotary club. Seriously, this is your tax dollars at work folks.

When they finally decided to take up actual business, I could feel the treacherous demise of the TSA legislation. Rep David Simpson boldly stepped up to the mic to defend the fourth amendment for all Americans, and he took shot after shot by Democrats. Rep. Joseph Deshotel (D-Beaumont) actually said that they passed the TSA legislation that, “Terrorists would start using old white ladies and put C4 in their adult diapers”. No kidding. In the end, Republicans tried to cover the Houses tail by blaming the Senate. Rep. Simpson stood strong and vote after vote, the rules were suspended to allow the second reading but failed to achieve the 4/5 vote to get to the third. Twenty-six members were absent that day. Nine were excused.

In the final hour of the last day of the special session. Rep. Simpson stepped out on the house floor to speak from privilege. And when he spoke, he uncovered all the lies and tricks that the three kings of Texas used to fool Texans and shed some light on what Governor Perry was going to attempt to take credit for on the national scene. 

The house adjourned sine die. Money talks! So Texans, once again, got the short end of the stick!

Texas Leadership Fails Us

June 30, 2011

Congratulations South Carolina!  Texas Sits in Your Shadow… a Texas Legislative Update – the People’s Unfinished Business

By JoAnn Fleming

Governor Nikki Haley signs Illegal Immigration Reform Law

This is what principled leadership looks like!  Click on this link to see the bill signing news conference:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMZikpA3_8U

While the leadership of the Texas House and Senate played political games to run out the special session clock, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley signed an immigration reform law Monday (06/27/11), establishing a $1.3 million illegal enforcement unit for the state.

The South Carolina law, the latest immigration reform measure to pass state legislatures around the nation, requires employers to use the federal E-Verify system to check employees’ and job applicants’ citizenship status.  It also establishes a team of immigration police aimed at enforcing the new law. The unit will have 12 full-time officers.

Governor Nikki Haley has proven her talk by her walk.  The South Carolina legislature and Governor Haley got the job done, and they got the job done in a non-border state. 

Texas Leadership Fails to Get the Job Done
 
In our border state of Texas, with a super-majority of Republicans in the House, a majority in the Senate, Republican Lt. Governor David Dewhurst, and Republican Governor Rick Perry, our state leadership could not manage simple anti-sanctuary city legislation – legislation that did not include E-verify, another much-needed reform measure. 

In January, Governor Perry made anti-sanctuary city legislation an emergency item for the Texas legislature.  The legislature failed to get the job done in the 82nd regular session.  With strong urging from the grassroots, Governor Perry put it back on the special session call.  The special session ended yesterday in yet another failure simply because House Speaker Joe Straus, State Affairs Committee Chairman Byron Cook, and his committee members purposefully kept the bill bottled up in committee for two weeks after the TX Senate passed the legislation!   In spite of valiant efforts by a small group of conservatives in the TX House and Senate, the Republican leadership has failed yet again to protect Texas and failed to uphold the rule of law.

And if that’s not bad enough…

The TX legislature also failed to pass the Fourth Amendment-defending TSA anti-groping bill along with anti-Sharia law legislation and scores of other bills dealing with illegal immigration and its heavy toll on Texas.  Why did most of these bills fail to make it out of committee with the GOP-controlled branches of executive and legislative state government?  Political games, special interests, cowardice, and a lack of leadership... 

Simply filing bills and talking big won't fool the People of Texas.  Texans don't need, don't want, and don't deserve the games being played by establishment Republicans.  The truth is -- in Texas, most of our GOP leadership marches to the tune of special business interests who put their love of cheap labor above the safety, security, and financial well-being of Texas citizens and legal immigrants.

Texas taxpayers cannot afford to be a social safety net for all who want to come here illegally to access taxpayer-funded services.  These services and jobs should go to citizens and legal immigrants – period.  The People’s reasonable expectation that our elected leaders would take the oath of office seriously and uphold the rule of law has once again been ignored by our state leadership.

Will Governor Rick Perry Step Up?

The Texas anti-sanctuary cities legislation was a limited first step to deal with the flood of illegal aliens coming into Texas. Our leaders failed to move this one small step forward while law enforcement officers, citizens, and legal immigrants continue to die at the hands of illegals, while private property is plundered, while the cost of social services continues to explode, and while certain cities may well indeed harbor serious threats to national security.

Will Governor Perry – who has served as governor of this border state for ten years – step up and call the Texas Legislature back into another special session to get anti-sanctuary city, E-verify, and Fourth Amendment, liberty-defending legislation passed?  Or, in view of the legislature’s failures, will he lead by signing an executive order to get the job done for Texas?  Perry has a history of signing executive orders for matters far less important than these fundamental “rule of law” issues.

What We Have Asked Governor Perry to Do:

This week the white horse was saddled up and placed right in front of Governor Rick Perry by Texas grassroots constitutional conservatives.  In a meeting with Governor Perry on Tuesday, June 28, 2011 – one day before sine die of the special session – we directly asked him, begged him, to step up to do the right thing by calling another special session in a few weeks or by issuing an executive order.   Media reports say Perry doesn’t seem compelled to make any more attempts to resolve the People’s unfinished business…as he left the state for yet another trip to California – the second trip to the nation’s most populous state in less than three weeks. 
Meanwhile, grassroots leaders across Texas and the nation are waiting to see what Governor Perry does.   Texas is sitting in the shadow of South Carolina, Alabama, and many other states whose leadership has boldly stood up for the rule of law. 

South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley proved this week that she doesn't just talk.  She leads the charge.  Texas has its share of big talkers, but rhetorical bravado delivered with fist-pounding anger directed toward Washington won't save Texas from becoming California, and it won’t save our country.  We want principled leadership.  We need courage in action.  We deserve results.

TX Budget Success? Fairy Tales, the Medicaid Credit Card & Formula One Racing

Texas lawmakers dealt with the budget shortfall and balanced the budget with no new taxes and no tax increases, but $12 billion of the cuts were the one-time federal stimulus funds used to balance the 2010-2011 biennium budget.  The 2012-2013 budget is balanced with some other cuts, tax payment speed ups, accounting gimmicks, and an estimated $4.6 billion charge to a “Medicaid credit card.”  In other words, Texas has a planned budget shortfall for 2013 when legislators will once again raid the Rainy Day Fund (the People's Savings Account).  If kicking the can down the road and delaying tough decisions is wrong in Washington, DC, what makes it right for Texas?

The legislature left many commonsense spending cuts on the table.  Texas Republican leadership refused to champion and push for sensible cost-cutting measures offered by conservative legislators in both the House and the Senate, for example – pay cuts for statewide officials and state employees (not teachers) who make $60,000 and above; and a hiring freeze for all state agencies (excluding law enforcement, corrections, and the court system).  Texas still has many overlapping, duplicated departments, agencies, and programs (twenty-three plus agencies alone that manage natural resources).   If waste is wrong in Washington, DC, why isn’t it equally wrong for Texas?

The legislature and Governor Perry also approved $25 million for Formula One Race track funding for the billionaire promoter and special interests in Austin.  No matter how many times we got this pork stripped out of the budget by the few conservatives in the House and Senate, it always rose from the dead in conference committee and stayed in the budget.  Our Republican Comptroller and other state leaders deeply desired this project and arm-twisted to bring it back to life. If crony capitalism and pork are wrong in Washington, DC, what makes them right for Texas?

The State of Texas has no business serving as an investment banker or venture capitalist for entertainment venues.  Leveraging tax dollars for private special interests is not a core constitutional responsibility of state government.  It’s just plain wrong.

Does Texas have True Constitutional Conservative “Walk the Talk” Leadership?

Right now, the jury is out in Texas, but patience is wearing thin – blisteringly, painfully thin.  Our governor has a new book entitled, Fed Up! Our Fight to Save America from Washington.  It’s a good book, written at the right time.  Like Governor Perry’s likeable Texas drawl, his swagger, and his animated protests against Big DC Government, it’s red meat for the conservative masses, but back here in Texas, we’re fed up with continued inaction on the issue of illegal immigration and a state government desperately in need of structural reforms to reduce unsustainable spending, eliminate waste, simplify school funding, reduce debt, and end transportation funding diversions.

Constitutional conservative Independents, Republicans, Reagan Democrats, TEA Parties, 912s, and other grassroots groups should be very careful not to prematurely jump on any Presidential candidate's (or potential candidate’s) train.  Doing so may have you riding a slow train to disappointment or one that goes off the rails once folks check to see what actually fuels that engine.  It could prove to be a lot of hot air…

The burning question remains – will Governor Rick Perry step up?   Will he stand up for the rule of law and for Texas citizens and legal immigrants?  Or is Rick Perry satisfied to sit in the shadow of South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley?   His white horse is saddled up and waiting.

____________________________________________________________________________

JoAnn Fleming serves as Chairman of the TEA Party Caucus Advisory Committee for the Texas State Legislature.  She is the full-time volunteer Executive Director of Grassroots America – We the People of Tyler/Smith County, Texas, (www.gawtp.com) and is a former county commissioner.  She is a subject matter consultant in local government public policy development, Performance Management, Organizational Development, Teambuilding, Small Business Consulting, Political Campaign Management/Strategy, and Grassroots Activist Training.  A leader in the conservative movement for nineteen years, she has served on twenty local government boards, committees, and task forces.  JoAnn is a regional public speaker and a guest political analyst/commentator for Tyler/Smith County local media.  Contact:  jafleming3@juno.com or 903.894.7204

Texans betrayed by house leadership

By Bill Kneer

After the last election, with the overwhelming Republican victory, all of us thought that we had finally done it, and that we could now take back control of our state and make some positive changes within our state legislature. Then we found ourselves in a battle royale when our State Representatives overwhelmingly supported Joe Straus for Speaker of the House. Since that time we have had a few victories but we also have had Joe and others stand in the way of what “We the People” desired. Joe Straus has also done what he could to punish those who did not support him. Dan Flynn is a good example of the retribution wielded by Straus, by getting rid of his district under the new redistricting map.

The latest move by our Republican legislators to stick their fingers in the eyes of “We the People”  has made me and many others fighting mad and we will not stand for this! We need to replace House members in the upcoming Primary elections. If we fail to do so we will have relinquished the power of the people to the elected who do not care about “We the People” of the great State of Texas!

State Sen. Dan Patrick and State Representative David Simpson have done all they could to protect our families from the perverts at the TSA but because of Joe Straus and ALL those who supported him, my wife and 2 daughters are in danger of being groped as a condition of flying.

Here is a statement from Senator Dan Patrick:

Dear Friend,

I have been sent several e-mails that are circulating today concerning Sanctuary City and the TSA bill. They are either biased due to a friendship with someone, or they simply are misinformed and don’t know the facts. The facts do not lie. This is long, but you need the facts and the full picture. I appreciate all you do for Texas. I don’t want a feud between the House and the Senate. But, when people send out false information it has to be answered. I appreciate the work the House did this year. I am frustrated how the final two weeks ended stopping us from passing Sanctuary City and TSA bills. I’m not blaming anyone, or pointing a finger, simply setting the record straight based on the facts.

FACTS

First, let me be clear. Rep David Simpson did all he could to pass this bill. He gets great credit and my respect for never giving up. He is a good man. The facts contained do not reflect his desire to seek delay at any step of the way. I will let him speak for himself.

1. Early in the week of June 13th, I believe the 13th or 14th, Rep Simpson, who has worked his heart out on the TSA bill, told me he had the votes to pass his bill out of committee and asked me if we had the votes in the Senate. He passed the bill out without opposition that week, on Monday or Tuesday I believe. 13th or 14th He can confirm date.

2. I worked to get the votes again and on June 14th. I had my votes again. On June 15th I delivered a brief letter to the Governor’s office letting him know I had the votes in the Senate and David had the votes in the House. I once again asked him to put the bill on the call.

3. Perry was traveling that week and was not aware of my letter until a few days later when a gentleman approached in on June 18th, Saturday, in New Orleans and asked him to put TSA on the call. Gov Perry said there was not time or the votes. The gentlemen told Perry that Dan Patrick sent him a letter. (I had posted on my Facebook pg of the letter) Perry answered he was not aware. The Governor returned to Austin Sunday, June 19th, read the letter and put the bill back on the call the next day Monday June 20th.

4. I met with David Simpson and we agreed for him to lead on the bill and pass it. He asked House leadership to schedule the bill for the floor.

Let’s put this in perspective: He passed the bill on June 13th or 14th, a week later the bill was still not scheduled for the floor. On June 20th Perry adds the bill to the call, but the bill is not set for a House vote until Friday June 24th. WE LOST TWO WEEKS from passage out of committee to scheduling for the floor. The Senate had nothing to do with that scheduling issue. We were ready for the bill as soon as we received it.

Rep Simpson was hoping to bring it up sooner, but on Monday June 20th there was not a quorum and no House business was conducted. Rep Simpson was then hoping the bill would be set on Thursday, but it was set for Friday June 24th.

5. On Fri June 24th, the Speaker announced the bill was a publicity stunt and a laughingstock. This despite the fact nothing was said previously in regular session when the bill passed 138-0 (or close to that number) And anyone who knows Rep Simpson knows he was sincere on this issue. He would never launch a publicity stunt.

In addition, this was a bill that was written in large part with input by the A.G office. Rep Simpson agreed to all of the language except changing “beyond a reasonable doubt” to “reasonable suspicion ” which was favored by the majority of House members, police, and the district attorneys. It apparently wasn’t going to pass the House without it. It is said that the Speaker did not like that and that is why he was upset. I don’t know, but it could have been fixed in an hour and passed on Friday, June 24th.

RESULT: WE NOW LOST FRIDAY AS THE DEADLINE APPROACHED.

6. In the Senate we were waiting for his bill. David knew the plan was to take his bill. We had a hearing scheduled originally for Thursday, June 23rd, hoping it might come over early, but when the bill was set for Friday, we scheduled Monday. THERE WAS NEVER A PLAN TO PASS THE SENATE BILL SB 29, but to take his bill. Everyone involved knows that is the truth, including David Simpson.

7. When the bill did not move on Friday, and the Speaker saying it was a stunt by Rep Simpson, I assumed it might not come up at all, and even if it did, the clock would be against us. We shifted gears and moved our bill out of committee on Monday morning, June 27, to give us a chance to pass a bill. We did not know what they were going to do. We couldn’t amend the bill in committee because of time, so we amended it on the floor Monday night.

8. On Monday afternoon I had hope again when the House took up Rep Simpson’s bill. However, they did not suspend the rules to pass it to third reading meaning it would not pass until today, Tuesday, June 28th. If the House wanted to give the HB 41 a chance they needed to at least suspend the rules on Monday to third reading and send it over to us. We could have taken it up Tuesday in committee, and then on the floor Wednesday, but the time was still tight. Once they delayed until today for final passage, the bill was dead coming over to us because of various rules on time.

AT THAT POINT, I DECIDED TO TRY TO SUSPEND ALL RULES TO GET OUR BILL OVER TO THEM ON MONDAY NIGHT. It’s a bit complex, but this was our only chance to suspend the rules. I needed to convince 2 Democrats to suspend last night. I did and we passed it our about 9 pm last night. So, the Senate passed the bill out of committee and all the way off the floor in 12 hours, while the House took two weeks from committee to House passage, and actually never finally passed it out as of tonight. Even if they did there was not time. We would need to suspend rules several times and would not have had the votes to do as we had last night, when I only needed to suspend once with 2 extra votes.

9. Today the House did not gavel in until 2 pm. Because they adjourned yesterday they could not take the bill last night. We could not send it over to them until they gaveled in today at 2 pm. We sent the bill over about 2:20-30, along with HB 79.

THE HOUSE REFUSED TO ALLOW OUR MESSENGER TO DELIVER EITHER HB 79, a court reform bill, or SB 29 TSA bill. Veterans who have been in the legislature a long time, nor the media, could remember one chamber keeping a messenger out from delivering important bills, especially with deadlines only a day off. It may have happened once a long time ago, but one has to sake why the House refused to accept SB 29 and HB 79. I believe they finally accepted it later in the day.

10. Instead of taking up our bill, a strong bill that was written with the help of district attorneys, to be sure they could prosecute, the AG office, to be sure they could defend in Court, and removed some language opposed by citizens, and the exact language Speaker Strauss and the House required changing from “probable cause” to “reasonable suspicion with an unknown or unlawful object.”

11. Sanctuary City bill. The Senate passed over SB 9 a Sanctuary City bill almost two weeks ago that required proof of citizenship to get a drivers license, requiring all people arrested go through a Secure Community Check for citizenship, and allowing local police to inquire on a person being legal present in the state and country

THIS BILL HAS NEVER BEEN VOTED OUT OF COMMITTEE. IT HAS SAT FOR TWO WEEKS WITH NO ACTION.

The House wanted the Senate to add some weak immigration language to Senate bill 1, the fiscal matters bill. That bill is a must pass bill. Adding sanctuary city language, even with weak language, would have killed the bill because the Democrats would have filibustered again and we would be back in another special session. ALL THEY HAD TO DO WAS PASS SB 9 during the last two weeks.

SUMMARY

I have laid out the facts. I cannot address those who have a friend in the House or a bias and who are trying to defend these actions. These are the facts, HB 41 TSA passes out of committee June 13th or 14th, and it takes 10 days to get a floor vote, and when it comes up the Speaker pulls it down. Then when they pass it on Monday, June 27th, they don’t pass it to third reading, waiting until today, which kills the bill, with only one day left in session and time lines we could not has suspended. If we could have suspended it would have been only with a few hour left on Wednesday night and the Democrats would have filibustered it.

We passed our bill as a last resort to keep the issue alive. The House could have suspended rules, they have 101 Rs, and the bill was supported without a no vote previously. They could taken up the Senate bill by tomorrow, passed it, and send it to the Governor.

Instead they refuse to accept the bill at first from our messenger with the clock ticking.

Why there was a long delay on both TSA and Sanctuary City bills in the House is for them to answer. They clearly had plenty of time to pass both. A lack of quorum on several days didn’t help, but they still had time.

The Senate passed every bill we were asked to pass during Special. We finished our work and with no time left to accept any bills and pass tomorrow, we concluded today.

This isn’t about a battle between the House and Senate; it’s about doing the job people asked us to do. I have given you the facts. I will let you decide the truth. I can tell you we did all we could in the Senate to pass both the TSA bill and Sanctuary City bills. I think the facts show the House did not.

Senator Dan Patrick

Dan thank you for your leadership! We need more like you who are willing and able to fight not only for us but with us side by side! Although you would make a great US Senator we sure would miss you in Austin! Its time “We the People” rise back up ad put the heat on ALL our House members, even those that showed up. Many will say “Well I was there” but i say “What did you do to help?” being there and doing nothing to help is not showing leadership.

So to the all Republican House members: You had better find a way to get things done or prepare to be replaced! There is NO compromise left within the hearts of conservatives.

Why is it that conservatives always need to “compromise” and “concede” to the Liberals and Moderates? It is never the other way around! Well, enjoy your last days in Austin, because we will be working hard to ensure you don’t go back! We have got to find representatives who will do the will of the people! There must be consequences for this betrayal!

Save The Date: Clear Lake Tea Party To Host Senatorial Job Interview

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 22, 2011

Contact:  Roberto F. González
Phone: 281.732.1706
Email:  info@clearlaketeaparty.com

Clear Lake Tea Party To Host Senatorial Job Interview

Who:    Clear Lake Tea Party (CLTP), Alliance of Constitutional Patriots (ACP), in cooperation with the Galveston, Fort Bend, Brazoria, and Harris County Tea Parties collectively sport a membership in excess of 10,000, encompassing an area that represents approximately 25% of the total population of registered voters in the state of Texas.

What:   A job interview for the elected office of U.S. Senator of Texas.  All declared candidates for this position have been invited to meet with possible constituents and be individually interviewed for the job of being our elected Senator.  This will be a direct, personal interview.  The following candidates are thus far confirmed to attend:

Glenn Addison
Ted Cruz
Elizabeth Ames Jones
Andrew Castanuela
Lela Mae Pittenger
Thomas Leppert
Roger Williams

This list will be updated on the CLTP website as further confirmations are received.


When:    Thursday, August 11, 2011 at 6:30 PM


Where:     University of Houston – Clear Lake
                 Bayou Building
                 2700 Bay Area Blvd. 

                 Houston, TX 77058

                 Phone: 281-283-2562
                 www.uhcl.edu/bayoutheater


CLTP mailing address:

2951 Marina Bay Dr. #130-394
League City, TX  77573

http://clearlaketeaparty.com

Sanctuary Cities Bill (HB12) in Danger!

Mr. Ray Sullivan, Governor Perry's Chief of Staff
Mr. Ken Armbrister, Governor Perry's Director of Legislative Affairs

Thursday evening, June 23, 2011

Gentlemen:

We respectfully ask that you deliver the following message to Governor Perry from the Advisory Committee to the TEA Party Caucus of the TX Legislature:

We are alarmed and angry to hear about and witness the games being played in the People's State House regarding the Sanctuary Cities Bill -- legislation so important to Governor Rick Perry that he called it an emergency item for the regular session and subsequently placed it on the call for the special session when the legislature failed to act.

We understand that the business lobby, including those supported by Mr. Bob Perry, are doing all they can to derail or gut this bill.  Apparently, these special interests are eager to put their own interests above the safety, security, and financial well-being of Texas citizens and legal immigrants.

We also understand that the House is having difficulty conducting the People's business because House leadership cannot muster a quorum.  This is outrageous.  Texans deserve better.

This is the first legislative session in which thousands of everyday Texans have taken such an active interest in their state government.  At this point, we are extremely disappointed with what we've witnessed.  The Constitutional Conservative movement - known as the TEA Party or Grassroots - is rapidly growing and plans to continue to stay engaged in government at all levels.  In other words, this session was only the beginning.

Please understand that the Sanctuary Cities bill is a “foundational rule of law” matter and a key issue for us.  We will not accept the gutting of this bill nor will we accept failure to pass it.   Texas taxpayers cannot continue to fund a social safety net for all who would break the rule of law.  Social services and jobs should go to American citizens and to legal immigrants, period.  Citizens and legal immigrants should also have their safety and security protected as much as possible by our state leaders.  The Sanctuary Cities bill represents a limited step forward in addressing this issue as the federal government fails to secure our border.

If the legislature fails on this issue by running out the special session clock or gutting the bill, we will expect Governor Perry to stand strong for the citizens and legal immigrants in our great state.  We will expect him to call the legislature back into another special session to hammer out a bill he can sign into law, or we will expect him to sign an executive order to protect us. 
 
Our very thorough research demonstrates that thirty-one other states are in the process of legislation, have passed legislation, or have Governors who have signed executive orders to deal with the illegal immigration issue.  Texas is now standing in the shadow of Alabama, the most recent state with new, tough illegal immigration laws.  As a native Texan, I am incensed by that.  Everywhere I go, grassroots Texans don't like the fact that Texas is not leading on this issue.  Our escalating Medicaid costs alone should be enough evidence to show this course is unsustainable.

Please let Governor Perry know that this is a "make or break" issue for us.  Failure is not an option.

We are asking Governor Perry to stand up and lead for us, because we are "Fed UP!"

Respectfully communicated with a sense of urgency,

JoAnn Fleming, Chair - TX Legislature's TEA Party Caucus Advisory Committee
Executive Director (volunteer)
Grassroots America - We the People  www.gawtp.com
(903) 894-7204 home office or (903) 360-2858 cell

"I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death." --Thomas Paine, The Crisis, 1776

Need Calls on Anti-Sanctuary City Legislation!

Folks, the Democrats and RINO's are pulling out all of the stops,
including the race card, to block sanctuary city legislation.  The
Chairman of the State Affairs Committee, RINO Byron Cook, continues
to disappoint:

http://www.texastribune.org/texas-legislature/82nd-legislative-session/students-federal-memo-complicate-sanctuary-cities/

The Democrats parade some hard cases of illegal immigrant students
in front of his committee, and he gets a "soft spot."  How about a
soft spot for the police officers murdered in the line of duty by
illegal aliens?  How about a soft spot for the thousands of
American families devastated by illegal alien drunk driving,
murder, rape and robbery?  How about a soft spot for taxpayers who
foot the bill for illegal alien education, food stamps, welfare and
health care? How about a soft spot for the millions of Americans
who are unemployed and would gladly do the jobs that illegal aliens
have taken? When McDonald's has seven applicants for every open
position, it's obvious that there are millions of unemployed
Americans who are hungry for any sort of work they can get.

No, Byron Cook cares more about the theoretical harm that might be
visited upon people who aren't even American citizens and shouldn't
even be in this country than he does the clear and present danger
illegal aliens pose to the citizens of this state every day.

It's becoming clear the grassroots must adopt a scorched earth
policy in the 2012 primaries.  I have an easy rule I follow: if I
haven't heard anything positive about an incumbent, I vote for the
challenger.  For example, I've heard a lot of positive things about
new Republican representative David Simpson. He doesn't appear to
be afraid to stand up for what's right. I don't live in his
district, but if I did, I'd vote for him. The reason is that any
decent Republican who actually stands up for our interests is going
to be savagely attacked in the controlled media.  If the
anti-American press has good things to say about someone, or
nothing to say, then most likely the incumbent isn't worth
anything.  These so-called Republicans must be held to account.

I am passing along a message from the Immigration Reform Coalition
of Texas.  We BADLY need phone calls to the State Affairs
Committee.  Time is running out in the special session and the
rumor is that the committee is deliberately stalling, avoiding a
quorum, so as to run out the clock on this bill.

..............................................................

Please take action by calling the members below:

Status of SB9 & HB9 - Anti-Sanctuary City Bills

Since the Hearing on Monday, the bills are stalled in the House
State Affairs Committee.

After the hearing Monday night there were not enough committee
members in attendance to have a quorum -- and so, a vote did not
occur.

On Tuesday, Chairman Cook held a meeting to vote the bills out,
but there were not enough Republicans in attendance to pass the
bills out of committee!

The Session ends next Thursday and the notice just went out a
moment ago that the State Affairs Committee will meet this Friday
to vote.  This is cutting it extremely close! The bills still need
three readings & votes on the House floor, then who knows how many
amendments and points of order will slow it down.  The Senate
played this game at the end of the regular session and it killed
the bill.

Legislators are receiving faxes supporting the sanctuary city bills
--  BUT, WHAT WE NEED ARE PHONE CALLS. The faxes are not
necessarily being printed out by every office, and if that doesn't
happen they were never received.

Call your Representative, especially if they are on the State
Affairs Committee.  Please call and email the committee members
listed below (Republicans first) with the message.

"The State Affairs Committee will be voting on Friday morning.  You
want them to make themselves available for the vote on Friday.
Certain members avoided voting earlier in the week. Texans want
anti-sanctuary legislation passed so please show up and vote YES on
these bills.  In addition, support a mandate for all employers to
use E-Verify.

"Sanctuary policies are not needed to protect illegal-alien
witnesses and crime victims because they are protected under the
federal "U" visa.  And citizens do not want to compete with illegal
aliens for Texas jobs."


House Committee on State Affairs
(C450) Clerk: Toni Barcellona
Legislature: 82(R) - 2011 Phone: (512) 463-0814
Appointment Date: 1/24/2011  Room: EXT E2.108

Chair: Rep. Byron Cook  512-463-0730
Vice Chair:Rep. Jose Menendez  512-463-0634
Members:
 Rep. Tom Craddick  512-463-0500
 Rep. John Frullo 512-463-0676
 Rep. Pete Gallego 512-463-0566
 Rep. Charlie Geren  512-463-0610
 Rep. Patricia Harless 512-463-0496
 Rep. Harvey Hilderbran 512-463-0536
 Rep. Dan Huberty 512-463-0520
 Rep. Rene Oliveira 512-463-0640
 Rep. John T. Smithee 512-463-0702
 Rep. Burt R. Solomons 512-463-0478
 Rep. Sylvester Turner 512-463-0554


The Peter Morrison Report
http://www.PeterMorrisonReport.com
http://www.facebook.com/morrisonreport

PO Box 8742, Lumberton, TX 77657, USA

Supporting info for the 912 meeting: "Understanding Agenda 21" on June 26, 2011

UPDATE 6/23 11;42 am: 

On June 9, 2011, President Obama signed his 86th Executive Order, and almost nobody noticed.

President Obama’s E.O. 13575 is designed to begin taking control over almost all aspects of the lives of 16% of the American people. Why didn’t we notice it?  Weinergate.  In the middle of the Anthony Weiner scandal, as the press and most of the American people were distracted, the President Obama created something called “The White House Rural Council” (WHRC).
Section One of 13575 states the following:

Section 1. Policy. Sixteen percent of the American population lives in rural counties. Strong, sustainable rural communities are essential to winning the future and ensuring American competitiveness in the years ahead. These communities supply our food, fiber, and energy, safeguard our natural resources, and are essential in the development of science and innovation. Though rural communities face numerous challenges, they also present enormous economic potential. The Federal Government has an important role to play in order to expand access to the capital necessary for economic growth, promote innovation, improve access to health care and education, and expand outdoor recreational activities on public lands.

Warning bells should have been sounding all across rural America when the phrase “sustainable rural communities” came up. As we know from researching the UN plan for Sustainable Development known as Agenda 21, these are code words for the true fundamental transformation America.

You can read the full article (includes list of Council Members) at the Blaze
Lots of links to check out within the article!

Contact Your members of Congress, also your State Legislatures and Governors as well.

Original Post:
  
EXECUTIVE ORDER TO ESTABLISH THE WHITE HOUSE RURAL COUNCIL 

Under "Presidential Actions" it can be found here.

It is 13575 according to the Federal Register (published June 13th):

Title 3--

The President

[[Page 34841]] Executive Order 13575 of June 9, 2011

Supporting links and information, a transcript and actions that can be taken can be found HERE.

Since there is so much info here, I'm going to post this info on our blog.  In the meantime, I'm more than convinced that we need to make that Sunday event available to our membership.  Agenda 21 is something that hits really close to home - in fact, it does hit our homes directly.

Heidi


Excerpt from this website, also goes with this video:



   5.      This Executive Order gives control over our local planning and development to a Federal committee.  We will no longer be able to voice our concerns, opinions, or grievances at the local level and have it matter. This Executive Order virtually eliminates local government’s ability to set policies that benefit rural areas without approval from the Feds.

   6. Why an APPOINTED committee to “coordinate” this effort?  Committee members will be the heads of specific agencies, offices and departments by appointment until or unless they, themselves, appoint their own Representative to the Council in their stead.  This Executive Order sets up another committee to regulate all aspects of rural life.  Residents and local governments will have no opportunity to redress any grievances as these appointees are not elected. 

   7. Why is the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) involved in the Federal government promoting economic prosperity and quality of life in rural America?  The majority of agencies listed in this Executive Order are already under or are partnered with [allowing a certain amount of authority to] DHS, and Janet Napolitano will sit on the council. 

   8. “The Department of Agriculture shall provide funding and administrative support for the Council to the extent permitted by law and within existing appropriations”.  So the funds are set aside.  Right.  We are broke yet we have money sitting ready for yet another expansion of the Federal government.  With DHS oversight and the DHS unlimited budget - yes unlimited, I am sure the Feds have plenty of money to move this agenda right into rural America.  (The Department of Homeland Security has no oversight as they directly report to Joe Lieberman who has already received kickbacks from helping DHS in the form of DHS agency regulation in order to bypass congress with some of the bills he has sponsored/proposed. Lieberman is then supposed to report to the President, and another perk is that DHS can demand more funds from Congress as part of their written budget through fiscal year 2012 - not ask – but demand)  Remember – no matter what, the taxpayer will foot the bill for this expansion of government.

   9. “The Council shall coordinate its policy development through the Domestic Policy Council and the National Economic Council”.  WHY do we need yet another council to cover a specific 16% of the country?    Because Rural America still has some degree of control over resources and we are resistant to globalization.  This Executive Order allows the federal government to implement Agenda 21 right in the heart of America’s food basket. This ultimately could bring the end to rural life as we know it.  By asking for the Agricultural departments to participate, they will mitigate resistance.   Yes, control the food and you control the population.  Think about this and research how well it worked out for California. 

                        (http://www.newsweek.com/2009/08/23/dying-on-the-vine.html )

  10. This Executive Order will coordinate Federal efforts directed toward the growth and development of geographic regions that encompass both urban and rural areas; and “identify and facilitate rural economic opportunities associated with energy development, outdoor recreation, and other conservation related activities”.   Geographic regions – i.e. Target Areas.  Just like FEMA or the EPA (both DHS controlled), where states completely have been regionalized.  This Executive Order requires that the appointed Council shall set up regions thereby removing the barriers to ICLEI’s town-by-town focus and stream lining the effort to implement Agenda 21.   

 (http://ppjg.wordpress.com/2010/10/25/regionalism-death-of-the-american-system-of-governmen t/ ), 

  11.  “This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations”.  Remember there are no laws that restrict the Department of Homeland Security – thus, unlimited power over Rural America. 

So, under pretenses that are false (based on past performance), the Federal Government is attacking the United States using Agenda 21, ICLEI tactics but it is much more direct this time. The actions are simple and the results - measured but disastrous.

Ask yourself how the Federal Government’s agenda gets into our schools – into the thoughts of our children?  The States offer grants or loans to schools. The State then promotes to or seeks out interested School Districts to apply.  Every dollar has federal strings attached.  The very same way, this Executive Order will ensure rural America’s compliance and put our food supply in absolute danger through the Rural Council.

The government has the Rural Council to help "stimulate" the rural economy. The Feds just want to help, right? Their initial target audience will be agricultural organizations, Why? Say you are a farmer and a Federal Government representative knocks on your door asking you to apply for a loan or grant - just to help you out - would you think they would get very far? But if the [trusted cattle or growers' association, your neighbor] promoted it then you might be a lot more interested and believe everything to be on the up and up, right?

There is no doubt at all that Rural America in general is hurting right now; farmers are stretched and some have already had to suck in their pride to take one form of government assistance or another just to feed their families in this declining economy. When the government starts throwing this money out there with the support of trusted agricultural organizations the temptation to apply will be huge. But if the "help" is accepted the risk of losing is even greater.

The federal government never wants to give you something for nothing and while they speak out one side of their mouth telling you that this is to 'boost the dying economy', to 'help the rural communities' and push forward on 'energy solutions'... there will remain the high risk of default on loans and loopholes that farmers or businesses will have to jump through to receive grants. The red tape has "control" written all over it; it may even dictate what can or must be grown on a property just in order to be eligible to apply, whether accepted or not. In the short term, it may sound great but in the long term it will bankrupt farms and businesses, discredit once-trusted organizations, remove the voice of the people town by town, limit Mayors, City Council & School Board Members who mean to do right by the people who elected them and break the hearts and pride of generations of Rural Americans while at the same time limiting Americans who depend on our rural breadbaskets for food and further destroy the American Dollar.

The freedoms that have been known by older generations will not be shared by the new. The destruction of the United States Constitution is all but complete. We no longer have a 2 party system... we have the party of "D&R", as one. We no longer have 3 branches of effective government... we have runaway presidents (plural), a legislative branch that either works against the people, puts on a show (generally right before an election cycle) or is bypassed altogether by executive order, presidential directorate or backdoor regulation (mainly through DHS agencies) AND lifetime justices who have done and will continue to do nothing about it. The Patriot ACT supersedes the Constitution and the majority of your rights and freedoms are mere illusions that the government GRANTS you in order to keep you passive while they keep chipping away at the last bits of our foundation of freedom. We are sitting on a time bomb.

What Can We Do?

What can you do?

1. You can spread the word. Action on this will require people knowing about it and understanding that it is of concern so they, too, will act.

2. You can contact the listed (above, left) people or groups and make sure they know what is happening so they can be aware and road blocks can be in place before the Rural Council can take action in your state, county or home community.

3. You can get in to your local school board, city council and commissioner meetings. As boring as they may seem, it is an opportunity for use your voice to make a difference - while you still have it. Once they know you are involved because you are taking the time to show up and sit through their mostly empty-seat meetings... they will listen to you. They are just people like you and me but you have to understand that like our State Representatives and higher... these people may be elected but they are not used to people standing up for themselves. They are used to making decisions on their own. That is a HUGE part of the overall problem. Road blocks could have gone up faster on so many things but people, in general, are so obsessed with their free TIME that they risk their own freedoms. Use it or lose it. Our electeds can not effectively represent you if they don't know what you want. You probably have more time to do research on this stuff than them. Feed it to them, educate them and keep the Rural Council, ICLEI, DHS and the U.N. OUT of your local communities.

4. At very least you should be getting out and meeting people in your local communities so you can find others who are concerned and preparing for the 'what if we fail' scenarios.

5. If you hold an elected position or chair a group that can network information out... help get others involved by sharing what you know. If people don't know - they can't act. That is how the govt has gotten away with so much.

6. Find your motivation... whether it be your kids, your grandkids, your right to hunt, your anger on spending, your fear of SWAT busting in to people's homes to collect late student loans... whatever will get you off your butt and doing.

7. RESEARCH / EDUCATE YOURSELF

8. Educate OTHERS
Concentrate on those who will listen.

9. Pay attention to what is happening on a local level. It is good to know what is going on everywhere but the local level is where you must ACT. Your Federal "Representatives" are far away in D.C. and will not listen. Before the 10th Amendment no longer exists, use it on your state and local levels. Keep the globalization giants out of your communities.

10. Do not take federal grant money. Do not let your community take federal grant money. Push your State Reps to steer clear of more grant money. IT IS OFFERED ONLY TO CONTROL.

Stop relying on the MSM for what is really happening.

Put down your remote control. If SHTF... knowing who won Dancing with the Stars will NOT save you!

No election or representative can or will save us from all that is happening right now. We are too late for that... too deep and that's not how our government was designed to work ANYWAY. If you have been banking on the 2012 elections, STOP. Re-focus your efforts where they will matter.

This is not a Republican or Democrat thing - accept that both parties have failed, both are corrupt, both pushed the system to failure.

It is up to YOU to make a difference.

Get out of your comfort zone... it isn't so bad once you're doing it.

Don't be afraid of what people think of you...
IF YOU VALUE YOUR FREEDOM - HAVE FREEDOM FROM FEAR

Perry adds anti-groping bill to special session

Houston Chron

Gov. Rick Perry announced he had added legislation that would make it illegal for TSA agents to engage in “intrusive touching” at airports security checkpoints without probable cause to the list of items for the legislature to consider during the special session.

The measure had previously failed to pass in the Texas Senate after the Justice Department wrote a scathing memo against the bill that threatened legal action against the state and the bill became enmeshed in Senate politics.

There are questions about what affect the legislation might have since airport security is a federal matter.

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, who was accused of lobbying against the bill in May said he was “pleased” by Perry’s decision.

“I’m very pleased that Governor Perry agreed to add this legislation to his Special Session call,” Dewhurst said. “Addressing unreasonable and unlawful searches of innocent travelers by some TSA employees is an issue that affects all Texans who use air travel, and it should not wait until next Session.”

Before the Senate took up the bill initially, the Justice Department sent a letter to state advising that passage of the bill would result in immediate legal action by the federal government and that it could result in airline flights to and from Texas being delayed or cancelled.

Opponents of the bill used it as ammunition to stall the bill. Patrick blamed Dewhurst for the unexpected opposition and claimed Dewhurst was openly lobbying Senators against the bill. Dewhurst said that Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, had told him there were 12 Senators against the bill, enough to block it from coming up for consideration.

ALERT! TSA Bill & Governor Perry

Governor Perry is playing games with us again.  If he is going to be a Presidential Candidate, then he needs to act like one.  He’s telling us there is no time to place the Anti Groping bill HB41, the Senate Version is SB29, on the call in this special session and says it doesn’t have enough votes for it.  Again he’s wrong!  See below:

Fellow Patriots:

Incredibly disappointing!   You will not believe your ears!!  See this clip from New Orleans yesterday when a fellow Texan asks Gov. Perry about the TSA bill:



1.  As Governor, he KNOWS he has the authority to call as many special sessions as he wants or needs in order to take care of the People's business.  So his comment about running out of time is inaccurate.   The defense of Liberty should not and cannot wait!

2.  Only one of two things can be true regarding his comments about "not enough votes" -- 1) either he knows the truth and chooses to ignore the fact that Rep. Simpson and Senator Patrick now have enough votes for passage; 2) or he does not know the facts because he has not made it priority to know the facts.  Governor Perry could get Simpson and Patrick on the phone today!  Our Governor keeps talking about state sovereignty and the need to push back federal tyranny.  Now he has a chance to show Texas (and the nation) that he really means it!

Let's get the troops calling and faxing Governor Perry first thing Monday morning.  Politely, but firmly ask Governor Perry to stand for Liberty and against federal tyranny by adding the TSA anti-groping bill to this special session or to a second special session, if necessary.

(512) 463-2000  Main switchboard; alternative number:  (512) 463-1782; Fax:  (512) 463-1849

FACTS:

1.  The TSA bill in the TX House is HB 41; in the Senate, it is SB 29 (this is the TSA anti-groping bill from the regular session refiled in both chambers).

2.  This must be added by the Governor to the call for the special session OR the Governor can call another special session. It is in his power to do it.  Period.

3.  Per Representative David Simpson's updates: His bill (HB 41) has 112 coauthors in the House and can pass!  Simpson has sent word to the Governor that he has the votes and has requested that Gov. Perry add it to the call.

4.  Senator Dan Patrick's SB 29 has the votes to pass! He has sent a letter to Gov. Perry asking him to add it to the call.

5.  Even Lt. Governor Dewhurst has reversed course and has asked the Gov. to add it to the special session call.

6.  This is a fact - if Governor Rick Perry does not add the TSA anti-groping bill to the call of the special session OR call another special session to address this liberty issue, then Governor Perry's words about being "FED UP" with the federal government mean nothing! Governor Perry will have caved to tyranny by the Federal Government.  There is NO other way to see this.

7.  If Governor Perry will lead on this issue, it will quickly move through both chambers and will demonstrate he has the courage to stand up for us, for dignity, for Liberty and for the US Constitution!  Anything less is unacceptable.

NOTE:  Even if there were not enough votes to pass it; a principled defender of Liberty would be expected to add this issue to the special session call and let every Representative and every Senator be held accountable for his/her vote on the matter!

Advancing Freedom,

JoAnn Fleming, Chair, Advisory Committee to the TX Legislature's TEA Party Caucus

Please Call Your Reps Re: HB 33 & SB 9

Please make calls requested by AFP below in this email ASAP and pass this on to everyone you know. We must get HB 33 passed along with SB 9 (Sanctuary Cities). It is time that we got on board with our immigration legislation. When you call also ask the legislators where our immigration legislation is? I see states like GA, AL, IN, AZ and SC taking stong stands on immigration, and where is Texas? No where to be found!

More info on HB33 below, along with contact phone numbers.

Regards,
Eva B.

******


Dear Freedom Lovers:

We have a unique opportunity to provide more freedom for parents in determining where their children go to school as well as provide more per-pupil funding for public schools, but public schools are fighting it. Here is an example of how one school district is using our tax dollars to lobby against parental choice in education: Cy-Fair ISD official lobbies against HB 33; Texas leaders should investigate. HB 33 by Rep. Sid Miller is called the Taxpayer Savings Grant (the website is http://www.taxpayersavingsgrants.org) and takes only a portion of the public education funds for a student and allows the parent to use those funds for private school tuition. It is estimated to save around $2 billion for public schools.

HB 33 is in House Government Efficiency and Reform Committee. The Comptroller’s office gave it a cost the first two years, and it should be a savings – so while we continue to work on getting the fiscal note corrected, we need your help. We need communication from voters like you and your networks to your state lawmakers telling them you support the bill and telling them you want it passed. We have a strong coalition and need to show our elected officials that the grassroots want taxpayer savings and school choice.

Ask Your State Lawmakers to Support Taxpayer Savings Grants!

We need to let our state officials know that Taxpayer Savings Grants have grassroots support and are good for students, parents, teachers and taxpayers.

Please call the Lt. Governor, Governor, and Speaker of the House and ask them to support HB 33, Taxpayer Savings Grants, by Rep. Sid Miller.

Lt. Governor David Dewhurst (512) 463-0001
Governor Rick Perry (512) 463-2000
Speaker Joe Straus (512) 463-1000

Then, call your state representative and state senator and tell them you support HB 33, Taxpayer Savings Grants.

Taxpayer Savings Grants will provide a conservative solution to the budget shortfall, without tapping into the Rainy Day Fund, by providing HUGE savings to Texas over the next two years AND provide choice in education to thousands of students and parents across Texas.

Urgent: This issue will be decided within the next few days. Please call now!

Here is a list of key members. If this is your state senator or representative, please contact them immediately as they are key to getting HB 33 passed.

Senators:

Senator Ogden (R - Bryan) (512) 463 -0105
Senator Deuell (R - Greenville) (512) 463 - 0102
Senator Duncan (R - Lubbock) (512) 463-0128
Senator Eltife (R - Tyler) (512) 463-0101
Senator Nelson (R - Flowermound) (512) 463 - 0112
Senator Shapiro (R - Plano) (512) 463-0108
Senator Seliger (R - Amarillo) (512) 463-0131

Representatives:

Rep. Pitts (R - Waxahachie) (512) 463-0516
Rep. Crownover (R - Lake Dallas) (512) 463-0582
Rep. Eissler (R - The Woodlands) (512) 463-0797
Rep. Taylor (R - League City) (512) 463 - 0729
Rep. Hancock (R - Fort Worth) (512) 463 - 0599
Rep. Frullo (R - Lubbock) (512) 463 - 0676
Rep. Cain (R - Como) (512) 463 - 0650
Rep. Linda Harper-Brown (R- Irving) (512) 463-0641
Rep. Bill Callegari (R- Houston) (512) 463-0528

You may want to call and say:

· I'm calling about Taxpayer Savings Grants that will provide a HUGE SAVINGS to Texas and expand school choice. (You may also reference it as HB 33 by Rep. Sid Miller )

· I am a constituent; I live in YOUR district.

· Please support Taxpayer Savings Grants.

Then add your reason for supporting the bill :

· I like this proposal because... (add in your reason here)

· HB 33 has a broad coalition of support including (insert your group here)

· Taxpayer Savings Grants are good for students, parents, teachers and taxpayers as they provide more educational options to parents and students across Texas.

· School district personnel who are opposing the Taxpayer Savings Grants must have little confidence in the parental satisfaction in the educational product the District is providing. All the more reason for this bill as it provides that around $5,000 of the around $8,000 we spend per pupil will go to the private school of the parent’s choice and the remaining $3,000 would remain in the school district, increasing the per pupil funding.

With your support, Taxpayer Savings Grants can effectively help the cause of freedom in Texas!

Peggy Venable
State Director
Americans for Prosperity - Texas

Say No to RINO Joe and Texas House Speaker Pledge Cards

Official Summons for Grand Jury Duty

The 82nd Texas Legislative session is now over, and The Citizens Lobbyist Network is extremely proud and thankful to all those that worked tirelessly and relentlessly to further the conservative ideals even when they thought that no one was looking.  That’s what character is all about.

But on the flip side:  It’s tragic that the vast majority of our legislators didn’t think that any one was looking.  They were wrong, dead wrong.  Although most legislators were oblivious of the fact, there were hundreds if not thousands of eyes watching their every move this session.  Meticulously watching and taking notes and reporting back to their groups.  And now many are compiling the statistics of each and every politician, on every committee, and on every vote.  You simply cannot ‘not take a position’, no matter how inconspicuous you try to be.  Even inaction is action and has been duly noted.

This kind of scrutiny has never been accomplished before in the history of our great State.  The 21st century technology will change a politician’s world forever, just like the portable camcorder has changed a few Police Officer’s lives forever.  And that is a good thing.  Those with character will not need to do anything differently.  Those without will identified and spotlighted in short order and discarded like the rodents they are.  My apologies to mice everywhere.

I’ve been ‘citizen lobbying’ in Austin since the 74th legislature in ‘95, and I would have bet money that we’d see a difference this year.  I never considered that any D or R would ignore the messages shouted by the 2010 elections.  That would defy logic and I really didn’t suspect that they could actually believe that we (the very Citizens they took an oath to protect and serve) were either insincere or stupid.  We are neither.

I had told everyone (based on my experience) that Austin was not D.C.  But I now stand corrected.  We wanted to trust them all, after all they weren’t from California or New York, they are fellow Texans.  And after all Texans take care of Texans, don’t they?

In retrospect, and with a few refreshing exceptions, I saw a whole lot of business as usual and an inordinate amount of lip service.  Well, they are proving to be the ones with sub-average I.Q.s if they think life will ever go back to business as usual.  Sooner or later they will realize that we are simply not going back to sleep again.  If the mule kicks you once….. you know that story.

Now, we need to act like the Detectives we are.  We have some time to compile cases (all the clues and evidence are there) to present to the voters before the PRIMARY elections next May.  Those lacking Character need not worry about the General election.  Our job is to make sure that they don’t make it that far. 

This is a call for representation from every conservative group in Texas to sit on a Texas Political Grand Jury which will convene very soon.  A lot of groups are compiling their individual cases now, and for maximum coverage and impact we need to bring all the evidence together in a single cohesive brief.

It’s like the CIA and FBI not comparing notes before 9-11.  We can’t repeat that mistake again.  One group will certainly have evidence that another does not.  United we Stand.

Emotional arguments can be easily dismissed, but we have all the statistics and antidotal elements to present an air tight case.  “If it looks like a RINO, and grunts like a RINO, and VOTES like a RINO, it certainly is a RINO”.   Of course, we need to give them the opportunity to submit a deposition or answer questions under cross examination.  We need to invite them to our meetings.

The accused need to realize that like a choir, we are once again a single voice singing in unison.  They, and the media, think we can be dismissed because of our diversity – that misconception must be corrected.  We then need to release the results of this Grand Jury investigation to the press and the voters of Texas.

Only then can the trial proceed in the Court of Public Opinion.  The RINO’s must to be defeated in the Primary.  The General election is too late.

Those politicians with conservative character will undoubtedly be ‘No Billed’ by the Grand Jury and deserve our heartfelt thanks and support in upcoming primary and general elections.  They are the true Champions.

Those that are indicted by the Grand Jury on charges of high crimes and misdemeanors against Texans should be severely adjudicated and true conservatives should be sought out and supported as their opposition candidates in the PRIMARY election.  This is the mandatory sentence upon conviction and a speedy trial is in order.  We will then watch them descend into obscurity.

Conservative groups, please contact Patriot Shar at partiotshar@att.net and let her know that you are reporting for Jury Duty on the Texas Political Grand Jury.  Time is of the essence

Thank you,

Citizen Lobbyist Network

www.CitizenLobbyist.net

12 Things We Learned During The 82nd Legislative Session

By Heidi Thiess

Special thanks to Geri Bentley and Cheryl Johnson for training in how to get around Austin and lobby our own Representatives.  And more special thanks to the dozens of patriots who spent long, arduous days going to and from Austin to confront our legislators with information, appeals, and calls to action.  We all owe them our sincere gratitude for taking our concerns to the Capitol on our behalf.

During our Citizen Lobbyist Trips we were armed with our white papers outlining our conservative positions FOR or AGAINST specific bills.  We would present these at every stop in the Capitol. We made a point of visiting the Governor's office, our Senators Mike Jackson and Dan Patrick, and any Representative who was involved in legislation we wanted to influence.  And of course, we always dropped in on our own Reps who represent this area:   Larry Taylor,  John Davis, Randy Weber, Wayne Smith and sometimes even Democrat Craig Eiland!  (FYI:  you can see a graph of how they voted in the first 120 days of the session here.)

Here are the Top Twelve Things We Learned During the 82 Legislative Session:

12.  For better or worse, you will be dealing mostly with your legislator's staff.

You can learn a lot about a legislator from the attitudes of his staff.  People tend to surround themselves with like-minded folks, and staff is really an extension of the legislator.  Some are rude and snotty, some are warm and welcoming.  Sometimes, the legislative staffs will outright lie to you.  More than once, when we asked if a legislator was in his office, his staff would say "No, he's not here."  Then, while we're signing his guest book, wouldn't ya know, the Rep unwittingly traipsed out of a back room and right into our midst!

The key is to never forget that all these folks work for us.  We always stayed polite but firm when presenting our cases to legislative staff.

11.  Learn to translate Clintonese!

Speaking of untruths, be aware that the legislators will parse their language so carefully that what they are saying to you might only be true in that moment, under specific circumstances, but otherwise not true at all.  This is truly Clintonian stuff, folks! The tip is here is DO NOT TRUST, and ALWAYS VERIFY.

10.  Reps don't always cast their own votes.

The Reps vote to suspend a House Rule every session that requires them to cast their own votes on each piece of legislation.  They will tell you it's so they can go to the restroom, each some lunch, negotiate with their peers, get to committee meetings.  The reality is that on many days, a couple dozen or so Reps may vote for everyone.  I'll leave that up to you to decide whether that's acceptable or not.

9.  Committee chairmen will try and dodge citizen input in hearings.

Chairmen will drag out committee hearings so they can avoid hearing from work-a-day folks who are signed up to testify.  They will even adjourn, knowing that folks have been waiting for hours, and then commence again at 10pm, when most folks have to go home to families and jobs.  Just be ready for it!  It's a game they play and your only option is to outlast 'em!  Unfortunately, it is effective, because no one but those yahoos are getting paid to be there, and they know you have pressing responsibilities.   If your testimony is imperative, you have to know ahead of time that sometimes you might be there all night!

8.  These folks are NOT policy experts. 

We are represented by folks elected from among us:  insurance agents, business owners, attorneys, veterans, retirees, etc.  They are not legislative geniuses.  Many times the language of bills is written by staffers, consultants, or lobbyists, and the legislator slaps his name on it.  Some of it is so poorly written, it's unenforceable, and sometimes it's so convoluted that it leaves loopholes of unintended consequences lurking in the muddled language. Worse, some legislators don't read the bills they vote on, unless they are directly involved as authors or sponsors.  They rely on the expertise of the other Reps to know which way to vote.  You know what that means?  There is a very tiny niche of self-proclaimed experts making decisions for the entire deliberative body on issues within their purview.  It is a self-perpetuating problem, and it needs watching!

That's why your letters, emails, and phone calls are so crucial.  If you don't feed these guys info on important issues, folks, they will not know.

7.  TRADITION!!!!!!

Sometimes bills are passed because "that's the way things have always been done."  By now, most of you are already aware of the self-inflicted disaster of the Republican redistricting maps - at every level.  As predicted, conservatives who had opposed Straus were paired against each other or drawn right out of their known districts.  A more strongly conservative map (Cain/Nixon) was ignored and never made it to the floor for debate.  The SBOE map set up some of the conservative members to be eliminated in the next election.  When we discussed our concerns with Senator Mike Jackson, we learned that the Senate always passes the House map and vice versa - it's tradition!

Tradition?  The bottom line is that's a pretty poor cop out.

6.  Where's the fire??

Very little business gets done in full view of the public and even fewer folks are paying attention.  Bills are thrown up on the floor at a rapid fire pace in a constant drone from the clerk.  Yes, there are thousands of bills but much of it is nonsense, such as commending Mildred for her 100th birthday, congratulating so and so on the birth of their first child, their 50th anniversary, their new dog, whatever!  Meanwhile, the people's business is not getting done!  There seems to be ZERO sense of urgency.  Big issues languished in committees or Calendars while the House voted day in and day out on ridiculous stuff.

We were there on the last day of the House voting on House bills.  You'd think they would be on fire with an urgency to pass every last bit of serious business they could get to before midnight, right?  No, they passed one bill dealing with electronic bingo and the rest was garbage. 

If you don't know already what's wrong with Austin, a recent article in the Dallas Morning News should give you more clues:

AUSTIN — As lawmakers scramble to pass thousands of bills during the legislative session’s final weeks, one House committee wields the power to decide which legislation will see the light of day on the floor and which will die an unceremonious death.

Once a committee advances legislation, the Calendars Committee must then schedule it for floor debate. With a key House deadline looming, committee members are at the height of their power. To outsiders, the powerful 15-member group largely works in the shadows, shrouded by its esoteric procedures.

At the committee’s daily meetings, Chairman Todd Hunter rapidly lists off bills by their numbers, and committee members vote on whether to schedule the bill for a House vote. There is little discussion, and the meetings are so short that many committee members don’t even bother to take seats.

How the committee makes its final decisions, which bills out of the nearly 400 currently pending get a chance, and exactly what legislation they will stall or push is murky. The real action takes place among committee members, other legislators and lobbyists in private conversations.

The House speaker loads the committee with trusted allies who can advance the leadership’s agenda — and insulate him from criticism by members whose bills never get to the floor.

In essence, there are two people who can veto a bill: the governor and the Chairman of House Calendars...

5.  The Republicans can't blame anyone but themselves for their performance.

You are going to hear Republicans claim heroics for having to return for a special session.  You will also hear Republicans blame Democrats for "chubbing" or killing legislation with technicalities before the deadline.  Don't let them get away with it!  They have to come back because their super-majority failed to take care of business in a timely manner.  They could not even complete the emergency legislation Governor Perry assigned at the beginning of the session! There's nothing heroic about willful neglect or incompetence.

Look, the bottom line is the Republicans passed important legislation that was a no brainer.  It's like calling Obama "gutsy" for sending the SEALs after bin Laden.  Anyone would've made the same call and good on them for doing so, but they would've gotten creamed if they hadn't.   Self-preservation is a powerful motivator folks, and if there is anything that drives these yahoos, it's self-preservation.

The real test is in what DIDN'T get passed.


4.  We don't answer to special interest lobbies, and neither should our Reps!

Lobbysists live in Austin 'round the clock and spend every resource they have hammering home their agenda on these guys.  When the House failed to pass E-Verify, a cornerstone bill to stem illegal immigration, we were told by Taylor's staff that the TAB - Texas Association of Business  lobby - killed the legislation and if we had a problem with it we needed to take it up with them!  NO. Wrong answer. 


3.  The Texas Senate is out of touch with regular Texans.

How is that possible when they are only in Austin 5 months every 2 years?  Believe me, folks, they manage.  

This excerpt from EmpowerTexans sums it up well:

Texas senators seem to believe they're members of an exclusive club, rather than elected public servants. Speaking for the club this week, State Sen. Steve Ogden (R-Bryan), chair of the Finance Committee, told the press it “has always been … pretty hard to penetrate the club, but these outside groups have done it and it’s making it hard to pass the [budget].”

Outsiders?  That’s you, the voting taxpayer; the one paying their club dues. That’s the general sentiment inside the halls of the Senatorial Clubhouse.

Senators are dismayed that their budget scheme isn’t sailing through the chamber. It’s a spending plan that lives beyond the taxpayers’ means using one-time revenue gimmicks and tapping the rainy day fund.
 
In conversations this week with senior senate leaders, I was struck by just how out of touch that chamber’s Republicans are with political reality. Senators and staffers – all Republicans – told me they fear being defeated by Democrats in November 2012 unless they break the bank.

You know what that tells me, folks?  They are worried about the WRONG VOTERS!


2.  Pledge Cards - the dirty inside secret of Austin politics.

This corrupt practice protects the power structure in Austin. Here's some background from the North Texas Tea Party:  there has been a long-standing ‘tradition’ of pledge cards that has made selecting a Speaker nothing but a sham.  The real backroom process is about as democratic as a mugging and is another tradition than needs to go away.

Here’s how it really works.  A seated Speaker has hordes of special interests slavering to do favors for the one individual that controls ALL legislation- and tens of billions in State spending. And they have VERY deep pockets for donating vast sums for campaigns.  Toward the end of the session, the Speaker will approach each representative and ask for them to sign a pledge card, promising to support the Speaker for re-election in the NEXT session.  And everyone KNOWS that donations and future committee assignments are tied to this decision.  This last session, redistricting was also a weapon to be used and it was used to effectively eliminate opposition.  Normally, a seated Speaker can get nearly all of his own party’s cards; they ALSO can get many for the opposing party, based on favorable committee assignments and- you can be assured- assistance at killing selective majority party legislation by letting it die in the committees controlled by the Speaker.  The current session, in which the GOP had a super-majority, the vast majority of the conservative agenda - other than the budget - died this way. 

In open seats, candidates parade down to Austin looking for donations for their runs.  They are judged by the ‘powers that be’, on whether they are willing to ‘play the game’.  In the majority party, that very often involves a willingness to sign a pre-election pledge card.  Sign a pledge, and doors are opened and donations made.

The major problem with the raw exercise of political power is there is ZERO input by the electorate in this.  They don’t wait for the office holder or candidates are validated by the voters; they don’t brook any input from the electorate after.  This is the power of the ‘Austin machine’ and it is time to challenge that when it matters- BEFORE the session is out, BEFORE the election.

Mind you, much of that ‘machine is pretty conservative and that is the ONLY reason Texas is STILL in decent shape.  But the constituency has amazing little say in events in Austin and that is one thing we of the Tea Parties need to help change. Both policy AND process matter.

1.  WE were right and our Reps were WRONG.

We were 100% right to oppose Joe Straus as Speaker of the House and all of our Reps were 100% wrong to support him.  All of our warnings about Committee assignments, calendars, and  procedures that killed conservative bills came true.  What these Reps will tell you - and I want you to watch for it - is that "Hey, look at what we passed! You guys should be so happy."  What they want you to do is look at what's in this hand so that you don't realize the other hand is empty.  I'm telling you right now that approximately 30% of the conservative agenda has passed thus far.  (We'll be updating this figure after the session ends with the final tally.)  That's not nearly good enough.

SUMMARY:  Let me leave you with this thought.  The big bills that got passed are certainly a credit to the Republicans.  But it is a paltry showing when they had the opportunity to do so much more - and PROMISED to do so much more to get elected.   Passing 30% while leaving 70% on the table is unacceptable. We must demand more.  We had a serious shot at a bold conservative agenda with an unprecedented super majority.  But we were let down by our Reps who thought they knew better than us. 

We don't need more of the same self-interested politicians worried about re-election, we need fearless leaders driven by their principles.  When the issues get complicated and the pressure mounts, we have to know that the Reps we elect have a bedrock of uncompromising conservative principles. 

Knowing what we know now, we are committed to vetting candidates for office for the 2012 primary.  Principle matters above all!  We don't want flowery words and empty promises - we want backbone and determination.  We absolutely count on YOU folks to back conservatives that otherwise would not have a chance without your commitment.

It is imperative that we build a grassroots organization to support these efforts  and it starts in your neighborhoods in your precincts.  To that end, we need everyday folks to step and volunteer to become precinct chairs.  We want to help you do this.  We will help you determine your precinct by your address, and will help you with the 1-page application.

This is a call to action, folks.  If you're interested, please email me at info@clearlaketeaparty.com, and we can talk further.

Thank you, Patriots!