The Markum Report - The Conservative Blog of Galveston County, Texas

Texans will pay a price for cap and trade if it passes the U.S. Senate

2009-07-05T23:01:00.003-05:00

Barry Smitherman is the Chairman of the Public Utility Commission here in Texas. According to his recent op-ed piece in the Houston Chronicle, "the proposed climate change legislation [ cap and trade] , intended to reduce carbon dioxide emissions over the next 40 years, will substantially raise electricity bills. An analysis recently released by ERCOT, the electric grid operator for most of Texas, joins other reports from around the country that project significant job losses and dramatic increases in the cost of electricity if this legislation is enacted."

Yet another reason to contact your U.S Senator and urge this bill be defeated in the Senate.

Obama's Cap and Trade Program is a Tax on the Working Class

2009-07-05T19:31:00.000-05:00

This Wall Street Journal piece should dispel any doubt that cap and trade is in fact a tax on the working class. According to the article, "hit hardest [ by the cost of the new program] would be the 95% of working families" Mr. Obama keeps mentioning, usually omitting that his no-new-taxes pledge comes with the caveat "unless you use energy." Putting a price on carbon is regressive by definition because poor and middle-income households spend more of their paychecks on things like gas to drive to work, groceries or home heating."

Now that the bill has passed the U.S. House, the only salvation will come from the U.S Senate.

The cap-and-trade bill is a massive new tax on American families and American businesses. It's especially bad public policy to pass such a huge new tax burden at a time when many families already face economic hardship.

If the American people understand what this bill does, it will die as it should in the U.S. Senate.

Seven Reasons for Healthy Skepticism about the Obama Administration

2009-01-21T09:55:00.002-06:00

Now that we have a new President, it’s critical that Republicans hold President Obama’s feet to the fire. If we learned anything from the 08 election it’s that voters ,when given a choice between free spending Democrats and big government Republicans who strive to be Democrats-Lite, always go for the real thing.

Our role must now change to what it should have been all along, making sure that government spending is reigned in, holding elected officials to their promises to shrink the size and scope of government, and using fiscal discipline and free market solutions to get money back into people’s pockets where they can spend it to fight this recession.

Towards that end, Politico has the following article which lays out nicely seven reasons for healthy skepticism about President Obama’s ability to match the hope of his campaign rhetoric with the reality of governing.

Even in a city of cynics, the Inauguration of a new president — and the infusion of new ideas, new personalities and new energy that comes with it — summons feelings of reverence.
Barack Obama, especially, is the object of inaugural good feelings. He has assembled an impressive White House and Cabinet team. The country is clearly in his corner. With the economy gasping, and two wars dragging on sullenly, even many Republicans who ordinarily might enjoy seeing Obama fail now root for him to succeed. The stakes are simply too great.
Amid all these high hopes, it may seem needlessly sour to point out why expectations must be kept in check. But it is also realistic. Here are seven reasons to be skeptical of Obama’s chances — and the Washington establishment he now
leads:
1. The genius fallacy
There is no disputing Obama has built a Cabinet of sharp and experienced public officials. His staff, especially on national security and economic matters, is often praised as brilliant — and that’s by Republicans. But recent history teaches us to be wary of the larger-than-life Washington figures supposedly striding across history’s stage. Consider the economy. Everyone seems to agree Larry Summers and Timothy Geithner are smart, vastly qualified to manage and repair the economy. Everyone was saying the exact same things about the two economic geniuses of the 1990s: Robert Rubin and Alan Greenspan. Now Rubin has been reduced to making excuses for his involvement in high-risk investments and for helping oversee the demise of Citigroup, which lost $10 billion in the past three months alone. The onetime oracular Greenspan has admitted to Congress that his once-revered economic philosophy had “a flaw,” and many blame him for turning a blind eye to the housing bubble.
As it happens, the Obama economic team is full of Rubin protégés, including Geithner and Summers. Geithner had to recently admit he failed to pay taxes on a big chunk of income — as part of his confirmation process to run tax policy and the Internal Revenue Service. As president of the New York Fed, he was integrally involved in the decision not to rescue Lehman Bros., which many see, in retrospect, as a grievous error. The reception of the Obama economic team recalls the reception of President George W. Bush’s foreign policy team eight years ago. Many Democrats applauded the experience of Vice President Dick Cheney, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Colin Powell. As Bush named his national security team in 2000, The New York Times editorialized: “Putting superstar players on the court does not always guarantee harmony or success.” In retrospect, that was an understatement, indeed.
2. The herd instinct
The most bipartisan tradition in Washington is to laud bipartisanship, even while lamenting that there is not enough of it. But the instinct for bipartisanship overlooks an inconvenient fact: Some of Washington’s biggest blunders occur when the government moves to do big things with big support. Bush won the much-regretted Iraq war resolution of October 2002 with strong Democratic backing.
The current economic crisis produces similar pressure to get on board the train — never mind for sure where it’s going. It is easy to sympathize with the temptation. Top officials on Obama’s team told us in recent days that things are much worse than most people appreciate. The Obama staff and top lawmakers are getting stern warnings that the banking system in particular is extremely fragile and could collapse. So they are moving with amazing speed to pump money into the economy.
First up is the stimulus package that could top $900 billion. It is a mind-numbing number rarely contemplated in U.S. history — and yet it might not work. There are no guarantees people will spend money the government doles out or that it will be
enough to offset miserable economic performance elsewhere. The history isn’t
encouraging.
Rewind just a few months back. Republicans and Democrats alike said the best of many bad options was to approve $700 billion to prop up banks, mainly to thaw the credit freeze and juice the economy. Half the money is gone now. Many banks took the cash and sat on it. Some used it increase lending. But much of it was wasted or unaccounted for. Now Washington wants to spend the rest of it. And a top Hill aide told Politico’s David Rogers that Democrats will probably need to request even more.
3. We are broke.
The past several months have produced a rare convergence. Something that politicians of both parties find pleasurable — spending money — has overlapped with what economists and policy experts of all ideological stripes said is urgently necessary. As “Saturday Night Live’s” Church Lady used to say, “How convenient.”
One month from now, Democrats will likely have passed the massive stimulus bill and Obama will have signed it into law. The new Treasury Department will be well on its way to spending the second $350 billion chunk of the $700 billion bank bailout fund. After this rush of activity, the ability to spend during the balance of Obama’s first term — never mind if there is a second — will be sharply constrained.
Instead, the new administration and lawmakers on Capitol Hill will awaken to another first: the prospect of the national deficit approaching $2 trillion. For most, these numbers are simply too big to ponder. But ponder this: This country has never reckoned with deficits like these. Wait, it gets worse. Remember those entitlement programs the elderly and poor need more than ever: Social Security and Medicare? In budget terms, they are more troubled than ever. Social Security’s surpluses “begin to decline in 2011 and then turn into rapidly growing deficits as the baby boom generation retires,” according to one recent report. “Medicare’s financial status,” the report said, “is even worse.” Basically, the government needs more money than ever at a time when people are losing jobs, income and confidence.
4. Words, words, words
Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, though starkly different men, both viewed the presidency as pre-eminently a decision-making job. Clinton often waved away speech drafts bloated with lofty language by saying: “Words, words, words.” Obama seems to have a different view of the presidency. He thinks that the right decisions can be reached by putting reasonable and enlightened people together and reaching a consensus. He believes his job as president is to educate and inspire, largely matters of style. He knows he is good with words. He knows he has great style. So that’s why he projects exceptional confidence in his ability to do the job. We don’t know yet how justified Obama is in his self-confidence — or how naive. But he is almost certain to face many tests, probably imminently, in which the test will be Obama’s ability to act quickly and shrewdly — and not merely describe his actions smoothly or impress people with nuance. And an unlike a governor — who must decide what’s in a budget and what gets cut, or whether a person to be executed at midnight should be spared — Obama has not made many decisions for which the consequences affect more than himself.
5. He rarely challenges the home team.
Obama frequently talks of the need to transcend partisanship. And he invokes his support for charter schools — a not-terribly-controversial idea — as evidence that he is willing to challenge Democratic special interest groups. In fact, there are few examples of him making decisions during the campaign or the transition that offended his own party’s constituencies, or using rhetoric that challenged his own supporters to rethink assumptions or yield on a favored cause.
Has Obama ever delivered a “Sister Souljah speech”? Ever stood up to organized labor in the way that Clinton did in passing North American Free Trade Agreement? This is not a good sign. By Obama’s lights, the national interest usually coincides with his personal interest. Back to you, Church Lady.
6. Everyone is winging it.
No matter how much confidence Obama or other politicians project, the reality is the current economic crisis has totally scrambled the intellectual assumptions of almost every policymaker. People who used to bemoan deficits want to spend like crazy. Improvisation is the only proper response. But the chances that improvisation will take the country to exactly the right destination — without some serious wrong turns along the way — seem very slight.
7. The watchdogs are dozing.
The big media companies that once invested in serious accountability journalism are shells of their former selves. The Tribune Co. — in other words, the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune — has slashed its Washington staff by more than half. Newspaper chains such as Cox are fleeing D.C. altogether. The end result: There are few reporters in this country doing the kind of investigative reporting that hold government officials’ feet to the fire.
Think back eight years to the pre-Iraq war reporting and consider the words of Scott McClellan in his otherwise humdrum book. “The collapse of the administration’s rationales for war, which became apparent months after our invasion, should never have come as such a surprise,” McClellan wrote. “In this case, the ‘liberal media’ didn’t live up to its reputation. If it had, the country would have been better served.” Rigorous reporting is even more important when you have one-party rule in Washington. Democrats, like Republicans, are simply less likely to scrutinize a president of their own. The end result here: Don’t expect the Democratic Congress to investigate the Obama administration or hold a bunch of tough oversight hearings. That means the only real check on Obama is the same one it’s always been — the voters.

McCain leads Obama in new national poll

2008-08-20T11:52:00.002-05:00

Coming off his best fundraising month to date, John McCain's campaign surged to a 5-point lead over Obama. The stuning 12- point turn around (Obama was leading McCain by 7 points last month) comes as voters are starting to focus on the elections post Labor Day.

McCain is peaking at just the right time and has planned his VP announcement just a few days after the Democrat convention to limit the convention bounce for Obama.

OM

It's not just Republicans - Democrat Leaders say Obama is Vulnerable

2008-08-17T13:02:00.003-05:00

The Houston Chronicle is reporting that Democrats are finally figuring out what we on the right have always known: Barack Obama is vulnerable. In a classic battle of style over substance, the American people, Democrats included, are waking up to the fact that the American President has to have some gravitas.

McCain's stock went way up with conservatives when he said he sees the KGB when he looks at Putin. Period. Barak Obama is not ready for the President's chair because he lacks experience and no amount of motivational rhetoric can change that.

Obamanomics Is a Recipe for Recession

2008-07-29T20:41:00.002-05:00

I would be remiss in my duties as an unabashed defender of conservative free-market principles if I did not continue to point out some of the more obvious reasons why Senator Obama should not be the next President of the United States. Long on style but short on substance, the Senator's tax plans should be subjected to the scrutiny they deserve.

Towards that end, this article by Michael J. Boskin should help shed some light on Obamanomics. To quote the Wall Street journal, Mr. Boskin, professor of economics at Stanford University and senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, was chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers under President George H.W. Bush.

Hat Tip to The Texas Insider.

OM

Yet another reason why Obama should not be President

2008-05-03T15:26:00.002-05:00

Thomas Sowell has a way of getting to the point and driving home a message. In this recent essay, he points out yet another reason why Obama should not be President. It's food for thought.

OM

An Old Newness
By Thomas Sowell
Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Many years ago, a great hitter named Paul Waner was nearing the end of his long career. He entered a ballgame with 2,999 hits -- one hit away from the landmark total of 3,000, which so many hitters want to reach, but which relatively few actually do reach.

Waner hit a ball that the fielder did not handle cleanly but the official scorer called it a hit, making it Waner's 3,000th. Paul Waner then sent word to the official scorer that he did not want that questionable hit to be the one that put him over the top.

The official scorer reversed himself and called it an error. Later Paul Waner got a clean hit for number 3,000.
What reminded me of this is the great fervor that many seem to feel over the prospect of the first black President of the United States. No doubt it is only a matter of time before there is a black president, just as it was only a matter of time before Paul Waner got his 3,000th hit. The issue is whether we want to reach that landmark so badly that we are willing to overlook how questionably that landmark is reached.
Paul Waner had too much pride to accept a scratch hit. Choosing a President of the United States is a lot more momentous than a baseball record. We the voters need to have far more concern about who we put in that office that holds the destiny of a nation and of generations yet unborn.
There is no reason why someone as arrogant, foolishly clever and ultimately dangerous as Barack Obama should become president -- especially not at a time when the threat of international terrorists with nuclear weapons looms over 300 million Americans. Many people seem to regard elections as occasions for venting
emotions, like cheering for your favorite team or choosing a Homecoming Queen.
The three leading candidates for their party's nomination are being discussed in terms of their demographics -- race, sex and age -- as if that is what the job is about.
One of the painful aspects of studying great catastrophes of the past is discovering how many times people were preoccupied with trivialities when they were teetering on the edge of doom. The demographics of the presidency are far less important than the momentous weight of responsibility that office carries. Just the power to nominate federal judges to trial courts and appellate courts across the country, including the Supreme Court, can have an enormous impact for decades to come.
There is no point feeling outraged by things done by federal judges, if you vote on the basis of emotion for those who appoint them. Barack Obama has already indicated that he wants judges who make social policy instead of just applying the law. He has already tried to stop young violent criminals from being tried as adults.
Although Senator Obama has presented himself as the candidate of new things -- using the mantra of "change" endlessly -- the cold fact is that virtually everything has says about domestic policy is straight out of the 1960s and virtually everything he says about foreign policy is straight out of the 1930s. Protecting criminals, attacking business, increasing government spending, promoting a sense of envy and grievance, raising taxes on people who are productive and subsidizing those who are not -- all this is a re-run of the 1960s. We paid a terrible price for such 1960s notions in the years that followed, in the form of soaring crime rates, double-digit inflation and double-digit unemployment. During the 1960s, ghettoes across the countries were ravaged by riots from which many have not fully recovered to this day. The violence and destruction were concentrated not where there was the greatest
poverty or injustice but where there were the most liberal politicians, promoting grievances and hamstringing the police.
Internationally, the approach that Senator Obama proposes -- including the media magic of meetings between heads of state -- was tried during the 1930s. That approach, in the name of peace, is what led to the most catastrophic war in human history. Everything seems new to those too young to remember the old and too ignorant of history to have heard about it.

Free classes on lowering your property tax from our good friend Tax Assessor Cheryl Johnson

2008-03-28T13:27:00.002-05:00

Here is some timely information from our award-winning Republican Tax Assessor Cheryl Johnson. Cheryl is doing her part to help you keep more of your hard-earned tax money.

If you believe the value of your property as determined by the Appraisal District (CAD) exceeds the market value, you have the right to protest. Cheryl has been providing these free classes since 2005 helping property owners understand the process, decide whether they should protest, and how to prepare in order to be more effective.

Protesting your property's value is the most immediate form of tax relief. This is a reappraisal year and, assuming sales information is available, it is likely we will see property values increase. Whether the value increases or not, there are numerous things that you can do that may save you some money come tax time later this year.

The award winning class, "Effectively Protesting Your Property's Appraised Value for Taxes," will be taught throughout the County during the months of April and May. As additional classes are offered, the information will be released to the media and posted at each Tax Office and on the website. Groups interested in hosting classes should contact the Tax Assessor's office at 1-877-766-2284 to schedule a program.

2008 Schedule of Classes

Date Time Location
4/2 5:30 pm Friendswood Public Library, 412 S Friendswood Dr., Friendswood
4/9 Noon Dickinson Rotary, First United Methodist Church, 200 FM 517, Dickinson
4/10 5:30 pm Nessler Center (Wings of Heritage Rm), 2010 5th Street, Texas City
4/23 6:30 pm Bayou Vista Recreation Center , Marlin at Neptune Dr., Bayou Vista
4/24 5:30 pm Hitchcock Library, 8005 Barry Street, Hitchcock
4/26 3:00 pm Bayshore VFW Post 8566, 1401 Grand Avenue (646), Bacliff
4/29 5:30 pm Amegy Bank Community Room, 2401 Termini Street, Dickinson
5/1 5:30 pm North County Annex, 174 Calder Drive, League City
5/6 5:30 pm City of La Marque Community Rm, 1109 Bayou Road, La Marque
5/12 6:00 pm Tiki Island Public Safety Building, Tiki Drive, Village of Tiki Island
5/13 6:00 pm Joe Faggard Community Center, 1750 Highway 87, Crystal Beach
5/14 7:30 am Galveston Kiwanis Meeting, 2228 Seawall Blvd, Galveston
5/19 5:30 pm University Area Association, 427 Market Street, Galveston
5/28 5:30 pm Rosenberg Library, 2310 Rosenberg, Galveston
6/21 9:00 am WGIPOA, Galveston County Club, 14228 Stewart Road, Galveston

Classes Courtesy of Cheryl E. Johnson, Galveston County Tax Assessor Collector

Calling all conservative women, SD #11 needs a new SREC Committeewoman

2008-03-15T12:35:00.001-05:00

Our very own SREC member Kathy Haigler is term limited from serving us again on the State Republican Executive Committee. The current committeeman Dennis Paul is from Harris County just as Kathy was.

It would be great if there was a solid conservative woman from Galveston or Brazoria county who wanted to step up to the challenge of running for the SREC committeewoman spot at the state Republican Party convention from June 12 - June 14th in Houston. If you are in Senate District 11 which is Senator Jackson's part of Galveston/Brazoria/Harris County then you can serve.

The SREC serves as the board of directors for the Republican Party of Texas and the 62 SREC members are the voice of the grassroots of the party.

If you know of any woman who has the time, energy, and interest to serve they can contact me for details.

And don't forget to attend your respective County/Senatorial District Conventions on March 29th.

Here is a message from our good friend Cathie Adams who is running for the RNC at the June RPT Convention in Houston

2008-02-29T00:45:00.003-06:00

cathieadams4rnc.com

Cathie Adams Receives Key Endorsements from Texas Conservative Grassroots Leaders in race for Republican National Committeewoman (RNC).

Dallas – Earlier today Texas Eagle Forum President Cathie Adams released the first list of key endorsements for her election as the Republican National Committeewoman for Texas.

The RNC is made up of one woman and one man from each state. Adams is running to fill a seat that will be vacated due to a term limits.

Cathie Adams says “she is honored to have these key endorsements.” Over the past 20 plus years Adams has been a strong Republican leader for social and economic conservative issues in Texas and across the country.

Tim Lambert, President of the Texas Home School Coalition and Former National Committeeman said, "Cathie Adams has been a longtime, grassroots conservative and she will represent the interests and positions of conservatives on the Republican National Committee. “When it comes down to choosing who to stand with on difficult issues, we can count on Cathie Adams to represent conservatives at the national level."

*Other conservative leaders joining Tim Lambert are:

David Barton, President of WallBuilders Inc. & Former Vice-Chair of the Republican Party of Texas
Carol Everett, President of The Heidi Group
Jeff Fisher, Former President of American Family Association of TX & Former Exec. Dir. of Texas Christian Coalition
William Ford, Former Communications Dir. Texas Christian Coalition
Richard Ford, President and Founder of Heritage Alliance
Mary Lynn Gerstenschlager, Texas Eagle Forum Legislative Liaison
Jim Graham, Exec. Dir. of Texas Right to Life
Elizabeth Graham, Texas Right to Life
Ann Hettinger, President of Concerned Women for America of Texas
Tim Lambert, President of Texas Home School Coalition & Former Republican National Committeeman for Texas
Norm Mason, Former President of Texas Christian Coalition
Anne Newman, Trinity Legal Center
Colleen Parro, Exec. Dir. of Republican National Coalition for Life
Dr. Joe Pojman, Exec. Dir. of Texans Alliance for Life
Mark Ramsey, Texans for Better Science Education
Wyatt Roberts, Former State Director of American Family Association of Texas
Kelly Shackelford, President of Free Market Foundation
Peggy Venable, Director of Americans for Prosperity of Texas
Kyleen Wright, President of Texans for Life Coalition

*Titles for ID purposes only
Paid for by Cathie Adams Campaign

Endorsements for the Republican Primary

2008-02-23T15:56:00.001-06:00

Early voting has started and the polls are open today until 7p and tomorrow, Sunday, until 6p. Early voting ends on Friday Feb 29th. Turnout has almost doubled in the Republican primary due to increased attention from the presidential candidates.

There are several contested races on the ballot and now is the time for us to select our Republican nominees for November. We should not settle and we should not hold our nose and vote for the lesser of two evils. We need to elect Republicans to office who share our conservative values.

That being said, I recommend the following candidates to you for your consideration when you go to the polls, the most important thing being that you vote:

U.S President

Alan Keyes

U.S. Congress

CD 14 - Chris Peden - (All of Galveston County except Santa Fe/Hitchcock, all of Brazoria County except Pearland)

CD 22 - Robert Talton - (Santa Fe, Hitchcock, The sections of League city north of the creek, Pearland, Clear Lake, Sugar Land)
This race has 10 candidates and there will probably be a runoff in April.

Galveston County Sheriff

Chief J.L. Campbell

State Representative

#129 - Jon Keeney - Clear Lake

#29 - Randy Weber - Brazoria/Matagorda Counties

Brazoria County Sheriff

Chief Mike Merkel

Dr. Alan Keyes will be speaking in Galveston County, Feb 15th and Feb 22nd

2008-02-10T09:05:00.000-06:00

Don't miss the opportunity to hear Pro-life leader, former U.N. Ambassador, and Republican presidential candidate Alan Keyes, Ph.D speak about The Moral Crisis in America.

Dr. Keyes will be at the Shrine of the True Cross Catholic Church
300 FM 517 Rd. E in Dickinson on Friday, Feb 15th from 8:30p - 9:15p.

This is an excellent chance to hear an in-depth discussion of the cause of the moral crisis and how to fight it.

The public is invited.

Dr. Keyes will also be speaking at the Galveston County Republican Party Lincoln Day Dinner on Friday, February 22nd at 6p at the South Shore Harbour Hotel. For information and tickets you can go to: www.galvestoncountygop.com

Vision America Values Voters Guide for the 2008 Presidential primary

2008-01-25T20:47:00.000-06:00

Values Voter Guide

Many conservatives are wrestling with the question of who to back in the Republican primary now that Fred Thompson and Tancredo have bowed out. This may well be the most important presidential primary election in 50 years so we must choose wisely for our children's sake's.

The Pro-Family movement has been blessed by Pastor Scarborough and his group Vision America; they have created a voters guide to help Christians and other values voters to sift through the mainstream meda and give us an accurate indication of where the candidates stand on the issues important to Pro-Family conservatives like the reversal of Roe V. Wade and the passage of the Federal Marriage Amendment.

You can download a PDF file of the Values Voter Guide here.

Review it and make an informed choice in the Texas primary on March 4th. Early voting starts on Feb 19th.

And please see this special message from Pastor Scarborough about an event in Houston on March 1st that you wont want to miss:

LaHaye Tribute Vision America Special Event
Thank you for your prayers and support of Vision America. I am excited to invite you to a very special event that is taking place on the first day of March at the Westin Galleria Hotel in Houston, Texas.
Please help support us as we honor Tim and Beverly LaHaye even if you are not able to attend. Select Here to contribute to LaHaye special event.
On that evening we are going to honor a couple that I view as Christian royalty, Dr. and Mrs. Tim LaHaye. I know of no two people in America who have made a greater contribution to the cause of Christ over the past 50 years. He is a renowned preacher, theologian, public speaker and author. Mrs. LaHaye is the founder of the largest women’s organization in America, Concerned Women of America, based in Washington D.C.
Dr. LaHaye was among the founding members of the Advisory Board of Vision America. He was a pioneer in mobilizing pastors to engage in the political arena. He is a prolific author with more than 30 published works including the best selling Left Behind series. Please join us for this life changing event where Dr. LaHaye will deliver a prophetic message entitled “The Final Chapter” focusing on the world events. To see more select here.

Clear Lake - Republican Candidates Night

2008-01-08T08:43:00.000-06:00

**NOTE - This event does not include the CD22 candidates as there will be a separate forum on February 12th for candidates involved in the CD22 race and the State Representative District 129 race.

You are cordially invited to participate in the Bay Area Republican Women’s biennial Candidates’ Night co-sponsored by Clear Lake Republicans on Tuesday, January 15 at Bay Oaks Country Club, 14545 Bay Oaks Blvd. Houston 77058.

All state, county & judicial candidates in Contested primary races are invited to speak. Candidates in Uncontested races will be introduced, but will not be given the opportunity to speak due to time constraints.

Coffee and refreshments will be served at 6:15 p.m., allowing time for circulating and distributing literature. The program will begin at 7:00 p.m. with a brief break at 8:00. Candidates will speak in ballot order for a maximum of three minutes each (time may be adjusted based on number of candidates responding).

All Republicans are welcome!
We look forward to seeing you!

If no one breaks out of the pack, Texans may have a shot at picking the Republican nominee for President

2007-12-26T14:13:00.000-06:00

With one week left until the Iowa Caucus, the Republican race for president is beginning to tighten nationally. Last week USA Today/Gallup polled 1000 Republican or Republican leaning voters and the results were as follows:

Giuliani: 27%; vs. 25% two weeks ago and 28% two weeks before that.
Huckabee: 16%; unchanged from two weeks ago and up from 10% two weeks before that.
Sen. John McCain: 14%; vs. 15% and 13% in the previous polls
Fred Thompson: 14%; vs. 15% and 19% in the previous polls.
Mitt Romney: 14%; vs. 12% in both the previous polls.
Rep. Ron Paul: 3%; vs. 4% and 5% in the previous polls.
Alan Keyes: 3%; up from nothing in the previous polls.

No other candidate was above 1% in the latest poll.

It seems as if Giuliani is holding off the Huckabee surge and Alan Keyes ,who just got in the race, is tied with Ron Paul.

Pay attention to what happens in Iowa and New Hampshire as the field begins to thin. Thompson is having trouble catching fire with the base and is not having much luck shaking the perception that he does not have the "fire-in-the-belly" needed to run and win the presidency. Romney's money may not be enough to overcome questions about his flip flops on key issues. Look for McCain to try and tale New Hampshire like he did in 2000 to breath new life into his campaign.

Ron Paul with his record-breaking fundraising will now be a factor in New Hampshire and will be able to stay in the race until at least Super Tuesday on Feb 5th when more than 20 states hold their primaries. There are also rumors that Ron Paul would consider running as a third party candidate if he doesn't do well in the Republican primaries, but Congressman Paul has stated that he has "no intention" of running as a third party candidate.

With 5 candidates bunched up around the top, Texas Republican primary voters may get a chance to influence who the Republican nominee will be. If no one candidate has a strong lead coming out of Feb 5th, Texas' primary on March 4th could be the large block of delegates needed to choose the nominee.

That's why it's even more important this year that Republicans not only vote in the primary for the candidate of their choice, but that they return to their precinct polling station the night of March 4th at 7p when the polls close to attend their precinct conventions.

The precinct convention starts the process to be selected as a delegate for the state and national Republican convention in June and August of 2008.

Reminder - Galveston County Republican Party Petition signing party tonight at5:30p a tRed River BBQ in League City

2007-11-13T08:56:00.000-06:00

The Galveston County Republican Party is having a petition signing party tonight at Red River BBQ, 1911 E. Main St, League City (near FM 270 @ Main) from 5:30p - 8:30p.

If you are in the area, stop by, meet your local Republican party candidates and help them get on the ballot for the March 2008 Republican primary.

All we'll need is your name, address, signature and date of birth or voter registration number.

For a list of local Republican candidates, go the party website at: www.galvestoncountygop.com

Happy 232nd Birthday to the Marine Corp, URAH!

2007-11-10T19:53:00.000-06:00

From the Commandant of the United States Marine Corp:

SINCE THE BIRTH OF OUR NATION, OUR LIBERTY HAS BEEN PURCHASED BY VALIANT MEN AND WOMEN OF DEEP CONVICTION, GREAT COURAGE, AND BOLD ACTION; THE COST HAS OFTEN BEEN IN BLOOD AND TREMENDOUS SACRIFICE. AS AMERICAS SENTINELS OF FREEDOM, UNITED
STATES MARINES ARE COUNTED AMONG THE FINEST LEGIONS IN THE CHRONICLES OF WAR.

SINCE 1775, MARINES HAVE MARCHED BOLDLY TO THE SOUNDS OF THE GUNS AND HAVE FOUGHT FIERCELY AND HONORABLY TO DEFEAT THE SCOURGE OF TYRANNY AND TERROR. WE ARE MARINES - THAT IS WHAT WE DO.
IN THE WORDS OF PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY: “IN THE LONG HISTORY OF THE WORLD, ONLY A FEW GENERATIONS HAVE BEEN GRANTED THE ROLE OF DEFENDING FREEDOM IN ITS HOUR OF MAXIMUM DANGER.”
MAGNIFICENT HEROES FOUGHT IN THE WHEAT FIELDS OF BELLEAU WOOD, IN THE SNOWS OF THE CHOSIN, AND ON THE STREETS OF HUE CITY. YOUR GENERATION BEARS THIS OBLIGATION NOW, AND IT IS BORNE ON MIGHTY AND CAPABLE SHOULDERS. JUST LIKE THE MARINES AT BELLEAU WOOD - WE ARE ONCE AGAIN ENGAGED IN SUSTAINED OPERATIONS ASHORE. JUST LIKE AT BELLEAU WOOD - THE MARINES HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE TOUGHEST SECTOR AND HAVE PREVAILED OVER A RESILIENT AND DETERMINED ENEMY - WHO HAS MADE US PAY FOR OUR GAINS. ONCE AGAIN, AS IN ANY STRUGGLE, THE ROAD AHEAD IS FAR FROM CERTAIN, BUT AS MARINES, WE ARE NOT DISSUADED BY THE CHALLENGES OF WAR OR THE TOUGH CONDITIONS OF A WARRIOR’S LIFE. INDEED, WE DON’T JUST ACCEPT OUR DESTINY - WE SHAPE IT.
ON OUR 232ND BIRTHDAY, TO EVERY MARINE - THOSE STILL IN UNIFORM AND THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED HONORABLY IN THE PAST - BE PROUD OF WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU DO. KNOW THAT YOUR CITIZENSHIP DUES HAVE BEEN PAID IN FULL; YOU ARE PART OF THIS NATION’S ELITE WARRIOR CLASS. CHERISH OUR FAMILIES WHO OFFER MARVELOUS SUPPORT, ABIDING RESOLVE, AND STEADFAST PATIENCE. REMEMBER THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED AND THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN - THEIR NAMES ARE CHISELED ON THE ROLL CALL OF AMERICA’S HEROES. THOSE WHO HAVE CARRIED THE BATTLE COLORS OF OUR CORPS HAVE FORGED OUR HERITAGE, AND TODAY’S GENERATION OF LEATHERNECKS CHART OUR FUTURE. CARRY THE COLORS WITH PRIDE; CARRY THEM WITH HONOR.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARINES!
SEMPER FIDELIS
JAMES T. CONWAY
GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS

The Dysfunction at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency continues..

2007-11-07T23:14:00.000-06:00

In what can only be described as stunningly ignorant as well as an example of what is wrong with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), this story recently surfaced out of Washington, D.C.

It seems that a DHS employee has been put on leave after coming to a DHS Halloween party dressed in a black and white striped prisoner outfit, phony dreadlocks, and skin bronzer to make him look African-American.

But that is not the most outrageous part of the story. It seems as of the head of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, a political hack named Julie Myers, not only hosted the party but sat on a panel that orginally commended the costume for its 'originality". It was only after complaints by offended employees did Ms. Myers launch an investiogation and send an e-mail apologizing for "a few of the costumes," calling them "inappropriate and offensive." She said she and other senior managers "deeply regret that this happened."

Are you kidding me!!!

Illegal immigrants are overrunning the borders of the United States and you have time to stop for a Halloween Party??

You can't find the time to build a fence on the border that congress mandated that you build, but you can judge a costume contest??

You commend a racially offensive costume as "original" and then after being called on it you have to be forced to apologize??

Where are this woman's priorities? It's no wonder that ICE is a bungling, inept bureacracy that can't catch, much less deport the criminal illegal immigrants that are running amuck in our streets, much less stop the flow at the borders.

ICE is the second largest federal enforcement agency with some 15,000 employees and 6,000 investigators.

Ms. Myers, a lawyer, has not yet been confirmed as the Assistant Secretary of Homeland security by the U.S. Senate.

And for a myriad of reasons, including the inability of ICE to control the border, Ms. Myers lack of criminal enforcement experience; and her stunningly poor judgement as displayed in this recent incident, she should not be confirmed. It is clear that we need better leaders in the battle to secure our borders and it is equally clear that after two years in the job, Ms. Myers is not up to the challenge.

Is This a Christian Nation?? Thoughts from a reader...

2007-10-13T19:30:00.000-05:00

One of our readers, Shirley from League City, passed this letter along and I thought it was timely and worth sharing:

Let us never forget that one of the first ships that landed on these shores, the Speedwell," was carrying Christians. The first act of those folks was to disembark, make an altar, and make a covenant with Almighty God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that this would be a Christian country, forever and always. A covenant with God cannot be broken, nor can it be altered, even by a wayward, silly US Congresswoman ... or a misguided President.
An inscription on the top left-hand sail of the Speedwell reads: ""God with us," from Matt. 1:23, the name that the angel gave to Joseph to give to the coming Son of God, Jesus Christ: "Emmanuel." These mighty Pilgrims landed in Cape Cod, MA on 11/11/1620. They drew up their famed "Mayflower Compact" on board ship. This was the beginning of the "government of the people, by the people and for the people," of the One Nation Under God. From the Mayflower Compact, we see the covenant with God: "In the Name of God, Amen ... Having undertaken, for the glory of God and advancement of the Christian faith ... a voyage to plant the first colony in
the northern parts of Virginia ... in the presence of God and one another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic ... (and signed by all the pilgrims) ... Cape Cod, 11 November, 1620."
On 9/7/1774, 36 Founding Fathers from the 11 States assembled at Carpenters' Hall, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (FYI: Carpenters' Hall is designed in the shape of a cross.) They invited Pastor Jacob Duche to open the Congress in prayer to Almighty God, and it has been opened thusly ever since (until recently, when prayers to false gods have been allowed). Barely six months later, Paul Revere made his famous ride warning, "The British are coming! The British are coming!" As he sounded the alarm, he was met with the battle cry, "No King, but King Jesus!!!" from the settlers, who were busying themselves gathering together arms and ammunition to fight the Redcoats. With the Mayflower Compact and the winning of that famous battle, the United States of America became the first Christian nation in history.
In May of 1787, the Constitutional Convention convened in Philadelphia in order to stitch the separate states into a Republic, during which Benjamin Franklin said, "At the beginning of the war, we prayed for divine protection. Our prayers were answered. I have lived a long time. The longer I live, the more I see that "God governs in the affairs of man". A sparrow cannot fall without His notice. Can an empire rise without His aid? The Book of Psalms assures us that, Unless the Lord build a house, they labor in vain who build it. We can build our house in America only with His help. I therefore move that from now on, we begin each session in prayer, asking for assistance and blessing from Heaven." On 9/17/1787, the Constitution of these United States was signed by representatives of each State.
On 4/30/1789, George Washington took the oath of office as the first President of the United States, placing his hand on the Holy Bible. In his inaugural address to Congress, he said: "I must express my gratitude to the Almighty. No people can acknowledge the invisible hand of God more than the people of the United States. Every step toward independence was protected by His hand. Let us remember that the smiles of Heaven will continue on a nation only when it heeds the eternal rules of right and order."
Oh, how far we have strayed from our early promises. Yet, there is hope. God tells us, in His Word:"If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14.
We must repent, turn from our sins, and pray for His forgiveness. Then, we MUST turn this nation back to God ... the real God ... of the real Bible. If the Muslims, who hate us and are trying to kill us, see and understand that this nation was created, instituted and guided by God, and His Son, Christ, why can't we? Our founding Fathers consulted God, before they ventured forth or made decisions. We must return to that tradition. Our very future as a nation depends upon it. What if we ignore God and delete Him from our government, as Nancy Pelosi and the Nation's Architect are trying to do? Well, Israel tried that once, and they spent 40 years in the desert for their sins. Do we wish to repeat history, or would we rather learn from it?
Now, the original question: Is this a Christian nation? What did you decide?

Oh, by the way, just after the British were defeated, the country was in terrible, serious, financial condition and ready to collapse. It was only a matter of days before there would be no food to feed the settlers. It was a Jewish business man that stepped in and lent this fledgeling nation enough money to keep it afloat. Once again, God sent a Jew to save a Gentile. And the rest, as they say, is history...........
Blessings!!

Newt to the rescue??? Gingrich may seek presidency in 2008

2007-09-24T22:29:00.000-05:00

According to reports out of Washington, D.C., Newt Gingrich has taken a new position on whether he will seek the Republican nomination for President in 2008.

Originally, Newt said that he would wait until October 1st before deciding, but now it appears that if he can raise or get pledges for $30 million in the next 3 weeks, he'll jump in.

Many conservatives, myself included, think that Newt (even with his baggage) may have the best shot at beating Hilary in 2008.

Stay tuned.....

Don't worry League City, I'm from LULAC and I'm here to help.

2007-08-23T06:40:00.000-05:00

In the never ending fight to turn back the rising tide of liberalism, we must be ever vigilant to stand up to the scourge of the Race Industry and fight back their transparent attempts to inject race into situations as a tactic to enflame emotions because they are unable, unwilling, or incapable of winning the battle of ideas with logic, the facts, or rational argument.

In Texas, the League of United Latin American Citizens ( LULAC ) is a shining light of the Race Industry, no less media hungry than Jesse Jackson and Operation Push or the ever present Quannel-I'm-from-the-hood-but-I-live-in Pearland-X.

Always quick to propose a race-based solution to a problem that doesn't exist, and just as quick to extort money from those woeful companies or cities that don't drink their politically correct, multicultural Kool-Aid.

Whether its the demand by outraged voters secure our borders from the invasion of illegal immigrants, to the outlandish desire for the US to adopt English as the official language of our great nation, LULAC and their merry band of race-thinking liberals can be counted on to play the race card as loudly as a drum.

Case in point? In a story from today's Galveston Daily News, LULAC clumsily plays the race/ethnic card in League City by threatening to sue League City if the city doesn't create a "minority voting district "because the Charter Review Committee voted not to recommend single member districts.

When LULAC comes to council to threaten a law suit, the council should provide a succinct response: Bring It.

BREAKING NEWS - State Representative Mike O'Day (R-Pearland) Reportedly To Resign

2007-08-16T20:38:00.000-05:00

This was just posted by Chris Elam over at Texas Safety Forum. If it turns out to be true there could be yet another special election to fill the late State Representative Glenda Dawson's seat.

Word out of Austin is that Pearland State Representative Mike O'Day will be resigning his HD29 seat by the end of this week. Dogged by rumors and reports of misconduct and inappropriate behavior (“ungentlemanly personal conduct” as reported by Paul Burka on his blog) during the recent legislative session, the buzz is that O'Day will step down from the seat to save face.

HD29 is a safe Republican seat stretching from Pearland in Brazoria County through western Brazoria County and encompassing all of Matagorda County. Pearland business owner Randy Weber finished second in a runoff to O'Day in January's special election, and would be the prohibitive favorite in another special election. Should the scenario unfold, it would be interesting to see whether or not Weber feels the desire to endure another campaign... that choice will be posed from a number of community and state leaders during the next few days if my sources are correct.

U.S. Senator Cornyn speaking in Galveston on Monday, August 20th at 4p

2007-08-14T13:54:00.000-05:00

The Galveston County Republican Party is sponsoring an event with U.S. Senator John Cornyn on Monday, August 20th at 4p.

Senator Cornyn will be addressing the issues and will take questions from the group. The public is invited and encouraged to attend.

The event will be at the San Luis Resort & Conference Center, 5222 Seawall Blvd in the Windjammer room.

10 Simple & Direct Steps to a Legal American Immigration System by newt Gingrich

2007-06-19T00:43:00.000-05:00

I think Newt Gingrich has a lot to offer the Republican party in terms of big ideas. Newt is dead accurate about what we need to do to get immigration right. And, clearly, the Bush-Kennedy-McCain bill is not the solution. The following is from Newt's newsletter, Winning the Future:

Those who are trying to force through the Bush-Kennedy-McCain immigration proposal argue that only their version of comprehensive reform will work. They are simply wrong.

Forget that their bill is impossible to implement and that there is no evidence the federal government could possibly administer a Z visa for 12 million-plus (your government cannot tell you to within a million what the number is) people who are here illegally.
A core failure of the Bush-Kennedy-McCain bill is that it makes the problem bigger than it needs to be. By trying to force a single solution in one bill, it makes the system even more unworkable and more likely to fail. By accepting the government's failure to keep its word for the last 21 years (since the passage of Simpson-Mazzoli in 1986), the Bush-Kennedy-McCain plan both increases the number of people who will be legalized despite their illegal behavior and sends a signal to others to come to America illegally in the expectation that there will inevitably be a third wave of amnesty as we "bow to reality" (in Secretary Chertoff's phrase) once again about 2017.
Before you believe any of the promises to keep the government's word THIS TIME see the eerily parallel quotes from the 1986 debate.
There is a dramatically better and simpler alternative. It will lead to fewer people being in America illegally. It will lead to a nation confident that its laws will be enforced. It will signal the world that you can come to America legally but you will not be able to come illegally. It will signal to every American that their uniquely American civilization will be renewed and strengthened. This approach is far better than the Bush-Kennedy-McCain bill.
Ten Simple, Direct Steps to a Legal American Immigration System.
1. - Keep the 1986 Simpson-Mazzoli commitment and control the border.
In The Reagan Diaries (HarperCollins, May 22, 2007), President Ronald Reagan wrote that he was going to sign the Simpson-Mazzoli bill because "it's high time we regained control of our borders and [this] bill will do this."
For national security reasons, it is vital we regain control of our border. Congress should pass a narrowly written emergency border bill to finish the necessary fence in less than a year and to have complete border control within two years.
2. - Announce an immediate shift of Internal Revenue Service resources to audit companies that are deliberately hiring people illegally.
We do not have to focus on deporting those who want to work. We need to focus on the Americans who are getting richer by deliberately breaking our laws, hiring people illegally and failing to pay taxes. These people are cheating their own country. We should focus on fining and making it economically impractical for Americans to deliberately encourage law breaking.
Economic penalties for knowingly hiring someone who is illegal should rise dramatically with each employer (including subcontractors) conviction, making it simply too expensive to cheat. This will eliminate the magnet of illegal jobs, will begin to diminish the flow of new illegal workers and will lead some illegal workers to return home voluntarily.

3. - Outsource to American Express, Visa or MasterCard the job of building a real-time verification system so that honest companies can confirm the legal status of all workers and identify people with forged papers before they hire them as fast as your automatic teller machine identifies you and gives you money in a matter of seconds.
We must distinguish between companies that deliberately hire illegal workers and companies that hire people who they believe are legal. It is the government's duty to help this second group of companies by providing a real-time verification system for identifying the legal status of all workers so that it is possible to screen out those with illegal documents. The government should outsource the creation of this system so that it is easy, fast and accurate.
4. - Focus deportation efforts on criminals.
Those who claim that opponents of the Bush-Kennedy-McCain bill support mass deportations are simply wrong. We want a system in which honest work is available for law-abiding workers and in which the natural attrition of declining job availability will reduce illegal behavior. However, there is one group that should be deported immediately, and the law should be modified to make it easy to do so. Criminals have no future in America. In every major city and increasingly in small cities and even small towns, gangs have become a problem and people feel a rising sense of insecurity. There are at least 30,000 illegal gang members now in the United States. The system should focus on deporting criminals so that people who are here illegally understand that breaking the law will get them deported immediately.
5. - Cut off all federal aid to any city, county or state that refuses to investigate if a criminal is here illegally.
These so-called "sanctuary cities" are in effect abetting the violation of American law and increasing the risk to honest, law-abiding Americans. They should be cut off from all federal aid if they refuse to help enforce federal law.
6. - Offer intensive education in English to anyone who wants to learn English, and make English the official language of government.
This will begin to reassert the commitment to assimilation and Americanization that has historically been part of legal immigration to America.
7. - Ensure that becoming an American citizen requires passing a test on American history in English and giving up the right to vote in any other country.
8. - Within the context of these proven changes, establish an economically driven temporary worker program like the Krieble Foundation proposals.
Any temporary worker would have to pass a background check to ensure they are not a criminal, would have to give biometric information (retinal scan and thumbprint) for a special card that would be outsourced to American Express, MasterCard or Visa so it would be harder to defraud and counterfeit, and would have to sign a contract committing them to pay taxes and obey the law or be removed from the United States within two weeks without recourse to long court processes.
9. - Create a special open-ended worker visa for high value workers who bring specialized education, entrepreneurial talent or capital that will grow the American economy and make America a more prosperous country.
10. - Workers who came here illegally but have a good work relationship and community ties (including family), should have first opportunity to get the new temporary worker visas, but instead of paying penalties, they should be required to go home and get the visa at home.
This way they are beginning their new career in America by obeying the law. It is amazing that those who advocate a large fine and the new Z visa, which would be administered in a hopelessly expedited manner, suggest that going home to get a new legal admission to the U.S. is somehow too complicated. If people can break the law by entering the county illegally, they should be able to obey the law and enter America legally.
These 10 steps would lead to a controlled border, a profound revitalization of the core values of American civilization, a renewed respect for the law and an economically driven system of legal temporary workers in an orderly and controllable manner.
This program would work vastly better than the dishonest and hopelessly complex Bush-Kennedy-McCain proposal now being pushed so hard by the establishment against the wishes of most Americans.

13 Reasons to Deport Illegal Immigrants

2007-06-15T21:05:00.000-05:00

This list was sent to me by a fellow conservative. With the U.S. Senate trying to bring back the Amnesty bill next week, conservatives would do well to cite these figures as 13 of the many fiscal reasons to deport illegal immigrants.

However, as I have said many times before, the issue is not a fiscal issue; it's a legal issue. The United States is a country of laws and allowing illegal immigrants to stay, to have a path towards citizenship, etc, etc, makes a mockery of our laws. The operative word in this debate is illegal.

OM

1. $11 Billion to $22 billion is spent on welfare to illegal
immigrants each year. http://tinyurl.com/zob77

2. $2.2 Billion dollars a year is spent on food assistance programs such as food stamps, WIC, and free school lunches for illegal immigrants.
http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html

3. $2.5 Billion dollars a year is spent on Medicaid for illegal
immigrants.
http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html

4. $12 Billion dollars a year is spent on primary and secondary school education for children here illegally and they cannot speak a word of English! http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

5. $17 Billion dollars a year is spent for education for the American-born children of illegal immigrants, known as anchor babies.
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

6. $3 Million Dollars a DAY is spent to incarcerate illegal immigrants. http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

7. 30% percent of all Federal Prison inmates are illegal immigrants. http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

8. $90 Billion Dollars a year is spent on illegal immigrants for Welfare & social services by the American taxpayers. http://premium.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0610/29/ldt.01.html

9. $200 Billion Dollars a year in suppressed American wages are caused by the illegal immigrants. http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

10. During the year of 2005 there were 4 to 10 MILLION illegal immigrants that crossed our Southern Border also, as many as 19,500 illegal aliens from Terrorist Countries. Millions of pounds of drugs, cocaine, meth, heroine and marijuana, crossed into the U. S. from the Southern border.
Homeland Security Report: http://tinyurl.com/t9sht

11. The National Policy Institute, "estimated that the total cost of mass deportation would be between $206 and $230 billion or an average cost of between $41 and $46 billion annually over a five year period."
http://www.nationalpolicyinstitute.org/pdf/deportation.pdf

12. In 2006 illegal immigrants sent home $45 BILLION in remittances back to their countries of origin.
http://www.rense.com/general75/niht.htm

13. "The Dark Side of Illegal Immigration: Nearly One Million Sex Crimes Committed by Illegal Immigrants In The United States ".
http://www.drdsk.com/articleshtml

Using the lowest estimates, the annual cost of illegal immigrants is $338.3 BILLION dolars/year.

If deporting illegal immigrants costs an average of $46 BILLION dollars/yr, it makes fiscal sense to start deporting them; NOW. We'll start saving taxpayers almost $292 Billon dollars/year from year 1.

League City - Early Voting starts today

2007-06-04T16:10:00.000-05:00

Early voting for League City's run-off election for Council Positions 6 & 7 starts today. Election Day is Saturday, June 16. All voting takes place at the Civic Center in League City next to City Hall.

As a reminder, the League City Police Officers Association PAC has endorsed Carlisle in position 6 and Polanco in position 7 which are my endorsements as well.

Please remind your friends and family to vote in the runoff.

City of League City wins victory in Houston Chronicle lawsuit

2007-05-30T21:38:00.000-05:00

In an opinion issued today, the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled that League City's ordinance which restricts the sale of items to occupants of motor vehicles at controlled intersections is constitutional.

The federal district court in Galveston had previously declared the City's ordinance to be unconstitutional and issued an injunction to prevent the City from enforcing it. The district court had also ruled that the Houston Chronicle and Galveston Daily News would not be entitled to recover any attorney's fees in their lawsuit against the City. Those rulings were reversed by the Fifth Circuit, which results in the injuction being vacated and the issue of attorney's fees being remanded to the district court for a trial.

This ruling represents a victory for the City, which had argued that the ordinance prohibiting the sale of newspapers from the medians inside the city limits was constitutional and necessary to the interests of public safety. The ordinance was passed in response to complaints about newspapers being sold at the intersection of IH 45 and W. Main.

No coverage yet in The Chronicle or the Daily News about whether either newspaper (or both) intend to appeal to the US Supreme Court. Stay tuned....

Chris Peden to announce his intentions about running for CD 14 against Ron Paul in the Republican primary

2007-05-21T05:20:00.000-05:00

Friendswood Mayor Pro Tem Chris Peden will be making an announcement about his intentions concerning the Republican nomination for the congressional district 14 seat currently held by Congressman Ron Paul.

Mr. Peden will be the speaker at the Galveston Island Pachyderm Club meeting on Thursday, May 24th at Gaidos on the Seawall at 11:30a.

Republican presidential candidates in Texas tomorrow

2007-05-10T20:28:00.000-05:00

For those out there who want to keep track of all things presidential in Texas, here is some information:

Newt Gingrich will be speaking tomorrow at 10a in Austin.

Rudy Giuliani will be speaking tomorrow at 8:30a at Houston Baptist University.

Ron Paul will be speaking at the next televised debate, hosted by the South Carolina Republican Party, next Tuesday, May 15th at 9p EST. It will be shown live on Fox News.

And mark your calendars for the Republican Party of Texas Straw Poll to be held in Ft. Worth August 31 - sept 1.

Review of the April 26th Friendswood City Council Candidates Forum

2007-04-27T12:16:00.000-05:00

The following review of the Friendswood City Council candidate's forum was provided by Dan Newbrough. It appears that the conservative candidates took the time to show up and the other side did not. Friendswood conservative voters should vote accordingly.

Don't forget there are 3 elections this May. The city elections inteh various area cities, the CCISD School Bond elections for those in the Clear Creek school district, and the state constitutional elections. All 3 elections start early voting next Monday, April 30th, but at different locations so be sure to go to the right place.

OM

Thursday evening, April 26, the 3rd Annual Friendswood Candidates’ Forum was held for the Friendswood City Council Candidates at the Village on the Park in Friendswood. Israel Galvan welcomed the crowd of 90-100 people. Boy Scout troop 468 provided a Color Guard ceremony. Dr. Warren Chaney was the moderator for the evening.

Places for the four candidates running for elected office were provided in their respective ballot position on the panel that followed an hors d’ourves reception provided by Village on the Park.

Seated for Council Position #4 was Jay Horecky; Leslie Reid was not available. For Council Position #6 Marcus Rives was present; A.M. (Andy) Rivera was not available. Horecky and Rives answered questions provided by the audience and screened by a joint team of Democrats and Republicans.

The candidates’ philosophies became quickly apparent. Candidates Horecky and Rives supported the current Council majority and stood for the Tax Rebates and developer-funded, rather than taxpayer-funded, projects on “Main Street” and possible convention center.

Candidates Reid and Rivera, citing other obligations, did not attend.

Candidates attending are long-time Friendswood residents, having lived in the City for at least 30 years. Horecky stated that he is a businessman in Friendswood who does not do business with the City. Rives is an architect with a Friendswood office. Both promised to apply the skills from their professional and community service activities to the City Council.

Horecky and Rives felt that the past year’s tax rate reduction and 2005 rebate, together with the increase in the number of police and City Services, has been one of the best actions of the current Council.

Horecky and Rives both agreed that the proposed 3% tax cap would benefit the residents of Friendswood. Rives stated that everyone should want their rate of tax increases lowered.

The Sunmeadow golf course issue was of concern to many in attendance. Horecky stated he was willing to work with anyone that had a viable plan, but that the golf course had failed to be viable through 5 or 7 previous owners. If the City were to take it over, it would have to be by a vote of the people, as it would cost the taxpayers millions of dollars.

Flooding and drainage was a major issue among residents. Horecky cited his leadership in easing the restrictions for small land owners and making the Clear Creek project more beneficial to Friendswood residents, as reasons for keeping him on Council. Rives felt the Drainage District has not done enough. He cited experiences with professional and personal projects as his qualifications
for being elected.

The candidates’ closing statements summarized the evening.

Horecky urged voters to stay the new course and referred to the fact that he has kept his campaign promises. He promised never to speak at Council meetings if he had nothing to say, to much laughter throughout the room.

Rives cited his working relationship with citizens, businesses, previous position on Planning and Zoning Board, his firm, his church, as well as his long family history in Friendswood as his qualifications for representing the homeowners and small businesses of Friendswood.

Village on the Park provided a scrumptious hors d'ouvres buffet prior to the forum, during which time the public had an opportunity to speak with the candidates on a personal basis. Those in attendance seemed truly interested in learning more about the candidates and in making an informed decision at the polls.

Early voting starts April 30 (with voting on Saturday May 5) and ends Tuesday May 8. Election Day is Saturday May 12. Polling locations are at City Hall and Wedgewood Elementary School (Election Day only).

Galveston County Republican Party needs a poll worker in Texas City starting April 30th

2007-04-03T03:52:00.000-05:00

The Galveston County GOP has an opening for a paid poll worker at Carver Park Community Center. The job pays $9 per hour, and requires work on laptop computers and E-slate registration.

The hours are 8 to 5 from April 30 through May 4, and 7 to 7 on May 7, 8 and 12.

If you are interested contact GCRP Chairman Kerry Neves.

225 FM 517 West
Dickinson, TX 77539
281-337-5414
e-mail: bkwds@aol.com

Ron Paul announces his bid for the Republican nomination for President

2007-03-13T15:46:00.000-05:00

League City's Congressman, Dr. Ron Paul, has officially announced that he is running for the Republican nomination for President.

His campaign website is up and running and Ron intends to take advantage of the Texas Election Code law that allows him to run for President and run for re-election to his congressional seat at the same time.

Dr. Paul said he was running for the GOP presidential nomination to restore the Republican Party – which he said has become the party of big government – and return to a non-interventionist foreign policy.

If you want to help out with the campaign, you can donate or volunteer your time.

Dr. Paul will also be the keynote speaker at the Galveston County Republican Party Lincoln Day Dinner on April 13th at 6p at the Doyle Center in Texas City. Individual tickets are still available for $30 and a few tables are also available at the Galveston County Republican Party website.

Come by and hear the only presidential candidate from Texas speak to the issues that true conservatives care about.

Texas City - Rollback Election - Vote Today

2007-03-13T15:40:00.000-05:00

Today is Election Day for the Special Rollback Election in Texas City. Our conservative and Republican friends in Texas City should make sure you get to the polls by 7p and vote for the rollback!!

The voting locations are as follows:

Precinct No. — Voting location
301, 335, 338 and part of 280 and 312 — Fire Station No. 3 1101 N. Amburn Road (FM 1764)
336 — Park Avenue Community Center, 6901 Park Ave.
337 — Rising Star Baptist Church, 302 N. Oak St. N.
342, 343 — Nessler Recreation, 2010 Fifth Ave. N.
345, 369 — Sanders Center, 801 Third Ave. S.
146, 148 and part of 150 — Roosevelt-Wilson Elementary School, 301 16th Ave.
N.
149 — Texas City High School, 1800 Ninth Ave. N.
347 and part of 150 and 151, 159, 168, 172, 173 197, 199 — Fire Administration Building, 7125 25th St. N.

Watch Newt Gingrich Live on Your Computer - Tomorrow at 3:45p

2007-03-02T20:32:00.000-06:00

The 34th Annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) is going on this weekend.

Watch Newt's speech to CPAC this Saturday March 3rd at 4:45pm ET .

It will be webcast live at www.americansolutions.com.

Reception Honoring RPT Vice Chairman Dr. Robin Armstrong, Wed, March 7th - 5:30p, Kemah

2007-02-18T19:53:00.000-06:00

Be sure to mark your calendars and make plans to stop by the Kemah residence of former Kemah Mayor Bill King and his lovely wife Melissa for a reception honoring Galveston County's own Dr. Robin Armstrong the Vice Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas.

Sponsored by the Harris County SD 11 Host Committee chaired by Clear Lake attorney Dick Gregg III the event will be from 5:30p - 7p on Wednesday March 7th at 1215 Kipp St in Kemah.

Both of our SREC members Kathy Haigler and Dennis Paul are on the host committee as well and RPT Chairman Tina Benskiser has been invited.

Please RSVP to Dick Gregg III or his receptionist at 281-480-1211.

Checks can be made out to the: Dr. Robin Armstrong Campaign and mailed to Dick Gregg III at
Gregg and Gregg P.C, 16055 Space Center Blvd, Suite # 150, Houston, TX 77062.

Corporate as well as personal checks will be graciously accepted.

Pol. Adv. - The Markum Group

League City City Council races begin to heat up

2007-02-18T09:56:00.000-06:00

2/20 update - Councilman Jim Nelson has filed in the position 7 race.

2/22 update - Timothy Tibai has filed in the position 6 race and Rick Wade, City Attorney Arnold Polanco, and Pat Hallisey have picked up candidate packets.

In anticipation of the May 12th municipal elections, the political jockeying for the two City Council seats that are up for grabs has begun.

In the position #6 seat, the recently retired, highly regarded, and long time Clear Creek HS basket ball coach Buddy Carlisle has thrown his hat into the ring for the seat being vacated by Councilman Jon Keeney. Many of you know the Coach from his recent stint as a co-host with Mr. Mallios on Door to Door League City. If you don't know him, you can go to his website at: http://www.buddycarlisle.com/ for more information.

Tim Paulissen who ran for Council in 2005 and 2006 has filed for the position #6 seat.

In the position #7 seat, currently held by Councilman Jim Nelson, local Realtor, and former Lion's Club president Lisa Howard has tossed her hat into the ring saying she wants to be an independent voice for progress. For more information on her campaign, you can go to: http://www.lisahoward.org/. Councilman J. Nelson has not filed for reelection as of today, but I understand from Mr. Mallios that it is anticipated that he will.

And, several individuals have picked up candidate packets including:

Jamie deFabio from Hole in the Wall Antique Shop

There is also a rumor that Rick Wade, the host of the League City Business Journal internet radio show, is considering a run for council as well, but Rick says that he is only "thinking" about it at this time.

And, League City Democrat activist Chris Mallios, crushing the hopes and dreams of far left extreme bloggers and mayoral obstructionists all over the city, unable or unwilling to walk the walk that goes with his brash talk, confirmed that he is not going to run for council this time. It appears as if he's been relegated to yet another year of lobbing ineffective conspiratorial delusions from the sidelines. Maybe we'll see him next year in the mayoral election.

Time, as always, will tell, but the filing deadline is not until March 12th.

And in the interest of full disclosure, Mr. Carlisle and Mrs. Howard are clients of The Markum Group.

Only in the Mind of a Texas Liberal

2007-02-03T00:02:00.000-06:00

In an amazing display of liberalism run amuck, State Representative Garnet Coleman (D-Houston) has filed a bill to allow groups to distribute condoms to inmates in Texas prisons and State Jails. Condoms. As in to have sex with. In prison.

MEMO TO COLEMAN - Consensual sex between inmates is not allowed in Texas Prisons.

and just in case you weren't sure that Coleman is a Liberal, under his bill you can't use the condoms as evidence of a crime. So if an inmate is raped using one of the condoms that he has been given for free, the condom can't be used as evidence against him.

Only in the Mind of a Texas Liberal would this kind of law even be considered. Contact your own state rep and ask them to vote this bill down.

80R4972 HLT-D

By: Coleman H.B. No. 1068

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to distribution of condoms to inmates and state jail defendants confined in facilities operated by or under contract with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 501, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 501.0541 to read as follows:
Sec. 501.0541. DISTRIBUTION OF CONDOMS TO INMATES AND STATE JAIL DEFENDANTS. (a) The department shall adopt a policy that:
(1) allows any nonprofit or public health care agency to distribute condoms to inmates and state jail defendants confined in facilities operated by or under contract with the department; and
(2) provides for the disposal of used condoms in a manner that protects:
(A) the anonymity of inmates and state jail defendants; and
(B) the health of department employees, inmates, and state jail defendants.
(b) Possession of a condom distributed in accordance with the policy adopted under Subsection (a) may not be used as evidence of illegal activity for purposes of administrative sanctions against an inmate or state jail defendant.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2007.

The Balloonist And The Fisherman (or The Difference Between Democrats and Republicans)

2007-01-31T00:12:00.000-06:00

I was sent this by a fellow Republican and it clearly highlights the difference between Democrats and Republicans.

A woman in a hot air balloon realized she was lost. She lowered her altitude and spotted a man in a boat below.

She shouted to him, "Excuse me,can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don't know where I am."

The man consulted his portable GPS and replied,"You're in a hot air balloon, approximately 30 feet above a ground elevation of 2346 feet above sea level. You are at 31 degrees, 14.97 minutes north latitude and 100 degrees, 49.09 minutes west longitude.

She rolled her eyes and said, "You must be a Republican." "I
am,"replied the man. "How did you know?" "Well," answered the balloonist, "everything you told me is technically correct, but I have no idea what to do with your information, and I'm still lost. Frankly, you've not been much help to me."

The man smiled and responded, "You must be a Democrat." "I am," replied the balloonist. "How did you know?" "Well," said the man, "you don't know where you are or where you're going. You've risen to where you are, due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise that you have no idea how to keep, and you expect me to solve your problem. You're in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but, somehow, now it's my fault."

Texas RNC rep Denise McNamara on lessons learned from the '06 mid-term elections

2007-01-04T12:41:00.000-06:00

Denise McNamara is the Republican National Committeewoman for Texas and represents Texas on the RNC. She shares her thoughts about lessons learned from '06 and is dead on in some key areas. When Republicans spend like Democrats; Republicans lose, which is why the conservative base needs to go RINO hunting in March '08.

From Denise McNamara, Texas Republican National Committee Rep.:

"As we usher in a new year, it is time for Republicans to look back
at 2006 and reflect upon lessons learned. On the national front,
Republicans controlled the White House and Congress, but they
lacked unity and leadership. Out-of-control spending, lack of
progress on immigration reform, and perceived corruption brought
huge losses in November.

Texas was a mirror image of Washington, D.C. Republicans
controlled both legislative houses, but they could not seem to
remember the Republican platform nor work together as a team.
Once again, there was no unity of purpose. Trying to rally
Republicans around the creation of a new margins business tax is no way to unify the party.

When our base was clamoring for border control and security, our
national leaders argued amongst themselves and got bogged down on how to implement a guest-worker/amnesty program. Common-sense Americans simply want to get control of our border. In this post-9/11 atmosphere, security needs to be the highest priority.
Feeling extreme pressure from their constituents and with November elections approaching, Republicans finally passed the Secure Fence Act and the Homeland Security Appropriations Act.

Republicans expect fiscal restraint from our leaders. Instead,
Republicans spent money just like Democrats. Our base watched,
astonished, as spending sky-rocketed and Republican legislators
made excuses. In Texas, the Republican-controlled legislature
passed a margins tax on business, creating a system of taxation
that contains loopholes and exemptions and fine print that rival
any federal tax code. Of course, this new margins tax will
require businesses to hire accountants and experts who will then
attempt to circumvent and avoid paying any more tax than
necessary. In other words, a whole new tax bureaucracy has been
created, and by Republicans, no less! Republican leaders in the
[Texas] legislature tried to force this bad legislation down the throats of conservatives. And now folks wonder why the Republican Speaker of the [Texas] House is being challenged.

Yes, the lessons of the past year are simple: When Republicans
act like Democrats, they lose power. When Republicans spend like
Democrats, they are voted out. When Republicans create new taxes
and expand government, they lose elections. When Republicans
ignore their base, the base does not work for Republicans. When
Republicans stray from our core principles, Republicans pay the
price. Let's hope that 2007 will bring much-needed leadership,
teamwork, and a return to the principles set forth in our platform."

Special Election for HD 29 set for January 16th

2007-01-04T12:36:00.000-06:00

The first Texas House election of 2007 has been set for January 16th. Early voting starts on January 8th. We need conservative voters in Brazoria and Matagorda counties to get to the polls.

Please consider voting for Randy Weber, who is the conservative candidate endorsed by TMR in the race. HD 29 includes Pearland and Alvin among other cities in Brazoria county.

BREAKING NEWS - Saddam Hangs for War Crimes

2006-12-29T21:55:00.000-06:00

The Toronto Star is reporting that Saddam Hussein was hanged 30 minutes ago for war crimes.

TEXANS REACT TO PRESIDENT FORD'S DEATH

2006-12-28T23:48:00.000-06:00

"President Ford was a calming, dignified voice of leadership during a turbulent time in the history of our country. His tenure as President was extraordinary and his lifetime of public service to our country in the United States Navy and in Congress was admirable and worthy of the respect of all Americans. "
GOV. RICK PERRY

"Today our country mourns the loss of the 38th President of the United States. I extend my sympathy to his family and loved ones. Gerald Ford's long career was dedicated to public service, and his Presidency and many years in Congress are a testament to that service. We're grateful to President Ford for his calming voice that brought unity during a difficult period in our nation's history"
U.S. SEN. JOHN CORNYN

"I join all Americans in mourning the passing of a great man and a fine president. At a time America needed it most, Gerald Ford gave us a steady hand and helped restore faith in our system of government. We are a stronger nation thanks to President Ford's service. President Ford's dedication and devotion to public service has long been an inspiration to all Americans and I believe will be his greatest legacy to future generations. "
LT. GOV. DAVID DEWHURST

"President Gerald Ford led our nation with great humility and courage during a very trying time in our history. His commitment to public service and love of this country was an example for all. His leadership will be missed"

TINA BENKISER,
chairman of the
Republican Party of Texas

Update on Four Angels Clothing Drive by the League City Police Officers Association

2006-12-27T15:49:00.000-06:00

The outpouring of support for the four little girls in League City has been impressive. The League City Police Officers Association was able to deliver a U-haul truck full of clothes, toys, and food to the foster family so the girls would have a Christmas to remember.

The picture shows just some of the toys and clothes that were donated by more than 100 people. Now that Christmas is over, the LCPOA has setup an account for the girls at Moody National Bank. We have raised over $1,500 to date; additional donations can be made to:

The Four Angels in care of the League City Police Officers Association, Moody National Bank, South Shore Harbour, 2901 South Shore, League City. Account No. 3030003689

The LCPOA also encourages people to continue the spirit of help and giving by making donations to their local shelters or to the Resource and Crisis Center of Galveston County: 409-763-1441 x 108 (Linda Telfah) or 888-919-7233.

To all who have assisted us through donations and publicizing this story, thank you and have a happy and safe holiday season – you have renewed our confidence in the human spirit.

Sgt. Dan Krieger
Officer Sean Arena
LCPOA

The League City Police Officers Association is collecting clothes and toys for 4 abandoned League City girls - Please Give

2006-12-20T23:57:00.000-06:00

I tend to not make solicitations, but this is a special case in League City.

In the Gospel of St. Matthew, Chapter 25, we read the great story of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He lists a number of things that we should be doing. As one example, He says I was hungry and you fed me. People said when did we see you hungry and feed you or did not feed you? Jesus was quick to answer, “When you do it for the least among you, you do it for me.”

These four girls are the least among us and they need our help. I am asking my readers to donate what they can.

You can contact me at: omarkum@markumgroup.com or drop off your donated clothes/toys at the League City Police Department.

Thank you.

Onzelo

LEAGUE CITY, TX – On December 20, 2006, at 8:10 a.m., League City Police Officers and Paramedics were dispatched to the 400 block of Perkins Avenue in reference to two young girls walking around in the street naked – one of the children was reportedly bleeding from the hand. Officers arrived and found that a Good Samaritan had provided the children with diapers and t-shirts prior to the officer’s arrival. The girls, ages 1 and 2, were examined by EMS. The 2 y/o was treated for a small cut on her finger, but no other injuries were found.

Approximately 45 minutes later, League City Officers located the apartment where the children lived and found the house to be filthy and unsafe. The girls’ mother and grandmother were both inside the apartment sleeping. Two more girls, ages 7 years and 6 months, were also living in the apartment. A criminal investigation into the endangerment of these children is pending.

Due to the unsafe living conditions and the lack of child care, officers contacted Child Protective Services. They responded to the League City Police Department and placed all four of the girls with a foster family. The League City Police Officers Association has begun collecting money and clothes for these children. We are seeking any additional clothes, toys, or child care products for the children and foster family. Persons wishing to make donations are encouraged to drop items by the League City Police Department Dispatch at 500 W. Walker Street, League City, TX 77573. For questions about the donations, please contact LCPOA President Officer Sean Arena at 281-332-2566 x. 885.

TMR Endorses Randy Weber in HD 29 Special Election on Tuesday December 19th

2006-12-17T19:24:00.000-06:00

Believe it or not, there is still one Texas House race left this year and conservatives in Brazoria and Matagorda county have a chance to get a jump on the '08 primary season and send a real conservative to the Texas House. The polls are open on Tuesday, December 19th, from 7a - 7p.

Randy Weber is a well-known and long-time conservative who has been active in Republican Party politics for years. He was a leader in his caucus at the RPT convention this past summer and I can tell you that he is well respected and well regarded by conservative activists. Randy is a former Pearland City Council member and currently owns his own small business so he has first hand knowledge of why smaller government with lower taxes helps grow our economy.

Randy is running for State Representative in the seat formerly held by long-time State Representative Glenda Dawson who passed away recently. Randy's been endorsed by the people and groups you know and trust like US Congressman Ron Paul, State Representative Robert Talton, Cathie Adams of Texas Eagle Forum and the Texas Alliance for Life.

Because it's a Special Election, Tuesday's election is open to all candidates who filed by the deadline. There are four candidates including two other Republicans and one Democrat. If no one gets 50% +1 votes, there will be a runoff in January.

It is vitally important that conservative Republicans pull together and elect and solid conservative to the Texas House. We can not let the Democrats slide in under the radar and put a Democrat in a Republican seat like they did in CD 22 with Nick Lampson.

HD 29 is a Republican District and Randy Weber has earned the chance to keep it Republican.

It's time to require Voter ID in Texas

2006-12-17T11:35:00.000-06:00

My hope is that the 80th Legislature learns some lessons from the mid-terms and returns to its conservative roots. Conservatives need to be given a reason to back the Republican party in '08 and the '07 session will be a test.

Have Republicans learned a lesson about veering off the conservative path, or will they embrace the limited government, reduced spending conservatism that won us the US House in 1994??

Towards that end, I'll spotlight from time to time bills in the next Texas legislative session that get it right. These are issues that are worthy of your support and you should encourage your state reps and State Senators to get on board.

State Rep Betty Brown has filed a bill, H.B. 218, that would require voter ID.

Seems simple enough; if you show up to vote, bring a picture ID.

Our far left friends insist there is something nefarious about asking for an ID to vote. Jesse Jackson (and Chris Mallios in League City for that matter) would be screaming that requiring an ID is voter intimidation.

But is it really? In 2006 you need an ID card to drive, to open a bank account, to use the library, and a host of other routine, but much less important civic duties than voting.

What are the liberals so afraid of??

With a majority in the Texas legislature, the grassroots will be watching to see if the Republican leadership can deliver.

This is an issue that conservatives should get behind. It will cut down on voter fraud and improve the integrity of the ballot box.

Now why wouldn't Democrats want that??

Thanksgiving Proclamation by President Bush - 2006

2006-11-22T23:25:00.000-06:00

THANKSGIVING DAY 2006
November 16, 2006

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, A PROCLAMATION

As Americans gather with family and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving Day, we give thanks for the many ways that our Nation and our people have been blessed.

The Thanksgiving tradition dates back to the earliest days of our society, celebrated in decisive moments in our history and in quiet times around family tables. Nearly four centuries have passed since early settlers gave thanks for their safe arrival and pilgrims enjoyed a harvest feast to thank God for allowing them to survive a harsh winter in the New World. General George Washington observed Thanksgiving during the Revolutionary War, and in his first proclamation after becoming President, he declared November 26, 1789, a national day of "thanksgiving and prayer." During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln revived the tradition of proclaiming a day of thanksgiving, reminding a divided Nation of its founding ideals.

At this time of great promise for America, we are grateful for the freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution and defended by our Armed Forces throughout the generations. Today, many of these courageous men and women are securing our peace in places far from home, and we pay tribute to them and to their families for their service, sacrifice, and strength. We also honor the families of the fallen and lift them up in our prayers.

Our citizens are privileged to live in the world's freest country, where the hope of the American dream is within the reach of every person. Americans share a desire to answer the universal call to serve something greater than ourselves, and we see this spirit every day in the millions of volunteers throughout our country who bring hope and healing to those in need. On this Thanksgiving Day, and throughout the year, let us show our gratitude for the blessings of freedom, family, and faith, and may God continue to bless America.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Thursday, November 23, 2006, as a National Day of Thanksgiving. I encourage all Americans to gather together in their homes and places of worship with family, friends, and loved ones to reinforce the ties that bind us and give thanks for the freedoms and many blessings we enjoy.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand six, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-first.

GEORGE W. BUSH

President Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation - 1863

2006-11-22T23:21:00.000-06:00

Proclamation of Thanksgiving
Washington, D.C.

October 3, 1863

By the President of the United States of America.

A Proclamation.

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.

Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consiousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.

It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the Eighty-eighth.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln

William H. Seward,
Secretary of State

President George Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation - 1789

2006-11-22T23:12:00.000-06:00

Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to "recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3d day of October, A.D. 1789.
G. Washington

Republicans Lost but Conservatives Won on Election Day

2006-11-21T21:49:00.000-06:00

Many of our misguided friends on the Left think the mid-term elections were a resounding embrace of the Liberal Democrat agenda. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The Democrats won because the Republicans abandoned their conservative principles. There is an old political adage that says when Democrats act like Republicans; they win. In races all over the country, the Democrats ran conservative candidates to pull their left facing party more towards the center. They did a good job, but they'll never be able to hold because their underlying liberalism has to creep out.

Liberal Speaker Pelosi and her leadership team has already had to reign in uber-Liberal Charlie Rangel after he went left and started calling for a resumption of the draft.

George Will wrote an article which sums it up quite nicely.

The questions is--Will the Republicans learn a lesson in '08 and dance with the conservatives that brought them???

Stay tuned.

Jihad Is Fun! Vote Democrat! by Ann Coulter

2006-11-01T20:50:00.000-06:00

This piece from Human Events by Ann lays out cogently some of the many issues the Democrats are wrong on and why their chances of taking the US House are getting smaller and smaller every day. I think they should not let John "Foot-in-Mouth" Kerry go into hiding, they should keep him on the stump.

John Kerry is the "botched joke" of American politics. For those of you keeping score at home, John Kerry has now called members of the U.S. military (a) stupid, (b) crazy, (c) murderers, (d) rapists, (e) terrorizers of Iraqi women and children. I wonder what he'll call them tomorrow. Whatever Karl Rove is paying John Kerry to say stupid things, it's worth every penny.

Now, back to the midterm elections ...

Analysts place the average midterm loss for the party in the White House at around 15 to 44 seats, depending on which elections are counted -- only elected presidents, midterm elections since the Civil War, midterm elections since World War II, comparable-sized congresses, first and second midterm elections and so on.

The average first midterm election loss for every elected president since 1914 is 27 House seats and three Senate seats. The average sixth-year midterm election, like this year, is much worse for the president's party, which typically loses 34 seats in the House and six seats in the Senate.

This makes the average loss in two midterm elections for the party in the White House: 30 House seats and four or five Senate seats in each midterm election.

In his first midterm election, George W. Bush picked up six House seats and two Senate seats -- making him, according to The New York Times, "the first Republican president to gain House seats in an off-year election" and only the third president of either party to pick up House seats in a midterm election since the Civil War.

This means that for Democrats simply to match the historical average gain for the party out of the White House during the first and second midterm, they would have to pick up 67 seats in the House and 11 seats in the Senate. They're about 30 Mark Foleys short of having that happen.

It at least seems clear that Democrat gains this year are going to fall far short of the historical average. No poll has the Democrats winning even half of their rightful midterm gains.

Despite the precedent of big wins in midterm elections for the party out of power -- especially in a sixth-year midterm election -- something is depressing the Democrats' popularity with Americans this year. I suspect it's the perception that many of them are Democrats.

But instead of recognizing that the Democratic Party is a dying party, falling far short of its due historical gains, any gain by the Democrats will be hailed as a crowning mandate for the party that wants to lose the Iraq war, shut down Guantanamo and stop spying on Islamic terrorists on U.S. soil.

Even a dying party has death throes. If Democrats win a slight majority in the House or Senate, Americans will get shrill, insane leadership of the nation in time of war.

Democrats can't not be crazy. They will instantly set to work enacting a national gay marriage law, impeachment hearings, slavery reparations and a series of new federal felonies for abortion clinic protesters. The only way to get Democrats to focus on terrorists would be to convince them that the terrorists are interfering with a woman's right to choose or that commercial jetliners exploding in midair are a threat to America's wetlands.

The probable new House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, is in a catfight with Rep. Jane Harman for not being insane enough. Pelosi has indicated she will deny Harman the chairmanship of the Intelligence Committee, instead giving it to Rep. Alcee Hastings, whom Pelosi voted to impeach from his federal judgeship in 1988 for conspiring to extract a $150,000 bribe from convicted criminals in return for lowering their sentences.

An O.J. jury had acquitted Hastings on the bribery charge in a criminal proceeding, though his alleged co-conspirator, attorney William Borders, was convicted.

But the evidence of Hastings' bribery plot was so overwhelming that a Democratic House voted to impeach Hastings 413-3 on 17 separate counts -- including falsifying evidence to win his acquittal in the criminal case, and a majority Democratic Senate voted to convict Hastings on the very first count by 69-26, enough to remove him from office.

Rep. John Conyers Jr. -- another finalist for the coveted "craziest Democrat in congress" title -- led the charge for Hastings' impeachment, saying the judge had "betrayed his office."

In addition to having a history of soliciting bribes from criminals before his court, Hastings wants to shut down Guantanamo, and he adamantly opposes the U.S. government listening to phone calls from al-Qaida phones to anyone in America (especially federal judges negotiating bribery deals by telephone).

As millions of lunatic Muslims plot to murder Americans, some Americans -- we call them "Soccer Moms" -- will cast a vote to save Michael J. Fox this year. In the process, they will put all Americans at risk by voting for a frivolous, dying party.

Ann Coulter is Legal Affairs Correspondent for HUMAN EVENTS and author of "High Crimes and Misdemeanors," "Slander," ""How to Talk to a Liberal (If You Must)," and most recently, "Godless."

Why the Democrats will not take the US House

2006-10-30T14:54:00.000-06:00

Just so our liberal friends don't think it's just me who thinks they won't capture the House or the Senate, here is a piece by Doug Patton on that very subject.

Clearly, it is becoming more and more apparent that the Democrats have no hope, no agenda, and no chance to capture the 15 seats they need to take the House.

Oh, You Mean THAT Liberal Media

2006-10-30T07:13:00.000-06:00

Just in case you thought Galveston County was immune from liberal media bias, The Galveston County Daily News announced its political endorsements for the ’06 elections.

Incumbent Democrats, no surprise there, get the majority of the papers’ endorsements. In the governor’s race, the paper chooses Kinky Friedman – which is another way of saying they endorse a vote against Rick Perry. The paper assures us that Kinky will not win, but the “protest” vote will surely shake up the powers that be in Austin.

Well, it’s comforting to see that they know Kinky won’t beat Governor Perry, but it speaks to the bias and left-wing values of the paper’s editorial board that they would even issue a protest endorsement in the first place.

In the statewide race for Land Commissioner, the incumbent Republican is former State Senator Jerry Patterson. When he was Senator, Jerry Patterson represented Galveston County in the Senate and he has been an effective and aggressive Land Commissioner for Texas. Under his leadership, the Texas General Land Office has earned over $1.35 billion dollars for the Permanent School Fund (PSF), has improved transparency by web casting every GLO meeting, and has signed the first and the largest lease in the U.S. for offshore wind energy. Patterson is an Aggie who retired from the Marine Corp as a Lieutenant Colonel. His democrat opponent’s claim to fame is that she was the first female elected County Attorney in Hopkins County. As an example, there are twice as many people living in League City than there are in all of Hopkins County, but does that matter to the Daily News?? NOOOOOOOO.

The Daily News chose not to endorse in the Land Commissioner race because “we can’t give passing marks to the incumbent, but can’t recommend with enthusiasm a challenger”.

Can’t give the incumbent passing marks?? Jerry Patterson is the most innovative Land Commissioner in 100 years, he has earned more money than any Land Commissioner ever has for the PSF, but you can’t give him passing marks? Excuse me, but your Liberal Bias is showing.

In local elections the Daily News throws Republicans some crumbs and endorses a few Republican candidates. But these were no-brainers. Republican County Treasurer Kevin Walsh is running for re-election – he is a CPA with more than 13 years of financial experience and has earned taxpayer’s more than $17 million dollars in interest over the past 4 years. He was the obvious choice over his opponent, a former Galveston city council woman with no financial background. Ray Charles could have seen that one.

Republican challenger Barbara Meeks is also the obvious choice in the County Clerk race. She has 25 years of proven business, political, and leadership experience to bring to the clerk’s office and a passion for ballot integrity that is severely lacking in her Democrat opponent.

In the race for District Attorney, Republican challenger Jon Hall won the nod. A law and order conservative who is a Deputy Staff Judge Advocate holding the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army Reserve, in addition to a prosecutor in Brazoria County, Jon says the office needs a leader not just a lawyer. The Daily News said it best, “For too long, Texas has been a one-party state. For more than a century, the Democratic Party ruled.”, they continued “we think it’s time for some new ideas and new energy in this [the District Attorneys] office.”

But in the open seat for County Commissioner Precinct 2 where there is no incumbent, on-the-job experience cannot be a factor, and the Democrats are desperately trying to hold on to a seat they have held for more than 100 years--the GDN endorsed Democrat candidate Bryan Lamb. This is the same Bryan Lamb who has an Associates degree compared to Republican Albert Choate’s Masters degree. The same Bryan Lamb with three years of elective office experience compared to more than fifteen years for Albert Choate. The same Bryan Lamb who claims to be in favor of lower taxes compared to Albert Choate who has actually cut your taxes, twice, saving taxpayers millions of dollars in construction costs.

And in the category of The-Most-Underwhelming-Reason-I’ve-Ever-Heard-Of-To-Endorse-A-Candidate, they endorsed Lamb because----DRUM ROLL PLEASE----he attended every Commissioners Court meeting for the past 4 years.

So I guess in the Liberal Mindset, if someone goes to a restaurant everyday and eats a pork chop, that prepares him by osmosis to be a chef or if a person attends a concert everyday that prepares him magically to be a classical pianist, or if a person goes to see the Astros every game that is adequate preparation to manage the team.

WHAT??? Only in that peculiar alternative universe called the Mind of a Liberal does attendance equal competence.

Are you kidding me!! Kinky Friedman? Bryan Lamb? Not Endorsing Jerry Patterson? Does this sound like they share your conservative values??

It’s sad, but all too common, that the editors of the Galveston County Daily News don’t know what the conservative mainstream values of Galveston County‘s voters really are.

Tell them you want more than crumbs and vote a straight Republican ticket in November.

Yet another reason why friends don't let friends vote for Democrats

2006-10-22T16:37:00.000-05:00

On the eve of Early Voting, it's important to understand what's at stake if the Republicans lose the House.

If the Republicans lose the House, Nancy Pelosi will be Speaker of the House and the third person in line for the Presidency.

Nancy's pick for Judiciary Chair, John Conyers, has already introduced a resolution to censure President Bush and Vice President Cheney. Conyers has also requested s Select Committee to investigate impeaching the President.

And as if that wasn't enough, this gem from one of our friends on the left, Half Empty, blogging about Democrat Nick Lampson,

Up sprang Nick Lampson. Nick gave his best impression of “God be with you” in Arabic, and got the traditional “And also with you” reply. He mentioned his visits to mosques, and visits to Muslim homes during Ramadan, He emphasized his immigrant roots. In short, Nick was very much one of them. Then he fell into his “Education is important to me” story about his sister who came down with polio as a child. If you haven’t heard it, get him to tell it to you. It’s a pretty good story.

Vote a straight Republican ticket and write in Sekula Gibbs for CD 22.

We can't afford to put Nick Lampson back in Congress.

Democrat Hypocrisy about Sex Scandals

2006-10-04T20:50:00.000-05:00

First off, let me say that former Congressman Mark Foley’s conduct was reprehensible. I agree with Dr. Rick Scarborough who said, "Resignation isn’t enough — not by a long-shot. This sexual predator should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law."

But the left’s hypocrisy here is staggering. Mark Foley is a corrupt individual who tried to seduce adolescent boys. The following article from Newsmax.com sums it up nicely.

While they react with fury over the scandal involving former Rep. Mark Foley, Democrats maintain a discreet silence over the numerous sex scandals that have rocked their own party.

And unlike Republican scandals like Foley's, where shame and resignation were the outcome, the Democrats' shameful behavior were either blithely ignored or jocularly accepted.

For example, former Chicago Democratic Congressman Mel Reynolds received a commutation of his six-and-a-half-year federal sentence for 15 convictions of wire fraud, bank fraud and lies to the Federal Election Commission. He also was convicted of having sex with an underage campaign volunteer. But Jesse Jackson added Reynolds to Rainbow/PUSH Coalition's payroll.

As Deroy Murdock, a columnist for Scripps Howard News Service, wrote back in 2002: "This is a first in American politics: A [democrat] ex-congressman who had sex with a subordinate, won clemency from a [democrat] president who had sex with a subordinate, then was hired by a [democrat] clergyman who had sex with a subordinate.

More notorious was the case of Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., In 1989, male prostitute Stephen L. Gobie admitted that Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., knew that Gobie had operated a prostitution service out of Frank's Capitol Hill apartment. Frank, an openly gay member of Congress, confirmed that he had Gobie as a roommate in his apartment. Frank said he fired Gobie when he learned that clients were visiting his apartment.

Was Frank told by the Democratic leadership to resign his seat as Foley was forced to do?

Not at all. That was 17 years ago, and he is still a member of Congress, a respected member of the Democratic minority and is slated to assume the chairmanship of a key House committee should the Democrats recapture control of the House.

When former Rep. Gerry Studds admitted having sex with a teenage page, nobody in the Democratic leadership demanded he resign, nor did he offer to resign. He had a joint press conference with the boy and bragged about their affair. He was renominated by the Democrats and re-elected six times before retiring.

As Rush Limbaugh noted Monday, "The truth is that the people on the left who are acting all outraged and stunned and angry, they don't see what Clinton or Barney Frank or Gerry Studds did as repugnant. In fact, they view those things as private matters that didn't affect anybody's work, and it's nobody's business what somebody does with their private life, particularly when it comes to sex."

Unless it involves a Republican. Then it's a matter of outrage and hypocrisy.

Come to the Grand Opening of the Galveston County Republican Party Campaign Office in League City

2006-09-14T20:40:00.000-05:00

The Republican Network of Galveston County will be having their September meeting in conjunction with the Grand Opening of the 2006 Galveston County Republican Party Campaign Office.

Come roll up your sleeves to help your Republican Candidates
Thursday September 21st
6:30 PM Social
7:00 PM Meeting
at the 2006 Campaign Office
1312 FM 646 Suite 10
Phone number 281-337-5467

The liberal mind: Exhibit 1 - Priscilla Slade

2006-09-09T16:47:00.000-05:00

It is always entertaining to me to see how liberals want to have their cake and eat it too.

Case in point, the former President of Texas Southern University. Priscilla Slade was removed by the Board of Regents (rightfully so) after using more than $160,000 of taxpayer money to furnish the house she bought as President.

She has now been indicted on felony theft charges and is awaiting trial. Instead of focusing on her obvious ethical challenges, Slade heads back to the classroom to teach accounting because she has tenure.

Tenure? She was fired as President, indicted for felony theft and now she wants to teach accounting to students??!!!

Thank God the university fathers have some sense and have started proceedings to remove her from her position.

The mind of the liberal is amazing.

CD 22 Update: Former US Congressman Steve Stockman, Libertarian Bob Smither file for Special Election

2006-09-01T19:13:00.000-05:00

Cd 22 conservatives will have several candidates to choose from on the special election ballot for the 2 months left in Tom Delay's unexpired term.

The Secretary of State's office has released the candidate list for the Special Election and along with Republican Shelly Sekula-Gibbs, former US Congressman Steve Stockman has filed.

In another twist, Libertarian Bob Smither hs changed his mind and will run in the special election as well.

Democrat Nick Lampson will not be on the ballot for the Special Election and is focusing his efforts on winning the General Election which will be on the same ballot.

The General Election will be for the full term starting in January.

If none of the five candidates in the Special Election get more than 50% of the vote, there will be a Special Election Runoff in December between the two top vote getters for the one month term.

RPT Chairman Tina Benkiser to speak at the Fort Bend Republican Club, Wed Sept 13th

2006-08-30T12:32:00.000-05:00

The Fort Bend Republican Club proudly announces the...

Texas Fall Election Kickoff Briefing & Buffet
Featuring Tina Benkiser, Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas

Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Sugar Creek Country Club
6:00 pm - Dinner Buffet
7:00 pm - Program

Program & Meal
Sponsored Table of 8 - $200
Individual Tickets - $12
At the door - $15

For reservations e-mail dwhite@hrbacek.com or call 281-240-2424

You are invited to the Republican Party of Galveston County's Fall BBQ in Friendswood

2006-08-30T12:21:00.000-05:00

Come by and kickoff the election season and hear our good friend, Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson at the Republican Party of Galveston County’s Fall Gathering BBQ in Friendswood

Special Guest: Texas Land Commissioner, Jerry Patterson

Saturday, September 16, 2006
At the home of
Matt & Kathy Hoeg
707 Pine Hollow
Friendswood, Texas 77546
4-7 pm
$20 Donation Requested

Come meet our Special Guest, as well as numerous elected officials and the

Republican Candidates for Galveston County

Please Join our Host Committee in welcoming Commissioner Patterson who will discuss his upcoming trip to Visit the Troops in Iraq!

Underwriter $500
Patron $250
Host $100

Paid Political Advertising by
Republican Party of Galveston County
PO Box 135
League City, Texas 77574

If you need further information, please contact the Republican Party of Galveston County at (281) 554-6787, County Chairman Kevin Corcoran at (713) 705-5392, send an email to chairman@galvestoncountygop.org, or visit the party website at www.galvestoncountygop.com

Gov. Perry calls Special Election for CD 22 on the same day as the General Election on Nov 7th

2006-08-29T20:20:00.000-05:00

So now the plot thickens....

Earlier today Governor Perry called for a Special election in CD 22, so there will be two elections on the ballot. One will be a special election for the two months of the expired term of Tom Delay and the second will be for the full term starting in Jan 2007.

Democrat Nick Lampson has indicated that he will run, and be on the ballot in both. The Republican write in candidate, Shelley Sekula-Gibbs will probably run in the special (where she'll be on the ballot) as well as the general (where her name will have to be written in). Libertarian Bob Smither will be on the general election ballot, but no word on the special election.

The deadline for placing your name on the ballot for the special election is 5p Friday, so we should know all the players by then.

BUT, if no candidate gets more than 50% of the vote in the special, there will be a special runoff in December for the last month of the unexpired term.

Republican Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson urges Republicans to vote for Libertarian Smithers in CD 22 race if no GOP consensus on write -in

2006-08-17T20:12:00.000-05:00

The latest update on the CD 22 saga is as follows:

There is an unofficial "gathering" in Pearland tonight among Republican party leaders, party activists, and the county chairs in CD 22. The Ft. Bend County Chair is urging people to boycott the event because it is closed to the public.

Sugarland Mayor David Wallace has declared that he is running for the seat as a write-in, Houston City Councilwoman Shelly Sekula-Gibbs has said she is interested in being the Republican consensus candidate, and Harris County Tax Assessor Paul Bettancourt has said he'll consider running if he is drafted.

Because the only two candidates on the ballot are D-Lampson, and L-Smithers, many Republicans, including myself, are saying the write-in strategy has a small chance of success with one consensus candidate and no chance of success if there are two or more Republican candidates.

As a result, there is a support Smithers movement among a growing number of Republicans because he is a fiscal conservative, has pledged to caucus with Republicans and has indicated that he will not vote for Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House.

Today, Jerry Patterson weighed in with the following statement, as reported by Guidry News:

Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson addressed the decision facing the Republicans, concluding that backing Smither is the best alternative if a write-in campaign is unlikely to succeed:

"Republicans must focus solely on one issue. Does a write in campaign have a chance of success? If the consensus is it does not, we should seriously consider supporting Bob Smither. Nick Lampson could be the one vote that elects Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the U. S. House of Representatives. Bob Smither will vote for a Republican Speaker."

Karl Rove back in Austin for one night only!!

2006-08-11T21:01:00.000-05:00

The Associated Republicans of Texas are kicking off the election season with a dinner with Presidential Advisor Karl Rove as the keynote speaker.

The dinner will be in Austin on Saturday August 19th. For more information, click here.

Senator Kyle Janek to lead 2 Interim Committees

2006-08-11T20:43:00.000-05:00

Senator Janek (R-Houston), a physician, whose 17th District covers parts of Galveston Island has been tapped to lead two critical committees during the interim until the 80th Legislature meets in January.

One committee will study the power of eminent domain in Texas which is a key issue for conservatives who believe that the power of eminent domain should only be used for the public interest and not for economic development. The other committee will study the medical peer review process.

For the full story, click here.

Let's get ready to rumble in November!!!

2006-08-11T20:38:00.000-05:00

After a well deserved but all too brief vacation, I am back and will start posting all the news that Galveston County conservatives need to activate and advance our conservative agenda.

I will also post the events of Republican candidates as they send them to me.

It's less than 90 days until Election Day and the '06 election in CD 22 may well be a battle for the heart and soul of the conservative agenda. I think we will continue to make strides in Galveston County as well.

Let's go!!!

Tom Delay says he'll serve if he is forced to stay on the ballot and wins

2006-08-01T20:46:00.000-05:00

Many of you may not know that a small part of League City is in Tom Delay's district, so the CD 22 saga has direct bearing on us.

The following article from the Dallas Morning News confirms the worst fears of the Dems. As I have stated on the show before, if Tom Delay is forced to stay on the ballot, then he runs. And if he runs he wins.

Now, according to Tom, if he wins, he'll stay and serve out his term.

CD 22 Dems - Be careful what you wish for....

Mr. DeLay now says that if he's forced to remain the nominee against Democrat Nick Lampson, and manages to win, he'll return to Congress.

The former House majority leader, under indictment on state campaign money laundering charges in Austin, resigned his suburban Houston seat after winning re-nomination in the March GOP primary.

He then declared himself a Virginia resident and cast a Virginia ballot to cement the move, which, if acknowledged by the courts, would make him ineligible to remain on the Texas congressional ballot. That, in turn, would let Texas GOP leaders pick a replacement with less political and legal baggage.

Texas Republicans expect Mr. DeLay to mount an aggressive campaign if the appeals court forces him to stay on the ballot. And there's irony in the fact that Democrats, who fought so hard to rout him from Congress, are fighting so hard to keep him on the ballot.

"I could be the only man in America that is forced to run when I don't want to run," Mr. DeLay said last week on Fox News.

And if he is forced to stay on the ballot, and manages to collect more votes than Mr. Lampson?

"I guess I'll have to serve," he said.

Congressman Ron Paul calls for an end to birthright citizenship for illegal immigrants. Good call!

2006-07-30T23:09:00.000-05:00

Congressman Ron Paul made the right call in sponsoring HJR 46 calling for a constitutional amendment to address what has been called the anchor baby problem.

Illegal immigrants know that as long as their children are born on US soil, even if they are here illegally, their children will be US citizens.

That's bad public policy; it rewards criminal behavior and the sooner it is stopped, the better.

Guidrynews has a story with a quote from Ron on his views on this issue.

Hutchison and Dewhurst wrong on illegal immigration

2006-07-30T22:38:00.000-05:00

If you haven't read this article yet from the Austin American Statesman, you should. It came to us from our friend Cathie Adams at Texas Eagle Forum.

As I have said before, until we secure the borders amnesty of any kind should be off the table. If Hutchison and Dewhurst think this is the way to win conservative votes for a 2010 race for Governor, they're both wrong.

Selby: Dewhurst, Hutchison speak out on immigration

Possible future foes stake out stands in San Antonio, Washington.

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Just when summer seemed sleepy, two Texas Republican heavyweights aired fresh stands on the simmering issue of illegal immigration. Coincidentally, David Dewhurst and Kay Bailey Hutchison both seek re-election and might fence for governor in 2010.

Lt. Gov. Dewhurst huddled privately this month with folks connected to the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. He reportedly said: "I don't see why we don't give all 12 million (illegal) immigrants worker permits after they step forward. Of course, they have to get registered so we can know who they are."

A chamber leader, Ed Riojas, confirmed the wording, which became public in an e-mail blast this week from GOP activist Joe Solis. Riojas, a credit union executive, said Dewhurst stressed the need to identify immigrants so they can pay taxes.

A.J. Rodriguez, chamber president, didn't recall the remark but said the lite guv "understands the need for the immigrant work force here." Dewhurst also supported development of tamper-proof ID cards that hold key information for all U.S. residents.

Solis said Dewhurst would never have suggested work permits for immigrants at the June GOP state convention in San Antonio, where border security was Ouchy Topic A. "That would NEVER happen in a 1,000 years," Solis wrote. "That would be the end of his political career."

Balderdash, Dewhurst said Wednesday, stressing that like other conservatives, he opposes amnesty for illegal immigrants, but believes that it's probably impractical and inadvisable to deport law-abiding workers, who should have shots at seeking temporary worker permits once U.S. borders are secure. At the GOP convention, Dewhurst did not dwell on immigration, focusing on changes in school and tax laws. He suggested this week that if he had waxed on immigration, he would have received as loud or louder applause than others who hammered on the border.

U.S. Sen. Hutchison this week pitched a proposal she cobbled with U.S. Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., to start a temporary worker program and establish a 17-year path to citizenship for illegal immigrants once borders are secure. Privately run "Ellis Island" centers would screen applicants once they had self-deported themselves to countries of origin.

"We owe it to our country to solve this issue," Hutchison said.

Hutchison's Democratic opponent, Barbara Ann Radnofsky, called Hutchison's offering wacky and unworkable. "Just puffing; she did it for attention," Radnofsky said. "A sad grandstand."

Partisans are mindful. Cathie Adams of the conservative Texas Eagle Forum, focused on securing U.S. borders, said Dewhurst and Hutchison seem to speak for corporations. "What we are up against is the taxpaying citizen versus the elites who are only looking out for the cost of doing their own business at the expense of mom-and-pop taxpayers," Adams said. "This is hurting. I'm sorry that maybe our voices haven't been loud or clear enough. . . . If Dewhurst and Hutchison are at the same place on this, it's bad news."

wgselby@statesman.com; 445-3644

CD 22 Update - Oral Arguments set for Monday at 10a in New Orleans; 3 Judge panel picked - 2 Dems on Panel

2006-07-24T21:20:00.000-05:00

As the CD 22 replacement process winds its way to a conclusion, the following key information was posted on Juanita's blog over in Ft. Bend County:

The hearing in front of a three judge panel will take place on Monday, July 31st at 10a in New Orleans.

The panel will hear oral arguments and each side has 20 minutes.

Two of the judges were appointed by Clinton and one by Bush 43.

With any luck, we'll have the panel's decision within a week and then move on to the next step.

Depending on which side wins, there could be an appeal to the entire 5th Circuit court en blanc (which means all 14 judges would hear the appeal) or an appeal could go to the Supreme Court if the Justice for the 5th Circuit (Scalia) thinks the appeal has merit.

Many of the voters in CD 22 are getting frustrated and tired of the drawn out process and my sense is that they will take their frustration out on Nick Lampson and the Democrats in November.

Why conservatives believe in smaller government

2006-07-23T09:14:00.000-05:00

Conservative columnist Peggy Noonan had an insightful column last week in the Wall Street Journal. In the column, she makes the following salient points about the liberal and the conservative political views of government as well as a cautionary note about what kind of conservatives we don't need as elected leaders:

I believe liberals in fact enjoy the complexity, not only because they love government--love to obsess on it, and think it is the last best hope of man on Earth--but because complexity justifies big government. Big complex question. Big complex response. Laws and rumors of laws.

Conservatives don't live for government and don't love it, either. They like other things. They think government is a necessity and a potential evil. This is because they know human nature, and they know humans run governments. Ergo extremely flawed and even damaged people are governing us. Ergo don't give them a big sandbox to play in; keep it as small as possible. That way their depredations will be, by definition, limited.

This point of view--humans are imperfect, governments even more so--is not inherently pessimistic but rather optimistic about other things: life, faith, relationships, gardens. A conservative politician who does not enjoy gardening, reading, taking a walk or seeing a play more than governing is a human warning sign: Don't go there.

Oh, you mean THAT liberal media...

2006-07-21T21:36:00.000-05:00

From time to time, some of our liberal readers insist upon evidence of the liberal bias of the mainstream media; for their perusal, I submit the following editorial from the Houston Chronicle about the CD 22 appeal.

It appears as if, according to the Chronicle, the Harris County Republican Party, led by Chairman Jared Woodfill, as well as Attorney General Greg Abbott are part of the vast rightwing conspiracy for wanting to protect the ability of Republican voters in CD 22 to have a replacement nominee on the ballot.

This a good example of why monopolies are a bad idea.

The plot thickens... League City's liberal blog off the air. Has anybody seen YBL??

2006-07-15T08:08:00.000-05:00

7/17 - Update 1: Max was kind enough to inform me that the YBL and League City Politics blogs are back up after being down temporarily, so Mallios won't have to go through withdrawal.

The new links are as follows:
YBL
League City Politics

Update 2: League City Biz has launched a new blog as well at: http://leaguecity.blogspot.com/ - stop by and leave a comment. Jimmy needs the work.

Marc Edelman has been wondering where Youvebeenleft.net has gone. The unabashedly liberal League City blog with the anti-Shults and anti-Markum focus has gone dark.

As a service to our liberal readers, you can post here until your YBL issues are resolved and you can even continue to debate the failed strategy of the Democrat party or the latest attempted power grab by your favorite council people, but there will be no personal attacks allowed.

If anyone knows the real story, feel free to leave a comment and let us know.

Come play golf and support Choate for County Commissioner - July 23rd - 8:30a

2006-07-14T20:43:00.000-05:00

Mark your calendar for Sunday, July 23rd at 8:30a and come out an enjoy some golf with Albert Choate, the Republican nominee for Galveston County Commissioner Precinct Two.

The first annual Southern Shootout Tournament to benefit the Choate campaign will start at 8:30a at the Galveston Island Municipal Golf course.

There is a free car from Bob Pagan Ford Toyota Autoplex for a hole in one.

For more information or to signup for the tournament, click here.

Webster and League City Police Departments seek citizens to attend free Citizens Police Academy

2006-07-14T17:29:00.000-05:00

If you live or work in League City, the next class of the League City Police Department's Citizens Police Academy is starting next week. The class runs on Thursdays from 6:30p - 9:30p for 15 weeks and you get an inside view of how the police department functions. It is highly informative and interactive.

You can get more information here, or by contacting Officer Schroeder at: 281-338-8201.

If you live or work in Webster, you can get more information here or contact Officer Kelemen at: 281-332-2426.

The latest on the CD 22 court case - 5th Circuit agrees to expedite the Republican party's appeal

2006-07-13T23:41:00.000-05:00

The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) blog published by the Akins & Gump law firm reports that the CD 22 case is one step closer to the SCOTUS arena.

In a related item, Vince over at Capitol Annex has a copy of the press release from the RPT attorneys in the CD 22 case. The 5th Circuit has agreed to expedite the Republican party's appeal.

Attorney James Bopp, Jr., who represents Chairwoman Benkiser and the Republicans, just sent me his press release on the Fifth Circuit Court’s ruling on the motion to expedite:

Earlier today, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals granted the Republican Party of Texas’ Motion to Expedite the Appeal in Texas Democratic Party v. Benkiser, No. 06-50812. The central question in this case is whether Tina Benkiser, the Chair of the Republican Party of Texas may declare former Congressman Thomas D. DeLay, based on his move from Texas to Virginia, ineligible to serve as the party’s nominee in the general election and replace him with a candidate who is ready, willing and able to serve the district.

This case was filed by the Texas Democratic Party in Texas State Court on June 8, 2006. It was then removed to the Federal District Court shortly thereafter. On July 6, 2006, the Federal District Court permanently enjoined Benkiser from declaring DeLay ineligible and from taking any further steps to replace him on the ballot. It also enjoined the Texas Secretary of State from certifying a replacement nominee, should one be submitted.

James Bopp, Jr., counsel for Benkiser, notes that “The injunction is a disservice to the people of Texas Congressional District 22. By allowing a nominee who has announced that he will be ineligible to serve, if elected, to remain on the ballot it effectively disenfranchises those who would like to vote for a Republican candidate to represent them.”

Under the Court’s expedited briefing schedule, Benkiser’s brief will be due Friday, July 14th, the Texas Democratic Party’s brief will be due Friday, July 21st, and Benkiser’s reply brief will be due Wednesday, July 26th. The case will be submitted to the Court on July 31st.

Uber-Liberal Michael Moore gets a taste of his own medicine

2006-07-13T23:31:00.000-05:00

Uber-Liberal Michael Moore is a provocative filmmaker, who challenged America's so-called gun culture in "Bowling For Columbine."

Conservative television and radio talk-show host Larry Elder tried-for a year-and-a-half-to interview Michael Moore. Larry wanted to ask him one basic question: "You tell us how many gun deaths there are in America, but how many Americans are alive because they were able to use a gun for self-defense?" Moore concludes that America has "too many guns." But does it? Larry made this film in an attempt to answer that question.

Click here to order the film and see for yourself.

Aggie Governor makes phone call in space to the first Aggie Astronaut

2006-07-13T23:09:00.000-05:00

The Chronicle is reporting that Governor Perry made a phone call to Air Force Colonel Michael E. Fossum, the first Aggie in space.

And wouldn't you know it, Mike's cooped in space with a teasip, Stephanie Wilson.

Stephanie lives in Clear Lake and attends Galveston's historic Reedy Chapel AME Church.

Congrats to all our astronaut's and we'll keep you in our prayers for a safe voyage home.

Judge Sparks rules Delay must stay on CD 22 Ballot; RPT to appeal ruling tomorrow

2006-07-06T14:36:00.000-05:00

The saga of CD 22 continues, Judge Sparks ruled that Delay withdrew his position in Congress. As a result, Delay must stay on the ballot in November or withdraw and leave the Republican Party without a nominee.

Chris over at Texas Safety Forum has some updated information here.

Also, the Galveston County CD 22 Executive Committee meeting scheduled for tonight at 7p has been canceled by GCRP Chairman Kevin Corcoran.

Tribute to retired US Congressman Tom Delay - Friday July 7th in Sugarland

2006-07-05T23:33:00.000-05:00

Retiring Congressman Tom DeLay will be honored at “A Tribute to Tom,” presented by the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Houston Partnership at the Sugar Land Marriott Town Square, 16090 City Walk, at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, July 7.

To make luncheon reservations, contact the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce at www.fortbendchamber.com, or 281-491-0222. Tickets are $40 for members of the Fort Bend Chamber or Greater Houston Partnership, or $400 for a corporate table of 10. For non-members, prices are $55 per person or $550 for a table.

Ft. Bend selects Terese Raia to CD 22 Executive Committee, 2 down 2 more to be elected tomorrow

2006-07-05T21:37:00.000-05:00

Long time Ft. Bend county activist and State Republican Executive Committee member Terese Raia was selected by her fellow CD 22 precinct chairs to serve as the second member of the CD 22 Executive Committee this evening.

Terese joined Harris County's Kathy Haigler as part of the 4-person committee that will select a replacement Republican nominee for Tom Delay's seat.

FtBendnow.com has the full story here.

The Price They Paid for Our Freedom

2006-07-01T22:18:00.000-05:00

Update - 7/5/06: Thanks to the eagle eye of Vince, a fellow blogger who covers the view from the Left over at Capitol Annex, it appears that "The Price They Paid For Our Freedom" although inspirational is more folklore than actual history.

You can check out Vince's posting on it here. I think this speaks to the power and relevance of the blogosphere; we all do our part to ensure accurate information is given to our readers, which is why bloggers on both sides of the aisle are an unfiltered and necessary check and balance on the mainstream media.
___________________________________________________________________________________

I had a very nice visit with Charlie Howard's wife Jo at the Harris County CD 22 meeting. Charlie is a State Representative in Fort Bend County and is as solid a conservative as they come. CD 22 would be well served if he or State Representative Robert Talton were to get the nod.

Charlie has the following essay posted on his website about the price the Founding Fathers paid for us to be a free and independent nation.

I thought it was worth reading as we celebrate America's independence.

THE PRICE THEY PAID

by Carry Hildreth, Erie, Pennsylvania

Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence?

Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons in the revolutionary army, another had two sons captured. Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the revolutionary war. They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.

What kind of men were they? Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners, men of means, well educated. But they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.

Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.

At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.

John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished. A few weeks later he died from exhaustion and a broken heart. Norris and Livingston suffered similar fates.

Such were the stories and sacrifices of the American Revolution. These were not wild-eyed, rabble-rousing ruffians. They were soft- spoken men of means and education. They had security, but they valued liberty more. Standing tall, straight, and unwavering, they pledged: "For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of the divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."

They gave you and I a free and independent America. The history books never told you a lot of what happened in the revolutionary war. We didn't just fight the British. We were British subjects at that time and we fought our own government! Perhaps you can now see why our founding fathers had a hatred for standing armies, and allowed through the second amendment for everyone to be armed.

Harris County GOP takes the First Step to Replace Tom Delay on the November Ballot

2006-06-30T07:22:00.000-05:00

In a festive atmosphere yesterday in Judge Louie Ditta's courtroom, the Harris County GOP took the first step towards placing a Republican nominee on the ballot in November.

Long-time party activist and SREC District 11 Committeewoman Kathy Haigler was overwhelmingly selected by her fellow Harris County CD 22 Precinct Chairs to represent Harris County on the CD 22 District Executive Committee.

Taking her historic responsibility seriously, Haigler immediately went to work, explaining that her plan was to give every CD 22 Chair in Harris County a ballot so they could express their first, second, and third choice for the selectee.

Haigler wants to be ready when Republican Party of Texas Chair Tina Benkiser calls the District Executive Committee together in the next few weeks to replace Delay on the ballot.

Galveston, Brazoria, and Ft. Bend have their CD 22 Executive Committee meetings scheduled next week, so all four members of the CD 22 District Executive Committee should be chosen by the July 7th. All of the meetings are open meetings, so if you want to see democracy in action, plan to attend your local meeting.

Although they were not able to address the precinct chairs, several candidates were in attendance, including: Shelly Sekula-Gibbs, Charlie Howard, David Wallace, Robert Talton, Tom Campbell, Tim Turner, and Andy Meyers.

The meeting was run very smoothly by Harris County GOP Chairman Jared Woodfill who beat back one attempt from the floor to overrule Jared's decision not to allow the agenda to be amended from the floor.

RPT Chair Tina Benkiser and Vice-Chairman Dr. Robin Armstrong were also in attendance as was RPT Parliamentarian Butch Davis.

From a reader - End The 40 Year Study Of Clear Creek -- Save $$

2006-06-25T11:43:00.000-05:00

Our good friend Kathy Rogers in Friendswood wanted to pass along the following info for those of you on Clear Creek.

The next few days will determine if the old US Army
Corps creek project (from the mid 60's) lingers on for
a few more years (needlessly costing millions) - or -
if it can be ended NOW.

Funding has been automatically removed and Tom DeLay
did not restore the multi-million dollar budget item
to continue study of the creek project for another
painful year.

Some governmental entities (i.e. like Pearland and
Brazoria DD4) are lobbying Senators Hutchinson and
Cornyn to force the federal budget to be expanded to
include another $2.5 million for more studies again
next year.

The Army Corps stripped any benefits for League City,
Friendswood, Webster, CLC or the downstream
communities from this project and our elected
officials should be informed just how we feel about
spending more money on an effort that fails to provide
any flood relief for local homeowners and businesses.

Just a few calls to the Senators offices may cause
enough doubt about this project to kill this never
ending study of the creek ... and wakeup everyone to
the fact that we need a local plan to address
flooding.

If you can make just one call to each of the following
numbers and let the office staff know that this
project has been a big waste, it doesn't address
flooding problems in Friendswood or the downstream
communities, and it's truly time this project be taken
off the books. If we can create just a little doubt
I think we may have a chance to finally stop this
never ending study that's already topped $50 million
and we still don't have any flood relief.

Senator Hutchinson - Houston Office - (713) 653-3456
Senator Cornyn - Houston Office - (713) 572-3337

And, of course, if you're FOR it, you can tell them
that (because this is a Party open to ideas!)

Republicans move quickly to replace Delay

2006-06-23T21:49:00.000-05:00

The Quorum Report is reporting some breaking news in the CD 22 race:

Federal Judge Sam Sparks accelerates case by converting hearing into full trial on the merits

With the expiration of the Temporary Restraining Order yesterday, Republicans hit the ground running today to replace Tom DeLay on the ballot for CD22.

Republican Party of Texas Chair Tina Benkiser notified the chairs of Brazoria, Ft. Bend, Galveston and Harris counties that they need to convene their precinct chairs in order to select an elector to meet and pick the ballot replacement.

Meanwhile, federal Judge Sam Sparks surprised many when he decided to convert Monday's hearing to a full tilt trial on the merits of the case brought by the Texas Democratic Party. They are arguing that DeLay's actions prohibit the Republican Party from replacing his name on the ballot.

Notwithstanding the outcome of the trial, Republicans are continuing the process of selecting a candidate to replace DeLay.

This is a tough race to predict because it is largely determined by precinct chairs.

State Rep. Robert Talton (R-Pasadena) has been in the political grassroots the longest of the most frequently mentioned candidates and started out with familiarity and good relations with Harris and Galveston County precinct chairs. At the State Republican Convention a few weeks ago, the consensus was that he was the frontrunner.

Sugarland Mayor David Wallace has been promoting his successful fund raising. In an email earlier this week, he told supporters, "In the past 60 days I have been able to raise a considerable amount of money, and in the coming days I will surpass the $200,000 mark in contributions. I have also secured an additional $800,000 in commitments and I will continue to aggressively raise money to prepare to defeat the $2.5 million war chest of the Democrats.

Today Wallace began airing a radio spot attacking Democratic candidate Nick Lampson. Folks close to the campaign point out that the election is a little more than 120 days away. Wallace intends to demonstrate that he is the most energetic candidate and well financed candidate in the field and therefore the most likely to be victorious in November.

Houston City Councilwoman Shelley Sekula-Gibbs is still working. Some argue that as a councilwoman she has the highest name ID and is getting a lot of news coverage over her high profile efforts against undocumented workers in Houston.

If three of the four county electors can not agree on a candidate, the selection process moves to the State Republican Executive Committee which will have an entirely different set of dynamics.

Copyright June 23, 2006 by Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved

Strayhorn and Friedman on the ballot in November, Stockman fails to get enough signatures for the CD 22 race

2006-06-22T19:02:00.000-05:00

Secretary of State Roger Williams has certified that Carole "Flip-Flop" Strayhorn and Kinky Friedman will be on the ballot as Independent candidates for Governor.

In a related item, former congressman Steve Stockman did not have enough verified signatures on his petition, so Steve will not be on the ballot as an Independent for Tom Delay's old seat in CD 22.

If you live by the sword......

2006-06-21T23:59:00.000-05:00

From Nick Anderson, the Editorial cartoonist at the Houston Chronicle

The Democrats failing script

2006-06-21T22:43:00.000-05:00

Really, it's not just me who sees the failing strategy of the Democrats on the national, state, and local levels.

The depth of their despair must almost be unconsolable.

Dustin Hawkins writing on Townhall.com is insightful in his analysis of the fecklessness of the Democrat party.

Even the Dems think the Texas Democrat Party is irrelevant

2006-06-21T22:22:00.000-05:00

Lest our liberal readers think it's just me who thinks the Texas Democrat Party (TDP) is directionless and has no agenda, I wanted to pass along this tidbit from the Left.

The BOR blog is reporting that Kelly Fero, who was a top political consultant for the Texas Democrat Party in '04 and '05, has said in the Austin paper that "the TDP is currently almost wholly irrelevant".

I concur.

Federal Judge sets Monday June 26th hearing on Dem attempt to stop Republicans from selecting a replacement nominee to go against Lampson

2006-06-20T08:48:00.000-05:00

Democrats can't win elections in Texas at the ballot box, so their strategy to try and win the CD 22 seat is to tie the selection up in court.

You would think that if Nick is sitting on $1.5 million, he wouldn't care who the Republicans pick. If the Democrats had an agenda, that mainstream Texans supported, it wouldn't matter who Nick was running against.

But as many of us have seen, the Democrat party is in such disarray, is in such a shambles that their best chance of winning an election is when there is no Republican nominee.

The Star-Telegram is reporting that a hearing in federal court has been set on the Democrats dubious claims that the Republican Party of Texas should not be able to name a replacement nominee for the November ballot.

Every day the Democrats try and deny Republican voters, through their duly elected Precinct Chairs, a chance to select a replacement nominee, they improve our nominee's chances of unifying the Republican base and beating Nick Lampson.

Conservatives throughout this district and throughout the country will come together like never before, just to make the point that CD 22 is not just a Republican district, but it's a conservative Republican district and Nick Lampson does not represent the values of CD 22.

The Democrat leadership and the Lampson campaign may do well to heed one of my favorite sayings - "You can run if you want to, but you'll just be tired when we catch you".

Republican Party of Texas has CD 22 Lawsuit moved out of Liberal State Court to Federal Court

2006-06-17T00:40:00.000-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 16, 2006

AUSTIN — In response to the frivolous lawsuit filed last week by Democrats regarding the Texas Congressional District 22 race, the Republican Party of Texas has removed the case to federal court.

“Democrats cannot have their cake and eat it too,” said Republican Party of Texas Chairman Tina Benkiser. “If Democrat plaintiff trial lawyers want to raise federal issues under the U.S. Constitution, they cannot then seek to have them decided in the liberal state court of their choice.”

Last week upon receiving public records of Congressman Tom DeLay’s recent move to Virginia, Chairman Benkiser declared DeLay ineligible to run for reelection in Texas on the November general ballot. Two days later, Democrats, as usual, ran to court attempting to win there what they cannot win at the ballot box.

Rather than filing in the correct court, Democrats conveniently chose to file in the liberal 201st District Court in Austin. The state judge granted a temporary restraining order to keep Republicans from following the legal process set forth in the Texas Election Code to replace Congressman DeLay on the November general election ballot.

“Republicans want to ensure that voters in Congressional District 22 are given a choice of candidates in the fall,” said Benkiser. “They deserve a chance for a conservative voice in Congress, and we are confident that they will have one.”

###

Paid for by the Republican Party of Texas
900 Congress Avenue, Suite 300, Austin, Texas 78701.
Not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.

State Representative Robert Talton pegged as front runner in CD 22 race

2006-06-17T00:26:00.000-05:00

Mike Hailey of Capitol Inside pegs State Rep Robert Talton as the frontrunner in the race to be selected as the replacement nominee for CD 22.

State Rep. Robert Talton, who's arguably the Texas Legislature's most conservative member, appears to be the frontrunner in the race to replace ex-U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay on the November general election ballot.

But it's not a done deal. A Pasadena Republican who's served in the House for the past 13 years, Talton is looking particularly strong in Galveston and Harris counties - two of the four counties where GOP activists will choose a new fall nominee for Congressional District 22 - barring a court order that prevents them from doing so.

The competition for the one vote that Republican precinct chairs will have in Fort Bend County appears to have narrowed to Sugar Land Mayor David Wallace and State Rep. Charlie Howard of Sugar Land. The Brazoria County vote is apparently still up for grabs - and Talton is believed to have the inside track for the two votes that precinct chairs in Harris and Galveston will have in the DeLay replacement derby. Harris County's vote, however, may be more in play at this point than the vote that GOP precinct chairs in Galveston County will cast if and when the Texas Republican Party calls a vote on a replacement as planned.

While the debate and campaigning continues, the process has been in limbo for the past week as a result of a temporary restraining order that an Austin judge issued last week in response to a request from Texas Democratic Party Chairman Boyd Richie.
Democrats contend that the state GOP cannot replace DeLay as the CD 22 nominee because he has a homestead exemption on the Sugar Land residence where he lived before moving to Virginia and resigning from Congress last week. Richie argues that DeLay's withdrawal from the race is not a sufficient cause to trigger a move to find somebody to run in his place this fall.
Republicans are confident that they will prevail in the court battle - either at a June 22 hearing on a permanent injunction before State District Judge Darlene Byrne of Austin or in the State Supreme Court in the event of a second adverse ruling from the lower court later this month.

Byrne, a Democrat, granted the TRO one week ago on the same day that the Democratic Party kicked off its state convention in Fort Worth. Republicans note that DeLay has registered to drive and to vote in Virginia and taken additional steps to establish his residence there. The homestead exemption on DeLay's previous residence in Texas won't expire until January.

Even most partisan Democrats predict that Republicans will eventually be allowed to pick a new nominee to face former Democratic Congressman Nick Lampson, a Libertarian and possibly former U.S. Rep. Steve Stockman, who hopes to be on the ballot as an independent candidate. But the court-imposed delay has reduced the amount of time that a Republican candidate will have to raise money and to organize grassroots support for the race.

The field of potential replacements includes State Senator Mike Jackson of La Porte, Houston City Council member Shelley Sekula-Gibbs, former State Republican Executive Committee member Tim Turner, Fort Bend County Commissioner W. A. "Andy" Meyers, retired Air Force officer Don Richardson and Sugar Land lawyer Tom Campbell, who lost to DeLay in the March primary election. Harris County Judge Robert Eckels had been mentioned as a possible contender but removed his name from the competition several weeks ago.
Once State GOP Chairwoman Tina Benkiser gets the green light to proceed with the process, Talton appears to be in decent position to go into it as the favorite. The precinct chairs who will designate one of their own from each county to cast their county's vote tend to be more conservative than the average Republican voter - and Talton's reputation as staunch conservative is second to none among lawmakers at the Texas Capitol.

Talton, a member of Speaker Tom Craddick's leadership team as the House Urban Affairs Committee chairman,captured headlines across the state last year when he led a push to ban gays and lesbians from being foster parents.
If Talton wins the support of the Galveston County precinct chair designee as Republican insiders predict, he would be assured of at least a tie with a victory in either Harris or Brazoria counties. A tie would be broken in a vote of the SREC. Before the process would be settled by the state governing board, two candidates would have to win two counties apiece unless four separate contenders each received one vote.

Dems find liberal democrat judge in Austin to deny the Republican party a chance to pick a replacment nominee for Delay's seat

2006-06-09T00:18:00.000-05:00

In a desperate attempt to use the court system to deny Republican voters a chance to select a replacement nominee, the Texas Democrat party got a Democrat judge in that bastion of fairness to Republicans, Austin, TX , to issue a temporary restraining order stopping the Republican Party of Texas from following the law and picking a replacment nominee for Congressman Delay's seat.

I would like to point out to our liberal friends that the law they seek so quickly to stop Republicans from using was written, passed, and signed into law when the Democrats controlled the Texas legislature.

If they don't like the law, they have no one to blame but themselves. And because of their obsession with all things Delay, they will stop at nothing to keep a Republican nominee off the ballot.

If Nick Lampson is such a strong candidate, what are the Dems afraid of? Why try and run out the clock, why not just stand and fight?? Maybe it's just not in their character to fight fair or maybe they are afraid that with the national attention still on the CD 22 race, the world will find out that the democrats don't have any real ideas or real solutions that Texans can support.

I think they have awakened a sleeping giant in the conservative Republican base of CD 22 and they have just blown whatever chance they thought Lampson had of winning.

The next hearing in Austin is set for June 22nd.

When Nick loses in November, and Nick will lose, I am going to enjoy my pork chop Mr. Mallios.

Click here for the article by Ft Bend Now.

CD 22 Update - Delay declared ineligible

2006-06-08T20:51:00.000-05:00

Texas GOP Chairman Tina Benkiser has declared U.S. Congressman Tom Delay ineligible to be on the Republican ballot in November. Click here for her statement.

This officially starts the replacement process. The Republican party chairmen in Galveston, Harris, Fort Bend, and Brazoria Counties now have to call a meeting of the CD 22 Precinct Chairs in their respective counties.

State party rules require a specific time period in terms of notice, so most of the meetings will be after June 21st. The only agenda item on the meetings will be to select the name of one of the precinct chairs from each county to serve as an elector on the CD 22 District Committee.

Once those names are forwarded to the state party, Chairman Benkiser will call a meeting for the four electors to select the replacement nominee.

With any luck, we should have a new Republican nominee for CD 22, that everyone can rally behind, by the end of the month.

Based on what I heard from the CD 22 delegates and precinct chairs at the state convention, the most conservative of the declared candidates (based on proven, documented votes on conservative issues) State Reps Robert Talton and Charlie Howard appear to be the front runners.

Fool me once...

2006-06-07T23:57:00.000-05:00

A reader asked if I could post this cartoon by Nick Anderson from the Houston Chronicle. Although I am not a fan of the liberal media, many conservatives share this sentiment.

Texas Republican National Committeeman Bill Crocker Comments on Recently-Passed McCain-Kennedy Immigration Bill

2006-06-07T20:28:00.000-05:00

Bill released the following statement to the Texas Insider. I think the statement does a good job of reflecting the sentiments of the delegates at the Republican State Convention last week.

The recently-passed Senate immigration bill, dubbed the McCain-Kennedy bill, is another outstanding example of the results achievable when moderate Republicans compromise with Democrats.
It can only be described as a sorry spectacle. It is 641 pages long and as the details buried deeply inside it come slowly to light, no thanks to the media, it appears more and more ridiculous. There is no point in burying you in a recitation of its ludicrous provisions.
I had the pleasure of hearing Phyllis Schlafly of Eagle Forum speak for the better part of an hour last Thursday in San Antonio, recounting example after example of what can only be considered an irrational desire for national self-destruction.
Click here for the full article.

Newt Gingrich Wins Big in Minnesota Republican State Convention Straw Poll

2006-06-06T00:35:00.000-05:00

This just came in from local political pundit Burt Levine out of Houston and it bolsters my prediction several months ago that Newt is currently the front runner in the Road to the White House in '08 :

In yet another sign that former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) is planning to make a serious White House run in 2008, Gingrich scored a surprise first place finish in the straw ballot conducted at this weekend's Minnesota Republican State Convention.
540 convention delegates cast ballots. Gingrich was first with 40%, followed by US Senator George Allen (R-VA) at 15%, and US Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and Secretary of State Condi Rice (R-CA) tied at third with 10% apiece. The rest were far behind.
What is more interesting is that convention delegates all received a two-page letter that boasted "no one can articulate a Republican vision for America better" than Gingrich -- and it warned of "a significant risk that a moderate candidate will get the Republican nomination in 2008." The letter went on to attack McCain and former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani, saying "between them they have supported tax hikes, free speech restrictions, amnesty for illegal immigrants, gay marriage and abortion."
The letter was signed by Republican National Committeeman Brian Sullivan, former State GOP Chair Chris Georgacas, former Republican National Committeeman Jack Meeks and several other leading Minnesota GOP activists. Former Congressman Vin Weber (R-MN) -- a close Gingrich ally -- also remains very influential in the Minnesota GOP.
If you had any doubt whether or not Gingrich is really running for President, those doubts should be gone now. With this solid win -- and with his close third finish in last month's Wisconsin GOP straw poll -- Gingrich has unexpectedly demonstrated he may still be a major candidate for the 2008 nomination.

Update on RPT Convention, CD 22 & CD 17 races

2006-06-06T00:17:00.000-05:00

Chris Elam over at Texas Safety Forum has a very detailed recap of this past weekends Republican State Convention.

Chris also has some details on the process that will start this Friday as soon as Tom Delay's resignation becomes official.

Several national political magazines have TX 22 as one of the top 50 congressional races in the country to watch, even with Delay resigning, so stay tuned. I've had over 650 people take our current survey on the CD 22 candidates and the interest in the race is building after 8 of the candidates camped out at the SD 11 and SD 17 caucus rooms at the state convention.

Another Texas race to watch is the battle by Republican Van Taylor to replace Chet Edwards in the Waco area TX 17.

Van is a Marine with an MBA from Harvard; he is the only Iraq war veteran running this cycle as a Republican.

CD 17 is the most Republican district in the country still represented by a Democrat so the district can be ripe for a pickup for a solidly conservative Republican candidate like Van.

League City's own Dr. Robin Armstrong wins Republican Party of Texas Vice Chairman's race

2006-06-05T22:05:00.000-05:00

For those of you who were not at the Republican Convention, here is an article about the historic victory of TMG client and League City's own, Dr. Robin Armstrong. Congratulations to our new Vice Chairman.

Republican Delegates Tap African-American Physician for State GOP's Number Two Job By Mike Hailey Capitol Inside Editor
SAN ANTONIO, Texas - An African-American physician who grew up in a family of Democrats was chosen Saturday by delegates at the Texas Republican Convention to be the new vice-chairman of the state GOP. Texas Republican Chairwoman Tina Benkiser was re-elected without opposition to a second full term as the state party's top leader before the convention adjourned.
Robin Armstrong - a State Republican Executive Committee member from Dickinson - led the voting for vice-chair in 18 state Senate District caucus meetings while GOPUSA web site owner Bobby Eberle received more support in 13 caucus votes. Eberle conceded the election in a tear-choked speech that he used to express gratitude for the support he'd garnered in the competition for vice-chair and to commend both sides for staying on the high road throughout the race.
More than 4,000 delegates ratified the selection of Benkiser and Armstrong for the state party organization's top two slots in a voice vote from the floor of the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in downtown San Antonio. Armstrong prevailed in the race to replace David Barton as state GOP vice-chair after bypassing an opportunity to take advantage of revelations that Eberle had once hired a reporter who was eventually identified as a former male escort. Eberle said that he wasn't aware of the reporter's past exploits when he'd offered him a position with an online news service that he ran before founding his current web site - and he insisted this week that the story was a non-issue in the state vice-chair's race. Armstrong refused to make it an issue despite assertions by some Republicans who felt it was a legitimate concern to raise in a race against Eberle.
Pausing several times when overcome with emotion, Eberle called the race "a class act" from start to finish while acknowledging defeat once the outcome was obvious. Eberle said he and his supporters had done everything they could to bring people together and to get out the message he sought to convey during the race. Armstrong was generally viewed as the more conservative choice in the competition for vice-chair - and that perception was reinforced when GOP leaders such as former state chairs Fred Meyer and George Strake endorsed Eberle.
Armstrong suggested to reporters that he'd been compelled to join the GOP as a result of his conservative views on abortion, school choice and other issues. In a state where about nine out of every 10 black voters tend to support Democrats in political contests, Armstrong gives the state GOP more evidence to point to in its quest to bring more minority voters into the fold.
The new state party vice-chairman is the fourth African-American to win an election to a high-profile political position in Texas in recent years. Three African-American Republicans - Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams, Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson and Supreme Court member Dale Wainwright - currently hold statewide offices. But while African-Americans have won statewide as Republicans in Texas and held high-level positions in President George W. Bush's cabinet, there are no black Republicans in the Texas Legislature or the state's congressional delegation.
The U.S. House has one Hispanic Republican member from Texas - and the GOP's only Hispanic state legislator in Texas lost a bid for re-election in this year's primary vote. But Armstrong suggested that minority voters embrace conservative positions on key issues - and he vowed to be active in outreach efforts in order to help
the Republican Party expand its base in Texas.
Armstrong - who paid his political dues with stints as a precinct chair, election judge and convention delegate - is a doctor on the staff at the Mainland Medical Center in Texas City and an assistant clinical internal medicine professor. He's married to a physician - Martha Armstrong - and has two sons.
Barton was forced to give up the vice-chairman's job after eight years as a result of term limits.

CD 22 candidates opening statements from the Ft. Bend County candidates forum

2006-05-25T22:51:00.000-05:00

For those of you interested in the race to select the replacement candidate for Congressman Tom Delay, Chris over at Texas Safety Forum has a nice recap of the Ft. Bend County candidates forum posted on his blog. Chris has audio of the opening and closing statements as well as some of the key questions.

Click here for the audio of the opening statements.

Also, please take our survey and share your thoughts as well. The consensus among conservatives in Galveston County is that it will take a real conservative to beat Nick Lampson. Some of the CD 22 candidates say they are conservative but with the recent tax bill fiasco, it's time for the grassroots to start holding candidates accountable.

We have a chance to pick a true conservative to do battle against the left and we need someone who will energize the base and recognize the power of the conservative base in this district.

Huge Victory in Texas Legislature for Pro-Life movement

2006-05-24T20:51:00.000-05:00

Dr. Robin Armstrong, a strong friend of the pro-life movement, wanted to pass this information along about some of the good work that the Texas Alliance for Life is doing.

State Reps Charlie Howard and Robert Talton who are seeking the CD 22 nomination for Tom Delay's seat are singled out for special mention.

HUGE VICTORY in Texas Legislature on stopping tax-funded embryonic stem cell research and cloning. Thanks for your help!

FROM: Joe Pojman, Ph.D., Executive Director

DATE: May 19, 2006

At the end of the Special Legislative Session at the Capitol, we scored a MAJOR VICTORY in the state Legislature in the effort to prevent state tax-dollars from being used for research that involves the destruction of human embryos -- embryonic stem cell research and cloning.

This win is HUGE, the FIRST VICTORY on this critical issue EVER in Texas! Very few states have managed to do anything similar. In fact, the anti-life lobby in several states, including New Jersey and California, have prevailed and passed measures to actually fund human embryonic stem cell research.

We strongly support stem cell research, so long as that research involves only adult (and cord blood) stem cells. Obtaining adult stem cells does not harm the donor. Doctors are now using adult stem cells almost routinely to cure and save lives. We oppose research involving human embryonic stem cells and cloning because these can only be done by destroying human embryos -- life at the earliest stages. No one has ever been cured of any disease using embryonic stem cells. The FDA has approved no therapies using embryonic stem cells (See more information below.)

The win was sealed Monday, the last day of the special legislative session, when the House voted to concur with the Senate's pro-life amendments to House Bill 153, a massive bill that creates more than 60 new buildings on public universities.

The initial versions of H.B. 153 (and the Senate companion, S.B. 46) authorized the creation of and provided funding for research centers at which human embryonic stem cell research and human cloning were intended by several legislators and members of the research community to be performed. A pro-life amendment offered in the House last week stripped out funding for one such research center in Houston. The Senate version added further protections.

Thank you for your support! During the 10 days after Texas Alliance for Life and other pro-life organizations put out alerts, thousands of pro-life calls flooded the Capitol. So large was the number of calls that some legislators' voice mail filled up. These calls were decisive in turning the tide of momentum in our favor!

Our Heroes
Without the support of the leadership in the Capitol -- (l. to r.) Governor Rick Perry, Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst, and House Speaker Tom Craddick -- this victory would not have been possible. Now that we have achieved a victory please send a short email to each expressing our appreciation. (Just click on each name.)

SAMPLE MESSAGE: (please use your own words)

Dear ________________,
Thank you for supporting pro-life amendments in H.B. 153 that removed tax funding for research that involves human embryonic stem cells and cloning. I strongly support adult stem cells research (including cord blood stem cells). This research does not harm the donor and has proven to be very productive. Thousands of people are alive because of adult stem cell transplants.

I strongly opposed tax-funded research on human embryonic stem cells and cloning because these require the destruction of innocent human embryos. No one has ever been cured of any disease using embryonic stem cells. The FDA has not even approved the use of embryonic stem cells in any therapies.

Sincerely,

More Heroes

Pro-life efforts in each chamber were lead by (l. to r.) Sen. Steve Ogden (R-Bryan), Rep. Geanie Morrison (R-Victoria), and Rep. Phil King (R-Weatherford). Each worked effectively to ensure that tax dollars were not used for the highly unethical research, and their leadership was indispensable. Many other members played a significant role, including Rep. Dan Gattis (R-Georgetown), Rep. Charlie Howard (R-Sugar Land), Rep. Robert Talton (R-Pasadena), and Rep. Bill Zedler (R-Arlington).

Background

The initial version of H.B. 153 / S.B. 46 had serous problems that were corrected by changes in the House and Senate. That version authorized and funded a $41,000,000 biomedical research facility at The University of Texas Health Sciences Center in Houston, where research on human embryonic stem cells and closing was planned. There were other problems.

During House floor debate on H.B. 153 on May 11, 2006, the embryonic stem cell issue in H.B. 153 became very apparent. When Rep. Geanie Morrison introduced a pro-life amendment to remove the Houston facility from the bill because that facility "brought several problems for members," embryonic stem cell advocates immediately protested. "As I understand it, the problem or one of the problems you are talking about is the [human embryonic] stem cell research issue?" asked Rep. Pete Gallego (D-Alpine). "Correct," replied Morrison. The reason for the amendment was ". . . because there are members in this body who are opposed to [embryonic] stem cell research, right?" echoed Rep. Jessica Farrar (D-Houston) after expressing her support for embryonic stem cell funding.

To watch the archived video of the debate, click HERE and begin at "1:25".

EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS -- The pro-life movement opposes research involving human embryonic stem cells and cloning because these require the destruction of human embryos -- human life at its earliest stages.

For a pro-life response, see the letter from "Texans for Ethical Research" on H.B. 6, a bill debated last summer which is virtually identical to H.B. 153. The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops recently released a statement opposing human embryonic stem cell research.

Last summer the Southern Baptist Convention passed a resolution opposing embryonic stem cell research.

No one has ever been cured of any disease using human embryonic stem cells. The FDA has not approved any therapies involving them.

ADULT STEM CELLS: The pro-life movement supports research on stem cells, as long as they are "adult" stem cells (including umbilical cord blood stem cells). Unlike embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells are obtained without harming the donor. Adult stem cells reside in many places in our bodies -- blood, bone marrow, certain nerves, fat, and others, including umbilical cord blood. Research on adult stem cells is ethical and productive. Here are some examples of this exciting and productive life-saving treatments using adult stem cells:

Texas Heart Institute Stem Cell Center -- Heart disease treated using adult stem cells.

The University of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston -- Traumatic brain injury in children treated with adult stem cells.

Texas Cord Blood Bank -- People with cancer and other diseases are treated using adult stem cells from umbilical cord blood.

CBS News Story (May 8, 2006) -- North Texas woman is treated for lupus with adult stem cells.

Other Ways to Help

As always, we appreciate your support, especially financial. The more financial support we receive, the more pro-life work we can do. Visit our website at http://www.texasallianceforlife.org/ or click -HERE-.

Would you like a speaker from Texas Alliance for Life to make a presentation to your pro-life group, church, business association, etc., on this very critical issue? Please contact us at info@texasallianceforlife.org.