Posted by tx on October 7, 2009 under Home Page, Tea Party Protests | 
Last month’s successful March on Washington, which highlighted the tea party movement’s ability to give everyday Americans a voice in government, has resulted in the media crediting various political action groups for leadership and direction of the movement. An article in October 5’s Wall Street Journal, among others, noted the role of FreedomWorks (a small-government advocacy organization headed by former Republican Congressman Dick Armey) in lending “financial clout and organizational skills to those running tea-party and town-hall demonstrations.” The Tea Party Express, a traveling troupe of activists funded through the Our Country Deserves Better PAC, ended their first tour in Washington before the September 12 rally and is planning a new national tour during the fall. Americans for Prosperity, a national conservative advocacy group, financially supports, and is supported by, some tea party organizations in parts of the country.
Tea party organizers want to set the record straight.
“We enjoy the opportunity to work with other like-minded groups across the country in advocating fiscal responsibility, free markets and adherence to the Constitution in our federal, state and local governments,” says Jenny Beth Martin, Board member of the national Tea Party Patriots. “We appreciate the efforts of FreedomWorks, among others, in providing structure to the September 12 rally. However, our funding, organization and direction is entirely centered on our grassroots teams at the state and local levels, and so we do not want to be misconstrued as being part of FreedomWorks or any other more institutionally funded advocacy group. We are not a top-down organization. We are a movement that dervives its energy and direction from local groups of patriots that want the nation to return to its Constitutional roots.”
Tea party organizers across the country note that the Our Country Deserves Better PAC has not released specifics on where the money raised on its tour will be sent, other than to say it will be spent on expenses and on selected conservative – and likely Republican – political candidates. They also point out that an executive member of the PAC has made ad hominem attacks on President Obama that they consider distasteful.
Other parts of the country have found that Americans for Prosperity-funded groups have given some tea parties a distinctly pro-Republican Party flavor, much to the chagrin of rank-and-file tea partiers who point out that federal government spending grew at alarming rates during the Bush Administration. “Although we are conservative in political philosophy, we are non-partisan in approach,” notes Mark Meckler, Tea Party Patriots national board member. “Both parties need to re-dedicate themselves to the principles of our founding fathers and remember that this should be the government of ‘We the People’ and not of special interest groups or pork-laden politics.”
Judy Holloway of Austin Tea Party Patriots added, “We receive no funding or advice from FreedomWorks, so we have no way to comment on whether they reach into our area. As for the Tea Party Express bus tour, we really like and respect some of the touring activists, especially Lloyd Marcus. We applaud his message and his service in the conservative movement. However, we are uncomfortable with the fund raising that goes along with the tour because we are concerned that the money will be spent on Republican candidates. We are non-partisan and we do not endorse candidates, so we can’t be a part of that.”
The Austin Tea Party Patriots (www.havinganaustinteaparty.com) believe in Fiscal Responsibility, Limited Government, and Adherence to the Constitution. The Austin Tea Party Patriots’ mission is to organize those who believe in our core values, to educate and inform others who presently do not understand or promote our core values, to advocate public policy consistent with those values, and to support (but not fund or endorse) the efforts of candidates and officeholders who foster our values in government. We recognize that many in our society require assistance in these troubled economic times and are committed to helping them through private charities and personal engagement rather than through wasteful governmental programs.
###
Judy Holloway
Austin Tea Party Patriots
Common Sense Citizens
Organizer
Posted by tx on October 4, 2009 under Home Page, Tea Party Protests |
Breaking — Finance bill as amended now available!
Read the Bill Here.
Baucus has ordered a cost analysis from the CBO and Joint Committee on Taxation. The committee will vote on the bill once they receive the analyses, according to Baucus aides.
There still could be a vote on this health bill next week.
Focus your efforts on Democrat Senators who are up for re-election in 2010. That list is below. Polling is showing that the ones with the star after their names are vulnerable for defeat in 2010.
Include Republicans Snowe and Collins too. Unfortunately, the Government Option is polling well in their states.
Anyone living in states with the offending Democrats, should show up in mass at their local offices with picket signs. Letters to the editor to newspapers in the state opposing the healthcare bill are also another way to make them nervous.
If they use the reconciliation process they only need 51 votes for passage, we therefore need to try and pull off as many votes as possible.
Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas * http://lincoln.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm
Barbara Boxer of California http://boxer.senate.gov/contact/email/index.cfm
Michael Bennet of Colorado * http://bennet.senate.gov/contact/
Christopher Dodd of Connecticut * http://dodd.senate.gov/index.php?q=node/3130
Daniel Inouye of Hawaii http://inouye.senate.gov/Contact/Email-Form.cfm
Roland Burris of Illinois * http://burris.senate.gov/
Evan Bayh of Indiana * http://bayh.senate.gov/contact/
Barbara Mikulski of Maryland http://congress.org/congressorg/bio/id/287
Harry Reid of Nevada http://reid.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm
Kirsten Gillibrand of New York * http://gillibrand.senate.gov/contact/
Chuck Schumer of New York http://schumer.senate.gov/
Byron Dorgan of North Dakota http://dorgan.senate.gov/contact/
Ron Wyden of Oregon http://wyden.senate.gov/contact/
Patrick Leahy of Vermont http://leahy.senate.gov/contact.cfm
Patty Murray of Washington http://murray.senate.gov/email/index.cfm
Russ Feingold of Wisconsin http://feingold.senate.gov/contact.html
Olympia Snowe of Maine http://snowe.senate.gov/public/
Susan Collins of Maine http://collins.senate.gov/public/continue.cfm?FuseAction=ContactSenatorCollins.Email
Government Takeover of Medicine Still on Track
(Forward to your friends and family)
Congress is still not listening – They need to hear from you every week until the end of the year.
IT’S EASIER THAN YOU THINK!
EMAIL AND CALL YOUR CONGRESSMAN AND KEY CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS TODAY <http://www.capwiz.com/freedomworks/issues/alert/?alertid=14115176> -tell them:
No Mandate! No Rationing! No “Vapor Bill! No Budget “Reconciliation”!
http://www.capwiz.com/freedomworks/issues/alert/?alertid=14115176
(Note, some browsers may display characters on email message to congress inappropriately – simply proceed.)
Each of you must continue to act. Let them know the town halls were only the beginning and they can’t hide in D.C.
Use this link to an email tool to contact senators and representatives <http://www.capwiz.com/freedomworks/issues/alert/?alertid=14115176> .
THEN call key Senators below who need to hear from you – ESPECIALLY SENATOR GRASSLEY!
SEE PHONE NUMBERS BELOW
What must be stopped?
- Individual mandate to buy health insurance.
- Government will tax and fine you if you don’t buy what you are told to buy: overpriced, government-created, politicized health insurance. You could spend a year in jail if you don’t buy it!
- Premiums will go up, not down. Insurance companies will get guaranteed profits and will be given government rationing powers.
- This model has failed in Massachusetts since 2006 (premiums up; rationing boards; longer waits for doctors; increased taxes, 2.6% uncovered).
- Government Rationing Committees.
- 15 senior level government bureaucrats are already appointed to determine what medical services would be authorized (created in “stimulus bill”). (Comparative Effectiveness panel – no actively practicing doctor on panel).
- Another 15 member panel (IMAC) will decide what would be paid for – will be given congressional powers of spending and will ration care.
- Doctors and hospitals will be placed on a budget – for your medical spending.
- A one size fits all budget will be created for your medical care.
- Hospitals and doctors will make more money if they let less money be spent on you.
- Doctors that WANT to spend more money on you will be punished.
- “Budget Reconciliation” and “Vapor Bill”
- The Senate would use only 51 votes to ram through a takeover of the largest sector of the American economy in history! 60 votes is the standard.
- Tell them not to attach the bill as an amendment to a TARP or other bill – the “vapor bill is a dirty trick.
EMAIL AND CALL YOUR CONGRESSMAN AND KEY CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS TODAY! <http://www.capwiz.com/freedomworks/issues/alert/?alertid=14115176>
There are better alternatives but we must stop this government takeover first. Once we do that we can work to:
· Put economic power in your hands, not give more power to insurance companies and government.
· Allow you to purchase low cost, high vale insurance that YOU want, not what you are forced to buy.
· Ensure you get more time and good advice from your doctor, not simply be told what is on the “government and insurance company menu”.
· Let’s save Medicare for those in need and who paid in, but change the system to protect future generations.
EMAIL AND CALL YOUR CONGRESSMAN AND KEY CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS TODAY! <http://www.capwiz.com/freedomworks/issues/alert/?alertid=14115176>
(Note, some browsers may display characters on email message to congress inappropriately – simply proceed.)
When you are done emailing, call these key Democratic Senators:
Bayh (IN) (202) 224-5623 (317) 554-0750
Begich (Alaska) (202) 224-3004 (907) 271-5915
Landrieu (LA) (202) 224-5824 (504) 589-2427
Pryor (AR) (202) 224-2353 (501) 324-6336
Lieberman (CT) (202) 224-4041 (860) 549-8463
Tester (MT) (202) 224-2644 (406) 728-3003
Lincoln (AR) (202) 224-4843 (501) 375-2993
Bennet (CO) (202) 224-5852 (303) 455-7600
Warner (VA) (202)-224-2023 (804) 739-0247
Webb (VA) (202) 224-4024 (804) 771-2221
Ben Nelson (NE) (202)-224-6551 (402) 391-3411
Also, contact these Senate Republicans from Finance Committee and let them know to vote against the mandate.
GRASSLEY, (IA) (202) 224-3744 (515) 288-1145
HATCH (UT) (202) 224-5251 (801) 524-4380
SNOWE (ME) (202) 224-5344 (207) 874-0883
KYL (AZ) (202) 224-4521 (602) 840-1891
BUNNING (KY) (202) 224-4343 (502) 582-5341
CRAPO (ID) (202) 224-6142 (208) 334-1776
ROBERTS (KS) (202) 224-4774 (316) 263-0416
ENSIGN (NV) (202) 224-6244 (775) 686-5770
ENZI (WY) (202) 224-3424 (307) 772-2477
CORNYN (TX) (202) 224-2934 (972) 239-1310
Also
Senator Republican Leader Mitch McConnell at (202) 224-2541 or (502) 582-6304
EMAIL AND CALL YOUR CONGRESSMAN AND KEY CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS TODAY! <http://www.capwiz.com/freedomworks/issues/alert/?alertid=14115176>
Posted by tx on October 3, 2009 under Home Page, Tea Party Protests |
Hello Fellow Patriots!
We have a special guest tomorrow at our General Patriot’s Meeting, 3:00PM-5:00PM
at the Magic Time Machine.
Terri Hall, who has been working for years against the toll road forces, trying
to take control of our streets and highways for their own profit, will be
speaking at our meeting.
You may have read in the Sunday edition a week ago of the major developments
recently with the MPO and the vote to remove toll roads from the plans for our
roads. More work needs to be done, as the final vote is upcoming.
Join us to hear an update from Terri and participate in a question and answer
session.
We have other news, calls to action and if technology works, a video slide show
of the 9-12 rally in Washington, D.C.
Please join us in celebration of our First Amendment rights – freedom of speech
as we work to Constitutional governance, fiscal responsibility, limited and
transparent government and free markets!
Thank You!… and please…
donate to the San Antonio Tea Party
http://sanantonioteaparty.org/donate/
San Antonio Tea Party stuff:
http://www.sanantonioteaparty.org/teapartystore/
Posted by tx on October 2, 2009 under Home Page, Uncategorized |
From Texas Insider, an online newsletter
By Representative Rob Orr
Texas House of Representatives, District 58
On Nov. 3, Texans will have the opportunity to vote on 11 amendments to the state’s Constitution. To assist the voters of District 58 in becoming more knowledgeable about the various issues I have prepared the following review of each amendment. I hope it will help as you prepare for the upcoming election.
Giving Military Bases Some Breathing Room
The military is a central part of Texas’s culture and economy, and the state is fortunate to have several of the nation’s largest and best military bases. But, a military base has needs and performs functions that are often not easily compatible with its neighbors. A good example is airplane noise. Clearly a military airbase will have a lot of planes taking off and landing at all times of the day and night and at different speeds, approaches, etc., because that is a part of the training our pilots need to become and remain proficient. However, homes and businesses near that airbase can view those military exercises as a huge disruption to the enjoyment and use of their property. As a consequence we have a dilemma; how to balance the needs of the military base with the needs of the surrounding community.
Amendment 1 is designed to give local communities more tools to better accommodate their needs and those of the military bases that serve that Military Combatcommunity and the nation. The amendment will allow local governments to use financing methods such as bonds and tax increment financing zones to purchase land to serve as a buffer near a military base. Such a buffer would prohibit non-compatible uses and activities from butting right up to the boundary of a base.
This amendment does not require any government to do anything but merely gives local entities the authority to use various methods to purchase land around bases. An interesting outcome of creating such buffer areas is that the need to use eminent domain to condemn land for the base could be reduced since local governments could purchase land voluntarily before the problem of encroachment on military activities becomes so severe that more drastic steps must be taken. Because our district has no military base in it, this amendment is not that relevant to us, but it is to those communities that do have bases.
Making Property Tax Appraisals Better
Whenever the annual property tax appraisals are mailed out, I tell my staff to expect an increase in calls and emails. It always seems like the appraisal districts have a generous view of what your property is worth. The appraisal is only half the story with property taxes; the tax rate itself is the other half. In 2006, the legislature addressed the rates side of the equation by lowering the rate school districts set for their operations. This past spring, the legislature made changes to the appraisal side of the equation, and three of the changes require constitutional amendments to implement them.
Amendment 2 will allow the legislature to require that all residence homesteads be valued only as a residence for tax appraisal purposes. Currently, the standard used in valuing property is its “highest and best use,” homeowner-salewhich is what the property could be used for rather than what the property is being used for. The problem of residential value versus market value is when a home is near commercial property and could be sold and turned into commercial rather than a residential property. This measure will protect residential homesteads from large and unexpected increases in tax appraisals and will work in conjunction with the current appraisal increase cap and various homestead exemptions.
Amendment 3 will allow the state comptroller to create uniform standards and procedures that appraisal districts must use when valuing property. Currently, each appraisal district essentially decides for itself what approaches to use in determining appraised values. This has created a situation where the same type of property is valued by different methods based on its location.
Sometimes that might work out better for a landowner, but sometimes it just as likely works out for the worse. This hap-hazard approach also creates imbalances in the school finance system since the state is required to provide equitable funding, and inconsistent appraisal methods make that more difficult.
Finally, Amendment 5 will allow adjoining appraisal districts to create a joint, or consolidated, appraisal review board (though the ballot language will say “board of equalization” which is just the technical term for an appraisal review board.) Already, appraisal districts can consolidate, and this amendment will allow for a consolidated review board. It would still be at the discretion of the local districts as to whether to consolidate. Such an action could allow the districts to have lower costs overall, which could be passed down to taxpayers indirectly, and to also have more resources and expertise in the review process than might be available to a single, stand alone review board. This could result in better appraisal reviews and a less expensive, time-consuming, and more fair process for property owners.
Bringing More Texas Colleges to the Top
The United States has the best colleges and universities in the world, but Texas lags behind other states in having our share. In fact, our state is home to only three top-rated, or so-called Tier One, research universities (the University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University in College Station, and Rice University in Houston). Amendment 4 will create a fund, called the National Research University Fund, which will be used to raise more universities in Texas up to the first tier status.
If approved by the voters, the program will create the national research university fund. The fund will provide a dedicated, independent, and equitable source of funding (i.e. grants and other resources) for seven emerging state kids-book-school-libraryresearch universities (UT-San Antonio, UT-Arlington, UT- Dallas, UT-El Paso, University of Houston, Texas Tech and the University of North Texas) to attain Tier One status and national prominence as major research entities.
Area universities such as the University of Texas at Arlington, the University of Texas at Dallas, and the University of North Texas will be in very good positions to compete for funds through the program.
The United States and Texas must have outstanding research and higher education centers to compete in the global economy, especially against rising economic countries such as China and India. This amendment creates a system that will incentivize more of our state colleges to improve their programs, produce better educated graduates and serve as incubators of high-level research that should create economic opportunity and growth to keep Texas at the cutting edge of the world’s sciences and technologies.
Serving Those Who Served Us
There is a story I like about a teacher who came up with a compelling way to teach her students about the role sacrifice plays in preserving America’s freedom and liberty. She had all the desks in her classroom removed and as the students stood, a bit bewildered, she had service men and women and veterans each bring in a desk and set it in front of each student. The lesson she wanted to teach: the reason those students have the opportunities they have is in large part a result of the service and sacrifice of veterans to preserve our freedoms. I believe our veterans deserve not only our respect and gratitude but also some actual support. In fact, I believe this so much; I hired a veteran to be my legislative director down in Austin! This November, there will be two measures on the ballot that will assist veterans in our state.
Amendment 6 would allow the Veterans Land Board to issue bonds to finance its operations. Since 1946, voters in Texas have approved bonds for the Veterans Land Board to allow veterans to purchase land and homes in Texas. doe-militaryThe last such bond issue was approved by voters in 2001. While the bonds do count as a legal obligation of the state, the bonds are paid off solely by the participants, i.e. veterans, in the loan program. When the vets pay their mortgages, the bonds are paid off. As the bonds are paid off, new proceeds will be able to be used to secure new bonds issued as the process becomes a self-sustaining, closed-loop operation. No state tax revenues are or have ever recently been a part of the program. The Veterans Land Board is one of the state’s most popular programs, especially since Texas is home to almost 2 million veterans. Even in the current mortgage crisis, the default rate for these loans is less than one-half of one percent. This is an example of a government program that works well. I believe it deserves our continued support.
Amendment 8 would allow the state of Texas to contribute money, property, and other resources to establish, maintain and operate veteran’s hospitals. Essentially, it would allow the state to help create and fund VA hospitals where they currently exist or in areas where people would like a VA hospital to be created. This issue has largely been driven by the Rio Grande Valley where a large number of veterans live but the closest VA hospital is in San Antonio, though the amendment is not limited in scope or impact to just the Valley. Some dispute exists as to whether the state needs a constitutional amendment to appropriate money to another governmental entity (the VA), and the bill to change state law (HB 2217) has already passed and does not need a constitutional amendment to go into effect. Nevertheless, the amendment will be on the November ballot and gives the voters of the state an opportunity to decide directly whether they believe state government should fund veteran’s hospitals.
Supporting the Texas State Guard
Most people are familiar with the National Guard but fewer people know that Texas also has the Texas State Guard. The State Guard is an all-volunteer force that may be called upon by the governor in emergencies and largely serves as a supplement to the Texas National Guard. These individuals are trained and equipped to support community relief efforts and have become more important recently due to the extensive use of National Guard personnel in gitmo2Iraq and Afghanistan. State Guard members can fill in the gaps when National Guard members are deployed or otherwise unavailable for state service.
However, there is a little wrinkle in the state constitution that has been addressed for many other types of civil service but not for members of the State Guard. The constitution prohibits people from holding two paid civil offices concurrently unless explicitly exempted from the prohibition. As an example, a person could not be state representative and a member of the State Guard at the same time. Currently, members of the Reserves, National Guard, and various other offices are already exempted from the dual office prohibition. Amendment 7 would add members of the Texas State Guard to that list.
Open Beaches
Texas has had the Open Beaches Act since 1959. That law provides that all people can access public beaches in the state and that the public beach is defined as the land between the water and the line of vegetation bordering the Gulf of Mexico. Basically, the beaches in Texas are open to everyone and no one person can control, limit access to, or build upon the beach because that would deny the public its right of access. Audj at Port A 2007Amendment 9 seeks to put into the constitution laws and practices that have been in state statutes for decades.
What constitutes a beach has long been controversial because beaches in Texas are constantly shifting and moving. Land that was at one time not beach can become beach and vice-versa. Once an area clearly ceases to be land and becomes beach, the public has a right to access it. This constant ebb and flow was dramatically illustrated after Hurricane Ike last year when huge numbers of homes were washed away or are now sitting on beaches. Legally, that land is now public beach with full access by the public. This has been a source of frustration for private land owners that can see their land grow or shrink based entirely on natural forces.
4-year Terms for ESD Board Members
Amendment 10 is the result of the peculiar way we use our state Constitution. For more than 100 years, we have placed a myriad of provisions in the Constitution covering a vast range of subjects. To make any change, no matter how slight, to any of those provisions, a constitutional amendment is required. In the case of Amendment 10, the change being made will allow the state to set the term of office for emergency services district board members at up to four years.
Eminent Domain and Public Use
Eminent domain is the fancy word for when your property is taken to be used for some public purpose like a road, pipeline, or school. Reforming the way eminent domain is used in Texas has been a central part of my legislative efforts since I was first elected. Amendment 11 is one more step in the right direction.
The amendment covers some important areas of eminent domain that have been easily exploited and abused. The bulk of the amendment ensures that eminent domain will only be used for a genuine public purpose and that economic development and transferring land to another private party would not be allowed. Also, the constitution would be changed to require that any entity seeking the right of eminent domain power must receive a two-thirds approval from each chamber of the legislature. Somewhat overlooked by many and probably the most significant change in the amendment deals with the right of government to condemn a property based on the property being blighted. The amendment would limit blight designations to a single property in question rather than allowing an entire area or neighborhood to be declared blighted.
This is a significant change to current standards and will go a long way toward ensuring that eminent domain is used only in those situations when the public use is truly valid.
