Texas is booming, thanks to good fiscal policies

Texas is booming; New York, not so much.

We hate to say "we told you so" (not really) but it's all over the Internet. Texas is outpacing other states in job creation.

In a recent interview with Hot Air and conservative blogger Melissa Clouthier, he said, “States that have good polices … those are going to be the states that people are going to move to,” and pointed out that Texas is among the fastest-growing states for good reason: “That’s the place where there’s more liberty, more freedom, than any other state.”

Read the entire story here on The Hill Pundits Blog:

http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/economy-a-budget/105855-texas-is-booming-new-york-not-so-much

And count the ways Texas is #1 thanks to relatively good fiscal policies: www.LoneStrStrong.com

Scrutiny of TexasOne falls short

Texas is No. 1 in job creation. A recent Austin America-Statesman provides half the story on Texas economic development.

Today, the Austin American-Statesman published a story on TexasOne (http://www.texasone.us/about-texasone.html). TexasOne is the privately-funded entity designed for economic development in Texas.

In a cursory read, this is a fair story. They did a lot of research. Readers are told these are not tax dollars, and the companies participating see benefit from it.

(Thanks, AAS, for sending me to the TexasOne website for the first time.)

What fails to be included but needs to be included is the fact that Texas has the most vibrant economy in the country. While the recession has impacted Texas, we have still created more jobs than any other state and we are #1 in business relocation. Texas is the top exporting state in the country. Texas is home to more Fortune 500 companies than any other state – that has happened under Perry’s watch.
The AAS article fails to point out the most important fact -- Texas is the top job-creation state in the country. So while the reporter provides scrutiny, he fails to acknowledge that the program has been wildly successful. The Texas economy and Texas taxpayers benefit from TexasOne.

While the State of Texas is in the black and has money in the bank (the Texas Budget Stabilization “Rainy Day” Fund), while Texas is only one of four states in the black and only one of two large states which is not bankrupt, the Obama Administration and Congress are spending our children’s future and bankrupting America. Isn’t it time we get our priorities straight? Texas is the model the rest of the country should be following.

-- Peggy Venable, Texas Director, Americans for Prosperity

Read the AAS article here:
http://www.statesman.com/news/texas-politics/perry-taps-corporate-fund-to-market-texas-for-770073.html?plckItemsPerPage=25&plckFindCommentKey=CommentKey:5dbd38da-691d-41c5-ab5f-b4fb0516444b#pluck_comments_list

Texas Social Studies Curriculum: check it out for yourself

Today, June 25, 2010, the Texas Education Agency posted the newly adopted Texas Social Studies TEKS (standards for Grades K-12) that were adopted for Second Reading and Final Adoption (with technical edits) by the Texas State Board of Education on May 21, 2010.

Now everyone can see for themselves what was adopted, and the public will no longer have to rely upon the liberal-left media and other such groups who have deliberately misrepresented the work of the Texas State Board of Education members. (And I am referring to the Texas anti-Freedom Network and the American Atheists, Inc.)

Here is the Texas Education Agency link:
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=3643

See commentary on this at: www.texaslegislativeupdate.wordpress.com

See set the record straight at www.juststatethefacts.com

Liberty Institute sets the record straight

TEA should release the text version of the final social studies standards today.

See the Liberty Institute (formerly Free Market Foundation) commentary on this at: www.texaslegislativeupdate.wordpress.com

See them set the record straight at www.juststatethefacts.com

Texas Social Studies Standards are exemplary

This information from Texas Rep. Dan Flynn:

I have spent considerable time working with conservative groups and testifying before the State Board of Education (SBOE) to assure our Texas’ students deserve science education, not political indoctrination as the new reading materials will promote the phonics-based approach and for the first time in thirty years, phonics returns to Texas public schools.

In information provided by SBOE members we are pleased to report that In terms of new science textbooks, experts on both sides agree that Texas will implement world class standards. Some “experts” opposed the right of high school students to ask honest questions about research and theories, especially those that deal with evolution and “global warming.”

The new science materials will allow for careful examination and critical thought.

The new standards by the SBOE agree with 85% of the recommendations of social studies experts. Despite a nationwide campaign of lies, the only person mentioned more that Thomas Jefferson is George Washington; and the Declaration of Independence, authored by Jefferson, is required study in all twelve grades.

The Texas Education Agency agrees that the new standards more than doubles the minority representation of any previous SBOE, including the increased presence of Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and civil rights activist, Cesar Chavez.

Another important issue SBOE voted to send the Legislature $1.2 Billion in the next 12 months for purchase of textbooks. Sadly certain Editorial Boards have said that the Texas Legislature refuse to appropriate funds for new reading, science, and social studies textbooks for the children of Texas. For them to make such a claim is simply untrue.

The funding for the books will not be a cost to the Texas taxpayers as the SBOE are stewards of the $22 Billion Permanent School Fund, commonly known as the Children’s Textbook Fund. Funding will come from the Capital appreciation of this endowment will allow the SBOE to provide full funding to pay for new textbooks.

The reason the liberals are incensed is because the SBOE conservatives successfully defeated each one of their radical recommendations. Especially when they wanted to continue their funding of decades-old failed experiments in reading and writing, or deny students the right to ask probing questions in science class or to promote a radical ideological agenda that distorts history and opposes American patriotism.

Birdwell win spells toast for Cong. Edwards

Fasten your seatbelts, folks in TX SD 22 and TX Cong Dist 17. Change is on the horizon. Serving in the US Congress since 1991, Cong. Chet Edwards fate may have been sealed tonight. Let's explain...

Gulf War vet Brian Birdwell has defeated former state senator and fellow Republican David Sibley in a special runoff to fill the state senator Kip Averitt.

This is a special election to serve out the Averitt seat after Averitt steps down due to health concerns. No session is slated until after the NEXT election in November, when Republican county chairmen select who runs on the Republican ticket for the seat.

If that's not strange enough, let's look to Democrat Cong. Edwards who has served in Congress representing two different districts since 1991. He's on House Budget and Appropriations Committees -- powerful committees.

Why does the Birdwell win spell disaster for Edwards? Though a Democrat, Edwards voted against ObamaCare and against Cap and Trade. But did he vote against them with the blessings of Democratic leadership, knowing the measures would pass?

This writer doubts his voters will care.

The Waco tea party was the big winner, and legislator-turned-lobbyist-turned candidate again David Sibley got a spanking tonight. Politics as usual won't cut it in the Waco area. Sibley had once been a powerhouse in the Texas Senate, turned a powerful -- and high paid -- lobbyist. That doesn't sit well with voters today.

With the powerful once-silent voices of voters eager for accountability and change in politics, Edwards would be wise to plan his next career. A career out of politics.

Bill Flores - start shopping D.C. real estate.

Voters to Congress: Stop Bankrupting America

Cumulative sticker shock has set in


One of the reasons the federal budget is chronically in the red is that most people, historically, couldn't care less. The national debt is an unfathomable abstraction that doesn't show up on your 1040 or your monthly bills. Over the last few decades, very few people lost sleep worrying if the budget would ever be in balance. That is, according to one columnist:

http://townhall.com/columnists/SteveChapman/2010/06/20/an_end_to_spending_excess

However, Americans have woken up. Sticker shock has set in.

AFP Foundation has launched a campaign Stop Bankrupting America and AFP is following up with www.NovemberIsComing.com.

What can citizens do? First, sign the November is Coming petition (link above), then circulate that to five friends and encourage them to sign.

If we want to stop bankrupting America, we must each take action to make sure that we have a Congress which will stop overspending. If you want to know your Congressman’s spending record, sign the November is Coming pledge. And pass the word. Together, we CAN take back America!

Environment and the Constitution are both important

Protect the environment AND the Constitution

Was Cong. Joe Barton right in apologizing to BP?

Should the Obama Administration bypass the courts, and Congress, and assume Supreme power and authority over reimbursement of those harmed by the oil spill?

Does Obama believe in separation of powers or is he omnipotent?

So many questions. Yes, Obama fired the president of GM. That was unprecedented action – government officials picking corporate presidents.

Obama has now ordered BP to fund a $20 billion compensation fund.

Nobody wants to go to BP’s defense, particularly if BP is found negligent. But our courts are designed to determine guilt or innocence. Clearly, BP is an enormous international company and should be held responsible for the harm they have caused the environment and businesses/individuals who rely on the Gulf for their livelihood.

Does the Obama recognize any limits to the President’s power? Clearly they do not. Obama appears to think he governs all three arms of government.

So Cong. Barton is half right. He should not be apologizing to BP but to the American people for a Congress which is not able to hold the President’s power in check.

What can we do? Go to www.NovemberIsComing.com

Texas Tramples California - every day, in every way

That's right, “Hat and Cattle” Texas Tramples “politically correct and pathetic” California.

“Texas vs. California”—hardly any phrase more succinctly captures the battle going on today for America’s philosophical soul.

“… the subtext of this post should be clear: the Obama administration is behaving as though California were its model for growth. Increasing unfunded liabilities, proposing $1 trillion in new healthcare spending, responding to the economic crisis with new regulatory agencies but balking on the core causes of the problem—all of this and more betrays a sinister psychology of policy making.

“Like California, the Obama team and their congressional allies seem to think that entrepreneurs and business leaders will simply sit there and take it.”
The article points out:

First, Texans on average believe in laissez-faire markets with an emphasis on individual responsibility.

Second, Californians have largely treated environmentalism as a “religious sacrament” rather than as one component among many in maximizing people’s quality of life.

Third, California has placed “ethnic diversity” above “assimilation,” while Texas has done the opposite..

Fourth, beyond taxes, diversity, and the environment, Texas has focused on streamlining the regulatory and litigation burden on its residents.

Let's be perfectly clear, the Texas record is not an accident. Texas is creating more jobs than the rest of the country and number one in business relocation thanks to fiscally conservative leadership -- Gov. Rick Perry, Lt Gov. David Dewhurst, and the Texas legislature. We tip our Stetson to them!

(this is taken from The American – the Journal of American Enterprise Institute’s “The Enterprise Blog” written by Ryan Streeter is a senior fellow at the London-based Legatum Institute.)

http://blog.american.com/?p=7451#sf403389

For more ways Texas is the beacon of fiscal sanity in the country -- prehaps the world -- go to: www.LoneStarStrong.com - Peggy V.

Hutchison, Cornyn say - let foreign vessels in to help in cleanup

Didn't Obama's press lackey Gibbs say that the Administration had placed no impediments upon foreign ships coming into the Gulf to assist in the clean-up? Mind you, he did not claim the Administration had asked for any help or sought expertise from domestic or foreign experts. Well, folks. it is taking an act of Congress to get help to the Gulf:
Hutchison and LeMieux Introduce Legislation to Provide Assistance to Oil Spill Clean Up Effort

Bill Would Temporarily Allow Foreign Vessels to Help Remove Oil from Gulf



WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), Ranking Member on the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, Committee member Senator George LeMieux (R-Fla.), and Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas), today introduced legislation that would temporarily allow foreign marine vessels to assist with the oil cleanup effort in the Gulf of Mexico. The bill, titled the WAIVER (Water Assistance from International Vessels for Emergency Response) Act, would temporarily waive the Jones Act, which requires that all goods and people transported by water between United States ports be carried in American flagged, owned, and crewed ships. The waiver would allow foreign flagged vessels with crucial equipment to travel between U.S. ports to provide needed assistance. The Jones Act was put into place in 1920 to ensure that the United States was able to maintain a fleet of merchant ships.



“The oil leaking from the ocean’s floor is destroying the natural resources of the Gulf and we need every resource at our disposal to prevent further destruction,” said Senator Hutchison. “The Jones Act is currently preventing resources from being used in the monumental cleanup effort, and is hindering the ability of foreign vessels to assist Gulf communities in preventing oil from reaching their shores. In this time of crisis, we need to cut through the red tape and get all available assets on scene as quickly as possible.”



“With still only 20 skimmers off the coast of Florida, we need to expedite additional assistance. Any vessels ready to help should be allowed into the Gulf,” Senator LeMieux said. “This bill will provide for a streamlined waiver process for any foreign vessel willing and able to help mitigate the impacts of the spill. We can no longer wait for the Administration to work through its bureaucracy. We need action now to clean our precious waters and protect our beaches from further intrusion of oil.”



Senator Hutchison noted that the Jones Act was waived as part of disaster response in the past, including to assist with Hurricane Katrina nearly five years ago. She said the legislation will waive the Jones Act only for vessels whose sole intent is to assist in the cleanup of the Gulf of Mexico. This waiver would be applied for a period of time that is necessary to respond to the spill and restore the waters of the Gulf.



“The administration has failed to issue a waiver on the Jones Act, which is blockading foreign vessels from working with their American counterparts to remove the oil from the waters of the Gulf,” Senator Hutchison said. “The federal response to this spill has been unacceptable, and we cannot wait around until the disaster gets worse. I look forward to working with my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to pass this common sense legislation, which will allow foreign vessels responding to the spill to get to work immediately.”



# # #

Cong. Louie Gohmert: "Either Mass sucks or blows"

Cong. Louie Gohmert (R-TX Dist 1) - in 1999 in the Clinton Administration, someone made a price adjustment and it cost the US Government. Cong. Gohmert talked about the oil spill - that the team to inspect thejob was a father and son team. What is going on is a travesty. I am a beiever in drilling where God gave us resources, but we need to do so carefully. Even when Katrina came, some rigs were ripped out, but the blowout preventers worked perfectly.

When asking about the oil drilling moratorium, Gohmert said the Administration has no idea what they are doing. The BP victimes' families, in their grief, have said don't hurt these other families.

Cong Ed Markey (D-Mass), supports a moritorium and could produce electricity using wind generation, but they oppose that too. "You use electricity. I don'tknow if Mass sucks or blows, but you use energy and don't want the wind generation in your back yards."

We putresources off limits that could produce a trillion barrels of oil and that is equal to what is in the MIddle East. Now we have learned we may have several times over that amoung in the US.

God blessed this country with resources, and we should be using them.

Cong. Kevin Brady interviewed at RightOnLine in Dallas

AFP Texas Advisory Chairman interviewed Cong. Kevin Brady.

Brady - "Ben, you are a job creater. Thank you for what you do."

We are so deep in debt and the national deficit is averaging $1 trillion over the nexgt decade. They pick industries they can blame and go after them with higher taxes. They are outsourcing the energy industry. We have new taxes on capital gains, investment, savings. While some Bush tax cuts may be extended, they will focus on taxing people who work hard to creat jobs.

What is the D plan to eliminate or retain the middle class tax cuts? Dems in the House consider much of the middle class to be wealthy and many Americans don't even pay taxes, as you know. If the Bush tax cuts go away, Americans will pay $3,000 more a year.

The TX sales tax exemption is again at risk. It has expired and the D's are using that as an excuse to bring in new tax increases. $1.2 billion/yr for Texans is saved by making the sales tax exemption permanent. (Texans do not have a state income tax and we like it that way, so we should be able to deduct our sales taxes from our federal taxes.)

The current ObamaCare bill is poorly written and eliminates so many people and they took some things out of the bill as a gimmick to balance the bill.

We know there is a fight and we are ready for it.

The interview was live broadcast from the Americans for Prosperity booth at the RPT convention.

Cong. Michael McCaul - we can take this country back

Cong. Michael McCaul, interviewed by Will lutz at the RightOnLine booth at the RPT convention, was asked if Republicans learned why they lost two years ago. Are we ready to take over?

We definitely are ready to take over - the Party had experienced "Bush Fatigue" but now we have a common enemy and a common goal -- to defeat Obama, Pelosi and Reid.

I don't take earmarks -- the system is broken and corrupt. We must stand by our principles -- cut spending, cut taxes, stop czars, securing the border and defeating the real enemy - radical Islam.

Fundamentally, the majority of spending goes to entitlements - we need entitlement reform so we aren't spending so much of your money. This Pres has spent more money than all other presidents combined -- our debt is such that we won't leave a better America to our children who will owe that $14 trillion debt. If you earned $1 million a day from the day Christ was born, you would not have $14 trillion.

We can take this country back. I am working hard to make sure we take back Congress and get Nancy Pelosi out of the Chair.

The border is a dangerous issue - other than Mexical crossingss, many other ethnicities are crossing the border.

AmericaIsSpeakingOut.com - we want to hear from the American people, said McCaul, and tell us what is most important to you. The Washington agenda should be driven by the American people.

www.LoneStarReport.org will have the videos archived.

Ted Cruz interviewed at RightOnLine

Ted Cruz is interviewed at the RightOnLine booth at the RPT convention in Dallas, focusing on the success of the tea parties and defending individual liberty and the Tenth Amendment.

Former Solicitor General Cruz was asked about his future plans -- he had been a candidate for Attorney General in Texas should Judge Abbott leave the office to seek another office...he was the sole Republican in the race, a testimony to his strength.

The race didn't take place - what is next? I am not sure. When Sen. Hutchison decided not to resign, he offered to return his donors' contributions.

Ted Cruz has been a strong defender of free market principles...www.TedCruz.org. He intends to run again. There is a need for leadership.

Will Lutz interviews Mrs. Tincy Miller, Texas SBOE

Texas' elected State Board of Education member Tincy Miller is being interviewed by Lone Star Report's Will Lutz.

Will Lutz can you dispell some misperceptions:

Thomas Jeffersonis listed at least 25 times in our curriculum. The debate is whether or not Thomas Jefferson was in world history -- he is in because he was influenced by some of the great thinkers...

Indoctrination is always something SBOE members are accused of - Miller said the SBOE works to influence that this country was formed onn religious principles but they came to the US because of religious persecution and that freedom of religion is what we are encouraging be discussed in the classroom.

"We focused on accuracy and balance so students have the facts." - Mrs. Miller

Bill Ames played a significant role in making sure the good things about America are included in the curriculum. Mrs. Miller said Bill had pointed out to her that "The Battle of Normandy was a failed event" and other inaccuracies in the textbooks. Bill set down with publishers and Bill conveyed the mistakes and the misperceptions in the textbooks. The publishers made some changes. Mrs. Miller asked Bill to be part of the team proposing the curriculum.

Textbooks in electronic form -- the review process is the controoversial aspect of electronic textbooks. the Textbook funds should not be sued for laptops - that the laptop is not a book, but is a device. They slipped in that a Kindle or an open source could be used as a texboook, bypassing the State Board of Education and it be on a list for state dollars to be used to buy it. Bias could be written into these new technology and the digital world should not bypass the SBOE (parents, teachers and public review) of textbooks and content.

The Permanent School Fund, created by our forefathers in 1876 dedicated to the children of TX for books. It is in the Constitution and the SBOE is the sole body overseeing the fund. It has been well managed and build to a $22 billion fund, generating $700 million year. Legisaltors look at the fund as a "dipping pool" to use those dollars for other purposes, even to balance the budget...

These dollars are protected by the SBOE and for the schoolchildren of Texas. WE have a strong reading program and textbooks - the strongest in the country. Miller is a reading expert for kids with dislexia and she is a leader helping students.

The leegislature needs to appropriate the money (out of the dedicated fund, not tax dollars) but the legisalture needs to release those funds to make sure our students get their books.

Generations of children have benefitted from the SBOE.

RightOnline interview with Peggy Venable

AFP State Director Peggy Venable took her turn in the RightOnline hot seat at the hottest booth at the RPT state convention in Dallas.

She said the battlecry of conservatives now is "November is Coming!"

"The grassroots of this country are fed up with the out-of-control spending and the stripping away of our freedoms," she said. "All over this nation, people are letting their tax-and-spend elected officials know that 'November is Coming.'"

To let your elected officials know that you won't stand for more spending, higher taxes, or policies that take away our freedoms, then sign the November is Coming petition at www.NovemberIsComing.com.

AFP's Defending the American Dream Summit is also on the calendar for July 2-3.

"This is a great opportunity for people who want to learn how to be more active online, through the new media training we'll be doing at the summit," she said. "Not only will you learn how to be effective in changing public policy online, but we'll provide top-notch grassroots training so you can impact what's happening at the local, state and federal levels."

The lineup for the Summit includes: Gov. Rick Perry, the Hon. Ted Cruz, Herman Cain, Steven Crowder, John Fund, Steven Moore, Craig James, Janine Turner and more.

There's also a training track just for middle school and high school-aged students called Young Patriots. The training will be conducted by the Patriot Academy and will teach students the founding principles that make our nation exceptional in the world.

More info on the summit can be found at www.TXDream.org.

Venable also touted AFP's new effort, Lone Star Strong:

"We're the beacon of fiscal sanity in this country, and we want to talk about why and how our leaders have helped us get there," she said.

Texas is the No. 1 state for job creation, for businesses, for government transparency and much more. See all of the ways Texas is No. 1 at www.LoneStarStrong.com

Lt Gov Dewhurst is interviewed at ROL booth at RPT

Lt. Gov David Dewhurst is interviewed by Ben Streusand


Upcoming session, we will have a blanced budget without raising taxes, and we have redistricting -- we have a busy session upcoming.

We have transportation, public education and higher education challengs. Washington -- ObamaCare, spending, offshore mratorium on drilling, this Administration does not respect states rights.

We will absolutely balance the budget without raising taxes, we did it in 2003 and we were told we had a $5 billion deficit which was actually $10 billion deficit. I came in Jan 2003 and we had that large deficit, no savings.

Fast forward, in 2007, we saved the surplus so last year we were one of 6 states in the Black instead of other states in the red. That is critical as our bond ratings are good and we don't want our credit rating to go down. We must hold onto $4-5 billion or 5% of our budget. Last year, in the middle of a terrible recession, only 2 states whose credit ratings improved -- North Dakota and TEXAS with 25 million people.

In last 10 years, only one state that created net new jobs -- TEXAS.

We need to use some of the rainy day funds to fill the budget gap, we have a umber of sources of revenue, last year we made a decision not to touch the rainy day fund - it will grow to $10.2- $10.7 billing. Just asked the Gov and Speaker to sign on a measure to tighten our belts to the tune of $9 billion. We must make sure we save for the coming years.

We need to save for 2013.

Is leadership trying to make sure fed dollars don't have strings attached? Yes, ObamaCare does not improve health outcomes, we have measures, ideas, proposals -- two blockbuster bills were introduced last year to pay doctors more and pay for outcomes, but ObamaCare doesn't do that. It adds 2 million people to the state roles. ObamaCare will cost TX $27 BILLION TX dollars! That will cut into public ed, higher ed, buildling roads -- that is not right, said Dewhurst.

Voter ID? The Senate passed the bill last session. Americans have shed blood to protect the sanctity of our votes -- you can't check out a library book without a photo ID. We must protect the sanctity of our votes.

Does the Republican party need to change and elect more conservative candidates who stand for the principles? The Tea Paries, made of Ds and Rs has energized the voters.

The growth in our state budget has been under population and inflation growth. I have comfort that legislators will do the right thing.

Dewhurst said we must repeal and replace ObamaCare in each and very state. We must collect signatures for RevereAmerica -- sign up and remind the Administration we don't like this. Sign the petition at the Dewhurst booth - or to go DavidDewhurst.com.

RightOnLine interviews Chairman Wayne Christian

State Rep. Wayne Christian (Center, TX, in East TX) is chairman of the Republican Party of Texas Platform Committee Chairman. Ben Sttreusand, AFP-TX Advisory Chairman, is interviewing Chrmn Christian.

"We have awakened citizens of Texas" said Christian. He is also president of the TX legislattive caucus Texas Conservative Coalition. Christian explained how this coalition is the only conservaitve caucus and the requirements for legislators to be a member, holding legislators accountable.

They are now the largest caucus next to the party caucus.

Rep. Christian is the first legislator to head the platform committee "If you want to make an ass out of yourself, there is another party that has that as their mascot."

The Platform Committee finished a day early and he talked about the significant changes they have made which the RPT Convention will vote on.

He stressed the accountability they are requiring for Republican officials -- and that this is the FIRST time the platform will be significant to all Republican candidates and officeholders.

The biblls will be introduced and there will be a scorecard for Legislators and voters know how they upheld the platform. Cathie Adams was BOLD to allow the Platform Committee to do this.

How aboutthe Speakers race? now the voters will know what is happening, and it will not be done behind closed doors (thanks to Cahtie Adams and Kelly Shackelford) -- the more open we can have it the better!

Will here be a race? "I hope so" says Christian. I've been with Peggy Venable at many of the tea parties -- and many had the attitude "throw the bums out" but now we have given us one more time to follow thru on our conservative principles. I have driven 5,000 miles bringing legislators and citizens together, zigzagging the state saying peole want to take over Congress, and in the same election we can determine our largest Congressional delegation in TX as the state elgislature will do the redistricting...we MUST connect the sat house with Washington, DC.


In November, we have a chance to make a difference for the future of our nation. Sign our November is Coming petition now - www.NovemberIsComing.com.

RightOnline interview with RPT Chairman Candidate Steve Munisteri

Retired businessman Steve Munisteri is hoping to woo the delegates at the Republican Party of Texas State Convention to elect him chairman of the state Republican party.

He's been a delegate himself for many years, attending both state and national convention. His first one was in 1976 when he was in high school, and the SREC race that year was decided by 1 vote - from a member of his high school group of delegates.

Munisteri says there's a a large problem that needs to be addressed, regarding the party's values and principals.

"If we were true to our values, we would not have Barack Obama as president in the first place," he said.

Regarding finances, he said he'd like to reduce the amount of party funds designated for telemarketing and mass mailings, and go to a one-on-one system of contacting donors to contribute.

He said the party needs to get back to grassroots organization in the state, encouraging state-wide block walks and better coordination among candidates and the grassroots activists.

Munisteris said, "There's no reason to have a party, unless you're going to stand on principles." He called for a clear way to disseminate information on where a candidate stands on issues, and he thinks the best way to do that is to post candidate positions on the RPT website.

He ended by saying, "The differences between the three RPT chair candidates is so small compared to the need to protect our country from what the liberals in Washington are doing."

RightOnLine booth line-up

Friday, June 11 the RightOnLine booth will feature an all-star lineup:

Galeston /county Tax Assessor Collector - Cheryl Johnson, Texas Comptroller Susan Combs, State Rep. Wayne Christian (President of the Texas Conservative Coalition), Lt Gov. David Dewhurst, The Hon. Ted Cruz, SBOE member Tincy Miller, Texas Workforce Chairman Tom Pauken, Governor Rick Perry, US Senator John Cornyn, AG Greg Abbott, Sen. Florence Shapiro, and we also have Cong. Burgess and McCaul scheduled.

It IS an all-star line-up.

Thanks, RightOnLine for providing opportunity for bloggers to talk to these dignitaries!

Texas RightOnLine booth has stellar line-up of guests

Cathie Adams is interviewed at the RPT Convention: At the 2010 Republican State Convention in Dallas, Cathie Adams touts running Texas Eagle Forum for 16 years and has experience recruiting candiates and her background as a grassroots worker. Plans to raise $7 m in 10 months - then training and recruiting candidates...has raised $2 million in 7 months, "the convention is paid in full - we have only good news at the convention in the area of our finances."

RightOnLine launches at 2010 RPT Convention

We are here at the Republican State Convention in Dallas with the RightOnLine booth. Today, the three candidates for Republican Party of Texas (RPT) Chairman are being interviewed - Tom Mechler, Current Chairman Cathie Adams, and Steve Munisteri. We are starting a few minutes late due to "technical difficulties" and the interviews will be posted later on YouTube (stay tuned).

In the guest seat now is Tom Mechler and interviewer is Ben Streusand of KSEV and KCVE Radio in Houston and Dallas respectively.

Seat has now switched to Cathie Adams, curent Chairman and former head of Texas Eagle Forum.

City of Grapevine screws taxpayers

The City of Grapevine officials should be awarded Hall of Shame recognition for going behind closed doors and hiring a former legislator and his lobby firm.

The City has been charged with violation of the Open Meetings Act and many taxpayers are angry not only at the tactics used to take the action, but that the City is using tax dollars to hire a lobbyist who has opposed taxpayer protections.

Fred Hill, hired by the City of Grapevine for $3,500 a month, was accused by an investigative reporter of forming his lobby firm and negotiating contracts before he told his constituents he would retire from his legislative seat. (See: http://www.scribd.com/doc/12343493/Fred-Hill-registration-for-Solutions-for-Local-Control-LLC and
http://www.texaswatchdog.org/2009/02/former-state-rep-fred-hill-now-lobbying-on-behalf-of-cities-counties/)

Taxpayer funded lobbying fuels the big-government growth machine. Most taxpayers are unaware that while they are working hard to earn a living, take care of their family, and pay their taxes, taxpayer-funded lobbyists are advocating higher taxes and more government spending.

The City of Grapevine has betrayed the taxpayers’ trust and flagrantly circumvented any opportunity for public scrutiny of their decision to use tax dollars to hire a city lobbyist.

But their action has not gone without criticism and challenge. The Grapevine City Council is being sued by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram because of secret discussions the council held before hiring the taxpayer-funded lobbyist Fred Hill. The council did so under the advice of none-other than that bastion of anti-taxpayer activities, the Texas Municipal League.

The Star-Telegram reported on the issue: "Grapevine creates 'office of city lobbyist' after suit on secret discussions"

Many taxpayers agree it is an affront to them for local governments to hire lobbyists, particularly if they are hired to oppose taxpayer protections.

Many Grapevine taxpayers are expressing outrage by the utter contempt the Grapevine City Council has shown their constituents.

First, it appears the Grapevine City Council doesn’t think the public should be included in discussions about or informed regarding the City’s decision to use tax dollars to hire a lobbyist, and second, they think paying a lobbyist with tax dollars to lobby AGAINST your best interests is a good idea.

AFP has been leading the fight against taxpayer-funded lobbying, and we want to send the Grapevine City Council a message that it's NOT okay to make decisions like this behind the backs of the taxpayers. It is even worse that they're paying a lobbyist using tax dollars, whose job will be to lobby against for higher taxes and fewer restrictions on city government.

We want to host a protest in front of Grapevine City Hall within the next couple of weeks, but we want to hear from you first -- Let's get creative! What is the best way to send the message that We the Taxpayers won't stand for this kind of activity?

Let me know by emailing me at cindy@afptx.org. Let's get organized and take action!

Americans for Prosperity has researched the growth in government spending and traced it back to antics like using tax dollars to hire lobbyists to increase earmarks and grow government. http://www.americansforprosperity.org/files/PolicyPaperTFL2008.pdf

Who are the members of the Grapevine City Council? Mike Lease, Place 3; Chris Coy, Place 5; Sharron Spencer, Place 2; Mayor William D. Tate; Roy Stewart, Place 6; Mayor Pro Tem C. Shane Wilbanks, Place 1, and Darlene Freed, Place 4.

Council members are elected at large for three-year terms.

Council meetings are held in Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall, 200 South Main Street, on the first and third Tuesday evenings of each month at 7:30 pm.

The City has an official “suggestion box” where citizens can weigh in. Take advantage of it:

http://www.grapevinetexas.gov/Government/CityCouncilandBoards/CityCouncil/CityCouncilSuggestionBox.aspx

Stay tuned – we will keep the City of Grapevine and Fred Hill on our radar screen and in the blog.

Texans can breath easier thanks to Texas policies

Texas is our nation's energy capital, producing and refining a large portion of the energy products that our nation depends on. While we are the major energy producing state, we also have achieved trmendous success in improving air quality:

• The air Texans breathe today is cleaner than it was in 2000, even though our population has grown by nearly 3.5 million people.

• Between 2000 and 2008, while Texas NOx levels decreased by 46% and ozone levels by 22%, national NOx levels fell by only 27%, and national ozone levels declined by only 8%. In comparison, ozone levels in Illinois have only fallen by 12% since 1999.

• All major Texas metropolitan areas currently meet the 1997 federal eight-hour ozone standard, with the exception of the DFW area, which is within 1 part per billion of meeting the standard. Preliminary data indicates that Houston met the standard for the first time in 2009.

• In a comparison with 20 eastern and southern states that are most comparable to Texas because the location of industrial facilities and natural ozone levels, Texas is second only to Georgia (25%) in the largest decrease in ozone levels from 2000 to 2008.

• Despite being the nation's energy capital, Texas has the eleventh lowest NOx emissions rate for power plants among all states according to EPA data.

• According to Department of Energy and EPA data, since 2000, Texas' CO2 emissions from fossil fuel usage have actually fallen by more than almost any other state and every country except Germany as a result of our policies to foster renewable energy, make the electricity market more competitive and efficient, and improve our environment.

ObamaCare will bankrupt our country

According to one recent estimate, Obamacare will add more than $500 billion to the deficit over the next 10 years and $1.5 trillion in the decade following.

Remember how President Barack Obama promised that his health care plan would reduce the deficit and put us on a path towards fiscal responsibility? Remember how Congress kept gaming the system to come up with the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) score that could justify those claims? Well, now that Obamacare has become (hopefully only temporarily) the law of the land, the CBO is singing a slightly different tune. Last Friday CBO Director Doug Elmendorf wrote on his blog:
The central challenge is straightforward and stark: The rising costs of health care will put tremendous pressure on the federal budget during the next few decades and beyond.

The Heritage Foundation has some startling information worth a read:
http://blog.heritage.org/2010/06/02/morning-bell-obamacares-true-costs-coming-to-light/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=Morning%2BBell

Texas named #1 in Closing the Expectations Gap

Texas was recently praised in Education Week magazine for its adoption of college- and career-ready standards, and for holding schools accountable for ensuring students are college-ready.

Each year, on the anniversary of the 2005 National Education Summit on High Schools, Achieve (www.Achieve.org) releases a 50-state progress report on the alignment of high school policies with the demands of college and careers. Closing the Expectations Gap, 2010 is the fifth annual report in this series. The report details state progress implementing the American Diploma Project policy agenda. Download the PDF. (March 2010

Only Texas met all of the American Diploma Project standards: http://www.achieve.org/files/KeyResults2010.pdf