THE Red County
Gail Lowe New Chairman of the State Board of Education Healthcare Message From Our Doctor in the House Dan Jaworski State Legislative Session Jean McIver What is Your State Republican Executive Committee?
State Representative
Myra Crownover
Walking the Walk
Editors Note Though it seems as if we hear it every election, I am going to say it once more, and please know that it’s really true: The 2010 Election is probably the most important election of our lifetimes. Who can argue with that statement as we watch with great shock and awe while our beloved America slips further and further into the abyss of socialism? Banks, financial institutions, car manufacturers have become governmentcontrolled while healthcare and even newspapers loom as the next targets for the federal government’s seemingly insatiable appetite for devouring and thus destroying our free enterprise system. Yet out here in the real world, far away from the petty politics and phony concerns voiced by Washington DC, patriots arise in protest, clutching the Constitution of the United States and shouting, “Enough is enough! We want to take back our country!” And taking it back is indeed on the horizon. Many Democrat incumbents, who are being strong-armed by the Administration and Congressional leadership, find themselves facing angry constituents at home and fiercely insistent liberals in DC, each with a diametrically different demand. So what is a Democrat (or RINO) Congressional Representative to do? In an attempt to placate their districts’ conservative voters, several “Blue Dog Democrats” got permission from their Party’s leadership to vote against the bill, once Pelosi and Company were sure of enough votes to pass it without them. Pro-life Democrats (yes, there are a few!) threatened mutiny unless an amendment was passed which specified that no federal healthcare funds would be used for abortions. The amendment was added and the bill passed by a thin five-vote margin. As a result of that amendment, dozens of pro-abortion Dems revolted and are promising to vote against the final bill unless the offending amendment is removed by the Conference Committee. One can only hope they mean it! With the exception of one weak-kneed “Republican” from New Orleans, all our Congressional Representatives hung together in opposition to Obamacare, united as they have not been in years! And even the more “moderate” Senate Republicans appear unhappy with the President’s goal of a government-run system. Clearly, Obamacare is by no means a slam-dunk in the Senate. I urge each of them to remain true to Republican principles and to their constituents. If they do not, they surely don’t deserve another term with an “R” after their names. As with Sen. Arlen Spector, we would be better off without them!
Dianne Edmondson DCRP County Chair 2
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1400 N. Corinth St. – Ste. 106 Corinth, TX 76210 940/321-2671 www.dentongop.org Chairman – DIANNE EDMONDSON 1st Vice Chair (Political Affairs) – TOM WASHINGTON 2nd Vice Chair (Finance) – BILL LAWRENCE 3rd Vice Chair (Prct.. Chair Development) – TIM MANGRUM 4th Vice Chair (Outreach) – CARLOS GALLARDO Treasurer – BOB McCOMBS Recording Secretary – MARC MOFFITT Corresponding Secretary – CAMILLE JOHNSON Parliamentarian – MARGARET BARNES Sgt. At Arms – JEFF ANDONIAN Technology Chair – CHRIS STOERMER Event Chairs: Lincoln-Reagan Dinner – NANCY DILLARD Volunteer Dinner AVIE RABURN & KATHY CARRINGTON Golf Tournament KATHY CARRINGTON Program Chair – AVIE RABURN Prct.. Chair Selection Chair – BARBARA RUSSELL Communications Chair – SHON RATHBONE Headquarters Staff – ROY MAGNO & MARK YARBROUGH
Scott W. Graves Publisher Dianne Edmondson Editor-in-chief
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Rose Baird Rand Brown III Congressman Michael C. Burgess Rudy Cajka Dianne Edmondson Jennifer Harris Dan Jaworski Jean McIver Mark Yarbrough
Departments 2
Creative Director
EDITOR’S NOTE
COV E R S TO RY
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WALKING THE WALK
State Representative Myra Crownover
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DCRP GOLF TOURNEY R EADY, SET, VOTE!
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DENTON COUNTY R EPUBLICAN CLUBS CONTACT INFO A ROUND DENTON COUNTY
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March 2, 2010 GOP Primary Poised for Kickoff
A Photo Essay
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GAIL LOWE
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HEALTH CARE MESSAGE FROM OUR DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE
ART/PRODUCTION
Frank Chlarson
(Issue 5)
Appointed New Chairman of the State Board of Education by Jennifer Harris by Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D.
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WHAT IS YOUR STATE R EPUBLICAN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
by Jean McIver, SD 12 SREC Committeewoman
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BLUEDOG DEMOCRATS
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DENTON COUNTY ELECTED OFFICIALS HONORED
A Message to Independant Voters by Rudy Cajka by Rand Brown III and Mark Yarbrough
DENTON COUNTY DENTON COUNTY REPUBLICAN HEADQUARTERS 1400 N. Corinth St., Ste #106 Corinth, Texas 76208 940-321-2671 phone
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A REA LEGISLATORS ENJOY SUCCESS IN ’09 SESSION by Dan Jaworski
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WASHINGTON M ARCH DRAWS TWO MILLION PATRIOTS by Rose Baird
940-497-0356 fax par tyadmin@dentongop.org
Copyright 2009. Denton County GOP. All rights reserved.
ON THE COVER
Representative Myra Crownover D E N TO N C O U N T Y G O P
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Walking the Walk Myra Crownover State Representative District 64
while other states are drowning in budget deficits, Texas is walking tall thanks to the leadership of fiscal conservatives like State Representative Myra Crownover. The results are clear. The Appropriations Bill actually reduced state spending by 1.9% and left the $9 Billion Texas Economic Stabilization Fund (Rainy Day Fund) intact. Representative Crownover’s hard work on the budget during the Session did not go unnoticed. The Republican Caucus named her “Guardian of the Rainy Day Fund” and Texans for Fiscal Responsibility recently awarded her the “Taxpayers Champion Award.” Every legislative session is intriguing but the 81st Session of the Texas Legislature was more interesting and telling than usual. The House of Representatives was split almost down the middle between Republicans and Democrats. The result was a change in leadership at the top that left many conservatives wondering if they would have a voice this session. Speaker Joe Straus recognized that Texas must stay the course on sound conservative fiscal policy that the Republicans brought to Austin in 2003 and strong conservatives like Denton County’s Myra Crownover skillfully held on to key leadership positions. In addition to her appointment as Vice-Chair of the Energy Resources Committee and Vice Chair of the Committee on Federal Economic Stabilization, Crownover was also appointed to Chair the Appropriations Subcommittee on the Stimulus. Her chairmanship afforded her a unique and challenging opportunity to continue the conservative fiscal policies that have served Texas well in recent years “My approach to every session has been, and always will be, to pass a clean conservative budget and to protect values Texans hold dear,” said Crownover. This Session, passing a clean budget was complicated by the Obama Myra with a therapy Administration’s “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act” better known dog at the Children’s Advocacy Center of as the $787 billion stimulus package. Representative Crownover was up Denton County. to the challenge, however, and was able to defeat those who believed that the stimulus money was a chance to expand government. It was a bitterly contested issue throughout the Session. Many Democrats were infuriated that the legislature did not spend every taxpayer dollar that it could get its hands on. In fact, the Democrats in the Texas legislature sent multiple written complaints to Washington D.C. because leaders like Representative Crownover fought to reduce state spending and did not expand the size of government! “Texas did not ask for the stimulus money from Washington D.C., and as Republicans we knew that we had a great responsibility to use these funds wisely because we are spending our children and grandchildren’s money,” said Crownover. 4
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Faced with an increased leadership role on the Appropriations Committee many members sacrifice much of their legislative agenda. Representative Crownover was determined not to let that happen. In addition to protecting taxpayers, she was able to add Cystic Fibrosis to the list of genetic disorders tested for in newborn babies, establish a badly needed new District Court in Denton County, secure additional funding for UNT, TWU and NCTC, and pass three of the most important energy bills of the Session including legislation that increased the number of pipeline safety inspectors in the Barnett Shale. Representative Crownover is especially proud of her work on newborn screening. In 2005, she passed the initial legislation to expand newborn screening in Texas, but Cystic Fibrosis was the only disorder recommended by the American College of Medical Geneticists that Texas still did not screen for in newborns. Adding Cystic Fibrosis
to that list represents the culmination of four years of hard work. “This investment will provide early diagnosis and treatment that is vital for these new Texans and their families,” said Crownover. It is a win-win situation because timely treatment will result in better outcomes for children with Cystic Fibrosis and result in millions of dollars in health care savings. Finally, Representative Crownover also noted that the next election will be key in determining who will control redistricting next session. Republicans control most statewide offices and have a solid majority in the Senate, but in the House of Representatives Democrats only need to pick up two seats to gain control. As Representative Crownover said herself, “Now more than ever we need every Republican we can get in Austin.” e
Representative Crownover is understandably proud of her grandchildren, triplets Jake, Eddie and Mary Beth, and big sister Beatrice.
D E N TO N C O U N T Y G O P
y e n r u o T f l Go
DCRP
Political advertising paid for by Robert Ramirez Campaign. Laura Coorpender Ramirez, Treasurer 3000 S. Stemmons Frwy., Lake Dallas, Texas 7 06
D E N TO N C O U N T Y R E P U B L I C A N P A RT Y
Save the Date! Mike Leavit
t (l), Bill Law
rence, Sue
and B ob Tho
mpson are
ready to go
.
will Carlos Gallardo’s putt be the winner?
Rep. Tan Parker and Bob Edmondson discuss the Oakmont course.
Saturday, February 27th 2010 DFW Hyatt Regency DFW Airport
For Further Information‌Contact: Nancy Dillard (972) 625-1240 npdillard@sbcglobal.net
Glen McKenzie, Dale Kimble, Ricky Grunden and Dean Anthony made a great team! Is this the winning stroke?
Paid Political Ad Chris Ventura Campaign 6
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Ready, Set,Vote! March 2, 2010 GOP Primary Poised for Kickoff
Filing for a place on the 2010 Republican Primary ballot will begin on December 3 and two capable women will be overseeing that process. The DCRP again is holding its official “Filing Day Party” at GOP HQ in Corinth on the first day candidates (other than precinct chairs) may file for a place on the ballot, which is Thursday, December 3. “This event is always filled with food, fun and friendly rivalry,” remarks Chairman Edmondson. This year, Judges Lee Gabriel and Margaret Barnes will be tempting the attendees to abandon their diets with delicious home-made goodies. Any interested Republicans are invited to drop by the Party HQ between 10am and 6pm to visit with candidates and join in the festivities, she says.
Avie is married to Denton County Constable Jerry Raburn, and she brings 40 years of Denton County Republican political experience to the table, including working for 10 years for former State Representative Mary Denny both in the District Office and in the Capital. Avie also worked in the private sector, spending 13 years as an office manager for a manufacturer’s representative. She and Jerry make their home in Lewisville. Sharon, conversely, is new to the Denton Republican Party Headquarters this primary season. She is not new, however, to the Republican Party or the election process. She grew up hanging out at San Antonio polling sites watching her mother perform the duties of election judge. For seven years, Sharon led the Denton Woman to Woman Pregnancy Resource Center as Executive Director before retiring in 2003 to return to the family business which she started in 1989. Sharon and Clark, her husband of 33 years, live in Denton. Having undergone extensive training in Austin by the Secretary of State, the two Administrators are beginning the grueling task of securing approximately 60 polling sites and more than 300 election judges and clerks. Anyone interested in serving as a paid election Denton County Republican Primary Election Administrators Avie Raburn (l) and Sharon worker should contact Avie or Sharon. Vaughan are hard at work securing polling sites and election workers for the March Primary. Full training will be provided. Meet Avie Raburn and Sharon Vaughan, who have been “With these capable ladies and the fresh enthusiasm hired by County Chairman Dianne Edmondson to conduct of Denton County’s new Elections Administrator, Frank the March 2 election. They will be keeping regular hours Phillips, I am confident that our 2010 Primary will run from 10 till 5 each weekday at the GOP HQ which is smoothly,” notes Chairman Edmondson. e located at 1400 North Corinth Street, Suite 106, Corinth, To reach either Primary Administrator, TX 76208 beginning early in December. They will also be email avie@dentongop.org or sharon@dentongop.org, or phone 940-326-9341. available at other times by appointment.
6/4%
D E N TO N C O U N T Y G O P
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DENTON COUNTY R EPUBLICAN CLUBS CONTACT INFOR MATION CLUB
PRESIDENT
PHONE
MEETING DAY & TIME
Castle Hills Conservative Coalition
Jim Beveridge
jlandrethbeveridge@yahoo.com
214-455-0634
TBD
Conservative Toastmasters
Tim Mangrum
coach@timmangrum.com
940-239-0564
Every Monday 7:00pm-8:15pm, Denton Surgical Group 3321 Colorado Blvd. Denton TX 76210
Denton County Republican Assembly
Greg Hayden
gmhayden@verizon.net
214-288-6626
1st Tuesday of the month 6:30pm Lewisville Chamber, 551 N. Valley Pkwy.
Denton County Republican Business Networking
Clive Buchanan
clive@cjbuchanan.com
972-459-5917
2nd & 4th Friday 1pm Texas Land & Cattle, Hickory Creek
Denton County Republican Club
Judge Jim Crouch
jcrouch659@yahoo.com
972-436-4216
1st Thursday of the month 7:00pm Lewisville Chamber, 551 N. Valley Pkwy.
Denton Republican Women’s Club
Deon Starnes
neon_deon@verizon.net
940-300-8502
3rd Wednesday of each month 11:30am for Lunch, 12:00 for Program Miguelito’s Restaurant corner of Bell and McKinney
Frisco Area Republican Women’s Club
Sandy Simpson
sandsimp@swbell.net
972-335-1829
2nd Tuesday - 11:30am Stonebriar Country Club, Clarendon Rm. 5050 Country Club Drive, Frisco
Frisco Republican Men’s Club
Ed Tamm Bob Chambers
edtamm@hotmail.com rcctx@sbcglobal.net
972-668-1619
1st Thursday 6:30pm Texas Land & Cattle Preston & Gaylord - Frisco
Legacy Republican Club
Carlos Gallardo
carlos-gallardo@att.net
972-668-1527
1st Tuesday 7:00pm Chamber of Commerce, 6900 N. Main St. The Colony
Lewisville Area Republican Club
Avie Raburn
araburn@texastopgun.com
972-317-4891
4th Friday of the month 11:30am Landmark Grill, FM 407 & McGee, Lewisville
Little Elm Area Republican Network
Terri Lowery
terrirn@grandecom.net
214-683-0298
2nd Thursday of the month @ 6:30pm Living Word Baptist Church 2315 W FM 720, Little Elm
NT College Republicans Club
Trayton Oakes
traytondoakes@gmail.com
940-395-8314
Every Tuesday 5:00-6:00pm in Room 413, UNT Student Union
North Denton County Republican Club
Roy Magno
roy@roymagno.com
940-783-7339
TBD
Pachyderm Club of Denton County
Cynthia Mitchell
cynthia@cynthiamitchell.net
469-446-4246
1st Wednesday of the month 11:30am Texas Land and Cattle Company Hickory Creek
Robson Ranch Republican Club
Rudy Cajka
cajka1@grandecom.net
940-262-3207
1st Thursday of each month, 7:00p.m Robson Ranch Club House
Town of Flower Mound Republicans
Renee Stoltenberg
mutterbear@verizon.net
972-539-1285
2nd Tuesday of month 6:00pm dinner 7:00pm meeting at Bari’s 3472 Long Prairie Rd, Flower Mound
940-321-2672
3rd Thursday of each month 6:00pm Reception 7:00pm Meeting 2nd Community Room Lewisville Medical Center
Denton County Republican Party
Dianne Edmondson CountyChairman@dentongop.org
Rev: 11/16/09 kec 8
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Around Denton County Cong. Burgess with his sister, Terry (c), Chairman Dianne Edmondson and Rudy Cajka (l).
Chubbo the Clown (ak a Precinct Chair Deb Reed) gives DCRP Vice Chair Tim Mangrum a big laugh at the Aubrey Peanut Festival.
Chubbo also was a hit at the Lewisville western Days.
Judge Joe Holland preps Denton Count y’s own “Sarah Palin” Tonia Olson during dress rehearsal.
The Denton Visual Arts Center was filled to capacity and overflowed to the outside area with about 2000 folks encouraging our Congressman to stand firm against Obamacare.
Denton County Republicans helped raise money for the arts with a special event in Denton where they sang a parody of “It’s My Party” under the capable direction of Justice of the Peace Joe Holland.
Judges Garcia (r) and Vahlenkamp taking a rehearsal break.
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PA R T Y L E A D E R S H I P
Stalwart Conservative
Gail Lowe Appointed New Chairman
of the State Board of Education by JEnniFEr Harris
Denton County Republicans are understandably proud of their State Board of Education representative, Gail Lowe, upon her recent appointment as Chairman of the State Board of Education. Mrs. Lowe won her appointment earlier this year when the Democrats in the Texas Senate refused to re-confirm her predecessor, Chairman Dr. Don McLeroy. Dr. Don McLeroy, a tough conservative, was named chairman in July 2007, and successfully guided the State Board of Education through curriculum rewrites of the English language arts standards and science standards used in Texas public schools. He also led the Board earlier this year in turning back an attempt to force evolution as fact with no discussion of its theoretical flaws. However, in May 2009, Dr. McLeroy failed to garner the two-thirds majority necessary for Senate confirmation when Governor Perry sought to reappoint him as chairman. The vote in May fell strictly along party lines, with several prominent Democrats criticizing Dr. McLeroy for his personal religious faith and strong conservative convictions. With Dr. McLeroy ousted by the Democrats, Governor Perry needed another excellent conservative to appoint in his place. The choice was an obvious one: Gail Lowe. Her stellar record of public service is a long and faithful one. She is the State Board of Education member for District 14, which encompasses Denton and 25 other counties in Central and North Central Texas. She first won election in 2002, then re-election in 2004 and 2008. 10
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She is in her third term on the 15-member board, having been re-elected in November 2008 to the four-year post. She has served as vice chairman and then chairman of the state board’s Committee on School Initiatives and currently is a member of the Permanent School Fund/School Finance subcommittee. Her term as chairman will extend until February 2011. “I’m very honored to have been asked to lead this body,” Mrs. Lowe states, “and will do my best to serve Texas students and my constituents well.” Mrs. Lowe’s commitment to keep conservative values in the public schools and control in the hands of the State Board of Education has come under constant attack. Various bills to strip authority from the State Board of Education are introduced in both the Texas House and Senate each session. During the most recent legislative session, a bill authored by one of the most liberal members of the House and a former Planned Parenthood board member, Donna Howard, earned the necessary two-thirds margin for a constitutional amendment to transfer the Permanent School Fund investments to an appointed board rather than the elected State Board of Education members. Other measures to strip the State Board of Education of its authority over curriculum standards and textbooks surfaced on the Senate side, but all failed to pass before the end of the session. “Republicans need to be very aware of these efforts and be prepared to rally in opposition to these measures when they resurface,” says Mrs. Lowe. “These measures are in direct opposition to the Texas Republican Party platform and
represent a blatant attempt by the liberals (in both parties) to neuter the conservative influence of the State Board of Education. The State Board of Education is the only place where average citizens, who aren’t represented by highpowered lobbyists, can have their voices heard. Handing over education policy to bureaucrats and appointed boards would ensure that no meaningful change can be effected. “Since the liberals can’t get their way through the ballot box or through legitimate, open debate and public accountability in the State Board of Education hearings,” asserts Mrs. Lowe, “they have resorted to an end-run to strip those duly elected conservatives of their voice. I am hoping the grassroots activists and our county chairmen can use their influence to ensure this doesn’t happen.” Under Mrs. Lowe’s leadership, the State Board of Education also celebrates conservative victories as well. In a recent meeting to discuss social studies standards, Gail Lowe said that the SBOE plans to keep the study of religious holidays such as Christmas and Rosh Hashanah in social studies standards which are effective for the next ten years. The SBOE’s plan to retain Christmas rejects the proposed removal of the Christian holiday to make way for a Hindu holiday recommended by an unelected group of curriculum reviewers, a recommendation that set off a statewide firestorm on this issue. She and other conservatives on the board also have emphasized the importance of teaching American exceptionalism to students and a solid
understanding of our country’s founding documents, rather than a revisionist view of history. The curriculum review committee is expected to submit its corrected draft in October. You can stay informed about upcoming SBOE meetings and other concerns with proposed changes to social studies by visiting the Free Market Foundation Texas Legislative Update blog for more information http://texaslegislativeupdate.wordpress.com/ Mrs. Lowe served the public in the local arena long before expanding her role to the state level. She is a former Lampasas school board trustee, and served on textbook selection committees and long-term planning committees for her local school district. She is a long-time classroom volunteer, where she has worked primarily with elementary-age students to help improve their reading and mathematics skills. In addition to their civic involvement, she and her family also are active members of New Covenant Church in Lampasas, where she serves on the financial review board. She was a charter member of the Lampasas Republican Women’s Club and is a member o the Lampasas Republican Club and the non-partisan Lampasas County Conservative Club, which in 2005 named her Conservative of the Year. Mrs. Lowe and her husband, Jim, reside in Lampasas, where they are co-owners and co-publishers of the semiweekly newspaper Lampasas Dispatch Record. They have three children, ages 23, 20 and 17, the youngest of whom still attends Lampasas schools. “The need for stalwart conservatives in public office is more important now than ever before.” says Denton County Republican Chairman Dianne Edmondson, “Gail’s election as Chairman of the State Board of Education is a huge victory for the Republican Party. She has our warmest wishes, and we must stand firmly behind her as she seeks to protect our values.” e To contact Mrs. Lowe you may e-mail her at sboesupport@ tea.state.tx.us or call her office at (512) 556-6262.
Pol. Ad. paid for by the Chenault for Judge Campaign in compliance with the voluntary limits of the Judicial Campaign Fairness Act, P.O. Box 0 24, Denton, TX 76206.
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PA R T Y L E A D E R S H I P
Healthcare Message from our
Doctor in the House
by ConGrEssMan MiCHaEL C. BUrGEss, M.D.
When I was a practicing physician, I had patients with On the issue of cost – nothing in the bills actually attempts the best private health insurance available as well as patients to reduce the growth of health care spending, and in fact, the with Medicare and Medicaid. I have seen what works and Congressional Budget Office has said the plans will actually what doesn’t. cost us more and dig us deeper into debt. Another government-run health insurance plan — what In light of the recent projection that we will reach a federal Obama and Congressional Democrats propose — is a recycled deficit of $1.6 trillion this year with a total of $9 trillion example of something that, I believe, simply won’t work added to the national debt in the next decade, we cannot for our country. The “public option,” as it has been called, ignore the significant costs that the plans currently before us isn’t much of an option at all because it will lead businesses carry and simply place the burden on future generations. to withdraw employee-provided coverage, Furthermore, why would we advocate leaving Americans with fewer choices. spending more federal dollars for government The Democratic bills before us, though, health care when the current system is deeply do offer more choices in one area – choose flawed and wastes billions a year? Need your favorite new government entity or proof? An investigative report by a local TV bureaucrat. HR 3200 creates scores of station found one woman in North Texas new bureaucracies. Here are just a few of who was responsible for collecting more the new entities and processes the House than $1 million in fraudulent payments Democrats’ bill establishes: the Health from Medicare. One woman — more than Choices Administration, the Health $1 million. Insurance Exchange, the Health Insurance Any health care reform proposals should Exchange Trust Fund, the Government also ensure that doctors are able to keep Health Plan, which undoubtedly will have their doors open to serve their patients. an administrator plus hundreds of new The committee on which I serve, the House Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. government employees, the Bureau of Energy and Commerce Committee, last Health Information, and the Health Benefits year heard from a pediatrician from rural Advisory Committee. This is not even the complete list. Alabama. She and I both began practicing medicine in 1981, President Obama promised during his campaign, “if you but her experiences in her community were sharply different like what you have, you can keep it.” Most individuals don’t from mine. really have their own health insurance – they get it from The population of patients she served was 70 percent their employers. If the coverage provided in the governmentMedicaid, and to offset her losses from low reimbursement administered plan is cheaper than what employers are paying rates, she borrowed from her retirement savings to keep her now, logic suggests that employers will go for the thriftier doors open. Many doctors are not as lucky, and are forced to option and drop the private plans – meaning fewer choices end their practices. Coverage becomes irrelevant if patients for patients. cannot find a doctor. 12
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Medical liability reform is an important area of reform, and Texas should be the national model for how it is done right. A few of the impressive accomplishments of Texas’ 2003 reforms include: • Texas has licensed over 15,000 new physicians. Th is is a 36 percent increase from pre-reform. • Th irty-three rural counties have seen a net gain in ER doctors, including 26 counties that previously had none. • After years of decline, the ranks of medical specialists are growing in Texas. • In my field of obstetrics, Texas saw a net loss of 14 obstetricians in the two years preceding reform. Since then the state has experienced a net gain of 192 obstetricians, and 26 rural counties have added an obstetrician, including ten counties that previously had none. • Charity care rendered by Texas hospitals has increased by 24 percent, resulting in $594 million in free care to Texas’ patients. • Texas physicians have saved $574 million in liability insurance premiums, a significant savings that has allowed more doctors to stay in their practice. The improvements in Texas have allowed physicians to return to the state or their practice, and this is good for patients.
We can also make it easier for Americans to shop for health care insurance, just like we shop for car insurance. Let’s reform the tax code so that it treats small businesses, families and individuals looking for health care insurance the same way it treats big companies. Let’s remove the barriers for patients with pre-existing conditions, and let’s allow patients to shop across state lines. The bottom line is, Americans don’t want a four-inch thick bill written by a handful of individuals behind closed doors, read by very few Members, and passed quickly without adequate debate. They made this clear by coming out and having their voices heard all across the country during the August recess. This is not un-American or special interest obstructionism, it is Democracy, and it is healthy. Furthermore, to say that Republicans have no ideas, but rather oppose any reforms and defend the status quo, is untrue. I have found the Democratic Party to be the “Party of No.” Despite my numerous offers to the President and others, to be part of the process and offer legitimate ideas, I have been repeatedly rebuffed. Our country was founded on “we the people,” not “we the elected officials in air-conditioned offices in Washington, DC.” When it comes to health care, should the federal government help Americans find the plan that works for them, or control the plan? America has spoken, and our citizens do not want more government control. e For more information, go to www.healthcaucus.org.
“In light of the recent projection that we will reach a federal deficit of $1.6 trillion this year with a total of $9 trillion added to the national debt in the next decade, we cannot ignore the significant costs that the plans currently before us carry and simply place the burden on future generations.” Congressman Michael Burgess, M.D.
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What Is
Your State Republican Executive Committee? by JEan MCIVEr, SD 12 SREC CoMMiTTEEwoMan
It is my distinct honor to serve as the State Republican Executive Committeewoman for Senate District 12. Tom Quinones serves as the Committeeman. Together we serve constituents in Senate District 12 portions of Denton and Tarrant County. We are two of the six elected Committee Members with the Republican Party of Texas whose Districts include Denton County. This month, we will share some basic information about the State Republican Executive Committee (SREC) and in subsequent issues, other SREC Members representing Denton County will be featured. So let’s start off with some of our favorite SREC Frequently Asked Questions.
What in the world is the SREC? The SREC is your State Republican Executive Committee and serves as the governing body of the Republican Party of Texas, establishes general policy for the Party subject to the direction of the biennial state convention, and is responsible for the general supervision and management of the Party. The SREC consists of two Members from each State Senatorial District, one man and one woman. In addition to Members representing the 31 Senate Districts in Texas, the Executive Committee includes the State Chair and Vice Chairman. Convention delegates elect the State Chairman and State Vice Chairman at the State Convention held in evennumbered years. During the Senate Caucuses at the State Convention, each Senate District elects its Committeeman and Committeewoman who then are ratified by the whole Convention to represent their respective districts. They serve a two-year term and are term-limited to four terms.
Who are the SRECs serving Denton County? Senate District 9 Senate District 12 Senate District 30
Jane Burch and Tim Hoy Jean McIver and Tom Quinones Ashlea Quinonez and Clyde Siebman
What exactly does the SREC do? The SREC serves as the liaison between the Senate District and the State Party.
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Members attend quarterly meetings in Austin to discuss State Party business, such as party organization, rules, resolutions, finance, and elections. Members serve on various committees which meet quarterly, and those committees often collaborate online or by phone prior to their quarterly meeting.
How do I learn more about the Republican Party of Texas?
Bookmark RPT’s website for easy reference and resources: http://www.texasgop.org/ The RPT moved into their new offices in mid-July which are near the southwest corner of the State Capitol. The new space provides a facility with free parking, a state-of-the-art communications studio, and free meeting and event space. Please update your contact information: Republican Party of Texas 1108 Lavaca, Suite 500 Austin, Texas 78701 Phone: 512.477.9821 | Fax: 512.480.0709 E-mail: info@texasgop.org
What are the costs and benefits of being elected to the SREC?
SRECs are elected to serve as volunteers and receive no financial compensation for their service or expenses, which include overnight travel to Austin for quarterly meetings, travel to club meetings throughout the Senate District, club dues and other fees such as meals, and financial support of county parties, candidates, fundraisers, events, newsletters, and other forms of communication. And like any other volunteer effort to which one is committed, SRECs constantly face the dilemma of how best to manage heavy demands on their time against actual accomplishment of goals. What then are the benefits? Some view election to the SREC as the next logical step in a long line of political accomplishments. Some view it is an opportunity to interact with elected officials. Others view election to the SREC as the best way to foster additional growth in the Republican Party at the grassroots level. Whatever the initial motivation, ask any SREC Member, and I believe you will hear that serving on the SREC is as a distinct privilege and the benefits far outweigh any burdens.
What are some other responsibilities of the SREC? SRECs support the County Chairmen and Precinct Chairmen in their roles. We work with County Chairmen in recruiting and assisting Republican candidates. We volunteer for Republican candidates and help recruit other volunteers for their campaigns. SRECs also help raise and distribute funds for local county candidates through the Candidate Resource Committee (CRC.) Local level races funded by the CRC include: County Judge, County Commissioner, District Attorney, Sheriff, County Court at Law, County Attorney, Tax Assessor-Collector, Justice of the Peace, Constable, and other miscellaneous unexpired term races. Candidates applying for CRC funding must submit a completed written application to the Party. Each applicant must also get the county chairman and/or one of his/her SREC Members to send in a separate, confidential referral form. Each SREC is responsible for donating or raising at least $1000 per calendar year for the SREC Candidate Resources Committee (CRC.) When asked to contribute to the CRC fund by your SREC Member, please remember the challenge we have at the local county government level in Denton County and be prepared to give generously.
SRECs select a Volunteer of the Year to represent their Senate District. Selections are based on input from County Chairmen in each District. I am pleased to announce that both the SD 12 and SD 30 Volunteers of the Year are from Denton County: Bill Lawrence and Deon Starnes. They will be honored at the SREC Dinner in Austin on December 4, which will be hosted by Governor Rick Perry.
How can I find out more information on a regular basis from my SREC Member?
Communication is one of the most important tasks and one of the more challenging for SRECS. If you have information you wish to share with your SREC and, in turn, wish to receive more information from them, please take a moment to provide your contact information. Find SREC contact information on your DCRP website.
Does my Committee Member share information about our District with other SRECs?
Absolutely! SRECs proudly share news about their counties with other districts at the quarterly meetings in Austin. In fact, Denton County’s Victory Plan for 2010 was presented at the quarterly SREC Party Organization Committee meeting last month and was so well accepted that every member wanted a copy. Consequently it has been shared with the entire SREC body as a model for victory throughout the state. Please turn to page 16
REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE (RNC)
Made up of one female & one male Representative plus the State Chair from each State and Providence.
One per state. Texas SREC serves as the State Republican Party between conventions.
STATE REPUBLICAN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (SREC) State Chairman & Vice Chairman plus two Representatives from each Senatorial District.
Made up of the State Chair and Vice Chair plus one male & one female from each of the 31 Senatorial Districts elected at the State Convention.
One per County. Serves as the County Republican Party.
COUNTY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEES (CEC ) The County Chair plus the Precinct Chair from each Precinct.
Made up of the County Chair plus each of the Precinct Chairs elected in the County Primary.
PRECINCT ORGANIZATIONS (Precinct Chair + Volunteers) Number of Precinct Chairs based on number of the County’s voting Precincts.
Made up of elected Precinct Chair plus Volunteers working with the Precinct Chair.
Serves as the National Republican Party between conventions.
One per County Precinct. Supports Republican Party activities at the Precinct level.
Representatives from all States and Providences.
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How else is my SREC involved locally? Most SRECs serve as Deputy Voter Registrars and vigorously seek opportunities to register new Republican voters. It is encouraging to know that many Denton County Republican Precinct Chairmen and neighborhood leaders are deputized to serve as voter registrars this year. For additional information on how you too can become a deputy registrar, please contact DCRP Headquarters or your SREC Member. SRECs help organize and participate in Get-Out-TheVote (GOTV) efforts to ensure that Republicans make it to the polls during Early Voting and on Election Day. These efforts most often include walking door-to-door (“block walking”) or making phone calls (“phone banking”) to connect with voters and remind them to vote. This election cycle, it is more important than ever that we communicate in a cost-effective manner. We are collecting email addresses in every precinct. Please assist the DCRP Victory Team in this effort. Many SRECs are encouraging and training others in their District on the “how to” of social media such as Facebook and Twitter in order to more quickly and efficiently communicate with other Republicans in the area. Check out the www.estampede.org Tutorials on how to get started on various social media outlets (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) If you are interested in a hands-on workshop to learn more about using social media for Republican victory, please contact me. Effective election integrity training can prevent a Democrat from stealing an election. RPT and your SREC members are committed to providing training materials to assist in successful ballot security efforts. Well over half of the General Election Judges in Texas are Republicans. This is the result of years of training and service by these great Republican workers! Most other polling locations have Republican Alternate Judges or Clerks. Why is this important? Republican election workers are the first line of defense on election integrity. I am fully committed to ensuring Ballot Integrity in Denton County and we want every Republican election worker and poll watcher to be fully trained. It will be more important than ever to shore up our defense efforts in the important elections of 2010 and 2012 to ensure Republican Victory in Denton County. Thank you for the opportunity to share a little about the SREC. If you have additional questions, or if we can be of any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact Tom Quinones or Jean McIver. Please join me in commitment to Republican Victory in 2010! e
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Jean McIver State Republican Executive Committee Senate District 12 Elected at the State Republican Convention in June 2008, Jean serves as Secretary on the SREC Party Organization Committee. Jean has a long history of experience in Republican campaign management and activism in the Republican Party. She and her husband Don have been married 47 years and live in Frisco near their two married children and four grandchildren and are active Prestonwood Baptist Church members.
Tom Quinones
State Republican Executive Committee Senate District 12 Elected at the 2002 State Republican Convention and is now in his final term. Tom serves as a member of the Resolutions Committee on the SREC. Previously, Tom has served on the Rules Committee and Ballot Security Subcommittee on the SREC; and have served twice on the Rules Committee at the State Convention. Tom has been an active conservative Republican for over 22 years. Tom’s wife, Michele, served two terms on the SREC. They have two children, Caleb going to Texas A&M, and Jessica in her senior year at high school. Tom is a lawyer and a pastor and lives in Haltom City.
paid political ad Judge Joe Bridges campaign
Denton County Court at Law Number One, Sitting as a Juvenile Court
The Most QualiďŹ ed Candidate www.KimberlyMcCary.com
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A message to Independent Voters about
{
Blue Dog Democrats By RUDy CaJka
I bring up my attendance at this conference because it gave me an opportunity to discuss politics with a number of attendees and to find out how intelligent, independent voters who believe in liberty and freedom view the Republican Party. Surprisingly, many of these people are not yet sold on the Republican Party as the party of freedom, liberty and free enterprise, as they should be. I believe that is why so many Blue Dog Democrats, like Mike Ross of Arkansas and Heath Schuler of North Carolina, have been elected to Congress in recent years. Although our close neighbor from the 17th Congressional District in Texas, Chet Edwards (D-Waco) is not officially a member of the Blue Dog coalition, I consider him also to be a de-facto member of that group. For those of you who are not familiar with the term “Blue Dog” Democrats, it refers to a coalition of some Democrats who are fiscally conservative and strong supporters of national security, but often are more socially liberal than their Republican counterparts. In some ways, they are the Rudy Cajka descendants of the “Boll Weevil” Southern Democrats who helped Ronald Reagan get his tax cuts passed in the 1980’s when the House of Representatives was still controlled by Democrats. Some people credit the term “Blue Dog” to a transformation from the term “Yellow Dog” Democrats who were “choked blue” by the far left wing of their Democrat Party. Today, there are Blue Dog Democrats from all parts of the nation,
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}
I RECENTLY HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO ATTEND FREEDOMFEST IN LAS VEGAS, A CONFERENCE BILLED AS ”THE WORLD’S LARGEST GATHERING OF FREE MINDS” AND DEDICATED TO LIBERTY AND FREEDOM. MOST ATTENDEES AT THIS CONFERENCE ARE NOT POLITICAL ACTIVISTS, BUT MOSTLY POLITICAL CONSERVATIVES WHO FAVOR FREE ENTERPRISE AND CAPITALISM OVER BIG GOVERNMENT SOCIALISM. THIS CONFERENCE IS ALSO ATTENDED BY LARGE NUMBERS OF LIBERTARIANS (WITH A SMALL “L”).
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and they often represent former conservative Republican districts and thus exhibit more conservative voting records in an attempt to retain their seats. In speaking to people who support Blue Dog Democrats like Chet Edwards (D-Waco), I find that these voters get a good feeling when they vote for the kind of representative that supports their libertarian and conservative views without having to vote for the Republican brand. However, most of these voters have an intense dislike and a disdain for Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, and Harry Reid, Senate Majority Leader. What I found particularly interesting was the total lack of understanding by these voters on the part that the Blue Dog Democrats play in supporting these Democrat leaders. I pointed out to everyone with whom I spoke about political issues and activities why it was so necessary to vote for Republicans in the upcoming 2010 elections. Most voters do not realize just what the most important vote their Congressman, Congresswoman or Senator will make during their term in office. That vote is the first one that takes place in every Session of Congress. It is the vote for who will become the Speaker of the House and the vote for who will become the Senate Majority Leader. The result of these votes, in turn, determines to a large extent which Members of the House and Senate will become part of the leadership
teams in Congress. It is the leaders of Congress and their leadership teams that determine the Agenda for the new term of Congress, and to a large extent determine who will Chair the various committees in the new Congress. And ultimately, it is the Leadership’s agenda that determines the new laws, new taxes and new government regulations that we will all have to live with.
“If we get another Democrat majority in the House of Representatives after the 2010 elections… every Democrat elected to the House will vote for Nancy Pelosi as Speaker.” If we get another Democrat majority in the House of Representatives after the 2010 elections, even if it is smaller than the current Democrat majority, every Democrat elected to the House will vote for Nancy Pelosi as Speaker. It doesn’t matter if the Democrat you voted for is perceived to be more fiscally conservative than his or her Republican counterpart, that Democrat will help insure that Nancy Pelosi and her team of socialist democrats lead the House of Representatives once again. She will set the agenda, which will contain every liberal or socialist legislative wish, and with the help of a far left President and an equally liberal U.S. Senate, will get most of that legislation passed. Now that Democrats currently have total dominance in the Legislative and Executive branches of government, I do not minimize the value of the current sitting Blue Dog Democrats. I am sure that some will attempt to bring a semblance of fiscal sanity to both the ObamaCare Health Care Bill and the Cap and Trade bill, both of which have passed the House. Without these Blue Dog Democrats, the nation would be in even more trouble. However, voters should realize that if we had a Republican House, with a strong Republican leader, Cap and Trade might not even have been considered and Health care would have taken a different course altogether.
$3.5 Trillion Budget for 2010, while every Republican voted against the Bill, only 14 Blue Dogs supported them in that vote. And on the Cap and Trade Bill, a huge tax increase on the American people, once again only 29 of 52 Blue Dogs voted against the Bill. Only in the collective mind of the liberal media are these Blue Dog Democrats considered to be fiscal conservatives I would strongly urge our friends (and especially Republicans) from the 17th District of Texas to seriously consider voting against Rep. Chet Edwards in 2010 and voting for the Republican candidate for Congress. I also would urge Republicans and independents that are currently represented by a Blue Dog Democrat anywhere in Texas or the rest of the country to consider replacing them with the Republican candidate in next year’s elections. The following website contains a list of the members of the current Blue Dog Coalition in the House of Representatives: http://www. house.gov/melancon/BlueDogs/Member%20Page.html If we are going to stop the dreadful march to socialism this country is now experiencing under Pelosi, Reid and Obama, then we, the people, need to take the necessary steps to begin that transformation. After attending the Tea Parties, protesting, writing your Congressman and complaining to your friends and neighbors, now is the time for action. Vote Republican next year and don’t be influenced by the pseudo-conservative voting record of your Blue Dog Democrat representative. If you are a political activist, with friends in districts represented by Blue Dog Democrats, then make this argument: Remember, every Blue Dog Democrat in the House of Representatives voted for and supported Nancy Pelosi for Speaker of the House! They will continue to do that in the next Congress! e
“…on the important fiscal votes in the House of Representatives this year, most of these Blue Dog Democrats were AWOL.” For all of the media’s reporting on the Blue Dog’s economic conservatism it is important to point out that on the important fiscal votes in the House of Representatives this year, most of these Blue Dog Democrats were AWOL. On a vote for a huge expansion of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), only two Blue Dog’s voted against the expansion. On the famous $787 Billion Stimulus Bill, only 10 Blue Dogs voted against it. On the President’s D E N TO N C O U N T Y G O P
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Denton County Elected Officials
Honored
a
by RanD Brown III anD Mark YarbroUGH
won the election, they were humbled just to be honored. “Frankly, the outcome of the State election is not important at this point,” remarked Ms. Mitchell in an earlier news release. “To be included in this group, for me, this is truly a privilege.” Another unexpected honor came her way last summer when she was surprised by the National Association of Counties who presented her with the “Recruiter of the Year” award of the National CoLeadership. The NACo has helped several of its member counties all across the country save hundreds of thousands of dollars by acquiring federal funds for
Cynthia Mitchell, In the past few months, Denton County has been privileged to have four elected officials singled out amongst their peers their projects. and recognized for their exceptional service in the public Ms. Mitchell has been working for Denton County sphere. The DCRP would like to spotlight these stellar since 1995, beginning in the County Judge’s office. After individuals and their achievements. successfully winning the County Clerk’s seat in 1998, she The Texas County & District has served three terms – and wouldn’t Clerks Association Region 5 honored mind continuing on into a fourth. Overall, both our County Clerk, Cynthia Mitchell, it has been the many opportunities to help and our District Clerk, Sherri Adelstein, others in need that has made the job worth by nominating them as County and it for her and she will continue to do so for District Clerks of the Year. To illustrate Denton County into the future. the magnitude of this honor, District 5 For District Clerk Sherri encompasses 33 counties in North Texas, Adelstein, the nomination as District Clerk including some as far away as Comanche of the Year also was humbling. “Our region and Lampasas counties. In June, the has a number of clerks who contribute in nominees from each District were then so many ways,” she said in an earlier press voted on at the Association’s annual release, “which not only makes this truly conference to determine a County and an honor but is also very surprising.” Ms. District Clerk of the Year for the entire Adelstein’s career in Denton County began Sherri Adelstein State. Although neither of our nominees “way back when” in 1982, when she moved 20
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here from Houston to begin work in the District Clerk’s office. Like her colleague, Cynthia Mitchell, she first ran for her current post in 1998 and was sworn in on New Year’s Day, 1999. Since then, she has continued to work hard for Denton County and District 5, and clearly is an exceptional County Clerk. The third official we would like to recognize has been serving to keep Denton County safe since 1966. Constable Jerry Raburn was recently awarded the “Officer of the Year” award by the International Jerry Raburn Order of Odd Fellows Lodge of Denton in recognition of both his length of law enforcement service, and the exceptional quality of said service. After beginning as a State Trooper in 1966, Constable Raburn has served in various law enforcement posts, including as a reserve officer for the city of Highland Village and as a County Deputy. In 1993, he began his first term as a Constable and has remained in that post to this day. When asked if he had any defining moments that stood out in his career, Constable Raburn replied, “I never really thought of it in that way; it’s just what I do best.” However, he understandably does cherish the memory of his involvement in putting away a man involved in the rape of a young girl during the 1969 Rock Festival in Lewisville. As for the future, Constable Raburn simply wants to continue keeping Denton County safe and maintaining the exceptional quality of his staff. As the Constable serves us in his fifth term, we have no doubt that he will be able to David D. Garcia accomplish both.
The final spotlight and congratulations are directed to Denton County Judge David D. Garcia, judge of Denton County Criminal Court #3, for his election as Chair of the Texas Center for the Judiciary, Inc., and also as Chair of the Judicial Section of the State Bar of Texas. The Texas Center for the Judiciary provides continuing education programs for the state’s judiciary and supportive personnel. As the Texas Center Chair, Judge Garcia will preside at all Center and Board of Directors meetings and lead the Texas Center, providing leadership in education and training so that a qualified and knowledgeable judiciary may administer justice with fairness, efficiency, and integrity. The Judicial Section promotes the objectives of the State Bar of Texas, which comprise of approximately 1500 active and retired Texas judges. As Judicial Section Chair, Judge Garcia’s duties will include presiding at all Section and Board of Directors meetings, and reporting the Section’s work at the State Bar of Texas’ annual meeting. Judge Garcia has served as the judge of the County Criminal Court #3 in Denton County since his appointment on September 1, 1997. In addition, he serves on numerous judicial boards and advisory committees. Outside of his judicial commitments, Judge Garcia has served on the Board of Directors for CASA and Denton County Friends of the Family. Thank you, Judge Garcia, for your years of service to the Denton County community. e
Political advertising paid for by Robert Ramirez Campaign. Laura Coorpender Ramirez, Treasurer 3000 S. Stemmons Frwy., Lake Dallas, Texas 7 06 D E N TO N C O U N T Y G O P
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Area Legislators Despite Democrat “Chubbing”
Enjoy Success in ’09 Session
by Dan Jaworski
To the casual observer, the 2009 legislative session wasn’t anything to write home about, but ask our area members and they’ll offer examples of success in spite of a strong effort by Democrats to thwart the people’s business. We asked our local members several questions about the session and they had plenty to write home about, Carrollton’s Rep. Burt Solomons describing the session as “unlike any other session in modern day history.” First, we asked each member to describe his or her legislative priorities going into the session. Most members went into the session with deep concerns about how the economic downturn would affect the state’s budget and how that in turn impacted job creation and economic development. Sen. Chris Harris summarized it best when he said that it had to be a priority to craft a balanced budget without raising taxes or tapping into the state’s Rainy Day Fund. Rep. Myra Crownover was appointed to co-chair the committee charged with overseeing the use of federal stimulus funds. It was a priority of the committee to make sure that funds were used in the most beneficial way possible. She pointed to the committee’s success, “I am proud of the work we accomplished. Our committee was able to protect the Rainy Day Fund and use most of the stimulus funding for one-time expenditures that will not increase the size of government.” Using those funds for one time expenditures was critical because in many cases, stimulus funds would have required states to change laws, forcing them to create new bureaucracies in future years and raise and spend more tax dollars for what would have amounted to new, unfunded mandates. We next asked members how successful the session was, considering the priorities they with which they went into the session. Some would assume that the answers to this question might have been pessimistic, given the tactics employed by House Democrats at the end of the session. However, that wasn’t the case with our members. Each one pointed to legislative successes. For example, Sen. Craig Estes pointed to an amendment he guided through 22
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that provided more private property protections into the state’s Constitution. Sen. Jane Nelson expressed pride in the fact that legislators were able to eliminate the margins tax for 40,000 more small businesses across the state. Rep. Tan Parker was especially proud of legislators’ work to improve the state’s job market, “(We) invested more revenue in the Emerging Technology Fund and the Texas Enterprise Fund -- Texas’ two most proven job creation tools,” he noted. Several Denton County members devoted significant time and effort to public education on both the secondary and college level fronts. Sen. Harris and Rep. Solomons worked to expand Tier One funding to schools like Denton County’s own University of North Texas. Rep. Solomons was especially pleased with improvements such as the implementation of end-of-course exams in high school as a replacement of the TAKS test, calling it “landmark school accountability reform.” One very important issue to Denton County legislators was the Voter Photo ID bill. This bill, if passed, would have required that all registered voters present some form of photo ID prior to voting in an election. For over twothirds of Texans polled, this was a “no brainer” issue. What better way to protect the integrity of the “one man-one vote” principle than asking voters to show photos before they vote? Is there any question about who is voting at that point? Very interestingly, however, Democrats in the legislature showed a willingness to go to any lengths in order to stop this “no brainer” bill. At the end of the 2007 session, the bill had died in the Senate but Republicans felt confident that they could get it through this year. Indeed, the Senate courageously changed its procedural rules just to allow passage of the bill early in the session. Throughout the session, Democrats pulled out every trick possible to kill the bill, but try as they might, it looked as though House passage was assured as time was running out. So, Democrats used a little known tactic called “chubbing” in the closing hours of the House session. Chubbing is very similar to a filibuster in the Senate in
that members can spend valuable time on subjects unrelated to the bill in order to merely run out the clock before a vote is taken. More specifically, at the end of the session in the House, many of the bills left to vote on are usually of a very innocent nature– the naming of a library, the establishment of a county court at law, etc. In chubbing, members will question these bills, delaying a vote on them. By doing that, other legislation, such as the Voter ID bill, are prevented from making it to the floor for a vote. Sen. Nelson expressed great disappointment over the killing of the Voter ID bill. “Whether you’re a Republican or Democrat, you should care about securing our elections against fraud.” She was also disappointed about the unintended consequences of the games played by Democrats. “In the collateral damage
(of Democrats chubbing), 32 of my bills, including one to help our foster children, were killed in the House for no other reason than they were behind Voter ID on the House calendar. It’s a sad way to make public policy.” In spite of the demise of the Voter ID bill, the Denton County delegation was, for the most part, pleased with the session. To a member, they felt that they had been successful in protecting property rights, stemming the growth of government through the creation of a tight state budget, and protecting the state’s economy by lowering taxes. Rep. Parker summed it up well saying, “Our standard of fiscal responsibility is why Texas is one of just seven states not currently struggling with a budget deficit, and I am proud to be a part of continuing that tradition.” e
Denton County GOP Legislators Bring Home the Hardware by Dan Jaworski
Rep. Tan Parker
Rep. Myra Crownover
Sen. Chris Harris
Denton County Republican members of the legislature usually receive their fair share of post-legislative session awards and 2009 wasn’t any different. Voters in Denton County can rest assured that our legislators are backing up their conservative reputations with proof through both conservative legislation and awards from the various conservative watch dog groups. Rep. Tan Parker of Flower Mound was awarded the 2009 Heroes and Champions Award from Texans for Fiscal Responsibility. Rep. Myra Crownover was also recognized by TFR as a Taxpayer’s Champion. Sen. Chris Harris was recognized as a Champion for Texas Families by the Texas Family Law Association. The Greater Keller Chamber of Commerce awarded Sen. Jane Nelson the Spirit of Enterprise Award. She was also recognized by the Texas Suicide Prevention Council for her work to prevent suicide among Texas youth. Sen. Craig Estes was appointed by Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst to represent the State of Texas on the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee of the Southern Legislative Conference of The Council of State Governments for the 2009-2010 term. The SLC Agriculture and Rural Development Committee is the oldest standing committee in the Southern Legislative Conference and focuses on a variety of economic issues critical to the future of farming and rural communities. Rep. Burt Solomons brought home plenty of awards including the Champion of Community Colleges award and the Champion of Small Business Award. Rep. Solomons was also inducted into the 2009 Hall of Fame by the Texas Real Estate Association for his work to protect private property rights. Texas Watch also named him to its Honor Roll for the 81st Legislative Session for “being a friend to consumers and hardworking Texas families.” Clearly, our state legislative delegation is recognized by many conservative organizations for their work on behalf of their Denton County constituents and we applaud those awards.
Sen. Jane Nelson
Sen. Craig Estes
Rep. Burt Solomons
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Washington March Draws Two Million Patriots by RosE BairD
Editor’s Note: It’s now confirmed that approximately 2 million patriots were in Washington D.C. on September 12 to rally and address their concerns about government-run healthcare, astronomical deficits and a steady advance towards socialism. Among them was Denton County’s own Rose Baird, who lives in Lantana and is a member of the Denton Republican Women’s Club. Here is her first-hand account of the historic eventt: After watching President Obama’s September speech to Congress , I knew I had to go to Washington, D.C. and join whomever would be there. I was fortunate that my son and his family were able to go with me. There were so many people in attendance, and we all had the same message: WE WANT OUR COUNTRY BACK. Everyone was courteous to each other, the streets were left clean, and no one got in a screaming match. It was totally awesome. To be part of so many chanting “USA” in unison, singing “God Bless America”, and reading so many signs and t-shirts with different messages was heart-warming. I once again have confidence that the heart of America is still good.
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This lady in the photo (Betsy Ross costume) shared her story of fleeing Cuba with her family during the revolution. She asked, “Where can I take my granddaughter and run to now?” The other photos show just a few of the people at the Capitol and the Texas Flag proudly displayed along with the American Flag. I am so grateful that I was able to attend this history making event. Freedom is not free. I left D.C. with a lift in my spirit, knowing that a battle lies ahead, but we’re up for it! e