Redistricting Hearings Will Help Define the 2022 Elections
What’s this redistricting thing all about?
Requirement to Redistrict
The US Constitution calls for reapportionment of congressional seats according to population from a decennial (every 10 years) census (Section 2, Article I).
Reapportionment is the reallocation of the number of seats in the US House to account for population changes. Step 1) The 435 US Congressional House seatsare reallocated among the 50 states after each decennial census. Step 2) The boundaries of the individual US Congressional House districts within each state are then redrawn by the state legislature in accordance with state and federal law.
Redistricting is the revision or replacement of existing electoral districts, resulting in new districts with different geographical boundaries. The basic purpose of redistricting every 10 years is to equalize population among electoral districts after the US Census indicates population has increased or decreased over the last decade.
The Texas Constitution requires the legislature to redistrict Texas house and senate seats during its first regular session following publication of the US census (Texas Constitution Section 28, Article III). After each census, State Board of Education seats also must be redistricted to bring them into compliance with the one‐person, one‐vote requirement.
Redistricting – why should I care?
First, this process will impact who represents you in Washington DC – your US Congressman AND who represents you in Austin – your State Senator and State Representative. The redistricting process redraws district boundaries to guarantee equal voter representation through equal, or equivalent, population counts.
Second, each state’s representation in the Electoral College also is subject to change based on census population counts.
The U.S. House of Representatives has a total of 435 seats, distributed among the states according to census population figures. Texas currently has 36 U.S. Representatives in Washington DC and gained two new US Congressional seats after the 2020 census. Remember, the U.S. Senate has 100 seats — two per state, regardless of population. For Texas, this is Cruz and Cornyn.
The Texas Legislature has a fixed number of seats in both houses — 31 in the Senate and 150 in the House. Texas’ legislative district boundaries change every 10 years, but the total number of lawmakers does not.
ALL Texas State Senators will be on the ballot running in districts with new boundaries. Based on a drawing, half of the State Senators elected will serve a two-year term; the other half will fill regular four-year terms.
Effective Messaging = Effective Participation!
If you have concerns specific to the make-up of your US Representative, State Senatorial, and/or State Representative Districts, this is the time to speak up.
Many citizens express concern about the consistency of values and interests being represented when it comes to drawing State Senate or State House District boundaries. This is especially true when it comes to rural vs urban or suburban vs metro – especially when it comes to transportation, water, and the court system.
Develop your talking points to fit your particular geographical or community issues.
For redistricting authorities to be able to consider a given comment, it must include two elements: a location and an instruction. For example, one of the most common kinds of comments is to suggest a city or neighborhood be kept together in a single district. Other examples of feasible instructions include a request to draw a group of smaller cities together in a single district and to use well-known boundaries such as county lines as natural borders between districts. If your area is a fast-growing suburban area, perhaps you believe your area is best represented separate from a metro area.
Talking Points for Redistricting Hearings
Any new map should fairly represent the voting patterns of Texas. Texas is getting two new US Congressional seats. Simply allocating both to Democratic seats based on race is neither Constitutional nor representative of the voting patterns of Texans.
Legislators should consider future suburban growth when drawing the maps to avoid disproportionate representation (over population) often experienced at the end of a ten-year cycle. Where discretion on population is allowed, such as State House and State Senate Districts, urban and suburban districts should be underpopulated in proportion to the median population, thus taking into account growth expected during the decade.
Communities of interest should be respected.
Testimony Examples
Please use your own words, but the top talking points are covered in these two examples from Montgomery County Republican Women; click here to read.
Senate Special Committee on Redistricting: When & Where
From September 7-11, 2021, the Senate Special Committee on Redistricting will be taking public testimony to solicit public input on all regions of the state, with a focus on the 2020 Census data and the upcoming legislative redistricting process.
These hearings provide the public an opportunity to share details about their local communities and information they believe relevant to the redistricting process, pursuant to the August 12, 2021 release of detailed redistricting data by the US Census Bureau, which can be seen here: https://www.census.gov/.
The committee will take virtual testimony during these hearings. To view the postings and register to testify, click here. In addition, a link is available to provide the committee with your written testimony into the process. Once you open this page, click on the Hearing Notice for the day you wish to testify to see the instructions.
We hope this information will help you navigate the redistricting issue with a better understanding, while giving you information on how to effectively testify.
Uniting Texas Conservatives to save the Texas we love,
JoAnn Fleming
Executive Director
Grassroots America – We the People PAC
It’s Time for Republican State Reps to Remember Who They Work For – It Sure as Heck isn’t Donkey State Reps!
Are you ready totake action to convince your State Representativethat it’s high time for adifferent approach to get their “unfinished work” completed for the people of Texas?
We hope so. It is up to you to light the fire under your State Representative.
First, Let’s Catch You Up
The first FAILED Special Legislative Session ends today, Friday, Aug. 6. As you will recall, the state budget was passed by the State Senate and the House on May 26 and 27 – BEFORE the election integrity bill. This opened the door for Democrats to do what was entirely predictable and preventable – they broke quorum, leaving to kill election integrity legislation. We asked Abbott to veto the budget to keep the Dems in Austin. He didn’t.
Assisted by Republican House Speaker Dade Phelan, the Democrats broke quorum again on July 13, the opening day of the first Special Session. Only four of 67 Democrat State Reps. were in attendance. While the Senate passed all the Governor’s priorities, since the House lacked a quorum, those bills die today.
Gov. Abbott announced yesterday a Second Legislative Special Session will begin this Saturday, August 7 at noon. Yippee.
To see Abbott’s agenda for the second special session, click here.Hint:Abbott still refuses to call for saving kids from sex change mutilation surgeries and chemical treatments – poised to become a growing profitable business in Texas.
What’s this all about anyway and why should I care?
New to all of this? Need a refresher on the unfinished work of the legislature for the 140 days of the 87th Legislative Session from January 12 through May 31?
FACT: Republican State Reps CAN and SHOULD pass rule changes for this Second Special Session and beyond! The power of the Speaker must be decentralized, and quorum-busting antics punished.
Any reluctance or resistance on the part of Republican State Representatives to pass strong rule changes to stop the obstruction of the work of the Texas House and halt impediments to “the consent of the governed,” should be viewed asactive participation in the obstruction.
Resistant Republican State Representatives should providePROOFthat any requested changes are prohibited by the Texas Constitution by citing chapter and verse.
Anything short of a constitutional prohibition is a personal preference to continue the status quo of the dysfunctional Texas House where the Republican majority allows Democrats to run the place. And that, my friends, is the equivalent of spitting in your face. If we tolerate that, we deserve it.
Grassroots America’s Proposed Rule Changes:
Rule Change #1: In order to ensure the constitutional responsibilities of the Texas Legislature are not derailed or abandoned, the majority partySHALL enact new rules of the House within 24 hours of quorum-breaking actions.
Rule Change #2: Prohibited is the appointment of any Democrat to a Committee Chair or Vice-Chair position.
Rule Change #3: The act of breaking quorum shall penalize “absent without leave” State Reps by stripping them of chairmanships, vice chairmanships, committee memberships, AND seniority privileges.
Rule Change #4: Three (3) unexcused absences for a State Rep. stops salary, per diem, mileage reimbursement, and staff pay. Upon return, resumed payments tothe State Representative – including contributions to state retirement funds – shall be reduced by 50% until the end of the current regular or special session. This reduction constitutes a built-in fine for shirking the responsibility of showing up to fulfil the oath of office.
Rule Change #5: ALL salary, per diem, mileage reimbursements, and staff pay shall revert to paper checks during a special session. All payments SHALL be picked up in-person by State Representatives – no exceptions.
Rule Change #6: During a regular session of the legislature, the House Calendars Committee SHALL – within 14 days – publicly vote to move bills to the House floor. During a special session, the House Calendars Committee SHALL – within 5 days – publicly vote to move bills to the House floor.
YOUR ACTION
TODAY & Saturday – before the special session starts Saturday at noon – call your State Representative’s Austin office and District Office. Email them. Tag them on social media.
When parents across the nation spoke out against the destructive indoctrination of Critical Race Theory, they were called racists and targeted as “domestic terrorists” by the US Department of Justice. But these labels didn’t slow their progress or silence their fight. When Matt Walsh of the Daily Wire was attacked for speaking out against men having babies, he defiantly told the cancel culture mob, “Kiss my a**.” Seething in frustration from the failed attempts to silence conservatives with labels and name – calling, the Left has a new label rising in use: “Christian Nationalists.” But what is “Christian Nationalism”? Are “Christian Nationalists” a threat to the United States of America?
What is Christian Nationalism?
Currently, there is no agreed upon definition for “Christian Nationalism.”
“Christian Nationalism” is a blanket term used by the Left to invalidate any Christian who is politically involved and who advocates for the protection of life, our second amendment right to bear arms, parental rights, protection of children from harmful gender transitions, and against Critical Race Theory and more. Their goal is to silence Christians who unapologetically stand up for what they believe in and who do not waver on their beliefs under pressure.
Stephen Coughlin, an attorney and former intelligence officer, explains the origins of“ChristianNationalism” and how it is being used today against American Christians who love their country.
He said that first and foremost, you must look at the use of this term from a political warfare perspective. The use of the term is about intimidating people, namely Christians who are politically involved.
He said that “Christian Nationalism” is an information campaign designed to synchronize with the January 6th narrative. It is combined with that narrative to label Christians as a threat and to be seen as dangerous.
Is Christian Nationalism a threat to the media narrative?
Patriotic Christians have now been classified as “Christian Nationalists.” The left is taking something positive and spinning it to have a negative connotation. Cultural Marxists deceptively equate “Christian Nationalism” to “White Nationalism” or “Fascism” and use it as a derogatory and disingenuous term meant to alienate and disenfranchise politically active convicted Christians.
Labeling someone a “Christian Nationalist” is a strategic element within a demoralization campaign commonly used in political and psychological warfare. Demoralization is a process in psychological warfare with the objective of eroding morale among enemy combatants and noncombatants. Its strategic objective is to encourage Christians to retreat, surrender or defect rather than defeating them in combat. It is meant to “other” Christians. To “other” someone is to alienate them from society. The Jews were “othered” during Nazi Germany. By “othering” Christians, their hope is that we will be silenced, and their perceived threat will be neutralized. This is strategic propaganda.
Denny Burk, professor of Biblical Studies at Boyce College, wrote that the label “‘Christian Nationalism’ encompasses a wide variety of political viewpoints . Media personalities tend to not be aware of the scholarly conversation on Christian Nationalism. Rather, they seem to define it as everything they don’t like about engaged Christians.”
Is Christian Nationalism a threat to the political power?
People who say that “Christian Nationalism” is a great threat to our nation are afraid of losing their own political power. They use the broad and vague term of “Christian Nationalism” to scare people and to malign Christians who do not agree with their le ftist ways.
Christian conservatives are beginning to speak truth to combat this misinformation campaign. In a Grapevine, Texas presentation, American pastor, author and Dean of the School of Divinity at African Christian University in Lusaka, Zambia, Dr. Voddie T. Baucham, Jr. said, “If we’re not going to be Nationalists what are we going to be, Globalists? You can have that, all day, every day and twice on Sunday. No, thank you! No Globalism.” He continued, “what kind is it going to be? Is it going to be Christian or non- Christian? So, color me Christian Nationalist.”
Christians work to advance Christian principles in life, not Christian power. This is a key distinction between Christian political engagement and this so- called “Christian Nationalism” as defined by the Left. Christians SHOULD seek to love their neighbors by pursuing justice in the public square, which includes standing up for life (Matthew 25:40), protecting the rule of law, and honoring the Constitution.
Christian Nationalism is love of God and Country
Furthermore, “nationalism” or love of one’s country is not inherently sinful. However, love of anything over love of The Lord can become sinful. We are called to love Him with all our heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:36-37). Christians know that politics will not be our savior. We only have one Savior in Jesus Christ (John 14:6).
As Christians, we are first and foremost citizens of Heaven (Philippians 3:20) and a part of the body of Christ, which constitutes all believers in Jesus, regardless of where on the earth we reside. Our allegiance is to the Lord, our Savior. However, we can and should still love the country where God chose to place us. We are called to love our neighbors (Matthew 19:19). We should love and seek the betterment of our country. We should be good stewards of the gifts we have been given (Matthew 25:23). We have been blessed to be able to vote and to have our voices heard. Therefore, we must vote!
The argument that “Christian Nationalism” is a threat to America and our government is false. Our own government is a greater threat, as they have forgotten that they are public servants and continue to push godless ideologies on citizens.
Jesus said, “Everyone will hate you because of me.” (Luke 21:17) We should not be surprised at these attacks and false monikers, nor back down, as we are here to please the Lord, not men. “But Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than men.’” (Acts 5:29) Christians who love America and are politically involved stand in the way of leftist ideologies and leftist power. Do not back down, no matter what name they call you or false accusation they throw your way.
“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10)
At Patriot Mobile, we choose to serve God.
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Grassroots America’s permission for reprint granted by Leigh Wambsganss
SMITH COUNTY, Texas, June 4, 2021 – Today,JoAnn Fleming, Executive Director of Grassroots America – We the People PAC followed Wise County Conservatives in issuing its own “Anti-Endorsement” of Greg Abbott for re-election. [Updated 1.10.22 to reflect failure to call a 4th Special Session.]
Fleming said, “In agreement with the Wise County Conservatives Board, Grassroots America’s Board of Directors is not yet prepared to endorse a candidate for the 2022 Gubernatorial election, but we are fully prepared to announce that we will not endorse the current Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott.
“The singular purpose of government is to protect the liberties of the people. Greg Abbott swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of Texas and yet, for more than a year, he flagrantly broke this vow when he unilaterally, without legislative approval:
closed what he termed ‘non-essential’ small businesses, while leaving Big Box corporate businesses open – destroying jobs, crushing families, and killing lifetime investments;
forced abandonment of elderly family members and special needs children with isolation mandates;
denied Texans access to non-COVID-19 health care by deeming those needs as elective;
fast-tracked a $295 million contact tracing contract, mandated masks, limited freedom of assembly, and shut down schools.
“In addition, even though the Texas Constitution (Article 1, Section 6) protects the ‘natural and indefeasible’ right of worship, Gov. Abbott facilitated the closure of churches by local tyrants throughout the state – in the absence of any legal justification. Finally, the Texas Constitution (Article 1, Section 13) declares – ‘all courts shall be open’ and yet the court system was essentially shut down for months, again in the absence of any legal power granted to the executive branch.
“Two of the nine Texas Republican Party Priorities for the 87th Session sought relief from Governor Abbott’s expansive interpretation of his executive power because Governor Greg Abbott was derelict in his duty to protect and defend the rights of Texans during a time that they most needed an advocate.
“Abbott not once used his influence to pass legislation to end sex change butchery and chemical destruction of children – a Republican Party of Texas Legislative Priority supported by 94.65% of 2020 GOP Primary voters! In the last two legislative sessions, Abbott failed to pass election integrity measures that would strengthen ballot security by reducing the risk of digital/electronic fraud. Texas Governor since 2015, Abbott has failed to verify the registered voter list to remove illegal aliens, felons, the deceased, and double registrations. In 2021, he signed into law SB1, which lowered the criminal penalties for voter fraud from a 2nd Degree Felony to a Class A Misdemeanor and allows political parties and candidates to send out unsolicited mail ballots! He has ignored calls from the People of Texas 4th Special Session to restore criminal penalties.
“Abbott has done nothing to put Texans first by ending the magnets that attract and reward illegal border crossers. For the seven years he has been governor, Abbott has never done more than participate in federal “catch and release” at the border. He has not kept his promise of meaningful, lasting property tax cuts and has instead grown the size and scope of state government. When it comes to our gun rights, Abbott showed a willingness to embrace red flag laws and increase regulatory burdens on gun owners in his 2018 School and Firearm Safety Action Plan. Finally, Abbott has refused to convene the legislature to outlaw Covid-19+++ vaccine mandates while his executive order is ignored.
“Greg Abbott is long on talk but fails to deliver measurable results. During his Disaster Declaration for COVID-19 and his behavior during the past legislative sessions, we learned from Greg Abbott’s own actions that we cannot trust him to protect and defend our liberty. For this reason, above all, we cannot support his re-election.”
Lawlessness rises in our streets, in our Texas and DC Capitols, and in the halls of “Justice.” Lawlessness will grow until We the People WORK to restore order. The political ruling class is more destructive than rioters because it is they who set the stage for the current chaos in the streets and in our elections. The Rule of Law has been so bastardized – by politicians in both parties – that it has been downgraded to a political menu from which the ruling class picks and chooses to suit their political convenience. How do you think illegal immigration took root? How did election law become a suggestion?
The elite decide which law applies, when it applies, and to whom it applies. Rather than a nation ruled by laws that consistently apply to everyone, all of the time, we are ruled by whims of men. Our Founders warned against this because this is how liberty dies!
The safeguarding “walls” of our country are now breached. The Rule of Law is brazenly shred before our very eyes. Time to demand and stand for the Constitutional States of America! Before we can help lead that charge, Texas patriots, we have some housecleaning to do ourselves! We are not to be subjects of any earthly, self-appointed king issuing executive orders that violate our state constitution and our rights.
We can see 2022 from here, but the Austin elites have a plan too. It is one you won’t expect. Beware of “shiny” objects meant to distract you from the mission – saving Texas! Watch for a political newcomer to emerge shortly after the 2021 legislative session is over. A deal has been made. They have constructed for you a “savior” who cannot and will not save Texas.
We will always support the Trump Way – “America First” and a non-California lite, robustly free Texas! How about you?
