His FAKE “Toll Payer Protection Act” is Anti-Taxpayer!
State Rep. Matt Krause, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, just filed a bill that seriously undermines Gov. Greg Abbott’s ‘No toll’ pledge by re-authorizing public private partnership toll roads. These types of toll roads are opposed by both the Texas Republican and Texas Democratic Party platforms. In a very bizarre flip-flop, Matt Krause is now supporting the very toll road schemes he helped us kill last session. What happened?
Texans for Traffic Relief – an Austin lobbying group front – is headed up by a guy who was once a leader in the Young Conservatives of Texas. So what? He now shills for contracting and engineering special interests and has declared war on conservative grassroots activists:
The Big Road Lobby doesn’t like the promises made by Gov. Abbott and Lt. Gov. Patrick, nor the tremendous grassroots support these statewide officials have earned because they’ve stood firm on their campaign pledges for “no more toll roads.”
This FAKE “Toll Payer Protection Act” claims to take the tolls off a road once it’s paid for, but then allows the Transportation Commission to extend the toll every 10 years into perpetuity (forever in gov’t terms)! That’s not toll cessation – it’s toll extension!
This is what our Executive Director has to say about HB 1951. She gets to the heart of the matter by pointing out The Problem our Republican legislators are ignoring as they get all cuddly with the Big Road Lobby:
“We are stunned that Rep. Krause would be convinced by the Big Road Lobby to file a bill that undermines the promises made by Governor Abbott and Lt. Governor Patrick to end toll roads. Rather than supporting a fix to TxDOT’s underlying structural management problems as cited in the 2017 Sunset Advisory Commission’s Report to the 85th Legislature (page 2), the Big Road Lobby continues to wail that there’s just not enough money. As long as TxDOT is ‘not meeting expectations andis not prepared to effectively handle the influx of new transportation funding projected to double over the next decade,” nor has it “met key on-time or on-budget measures for several years,’ there can NEVER be enough money poured into the transportation bureaucracy! We are deeply disappointed in Rep. Krause for filing a fake “toll payer protection” bill that undercuts taxpayers, our Governor, and Lt. Governor in order to appease the road lobby. We call on him to reverse course, and we call on current House authors and co-authors to remove their support immediately.” JoAnn Fleming, Executive Director, Grassroots America – We the People PAC and its premier project – the Texas Conservative Grassroots Coalition
Texas-style liberty cannot survive if its leaders are driven by pragmatism, which divorced from principles, drives one’s decisions to be based on political expediency (AKA raw fear of losing the next political race).
The media and a myriad of political voices – on both the left and the right – proclaim conservatism on its last legs – if not completely dead in Texas. This prognosis fits their self-focused, self-justifying narratives, which declare our demise – based solely on the results of one mid-term election.
We got their memo; promptly filed it our circular file.
But, since some folks appear to be going all wobbly, we’re reaffirming our principle-based legislative priorities for the current Texas Legislative Session.
Most of these priorities are ones we’ve talked about EVERY legislative session for the past FIVE sessions (you know, back when Republicans had a super majority in the House and a larger majority in the Senate?).
Truth be told, Republicans have had trifecta rule down at the Capitol since 2003. We suggest they stop listening to consultants and listen to the people who hired them at the ballot box…before they go the way of the Dodo bird and are consulted into extinction.
Why We May Not Endorse or Recommend a Candidate in Every Race
The Board of Directors of Grassroots America – We the People sets a very high standard for granting endorsements. Endorsement of a candidate is a serious matter. We don’t make endorsements in order to participate in a popularity contest. We don’t make endorsements based on appeasing interested groups. We thoroughly and intensely vet candidates by checking into their stated qualifications, credentials, training, experience, voting and work records. We hold candidate forums and debates, attend forums held by other organizations, review candidate web sites, questionnaires, Facebook and Twitter postings.
We seek to determine the character, core values, temperament, judgment, management style, and practical vision of the candidates.
We reserve the right NOT to endorse anyone in a particular race if the choices all fail to meet a high standard. We won’t lower our standards to simply check a box.
In the 2018 General Election, for the Commissioner of the General Land Office and Commissioner of Agriculture races, the “on the job” records of the Republican incumbents in these two offices did not meet our endorsement standards for rehire at the ballot box. We did not endorse them in the Primary or the Midterm, based on job performance, state audits, etc. The Democrat and non-party choices also did not meet our standard.
In the judicial races for Texas Supreme Court, Place 6; Presiding Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals; and Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals Place 7, none of the judicial candidates met our standards.
Again, we reserve the right NOT to endorse anyone in a particular race if the choices all fail to meet a high standard. We won’t lower our standards to simply check a box. There are plenty of mere box checkers, and that is not who Grassroots America is.
Every voter has an opportunity to decide for themselves to vote in each race or skip some. This is the very essence of personal responsibility.
America – and Texas – are at a crossroads. It is YOUR time for choosing…
Strong civility, respect for the rule of law or The ANGRY MOB Innocent until proven guilty or Conviction by Accusation Protect human life or Support Planned Parenthood Ban & punish sanctuary cities or Continue dangerous lawlessness Religious freedom or Anti-Christian bigotry Economic freedom or Over-regulating big government More tax cuts or Punishing tax hikes promised by Democrats Border security/America first or Wide-open borders/cheap labor Second Amendment gun rights or Disarming legal gun owners Back President Trump or Help unhinged Democrats impeach him
Grassroots America has endorsed all Republicans EXCEPT the poorest job performance incumbents. If they could not earn our endorsement or recommendation in the Primary, they do not qualify now. We won’t change our standards. We don’t believe in using “elastic” definitions. We reserve the right to protect our hard-earned credibility by simply not endorsing in some races. This is WHY Primary Elections are so important. Voters have a chance to remove bad performers then. Now, each voter must decide for themselves, but our “home” Smith County voter guide can be found here.
Smith County Early Voting Dates & Times Monday – Friday: 10/22 – 10/26/2018 from 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM Saturday: 10/27/2018 from 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM Sunday: 10/28/2018 from 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM Monday – Friday: 10/29 – 11/02/2018 from 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Vote at any of these Smith County Early Voting Locations The HUB: 304 E Ferguson St., Tyler Heritage Building: 1900 Bellwood Rd., Tyler Lindale Public Library: 200 E Hubbard St., Lindale Noonday Community Center: 16662 CR 196 (behind Blue Store Hwy 155) Whitehouse Municipal Court: 311 E Main St., Whitehouse
If you wake up to bad outcomes for the November General Election, and you complain to Grassroots America, and we don’t see your name on the voter list, guess how much your complaint registers? Not. One. Teeny. Bit.
Be responsible. Honor our Founders. Honor our Veterans. Fight for Texas & our Nation! Vote!
On September 12th, we sent you a Call to Action email outlining efforts by Rep. Biedermann and other elected officials to stop Land Commissioner George P. Bush’s plan to re-imagine the Alamo and move the Cenotaph to a so called “Free Speech Zone,” leaving this sacred memorial unprotected from vandalism and destruction.
Today, those same elected officials stood on the hallowed grounds of the Alamo, in front of the Cenotaph, to hold a press conference. They called on Commissioner Bush to stop his unilateral actions and bring the future of the Alamo to the Texas Legislature during the upcoming 86th Session. We agree with Rep. Biedermann that the legislature is the proper place for the future of the most sacred shrine in Texas history to be debated. The Cradle of Texas Independence must be forever protected for generations of freedom-loving Texans and for those who seek to know our history. We do not want the Alamo’s history to be destroyed by multi-cultural quests for political correctness.
We appreciate the feedback you have given us concerning your calls and emails to the General Land Office. It is breathtaking the lengths they will go to try to fool the people.
State Rep. Biedermann Says ‘No’ To Long Term Lease With City of San Antonio for Alamo Property San Antonio, TX (09/14/18) — Representative Kyle Biedermann (R- Fredericksburg) stood in the shadow of The Alamo on Friday morning to urge officials to include Texas Legislature in the negotiations going forward on The Alamo Master Plan.
The current Alamo Plan will move the Cenotaph into the ‘Free Speech Area’ where it cannot be protected and will be open to protest and disrespect. Even more startling, the Plan would include a long term lease agreement with the City of San Antonio giving the city the ‘ability to monitor compliance’ and the requirement in that lease that the GLO must prioritize ‘the World Heritage Site nomination and designation’ of United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
State Representative Kyle Biedermann said, “I believe it is imperative for Commissioner Bush to include the Texas Legislature in the process going forward with respect to the Alamo Master Plan in order to ensure Texas sovereignty over the future of the Alamo. Much concern has been voiced by legislators about moving the Cenotaph and the long term lease agreement with the City of San Antonio giving them the ‘ability to monitor compliance’ and the requirement in that lease that the GLO must prioritize ‘the World Heritage Site nomination and designation’ of UNESCO. As Texans, we should not allow an international body to impose on our most sacred of sites. Texas has a proud independent history and we must never allow international actors to revise or sanitize our history.
Texas State Senator Donna Campbell said. “Thousands of Texans have contacted my office expressing their feedback over the new Alamo Master Plan. Chief among these concerns is the overwhelming desire to see the Spirit of Sacrifice, also known as the Alamo Cenotaph, restored and preserved in its current location. The Alamo is one of our state’s greatest treasures and to this day it still represents the origins of what it means to be a Texan. It belongs to all of us, and it unites all of us. In putting together the Alamo Master Plan, public input was sought and the majority of that input has asked for special consideration to be given to the Cenotaph and that it not be relocated.”
Former Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson said, “Ignoring key elements of public input erodes public confidence. Entering into an agreement that could diminish State of Texas control over the Alamo destroys public confidence.”
‘El Conservador’ conservative blogger and writer George Rodriguez said. “I stand here supporting Rep. Biedermann because I feel he is the last ‘wall’ to save the Alamo property from a lease that may allow changes to the site and even history of the Alamo. We must understand that this is a shrine of Texas history and it should be treated with care and reverence. We cannot and must not rush into any agreements with anyone unless they are carefully studied and reviewed.”
