Now that you know how taxpayers fared in the 88th legislative session on transportation/toll issues, see how your state lawmakers voted specifically by viewing our Report Card from the 88th regular session. Time to fire some state lawmakers!

 There were 27 bills used to determine the grades of the 88th Legislature. Not all legislators voted on all 27 bills. Some were strictly committee votes, others were a vote by the full House or full Senate, but might not have made it to a floor vote in the opposite chamber.

Every lawmaker was notified prior to each vote of TURF’s opposition and/or support of these bills and why.

THE BREAKDOWN:

70% of legislature earned an F

16% earned an A or B

HOUSE –

35% of House Republicans earned an F

78% of House Republicans got a D or F

13% of House Republicans earned an A or B

Top scoring House Republicans were: Briscoe Cain, Terri Leo-Wilson, Matt Schaefer, Shelby Slawson, & Valoree Swanson. 

All but ONE Democrat earned an F (Rep. Christian Manuel of HD-22 was the lone D) 

SENATE –

85% of Senate Republicans earned an A or B

Top Republican Senators were: Paul Bettencourt, Bob Hall, Bryan Hughes, Lois Kolkhorst, Mayes Middleton, Charles Schwertner, & Kevin Sparks

Three Republican Senators earned C’s

Lowest scoring Republican Senators were: Donna Campbell, Tan Parker, & Robert Nichols

100% of Senate Democrats earned an F

Time to hold our elected officials ACCOUNTABLE!

Be anxious for nothing; in all things by prayer & supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Phil. 4:6

I dare not ignore this teachable moment for my Christian brothers and sisters, my fellow patriots. My prayer is that it helps you prepare for very tough sledding ahead.  You must be able to keep your wits about you!

Predictable as the sun coming up tomorrow, a fair amount of hysteria has been driven into my inbox and phone the last few days by Rep. Matt Schaefer’s announcement that he will not seek re-election to the Texas House.

Yes, I was aware of Matt’s decision. 

No, I was not blind-sided.  Matt told me his news some time ago in confidence, which dictated that I WAIT until he was ready to make his announcement.

Ya’ll should know by now that I do not tell everything that I know as soon as I know it. That is called discretion. 

Matt knows what he is doing, and he is as concerned about this district and Texas as he has ever been. 

Seeking God’s will to set priorities

For those of you unaware, Matt’s father has been very ill for a long time. His precious wife has also had significant health challenges.  They have two precious young children.

Matt was able to keep his wits about him during the 88^th session, carrying a tremendous burden that would have broken men and women of a weaker faith. Matt KNOWS Jesus and his heart follows hard after his Lord.

I am confident that Matt sought God’s will about his future, came to a peaceful conclusion, and has acted on that direction and awaits further directions. 

Matt Schaefer was disappointed in many things this session, but his spirit was not crushed.  He’s a man who strives to stay tuned into what the Lord is saying to him.  Schaefer knows that it is foolish to esteem his own plans and ways above those of God.

We should all come to grips with that. Instead of rushing to the phone and social media, go to the King’s Throne.  Spend some time there.  It will refresh your troubled soul.

Finding the Next HD 6 Representative

Since Texas House District 6 is my HOME district, I do not take the quest to find Rep. Schaefer’s successor lightly, but neither am I wringing my hands and staying awake at night.

This seat has been held by conservatives since 1998 when Sharon Emmert and I ran the late, great patriot Leo Berman’s uphill race to successfully defeat a 12-year incumbent with a better than 80% name ID. 

We defeated big money, and we defeated sitting Texas Gov. George W. Bush who came to Tyler to campaign for the incumbent.  We did that with God’s help and a lot of hard work.  It was a David and Goliath race if there ever was one! Representative Berman was succeeded by Matt Schaefer in 2013.

The sky has NOT fallen.

As we have done for 15 years, Grassroots America and I will exert due diligence in our candidate vetting process for Rep. Matt Schaefer’s House replacement. As we go about our due diligence, we will pray for God’s direction.  We want to know God’s will above all else. 

People who do not live in this district are perfectly welcome to do whatever they think they must to pre-judge and dissect any and all candidates in this race. Go right on ahead.

As for Grassroots America, we will make every effort to gather all of the FACTS. Wisdom dictates that we follow the warning in Proverbs 18:13, “He who answers before he hears [the facts], it is folly and shame to him.”

A calm spirit relies on God – not the whims, schemes and divinations of man.

Having a personal code of always going the extra mile – and then some – produces temperance, focus, self-control, diligence, and the mental strength to overcome the predictable plagues and tyrannies of:

• discord profiteers
• unbridled hysteria
• randomness
• rumormongers, and
• impulsive decision-making.

Submission to these forms of distraction does not ensure wise decision-making.

Seeking Godly wisdom is acting wisely!

Diligence is a determined combination of hard work, patience, and perseverance.

Wisdom – not hysteria – blesses diligence.

I pray you think about this in the context of all candidates for every office and mind how you go,

The following project is the initiative of Mark Montgomery and the Bulverde Spring Branch Conservative Republican PAC. We also thank SREC SD 25 Chris Byrd for his assistance.

Grassroots America is happy to assist them in getting this project out across Texas because we appreciate their initiative and agree with their reasoning.
 
In fact, we agree so much that our Board of Directors unanimously cast a vote of “No Confidence” in Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan.
 
Welcome to Preserving & Advancing Patriot Conservatism!

A majority of the Orange County Republican Executive Committee voted 14-6 to censure Dade Phelan on July 13. Orange County is the largest county in Phelan’s district.

Are you tired of Dade blatantly disregarding the platform of the Republican Party of Texas, ignoring most conservative legislative priorities, and the will of the voters? Tired of him allowing the Democrats to run the Texas House? Tired of him killing good bills with Dem committee chairs and Dem points of order? Do you approve of his “under the influence” performance from the Speaker dais or his approved banana republic-style process for impeachment of Paxton?

If you are “fed up,” make your voice heard by joining this letter campaign “Resign Dade Phelan!” Thousands of grassroots conservatives – Republican Primary voters – should tell him they are fed up with his embarrassing performance and roadblocking of conservative bills.

The letters will be hand delivered to Dade Phelan. Copies of the Phelan letter will be provided to Lt. Governor Dan Patrick’s office and to each State Representative to inform them of our grievances and our actions. 

Join this statewide letter campaign
AND the Republican Party of Texas
in condemning the actions of Speaker Phelan!

 
Texas deserves better than Dade Phelan.

ACTION:

1.  Click the link below to print the letter that will be hand delivered to Phelan.
 
2.  Fill in ALL blanks at the bottom. Incomplete letters will not be used.
 
3.  Sign only in BLUE ink. Signatures in other colors disqualify the letter. 
 
4.  Make this a project! Print letters and collect signatures in blue ink!
 
5.  Mail your completed letters to the address below by Friday, August 11!