carol@stormzero.com – Page 10

Intraparty Silos Hurt our Candidates

Many counties in this state and other states have multiple Republican organizations: clubs, women’s clubs, and the party itself. My experience is that they work together for the common goal of expanding the Party base and, more importantly, electing Republicans in the general election.

When “who gets the credit” takes a higher seat than cooperation, silos are created. Our Party and our candidates suffer. That’s what’s happening today in Bastrop County.

Ronald Reagan said it best: “There is no limit to the amount of good you can do if you don’t care who gets the credit.” That’s why these statements from our county party chair are so disturbing:

“if you send [email] to BCRP list then you must give them signs from BCRP. Our list is not going to be used to benefit LPRW.

Period end of discussion.”

And, “If LPRW wants to hand signs out that is their prerogative but your group will not use BCRP’s email list to do so.”

Ted Cruz Sign Graphic Senator Cruz’ opponent, Beto O’Rourke, has signs everywhere in Bastrop County. A couple of Lost Pines Republican Women (LPRW) members, including me, have Cruz (and other candidate) signs.

Even though I am a duly elected precinct chair, the county chair has refused to send an email to my precinct letting you know I have these signs. Why? Because any donations to help cover the cost of acquiring these signs go to LPRW.

BCRP did not pay for these signs. The BCRP does not yet have Cruz signs. So the chair would rather these Cruz signs sit in a garage than to spread the word that they are available today solely because the BCRP won’t be the recipient of any sign donations. Siloed thinking.

Intraparty silos damage our Party and hurt our candidates. If you are anywhere in Bastrop County and want a Cruz sign, email me or use the handy form on this website.

Remembering 9-11

Yes, I know right where I was. I remember who I talked to, who I called, what I did. At first, we thought it was a small plane, but the skies were so clear, how could a small plane have hit the towers? But, it didn’t take long for the speculation to end and the shocking truth to slam my psyche.

I remember my son calling me, begging me to come home because I worked in a government building in NJ. Any and all buildings were targets, so we thought. I called my brother in California, woke them up so they could reach out to my nephews who worked in San Fran and tell them not to go to work that day. I checked on friends who worked in the towers, in the City. I remember the chaos, then quickly the coordination. I remember America’s Mayor, Rudy Guiliani, and his strength through it all.

And, I remember sitting in my car on the hill in Denville NJ (Morris County), watching the smoke, where there had once been twin towers, still filling the horizon for weeks and weeks.

Morris County NJ 911 Memorial

I do not know the pain of those who lost loved ones, but wept as I photographed Morris County NJ’s 9-1-1 Memorial when it was finished. The names. The lives. The loved ones. The responders. The heroes. I’ve sat in silence in that solemn place, weeping for the incredible loss.

It’s been seventeen years, but no, I will never forget. God Bless America, and have mercy on every soul affected that day.

There’s no Such Thing as a Free Lunch

Free college tuition. This is the current cry of the left, of Bernie Sanders and the Socialist Democrats running for office today.

BEWARE. There’s no such thing as a free lunch. And, there’s no such thing as “free” college tuition.

A college’s annual budget is made up of building maintenance, equipment and its maintenance (food service, HVAC, computers, etc), grounds maintenance, landscaping, paving, administrative staff salaries, professor salaries, security salaries, maintenance personnel salaries, employee benefits, insurance costs, air conditioning, heating, lighting, and more. And, this doesn’t include costs of new buildings, investments in current technologies, or meals.

Will the professors teach for reduced salaries or for free? Will the electric and gas companies waive their charges? Will landscapers mow lawns for free, or will the college call for volunteers to do this work? Will computer companies give away their technologies for free? Of course not.

None of these costs will change. So the college that had a budget of $30 million in expenses will still have a budget of $30 million in expenses. What will change is the number of people paying that $30 million.

The math is simple: 2,000 students supporting a $30 million budget means each student needs to pay $15,000. But, when only 1,000 students pay for that same $30 million budget, those who do pay, pay double: $30,000 per student.

This is forcing those who can afford it to pay more for the same commodity that others then get for free. In other words, as written by Communist Karl Marx, “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.”

This is communism, pure and simple. A vote for any proponent of “free” college tuition (actually, of “free” anything) is a vote to change America from a capitalist nation to a communist nation. Remember that when you vote for a candidate who supports free stuff. It’s that simple.

America IS Great. Ask Those Who Live in Oppression.

“We’re not going to Make America Great Again. It was never that great.” Shocking statement from NY Governor Andrew Cuomo. SHOCKING.

The first thing that came into my mind was a conversation I had with a citizen of Myanmar when I visited there in 2016. He reveres the United States. They hold us up as the example of what they want to be. “The Lady”, Aung San Suu Kyi, was about to take office. Hope for a better life, a better government, was rampant throughout the four areas of Myanmar that we visited.

Never that great, Governor Cuomo? Your statement disgusts me. We are a beacon to the world, a light that burns bright to those who have lived, or still live, in darkness. Your statements are broadcast around the world and live on in social media. To denigrate the country that serves as a light to those who live in darkness is outrageous. I personally think you should resign.

Business Continuity or Outright Coup

I ask you: do you know one successful corporation that is lead by a steering committee without a powerful executive at the helm? (And let’s face it, political parties ARE corporations.)

Think GE under Jack Welsh, a company that now, under weak leadership, has lost its place on the Dow. Think JP Morgan Chase under Jamie Dimon. Study the difference in IBM under Lou Gerstner and Jack Akers. Remember Chrysler under Lee Iococca? Apple – Steve Jobs. Microsoft – Bill Gates. I could go on naming recognizable corporate names.

Yet, in Republican political organizations the recent push seems to be to overthrow strong, successful leaders, allegedly to “empower the grassroots”, to change a top-down organization to a bottom-up organization, implementing a weaker committee leadership style instead of a strong chief executive.

First, it was Travis County which created the roadmap on how to emasculate a county chair. Using the same technique of bylaw modification, Bastrop County, Montgomery County, Galveston County followed suit. At a minimum, these four counties have seen controlling interests among Republican precinct chairs completely strip the duly elected county chairs of their power. Only time will tell how successful this move is in growing the Party, getting out the vote and Keeping Texas Red, but I have my doubts.

Business continuity planning or outright coup? What’s the best way to manage an organization, to successfully move it forward? In my opinion, these people would do better to recognize the accomplishments of their predessors, learn from them, get experience in all facets of life (including life outside the political world), determine the appropriate management style for success, and then make their mark on the future of the Republican Party by appropriately modifying bylaws. Doing so would ensure Texas’ red status for years to come. But a coup, just because the votes are there, is not the quick fix they anticipate it will be.

Gotta Love SCOTUS

As a follow-up to yesterday’s post, What a Difference One Vote Makes, today’s announcements by SCOTUS hammer home the point. I’ll discuss today’s opinion on union dues a bit later, but want to first focus on this: the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy. Appointed by President Ronald Reagan, Justice Kennedy has served 30 years on the Court and is now 81 years old.

When Donald Trump ran for President, he was assailed by both sides of the aisle about what kind of judges and justices he would appoint. There was already an opening on the Court with the death of Antonin Scalia and rumors were rampant that Justice Kennedy would retire. Retirement discussions also included Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who is now 85 years young. Was Donald Trump truly a conservative? Was he a liberal in Republican clothing?

To alleviate these concerns about his judicial appointments, candidate Donald Trump issued a list of 21 potential US Supreme Court appointees. As President-elect, on November 17, 2017, he reissued the list, which now can be found on Whitehouse.gov. With so much time to do “opposition research” on each of these individuals, Democrats are likely prepared to go to war over each and every one of them. It will be interesting to watch.

As for today’s announced decision about mandatory payment of union dues by government employees who are not members of, but are represented by, employee associations or unions, it’s about time! According to SCOTUSBlog,

In an opinion by Justice Samuel Alito, the court concluded today that the fees violate the First Amendment. No one would doubt, Alito wrote, that the First Amendment bars a state from requiring its residents to “sign a document expressing support for a particular set of positions on controversial public issues.” Requiring someone to pay for speech by someone else also raises First Amendment concerns, Alito noted.

In 2016, SCOTUSblog reveals, “the justices heard oral argument in a challenge by a group of California public-school teachers, but Justice Antonin Scalia died before the court could release its opinion, leaving the eight-member court deadlocked.”

Once again, Justice Neil Gorsuch made the difference, voting with the majority. Now, these employees will have additional monies in their pockets each month. They’ll no longer fund a union that doesn’t represent their views. And, they’ll no longer fund political speech that is diametrically opposed to their own stance on issues, basically funding opposition to themselves.

What a Difference One Vote Makes

This fall, Bastrop County voters have the privilege of voting for four Third Court of Appeals justices. A total of six justices make up the Third Court. Votes for the four Third Court of Appeals justices are likely the most important votes you will cast in November 2018.

We’re lucky in Texas to be able to vote for our judges and justices. Votes matter! Some justices are appointed, for example, US Supreme Court justices. Appointees matter! Appointing authorities matter!

US Supreme Court building

I recall answering one “what are your three most important issues” poll prior to the November 2016 presidential election with “Supreme Court. Supreme Court. Supreme Court.” I know many who felt that way. Prophetic.

Today, President Trump’s “Travel Ban” was upheld, by a 5-4 vote. It held “The President has lawfully exercised the broad discretion granted to him under 8 U. S. C. §1182(f) to suspend the entry of aliens into the United States; respondents have not demonstrated a likelihood of success on the merits of their claim that Presidential Proclamation No. 9645 violates the Establishment Clause.”

Yesterday, by a 5-4 vote, our Congressional District 27 map was upheld by the Supreme Court. It determined “The District Court disregarded the presumption of legislative good faith and improperly reversed the burden of proof when it required the State to show a lack of discriminatory intent in adopting new districting plans;[…].”

And, last Friday in another 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court determined that government needs a warrant to seize historical location data from cell phones. It ruled “The Government’s acquisition of Carpenter’s cell-site records from his wireless carriers was a Fourth Amendment search; and the Government did not obtain a warrant supported by probable cause before acquiring those records.”

In each case, Neil Gorsuch was among the five jurists in the majority. Would the majority have ruled the same way if a Barack Obama appointed liberal jurist were sitting in the seat occupied by Neil Gorsuch? I doubt it.

Your votes for the Third Court of Appeals will have similar impact. Don’t let this incredible opportunity to have an impact on your own day-to-day lives pass you by.