carol@stormzero.com – Page 21

Identity Crisis in Leadership

We can’t keep Texas Red if our Republican leaders praise and support elected Democrats. Just because an office is non-partisan under Texas law, if an elected official’s voting record is solidly Democrat, the values he relies on to make decisions are solidly Democrat.

Thus, it was stunning to see this FB post from Republican Precinct Chair and Republican Chair-elect two days ago.

GOP Chair-Elect praises Democrat Mayor

Smithville’s mayor is a solid Democrat, voting in every Democrat primary from 2010 to 2018.

These non-partisan local offices are fertile ground for future leaders. Democrats know that. To keep Texas red, Republicans, not Democrats, should be running our cities.

Those of us who serve in Republican political party offices should understand that our primary goal is to elect Republicans. The values of the Republican Party are our values; the goals of the Republican Party are our goals. Any elected Republican leader who supports or praises elected Democrats should immediately relinguish that leadership position.

My goal is to keep Texas red, so giving Democrats free advertising and support isn’t in my playbook. And when I see local elected Republican Party leaders doing so, I’ll call them out publicly on this blog.

When Republicans act like Democrats, we lose. And, no one should undertand that better than elected Party leadership.

Food for Thought

Here’s a (rhetorical) question for you to consider. I’ve been involved in the political world in two states. The states are very different, but the political party is the same. And, it appears, the power plays, derogatory comments, and backstabbing are the same as well. The politics of personal destruction is alive and well in both, too. So, I posted this on Facebook:

Could someone please explain to me why the chair of an organization would resign as chair and then immediately set up a competing organization, raising money in the same way, from the same people, andfor the same causes he/she raised money for as chair of the first organization?

Instead of collaborating positively, you constantly compete with and badmouth the organization you helped grow and the people who helped you grow it. You were already in power. You could do whatever you wanted with the organization including bringing in new leadership and new ideas.

I’m listening, because personally, I can’t think of one good reason for this divisive and damaging action.

Fascinating that the first comment was from NJ and the second from TX. And, the “likes”? Both states. I wonder if my involvement spanned three, four, or five states, would posts based in personal experiences come from them all? I submit that’s likely the case. And, I submit that if we as a Party don’t stop this, we’ll destroy ourselves from within.

Ours is a competition of ideas. Our ideological competitors are Democrats, socialists, and others whose beliefs are diametrically opposed to ours. It would serve us all well to remember our core beliefs and stand together with others who share them. United we stand.

Gohmert Issues “Robert Mueller: Unmasked” Report

Representative Louis Gohmert (R-TX) has published “Robert Mueller: Unmasked“, a scathing report of the history and tactics of Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller, now hell-bent on taking down President Donald Trump. In the April 30, 2018 report, Gohmert says of Mueller’s fixation with keeping innocent men in jail (men who ultimately were paid, by the taxpayers, $100 million in compensation for false imprisonment): “But it was part of a pattern that eventually became quite clear that Mueller was more concerned with convicting and putting people in jail he disliked, even if they were innocent of the charges, than he was with ferreting out the truth.”

“The Swamp” continues to attempt to protect itself. The targeted misuse of government bureaucratic power against US citizens should scare every single citizen who understands, and believes in, the tenets upon which this country was founded.

May Voter Information

Depending on where you live, you’ll have one or two elections in May. While below you’ll find links to information about both, my focus in this post is on the May 22 Republican Runoff election.

MEET THE CANDIDATES
In the Republican runoff on May 22, voters will choose their candidate for Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace, Place 6 Third Court of Appeals, and Congressional District 27. To help voters choose, the Lost Pines Republican Women will host the Third Court of Appeals candidates on Thursday, April 19 at the First National Bank in Bastrop. This is a free event. Details…

The Bastrop Republican County Executive Committee (BRCEC) will hold a Spring Picnic, expected to be attended by all the Republican runoff candidates. This will be held at Fisherman’s Park in Bastrop from 11:00am to 12:30pm on Saturday, April 28. This is a free event. Details…

VOTER INFORMATION
BastropVotes.org has a wealth of information about upcoming elections.

Info about the May 5 elections, including early voting info, in Bastrop, Elgin & Smithville
Info about the May 22 Runoff election (scroll down past the May 5 election info)
Find your specific information: registration, polling place, and sample ballot for either the May 5 City/School election or the May 22 Runoff election.

Freezing Fun at Jamboree

When I decided to move to Texas, I told my daughter (who lives in Austin) not to worry about me. I wouldn’t be one of those retired moms who looks to her daughter for constant company and entertainment. I said “Don’t worry about me. I’ll find a Republican women’s club and I’ll be fine.”

Fast forward, I got married, retired, and we bought our house in Bastrop County. Unfortunately, the women’s Republican club here had just disbanded.

LPRW at ARW luncheon with Congressman McCaul — LPRW at ARW with Congressman McCaul

So, for 2 years, I joined Austin Republican Women. Then, with the help of then-Republican Chair Jeanne Raley, we were able to pull together 10 paid members (required by NFRW) and charter the Lost Pines Republican Women. The ladies in both of these clubs have proven that Republican women’s clubs are a great place to meet like-minded women, make great friends, have fun, and raise money to support Republican causes and candidates.

Yesterday, for the second time, LPRW had a booth and parade entry at the Smithville Jamboree. For the second year in a row, we were wrapped in winter coats and blankets. Second Place, Best Organization Smithville Jamboree 2018 trophy But, for the first time, we won a trophy: 2nd Place, Best Organization. And, we had a blast doing it. We decorated the truck on Friday (and it survived a horrible overnight thunder storm), enjoyed dinner together, set up our “stuff” early on Saturday morning, and again, dined together. We shared stories of the day, of our lives, of the political world.

If you’re a Republican woman in Bastrop County looking for friends and fun, join the Lost Pines Republican Women!

And so it begins….

Six out of 21 Bastrop County Republican precinct chair positions are currently vacant and have been for months. In four of those six, Republicans were on the March 6 ballot to fill those positions. Having been elected last Tuesday, four of us are now precinct chairs-elect in precincts with no representation on the Republican County Executive Committee. In fact, Precinct 1003 (ours), the overwhelmingly largest precinct in Bastrop County, has no voice.

After the election, I emailed the chair of the vacancy committee, and when I received no response, all the current precinct chairs. I asked whether the four of us, having been elected by the voters of our precincts, could fill those vacancies now, prior June 11, the official start date.

This group prefers to deny those four precincts any representation at all for the next three months.

The overwhelming sentiment from current precinct chairs was NO, those elected would not be installed prior to the official date of June 11. There is still plenty of time for the Vacancy Committee to meet and recommend those positions be filled ASAP.

Oddly, one person said that would give us some unnamed advantage over others who won on Tuesday. Advantage? Over whom? We are allegedly all Republicans sharing a common goal of defeating Democrats.

And, even more importantly, in filling those vacancies now, they would be respecting the choice of the voters.

Honored to Serve

Thank you in script THANK YOU to the hundreds of voters who filled in that circle next to my name on the ballot in early voting and on Election Day. Thank you for taking the time to read my literature. Door to door, or block walking, is next to impossible here so literature, Facebook, events, and whatever word of mouth you can generate is what gets your message out.

I am honored to serve and to continue growing the enthusiasm and participation opportunities for Republicans in Bastrop County, TX.