U.K. Bestseller Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris Available August 9, 2016 in the U.S.

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Available in the U.S. on August 9, 2016, Behind Closed Doors written by B.A. Paris is a good choice for a late summer read.  If you are looking for a page turner of a piece of fiction, this may be your best bet. 

Paris' first published novel, Behind Closed Doors is a dark thriller of a story about a newlywed wife held hostage by her domineering, sadistic husband.  A successful lawyer in London, Jack Angel is, in fact, too good to be true.  He swept Grace off her feet and after initial hesitation, she left a career of her own to begin a new life with Jack.  He built a beautiful home for them just outside of the city and as they honeymooned in Thailand, the truth began to emerge. 

Grace is left guardian of her mentally disabled younger sister, Millie, when their parents move to New Zealand.  Millie lives in a group home and when she turns eighteen, she ages out of the arrangement.  Grace convinced Jack to arrange for Millie to live with them when the time came.  As the story develops, Jack makes it perfectly clear that he intends to inflict the same abuse to Millie as he does to Grace herself. 

I won't give away the ending but you will not be disappointed.  This novel keeps the reader's interest from the first chapter and is a fast read.  It makes for a great summer's distraction for any reader.  Already a bestseller in the U.K. (with the movie rights sold) , Behind Closed Doors will be available on August 9, 2016 in the United States.



*Full Disclosure*  St. Martin's Press sent a free Early Readers Edition to me in exchange for a written review and social media publicity.

Ted Cruz and His Convenient Conscience Breaks RNC Pledge

From the Wall Street Journal:

Mr. Cruz’s sudden burst of “conscience” would be more believable if Mr. Cruz hadn’t played Tonto to Mr. Trump’s Lone Ranger for most of the primary campaign. When it mattered last year, when Mr. Trump still might have been stopped, Mr. Cruz was lip-syncing the businessman’s lines.
While other candidates were opposing Mr. Trump on immigration, Mr. Cruz was imitating him and even moving to his right. Mr. Cruz wrote an op-ed in this paper with Paul Ryan supporting trade promotion authority. After Mr. Trump opposed it, Mr. Cruz came out against the bill right before the Senate vote.

If nothing else, the utter hypocrisy of the Cruz stream of conscience is suspect, given the introduction of the assaults on Melania Trump's character alone laid at the feet of the Cruz campaign.  The pictures of Mrs. Trump from her modeling days are everywhere in the Internet universe and were indeed used by Cruzers.  Using an unflattering photograph of Mrs. Cruz and a tweet from Mr. Trump implying he might mention her past troubles was his response. To clutch pearls and act as though that isn't anything other than ordinary behavior in today's politics is a bit much.

Senator Cruz also noted the silly accusation that perhaps his father, a Cuban immigrant, was somehow involved in the assassination of President Kennedy.  That was bad form coming from a tabloid grocery store rag - hardly an unusual occurrence. Trump says he had nothing to do with that story. It's politics, it's as old as time.

Describing these incidences as just too brutal, Cruz decided to not honor the RNC pledge made at the beginning of the primary campaign season - each candidate agreed to support the eventual Republican nominee in exchange for access to the RNC databank.  Senator Cruz now claims he's entitled to be a sore loser with hurt feelings as the voters hold him accountable for his less than gentlemanly behavior.

The reality is this:  Cruz lost this race and his ego is bruised.  He is a bitter man who is a divider, not a uniter.  He will always put himself over the Republican Party and rely on supporters who are perfectly ok with that.  He will rely on blind support as he calls other Republicans "cartel" members - drug lord thug talk - and think that is bold behavior.  It is not.  It is boorish and juvenile.

Cruz though he'd receive the Republican nomination by pandering to the evangelical voters and those more loyal to him than to the Republican Party - the newbies, the people not familiar with the party system or the workings of the RNC, those looking for an outsider.  Does anyone really think someone who has been working in and around Washington, D.C. and Austin Texas since 2000 is an outsider?  No.  Cruz was caught off guard by two real outsiders - Dr. Ben Carson and Donald Trump.  Neither were office holders in any form.  Both from the real world of business.  (I don't include Carly Fiorina because she ran unsuccessfully for office  and also served as an adviser to previous Republican officeholders - she was a part of the system.) 

Instead of focusing on working to take out Donald Trump during the primaries, Cruz chose to focus on exaggerating and misleading on the records of others - including those he called friends.  Senators Marco Rubio and Rand Paul were early targets.  He distorted their records for his personal benefit.  This, too, is politics; it is as old as time.  His conscience didn't prevent that.   He called Donald Trump his friend, a great man, and promised to "continue to sing his praises."  Why?  Cruz thought eventually Trump would drop out and Cruz would be the last man standing.  Cruz thought he'd get those Trump supporters for himself.  He was wrong.

Not only did Cruz's overwhelming support from evangelicals not materialize in a significant way - Trump bested him in many states with that group - but he soundly lost in the deep South.  Cruz was using his own Southern strategy and expecting enough early victories to put him in the lead.  Wrong again.  Though Cruz referenced Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions as a voice on immigration he listened to, especially leading up to the Alabama primary because he desperately wanted his endorsement, Sessions endorsed Trump in Alabama - the first Senator to do so.  Cruz had done his best to get to the right of Donald Trump on immigration - though in his Senate work, he tried to ride Senator Marco Rubio coattails for immigration reform, only to later deny it  - and again failed.

Ted Cruz has no success of note in his time in the U.S. Senate.  Clearly he ran for that office so that he could use it to run for President.  He had never held elected office before going to the Senate - he served in appointed positions in Washington, D.C. and Austin, Texas - and has proven he is ineffective in elected office.  Most of his failure comes from his inability to work with others - he may boast of not being a team player but that all came back to bite him.  His continued stunts for the camera to keep him in the public's eye - like the faux filibuster to shut down the government - have all been for his own benefit. 

Cruz thought he could disrupt the Republican convention and somehow wrestle the nomination from Trump.  The problem, though, is that grassroots Republicans are loyal to the party, not to a particular politician.  Politicians come and go, the party remains.  The convention delegates were already well on the way to a unified front. The #NeverTrump bunch were never organized.  Those who suddenly voiced support for candidate Cruz when that was their only choice against Trump were doing so because they had no other choice, not because they truly wanted Cruz as the nominee.  They were settling. 

The most amazing result to the Cruz temper tantrum, for me, has been the utter disgust leveled by previously loyal Cruz supporters.  I don't think Cruz is able to understand the depth of damage he has done to his political future.  When Cruz runs for president in 2020, does he think the Trump voters won't be there?  The party has changed because the voters have changed.  The newly energized voters - on the right and on the left - no longer trust or believe politicians.  It's a new world.

Senator Mike Lee made a fool of himself on national television, followed by former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, on the floor of the convention.  Lee wasn't able to make a decision to endorse either Marco Rubio or Ted Cruz during the primaries, claiming both to be good friends.  Then he endorsed Cruz when Rubio suspended his campaign.  He is hardly a voice of courage.  Libertarians have glommed on to Lee.  Libertarians are not Republicans.

Governor Pence endorsed Cruz in the Indiana primary - though he was hesitant to do so.  Cruz lost the Indiana primary and then suspended his campaign.  Pence is now the Vice Presidential candidate.  Prominent members of Cruz super PACs are now working for the Trump campaign.  Loyalty to the party is necessary and will continue. 

I am thankful I could vote for Senator Marco Rubio in the Texas primary.  He is the face of the future of the Republican Party - just not now.  I am a #RubioRepublican.

Miss USA Pageant Puts Politics Into Finalist's Question

Sunday night, the 2016 Miss USA Pageant was held in Las Vegas with the usual array of beautiful young women and a musical performance by The Backstreet Boys.  The contenders were a diverse group and for the first time, the last three finalists- Miss Hawaii, Miss Georgia and Miss District of Columbia-included two black women. The winner was Miss District of Columbia - the first winner serving in the U.S. military (Army Reserves). 

So, it was a pageant of firsts - including inserting politics into the questioning of the finalists. When it came time for the big question posed to Miss Hawaii, the eventual second place winner, she was asked for whom she would cast her vote - Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton.

"Chelsea Hardin acknowledged that there was no way to correctly answer the question during the beauty pageant. The question was framed with Clinton's likely status of being the first woman nominated by a major political party for the White House. Hardin responded that gender doesn't matter when deciding the next commander-in-chief. The 24-year-old college student from Honolulu simply said the new president should push for what's right for the country."

Unlike the writer of this account,  I do not think she "punted" her answer.  I think she handled it as gracefully as possible.  And, good for her for not taking the bait.  In this country, we have a private ballot and this pageant's winner is tasked with representing people throughout the country.

Clearly, this was a shot at Donald Trump, the former owner of the pageant and a kiss to Hillary Clinton, the first woman to be nominated by one of the two major political parties.  No doubt the pageant owners and producers fall in line with the demand of liberal women - women have a duty to vote for Hillary.  Fortunately, as we have seen in the voting statistics, young women feel no such obligation.

The reaction on social media was swift and angry when the question was asked.  The audience loudly booed, too.  The pageant had to tweet out an explanation that the question was written by the pageant organization, not the judge stuck with asking the question. Some of the bottom feeders in online journalism immediately took the question to be a slam to Trump. 

I applaud any young woman not willing to allow liberal Hollywood to write the narrative.

What if This is The GOP's Big Tent Moment?

Donald J. Trump will be the Republican Party's presidential nominee at the completion of its national convention this summer. With the suspension of the Cruz campaign Tuesday night, a whole lot of drama is playing out on social media.  Politics ain't bean bag.

I get it, I really do.  I was depressed for days when Marco Rubio suspended his campaign on March 1.  He was the complete package.  He also had the highest favorability numbers in all the polls.  He was the most electable.  He had years of experience - from local to state to national government.  He has a penchant for foreign policy.  He is an extraordinary communicator.  I could go on, but in the meantime...

Let's just take a breath.

I feel you, my tribe. The anger and disappointment is everywhere.  With this election cycle, we have reached the tipping point.  Voters are no longer interested in political experience, policy points, electability, or frankly, a candidate you'd like to have a beer with.  Donald Trump checks none of those boxes. He has higher unfavorable numbers than Hillary Clinton. He is loud, crude, egotistic, vulgar. He holds none of the Republican principles I hold dear.  And the people can't get enough of him.

A massive re-alignment has been brewing for both parties for years. The two political parties? The voters are over them. A majority of voters now call themselves Independents.  It is increasingly difficult to recruit activists as candidates.  The absence of women in elected office in the Republican Party is particularly distressing to me. Lots of things have to change.

In a normal year, a more traditional Republican would be the nominee and the various factions would be going back and forth on whether that candidate would meet everyone's expectations.  No candidate ever does, of course, because people aren't all the same.  After decades as an active Republican, both publicly and privately, my idea of the best candidate may not be the same as yours. That is the beauty of a political party, though, and it is essential to embrace all those who would call themselves Republican voters in order to sustain and grow a party.  This lesson still hasn't been learned by enough people, it appears.

Ted Cruz thought he would be the outsider, though he has been in politics since the contentious 2000 election and the George W. Bush administration. Cruz thought his path to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue was on the backs of Evangelical voters.  That didn't work either.  Donald Trump drew in voters who have never voted, voters who are union members, voters who are solid working class people - those who get up every day and actually do the work that keeps America going.  Trump even found some long lost Reagan Democrats.  Are you getting the picture?  This is what it takes for the Republican Party to win in November.  A very broad coalition of voters must get out and vote or Republicans don't win.  We start out behind the Eight Ball in the Electoral College map and in order for Republicans to win the presidency, states have to be won that are not traditionally in the R column.  And swing states are crucial.

Now, about those Independent voters - they don't care about parties. They vote for the candidate.  In this year's cycle, not only do we have a man who has never held elected office as the party's nominee, he is running against a Democrat woman who holds as high unfavorable numbers as him.  Plus, in her case, she may be facing federal indictment before the election rolls around.

It's too early yet to expect a big kumbiya moment with Republican and conservative leaning voters to hug it out and vow to work together for November victories.  Most Republicans will understand that getting out to vote and supporting down ballot candidates is so very important.  Think of the judicial candidates and party chairman races that depend on voter participation at the local level.  All politics is local.

The big tent has been erected.  We just didn't realize it would be by a Democrat who now calls himself a Republican.  If Trump had held an R next to his name for years, though, he would be embraced by the same people now declaring they cannot possibly vote for him in November.  They would find a way to hold their noses and vote for him, just as some in the party always have to do with our nominees.  I've done it. There is no perfect candidate who pleases everybody.  Some conservative leaning voters aren't able to look at the bigger picture or even look down the road a bit.  I understand that.  Most voters aren't political nerds - policy papers, campaign strategy, candidate recruitment and C-SPAN don't interest them. There is no passion.  Some just show up on election day and vote.  That's the most important part.

Do not succumb to the ugliness of mocking and name calling now seen on social media towards Trump voters.  Americans are free to support any candidate.  It is the job of each candidate to win over voters. I know you have reasoned with people in your life who declared there was no way they could vote for this person or that one. It's happened to all of us - maybe it's been us. In today's culture, which Republicans have failed miserably to embrace or even try to understand, this Trump guy gets all the media attention and everyone knows him.  Chances are, you, too have a family member or friend who is a Trump voter in their state primary or caucus.  They aren't less intelligent or uneducated.  They are doing what we have asked them to do all along - get out and vote, preferably for a Republican candidate. They just don't want another politician as the candidate. 

Trump is a master marketer. It is his super power.  The challenge is this - does the Republican Party embrace his enthusiastic voters and those newly interested in politics as it relates to them or do we brush them aside and continue to fade into the sunset? Those of you who sat out the last two presidential elections because you were unable to bring yourself to vote for a John McCain or a Mitt Romney, as they didn't pass your political purity test - well, that is how we ended up with Barack Obama. How's that worked out for you? When I have moments of weakness, two words come into my mind - Supreme Court.  That's all I need.

Breaking: #CruzSexScandal Lights Up Social Media - Now a New Twist

If you are a political junkie, you have no doubt checked out some of the kerfuffle developing over the past 48 hours concerning the National Enquirer's piece on a sex scandal and GOP Presidential candidate Ted Cruz (R-TX).  Falling on Easter weekend, it is a particularly unsavory bit of tabloid fodder for the candidate in the race claiming to be the evangelical Christian conservative.


The story goes that Cruz enjoyed dalliances with five women all connected to life in politics, particularly Washington, D.C. politics. There's the first bit of irony, right? The guy who planned on running as the outsider in the race, (though that was always a silly pretense) only to be foiled by Donald Trump, is entwined with these women of Washington - allegedly. Where the guy found time for all that escapes me but that's the story.  As with all stories these days, social media was leading with the gossipy story.  It was all over Twitter, as you would expect, and that is where the firestorm ignited. 


Following on the heels of a back and forth between Cruz and Trump over their wives, this story took off.  Immediately Donald Trump was accused of driving the story because he is known to be close friends with the CEO of the National Enquirer.  What wasn't reasonable, though, was the immediate blame put on former candidate,  Senator Marco Rubio.  There is a very real Rubio derangement in social media by Cruz supporters - and to a lesser extent Trump supporters - and that derangement was in full bloom.  Finger pointing and anonymous sources of rumors was the order of the day on Good Friday.  Instead of tamping down the muck, Cruz chose to find a television camera ( as is his habit) and said the story was smut and that Trump was behind it, along with his "henchmen".  The loudest, nastiest Cruz supporters claimed all roads led to Marco Rubio.


Yeah, it was crazy.


Then an interesting tidbit developed Friday night.  Here in the Houston area, a local show on the Fox affiliate is shown live each Friday night.  The show host is Isiah Carey and the show is an interesting mix of local stories and politics, too.  Fellow conservative blogger, Kathleen McKinley, is a regular guest who speaks about conservative political opinion next to a local liberal woman.  Last night, Kathleen said that she spoke with a D.C. friend earlier and that person laid the blame of the #CruzSexScandal story at the feet of David Brock.  That makes a lot more sense than, frankly either Trump or Rubio promoting the story.  If you are older, like me, you remember that name from the days of the Republican Revolution in 1994 and the Clinton presidency.  Brock was a one time Republican loyalist to Newt Gingrich and the first Republican takeover of Congress in some 40 years.  Later, he decided he was a Democrat and left for greener pastures with the Clintonians in D.C.  He is a known dirty tricks operative.


Thanks, Kathleen, for bringing some sane perspective into the mix.  Let's hope some of the louder, uglier accusations on Twitter and Facebook take a pause and do a bit of reflection.  Whether there is any truth in any of these accusations against Cruz, the truth  will come to the surface eventually and everyone's life will go on.

Carly Fiorina, Opportunist Extraordinaire

Opportunity knocked for former Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina and she answered the door. Wednesday Carly made a splash by appearing on stage with candidate Ted Cruz and formally endorsing him for President. Not only did she endorse him, she went into full snarl to do so.


Up until Wednesday, I was a supporter of Carly Fiorina. I understood her personal story as well as her professional story.  She was the full package for a Republican woman looking for more conservative women to run for political office.  She is truly in her element when railing against Hillary Clinton, which is where she shines.


Thursday morning, Fiorina appeared on Fox News and did an interview with anchor Bill Hemmer about her endorsement.  When asked by Hemmer why she chose Cruz over endorsing Sen Marco Rubio or Gov John Kasich, she said it was because Rubio and Kasich are "not conservatives."  This is inexcusable and just plain phony. How sad for Carly Fiorina to succumb to his kind of low brow politics.  No wonder she failed so badly in her bid for president, and in her senate race in California before that.
On June 18, 2015, Keep the Promise 1 - a Ted Cruz Super PAC - donated $500,000 to Carly Fiorina's presidential campaign. That donation is under FEC investigation. This is the Super PAC run by Robert Mercer, a Wall Street hedge fund manager.
Maybe it's all just a coincidence. Maybe Fiorina is telling the truth that now she happens to think that Ted Cruz is the best candidate running for president. Maybe she really went into that voting booth and ignored her own name on the ballot and, instead, voted for Cruz. I don't believe that but maybe you are less cynical.
In January, 2016 Fiorina appeared on Fox News with Greta van Susteren.  During that interview, Fiorina said that Ted Cruz was too divisive to beat Hillary Clinton.  She said that "he says one thing in the drawing rooms of Manhattan and another thing in the living rooms of Iowa."  Does she now think he is an honest broker?  How does a grown man get the character of truth telling in the span of a month and a half, especially in politics? 
Maybe the fix was in a long time ago.  The donation in 2015 may have brought with it some strings for the future of the campaign. Maybe she is just looking for a way to stay relevant in the fray.  She is getting face time on television again. 
Whatever the reason, it looks smarmy and desperate.  A sad ending for a once promising woman in politics.

Carly Fiorina Defined Feminism and It Is Perfect

Republican presidential primary candidate Carly Fiorina suspended her campaign Wednesday.  As she did so, she left what is perhaps the best definition of feminism from a conservative point of view that I have ever seen on Facebook.  Here is what she said:


"To young girls and women across the country, I say: do not let others define you. Do not listen to anyone who says you have to vote a certain way or for a certain candidate because you’re a woman. That is not feminism. Feminism doesn’t shut down conversations or threaten women. It is not about ideology. It is not a weapon to wield against your political opponent. A feminist is a woman who lives the life she chooses and uses all her God-given gifts. And always remember that a leader is not born, but made. Choose leadership."


It doesn't get much better than that.


Fiorina provided a much needed female voice to the debates.  She provided the strongest voice in opposition to the Hillary Clinton candidacy. She was fierce. And the Democrats hate her.  She is everything that Hillary Clinton is not.


All conservatives should thank Carly Fiorina for her contribution to the primary.  Republican women are natural leaders and a greatly underused resource.  Let's hope that changes soon.  One candidate at a time.

Marco Rubio Gains Endorsement of Cruz Blogger

"This is a new Republican Party". The statement, uttered by an insider Democrat now working in network television, acknowledged the diversity of the party's field of presidential candidates. It's a big field - someone for everyone.


I met Ted Cruz in 2009, in Galveston.  I was a delegate from Memorial West Republican Women to the TFRW convention.  Cruz was there, along with this lovely wife, Heidi, introducing himself to the ladies.  Everyone knows it is Republican Women in Texas who do the work of getting a candidate elected into office.  Cruz, at that time, was running for Attorney General. I wrote at the time, "Sunday's closing session was filled with speakers Senator John Cornyn, U.S. Representatives Michael McCaul and Pete Olson, Texas Rep Larry Taylor, and Ted Cruz, former Solicitor General of Tx and current candidate for Attorney General of Texas. Cruz made a commitment to support the re-election of current Attorney General Greg Abbott should Senator Hutchison not resign from the Senate."  Cruz was a fresh voice and effective speaker.  I was impressed by his personal story and communication skills.


As it happened, Senator Hutchison didn't resign from the Senate and Attorney General Abbott was re-elected.  Ted Cruz then chose to run for U.S. Senate for the upcoming vacancy as Senator Hutchison carried out her plan to leave Washington.  I was on board for a Cruz candidacy, even when the sitting Lt Gov decided to run for the same seat.  I had - and have - huge respect for David Dewhurst.  I chose Cruz to support in that race, though.  I used my ability to blog for Cruz in his Senate run.


I was all in.  I made new friends in the Cruz inner circle and like those people to this day.  It's not personal with me, it's politics.  While I'm choosing to endorse a different candidate in the GOP presidential primary, I will still consider the Cruz crew as friends. Cruz made himself available to bloggers regularly and, through conference calls, assured us that he "knew what to say" to win an election in Texas.  That struck me as an unusually cynical statement at the time, but I brushed it off.


Remember that Cruz embraced the Tea Party when it formed.  He boasted of his ties to George W Bush and elected officials in Texas before he used the Tea Party as a vehicle in his senate race.


Against all odds, Cruz won the senate seat.  He is a master communicator and that is a welcome relief to those of us who often criticize the messaging abilities of the Republican Party.  Most importantly, Ted Cruz can raise money.  Keep that in mind as this GOP primary progresses.


Once Cruz went to the senate, his inner agitator came out and he morphed into a bomb thrower on the level of some of the most strident in politics.  This is the last thing Washington, D.C. needed.  Already bitterly divided, Republicans and Democrats were more often than not in stand-off mode in all efforts to work for the American people.  Cruz never rose to the occasion and learned how to build a coalition of like-minded senators to push reforms.  He promised lots of things and always boasted of his fighting spirit.  However, when he actually had to perform, his inability to persuade others to come to his side in arguments resulted in defeats, not victories.  Along the way, he was  exposed as just another politician seeking out the bright lights of television cameras. After only mere months in elected office - his first elected office - Senator Cruz decided to run for President of the United States.


What was once a call to be strong in conservative convictions became a taunt in his best imitation of a preacher's cadence - suddenly he saw himself as the only true conservative in Washington, D.C., the "courageous conservative." How arrogant. How Washington.


His childish stunts, while amusing, usually led to disaster.  In the case of the government shutdown, he misjudged President Obama and by refusing to negotiate, his action brought about the sequester. This was devastating to the Pentagon.  And to Republican favorability in the polls, which had been steadily rising during the reign of Barack Obama. Fortunately, Republicans won big time in the mid-term races despite the shutdown, not because of it.






This excerpt from a piece in The Wall Street Journal by Bret Stephens points to the error of perpetual outrage, choosing to make enemies, not friends among colleagues and also voters:




There also used to be a theory of politics that, in two-party systems, it was in both parties’ interests to pitch the broadest possible tent; to have, as the great Si Kenen once put it, “no enemies, only friends and potential friends.”
But that’s not Mr. Cruz’s theory. He believes in the utility of enemies—the media; Washington; his fellow Republican senators; other squishes—because they’re such easy foils and because he’s convinced that polarization works and persecution complexes sell. Who cares about Republican voters in New York (or California, or Massachusetts, or Illinois) when not one of their votes will count in the Electoral College? Why waste time and energy courting the center-right when doing so will earn you the permanent enmity of the permanently angry?
The answer to that one lies in Cuyahoga and Pinellas and Loudoun counties—those purple lands in Ohio, Florida and Virginia where swing voters still decide elections in this country. Mr. Cruz needs to answer how he plans to win 50.1% in those states, not 70% of the Bible Belt. Such an answer is available to a Republican nominee, but only one who doesn’t demean other people’s values even when he doesn’t share them. Mr. Cruz needs to study old Ronald Reagan clips to understand the difference between having strong beliefs and being an insufferable jerk about them.


It is cringeworthy that the senator from Texas called the Republican Senate Majority Leader a liar on the floor of the Senate - tossing decorum and respect aside.  It is inexcusable that Cruz uses words like "cartel" against other Republicans.  It is hypocritical that Cruz tosses around the description of "Establishment" to criticize his opponents - he is a product of the GOP establishment and now holds an elected office at the federal level as he runs for President of the United States. He is the establishment.


We are in desperate need of a statesman in this country.  Ted Cruz is not that guy.  We need happy warriors to deliver the message of Republican principles and beliefs and grow the party.  We cannot lead and implement our policies if we do not win the election.  Most importantly, we need a candidate who can work with all factions of the Republican Party - someone who understands that bringing together people for solutions is not abandoning principles - and lead.


After a recent debate, when Ted Cruz appeared to have teamed up with Rand Paul to attack Marco Rubio on the stage - though Cruz continues to say he doesn't attack others - I decided to speak up.  I was willing to try and remain neutral on social media about my preference for Marco Rubio but after that debate, I made the decision to go all in for Senator Rubio.


Marco Rubio is a happy warrior.  Marco Rubio is well liked and able to bring together other senators to work for change and reform.  Most importantly, the Democrats are scared to death of him running against Hillary Clinton.  He is just as smart as Cruz, just as conservative, a Tea Party guy, a Constitutional scholar, and did I mention is a happy warrior?  He is a fiscal conservative, a social conservative and a man committed to the safety of this nation.  Unlike Cruz, who has well-documented flip flops during this campaign, he will not embarrass his supporters.  He is trustworthy.


The best example of this sharp contrast in candidates was on display after the results of the Iowa caucus came in and speeches were delivered.  Marco Rubio delivered such a Reaganesque speech that Reagan's son, Michael, tweeted that very opinion out on Twitter after he heard it.


Here is Rubio's graceful speech: http://createsend.com/t/i-5A8A15F07F7A11E7


Notice that he congratulated Cruz and thanked Mike Huckabee, who dropped out of the race after a very poor showing, for his service.
"I want to thank an all powerful and mighty God for the chance that He has given us to be a part of this endeavor here in Iowa. It has been a phenomenal experience. I want to thank my wife, and my family. I want to congratulate my friend, Senator Ted Cruz. He worked really hard here in Iowa and he earned his victory tonight. I want to thank another good friend of mine, Governor Mike Huckabee for his service to our country, to the state of Arkansas. He has announced tonight he is suspending his campaign. We have tremendous admiration for Governor Huckabee, and we thank him for all he's done." 

I challenge you to then listen to the speech delivered by Cruz.  It was long-winded, self congratulatory, and downright icky in places.  I particularly don't like the feeling of exploitation I get about his mom and how he uses her in his race.


Another indicator of Rubio's general election strength - the immediate reaction by Team Obama and Hillary people on Twitter about Rubio.  They like to compare him to Obama and his rise to the presidency.  They know Republican voters object to that.


I was a blogger for Ted Cruz's senate race.  I supported his election to the U.S. Senate.  I didn't sign on for him to run for President.  He'll make a great choice for SCOTUS by President Rubio.


I fully endorse Marco Rubio for President.  I encourage you to support Marco Rubio for President.

United Republicans of Harris County Release Endorsement Slate

The endorsements in contested Republican primary races are out from United Republicans of Harris County.  Here they are:


President of the United States: Due to the large number of candidates, we leave it up to the voters to decide.
U.S. Representative, District 7: John Culberson
U.S. Representative, District 8: Kevin Brady...
U.S. Representative, District 18: Sharon Joy Fisher
U.S. Representative, District 29: Julio Garza
Tx Supreme Court Justice Pl 3: Debra Lehrmann
Tx Supreme Court Justice Pl 5: Paul Green
Tx Supreme Court Justice Pl 9: Eva Guzman
State Rep House Dist 127: Dan Huberty
State Rep House Dist 128: Wayne Smith
State Rep House Dist 130: Tom Oliverson
State Rep House Dist 134: Sarah Davis
Railroad Commissioner: John Greytok & Lance Christian
14th Court of Appeals Dist Pl 2: Kevin Jewell
Court of Criminal Appeals Pl 2: Mary Lou Keel
Court of Criminal Appeals Pl 5: Sid Harle
Court of Criminal Appeals Pl 6: Michael E. Keasler
125th Judicial District Court: L.A. Olson
151st Judicial District Court: Jeff Hastings
178th Judicial District Court: Phil Gommels & Nile Bailey Copeland
339th Judicial District Court: Mary McFaden
County Civil Court at Law 1 Clyde Leuchtag
County Attorney: Chris Carmona
Harris County Sheriff: Ron Hickman & Carl Pittman
Harris Co Tax Assessor Collector: Mike Sullivan
Harris Co School Trustee Pos 1 Prec 2: George Moore
Harris Co School Trustee Pos 2 Prec 4: Danell Fields
Harris Co Commissioner Prec 3: Steve Radack
Harris Co Justice of the Peace Prec 4 Pl 1: Lincoln Goodwin
Harris County Constable Prec 4: Mark Herman
Harris County Constable Prec 5: Ted Heap
Harris County Constable Prec 6: Robert Lozano
Harris Co Republican Party Chair: Paul Simpson




United Republicans of Harris County (URHC) does not take payment in exchange for endorsements from candidates.  URHC Board of Directors spend many hours voluntarily researching and interviewing all contested GOP primary races.  Interviews are conducted with all Republican candidates wishing to secure the endorsement of URHC - both by questionnaire and in person.


Early voting is February 16, 2016 to February 26, 2016.  The primary election is March 1, 2016.

Marco Rubio Expresses His Faith In The Most Compelling Way Possible

In a recent campaign stop, GOP presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio was asked a question about faith and governing by a young voter professing to be an Atheist.  Showing grace and compassion, Rubio gave a compelling answer.  Faith guides many of us when we head to the polls to vote.  Here is why that is important:





Beautifully explained with real sincerity, this candidate doesn't pander for votes using his faith.  He simply lives his faith and leads by example.

Harris County GOP Candidates In Contested Primary Races: Endorsement Process Has Begun

Are you a Republican candidate in a contested primary race in Harris County for the 2016 election cycle?  It's time to sign up for an interview with United Republicans of Harris County.  The Board of Directors is reaching out to candidates as the filing deadline has passed.

The process has recently been streamlined and online registration is available.  Just go to http://unitedrepublicansharriscounty.com/Endorsement-Process-2016 and choose a convenient date and time from those listed.  Easy, peasy.

Are you a first time candidate?  Here's a little background from the website:


United Republicans has been a much recognized part of the Republican Primary with our extensive endorsement process.  In the hope of providing ethical and well qualified nominees for our Party, our endorsements are much sought after by candidates running for office.  Our hands on process of interviewing candidates in person and providing them with questionnaires regarding their qualifications makes us unique to the political process.  We are the ONLY such organization in Harris County that has continually and consistently provided a venue for candidates to be considered fairly based on merit, qualifications, and participation in the Republican Party.  We are the ONLY organization in Harris County to interview candidates in person as part of our selection process.  Our Board Members literally spend hours researching candidates before endorsements are issued in order to provide you the voter with the best possible recommendations.  We are proud of our accomplishment of being the only endorsing entity in Harris County to have chosen the Winning Congressional Candidate in all of the open Congressional seats in our greater Houston region.


The process is fair, with extensive research and a huge commitment of time by the members of the Board of Directors.  The slate of endorsements produced by United Republicans is well established as a well respected source of information for GOP primary voters.


Interview dates and times are available as soon as January 7, 2015 through the website: http://unitedrepublicansharriscounty.com/Endorsement-Process-2016

Alan Bernstein Calls Bill King Voters "Anti-Gay Taliban"

Hella race, Bill King.  It was a nail biter watching the vote tallies come in Saturday night.  My chocolate stash took a serious hit along the way.

As always, I was checking out Twitter after the final results were reported and the speeches were made by Mr King and Mayor-Elect Turner.  Lo and behold, I come across a tweet from former political reporter and political editor of the Houston Chronicle, Alan Bernstein.  Look what he had to say about you, Houston King supporters:

AlanBernstein@AlanBernstein
Obama backed Turner. The local anti-gay Taliban backed King. Turner won the ‪#‎houstonmayorrunoff‬. Goodnight.

He's a classy guy, right?  Not only does he paint King voters with a broad brush, he describes us as terrorists!  Not particularly clever or original.  I suppose we should be used to that sort of accusation after hearing it so often from the Democrats.  Most recently Hillary Clinton said that Republicans were her enemy, like Iran.  So, there you go.

And if Barack Obama butting into Houston's mayoral race had any decent outcome, it sure didn't show up in the final numbers.  This was the closest mayoral race in thirty years.  

Wait til next time.

Can Republicans Take Charge in Houston?

Now is the time, conservative voters in Houston, to get out there and take the city back.  Saturday, December 12, 2015 is the date of the Joint Runoff Election.  If you didn't take advantage of the most convenient way of voting - Early Voting - HERE is where you can find all the information you could possibly need to vote Saturday. The weather should cooperate and there is no excuse for not doing what you know you should do.

Republican leaning voters are fired up that the polling data shows a very close race.  Think of that - the real possibility of a Republican surge into Houston's governance.  City elections, most often described as non-partisan (though actual voters know better) are the ground floor of the policy decisions that affect our lives.  Local elections are also how candidates begin to establish political careers.  Look at Mayor Parker, for example.  She left the private sector, went on to elected offices in city government and is now considered to be a future state wide or national level candidate.  Don't you want to encourage conservative candidates to get into and stay in the arena?

The Mayoral race is important.  United Republicans of Harris County held a very successful,standing room only,candidate forum before the primary election was held.  If you weren't able to attend a forum to check out the candidates, I suggest you go HERE for my recommended choice. *** FULL DISCLOSURE*** I am an officer on the Board of Directors of United Republicans of Harris County.  The PAC didn't endorse in this race, or any of the races on the ballot. I speak only for myself.

Just as important for consideration are the down ballot races - those for Houston City Council and Houston City Controller.  Please consider voting for both Roy Morales, for Houston City Council, At Large 4 and Bill Frazer, for Houston City Controller.  Both of these men are solid, consistent Republicans.

There is hope for the beginning of some real change, Houstonians.  Don't just complain about potholes, an uptick in crime and rising taxes. Let's get it done!

Today is Election Day - Let Your Voice Be Heard

Today is Election Day, Texans!  The weather is beautiful in Houston and there is no more time left to make excuses about not being able to go vote.  On a selfish note, I am delivering a call to action for voters of my city.

It's important. Maybe you don't think it's important to vote in a primary election but nothing could be further from the truth, especially in Texas.  A primary election, as a general rule, has a lower voter turnout than the general election.  Your vote will carry much more weight today than in November.  It is important to exercise your right to vote at both times.

Politics begins at the local level.  Republicans, in particular, believe in government control at the closest level to the people as possible.  The further out the government control gets from the people, the more ineffective government becomes.  Today Houston elects a new mayor, city council members, and also decides the passage of some propositions and amendments.  There are important decisions to be made at both the local and state level.

Go HERE to find your polling place and a sample ballot. All of the information is there.

United Republicans' Fundraiser October 29, 2015

You won't want to miss this program!  

Reserve your seat now!  Deadline to RSVP: October 19, 2015

This is a rare event with United Republicans of Harris County - the very first fundraiser!  This is your opportunity to support a truly independent PAC striving to put solid Republicans into office. Your support is a vital part of getting the information out to Harris County voters.

Table sponsorship includes program recognition and announcement at the event.  Cash bar available during registration and social.  

For more information, go to  www.urhc.net

"In This Together" by Ann Romney - A Book Review

I love a personal story.  Everyone has a story to tell and Ann Romney has a great one.  In her recently released book, In This Together, Ann Romney focuses on the life altering event of being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), a neurological disease without a cure. Far from being a sad story, Romney's book left me feeling inspired and impressed with her personal strength and determination to carry on with her life. She described this book as "a love letter to those people who are suffering" not just from MS but with any difficulty.

Ann Romney writes about her upbringing, her family, her courtship with Mitt, her children and friends. The lion's share of the book, however, concentrates on her journey with MS. She shares her journey from the time she was diagnosed in 1998 through today.  Her future plans include the opening of the Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, scheduled for October, 2016, for which she is the Global Ambassador.





I had the privilege to be on a conference call with Mrs Romney during her book tour.  Let me share some of that conversation.



Along with a treatment of cortisone infustions, she learned about non-traditional treatment options from a friend of a friend also living with MS.  Once a skeptic, she soon became a believer. After almost three years of seeing a Reflexologist three times a week and riding horses five days a week, she began to feel like she was doing a little better with the most devastating of her symptoms, fatigue. She never needed a walker or wheelchair but she said she did lean on Mitt for balance when she was at times unstable as she walked.  The steroids reduced the numbness in her leg enough to be able to walk.  She is still unsteady on her right leg.





Her greatest disappointment in the loss of the national election for President in 2012 with Mitt, other than America being denied the talents of her husband's leadership, was the loss of using her megaphone as First Lady to make MS research her choice of initiative while serving in the White House.  She has channeled that energy into the Center for Neurologic Diseases.  Research and scientists conducting studies will all be under one roof, searching for cures for five different challenges - MS, Parkinson's Disease, Altzheimer's, ALS and brain tumors. Proceeds from this book go to Center.


Why did Ann Romney write this book?  Here are her own words, from the transcript of the conference call:


Mrs. Romney:
"When I decided to write this, I meant this to be a book that would really help others. And I thought the way to do
that was to be as honest as I possibly could, to hold nothing back. And to really share how depressed I was,
how difficult it was, how it affected my life in every single way.  And to do that, I had to be completely honest.  I
just felt that that was really important, and yes, it was hard to share some of those things, and yes it was hard
to write some of those things. But, I decided to do it so that people would really know that it’s a complete
window to my soul, and there is nothing left, and it’s completely honest."


This is a compelling human story of being knocked down with a devastating, life altering illness and finding the strength to carry on.  Mrs. Romney is not only moving on in her life, she is thriving.


FULL DISCLOSURE:
I was approached by a representative of St Martin's Press and offered the book for review.  Thanks to Karlyn Hixson for making it such a pleasant experience.


Are you interested in a copy of this book to read for yourself?  I can help with that!  Thanks to St. Martin's Press and a very generous offer, I have three (3) books to give away!  Just put your name and email address in the comments section and I will contact you.  Easy, peasy.  You won't regret reading this story.

Houston City Council, District G Forum

Please join Memorial West Republican Women and Houston West Chamber of Commerce for a candidate forum featuring the candidates running to fill the Houston City Council, District G position.  The current officeholder, Oliver Pennington, is term limited out, so it is an important race.  This is one of the few opportunities to hear from these candidates in a forum style setting.


Come have a cup of coffee and connect with fellow Houstonians working to support Republicans running for office in a very Democrat run city!

Memorial West Republican Women PAC's

Candidates Forum - City Council, District G

 

Thursday, October 8, 2015

6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

6:30 PM  - Refreshments & Conversation    |    7:00 PM - 8:00 PM  - Forum

Trini Mendenhall Community Center - 1414 Wirt Rd, Houston, TX 77055

 

Join the Memorial West Republican Women PAC

for a Candidates Forum, featuring:

Sandie Mullins Moger	Gregory Travis

Free  & Open to the Public

A Wish Comes True for Speaker Boehner as He Resigns

For twenty years, John Boehner (R-OH) has sought to extend an invitation to the Pope and give him the opportunity to address Congress.  Thursday that dream came true.  In a historic moment, Pope Francis spoke to the members of Congress and guests about a host of topics. 


The political side of this Pope - he considered a career in politics before entering the priesthood - shined as he lectured on everything from climate change and social justice to the sanctity of life and charity.  All parts of the political spectrum could cherry pick a bit here and there to claim the Pope is in agreement of the listener's political agenda.


Many in the audience, and surely many listening elsewhere, were moved to tears at the spirit of the moment.  As is his nature, Speaker Boehner used his handkerchief more than once.









Friday morning brought the news that Speaker Boehner will resign at the end of October.  After a rocky tenure and recent years of bomb throwers coming into elected office, herding cats has been quite a challenge.  He is known for his respect of the institution and it's place in the political process. 


An honorable man and longtime public servant will no doubt receive cheers from his detractors wishing him a speedy exit.  That's too bad.  He came into office at the time of Newt Gingrich and the Republican Revolution in the early 1990's.  That was an historic time as Republicans took control of the branches of the federal government for the first time in 40 years. 


Let's hope for a smooth transition as we enter a very important national election year.

Memorial West Republican Women Now Using Pinterest

Memorial West Republican Women PAC is now using Pinterest.  Taking full advantage of the capabilities of social media, Memorial West RW is reaching out to audiences across the spectrum. Pinterest is a visual discovery tool that you can use to find ideas for all your projects and interests. 

Think of it as a virtual bulletin board.  

From Wikipedia:

Pinterest is a free website that requires registration to use.^[5] Users can upload, save, sort, and manage images—known as pins—and other media content (e.g., videos and images) through collections known as pinboards.^[6] Pinterest acts as a personalized media platform. Users can browse the content of others on the main page. Users can then save individual pins to one of their own boards using the "Pin It" button, with Pinboards typically organized by a central topic or theme. Users can personalize their experience with Pinterest by pinning items, creating boards, and interacting with other members. By doing so, the users "pin feed" displays unique, personalized results.

It is a fun way to keep organized, in this instance, the club photos from meetings, field trips, community engagement and projects.  

Check it out!

https://www.pinterest.com/memorialwestrw/

American Phoenix Foundation Stalks Texas Legislators in Austin

Sarah Davis, State Rep District 134 and Debbie Riddle, State Rep District 150 are being stalked at the State Capitol in Austin.  It is uncomfortable for them as the video Rep Davis' put on her Facebook page shows. Rep Riddle shared the video on her Facebook page and learned of those behind the project from a commenter.  This is some eye-opening creepy gotcha stuff.  As women, it is no wonder they are uncomfortable as a guy dressed in all black follows - too closely, I might add - a woman legislator around the Capitol.  Any woman would feel a violation of personal space and on edge with concern for her personal safety.

From Sarah Davis' Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/sarahdavisrep134/videos/10153942200534240/?fref=nf

What you are witnessing in this video is what I have experienced four to six times a day for the last three weeks. If you want to know what it is like to be in politics today, watch this.
Posted by Sarah Davis for State Representative 134 on Thursday, May 21, 2015

From Debbie Riddle's Facebook page:

"What Representative Sarah Davis has been experiencing with this creepy guy is what many of us have been dealing with at the Capitol. As I leave the House Chamber or go into a committee meeting, or even head down the hall to the underground parking, even getting on an elevator these creepy guys are stalking with their hidden cameras. It will be interesting to see who is financing their creepiness."

Riddle notes that it is not just female politicians, but males, too, being closely followed by silent stalkers.

What you notice in the video is the guy dressed in black looks at the camera and smirks after Rep Davis confronts him. Clearly he is enjoying her irritation.

So, I wondered, who is financing this stalking?  It turns out to be a "conservative" group, working to sabotage Republicans on video. The group is called American Phoenix Foundation. The Texas Tribune has a piece on this:

The activist group employing people who have been secretly recording lawmakers has talked about having a bipartisan mission to root out misdeeds of lawmakers no matter the political stripe.But four large donors to the American Phoenix Foundation — the Strake Foundation, the State Policy Network, the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity, and Jeff Sandefer's Ed Foundation — are well-known backers of conservative causes. The donations show what many had suspected  — that money was coming in from institutional organizations active in other conservative causes.

Then a spokesperson made the following statement:

The four groups "did not donate to this project or to this year's budget at all," a man who identified himself as John Beria, a spokesman for American Phoenix, said in an email Thursday. He added that American Phoenix remains committed to targeting misdeeds by lawmakers from any party. 

Going further:

American Phoenix is headed by Joseph Basel, who in 2010 was among four people who were arrested and charged with entering federal property under false pretenses in Louisiana. The group, pretending to be telephone repairmen, entered then-U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu's office in New Orleans. Basel later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and was ordered to pay a $1,500 fine, serve two years' probation and perform 75 hours of community service. One of his co-defendants in that case, Stan Dai, is also an officer with American Phoenix.

 George Strake, who served as former Texas secretary of state under Gov. Bill Clements, told the Tribune that his foundation contributed to American Phoenix because he's a fan of the group's vice president, Hannah Giles. Strake added that his donations were made years ago and didn't have anything to do with the group's recent videotaping project. But he didn't rule out donating to them in the future.

Giles, who is now married to Basel, drew national headlines in 2009 when she and fellow conservative activist James O'Keefe entered the offices of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, or ACORN — an activist group known for its voter registration drives — to ask for a housing loan to fund a brothel.  

The article includes a chart of the major donors to this group.  Included is Empower Texans and Texas Public Policy Foundation.

Full disclosure: As stated in the article, "Franklin Center funds Watchdog.org, a journalism network operating in nearly 20 states, including Texas."  I have been a contributor to Watchdog.org - Texas in the past.  Also, I have a history with Texas Public Policy Foundation, including attending and blogging during the Annual Policy Orientations and other special events to which I have been invited.

While transparency is important, common decency is expected from anyone approaching an elected official.  Video taping every move and word uttered from an elected official in order to play gotcha may be acceptable to some but hardly worthy of professionals.  Conservatives turning on other conservatives has become commonplace and that is unfortunate. All of this latest bad behavior on display seems to be a tactic utilized by those who oppose the leadership of Speaker Joe Straus.  

Use the link above - copy and paste if needed and watch the brief video of Rep Sarah Davis and one of the stalkers.  

What a sad chapter in politics.