United Republicans of Harris County Endorsements Announced

After many long hours of research and meetings with candidates, the process of issuing endorsements is now complete for United Republicans of Harris County.  The Board of Directors have issued the following endorsements in contested races in the Republican primary:

U.S. Senator                                                              John Cornyn
U.S. Representative, District 8                                   Kevin Brady
U.S. Representative, District 36                                 Brian Babin  and Chuck Meyer
Governor                                                                  Greg Abbott
Lieutenant Governor                                                 David Dewhurst and Jerry Patterson
Attorney General                                                       Ken Paxton
Comptroller                                                              Harvey Hilderbran
Land Commissioner                                                  George P. Bush
Agriculture Commissioner                                         Eric Opiela
Railroad Commissioner                                             Becky Berger
Chief Justice Supreme Court                                     Nathan Hecht
Justice Supreme Court, Place 6                                 Jeff Brown
Justice Supreme Court, Place 8                                 Phil Johnson
Court of Criminal Appeals Place 3                             Barbara Walther
Court of Criminal Appeals Place 4                             Jani Jo Wood
Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 9                            W.C. "Bud" Kirkendall
State Senator, District 17                                            Joan Huffman
State Representative, Dist 129                                    Chuck Maricle
State Representative, Dist 132                                    Ann Hodge
State Representative, Dist 134                                    Sarah Davis
State Representative, Dist 149                                    Nghi T. Ho
Justice, 1st Court of Appeals, Place 3                        Russell Lloyd
District Judge, 246th District                                     Angelina D.A. Gooden
District Judge, 247th District                                     Melanie Flowers and M. L. Walker
District Judge, 263rd District                                     Robert Summerlin
District Judge, 269th District                                     Dan Hinde
Family District Judge, 311th District                         Donna Detamore and Anthony Magdaleno
County Criminal Court at Law No. 10                       Tonya Rolland McLaughlin
District Clerk                                                             Chris Daniel
County Treasurer                                                       Orlando Sanchez
County School Trustee at Large, Place 5                   Mike Wolfe
Justice of the Peace Precinct 4, Place 2                      Laryssa Korduba
Justice of the Peace Precinct 5, Place 2                      Jeff Williams
Harris County Republican Party Chairman               Paul Simpson

United Republicans of Harris County Proceed with Endorsements Process

A funny thing happened as United Republicans of Harris County moved through its candidate endorsement process this primary season - the corrupt pay for play system in our county has finally begun to garner the attention from the general voting public needed to make change.  Is it the beginning of the end of pay for play slates - political endorsements in Republican primary races provided in exchange for money? Maybe.  We know it will take time to rid Harris County of the now entrenched business as usual in Republican politics.  The good news - it has to start somewhere and it has now started to capture the attention of the voter.

Are you looking for an alternative as you begin to think about the upcoming Republican primary? Are you looking for a group that provides recommendations to voters using research and actual face to face interviews?  Are you looking for a group that leads by example?  There is one such group in Harris County - United Republicans of Harris County.

Who are United Republicans of Harris County?  

United Republicans of Harris County represents the economic conservative Republicans of this community and advocates the traditional Republican philosophies of:

• Fiscal Conservatism
• Strong National Defense
• Lower Taxes
• Safer Communities
• Better Education
• Less Government Intervention
• Individual Freedoms With Responsibility
• Accountability by Our Elected Officials

Our organization is unique among the endorsing vehicles in Harris County because we are the ONLY group to have board members and a general membership.  We are comprised of grassroots activists and business and community leaders with extensive campaign involvement.

No money is exchanged for an endorsement.  We are the anti-pay for play group.  United Republicans of Harris County was formed in 1992 to counter a then-developing pay for play endorsement slate system.  This group of forward looking activists are committed to continuing today to work to turn around the descent into the demise of the county Republican party. 

The pay for play system produces lazy candidates and a lazy voting public.  It's easy for a candidate to write a check to one of the three main groups who will endorse in exchange for that check.  These groups will send out a newsletter or a mailer proclaiming their endorsements, as though a true vetting process has occurred.  It hasn't.  It is simply meeting the demand for the price set by the endorser.  The voters receiving these mailers take one to the poll.  Easy, peasy, right?

United Republicans does it differently. 

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.

There is no substitute for researching and questioning candidates.  The voter deserves a process that holds candidates to the highest standards of personal and professional ethics.  It is a tedious and time consuming process but there is no substitute.

There is nothing more precious than your vote in our political process.  Demand better of your county's politics.  Hold the handful of men made wealthy off the backs of candidates accountable and tell them it will stop.  

United Republicans has now finished the interviewing process for those who asked for an interview.  We provide questionnaires and ask for a biography of the candidate.  Then the candidate comes in for a brief interview.  You might be surprised who comes in and honors the process and who doesn't bother to participate.  Think your favorite candidate is all about "liberty" and "grass roots activism" to promote change?  Maybe not so much.

Endorsements will be announced soon.  Stay tuned.

Wendy Davis Life Story Unravels on Campaign Trail

You know Wendy Davis, candidate for Texas Governor, has messed up when even the Texas Monthly comes out with a big pop to burst her bubble.  While the Davis campaign was presenting some fuzzy math as they boasted about her campaign fundraising success, a funny thing happened.  Reality struck.

Wendy Davis is a female Democrat, which means she counts on a good victim's story to get her elected.  She has painted herself as a survivor of her earlier life of a young, divorced, single mom raising her daughters as she just barely scrapped by.  Come to find out, her second husband (father of daughter number 2) spoke with a reporter from the Dallas News and blew it all out of the water. To make it a little more interesting, the article was written by Wayne Slater, not exactly known as a friend to conservatives in Texas.

Davis was 21, not 19, when she was divorced. She lived only a few months in the family mobile home while separated from her husband before moving into an apartment with her daughter.A single mother working two jobs, she met Jeff Davis, a lawyer 13 years older than her, married him and had a second daughter. He paid for her last two years at Texas Christian University and her time at Harvard Law School, and kept their two daughters while she was in Boston. When they divorced in 2005, he was granted parental custody, and the girls stayed with him. Wendy Davis was directed to pay child support.

Oops.

So, she embellished, you are thinking.  Don't all politicians try to run as just regular people with real world life experiences?  Sure.  But in this case, as a woman, it smacks of manipulation and emotional exploitation.  She was hoping she'd be receiving the votes of women who are, in fact, single women struggling to raise children as they work two jobs.  Wendy Davis is an attractive, well educated politician who dresses well.  She is someone women can relate to as she tells her story.  It's just not an accurate story.

Husband number two cashed in his 401(k) and also took out a loan to pay for that Harvard law school education. He already paid for her last 2 years of her undergrad college. Wendy Davis left her husband and children behind and led the life of a law school student.  Then, as the last student loan was paid off, she left her husband.  And he kept the girls.

So, she was single from age 21, not 19, and began dating her second husband some time before marrying him at age 24.  He paid for her college after she put herself through community college with scholarships and pell grants.  Later, her husband even opened doors for her after she expressed a desire to run for office, as he had served on the Fort Worth city council.  She voted Republican and supported Tx Congressional candidate Kay Granger in the U.S. House.

After she graduated from Harvard in 1993, Wendy Davis started her own law practice and worked with her husband at the title company he founded. They enrolled their younger daughter, Dru, at Fort Worth Country Day School, a prestigious private school.Jeff Davis had once served on the Fort Worth City Council, and Wendy Davis expressed interest in running for a seat in 1996.“I opened some doors for her with people, knew how bright she was and knew she’d do a good job,” he said.She lost in 1996 but ran again two years later and won. The council seats were nonpartisan but in terms of voting, she was a Republican. Davis said she voted in GOP primaries because she supported mayor and congressional candidate Kay Granger, a Republican, and as a lawyer, she wanted to have a say in selecting judicial nominees in a county where the judges were often Republicans.

I must have missed that whole "I used to vote Republican" in her campaign stump speeches.

The response of Wendy Davis was this:

“My language should be tighter,” she said. “I’m learning about using broader, looser language. I need to be more focused on the detail.”

You know what would make her language "tighter"?  The truth.  Skip the bogus embellishment.

On Addressing the Health Care Needs Of Women

When will Republican men learn to let Republican women speak to the needs of women, especially when it comes to health care issues?  This poor man is clueless.  Clearly, gentlemen, there is a real difference between the general gynecological services and those of an Obstetrician, to which this man must have been referring.  No, a 50 year old woman doesn't need an OB, but she surely does still need a GYN.



Women vote.  Women voters are now the voting majority.  Encourage your male elected officials to remember that before another remark like this is plastered on every liberal website and Facebook page on the Internet.

Texas Representative Harless Leads With Courage

Today all Harris County Republican voters should thank Texas State Representative Patricia Harless, (TX Dist 126), for exhibiting true political courage and real leadership as she shines the light on the corruption that is killing off our party in Harris County.  Yesterday Harless published a chain of emails on Facebook that expose another behind-the-scenes deal for an endorsement in our current primary season.  Not just any race - it is the race for Harris County Republican Party chairman.

The emails have been published in more than one place by now, as more and more readers are tuning in, but you can read them HERE, at Big Jolly Politics, along with thoughts from the publisher.

You will note that not only do the email authors smack around Harris County Republican Party chairman candidate Paul Simpson, they also take swings at a woman working to establish a local chapter of a socially conservative national organization and the state party chairman. They take aim, too, at a local Republican group - United Republicans of Harris County - that began back in the 1990's with the mission to fight this very corruption in the county party.

Disclaimer:  I am a Republican Woman with a federated Republican Women's club and on its executive board, an elected officeholder with TFRW, and a member of the Board of Directors of United Republicans of Harris County.  I speak only for myself here and not for any organization.

Ethics and integrity matter to me.  Politics is a tough business but abandoning all measures of integrity is like losing your soul.  Easy to lose, very difficult to recover.  Is it any wonder that the average voter, the regular Joe and Jill in Harris County, has grown weary of participating in the political process?  What is the motivation for anyone to research candidates, attend forums and debates, listen to interviews, etc, in order to get to know something about them?

As the regular voter begins to realize that so many races in the GOP primary are a done deal - that a handful of men are living quite comfortably off a corrupt endorsement system known as a pay for play system - he or she rightfully feels shut out of the process.  We know that for many offices in Harris County the winner of a Republican primary race will be the winner in November against a Democrat opponent.  Is it any wonder that this corruption continues to provide diminishing numbers in turn out on election day?

The corrupt pay for play system of candidates paying a small group of men for endorsements in the Republican primary discourages talented, capable quality potential candidates from coming forward to run for office.  This iron grip on the power base of county politics is destroying the Republican party in Harris County.  This is not the norm in other parts of the country - or even in other parts of Texas - and it is wrong.

The county Republican party exists to support and help elect Republicans into offices, not for the candidates to support the local party with campaign monies.  It is past time for candidates to rise up and show some spine.  While it is easy to write a check and not have to campaign so hard if the paid endorsement slates get out the word for a candidate, it is lazy and dumbs down the electorate. Voters have grown lazy, too, by relying on the opinions of paid endorsers instead of doing the research on candidates.  Until we recruit and run candidates who will not participate in the current system, the Republican party will continue to die in Harris County.

The political climate is tough enough now without the constant divisions this corruption produces.  Do the right thing.  Say no to going to the polls and voting for slate of candidates on the recommendation of a paid endorser.  Say no to candidates who pay the endorsers.  Demand candidates earn your vote the old fashioned way - one on one and through public exposure.

Thank you, Rep Harless, for rising up and standing as a strong Republican Woman.

Stardig Speaks to Memorial West Republican Women PAC

Memorial West Republican Women PAC held the first of its 2014 meetings on Monday, January 13, 2014 at Carmelo's on Memorial. New officers were installed and the guest speaker was Houston City Council member Brenda Stardig.

Full Disclosure:  I am a member of Memorial West Republican Women PAC.  I am a former president of the club as well as a current member of the Executive Board.

A little history:

Memorial West Republican Women PAC, a member of Texas Federation of Republican Women and National Federation of Republican Women, was organized on November 6, 1961, as Republican Women's Club of Precinct 265.   In 2001, Memorial West decided to take a more active role promoting issues and legislation.  Because of this, the club's logo was changed to reflect the new goals. A forward moving elephant and the logo "On the Move" were adopted.  The club's name has gone through several changes over the years and in 2003, when the club became a PAC, the name changed to Memorial West Republican Women PAC.

Many guests and candidates seeking votes in the March Republican primary were in attendance.  Houston City Council member Brenda Stardig, a member of the club, spoke about her ideas for the upcoming year.  Stardig spoke about the importance of running the city as a business - using common sense and ethical practices.  She spoke of the importance of being able to work with others on the Council though she does not agree with some in political philosophy - her first responsibility is to her district and working on solutions of its problems.

I was honored to then perform the installation of the new officers.  The following women now serve: 
Mary Sergesketter, President; Jane Bock, President-Elect/Chaplain; Blanche Aguilar, V.P Campaign Activities; Martha Wong, V.P. Legislative Affairs; Ann Tanner, Recording Secretary; Amy Teufel, Corresponding Secretary and Barbara Thomas, PAC Treasurer.  I am serving as V.P. Programs.

I was given the opportunity to thank the club for its support in my recent election as District Director for SD7 in TFRW.  I spoke of the importance of Republican Women rising above the usual cliques in politics formed to keep control of agendas, as I saw as a candidate, and focus on empowering women, not encouraging conflict.

Mary Sergesketter, the new President, spoke of upcoming events and educated members briefly on the pitfalls of the pay for play system of candidate endorsements currently in force at the local party level as well as encouraging voter education.  It was noted that several candidates present stated decisions to not take part in the system which has so corrupted our county politics.  Harris County is only one of three counties nationwide that has fallen prey to pay for play. It is the exception in Republican politics, not the norm.

The next meeting will be February 3, 2014 at Carmelo's.  The public is always welcome to attend meetings.  Some come and listen to the featured speaker but are unable to stay for lunch after the meeting adjourns.  That is perfectly acceptable.  If you want to have lunch with us, we ask that you RSVP so that Carmelo's has a head count.  Email Barbara Thomas at bltjayhawk@juno.com or call 713-465-6945.  Speakers invited for our February meeting are the candidates for SD7 - James Wilson and Paul Bettencourt.

Rep Scott Turner Files for Texas Speaker Race

Tx State Rep Scott Turner was a last minute substitute for a football legend, Mike Ditka, at Texas Public Policy Foundation's (TPPF) Policy Orientation 2014 in Austin Thursday.  His speech given at the luncheon was all that anyone could hope for in a motivational speech.  What a treat it must have been after the initial disappointment those attending certainly experienced as they heard of Ditka's cancellation due to the winter storms in Chicago.

Turner is a former NFL player.  He is a businessman and a conservative. He is all about changing hearts and minds.

Here it is:



After watching the video, I looked the guy up.  I wanted to know what he worked on and get a feel for his concerns.
Here is where you can scan the legislation Rep Turner authored or co-authored in the last Texas legislative session.

Rep Turner's record looks good for us fiscal conservatives, as far as legislation goes.
He understands the importance of growing conservative voters to keep Texas strong and America on a better path.  He said, "As we go, so goes Texas.  As Texas goes, so goes America. We've got to be all in."

Rep Turner has now filed to run for the position of Speaker of the House in the Texas House of Representatives.

He said, "The chains of complacency and the shackles of status quo have got to be destroyed".  I don't know that this quote applies to the Speaker's race but I do know that it applies to Harris County Republican politics.  How much longer will our party survive in the nation's largest Republican county, in the largest Republican state, if we continue to allow a corrupt pay for play system to decide who will and will not be elected to office?  How long will the party survive with this corrupt system taking away choices for voters and thwarting good people from running for office?

What is the incentive for a solid Republican concerned about his or her community and state to run for office if the handful of those running the pay for play slate endorsement schemes have already made the backroom deals to put in place the favored candidates?  How much longer will the descent into a Democratic takeover statewide take if Harris County continues on its current path?

Not long.

While the Tea Party and the Libertarians and the professional purists continue to pick away at candidates over single votes or single social issues, the Democrats are plodding along.  They are registering voters and bringing in money into Texas as we haven't seen in a couple of decades.  They are emboldened and the division within my own party is a welcome help for them.  The petty "establishment" vs "liberty minded" arguments is inane.  Who built the Republican party?  Regular people, grassroots activist, concerned women, business leaders, and so on.  Back in the beginning of today's Republican party, Barry Goldwater and William F Buckley and George HW Bush and later Ronald Reagan and then those like Newt Gingrich stepped forward and asked us all to come together to work for a common goal - victory at the ballot box for Republicans.  All would be labeled "establishment" today yet today's purists do not understand history.  Bringing new voters into politics is a much desired objective and those of us who have been working all these years to advance the Republican party must educate and mentor the newcomers.

All Republicans, by our very natures, are liberty minded. It has always been so.  Remember Abe Lincoln?

Do not allow your friends and family to fall into the trap of conservative talk radio and television - these folks are paid to divide.  Avoid the pleas from those sending letters for donations to fight the RINOs and "the establishment".  They are living quite comfortably while they destroy the party.

First we must win elections.  Then we can govern.

Do not give up.

A Very Republican New Year

Happy New Year.

I am putting forth a challenge to you, my fellow Republicans.  I'm including everyone who considers himself/herself a conservative voter in this challenge.  I challenge us all to pull together this year and win some elections.  

"2014 is a time for victory not defeat." This is a bit of a piece written by Roger L. Simon, a former liberal in the true 1960's form and a committed common sense conservative today:

As Roger Kimball pointed out, the New York Times (the very model of that propagandistic veneer) already knows their bread is buttered with Hillary, not Obama. They demonstrated that Saturday with their revisionist article on Benghazi, bent on taking that scandal (Hillary’s Achilles’ heel) off the table for the coming elections or at least seriously defusing it. Republicans would do well to redouble their efforts to make sure this particular obfuscation does not succeed by doing the proper research and communicating the results to the public — succinctly and repeatedly.But to do this our group must concentrate on the principal enemy and not upon each other. My inbox is filled with emails on both sides of the inter-right wars (the Tea Partiers and the so-called RINOs) excoriating each other. What unmitigated idiocy — as if Lindsey Graham or Ted Cruz was the principal enemy and not Hillary Clinton. It’s a war between those who favor cutting government by seventy percent versus those who favor cutting it by fifty or sixty, ignoring those who want to expand it by a hundred. Although not nearly as violent, it’s in some weird way reminiscent of the party rectification campaigns practiced by Stalinists back in the 1940s.Sensible? Obviously not. And monumentally self-defeating. It has the word “loser” written all over it — and at a time when the opposition is reeling. 2014 is a time for victory not defeat. We shouldn’t be wasting our ammunition on each other. Nobody has unlimited quantities. Concentrate on principal enemy Hillary. Even though she is a well-documented liar, she is still “most admired.” Tell the truth (well) and end this. And end the hostility toward each other before you destroy all of us and our children’s future.

I suggest that you read the whole piece.

Are you sick and tired of those among us who are taking far more pleasure in attacking our own instead of the other side?  Are you aware of the money made and power taken by groups who thrive on dividing us instead of uniting us for victory?  Whether it is talk radio, opinion television, or well known groups like Freedomworks and Heritage Action PAC, they all are doing a huge disservice to the Republican party.  The people who are not political junkies, which would be the vast majority of American voters, are subjected to an endless stream of those proclaiming to be the voice of conservative voters.  Here's a news flash - no one died and left any of them in charge.  

Only in this twisted world would a candidate with an A+ rating from the NRA, or a perfect score with National Right to Life or over 95% career rating from American Conservative Union (ACA) be challenged in a primary election as a candidate not conservative enough.  .But, that is where we are now as a party. Is it any wonder that recruiting good, intelligent, worthy candidates is so difficult?  Who wants to be held to such ridiculously rigid purity tests, where a single vote that some find objectionable will find a politician defending a strategic vote?  Politics is all about strategy and the art of persuasion.  If a politician can't persuade the other side to come on board for a vote, then strategy is used with votes.  Bombastic rhetoric and temper tantrums are not winning strategies.

We need some statesmen and stateswomen.  We need some adults in the room.  We need to educate voters and do some old-fashioned hard work during primary election season.  Do the research and put a candidate's history out there for voters to read or hear.  Demand viable candidates.  Shun the unserious who proclaim that standing for principle is not the same as winning elections.  We have all heard the "I'll stay home before I go out and vote for ____." argument. Actually, that is not an argument. That's surrender to the Democrats. When you pull the lever for a candidate running as a Republican, you are supporting that party's principles.  

Without winning elections, a party cannot govern.  I firmly believe that any Republican candidate that makes it to a general election is always going to be a better choice than a Democrat candidate.  

This year, 2014, is ripe for Republican victories.  We must maintain control of the House of Representatives and wrestle control back from the Democrats in the U.S. Senate.  In Texas, we must stunt the growth of Battleground Texas and keep Texas as the nation's largest red state.  Without Texas, a Republican running for President cannot win.

None of us get the candidate of our choice all the time.  None of us has all the answers.  And, most importantly, none of us are the sole voice of all the rest of us. Do not fall for the rhetoric of the professional dividers - just think for yourself. Lots of people are making a whole lot of money at the expense of the Republican party and it has to stop.  Let's stop it in 2014 and celebrate some victories.   

A Little Campaign Hypocrisy via Email

Today I received an email plea for a campaign donation.  This is a daily occurrence for me so that is not the surprising part.  The surprising part was the suggestion from this campaign - a Republican candidate for a statewide office - to talk to my friends and family this holiday season about the candidate and ask for their vote.  

"Can you help by making a contribution of $50, $100 or $200 to us today?  And over the holidays, as you visit with friends and family, will you consider sharing with them about our campaign and asking them to be sure to vote for  (insert candidate name here) in the March 4 Republican Primary?"

Does that sound familiar?

Of course it does.  This is the same suggestion made by Team Obama to talk up the virtues of Obamacare and encourage everyone to sign up for it as you sit around with family and friends this holiday season.  

Those who do not support the government take-over of 1/6 of our national economy and the determination of this Presidential administration to put private health insurance companies out of business in favor of a single payer system mocked and jeered this action from Team Obama.  

Pot/kettle, people.

Let's leave the politics out of the holidays.  Let friends and family gather and give it all a rest.

Justine Sacco Apologizes for Tweet

The communications executive fired for tweeting really ignorant and racist remarks as she flew to Africa mentioned in my last post has now apologized.  I offer this as an update.

Justine Sacco, formerly a PR executive for the Internet giant InterActive Corp., which owns popular websites like Match.com, Dictionary.com, and Vimeo, was fired over a tweet that came from her account on Friday that read: "Going to Africa. Hope I don't get AIDS. Just kidding. I'm white!"

Here is her apology:

"Words cannot express how sorry I am, and how necessary it is for me to apologize to the people of South Africa, who I have offended due to a needless and careless tweet," Sacco said. "There is an AIDS crisis taking place in this country, that we read about in America, but do not live with or face on a continuous basis. Unfortunately, it is terribly easy to be cavalier about an epidemic that one has never witnessed firsthand."For being insensitive to this crisis -- which does not discriminate by race, gender or sexual orientation, but which terrifies us all uniformly -- and to the millions of people living with the virus, I am ashamed."This is my father's country, and I was born here. I cherish my ties to South Africa and my frequent visits, but I am in anguish knowing that my remarks have caused pain to so many people here; my family, friends and fellow South Africans. I am very sorry for the pain I caused." 

Did you see that?  Her father is South African and she was born there.  Wow. That adds a whole new level of disgusting depth to the remarks.

I give her this, though.  She issued a real apology.  It seems apologizing is a lost art today.  How many times have we seen an apology that consisted of the words "I'm sorry is anyone was offended"?  That is not an apology.  That is someone caught in a dumb remark and acting as though he/she recognizes it was a mistake.  

It would be far more honest to admit remorse for being caught.

So, kudos to this woman for doing a decent apology that at least sounds as though some thought was put into her words.  It seems heartfelt.

She is a communications specialist, though, so we can only hope it is sincere.

Mayor Parker Steps Into Duck Dynasty Controversy

Sometimes our words get us into trouble.  The non-stop chatter on social media is a landmine for potential displays of ugly and/or ignorant statements.  When a person in public office or a big corporate position misbehaves on social media, the consequences are apparent quickly and publicly.

I've chosen to not write about the whole Duck Dynasty patriarch's GQ magazine interview and the conflict with A&E channel executives because so much of it is overwrought and mislabeled as a violation of the man's First Amendment right to free speech.  I see it as a business decision.  I also think A&E knew that the man has spoken less than graciously about gays using biblical beliefs as his guide - I saw a video of him in 2010 doing that - and so it could not have been a surprise.  This is a big, corporate entertainment channel, owned by Disney, with lawyers and contracts and script ideas at their disposal.  Enough already.  There are real problems in the world.

So, along comes Ms. Justine Sacco, a PR executive employed by  InterActive Corp (IAC) and the tweet that stunned the world.  IAC  "  which owns popular websites like OkCupid, Match.com, CollegeHumor, The Daily Beast and Vimeo", according to this piece, is reported to have now fired Ms. Sacco.  Here is the tweet:

"Going to Africa. Hope I don't get AIDS. Just kidding. I'm white!"

So, yeah, that didn't go over so well.  Somehow this public relations executive managed to sound both ignorant and racist in just four short sentences.  It is such an offensive mish mash that local news broadcast anchors would only put the tweet up on the screen and refused to read the whole thing outloud.  

Her employer put out a quick response:

This is an outrageous, offensive comment that does not reflect the views and values of IAC. Unfortunately, the employee in question is unreachable on an international flight, but this is a very serious matter and we are taking appropriate action.

Ms. Sacco now finds herself among the unemployed.

A public relations executive for the prominent New York-based Internet media company IAC lost her job on Saturday after she posted a message joking about AIDS in Africa and race on her Twitter account, sparking an online furor. 

Her Twitter account?  Deleted.  Long flight home from Africa, I'm guessing.

Then, from the elected officials arena, the mayor of my own city decided to weigh in on the Duck Dynasty brouhaha with her own bit of gracelessness.  

Houston Mayor Annise Parker on Saturday took a shot at "Duck Dynasty" patriarch Phil Robertson, calling the backwood baron of duck calls and reality TV star a "redneck wingnut" in relation to his views on homosexuality.Parker, in a midday tweet, called Robertson's views "completely irrelevant," following on a remark she made to John Wright, publisher of Lone Star Q, a Texas-based blog focused on gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues."I've been a gay community activist since the mid-70s," Wright quoted Parker as saying. "It was a very different time. We were fighting to keep people out of jails and mental hospitals. What some redneck wingnut has to say about the GLBT community is completely irrelevant."Parker followed the Friday quip with a tweet Saturday. "I was serious. Who cares?" Parker wrote on her official mayoral Twitter account, followed by nearly 25,000.

"Who cares?"  Kinda puts Hillary Clinton's infamous "What does it really matter?" tone deaf and flippant remark back into a person's mind, doesn't it?  We need better from the mayor of our nation's fourth largest city.  As an elected official, working for all of the people of the City of Houston, not just the ones she chooses to work for, she would do well to remember to act as a professional.  We deserve better dialogue than "redneck wingnut".

We need respectful dialogue brought back into politics.  The recent election cycles here in Houston have been hideous, frankly, with far more personal destruction attacks used in campaigns than arguments on policy and issues.  Some politicians now sound little better than common street thugs. Disagree with the candidate on his/her qualifications or rhetoric? That candidate and surrogates will go after the dissenter personally and publicly.

Politics 101 teaches that politics is the art of persuasion.  Who is persuaded with this comment?

Be worthy of the office or position you hold.  Lead by example.

Endangered Democrats Feeling the Obamacare Heat

Lousiana's Senior Senator (Democrat), Mary Landrieu, is feeling the heat from the fall-out of implementation of Obamacare.  She's up for re-election in 2014 and considered to be one of the most vulnerable.

Small business, in particular, are weighing in against Landrieu and other Democrats who forced Obamacare on the American consumer on a party line vote.  The irony? Landrieu chairs the Small Business Committee:

Sen. Mary Landrieu, Who Chairs The Small Business Committee, Boasts On Her Senate Website That “She Is Leading Efforts To Ensure All Small Businesses Have Access To…Superior Health Insurance At A Low Cost.” “As chair of the Small Business Committee, she is leading efforts to ensure all small businesses have access to capital and contracts, superior health insurance at a low cost and the resources needed to help boost our economy and guarantee America’s competiveness in the global marketplace. (“Biography,”Landrieu.senate.gov, Accessed 12/17/13)

In 2009, Landrieu Insisted That ObamaCare “Drives Down Costs And Expands Affordable Health Care Choices For Millions Of Families And Small Businesses.”LANDRIEU: “I am voting for this bill because it achieves the goals I laid out at the beginning of this debate: it drives down costs and expands affordable health care choices for millions of families and small businesses in Louisiana and around the nation.  Any claim to the contrary, is a pathetic lie meant to derail this bill, a tactic that was all too common during this debate.” (Sen. Mary Landrieu, Congressional Record, 12/22/09, S13736) 

Oops.

In typical Landrieu arrogance mode, she asserts she would support a vote for Obamacare again!

MARY LANDRIEU: The Affordable Care Act as I said, the bill itself, has very good concepts. And yes, I would support it again. But that doesn’t excuse the poor rollout of what should have happened. There should not have been a glitch in the software.

And in Arkansas -

According to the last polling results, Senator Mark Pryor has a 7 point deficit running against Republican challenger Rep Tom Cotton.
Plus this:

Cotton is ahead among independents by 21 points and among women by 4 points.

Small businesses in Arkansas are not happy with Senator Pryor and are running this ad in the state during the holiday season:

Donate Wisely This Holiday Season

I received this in an email from a friend.  This is very interesting information to have when you write a check to those soliciting funds this holiday season.  Donate wisely.  Do the most good with the dollars you donate!

THINK BEFORE YOU DONATE

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT BEFORE YOU MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS:

As you open your pockets to do a good thing and make yourself feel good, please keep the following facts in mind: ----------------------------

The American Red Cross President and CEO Marsha J. Evans' salary for the year was $651,957 plus expenses

MARCH OF DIMES It is called the March of Dimes because only a dime for every 1 dollar is given to the needy.

The United Way President Brian Gallagher receives a $375,000 base salary along with numerous expense benefits.

UNICEF CEO Caryl M. Stern receives $1,200,000 per year (100k permonth) plus all expenses including a ROLLS ROYCE. Less than 5 cents of your donated dollar goes to the cause.

GOODWILL CEO and owner Mark Curran profits $2.3 million a year. Goodwill is a very catchy name for his business. You donate to his business and then he sells the items for PROFIT.  He pays nothing for his products and pays his workers minimum wage! Nice Guy.  $0.00 goes to help anyone!  Stop giving to this man.

 

Instead, give it to ANY OF THE FOLLOWING

GO "GREEN" AND PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE IT WILL DO SOME GOOD:

The Salvation Army Commissioner, Todd Bassett receives a small salary of only $13,000 per year (plus housing) for managing this $2 billion dollar organization. 96 percent of donated dollars go to the cause.	The American Legion National Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary.  Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth!	The Veterans of Foreign Wars National Commander receives a$0.00 zero salary. Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth!	The Disabled American Veterans National Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary.  Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth!	The Military Order of Purple Hearts National Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary.  Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth!
The Vietnam Veterans AssociationNational Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary. Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth!	Make a Wish: For children's last wishes. 100% goes to funding trips or special wishes for a dying child.	St. Jude Research Hospital 100% goes towards funding and helping Children with Cancer who have no insurance and cannot afford to pay.	Ronald McDonald Houses All monies go to running the houses for parents who have critical Children in the hospital. 100% goes to h ousing, and feeding the families.	Lions Club International 100% OF DONATIONS GO TO HELP THE BLIND,BUY HEARING AIDES, SUPPORT MEDICAL MISSIONS AROUND THE WORLD. THEIR LATEST UNDERTAKING IS MEASLES VACCINATIONS (ONLY $1.00 PER SHOT).

United Republicans of Harris County Begins Endorsement Process

The endorsement process has begun for the Board of Directors of United Republicans of Harris County.  As a reminder, United Republicans of Harris County (URHC) is the only endorsement slate offered to Harris County voters which DOES NOT participate in the pay for play system. URHC accepts no contributions in exchange for endorsements of any candidate running for county wide or state wide office.

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 WinningCongressional Candidate in all of the open Congressional seats in our greater Houston region.

URHC is beginning first with those candidates seeking state wide office, then following with those seeking county wide office in the personal interview process.

URHC is committed to providing an alternative to the corrupt pay for play system currently dominating county politics.  The system has shrunk the Republican party into an environment of a handful of men who make big bucks at the expense of candidates.  The system also produces lazy campaigning - if all a candidate thinks he/she has to do is pay for endorsements from those running the show, why go out and ask for votes?  Why go out and get to know those who will be affected by your office?

This system also discourages intelligent, ethical, forward thinking individuals from running for office.  The vicious cycle must be broken.

Stay tuned.  The endorsement/interviewing process takes lots of hours and research from the Board of Directors, who conduct the interviews and vote on the endorsements brought forward.

FULL DISCLOSURE :
I am a member of the Board of Directors of United Republicans of Harris County.

On the 50th Anniversary of the Kennedy Assassination

Today we remember the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.  This is one of those time stopping moments in a life when the initial shock is embedded in our minds and we remember where we were and what we were doing when it happened.  As it has been described by others, the assassination of President Kennedy is to my generation - the Baby Boomers - what the events of 9/11/01 are to the Milliennial generation.

Today former President George W. Bush, president during the 9/11/01 attacks and current resident of Dallas, issued the following statement:

"Today we remember a dark episode in our Nation's history, and we remember the leader whose life was cut short 50 years ago. John F. Kennedy dedicated himself to public service, and his example moved Americans to do more for our country. He believed in the greatness of the United States and the righteousness of liberty, and he defended them. On this solemn anniversary, Laura and I join our fellow citizens in honoring our 35th President."

On that day in Dallas, in 1963, I was in the second grade at Creswell Elementary School in Shreveport, Louisiana.  Being so young, I don't remember that we were told that the president had been shot as we were released to go home.  What I remember of that day is upon returning home from school, I walked into our house and as I walked to the back of the house to my room, I saw our housekeeper. She was sitting on the couch crying as her eyes were locked on the television screen.  Our normal routine would have her standing there in the room used as a spot for watching television doing the ironing.  She watched "her stories", the soap operas of the day, as she ironed.  I asked her why she was crying and she said that our president had been shot and she thought he was dead. Then she hugged me. 

That is how I remember that day in our nation's history. 

In school we studied American History and our nation's presidents.  Sometimes it was a surprise to re-learn how briefly President Kennedy was our president.  And how young his wife, in particular, was when he was killed.  

I'll say upfront that I was raised in a very Republican household and my parents were never Kennedy supporters.  They frequently tsk-tsked the whole storyline of the days of Camelot and the adulation the family received from so many, including the glowing press reports.  We know now that much was not reported in those days as the press covered the president.  Certainly none of the personal failings of President Kennedy were brought to light during his time in the White House.  

"And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country." - This is the famous quote associated with the man.  He used it in his inaugural address,  January 20, 1961.

When remininiscing about the Kennedy administration, one of the first accomplishments mentioned is not really an accomplishment but a goal, a challenge, issued by President Kennedy.  He challenged our country to put a man on the moon.  He wanted to enter the space race and compete with the Soviet Union, in the midst of the days of the Cold War.

He is remembered for his handling of America's response to the Bay of Pigs crisis.  

As often happens, memories soften and sometimes history is simply re-written.  Today we listen as Republicans sing the praises of JFK for cutting taxes as he did or for his stand against Communism, etc.  Turns out, he was only mediocre as president.  

By almost any measure, John F. Kennedy was a middling president at best, and an occasionally disastrous one. The Bay of Pigs fiasco, the Cuban missile crisis, setting the nation on the wrong course in Vietnam, his nepotism, the spying on political rivals — all must weigh heavily in our judgment of his presidency. And while Kennedy the president was a middle-of-the-range performer at best, Kennedy the man has been relentlessly diminished by the eventual revealing of the facts of his day-to-day life.

Though President Johnson takes the most criticism for the events in the Vietnam war, the other most distinguishing memories of the formative years of Baby Boomers, it was JFK who set those wheels in motion.

Kennedy famously appointed his own brother, Robert Kennedy, to the position of Attorney General - thus bringing blatant nepotism into the West Wing.  He did no favors for the presidency and the obligations of fairness to all Americans.  Kennedy opposed Civil RIghts legislation because Republicans supported it.  

John Kennedy looms large in the American imagination, but not for anything he accomplished in office. He was a handsome and vivacious man whose ascendancy coincided with that of television, a politician who was one part royal, one part movie star. That Americans found his celebrity and his pretensions to aristocracy appealing is beyond argument; however, it does not speak well of our political culture. But as created personas go, JFK was a doozy: He won the Pulitzer Prize for a book largely written by somebody else; his reputation as an intellectual was largely the creation of Arthur Schlesinger; and his family was figuratively and perhaps literally in bed with Joe McCarthy (who dated two of the Kennedy women), but the stigma of McCarthyism has never attached itself to his name. His pathological sexual appetites gave him the reputation of a charming rogue, when the truth is that he was closer to a mid-century Anthony Weiner. He was a veteran with an admirable military record, an unexceptional and difference-splitting senator with an Irish name: But for his celebrity, he would have been John McCain or John Kerry. 

One doesn't have to ponder for long to see many similarities today in politics with our current president.  Much like Kennedy, Barack Obama has coasted along in the glow of an adoring press and a strong fictional personal story. Both were mediocre U.S. Senators who rose to the presidency.  History repeats itself, that is certain.

Had President Kennedy not been assassinated, he would be remembered very differently today.  Instead of benefiting from the nostalgia of that horrible day - no decent person wishes those events on a nation or a family -  JFK would have been seen as a career politician groomed by an ambitious father to be president.  His own father, Joe Kennedy, a man made wealthy by rum running, was Ambassador to the Court of St James and a Nazi appeaser during the beginnings of World War II.  He resigned his post and returned to America determined to have a son in the White House.

Today the city of Dallas recognizes the anniversary of that tragic day 50 years ago, for the first time.  It is right to do so.  The Age of Camelot never really existed except in the eyes of the Kennedy worshipers.  It is something to be remembered today as the current American Idol sits in the White House.  

Morales Issues Statement Regarding Judgement on Kubosh Residency

Republicans believe in the rule of law. 

Recently the City of Houston elections were held.  Candidates for city offices are required to be residents of the City of Houston - not Harris County, the City of Houston.  In the race for Houston City Council At Large District 3, a run-off election between Roy Morales and Michael Kubosh is in full swing.  Though city elections are non-partisan, both men call themselves Republicans.  I have heard both at various meetings and events speak of their Republican credentials.  As a Republican Woman, I have noticed a decidedly unsavory turn in this particular race.  Heeding my own clarion call to others - that voters stand up and speak out - I am wading into this race with hopes of fairness and ethics and decency being restored.

I have no dog in this hunt.  I am not a member of either man's campaign.  I have not voiced an endorsement for either candidate.  None of that has changed.  I am walking the walk as I talk the talk to voters. 

I am bothered by some criticism of Roy Morales by those who wish to cast doubt on his Republican credentials.  This is not his first run for office and he has never run as anything but a Republican.  The same cannot be said of Mr. Kubosh.  That is truth.

I am disturbed that Lt Col Morales is taking guff from Kubosh supporters - especially the paid surrogates - for using his military designation in his campaign materials.  This seems to be a level of pettiness that is unfortunate, especially from one Republican candidate's camp against another Republican candidate. Morales is entitled to use his rank, as a retired member of the military.  It's his personal choice and I respect that.  That is truth.

This week brought a new level of drama to the race.  Mr. Kubosh's residency was in question and that topic played out in the local court system.  The judge ruled in favor of Mr. Kubosh.  Today Roy Morales responded to local reporting on the subject:

Shedding Light On Michael Kubosh's Residency

For Immediate Release                                         Contact: info@roymorales.com   November 20, 2013                                                              713.320.8167                                                        Houston, TX - This evening District Court Judge Randy Wilson denied Roy Morales' Temporary Injunction to request that the Defendant Michael Kubosh be declared ineligible to be on the runoff ballot in accordance with section 232.045(a) of the Texas Election Code. Retired Lt Col Morales stated, " I am very disappointed in the court's  decision and in my heart and I believe in the hearts of many voters, we believe that Mr. Kubosh was not a resident of Houston on November 6, 2012 as required by the City of Houston."  Roy Morales began researching Mr. Kubosh's residency back in August when there were six candidates on the ballot. He did so at the urging of many concerned citizens that had questioned Kubosh's residency in Houston.  He did not receive his open records request from the Harris County Appraisal District until October 25, 2013. Mr. Morales was told by the City Attorney he could do nothing about it until after the Election, when Mr. Morales could take it to District Court after the City had canvassed the results.  That occurred this past Monday at 3 pm. The law requires candidates for public office to be residents of the City of Houston.  In seeking and obtaining his homestead exemption, Michael Kubosh swore that his principal residence is not in the City of Houston, but, in fact, is in Cypress, Texas and has been since 2008.  As a result, Kubosh, a bail bondsman, has claimed a homestead exemption on his principal residence for the last six years. By claiming his principal residence to be outside of the City of Houston, he has also avoided paying taxes to the City.  However, today Mr. Kubosh removed his homestead exemption from his Cypress address and paid the back taxes. In addition, Kubosh registered two cars using his Cypress address within the one year period. Roy Morales stated, "If a candidate is unable to follow the basic requirements to run for public office, how can we expect him to be a good servant for the citizens of Houston?  I shed light on the very important issue of residency and the need for transparency."  Morales is entitled to his response and I believe his question was fair.  He did what a candidate should do - he pursued an answer.  He took action after obtaining evidence and let it move through the legal system.  Kubosh paid the back taxes.  I have to ask - if everything was ok, why did he do that?

RPT Chairman Munisteri Working on Presidential Primary Changes

Republican Party of Texas Chairman Steve Munisteri spoke at the monthly meeting of Village Republican Women Wednesday held at Lakeside Country Club.  Most interesting was his update on his work in reforming the Republican presidential primary process. As he announced recently, Chairman Munisteri has been appointed to sit on the Commission on Convention Planning:

I had been appointed by RNC Chairman Reince Priebus to serve on the Commission on Convention Planning which is considering moving up the date of the national convention and seeking input pertaining how to have a better convention in the future. Chairman Priebus floated the idea of moving the convention up to June or July from late August/September. I spoke in favor of moving up the convention, but requested that the RNC not move it up so early so as to interfere with the Texas GOP’s plans to hold our state convention in 2016. I informed the RNC that the Texas State Republican Executive Committee had already voted to move up our state convention from June to early May in order to accommodate RNC changes, but that any convention earlier than late June would be near impossible for us to conduct. I told the commission that we could make late June work but it would be very difficult and that we would prefer the end of the first week or second week of July. The commission is going to consider a variety of wide ranging changes but no specific matters were voted on this meeting.

Chairman Munisteri addressed three specific ideas he is working on to promote change in the upcoming Republican presidential primary process:

An earlier primary for Texas:  Texas has such a  large number of delegates to the RNC convention yet with our presidential primary falling later in the process, the state is not as big an influence as is equitable.  

The primary debates:  Less debates. All debates will be RNC approved events.  If candidates agree to participate in non-approved debates, penalties will be issued.  Why should Republican presidential primary candidates debate with CNN anchors or former Democratic White House staffers?

An earlier national convention:  Instead of the Republican convention being held in late summer, it should be moved up earlier on the calendar.  This allows more time for the presidential ticket to campaign and be more competitive before the November election.  The bonus of this would also be less risk of a hurricane threat that would result in last minute scheduling changes. 

Chairman Munisteri spoke of the importance of everyone working to keep Texas a red state, which is especially important in presidential elections.  There is no electoral college pathway to national victory for a Republican presidential candidate without the electoral college votes from Texas. 

Chairman Munisteri spoke to the subject of engagement in traditionally minority communities and bringing these voters into Republican politics.  Here is what he wrote in his last newsletter update on Asian American and African American voter engagement:

In addition to planning for the RNC’s future we continued to focus our efforts back here in Texas on Victory efforts for 2014 and expanding our engagement program. We finalized plans for opening up an office in San Antonio, completed agreements with the Harris County GOP for our Victory office there, and continued to gear up our operations in Tarrant County, where we have placed a Victory Director as part of an agreement with the Tarrant County GOP. We also continued to hire staff to fill our Victory and engagement positions. We added Melissa Fwu, a Rice graduate, as our Director of Asian American Engagement. We also added former prosecutor Tommy Coleman as our In-House Counsel & Director of African American Engagement.

Engagement with Hispanic voters is ongoing, as well.  He stressed the importance of Republican elected officials to be present in communities and reach out to voters in person at local meetings and gatherings.