Posted on 05/23/2013 7:41:12 AM PDT by Windflier
I wanted to give you a quick summary on the 3 urgent bills that need attention IMMEDIATELY. They are:
Senate Bill 346 (SB 346) is designed to discourage people from giving to Tea Party groups who wish to replace RINO's with conservatives. It is a Saul Alinsky device to identify donors so they can be targeted and then discouraged from giving to conservatives. It is incredible, as the WSJ points out in an editorial in today's paper, that a Governor in Texas would even contemplate such a thing. But such is the fear in the RINO Establishment's nostrils. It not been signed into law yet, but it is on the Governor's desk and he is getting strong pressure to sign it into law.
Senate Bill 346 requires that any "person or group of persons" making more than $25,000 in so-called "political expenditures" in a calendar year turn over to the government the identities of the sources of all "political contributions" over $1,000 (§ 254.253(a)). This obligation applies unless the group of persons is "labor organization or any subordinate entity or associated account of a labor organization," in which case there is no obligation to turn supporters' identities over.
If Governor Perry signs SB346, this will lead to enhanced scrutiny of grassroots groups in Texas and their supporters. Supporters' identities will have to be turned over if the groups are found to have tendered--or agreed to tender--more than $25,000 of value "in connection with" election-related activities in a calendar year, or tendered such value knowing that it could potentially be used "in connection with" such activities.
PERRY NEEDS TO VETO THIS BILL BEFORE Friday, OR IT BECOMES LAW. Governor Rick Perry's contact info: Phone: (512) 463-2000 http://governor.state.tx.us/contact/
Senate Joint Resolution (SJR1) is a direct raid on the Rainy Day Fund. Anyone who doubts we need to keep this fund intact need only look northward to Oklahoma this last week. GOP leaders (RINOs) are determined to bust the spending cap‰ even if it means enacting yet another gimmick and more smoke and mirrors. This time they are changing the definition of "busting the spending cap." The Governor, Lt. Governor, and Speaker all strongly spoke against these tactics before the session began, but they are all silent now!
We strongly oppose SJR 1. Here's why:
1) The TX Water Development Board is NOT short on tools to finance water projects. The board already has two Texas Water Development Funds; creating another would be an unnecessary expansion of government. Spending money just because the Rainy Day Fund is projected to have $12 B at the end of the next biennium reeks of a Washington DC-like mindset.
2) 94% of Republican Primary Voters in 2012 voted against this idea by voting for Ballot Resolution #4 - Limiting any increase in government spending. This garnered even more votes that repealing ObamaCare (93%).
3) SJR 1 weakens limits on spending by allowing the Legislature to always draw Rainy Day Fund money into a State Infrastructure Bank for water spending, but it never ever counts against the spending limit. (General Abbott has already agreed that a draw from RDF is considered to be general revenue and thus counts against the spending cap.)
4) State spending is out of control - no matter how the GOP leadership spins it. When both baseline budgets leave out transportation, water and the proposed tax cut, and still spend 20% more in General Revenue than last session and are determined to raid the Rainy Day Fund, it's pretty clear leadership is on a spending spree.
Tell your state representative to resist! For the good of Texas - resist!
Find your state representative by clicking here: http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/Members/Members.aspx?Chamber=H
Senate Bill 1029 (SB 1029) is a transportation bill that is designed to keep 5 loopholes in the law that allow the conversion of free lanes into toll lanes, and removes any public vote on the matter. Those of us in Dallas are about to experience the horrific cost and congestion on the new LBJ roadway since it's sale to a private Spanish company (CINTRA). I'll bet you had no idea.
You will still be allowed to drive without direct tolls in a few, highly congested lanes, but the fast lanes are all reserved for tolls of 75¢ mile and up (they get to adjust the toll to the amount of traffic), meaning a commute across town and back will soon cost almost $20/day. Many other roads in this area are similarly slated to be very heavily tolled after conversion to privately owned tollways. The bill is on local & consent in the HOUSE so it's assured passage, but you should still call your state rep to ensure they record a "NO" vote in the journal. We consider this a TAX bill and it will be used against them come election time if they don't record a no vote....
Tell your state representative to resist! For the good of Texas - resist!
Find your state representative by clicking here: http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/Members/Members.aspx?Chamber=H
Visit Lone Star Tea Party at: http://lonestarteaparty.us/?xg_source=msg_mes_network
Thanks!
I had my list of likely bills to pass from a couple of weeks ago...I made my calls since then...
One thing we have to realize is this...
Bills that have passed the legislative process, been voted on in the affirmative in that body, and are off to be signed or allowed to become law on September 1st (after every legislative session) are likely to be signed by the governor...
I cannot recall Perry ever Veto-ing any bill for the purpose opf being the last stopgap for any unpopular bill coming from the legislature...He has allowed many bills to become law on their own, sans signature on the September 1st deadline...But I do not recall any Veto’s that I can remember...
I’m just saying that phone calls and other communication may sway him, but there has to be a ton of them to get him to do that...
I agree, some of these bills are horrible...But the time for those bills to have been squashed is long gone...
This is just the way I see it...
God blesses Texas ;)
“Freedom of association and freedom of speech are two of our
most important rights enshrined in the Constitution. My
fear is that SB 346 would have a chilling effect on both
of those rights in our democratic political process.
While regulation is necessary in the administration of Texas
political finance laws, no regulation is tolerable that puts
anyone’s participation at risk or that can be used by any
government, organization or individual to intimidate those who
choose to participate in our process through financial means."
“At a time when our federal government is assaulting the rights
of Americans by using the tools of government to squelch dissent,
it is unconscionable to expose more Texans to the risk of such
harassment, regardless of political, organizational or party affiliation.
I therefore veto SB 346.”
God bless Gov Rick Perry and may God continue to bless Texas!
You seem to be one of the more responsible citizens around here, Stevie. Thank you for your activism.
Great news! Thank you, Jane!
bump
Of course, he’d veto it (still, ya never know what the gov will do until it’s done). It was ridiculous in the first place.
One would hope, but we can't take any politician for granted these days.
Kel is all butt hurt over this .... Time to replace him IMO.
http://www.seliger.senate.state.tx.us/pr13/p052513a.htm
Thanks for the ping ....stay safe !
State Senator Kel Seliger (R-Amarillo) made the following statement Saturday following Governor Perry's veto of SB 346.
"This is a sad day for integrity and transparency in Texas. Governor Perry's veto of SB 346 legalizes money laundering in Texas elections. The Governor's veto is ironic since money laundering is illegal in other endeavors. As other states have stepped forward to ban election money laundering by dark money 501c4 non-profit corporations, it is embarrassing that the Lone Star state is now an official safe haven for political money launderers. Again, the 2010 Supreme Court decision in the Citizens United vs FEC case clearly stated that disclosure of contributions was critical to the right of corporations to participate in our system of democracy. The Court said: "The First Amendment protects political speech; and disclosure permits citizens and shareholders to react to the speech of corporate entities in a proper way. This transparency enables the electorate to make informed decisions and gives proper weight to different speakers and messages."
What sort of Republican talks like that?
Hopefully, one of these 501c4’s will find a good, solid conservative to primary ol’ Kel’s behind! Let me know, and I’ll be sure and donate :)
One die hard RINO IMO.... Can’t have these grass roots taking down established weeds ya know ....:o)
Never liked this guy.... My opinion. But again, he’s better than the democrat POS that was running. Reason we need the tea party to dump such in the primaries. Kel should never have got on the ballot.
We will find a real conservative to run against him hopefully.
Stay safe !
http://wilcoconservative.blogspot.com/2013/05/governor-perry-vetoes-so-called.html
Yesterday Governor Rick Perry vetoed Senate Bill 346, the ‘disclosure’ bill that exempted unions.
The Governor's statement:
Freedom of association and freedom of speech are two of our most important rights enshrined in the Constitution. My fear is that SB 346 would have a chilling effect on both of those rights in our democratic political process. While regulation is necessary in the administration of Texas political finance laws, no regulation is tolerable that puts anyone’s participation at risk or that can be used by any government, organization or individual to intimidate those who choose to participate in our process through financial means.
At a time when our federal government is assaulting the rights of Americans by using the tools of government to squelch dissent it is unconscionable to expose more Texans to the risk of such harassment, regardless of political, organizational or party affiliation. I therefore veto SB 346.
Nicely done, Governor, nicely done.
Posted by Holly Hansen at 6:19 AM
Way to go Perry!
The ‘Curse of Obamanation’ suffered a blow to its Commie Unions in TEXAS!
Thanks for the ping!
I stand corrected and surprised...
Even Governor Good Hair comes up with the right decision from time to time...
Now, what did that Veto cost him??? I guess we’ll have to wait and see...
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