The Texas Republican Party continues to pander to the far right of their party. Today, 58 Texas Republicans have joined together to launch the Independent Conservative Republicans of Texas.
Their mission is simple.
As members of the Independent Conservative Republicans of Texas, we pledge to defend the values and principles on which our nation was founded. We are proud Republicans who support our party. But our first allegiance is to the people, the conservative majority of our party who elected us to office.
We pledge not to divide, but to unite Conservatives everywhere. We pledge to make America and Texas stronger by defending individual liberty, freedom, and the free market ideals that made our country the envy of the world.
The group calls themselves the Independent Conservative Republicans of Texas. What is independent about them? Absolutely nothing. All of these lawmakers are part of the monolithic block of Texas Republicans who do and say whatever Rick Perry and Grover Norquist want them to say. This is a weak and pathetic ploy, on Republicans part, to re-brand their failed Party before the general elections -- when they know that they will be held accountable for the laundry list of failures they have put in place since 2003.
When their party began to listen to moderates and work with Democrats to pass bipartisan legislation, they put up controversial Voter ID and shut down the House. These members want to increase the government's role in your bedroom, house, small business, and infringe on your social freedoms like speech, privacy, and every bill in the bill rights except the 2nd, which they believe covers the right to carry grenade launchers.
This group of 58 consists of 44 members of the House and 14 Senators is an impressive list. THe 44 House members bare a striking similarity to the 44 members who supported Craddick and his dictatorial regime.
The founder of this bunch is none other than Dan Patrick, who Phil Martin once called the leader of the Senate (even though the constitutional authority rests with Lt. Gov David Dewhursts, but Dewhurst can't lead himself out of the capitol without help).
By now, some of you might be asking what has me so worked up about this fanatic wing of the Republican Party. The answer is simple, and picture are worth a thousand words (or something like that). Tell me what party would want to be assoicated with this (keep in mind the search was just "Tea Party Signs") or the more offensive "tea party racism".
The reality is, this is language and politics unbecoming of an honest and open public discourse.
They have created a contract with Texas that includes:
We give our word to stand for conservative principles
and to put people before party.
We give our word to be fiscally accountable,
limit the size of government,
and fight for free market principles.
We give our word to protect our borders
and to support a strong military.
We give our word to protect life, support strong family values,
and uphold the Judeo-Christian beliefs our nation was founded upon.
We give our word to defend the Constitution
and protect the sovereign rights of Texas.
Keep in mind, in Texas we change our constitution all the time, so if they want to uphold the constitution, it doesn't take much to pass a Prop 2 style hate amendment to make the constitution reflect their interpretation of the Judeo-Christian doctrines they want. Second, government in Texas is so small, there is a $12 billion structural deficit that was only made balanced by... wait for it... accepting federal money!
The budget that created this deficit AND borrowed federal money was written by a Republican House, a Republican Senate, and signed by a Republican Governor.
Let's talk about real problems and solutions. Let's have a real debate. Let's talk about real ideas and what would help ever Texan and not the 58 Republicans who want more power in the Texas legislature. Craddick, Dan Patrick and Phil King want to use fear and rhetoric and we deserve better in Texas.
This political stunt is not only offensive, it is morally reprehensible.
These 58 elected officials are pandering to the far right of their party and in doing so owe every Texan an explanation why and must call out the fanatics of this movement and call on them to end the language of hate and racism.
With a handful of exceptions, the House members who joined Patrick's group are not heavy-lifters under GOP Speaker Joe Straus. And most of the key lawmakers who helped elect Straus - Reps. Jim Pitts, Dan Branch, Burt Solomons, Charlie Geren, Jim Keffer, among others - aren't on the list. Neither is Straus.
Begs the question, is this a 2010 election strategy or a 2011 speaker fight?
