EVENT SUCCESS!!! Conservative Grassroots Activism School Sponsored By Texas GOP

          

           
South Texas Republicans Scholarship Students (pictured above) received the chance to attend this excellent 2 day seminar for free due to loyal supporters from Laredo and Houston who generously provided resources for numerous FREE scholarships. These spots were available for Teenage Republicans, College Republicans, Senior Citizens on fixed incomes, active military, Veterans, teachers, small business owners, Republican club members and other grassroots activists. South Texas Republicans PAC is blessed to have such wonderful patrons.



The Grassroots Activism Training put on by the Republican Party of Texas was an amazing experience. Matt Lewis of Campaign Leadership Company and Erin DeLullo, of DeLullo and Associates shared their wisdom and expertise to over 40 people from all over South Texas.

We covered a wide array of topics, such as political technology, how to raise funds for your campaign effectively, the voting power block and how to reach out to your potential constituents. We also heard how to find solid volunteers and keep them motivated as well as how to create a campaign budget.

We would like to personally thank Kevin Lindley, Damaris Barton, and Sara Floerke of the Republican Party of Texas who emceed the event, worked the registration tables, and worked tirelessly to provide this wonderful opportunity for South Texans to learn these valuable tools.

We would also like to thank Chairman Tina Benkiser for coming bright and early Friday morning to talk to us about the importance of growing our party and never resting!

To find out more about the Republican Party of Texas and what they are doing, check and bookmark their website: Republican Party of Texas

2004 Republican Party of Texas Platform:

http://texasgop.org/library/platform.php
 

Presently, there remain only two Republican County-Courts-at Law judges in Bexar County. The Democrats control 8 benches. Have Republicans been sleeping, unconcerned or acquiescent? One source tells us that personal injury lawyers are filing most of their cases in the County-Courts-at- Law in Bexar County. It is a summary judgment paradise down there. 

Democrat Judge Meyer is a tireless campaigner. He will be favored by the San Antonio Express-News. This should be a very interesting race! And expect to see Judge Christian mobilize all of his NRA friends. Those voters are very loyal and they are willing to work for their candidates. They can also donate generously if Wayne throws one of his big parties.

Advice to Wayne Christian: Learn about campaigning from Judge Lori Massey. She is an amazing example of leadership in this community.  Judge Diaz has also been doing a fantastic job reaching out to folks at the grassroots level.

Democrat Dan Pozza, Candidate for the 4th Court-of-Appeals, Raises $95,000

South Texas Republicans is very concerned by this strong showing.   Here is a link to the donor list. 

http://txprod.ethics.state.tx.us/public/283829noadd.pdp

We are puzzled and troubled that there are so many Republicans named on this long list of financial donors. It makes no sense to us, but we have never been able to understand the Byzantine Bexar County Courthouse culture. It really is another world that just happens to be in South Texas. 

One final note:  A Bexar County Republican judge attended Dan Pozzas fundraiser and praised the man in front of the entire audience.  Unbelievable!!! (We are currently recruiting a Republican lawyer to challenge this judge...just kidding!) 
 

by Railroad Commissioner, Elizabeth Ames Jones, at a special reception hosted by the Republican Business Women of Bexar County on Thursday, July 28, 2005 at the Grey Moss Inn in Helotes.

Laura Bush Service and Education Award Logo Courtesy of
Robert Sanchez- www.sanchezforcongress.com .
 

JUSTICE PHYLIS J. SPEEDLIN

Justice on the Fourth Court of Appeals

Cordially invites you to attend a reception

To support her re-election

Thursday, September 15, 2005
 

5:30p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Paesanos Restaurant

555 E. Basse Rd.

San Antonio, Texas 78209
 

Sponsor $1000  

Host $500 

        Advocate $250   

   Friend $100

 Guest $50


Business Attire
 

We are pleased to announce that Texas Supreme Court Justice Phil Johnson will be joining us for a Special Presentation and Petition Signing Party in Bexar County. 

(Please bring your voter registration card. We encourage South Texas Judges to attend with their petitions by 6:00pm. There is limited space.)

Judge Joe Brown, 57th District Court, will introduce Justice Johnson. 

Special Guest:  Grace G. Kunde, Candidate for the 4th Court of Appeals

Date:  August 31, 2005 (Wednesday)

Networking Reception:  6:30pm  7:00pm

Program:  7:00pm- 8:00pm

Cost:  FREE

Location:  Newforest Estates, A Wellstone Retirement Community, 5034 Newforest Drive, San Antonio, Texas 78229, Phone: 210-680-3649

Click here for a MAP

175 residents of the Newforest Estates Community will be invited to this function. 

Sponsorship Levels:  Gold- $100, Silver $50, Bronze $25.  Please contact Schuylar Crist if you would like to be a sponsor of the program.

In the past four years, South Texas Republicans and Alamo City Republican Women have been honored to host the following Texas Supreme Court Justices at our events:

Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson, Justice Dale Wainright, Justice Scott Brister, Justice Paul Green and Justice David Medina.

Where: Omni Hotel, San Antonio, 9821 Colonnade Blvd at IH-10 West

When: Doors open at 5:30pm

Cost: Single- $30, Couple- $50, Freedom Table Sponsor Table- $1150 & Heritage Sponsor Table- $350

Contact Information: www.alamofriendsofnra.org or 210-737-2358/210-364-8502

Limited Seating- No tickets sold at the door. Proceeds support youth education, training, range development, and conservation efforts in our community.
 

South Texas Republicans is pleased to announce that the first meeting of The Helotes Republicans will be held at the Hickory Hut of Helotes.  The Lee family has owned this small business since 1965. The building was the Old General Store built in 1879 and it currently serves as the home of the Helotes Historical Society. We would like to thank Geri Lee for graciously offering to host our meetings.

Please contact us if you are interested in becoming a member of the Founders Council. We plan to have our first meeting in late September.  We would like to thank our wonderful supporters for helping us underwrite this new effort in the Hill County.

Please contact Schuylar Crist skyskyrider@hotmail.com if you are interested in participating in the new Helotes Republicans organization.

Help us spread the word to your friends and family members in Helotes.

What are TxDOT and the RMA (tolling authority) using as reasons why it's necessary to toll you?

There's no money

Tolls speed up highway projects

There will always be "free" alternatives

Tolls are better because its a user-based system

Truth #1  Highway 281 improvements were already funded and ready to go begin construction in 2004 and then TxDOT threw that FUNDED plan in the trash bin in order to MAKE it an ALL toll highway instead! For those of you who sit through the torture of US 281 traffic every day, be aware, TxDOT is manipulating the solution to your traffic woes in order to toll you every time you drive on a freeway you already paid for with gas taxes. But they want to toll you, too! It's a whole new revenue stream of open-ended, unlimited taxation with NO accountability to the voters!

Truth #2 -  TxDOT purposely delayed the improvements to 281 for 2 years just to turn it into an excessively larger, more expensive toll way. The cost for the original pay as you go changes--$48 million. The cost to build it as a toll way--$78 million! It's costing you more to build it as a toll way than it is to build it as a free road.

Truth #3  TxDOT is doing linguistic gymnastics and bending the plain meaning of road vocabulary in order to take your existing 4-6 lanes of "free" way and turn it into a 6 lanes toll way. The statute requires TxDOT to have as many "free" lanes after the project as we have today. The devil is in the details: those free lanes are being shifted to frontage road lanes. Even my 5 year old can figure out that frontage roads with 30-45 MPH speed limits & stop lights are NOT freeway lanes. Bottom line, we have 4-6 non-tolled highway lanes today and when they're done, we'll have NONE!

In fact, Senator Hutchison said in a statement on the floor of the Senate, May 10, 2005, that toll roads only increase traffic on surface streets. Guess what that means to all of you folks in the Stone Oak area? Stone Oak Parkway will become the current 281 with unbearable congestion, only it will be permanent due to people avoiding paying the tolls. Net result? We'll finally have the changes we need to 281 and no one will be driving on it due to a totally unnecessary new confiscatory toll tax scheme! TxDOT has all but admitted on camera that they DO NOT NEED TO TOLL 281. Their only reason for tolling it is because they can't justify a toll system in San Antonio without its revenue!

Truth # 4  TxDOT admitted before television cameras this week that the only reason they're tolling 281 is to use the toll revenue as "leverage" to build more toll lanes on 1604 (that 281 drivers may NEVER use). That's not a user-pays-for-the-road-they-drive-on system, that's stealing from one sector and giving it to another! This toll system is wealth redistribution by another name.

Remember this: TxDOT had an already funded original plan for 281 that is half the price and would have been finished 2 years earlier than building it as a toll road. We don't NEED to toll our freeways. They HAVE the money, it was set to be near completion by now, and they're changing the rules in the middle of the game with NO say from the voters in order to charge you every time your drive on an existing highway you already paid for! TxDOT is masterful at painting a picture of the well being dry, but when you investigate reality, it's clear that taxpayers smell something rotten in the state of Denmark!
 

Location: Sonterra County Club, 901 Sonterra Blvd, San Antonio, Texas

Cost:  $45

Assorted Table Sponsorships are available

Contact: Teddy Peterson, President, Bexar County Republican Women, 210-558-8585

South Texas Republicans would like to congratulate the Ladies of BCRW for 85 years of activism and party support in Bexar County!!!
 

Keynote Speaker: Sarwat Husain, Chair, The Council on American-Islamic Relations- San Antonio

Title:  "American Muslims"

Only with open and constant communication we all can bring in much needed understanding among all Americans regardless of our different religious and cultural backgrounds. -Sarwat Husain

Time: 7:00pm-8:00 pm
(Political Networking: 6:30pm - 7:00pm)

Event Cost:  Free

Location: Nadler's Bakery at 1621 Babcock Rd, San Antonio, Texas

Event Contact: Schuylar Crist (210) 663-6093 or E-mail: skyskyrider@hotmail.com

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is a nonprofit 501(c)(4), grassroots civil rights and advocacy group. CAIR is America's largest Islamic civil liberties group, with regional offices nationwide and in Canada. The national headquarters is located on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C.

Since its establishment in 1994, CAIR has worked to promote a positive image of Islam and Muslims in America. Through media relations, lobbying, education and advocacy, CAIR puts forth an Islamic perspective to ensure the Muslim voice is represented. In offering this perspective, CAIR seeks to empower the American Muslim community and encourage their participation in political and social activism.

NOTICE TO OUR READERS AND SUPPORTERS: 

Why are we featuring a speaker from this Islamic organization? Reports from London describe radical Islamic clerics who are motivating the local
population to rise against Christians and all Westerners. 

South Texas Republicans believe it is preferable to have strong, friendly and cooperative relations with our Islamic population in South Texas. That is our position.

Part II:  We thank our readers for the comments posted below.  South Texas Republicans encourages them to attend this meeting.  It is important that we share our conservative point of view with this leader in the Bexar County Islamic community. They must know how we feel about terrorism and groups that harbor them. That is why we encourage you to attend and speak out. 

Our READERS REACT: 

I just wanted to let you know personally about my thoughts concerning the meeting with CAIR. Though the woman conducting the keynote address may not be involved and may not condone it [terrorism], I still feel uncomfortable showing support until CAIR and other Muslim organizations openly call for a halt to terrorism (which they have never done!). I will also point you to another article,

http://frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=13175, that talks about these connections extensively. While these are only two examples, they still point in the wrong direction for me.

Sorry I vented a little here. I just want to make sure everyone goes in with their eyes open on this one and sees both sides of the story, not just how American Muslims are being discriminated against.

Here is the background on CAIR, the organization from which you have scheduled a speaker. I can send more if you want. My personal feeling is that we should not give this front group for terrorists a voice. Their speaker will be slick, and well spoken.

CAIR founded by 'Islamic terrorists'?

Posted: July 29, 2005
) 2005 WorldNetDaily.com

The Council on American-Islamic Relations, Inc., filed a defamation lawsuit against Andrew Whitehead, of Anti-CAIR (or ACAIR), a grass-roots project whose name explains its mission: to expose the largest, most vocal, and dangerous Islamist organization in North America.

CAIR's March 2004 lawsuit is part of what seems to be a policy of using the legal process to silence or chill critics. In this case, CAIR claimed it had been harmed by six statements on ACAIR's website, including CAIR's being founded by Hamas supporters, being partially funded by terrorists, and intending to impose Islamic law on the United States.

WACO  The Texas Farm Bureau Friends of Agriculture Fund (AGFUND) Board of Directors today publicly endorsed Susan Combs, a Republican candidate for Texas Comptroller.

 Susan Combs is a proven conservative leader with an outstanding record as Texas Agriculture Commissioner, said Kenneth Dierschke, president of Texas Farm Bureau and TFB AGFUND. AGFUND fully and enthusiastically endorses Combs and we believe she will be a great Comptroller for all the people of Texas, Dierschke said. Susan Combs has been a great friend to Texas agriculture. We know her and weve worked closely with her. She has demonstrated innovative leadership. She is a fiscal conservative and a strong manager.

Combs achievements as Agriculture Commissioner include: fighting for Valley farmers to obtain much-needed water from Mexico; expanding job opportunities for Texans in the states rural communities; and marketing Texas agricultural products across the globe.

 Date:  September 20, 2005

 Time:  11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Location:  Oak Hills Country Club, 5403 Fredericksburg Rd., San Antonio

Special Guest Speaker:  Agricultural Commissioner - Susan Combs, candidate for State Comptroller

Cost: $17 - Personal checks ONLY made out to ACRW-PAC ($20 if reservations are made after 12:00 Noon, Friday, September 16, 2005.)

NEW Campaign Opportunities:  County Team Member, Hosting an Event in my Community, Fundraising, Helping to Build Coalition Efforts, Finding 15 E-mail addresses, Hosting an Event in my Community, Mailing Postcards to Friends before Election Day, Helping to Find Sign Locations, Sending Newspaper Articles to the Campaign Office, etc.

Volunteer Sign-up Sheet:

For more information on Susan Combs, please log on to her website at www.susancombs.com
 

Program Title:  "Funding Your Race: Three Components to Success"

Date: Thursday, August 18th

Time: Networking Reception and Dinner (on your own):  6:15pm-7:00pm
Program:  7:00pm  8:15pm

Location:  Grady's BBQ; 4109 Fredericksburg Road

Rough Riders of Bexar County Logo Courtesy of Robert Sanchez-www.sanchezforcongress.com
 

The second meeting of the Stone Oak Republicans will take place on August 25th. South Texas Republicans salutes the Leadership Council for their great work in the past month. We believe this organization has tremendous potential in Bexar County. 

Date: Thursday - August 25th

Time:  7:00 p.m. - 8:00p.m. (Those who want dinner are encouraged to arrive early)

Location: The Lighthouse Cafe - 18730 Stone Oak Pkwy

Cost: FREE

Leadership Council Members:  DR McCale, Mike Provost, Liz Rudd, Bryan Scott and Ralph Welsh.

Please contact Liz Rudd (blrudd@earthlink.net) if you are interested in learning more about the Stone Oak Republicans.
 

Keynote speaker: Tim Lambert, of the Texas Home Schoolers Coalition of Texas (http://www.thsc.org/)

Program title: Home schooling in Texas: A Legislative Perspective

Date: Thursday, September 22nd

Time: Networking Reception and Dinner (on your own):  6:15pm-7:00pm
Program:  7:00pm  8:15pm

Location:  Grady's BBQ; 4109 Fredericksburg Road

Sponsorships will be available

The Texas Home School Coalition is dedicated to serving the home-school
community of Texas and promoting a greater knowledge, understanding and
acceptance of home education in our state.

The Texas Home School Coalition was established as a political action committee (PAC) in 1986 by Kirk McCord of Hearth and Home Ministries and the late Brad Chamberlain. Because of the numerous law suits against home schoolers across the state and harmful legislation being introduced in Austin, they saw a need for a state-wide political organization to work for the rights of home schoolers in the state of Texas. The founders, believing government restriction could not be justified academically or socially, formed the THSC PAC to oppose any regulation of home education in Texas.

In 1995, THSC incorporated as an educational non-profit organization because most of THSC's work is dealing with disseminating information to the public and to home educators. Its mission is to serve and inform the home school community and promote home education in Texas. THSC, maintaining that participation in the political arena is vital to maintaining their freedoms, continues to encourage home educators to be active in the political process.

In February of 1998, HOPE for Texas merged with the Texas Home School Coalition. At this point, THSC also became responsible for helping new home schoolers across the state as well as maintaining a network of information and communication between and among the leadership of regional home school organizations, local support groups, and individual home schooling families.

In 2000, the Texas Home School Coalition Association incorporated as a 501 (c)(4) advocacy organization for Texas home school families. Its mission is to serve and protect home school families in Texas.
 

The following clubs will be holding important events and South Texas Republicans encourages participation by local activists:

Alamo Pachyderms

Date: August 9th

Location: Water Street Oyster Bar and Restaurant; 7500 Broadway, in
San Antonio

Do you have event information?
You can reach Schuylar either by phone at (210) 663-6093 or via e-mail: skyskyrider@hotmail.com

Click here to view the calendar for details on these and other events