Why should you get out and vote this week?

Look at the faces of our soldiers below:

This is why you should vote your values in 2006.

Our troops in uniform are defending the freedoms we hold so dear.

You owe it to them to vote and not stay home. 

It is that simple.

Conservatives:  It time for us to step up.

It is our country and our future that is at stake.

Vote your values during early voting.

Get your friends to the polls.

Quit complaining.

Vote!!! 


Time Person of Year: The American soldier
Sunday, December 21, 2003 Posted: 8:42 AM EST (1342 GMT)

PLEASE FORWARD THIS MESSAGE TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS!!!!
 

Time: 11:00 AM and 12:00 PM.

Date: Friday, 27 October

Location: The Club at Sonterra, 901 Sonterra Blvd. 

Contact Deana Sommerville (210) 490-7263 by 24 October. 

Men welcome. 

Cost for the Luncheon is $17
 

NORTHSIDE BEXAR COUNTY VOTERS: Please contact Joe Solis for Rep. Lamar Smith campaign materials at SolisJoe@sbcglobal.net.

COMAL COUNTY VOTERS:  Please contact Tom Goodro for Rep. Lamar Smith campaign materials at nmconsultant@mindspring.com.
 

When:  October 30, 2006 (Monday)

Where:  Cici's Pizza, 12822 W IH 10,  San Antonio, TX 78249-2271, (210) 558-1006

Cost:  FREE

Time: 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Sponsors: Joe Solis/South Texas Republicans, Alamo City Republican Women and Quico Canseco

Diane Rivera Community Service:

• Juvenile Justice Association of Texas, member since 2000
• Community Justice Program, yearly volunteer and mentor
• House of Neighborly Service, former board member
• Battered Women's Shelter, volunteer attorney
• Hispanic Ministries Council of Mission Presbytery, 2005, member and Secretary
• John Blake Scholarship Fund committee
• Durango Plaza Apartments, former board member
• Who's Who member 2000-2001
• Who's Who Among American Law Students, member 1993
• East Central School District Career Day Speaker, yearly since 2000
• Divine Redeemer Presbyterian Church, life time member and Elder

Diane Rivera Web Page:  http://www.dianerivera.com/
 

This is short progress report about our ongoing efforts to reach more readers every month.

We thank your ongoing support.

• Carl Wigglesworth Radio Show: (Our San Antonio and South Texas audience) 

I was asked by Carl Wigglesworth to be on his AM130 radio talk show on October 16th between 5:00 p.m. till 6:00 p.m. We had a great conversation about our newsletter that was published earlier in the day. This is the 4th time I have been on Carl’s show. I encourage you to listen to his informative and entertaining show.

• Our Texas Audience: 

Last week, a reader from West Texas called because she wanted to “renew” her subscription. She moved from San Antonio several months ago. I was impressed that she still wanted to be on our list even though she lives in West Texas. This is important. Why? There is a hunger for this type of free political newsletter statewide. We have heard about readers in Lubbock forwarding our newsletters to their friends.

• FreeRepublic.com Blog: (Our national and international audience)

We would like to thank our supporters who are posting on commentary pieces on FreeRepublic.com. This is our national audience.The example below was posted last week. We encourage you to visit the blog posted.

What Will Conservatives Do On Election Day? PREDICTION INSIDE!

South Texas Republicans Newsletter ^ | October 16, 2006 | Joe Solis

Posted on 10/16/2006 3:52:33 PM CDT by SwinneySwitch

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1720455/posts

(Side Note: FreeRepublic.com has a massive audience. If you Google “Tony Garza Speeches”, our South Texas Republicans commentary about the Ambassador to Mexico is #7 out of 147,000. We were at #3 for one month.)

• South Texas Republicans Web Page Hits:  (As of October 20, 2006, our web page had 58,963 hits. Our story about Judge John Specia had a staggering 19,930 hits in one day. We are hoping to hit 75,000 hits by the end of this month. Our long term goal is to have 100,000 web page hits every month.

PROGRESS!!!!
 

I will continue to work hard to earn and maintain your trust. You can count on me to stick to my conservative philosophy because I know that, working together, we can provide more opportunity for the next generation of Texans.

I’ve been a small business owner for 25 years, have worked on Wall Street in New York, and understand that business owners are having to do more with much less. We’ve followed that model at the Texas Department of Agriculture.  My father, a lifelong rancher, had a phrase which I hope describes how I conduct the state’s business; “You have to be as tight as the bark on the tree.”

If elected as Comptroller, I am going to pursue fiscal policies, ensuring that taxpayers are getting full value for their money. I’ll wisely manage the funds in that office because I know it is YOUR money – it is never the government’s.

I’ll pursue tax dodgers and root out tax fraud – you shouldn’t be paying the share of those who won’t. We’ll do the same kind of top-to-bottom review at that office we did at TDA – finding innovative ways to streamline government and reducing spending. I know that we can find ways for state agencies, not just the Comptroller’s office, to be more efficient because all of the data to assist in that effort is available at the Comptroller’s office.

I will also ensure that the highest ethical standards are maintained in that office, and also ensure that the legislative leaders are always given accurate numbers. Public policy based on bad numbers inevitably means bad public policy. Lastly, I will work with the state’s leadership on a broad-based initiative to provide real and solid economic data so that we can make Texas competitive in all sectors with other states and countries. Good information can be a powerful selling point when a company either considers locating in Texas or wants to continue business here.

Sincerely,

Susan Combs

BEXAR COUNTY VOTERS: Please contact Joe Solis for campaign materials at SolisJoe@sbcglobal.net
 

Joe,

Yes, that may be true. It may be appealing to vote some rascals out of office, but it is an equally valid idea to vote to keep others that may be even more rascally out of office.

I think that our votes have to be carefully considered and based on the best selection, given the options. Thus, any vote of mine will consider the consequence. I certainly do not want control of the US House or Senate to come anywhere close to being in the hands of Democrats.

Likewise, I certainly do not want the Governor of this great state to be a Democrat. That event is a possibility this year, only because the Republican vote will be split. Chris Bell is counting on it. My view is that if Chris Bell were Governor, the following would result:

• Higher business taxes
• Higher gasoline taxes
• Texas would become an even greater magnet for illegal immigrants

Personally, I will vote for Governor Perry. My issue is property taxes and I hope that Governor Perry will follow up on his promises on that issue. Whether he does or not, I believe it is necessary that he be re-elected.

Richard Karkkainen

Boerne, Texas
 

If you recall, Republicans lost all of the County Court at Law races in 2002. Since then, two of those Democratic judges (#6 and #9) were so bad they were taken out in the Democratic primary this year. The three others who need to be defeated are Paul Canales in #2, David Rodriguez in #3 and Monica Guerrero in #7. If we can get hardworking Republicans back on these benches, the County may be able to save the cost of adding another court. Each court costs over $500,000.00 and if the court is run properly, they should return that much to the county or more.

Even the Express-News recognized this year that Canales (#2) was not doing his job and endorsed his Republican challenger, Blair Davis. 

Court #3, (Rodriguez) doesn't have enough civil cases to keep him busy, but refuses to help with the criminal dockets. His challenger, Bill White, has offered to make the court productive again and work with the judges who are overloaded to alleviate their backlog.

Court #7, (Guererro), the Family Violence court is backed up beyond belief. When she took over her active case load was 958. Now it is over 3500. She takes off unexpectedly, and the court flounders. Genie Wright, her Republican challenger will make the court work efficiently again. 

When these county courts work efficiently and effectively, everybody wins. When Republicans have occupied these benches, they have worked correctly for the citizens of Bexar County.

These county courts are the money makers or the money savers for the taxpayers of Bexar County.
 

Schuylar Crist Set To Bring Victory For Conservatives In Pennsylvania!

Today, the FIRST DAY OF EARLY VOTING, I shall be on a plane headed to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and will work Delaware and Montgomery counties. As I told you last week, I have signed on for a 2 week leadership role *Marshall* for a campaign to ensure our victory!

I will be working to help re-elect U.S. Representative Curt Weldon of the 7th District in Pennsylvania as well as the 6th District's Jim Gerlach. I have no word yet as to whether I will be part of the Santorum Senatorial campaign or not.

Never fear! I will still be continuing the newsletter while I am out of state thanks to my trusty laptop. I will do my best to give you a firsthand look at what transpires from wherever I am as well in support of Conservative values.

I will be among nearly 5,000 volunteers across the country taking part in the Get Out The Vote program by the Republican National Committee.

I am looking forward to this new and exciting opportunity for me and will be sure to make the most of it.

As a bonus, my mother will be joining me as a Marshall for the entire trip.

SPECIAL COMMENTARY BY SCHUYLAR CRIST!

I am Precinct Chair for #2076 in Bexar County, and as all of you know, I am also the Media Director for South Texas Republicans, PAC. I am disheartened at the apparent apathy and complacency of Conservatives in South Texas, particularly in Bexar County. What happened to having the courage of one's convictions? We only fail ourselves, when we fail to stand for what is RIGHT! We have a wonderful group of CONSERVATIVE candidates, yet block walking logs remain empty. Candidate's campaign yard signs fill the rooms in HQ, and phone bank cell phones (at PARTY EXPENSE) lay on a table. We have taken initiatives no one else has, but we cannot do it without YOU! We have provided the tools, we have provided the information....but it is up to YOU South Texas to use what you have been given. We can take NOTHING for granted. We have to fight for everything we have. There is no reason at all to fly the white flag.

By betraying our values, we betray our nation! If we do not get our posteriors in gear, we will lose the fight to the Liberals. We cannot afford to put our heads in the sand! If we do...it leaves our backsides vulnerable to the inevitable whuppin' those backsides will receive. If we lose this election...when we look to point the finger of blame, we need do nothing but look directly into the mirror!
 

The young woman, Sandra Cano − originally dubbed “Mary Doe” in Doe vs. Bolton − began her battle to reverse her case, which provided for abortion on demand more than six years ago. She argued, as “Jane Roe” of Roe vs. Wade did, that she was coerced to move her case forward by an attorney and the case was built on falsehoods.  In her affidavit Cano stated, “What I received was something I never requested – the legal right to abort my child.”

Cano’s brief to the Court points out that despite advances in medicine, science, and technology, the justices have “frozen abortion law based on obsolete 1973 assumptions and prevented the normal regulation of the practice of medicine.”  In fact, science today teaches us that life does begin at conception. Consider Professor Micheline Matthews-Roth, of the Harvard University Medical School, who noted, “It is incorrect to say that biological data cannot be decisive…. It is scientifically correct to say that an individual human life begins at conception. One of his colleagues, Ashley Montague, a fellow Harvard professor and geneticist, agreed and commented, “The basic fact is simple, life begins not at birth, but conception.” 

Brian Fahling, senior trial attorney for the American Family Association Center for Law & Policy, remarked that although the case was turned down, it was merely for technical reasons, as there was no real relief available to Sandra Cano. He continued by encouraging pro-lifers that the symbolism alone of taking the case to the Court is still significant, and it certainly “brings back into the public consciousness, really, that this culture of death that was inaugurated with Roe vs. Wade and Doe vs. Bolton was predicated on a lie.”

As those who believe in the sanctity of life, we must continue to educate people on not only the science of life at conception, but also the fact that abortion hurts women. From psychological repercussions to medical consequences, women must be fully informed about abortion procedures. We must continue to be vigilant in supporting laws that provide for such, and I would therefore encourage you to visit the Center for Moral Clarity (CMC) at https://www.centerformoralclarity.net/PBAPetition.aspx and sign the petition to end partial birth abortions.  By signing, you will be encouraging the Supreme Court to rule this abhorrent practice unconstitutional when the Court hears two cases on this procedure in November.  Whether it is the Court or your next-door neighbor, we must diligently fight to bring an end to this ghastly procedure. 

Gina Parker − CEO of Dental Creations, a dental manufacturing company, and a successful attorney − is the National Eagle Forum Chairman for Judicial Reform.  Miss Parker also served as a Bush and Perry appointee to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. She serves on the American Family Radio Advisory Board (Texas), and she was both the former Republican Party of Texas Treasurer and Associate General Counsel. For more information, please visit www.ginaparker.net. 
 

By John Merrifield,
Professor of Economics
Director, Entrepreneurial Conservatism Institute

October 23rd, 2006

Failure to focus on the core K-12 reform issues is very frustrating. Reform of our schooling practices is the top domestic policy issue of every state, and deservedly so. Because of persistent failure to achieve meaningful reform, we remain the ‘Nation at Risk’ described by the 1983 bipartisan national commission on the state of K-12 education. Failure to focus on a key reform issue is a major reason for that persistent failure.

With regard to the critical school choice issue, the central question is often said to be whether we want to spend public funds on private school tuition. The frequency with which that occurs is no excuse for failure to grasp that public funds belong to the public, not the public school system or any other school system. We tax everyone so that we can subsidize schooling to benefit all children. The true central question is whether it should remain public policy to discriminate against the taxpayers that believe that non-public schools are better for their children.  That argument for school choice is no slap against the public school system. Our children are so diverse in terms of what works to engage them in serious learning that no set of schooling policies, public or private, could possibly work acceptably for even a significant majority of the children, much less all of them. According to the latest appalling NAEP test scores, we desperately need a diverse menu of competing schools of choice to address that diversity. Denial of that is leaving a lot of children without the education they need, and may ultimately cost us all the great country we have built on freedom, limited government, and free enterprise.

By the way, our policy of discriminating against taxpayers that believe non-public schools would work better for their children exaggerates the church-state issue. That policy causes church-run schools to dominate the private schooling options. In our current system, churches run most private schools because church-run schools can do two things that will convince a significant number of families to pay for private schools that have a zero tuition public school substitute. Church-run schools offer something unavailable from public schools (religion), and they have the resources to keep the tuition below the full cost so that more families are willing and able to pay tuition in addition to the taxes that subsidize only the taxpayers that prefer public schools. A true voucher program would (and has in Sweden) greatly reduce church-run schools' share of non-public schools.
 

"Water Supply Under Siege" By Carol Patterson

Such a severe restriction would severely damage the local economy, and send our water bills to the highest in the state. Local purveyors have already scrambled to conserve and purchase replacement water, since the EAA permitting process could not grant them their maximum historic use, but only minimum guaranteed amounts, which are then subjected to as much as 23% drought reductions. The Edwards Aquifer Authority, City of San Antonio, San Antonio River Authority, and Greater Chamber have agreed on a joint legislative program to protect Edwards rights and the water future of the region in the coming legislative session. The program includes raising the present pumping cap to protect minimum levels of pumping from future reductions, and getting bonding authority so that the EAA can fund and build recharge projects. 

Last on the November ballot, but of primary importance to protect the water supply is a race for the Edwards Aquifer Authority. Carol Patterson, in EAA District 1, has brought SAWS and EAA together to support analysis of Recharge and Recirculation, a potential major new source of water supply that could give us clean and affordable water into the future. Recharge can also protect springflows in drought and thereby replace extreme restrictions. The program has regional benefits, and bi-partisan support that includes professional geologists. Carol is the EAA board member who champions the Recharge and Recirculation program. She is needed to oversee the analysis of R&R and implementation.  

Please vote for Carol Patterson to Protect our water supply. This is a non-partisan race. If you vote a straight-party ticket, you still must deliberately vote for Carol at end of the ballot. EAA District 1 is in North and Northeast San Antonio. You can check her website: www.carolgpatterson.com to find out if your precinct is in her district.
 

While I don't want any more Dems in office, their success may wake up the Republican legislators to the true meaning of conservative.

Maybe if we have the Dems in leadership we will find out what we've been missing.  By wallowing in our own vomit of a Dem lead congress, the candidates and the voters will wake up and realize what we need for leaders with a backbone.

The National Congress is a mess.

Texas:

Where is my $2,000 tax relief? Oh, it's over 3 years. Truth in advertising seems to have escaped Rick Perry.

Trans-Texas corridor?  Why, so we can get more illegals into the country?

Rick JUST discovered money for roads has been diverted to other projects? Is he THAT out-of-touch with what's going on?

We may elect a Governor with as little as 30% of the voters support!!!!!!!!!!!!  If we have Kinky, at least we can laugh while the legislation is picking our pockets.

Bill Waring
 

This is a series by an anonymous political insider in Bexar County. The views of this author do not represent the views of South Texas Republicans. 

The 23rd Congressional District list of candidates diminished by one last week. In a shocking development, El Paso resident turned San Antonio homeowner Rick Bolanos dropped out of the race and jumped on Lukin Gilliland’s bandwagon.

You may remember he is the veteran who was one of four brothers who served heroically in Viet Nam at the same time under the title “Band of Brothers.”

Not intending to show him any disrespect for his military service, I tagged his political campaign as put together by a band of blunders. How prophetic that turned out to be.

Word now is that Bolanos wasn’t able to raise money for his campaign and Gilliland promised to pay off some of Bolanos debt if he would drop out and endorse him for the 23rd. The deal is supposed to include campaigning with Gilliland out in the rural areas. Apparently, Republicans are not the only ones buying off candidates.

Then there is the allegation that Henry Bonilla’s brother, Ben went into the Albert Uresti campaign office and threatened and intimidated Albert’s sister while she was alone in the office. The Congressman appears to have shrugged it off as a joke. The Uresti family does not think it is a joke.

Ben Bonilla is the "know it all" for the Henry Bonilla campaign. It is rumored he went to Lukin’s campaign float at a San Antonio parade and bragged to him, "I am Henry’s brother and we are going to take over the Southside."

In the small towns, Ben supposedly placed all the Bonilla signs at gas stations to give the impression that Henry is responsible for lower gas prices.  If that isn’t arrogant, what is?

It is becoming common knowledge that Ben is insecure and does not want to get other people involved in the campaign without micro-managing them. The word on the street is that Ben is going to hurt Bonilla on the Southside because of his arrogant attitude. As if, Henry doesn’t have the same type of attitude. The trait must run in the family. You could say Ben is a little bully and a liability for the campaign at this point. 

South Side residents are visibly upset that the campaigns are once again degenerating into barrio brawls. As a Southsider, I can tell you this is nothing new. Politics over here is a blood sport. Running for office in the Southside is definitely a lesson in contact sports. You may recall I alluded to candidates rattling other candidates skeleton’s months ago well before the race really heated up. This is a case of, “I told you so!” 

Today is the day that early voting begins in Bexar County.

Both sides are anxious as to whether or not their base will turn out and put their candidates back into office or catapult the contenders into office over incumbents.

Nobody knows at this point. Republicans are praying their ultra conservative constituents will turn out and the Democrats are hoping the Southside and Eastside minorities will flock to the polls and do right by them.

Despite the volatile goings on in the Bexar County Democratic Party, many Democrats are optimistic that their candidates will succeed. The on-going issue of vandalism in the 125th State Rep. contest is one point of contention.

For over a week, the SanAntonioLightning.com has run large “National Inquirer” type headlines of the State Representative Joaquin Castro campaign staffer, Leticia Cantu who Nelson Balido alleges vandalized and trashed his campaign sign, which was caught on videotape.

Other candidates from both sides are constantly complaining about vandalism. They say their signs are mutilated or torn from the sticks that hold the signs. A few candidates are answering calls from irate supporters who put up a sign only to have it disappear within 24 hours. Neither side, Republicans or Democrats are happy about the situation.

The Eastside brouhaha has continued to simmer over the alleged Democratic official who is openly campaigning for Lamar Smith in the churches. In last week’s edition of the Republicrat, I told you about the African-American ordained minister who was touting the Republican office holder for office.

At the time, I did not know his name. They tell me his name is Ben Alexander. He is supposed to be a local committee delegate to the State Democratic Party. 

During the campaign season, various neighborhood associations are hosting Meet the Judges events. The biggest no-show to these events is none other that Judge Tom Rickoff. Surprise!

That contest I refer to as the “Beauty and the Beast,” face-off. Tom Rickoff is obviously the “Beast,” in this fairy tale while Barbie Scharf-Zeldes is the “Beauty” in the story.

The good news for Barbie is that she is able to get out her message with no one to contest it. Barbie is successfully tapping into her strength of conviction and voicing it to make inroads with Republican voters.

Speaking about Republicans and crossing the line. It seems that Party loyalists are voicing frustration with former Party Chair Roy Barrera. They are upset that he not only endorsed Carol Strayhorn, but has now apparently endorsed Democrat County Court Judge Al Alonzo. Who knew? Republicans are up in arms!

If my memory serves me, Roy endorsed District Clerk Margaret Montemayor, as well. What is this world coming to?

Activists on the Democratic side are still upset with Bexar County Democratic Party Chair Carla Vela who they say is losing control. No one has mentioned the meeting of the Precinct Chairs from Precinct 4 that was supposed to have occurred last week to take action against a Deputy Chair.

Either the meeting happened and everyone took an oath of secrecy, or it never happened. My guess is that it did not happen or so few people attended that it didn’t make a blip on the radar screen. I would assume that if it did happen Democrats would be spreading the news everywhere.

Rallies, debates, gatherings, political stump speeches are all a part of the final drive to the November 7th election day. Tempers are flaring, candidates are on edge, and political writers are writing stupid articles. Does this article sound stupid?

And what about the recent debate between Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and the challenger Barbara Ann Radnofsky? Did anybody watch it? I did and I can tell you in my humble opinion that Barbara Ann won the debate easily.  Kay spent more time defending the President than answering the tough questions.

Next week I will make some predictions as to who will win at the polls.

During the Democratic Primary, I picked 13 out of 16 candidates who won that primary. I also predicted some Republicans who would win their primary. Let’s see how well I can do this time.

Only time will tell.

That is the moderate viewpoint. I AM the "Republicrat".