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A Message from Terri Hall Texans Uniting for Reform and Freedom, (www.TexasTURF.org) South Texas Republicans, including all of you elected officials, road contractors, and lobbyists, LISTEN UP! Government is about to get its comeuppance for repeatedly and gleefully kicking the grassroots in the teeth, and for its total failure to stop the runaway toll tax train. It's past time for government in the SUNSHINE! Last week in a MONUMENTAL court case to stop the ILLEGAL ad campaign and lobbying by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), Judge Orlinda Naranjo granted TURF everything it asked for..a 90 day continuance (in the State's attempt to throw the case out of court), allowing discovery (forcing TxDOT to hand over documents they've been withholding by COURT ORDER), and permitting depositions of TxDOT's TOP BRASS, including the Transportation Commissioners and the top dog himself, Ric Williamson. Considering TxDOT's blatant advocacy of toll roads, particularly public-private partnerships putting our PUBLIC infrastructure under the control of private (mostly foreign) companies, and the fact that TxDOT tried to LIE to the court saying the Keep Texas Moving Campaign is over when an internal memo states it's NOT, we believe the most damaging evidence is yet to come.   As for the Attorney General's office and TxDOT, their worst nightmare occurred Thursday..they thought they were going to prevail in throwing what they considered a "frivolous" case out of court and end the matter, and now TxDOT as an agency and the Transportation Commissioners were added as defendants and can be deposed UNDER OATH about their lobbying activities. Think Bill Clinton's televised deposition..   Makes one ponder if that paper shredder is getting cranked up at TxDOT..not so fast guys, that's OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE and mandatory jail time. Remember Martha Stewart didn't go to jail for securities violations but obstructing justice and lying under oath! Seems these guys are between a rock and a hard place, if they deny illegal lobbying and the evidence shows they did, they're GUILTY, and if they admit to lobbying outright, also GUILTY! Guess this "little" case just got BIGGER, eh? It doesn't pay to NOT listen to the will of the people.. Hell hath no fury like a taxpayer scorned!

BREAKING NEWS: Texans Uniting for Reform and Freedom, Terri Hall (www.TexasTURF.org)     TURF to sue transportation board for equal protection MPO Board composition violates First and 14th Amendments to U.S. Constitution San Antonio, TX, Monday, October 22, 2007 - In what could change the way toll roads are decided and approved in BexarCounty, TURF filed a NEW lawsuit in FEDERAL COURT to put the power over transportation decisions back in the hands of the PEOPLE. TURF recently scored a victory in STATE COURT in a different lawsuit against members of the Texas Transportation Department and Transportation Commission. A lawsuit has been brought against the San Antonio Metropolitan Planning Organization (SAMPO) Transportation Policy Board that allocates tax dollars to transportation projects and approves toll rates and toll projects and San Antonio Councilwoman and MPO Chair Sheila McNeil. The lawsuit alleges that the composition of the SAMPO Board is unconstitutional and Chairwoman McNeil has been a party to denying the First Amendment right of free speech to the constituents of elected MPO Board members like State Representative David Leibowitz by blocking an agenda item and any debate on an issue brought up at his request . This novel lawsuit cuts to the heart of how toll roads are approved. It's based upon the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution, 28 U.S.C. §1331, and 28 U.S.C. §§1343(3) and (4).  The section of the post-Civil War civil rights enactments codified as 42 U.S.C. §1983 provides the Plaintiff's enabling cause of action. A faction of governmental officials with the help of unelected board members have shut citizens and voters who oppose toll roads out of equal participation in the political process. The case will also argue that actions like Chairwoman McNeil's removal of an agenda item asking for the funds TxDOT is spending on the Keep Texas Moving ad campaign be returned to building roads. By way of recent example, in a SAMPO Transportation Policy Board meeting of September 24, 2007, Defendant McNeil, using the badge of authority of Chairmanship of the Board, arbitrarily removed from the meeting agenda a motion by State Representative and MPO Board member David Leibowitz calling for SAMPO to object to certain expenditures of public money by TXDOT promoting toll roads, which expenditures Representative Leibowitz believed to be inappropriate. Defendant McNeil, acting under color of law, removed Representative Leibowitz's motion from the meeting agenda even though Representative Leibowitz had properly and legitimately placed it on the meeting agenda and SAMPO had included it in the public posting of the agenda pursuant to the Texas Open Meetings Act.  Defendant McNeil, acting under color of law, refused to permit Representative Leibowitz to present his motion because of her disfavor of his attempt to provide a voice for his constituents who oppose turning free public highways into toll roads. TURF will be asking for both a temporary and permanent injunction to suspend ALL activities of the MPO until the case is decided and the Board's composition is changed to reflect proper Constitutional representation allowing equal protection under the law per the 14th Amendment. The unconstitutional MPO has blocked agenda items, voted against an independent review of toll plans that would bring accountability to the gross misuse of taxpayer money in these toll plans, voted against restoring the gas tax funded overpasses on 281 (281 in particular DOES NOT NEED TO BE TOLLED, what's needed are overpasses and they've been paid for since 2003, the money is STILL there, they could do it tomorrow, but this un-Constitutional Board persists in preventing the simple solution that's already paid for!  The MPO Board has also delayed votes, blocked the succession of the next Chair, and changed the bylaws to allow yet more illegal representation on the Board.  "The people of Texas are FED-UP with out-of-control abusive government. We've done everything in our power to exert the political pressure to change this unconstitutional Board, but when the deck is stacked and a powerful unelected voting block is allowed to persist unchecked, we have no choice but go to court to address our grievances. This is taxation without representation and we cannot and will not allow it to continue," says Terri Hall, Founder and Director of TURF. For a history of the efforts of the pro-toll faction blocking citizens from equal representation:  (scroll to bottom for links to each action) Chairwoman McNeil strips agenda item requested by State Representative David Leibowitz on expenditures for toll roads:

This Thursday in San Antonio   "Friends of Chris Milam" invite you to a Business Breakfast Social.     Come meet Chris Milam, Candidate for Bexar County Sheriff MilamforSheriff.com WHEN:  October 25th (Thursday)  7:30 a.m. until 8:45 a.m. WHERE:  Location: orderup, The Colonnade, 9873 IH- 10 W, San Antonio, TX 78230, (210) 877-0007 (Behind the Texas MedClinic)  Cost:  FREE Please rsvp to:   JoeSolis     solisjoe@sbcglobal.net

Staying in Touch by Congressman Lamar Smith   One of the most satisfying roles of my job is reaching out to the people I serve in Texas. At least once a month I sit down, uninterrupted at my desk in WashingtonD.C. and get on the phone with my constituents in the 21st District. Using new technology, I am able to conduct live telephone town meetings by calling thousands of constituents at a time. As a result, they don't have to travel to speak to me; they simply pick up their phones and immediately begin participating in a two-way conversation.  We end up talking about a variety of topics. Recently, I called registered voters in Real, Kerr, Bandera, Comal and Kendall counties. We talked about issues such as social security, Medicare, Iraq and immigration. Callers determine the topics of discussion and ask questions or make comments. For example, during the last call, constituents focused on the immigration issue.  During the telephone town meeting, I also polled the hundreds of people on the phone. They choose an answer to multiple choice questions by hitting the corresponding number on their keypad. Who answered and what they answered remains confidential and anonymous.  The first question I asked dealt with the "most important local issue affecting them." The three choices were healthcare, immigration or transportation. Transportation came in third with 10 percent of the vote. Health care was second with 28 percent, and coming in first was immigration at 62 percent.  Immigration is a sensitive and complex issue. Legal immigration has had a positive impact on the U.S. and we should continue to welcome immigrants who respect our laws.  However, illegal immigration hurts American citizens and legal immigrants who end up paying taxes that go toward health care, education, welfare, and other social costs associated with illegal immigration. The second poll question was, "When do you think the U.S. should withdraw from Iraq?" The answers to choose from were withdraw immediately, stay the course or no opinion. About 9 percent were unsure or had no opinion, 25 percent said to withdraw immediately and 66 percent said to stay the course.  Though progress has been made in Iraq, many challenges remain. The men and women in our armed forces face one of the gravest threats of our time. Each day our troops confront terrorists who hate our country, our citizens, our freedoms and our way of life. We must give our brave service men and women the resources and support they deserve.  I do not believe Congress should set an arbitrary deadline for withdrawal from Iraq. That second-guesses our generals and plays into the hands of the enemy. However, I also believe we cannot become a crutch for the new Iraqi government. It must stand on its own and provide for its own security as soon as possible.  The last poll question I asked was, "Do you think the state should be allowed to toll existing federal highways?" About 3 percent said the state should be allowed to toll, 7 percent polled said they had no opinion and 90 percent said that the state shouldn't be allowed to toll the highways.  I oppose tolls on existing roads that have already been built with taxpayer money. That is a double taxation and it is unfair to taxpayers. Building toll roads also creates property rights challenges. When considering transportation legislation, the rights of property owners must be considered by government officials at all levels.  In February 2007, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) released its legislative agenda in a report called, "Forward Momentum." In this report, TxDOT proposes to seek changes in federal law to allow states to "buy-back" existing interstate highways and convert them into toll roads. Like many of my constituents, I am concerned about this proposal. Should the House consider legislation to prevent state DOTs from engaging in this practice, I would support it.  These telephone town meetings and polls allow me to receive feedback from my constituents. It shows that my voting record on those issues echo the thoughts and beliefs of my constituency. Most of all it allows me to stay in touch and in a small way be back home. Right there in Texas..even if the feeling only lasts an hour.  FREE Congressman Lamar Smith E-Newsletter Bexar County Republican Women  Host Congressman Lamar Smith  Interested members are invited to join the Bexar County Republican Women on Friday, 26 October, at The Club at Sonterra, 901 Sonterra Blvd.  Guest speaker the Hon Lamar Smith will speak between 11:30 AM and 12:00 PM.  There will also be a silent auction beginning at 10:00 AM featuring sterling silver items, Spode china, and Turkish brass items available for bidding at bargain prices!!  For reservations contact Willie Lawley, (210) 826-0330, by 9:00 PM Sunday, 21 October, or Toni O'Mara, (210) 479-7111, by 9:00 PM Monday, 22 October.  Lucheon $18.  Men welcome.  Regards, Carolyn F. Kraft 2007 Membership Chairman BexarCounty Republican Women

Special Message to the Congress on the Middle East Situation January 5, 1957  By President DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER   [Speech Segments]  [Delivered in person before a joint Session]     To the Congress of the United States:     First may I express to you my deep appreciation of your courtesy in giving me, at some inconvenience to yourselves, this early opportunity of addressing you on a matter I deem to be of grave importance to our country.     In my forthcoming State of the Union Message, I shall review the international situation generally. There are worldwide hopes which we can reasonably entertain, and there are worldwide responsibilities which we must carry to make certain that freedom--including our own--may be secure.      There is, however, a special situation in the Middle East which I feel I should, even now, lay before you.     Before doing so it is well to remind ourselves that our basic national objective in international affairs remains peace--a world peace based on justice. Such a peace must include all areas, all peoples of the world if it is to be enduring. There is no nation, great or small, with which we would refuse to negotiate, in mutual good faith, with patience and in the determination to secure a better understanding between us. Out of such understandings must, and eventually will, grow confidence and trust, indispensable ingredients to a program of peace and to plans for lifting from us all the burdens of expensive armaments. To promote these objectives, our government works tirelessly, day by day, month by month, year by year. But until a degree of success crowns our efforts that will assure to all nations peaceful existence, we must, in the interests of peace itself, remain vigilant, alert and strong.    The Middle East has abruptly reached a new and critical stage in its long and important history. In past decades many of the countries in that area were not fully self-governing. Other nations exercised considerable authority in the area and the security of the region was largely built around their power. But since the First World War there has been a steady evolution toward self-government and independence. This development the United States has welcomed and has encouraged. Our country supports without reservation the full sovereignty and independence of each and every nation of the Middle East.     The evolution to independence has in the main been a peaceful process. But the area has been often troubled. Persistent crosscurrents of distrust and fear with raids back and forth across national boundaries have brought about a high degree of instability in much of the Mid East. Just recently there have been hostilities involving Western European nations that once exercised much influence in the area. Also the relatively large attack by Israel in October has intensified the basic differences between that nation and its Arab neighbors. All this instability has been heightened and, at times, manipulated by International Communism.       Let me refer again to the requested authority to employ the armed forces of the United States to assist to defend the territorial integrity and the political independence of any nation in the area against Communist armed aggression. Such authority would not be exercised except at the desire of the nation attacked. Beyond this it is my profound hope that this authority would never have to be exercised at all.     Nothing is more necessary to assure this than that our policy with respect to the defense of the area be promptly and clearly determined and declared. Thus the United Nations and all friendly governments, and indeed governments which are not friendly, will know where we stand.       If, contrary to my hope and expectation, a situation arose which called for the military application of the policy which I ask the Congress to join me in proclaiming, I would of course maintain hour-by-hour contact with the Congress if it were in session. And if the Congress were not in session, and if the situation had grave implications, I would, of course, at once call the Congress into special session.     In the situation now existing, the greatest risk, as is often the case, is that ambitious despots may miscalculate. If power-hungry Communists should either falsely or correctly estimate that the Middle East is inadequately defended, they might be tempted to use open measures of armed attack. If so, that would start a chain of circumstances which would almost surely involve the United States in military action. I am convinced that the best insurance against this dangerous contingency is to make clear now our readiness to cooperate fully and freely with our friends of the Middle East in ways consonant with the purposes and principles of the United Nations. I intend promptly to send a special mission to the Middle East to explain the cooperation we are prepared to give.      IX.     The policy which I outline involves certain burdens and indeed risks for the United States. Those who covet the area will not like what is proposed. Already, they are grossly distorting our purpose. However, before this Americans have seen our nation's vital interests and human freedom in jeopardy, and their fortitude and resolution have been equal to the crisis, regardless of hostile distortion of our words, motives and actions.     Indeed, the sacrifices of the American people in the cause of freedom have, even since the close-of World War II, been measured in many billions of dollars and in thousands of the precious lives of our youth. These sacrifices, by which great areas of the world have been preserved to freedom, must not be thrown away.      In those momentous periods of the past, the President and the Congress have united, without partisanship, to serve the vital interests of the United States and of the free world.     The occasion has come for us to manifest again our national unity in support of freedom and to show our deep respect for the rights and independence of every nation--however great, however small. We seek not violence, but peace. To this purpose we must now devote our energies, our determination, ourselves.     DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER      NOTE: This is the text of the document which the President signed and transmitted to the Senate and the House of Representatives (H. Doc. 46, 85th Cong., 1st sess.). The Address as reported from the floor appears in the Congressional Record (vol. 103, p. 181).

EDITORIAL: Take the long view [By American Communists]                         Author: PWW/NM Editorial Board             People's Weekly World Newspaper, 10/18/07 15:18  It's been said that Communists make the best fighters for social progress because they have the big picture of the struggle, the long view of the road towards a better society, and feel strongly about justice. Probably the most unjustly vilified political movement of the 20th - and 21st - centuries, U.S. Communists are still fighting the good fight. Evidence comes from little-publicized events in the last two weeks: the Communist Party held three regional conferences - in Oakland, Calif., Chicago and New York - focused on building at the grass roots. Where is anti-communism today? What holds people back from joining the Communist Party or Young Communist League? Why does a bigger CPUSA matter? The conferences took up these and many other questions. Some of the biggest gains for workers of all races and unions, for African Americans and other people of color, for immigrants, for women and young people, were made when there was a sizeable and influential Communist Party. During its height in the 1930s and '40s, Communists helped win far-reaching advances, like unions and Social Security, that - although under attack now - are still seen as centerpieces of our nation's social safety net. During the 1960s and '70s, the party was infused with a new generation of anti-Vietnam-War and civil rights activists. As with the New Deal, there's a correlation between landmark measures like the Great Society's Medicare and the Civil Rights Act, the mass upsurge that won those advances, and the growth of the Communist Party. When anti-communism rages, setbacks to democracy are sure to come. The prime example is the McCarthy/Cold War period. But recall that Ronald Reagan promoted aggressive anti-communism - calling the Soviet Union the "evil empire" and illegally funding anti-communist Contras to overthrow Nicaragua's Sandinista government - and at the same time launched 27 years of ultra-right attacks on unions, civil rights, public services and democracy. The Communist Party conferences showed that a big-picture people's movement in our country is alive, relevant and necessary. That's good news for the struggles of today and tomorrow. You can learn more about (and join) the Communist Party at www.cpusa.org and the Young Communist League at www.yclusa.org.

"The Republicrat PLUS" (A Moderate Viewpoint) This is a series by 3 anonymous political insiders in Bexar County and one in Webb County. The views of this section do not represent the views of South Texas Republicans PAC. As one of many voices of the Republicrat, it is my opportunity to tell you what I know or believe to be true.  The catfight I spoke about last week has become a murmur. The two warring political consultants have kissed and made up and everybody is supposedly happy until the next round. The flare up will happen in the future and the Republicrat will be there when it happens. Southside Political Consultant JoAnn Ramon who is not involved in the now defunct political consultant mini-brawl continues to tell everyone that she quit Sheriff Candidate Amadeo Ortiz's campaign sometime back. .Other sources say that Amadeo fired her because she is too heavy-handed on how she orchestrated the campaign. She does have a reputation for running a tight ship. Her reputation is "My way or the highway." Speaking of Amadeo, is it possible that the DA is secretly attempting to link Amadeo to the Ralph Lopez meltdown? As I told you last week, Amadeo did work with Ralph for a long time. Insiders are betting that part of Ralph's deal includes implicating Amadeo in the mix. No one knows for sure, but only time will tell if that is true or not. It may be just guilt by association. Sheriff's Deputies at the DetentionCenter actively support Amadeo. Many are grumbling that the current Sheriff is gutting the Detention Officer ranks. He reassigned 30 detention officers to patrol the streets and now those officers left in the DetentionCenter are supervising three times as many inmates as before, which is dangerous. This could cause severe harm to jailers who are understaffed with no back up. The other Sheriff's candidate is Larry Ricketts who most handicappers give little chance of pulling off an upset.  He has run three times before to include one run as a Republican and two as a Democrat. He is running as a Democrat this time. However, if Amadeo suffers the embarrassment of humiliation at the hands of Ralph, Larry could win the nomination by default. The other candidate Andy Lopez is a no-go all the way around. Larry wouldn't be the first candidate who is given no chance of winning an election only to pull an upset. Remember Judge Phil Meyer who beat a sitting Judge M'Liss Christian? Until she self-destructed, Judge M-Liss Christian was on track to win reelection. However, Trouble Shooters taped her secret meetings with boyfriend and former City Councilman David Garcia in some clandestine rendezvous. No one cared that David was her boyfriend, but she publicly denied it because she assigned him to defend clients in her court and that is considered a conflict of interest. Republican Sheriff's candidate Chris Milam's claim to fame is he is a distant relative of Ben Milam the Texas hero. I think I wrote that last week. We all know that name ID is the name of the game. I have run out of gossip so I will pass it on to Joe's other sources for their update. That is my part of the Republicrat for this week. That is the moderate Viewpoint, I am the Republicrat Plus. Myths Realities and Roorbacks -Senate District 21  Greetings from WebbCounty , we have much ado about a very important concern down here.  The Austin grapevine and the Texas Medical Association are reporting that the Lt. Governor's office is putting pressure on them to recognize Judith Zaffirini for her outstanding service and accomplishments in the medical healthcare arena. We wonder where their focus is these days. Apparently both Dewhurst and Zaffirini are oblivious to the real health care problems and issues we face in Texas . Before the award is created, received and touted to the constituents as a feather in her cap, maybe the senator should do her homework. Just last week, " the powers that be" in health care providers presented information in relation to our needs in Austin .  According to the results from a National Scorecard on US Health System Performance provided by the Commonwealth Fund Commission on a High Performance Health System, Texas ranks 49. This means we are at the bottom in performance standards. It means healthcare for the constituency in Texas is at the lower levels of performance and accountability when compared to the other states. If I were the Senator, I would not want the recognition from TMA, but then if she doesn't even know where her state ranks, and why we are there, I guess she deserves recognition for working hard to bring in her state to 49 in the field of excellent health care provision. Check it out. It is newsworthy for the comic section.   That is the moderate Viewpoint, I am the Republicrat Plus

Thanks for reading the new edition of South Texas Republicans.  We welcome your comments, complaints and suggestions.  Joe Solis, Founder and Director  (SolisJoe@sbcglobal.net)