2012 Primary Results, Part II: The Woodshed Moment
“Fed Up” Grassroots Texans Trounce GOP Establishment
JoAnn Fleming
Volunteer Executive Director, Grassroots America – We the People
Chair, Advisory Committee to the TEA Party Caucus of the TX Legislature
jafleming3@juno.com • (903) 360-2858
Conventional wisdom was shattered in Tuesday’s runoff election when a coalition of “fed up” voters came together to continue the good old-fashioned thrashing of the GOP establishment which started in the May 2012 GOP Primary.
Voters across Texas did not buy the well-funded lies and the establishment spin spewing from campaign ads. Why? Because this new coalition has worked tirelessly since the last legislative session to unravel the “all is well because the GOP is in charge” Austin Fairy Tale.
What do the GOP May primary and July runoff election results mean?
* Voters are no longer impressed with the endorsements of incumbent statewide officials and state senators.
* Voters are well informed and know where to get the voting records of incumbents.
* Voters are looking at the entire record of incumbents – not just the pro-life and pro-Second amendment endorsements.
* Voters understand that some Republicans love “big government” just as much – or more – than Democrats do.
* Voters are on to politicians who shake their fists at Washington, DC with one hand, while reaching for more federal funds with the other.
* Voters are tired of the “Washington is broken” rhetoric that any parrot can learn. We get that part. How about some solutions?
* An energized coalition of grassroots constitutional conservatives intent on reform can outwork and out-strategize the highest paid political consultants.
Big money interests, long-time establishment backers, and statewide officials who endorsed status quo candidates in Tuesday’s election should understand this – we aren’t done yet.
This coalition of grassroots constitutional conservative Texans is comprised of organizations with varying names (TEA parties, We the People groups, Grassroots Texans, 9/12ers, etc.). There is no single leader. We don’t need one.
We are united around this goal – “The government status quo has got to go.” This includes the state government status quo and the way the People’s business is conducted in the halls and chambers under Austin’s big pink dome.
So make no mistake about it – we united to send a constitutional conservative to Washington, DC, by electing Ted Cruz as our nominee for the United States Senate, but the earthquake we sent on Tuesday is also aimed right at Austin.
After the last legislative session and the 2012 primary/runoff cycle, we are better informed and highly motivated. The coalition is planning now for the legislative session ahead. We are looking for bold, principled, results-oriented leadership. We are not impressed with empty rhetoric and excuses.
For all of the politicians planning to “trade up” the political food chain in 2014 – particularly those jockeying to run for Lt. Governor, here’s a little hint about the discussions we’re having now:
- We are sick of crony capitalism – our tax dollars handed out to businesses and special interests addicted to OPM (other people’s money).
- We are tired of excuses from state officials when it comes to the high cost of illegal aliens. We cannot afford social services and welfare for those here illegally. We want the legislature to end this raid on taxpayers.
- We do not support importing unskilled workers by instituting a pre-amnesty temporary visa program to satisfy cheap labor interests.
- We are tired of the security risk of sanctuary city hideouts for illegals.
- We are tired of the “smoke and mirrors” gimmicks used to help balance the state budget.
- We are tired of hearing the solution to state transportation problems is raising the gas tax.
- We are tired of the rampant fraud in Medicaid programs in Texas.
- We are tired of overregulation and the overlapping, duplicative state government agencies, departments, and programs.
- We are fed up with politicians who constantly focus on finding new revenue sources instead of working to get state government back into a constitution-sized box (getting back to the core constitutional functions of state government).
- We are tired of the House Speaker and Lt. Governor appointing committee chairs and stacking committees with moderate to liberal members of both parties in order to roadblock much-needed progress on issues 1 – 9.
Therefore, to put a fine, fine point on this analysis of the “woodshed” moment for the establishment ruling class in Austin, while we admit we weren’t successful in every race this election cycle, we retired many of your friends. We prevented many of your other colleagues from getting a promotion to higher political office. We aren’t done yet.
Because we desperately love Texas, and we believe she should lead the United States of America as the brightest, shining star of constitutional, limited government and liberty, we will not stop this march forward. The future of our children and grandchildren depend upon our success. So scoff if you will, and snicker with your high-paid consultants, but…
Know this – so help us God – we will fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the halls of power. We will fight against the tyranny of the elite in Austin, just as we resist the tyranny in Washington, DC. We will keep up this fight, whatever the cost may be; because in this dark hour in our nation, we are determined that Texas will rise to her full stature. Texas will be the Shining City on a Hill…where Liberty lives on.
###
