Nov
8
Written by:
William Lutz
11/8/2010 3:45 PM
One thing that is clear from recent events is that a large portion of frustration felt by parts of the Texas Republican base (and particularly the Tea Party Movement) is directed not only at the Democrats but also at Texas House Speaker Joe Straus.
A group of conservative groups is trying to capitalize on that frustration, issuing a letter Nov. 4 calling for a new Speaker. The signatories include representatives from a lot of major conservative groups, including Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, Texas Right to Life, Americans for Prosperity, the Texas Eagle Forum, Liberty Institute, former Republican Party of Texas Chairman Cathie Adams, and former Republican Party of Texas vice-chairman David Barton.Of particular concern to grass roots conservatives is the fate of bills requiring showing photo ID prior to voting and bills that limit property taxes.
We reprint the text of the letter below: (Note: reprinting the letter should not be viewed as agreement nor disagreement of its contents. We are reprinting becuase of its news value.):
Dear Honorable Members and Members-Elect,
Tuesday night’s resounding victory by conservatives in Texas and around the nation was not the result of any particular politician or group. It was the result of citizens rising up and making their voices clearly heard and it should be taken for precisely what it is: a mandate for conservative policy leadership.
The victory of nearly two dozen new conservative Republican legislators reflects the mood of Texas voters on the state’s critical issues. It was a clarion call for conservative leadership in the Texas House – leadership that has been absent the past two years. This desire for conservative leadership must be reflected from the Office of the Speaker to every committee chairmanship.
A change to a more conservative Speaker is in order. The voters who labored hard for this conservative majority expect it to diligently represent their conservative values.
Texans voted with the expectation they would see meaningful change for their businesses and families.
The same conservative voters who made this near-supermajority possible will be just as engaged in the months ahead, as they have been leading up to Victory Night. These voters will be watching and actively participating.
We urge you take time to ask your constituents – the people who walked your precincts and made calls to their neighbors; the people who voted for you – what kind of person they want serving as the state’s third-ranking constitutional officer, and what kind of committee chairs they expect. It is their right to be involved and engaged in this important decision.
We look forward to working with this reinvigorated conservative majority throughout the coming legislative session!
The first signatory is Michael Quinn Sullivan of Texans for Fiscal Responsibility. The full list can be found at this link.