Bryan/College Station Tea Party

November 3rd is Voting Day in Texas and there are numerous amendments to our State Constitution on the ballot.

For further information on these Amendments please see these websites.

My favorites – Americans for Prosperity – Texas and Empower Texans

Congress has been busy spending money and encroaching on our freedoms.

Chet Edwards (D-TX17) voted YES to admonish Joe Wilson (R-SC). Joe Wilson’s fundraising has grown exponentially since his emotional outburst of truthfulness.

Chet Edwards (D-TX17) voted YES to put the Dept. of Energy in charge of developing new cars. “The House passed this bill that would permit the Energy Department to spend $200 million per year more than it currently spends on programs for the research, development, demonstration and commercial application of new vehicle technologies.” The Advanced Technologies for Vehicles Act

Chet Edwards (D-TX) voted YES to make the Federal Gov’t the only source for Student Loans. Can we believe any bill that has the word “responsibility” in the title? “This House bill would terminate the Federal Family Education Loan Program and replace it with the Education Department’s Direct Lending program, as well as increase funding of Pell Grants and increase the annual grant maximum to $5500 in 2010.” Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009

The House is set to vote on extending unemployment benefits for states with 8.5% unemployment and a continuing resolution to fund government operations after the current fiscal year ends on September 30. None of the 12 annual appropriations bills have been completed.

The Senate approved a $122 billion bill funding transportation and housing programs for the next fiscal year.

Kay Bailey Hutchison voted YES

John Cornyn voted NO

Yesterday, Chet Edwards voted ‘Yes’ on the House Resolution of Disapproval against Congressman Joe Wilson.

We hope to do our own Resolution of Disapproval of Congressman Chet Edwards in 2010.

Call Chet Edwards to vote “NO!” on censoring Congressman Joe Wilson.

If Chet does vote to censor Joe, then several other Congressmen need to be censored, too.

How about censoring Jack Murtha and Charles Rangel for the same behavior?

Washington Office: 202-225-6105

The National Republican Congressional Committee is watching what we are doing. Thanks to all who have worked to make our voices heard!

Chet Edwards: What Are You So Afraid Of?

Aug 25, 2009

Chet Edwards: What Are You So Afraid Of?

Texas Congressman Will Censor Crowd at Town Hall

Washington- With Dems’ on the receiving end of heated town halls, Texas Democrat Chet Edwards is taking matters into his own hands. Rather than listening to all of his constituents concerns, he will have a third party intervene to “select” the crowd as well as the questions they will be allowed to ask and attendees will not be permitted to bring signs, electronic or recording devices. The question is: What is Chet Edwards so afraid of?

“It’s pathetic that Chet Edwards continues to run from his constituents,” said NRCC Communications Director Ken Spain. “Not only was he reluctant to hold town halls until his constituents pressured him into doing so, but he is now ‘preselecting’ his audience and making sure they can’t catch the proceedings on film. It’s obvious he knows Democrats’ hopes to takeover healthcare will just be another policy flop full of empty promise and void of substantive change. Texans won’t stand for another tax-hiking job-killing bill introduced by Democrats eager to balloon the federal deficit and expand the federal government beyond repair.”

Edwards wouldn’t censor his audience by prohibiting signs and recording devices if he wasn’t concerned about Texans being unconvinced that a Democrat takeover of healthcare will work:

“Questions for the town hall will be selected at random by an independent third party in a lottery system. District 17 Constituents who want to ask questions will fill out cards as they come in, and they will be called on randomly to ask their question. No printed signs, electronic or recording devices will be permitted.” (“KBTX.com to Stream Edwards’ Healthcare Town Hall LIVE,” KBTX, 8/24/2009)

After Texans had to pressure Edwards into holding town halls, he continues to keep them out of the healthcare debate:

“After protesters held rallies outside his district offices last week demanding in-person town hall meetings on health care issues, Rep. Chet Edwards (D-Texas) on Monday announced that he would participate in a series of forums over the next few weeks” (Falcone “Chet Edwards changes course, adds town halls,” Politico, 8/18/2009)

By “preselecting” his constituents, Chet Edwards went back on his promise to “have their voices heard”:

“The overriding principle for me is to allow district constituents the opportunity to ask questions, have their voices heard, and participate in an honest dialogue on health care.”

“I intend to spend the next three weeks carefully listening to health care providers and everyday citizens in our district about what the proposed health care reforms would mean for them and their families…

“That is why I made it clear earlier this month that I would not support a vote on health care in the U.S. House before Members of Congress had a chance to carefully review the legislation and to listen to constituents.” (Falcone “Chet Edwards changes course, adds town halls,” Politico, 8/18/2009)

Unfortunately for Chet Edwards, his reckoning day will come and Texans will wonder what their Congressman is so afraid of.

Tom Knowles sent me this poem. Sandburg’s description of what makes The People appears to accurately describe the Tea Party Movement. We have learned to remember and hear the sneer in the voices of our elected leaders when referring to The People.

I AM THE PEOPLE, THE MOB
By Carl Sandburg

I AM the people—the mob—the crowd—the mass.

Do you know that all the great work of the world is
done through me?

I am the workingman, the inventor, the maker of the
world’s food and clothes.

I am the audience that witnesses history. The Napoleons
come from me and the Lincolns. They die. And
then I send forth more Napoleons and Lincolns.

I am the seed ground. I am a prairie that will stand
for much plowing. Terrible storms pass over me.
I forget. The best of me is sucked out and wasted.
I forget. Everything but Death comes to me and
makes me work and give up what I have. And I
forget.

Sometimes I growl, shake myself and spatter a few red
drops for history to remember. Then—I forget.

When I, the People, learn to remember, when I, the
People, use the lessons of yesterday and no longer
forget who robbed me last year, who played me for
a fool—then there will be no speaker in all the world
say the name: “The People,” with any fleck of a
sneer in his voice or any far-off smile of derision.

The mob—the crowd—the mass—will arrive then.