Steve Toth Run-off Date Set: August 5th

"And the remnant who have escaped of the house of Judah
Shall again take root downward,
And bear fruit upward."
2 Kings 19:30

Fantastic news in the special election to replace the disgraced Tommy Williams:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, RICK PERRY, Governor of Texas, under the authority vested in me by the Constitution and Statutes of the State of Texas , do hereby order a special runoff election to be held in Senate District No.4 on August 5, 2014, for the purpose of electing a state senator to serve out the unexpired term of The Honorable Tommy Williams.

Early voting by personal appearance shall begin on Monday, July 28 , 2014, in accordance with Section 85.001(b), (c) of the Texas Election Code and shall end on Friday, August I, 2014, in accordance with Section 85.00 1(b)of the Texas Election Code.

This is awesome!!!  With Steve Toth in the hole coming out of the first round, he needs as much time as he can get to build name recognition and raise money.  Governor Perry's unexpected blessing grants three additional weeks we didn't think we'd have.

Finally, this is great news for how it alters the voter profile.  By holding the election in August, you filter out many low information voters.  Anyone likely to show up for an August election is also likely to do their own homework regarding the candidates.

We mean this in the least homosexual way possible, but we could kiss Rick Perry right now!!!

Straus to Voters: Drop Dead!!!

He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck,
Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
Proverbs 29:1

Well, that didn't take long:

House Speaker Joe Straus of San Antonio, meanwhile, is all but assured of re-election to the House — he has a Libertarian opponent in November, but no Democrat — and appears well-positioned for a fourth term as speaker after an election within the House in January.

....

Straus said Wednesday he was happy with the runoff election results in the House and hopes next year’s legislative session in that body will proceed more or less like the 2013 session.

....

Without going into specifics, Straus said he was put off by the tone of some of the runoffs. “The primary’s over and it didn’t bring out the best of some of the candidates,” he said.

And he said the elections have not provided much direction for policymakers on specific issues. “Based on the primaries, I don’t think there was much discussion of what we need to do,” Straus said.

Straus noted the turnover in the state Senate and the conservatism of many of its new members. He stopped short of guessing what might come out of that chamber next year. “I really try not to worry about them. I don’t understand their culture very well,” he said. “Over here, we’ll continue to do what we’ve done.”

[Emphasis added]

Read the whole thing here.

Leticia van de Putte embraces corporate welfare

"Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord,
But a just weight is His delight."
Proverbs 11:1

In a statement that could have been written by any rent-seeking lobbyist in Austin, Letcia van de Putte reacted to Dan Patrick's victory last night:

“Throughout this campaign and as the results came in tonight, I have been receiving calls from business leaders concerned about the future of our state. Like Texas business owners, and Texans across this entire state, I know that it’s time that politicians like Dan Patrick put their toxic rhetoric to rest.

“Texans want us to make smart business decisions: building our universities and community colleges, and supporting our local neighborhood schools. They want roads, not rhetoric; investments to help deliver water to their businesses, homes, farms and ranches. They know Texans needs leaders who make smart business decisions for the Lone Star state, by bringing the brightest minds at the table, regardless of political party.

“Just put Texas first. That’s what my campaign for lieutenant governor is all about. It’s time to put good policy before bad politics.”

 Vote for Big Government/Big Business collusion, vote Leticia!!!

Texas Republican Runoff 2014: Rick Perry wins, Bill Powers loses

Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.
Proverbs 20:17

The 2014 Texas Republican Runoff was a referendum on higher education: Rick Perry (and Wallace Hall) won.

David Dewhurst and Dan Branch both abused their office on behalf of the University of Texas administration; both lost.

Three years ago, Rick Perry appointed 'Kick-ass regent' Wallace Hall to clean up the University of Texas.  Wallace Hall then discovered a $215 million accounting scandal.  Dan Branch and David Dewhurst abetted the University of Texas' attempt to cover Bill Powers' rear end.

But who cares, Rick Perry's allies won!!!

Last week, in an interview with this website, Texas Republican Attorney General nominee Ken Paxton vowed: "I'll do whatever I can with the laws that are available to me to make sure that there is transparency at the University of Texas and anywhere in government."  Tonight the voters endorsed Ken's position.

 Dan Patrick raised similar issues and won a similar victory.

 The University of Texas is the biggest special interest in this state.  It made a multimillion dollar bet on David Dewhurst, Joe Straus, and Dan Branch that has failed.  This website applauds 2014 Texas Republican Attorney General candidate Ken Paxton (and Lite Guv candidate Dan Patrick) for ratifying Governor Perry's position.

Is Fifty Shades of Grey Giving Old People STD's?!?

"For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey,
And her mouth is smoother than oil;
But in the end she is bitter as wormwood,
Sharp as a two-edged sword.
Her feet go down to death,
Her steps lay hold of hell."
Proverbs 5:3-5

Sigh:

A rise in sexually transmitted diseases among older couples could have been caused by the ‘Fifty Shades of Grey effect’, a top doctor has warned.

Dr Charlotte Jones said the Fifty Shades of Grey Trilogy has led to older couples being more adventurous in bed and could explain a rise in sexually transmitted infections among the over-50s.

....

Dr Jones, chairwoman of the British Medical Association's GP Committee, said the novels' success is giving couples more sexual confidence but warned that there was a risk they were failing to use protection.

....

‘But there's the Fifty Shades of Grey effect where older people are being more explorative, but not necessarily remembering to use a condom.

....

Dr Jones revealed doctors are starting to see more cases of gonorrhoea and syphilis along with more common thrush and chlamydia.

Read the whole thing here.

Psychotic Authoritarian Drug Warriors for Dan Branch

May the Lord cut off all flattering lips,
And the tongue that speaks proud things,
Psalm 12:3

Last week, we told you about Williamson County District Attorney Jana Duty, who's attempting to lock up a 19 year old kid for life over a couple of pot brownies; look who she's supporting for Attorney General:

That Dan Branch chooses to broadcast an endorsement from an out of control District Attorney currently ruining a 19-year-old kid's life tells you everything you need to know about Dan Branch.

Project Connect thinks we're Julia

Consider the work of God;
For who can make straight what He has made crooked?
Ecclesiastes 7:13

This morning we attended a "workshop" for Project Connect, the Central Texas 'transit coordination' authority.  We were struck by the central planning mentality and lack of humility.  Project Connect officials also had no answer to our question about why a Federal government that is already $18 Trillion in the hole could be a reliable business partner over a two decade project.

Most telling, however, was the video they showed to introduce the presentation.  In 2012, Barack Obama's re-election campaign put out a video entitled "the life of Julia," a faceless entity who went from cradle to grave relying on government programs and subsidies.  Today's Project Connect video used nearly identical artwork, which underlines the nearly identical mentality.

Judge for Yourself:

Sit Still and Wait on the Lord

Fantastic ICR devotional from today [reprinted in full]:

Sit Still
by Henry Morris, Ph.D.

“Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day.” (Ruth 3:18)

This was the instruction given to Ruth by Naomi in hopes that her kinsman, Boaz, would be willing to perform his family duty and marry Ruth, whose Jewish husband had died in Moab. Ruth’s behavior had been honorable, and she had done what she could to let Boaz know she was willing to be his wife, but now she could do nothing except to sit still and wait.

This lesson needs to be remembered by Christians today. All too often we rush ahead of the Lord, fearful that things won’t work out unless we take matters into our own hands. When the Jews were being invaded by the Assyrian armies and felt they needed an alliance with Pharaoh, God warned: “The Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I cried concerning this, Their strength is to sit still. . . . In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength” (Isaiah 30:7-15).

Long before, when the children of Israel were in even more desperate circumstances, with the Egyptian armies pursuing them and the Red Sea in front of them, Moses had said: “Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD” (Exodus 14:13). Soon, Pharaoh’s chariots were at the bottom of the sea, just as, in due time, Boaz did marry Ruth, and as, 600 years later, the hosts of the Assyrians were slain by the angel of the Lord (Isaiah 37:36).

There is, certainly, a time to work—and work hard—in the service of the Lord. There are spiritual battles to be fought and races to be run. But when we have done the best we know how, according to the Scriptures, and still don’t see the answer, there comes a time when we must simply sit still, and wait for the Lord. He would have us “be still, and know that [He is] God” (Psalm 46:10). HMM

EXCLUSIVE: Ken Paxton -- The Cahnman's Musings Interview

"Therefore by their fruits you will know them".
Matthew 7:20

Cahnman's Musings spoke with Ken Paxton this morning; listen to the recording below:

Loading the player ...

Highlights:

• When Obama came into office changed from focusing on state issues to having to deal with a lot of Federal Issues.

• "I felt compelled by that cause, the Tenth Amendment, [that] has become much more relevant to the states over the past six years."

• Will not back down from Tenth Amendment issues even if there's a Republican President.
• "The Tenth Amendment is critical to the way that our country was designed to operate."

• "The only good thing Obama has brought about has been the impetus for states to begin to assert the Tenth Amendment."

• "Transparency and Accountability are important in every aspect of government"
• Passed legislation to put all state contracts online.

• A.G.'s job is to follow and implement laws so: "I'll do whatever I can with the laws that are available to me to make sure that there is transparency at the University of Texas and anywhere in government."

• "If anyone is getting in that isn't qualified, then I think that's an abuse of the process and I think it needs to be looked into and I think people need to be held accountable, and I think we need to stop the process."

• "I think it's key that legislators, just like everyone else, follow whatever the normal process is...to go and abuse your power to go around the system, I think that's a problem."

•  Local Government Debt: "We will carefully review and make sure that the law is being followed and that they're complying with everything they're supposed to comply with under state law."

• "I've been a big proponent of the SBOE maintaining its independence."

•  Donor Intimidation: "I think it's a real problem, I think it's a constitutional problem if the Texas Ethics Commission does it, just like if the legislature does it, you're going to run into constitutional issues of Free Speech; it would be difficult for an Attorney General to defend something like that that I believe is unconstitutional."
• "I would definitely encourage them [the T.E.C] not to do it, because it will only lead to more controversy and will be found to be a problem."

Perry comes out swinging for Wallace Hall

Vindicate me, O God,
And plead my cause against an ungodly nation;
Oh, deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man!
Psalm 43:1

Amen:

Breaking Up Texas' Medical Cartels

Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord,
But a just weight is His delight.
Proverbs 11:1

Crony Capitalism takes many forms.  Some of those forms kill people.  In Texas, 'scope of practice' laws protect the medical and higher education lobby at the expense of consumers forced to suffer without medical care.

Today, TPPF held "Let the People In: The Scope of Practice Reform in Texas":

With the implementation of ObamaCare forcing all citizens to sign up for health coverage, Texas faces a physician shortage. As a result, thousands of newly insured patients will have a hard time finding a doctor, while those with coverage will have more difficulty accessing care. What can be done to relieve the mounting stress on our healthcare system?

One possibility for Texas lawmakers is to relax scope of practice rules, as many other states have done, and allow advanced practice registered nurses more freedom to treat patients according to their education and training.

Join us as our panel of experts review current scope of practice limitations and propose reform measures to keep Texans healthy.

Leading off was William Sage of UT-Austin.  He quoted Milton Friedman's argument against medical licensing from 1962.  His point about how medical licencing creates cartels was obvious and well received.

Joe Straus' Obamacare point man, Rep. John Zerwas (R - Richmond), argued in favor of de facto death panels.  Calling consumer choice "redefining the practice of medicine," Zerwas argued cartels are necessary to "protect the public" from themselves.  Zerwas failed to explain how a system that is allowing tens of thousands of people to go without care is properly defined in the first place. When challenged about the positive outcomes these reforms have produced in other states, Zerwas scoffed and listed several unconvincing reasons why Texas is different. Zerwas also belittled a midwife who spoke about her professional experience.

The star of the event was Christy Blanco, a nurse practitioner from El Paso who moved her business to New Mexico to flee Texas debilitating regulations.  Blanco described her harrowing efforts to comply with Texas' byzantine maze of provider restrictions.  Her efforts have left her tens-of-thousands of dollars in debt.  She told the heartbreaking stories of patients left without care when she failed.  Given that there's no evidence additional education improves patient outcomes, Blanco asked: "What benefits do these restrictions provide to Texas?!?"

Medical cartels always restrict supply.  Politically connected providers create barriers to entry to restrict competition.  Scope of practice laws are one form of cartel.  Given that 19 states have lifted these laws and achieved equal or greater patient outcomes, these laws have no defense.  Yet another argument in favor of new leadership in the Texas Legislature.

-----

Update: TPPF has more here.

Miscarrying Justice in Williamson County

"He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?"
Micah 6:8

"I will bring honesty and integrity back to the D.A.'s office and seek justice above all else."
Williamson County District Attorney Jana Duty, Campaign Website [emphasis added]

This is outrageous:



Highlights:

• Hash oil is listed as a more serious offense under Texas law that regular pot.

• "A sexual assault or a manslaughter carries a maximum of twenty years, he's looking at much more than that."

• "Linked to the weight of the substance found, including any adulterants or dilutants.
• i.e. The weight of the brownie mix was factored into what he was charged with.

• You can have over 100 grams of pot and it's still a misdemeanor, but over a gram of hash oil and its a felony.

-----

Concerned Citizens can contact Williamson County District Attorney Jana Duty:

Email: jana@janaduty.com
Phone: 512-554-5678

-----

It gets better, WillCo D.A. actually ran for office on a platform of protecting citizens against prosecutorial abuse:

Wallace Hall Tells Critics to Pound Sand

"Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong."
1 Corinthians 16:13

Wallace Hall sent a public letter to U.T. Regents chairman Paul Foster.  He's not going anywhere.  Letter below:

Hall Letter to Foster

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In other UT related news, Jon Cassidy of Watchdog.org discussed his recent bombshell report last night with Andrew Wilkow:



Highlights:

• Legislators went outside the proper channels, asked Powers to personally intervene.

• 3 kids of legislators have failed the bar exam.

Book Review: The Insanity of God, by Nik Ripken

"Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life."
Revelation 2:10

The fact that I can write a sentence about Jesus you can read it without major consequences would be considered a miracle by hundreds of millions of believers around the world.  In many parts of the world, believers lack Bibles and cherish the verses or pages of scripture they might possesses.  Yet, in their lives, we see the same Biblical patterns repeating themselves in today's world.

The Insanity of God follows the story of Nik Ripken, a Kentucky pastor who followed God's call to Somalia during the early to mid 1990's.  He was there during the era of American involvement and Black Hawk Down.  Ripken ran a relief agency that prolonged tens of thousands of lives...for a few years.  Eventually, lack of funds combined with security concerns forced Ripken to leave the country.

Leaving the country produced a crisis of faith in Ripken.  While he'd preserved physical lives in Somalia, (at least to his knowledge) no new believers had emerged during that time.  The few believers in the country were slaughtered by Islamic extremists.  It seemed like the time in Somalia had been pointless.  Ripken doubted the power of God to overcome darkness in places like Somalia.

After recovering stateside, Ripken set out to learn how believers in other part of the world had not only survived, but thrived, under persecution.  He traveled to the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, China and Southeast Asia to interview believers who had been persecuted under communism.  Towards the end, he also shares stories of believers in the Islamic world.

One cannot do these stories justice in an online review.  We meet Somali believers who were martyred for observing the Lord's supper.  There's Tavian, who wrote 600 worship songs in an Eastern European prison that are now sung in churches across his country.  There's Dimitri, a Russian believer who sang praise songs every morning in prison over 17 years.  Aisha, an Islamic background believer, sings praise songs from her basement jail cell until ultimately her jailers commit their lives to Christ.

It's impossible to convey the power of these stories, but a few lessons stand out:

• The communist youth organizations and government schools worked to alienate children from their Christian parents (147).

• "If our family has to starve for Jesus, the let us do so with joy." (178)

• Prison "is like seminary" for Chinese believers; there's a large Church planting movement within China's prisons (219).

• Believers in persecution don't pray for persecution to end, they pray to be faithful through persecution (306).

• "Freedom to believe and witness has nothing to do with the government or political system (307)."

The most important lesson from the Insanity of God, however, is that the primary cause of persecution is people surrendering their lives to Jesus (305).  The devils isn't active where he's unopposed.  Persecution is a natural byproduct of believers being obedient to Jesus.  As Ripken says: "before we can grasp the full meaning of resurrection, we first have to experience crucifixion. (308)"  Only then can the full power of a Holy God be glorified!!!

"Insanity of God" from IMB on Vimeo.

Dan Branch Hemmoraging Support in Home District

"May the Lord cut off all flattering lips,
And the tongue that speaks proud things,"
Psalm 12:3

Ouch:

Neither of the Republican legislative candidates in what’s become a bruising race to replace Dallas Rep. Dan Branch say whether they’d support Branch in his bid for attorney general.

In a debate aired Sunday on KXAS-TV (NBC5), Morgan Meyer and Chart Westcott both declined to say if they planned to vote for Branch over Sen. Ken Paxton in the GOP matchup for attorney general.

....

Their lack of an endorsement is notable because Branch, a lawyer, has been a prominent figure in the district, with large victory margins since first winning there in 2002. He gave up that seat this year to try to move up to attorney general.

But Paxton edged Branch in Dallas County in the first round, and beat him by 11 points statewide.

As he did in the primary, Paxton has reached out to the party’s right flank and derided Branch as being out of step with conservatives. Branch has defended his conservative credentials and criticized Paxton’s business practices.

Couldn't happen to a nicer guy!!!

Julian Castro's (Latest) Questionable Finances

"Though his hatred is covered by deceit,
His wickedness will be revealed before the assembly."
Proverbs 26:26

Because previous questionable deals with the Obama administration and skimming from campaign funds wasn't bad enough, Julian Castro's HUD nomination has brought a new round of scrutiny on his finances.

First up, Byron York of the Washington Examiner:

San Antonio Express-News columnist Brian Chasnoff recently reported that Castro made more than $200,000 in 2013. The bulk of that, Chasnoff noted, was a $127,500 advance for the memoir that Castro is writing. More came from the speaking fees that were a product of Castro's post-convention visibility: $12,750 for one speech, $16,250 for another, $8,500 for another, and so on. "When I asked [Castro] how much he was charging in speaking fees, he declined to comment," Chasnoff wrote, explaining that the figures came from a recent financial disclosure form.

That's how Castro supports himself and his family now. But the seed money for Castro's time in the mayor's office -- he was first elected in 2009 -- was a controversial seven-figure "referral fee" that Castro, a Harvard-educated lawyer, received from a well-connected trial lawyer and Democratic donor in a personal injury lawsuit in which Castro may or may not have played a major role. [Emphasis added.]

The case stemmed from a 2006 drunk driving accident in which three people were killed. The short version, according to accounts in the San Antonio Express-News, is that the drunk driver was behind the wheel of a truck owned by an oilfield services company. (The fact that a company's vehicle was involved provided a big source of money for a potential damages award.) One of the victims, a man who lost his mother, wife, and son in the crash, knew Castro and chose Castro's small firm to represent him in a suit against the oilfield services company. Castro then referred the case to a much larger firm, headed by Mikal Watts, a prominent personal injury lawyer and Democratic contributor. Watts won the case, and a big award, and Castro was paid a seven-figure "referral fee" for bringing the suit to Watts' firm. It's not clear whether the fee was on the high side or low side of the seven-figure range; the figure has not been disclosed. In response to questions about what Castro did to earn the money, both he and Watts have said he played an important role in the case. (Watts, meanwhile, has been busy with allegations of misconduct in lawsuits stemming from the British Petroleum oil spill. The New York Times reported that he was accused of "claiming thousands of people as clients who were either unwitting or did not, in fact, exist." Federal agents served search warrants at his San Antonio offices last year.)

In 2009, the Express-News reported, Castro loaned his campaign $215,000 in his first run for mayor. Last year, he told KENS that, "I do have savings from my law practice, and there are some things I will do to try to make some income. I am writing a book and will start to speak for a fee when I can. But I have to make sure it does not take away from the business of San Antonio and the responsibility I have here."

Next, of all places, Politico:

San Antonio was awarded $8.6 million from HUD in 2008 as part of the national Neighborhood Stabilization Program. The city used the money to buy, refurbish and resell homes left vacant after eviction and to also renovate large apartment complexes in the city that were rented out to lower-income tenants.

The HUD IG audited how the money was being spent from 2009 to 2011 and found that city officials had awarded $2.5 million in renovation contracts without a competitive bidding process. Castro, 39, became mayor in May 2009, a job he continues to hold.

The report also found that the city misused roughly $1.1 million when acquiring and fixing properties because some of the properties were not put toward housing lower-income families as required by HUD.

The IG found that the city failed to take certain steps to review the contracts with developers and that officials were “apparently unaware” of certain affordability rules.

....

The initial round of NSP grant money was approved by Congress in response to the escalating amount of foreclosures at the height of the financial crisis in 2008.

Castro will ultimately get confirmed, but it's going to be fun seeing what else comes out during Castro's confirmation process.

The Global Flood Explains the Ice Age

"In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened."
Genesis 7:11

Fantastic new video from ICR:


SD That's a Fact - 45 The Ice Age from Institute for Creation Research on Vimeo.


Highlights:

• Need warmer sea surface for sufficient snow.

• Untold quantities of Magma and steam.

• Without a worldwide catastrophe, they can't explain the heat and aerosols necessary for just one ice age.

When Dan Branch Lied to my Face

"May the Lord cut off all flattering lips,
And the tongue that speaks proud things,"
Psalms 12:3

Bombshell news from Breitbart Texas this morning:

Representative Branch was appointed chairman of the House Higher Education Committee by House Speaker Joe Straus on February 12, 2009, according to the Speaker’s press release. On that same day, Rep. Branch issued his own press release acknowledging the appointment as chairman of the committee. One week later, Chairman Branch allegedly sent a letter dated February 19, 2009, to the University of Texas President, William C. Powers, Jr. on behalf of a student seeking admission to the university for the Fall 2009 semester. A photograph of a screen image of the letter can be seen below. The letter is redacted to protect the private information of the student involved in the letter.

The letter, purportedly signed by Branch, stated, “I would encourage your admissions team to please give him [the student] serious consideration in their selection process. If I can be of any assistance, please contact me.”

But it gets better, because at an event two weeks ago, this happened:

During an interview on the Texas Tribune’s TRIBLIVE on May 8th, Branch was asked by a member of the audience, “Representative Branch, in your position on the Higher Ed Committee, have you ever exerted influence behind the scenes to get someone into UT or UT Law School?” Branch responded firmly, “I have not.”

What the Brietbart reports fails to mention is that your humble correspondent was the audience member who asked the question.  Looking back on the incident today, after this new information emerged, we're struck by the Branch's body language answering the question.  He looked us dead in the eye...and lied.

Keep it classy Dan Branch....

Paxton's Lead Grows to 17%

"May the Lord repay every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the Lord delivered you into my hand today, but I would not stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed."
1 Samuel 26:23

Team Paxton released a new poll today:

(McKinney, Texas) - Today the Ken Paxton Campaign released a poll showing Paxton now has a 17 point lead in the race for Attorney General, representing a widening gap over Dan Branch from the previous poll. Previously, Paxton led Dan Branch 38%-27%, with the remainder undecided. Now, Paxton’s lead has grown to 44%-27% – a net gain of six points.

The poll was conducted May 14-15 by Glen Bolger of Public Opinion Strategies. Bolger is the only pollster to be a three time winner of the “Republican Pollster of the Year” award from the American Association of Political Consultants, winning the prestigious award for his work in 2002, 2009, and 2012.

....

Key Findings:

1. Despite Dan Branch’s negative attacks, Ken Paxton’s double digit lead has widened in the race for Attorney General in the last week.

A week ago, Paxton led Dan Branch 38%-27%, with the remainder undecided, which was statistically the same as his twelve point primary win. Now, Paxton’s lead has grown to 44%-27% – a net gain of six points.

2. Paxton’s lead has grown among key groups in the GOP primary. Among groups that are high propensity turnout voters in Republican primaries: 

• Paxton’s lead grows to 33 points among Tea Party supporters. Among the 41% of run-off voters who are strongly favorable to the Tea Party, Paxton leads 53%-20%.

• Among the 61% of the voters who are very conservative, Paxton has a 26 point lead – 49%-23% over Branch.

• Strong supporters of the NRA back Paxton 47%-26%.

Also important:

• Paxton leads throughout the state. He leads 47%-28% in the Dallas DMA, and 48%-25% in Houston. In addition, he also leads in Austin, San Antonio, and the combined smaller markets through the East/South and West/South of the state.

• Among the 60% of voters who have heard of both candidates, Paxton leads 49%-30%.

The Bottom Line:

With early voting beginning Monday, Paxton’s lead continues to grow while Branch remains mired at 27%. Republican primary run-off voters prefer conservative candidates. Paxton is a real deal conservative, while Branch’s record cost him the primary win and will cost him the nomination.

Dana Loesch Endorses Ken Paxton!!!

"He who walks with wise men will be wise,
But the companion of fools will be destroyed."
Proverbs 13:20

Today just got a little more awesome:

“As a mom raising boys in America today, I recognize the cultural and economic implications of continuing down the progressive path: now more than ever our liberties are at risk. We need a strong conservative defending freedom, the Constitution, and Texas – we need Ken Paxton in the Office of Attorney General. My family and I recently moved to Texas. We love it here, Texas is our home now, and we intend on doing everything we can to keep it red and free, starting with electing Ken Paxton for AG.”

Read the whole thing, including Ken's reaction, here.

Double Check Your Ballot: A Cautionary Tale

The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting,
But diligence is man’s precious possession.
Proverbs 12:27

We voted this morning in East Austin; disaster nearly struck:

We almost voted for Ryan Sitton.

The names on the ballot were listed in all listed in alphabetical order.  In the other three races, we voted for the guy listed second (*).  We continued that pattern in the last race.

But here's the thing: alphabetically, Sitton comes after Christian.

Fortunately, we caught the mistake and fixed it before casting our ballot; but it was a dangerous, sloppy mistake.

Learn from our mistake, don't repeat it.

We've worked too hard and come too far: double check your ballots.

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* - If you know how to read between the lines, there's also a big fat hint about how we voted in the Lite Guv race in that statement.

To change the world, make your bed

"I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the holy brethren."
1 Thessalonians 5:27

[Full Disclosure: Making our bed properly requires a trip to purchase laundry detergent, thus we haven't made our bed yet; we intend to complete this task by the end of the day.]

Admiral William McRaven spoke to the UT graduating class this weekend; reprinted in full:

Remarks by Naval Adm. William H. McRaven, ninth commander of U.S.Special Operations Command

University-Wide Commencement

The University of Texas at Austin, May 17, 2014.

President Powers, Provost Fenves, Deans, members of the faculty, family and friends and most importantly, the class of 2014. Congratulations on your achievement.

It’s been almost 37 years to the day that I graduated from UT.

I remember a lot of things about that day.

I remember I had throbbing headache from a party the night before. I remember I had a serious girlfriend, whom I later married—that’s important to remember by the way– and I remember that I was getting commissioned in the Navy that day.

But of all the things I remember, I don’t have a clue who the commencement speaker was that evening and I certainly don’t remember anything they said.

So…acknowledging that fact—if I can’t make this commencement speech memorable— I will at least try to make it short.

The University’s slogan is,

“What starts here changes the world.”

I have to admit–I kinda like it.

“What starts here changes the world.”

Tonight there are almost 8000 students graduating from UT.

That great paragon of analytical rigor, Ask.Com says that the average American will meet 10,000 people in their life time.

That’s a lot of folks.

But, if every one of you changed the lives of just ten people– and each one of those folks changed the lives of another ten people—just ten—then in five generations—125 years—the class of 2014 will have changed the lives of 800 million people.

800 million people—think of it—over twice the population of the United States. Go one more generation and you can change the entire population of the world—8 billion people.

If you think it’s hard to change the lives of ten people—change their lives forever—you’re wrong.

I saw it happen every day in Iraq and Afghanistan.

A young Army officer makes a decision to go left instead of right down a road in Baghdad and the ten soldiers in his squad are saved from close-in ambush.

In Kandahar province, Afghanistan, a non-commissioned officer from the Female Engagement Team senses something isn’t right and directs the infantry platoon away from a 500 pound IED, saving the lives of a dozen soldiers.

But, if you think about it, not only were these soldiers saved by the decisions of one person, but their children yet unborn– were also saved. And their children’s children— were saved.

Generations were saved by one decision—by one person.

But changing the world can happen anywhere and anyone can do it.

So, what starts here can indeed change the world, but the question is…what will the world look like after you change it?

Well, I am confident that it will look much, much better, but if you will humor this old sailor for just a moment, I have a few suggestions that may help you on your way to a better a world.

And while these lessons were learned during my time in the military, I can assure you that it matters not whether you ever served a day in uniform.

It matters not your gender, your ethnic or religious background, your orientation, or your social status.

Our struggles in this world are similar and the lessons to overcome those struggles and to move forward—changing ourselves and the world around us—will apply equally to all.

I have been a Navy SEAL for 36 years. But it all began when I left UT for Basic SEAL training in Coronado, California.

Basic SEAL training is six months of long torturous runs in the soft sand, midnight swims in the cold water off San Diego, obstacles courses, unending calisthenics, days without sleep and always being cold, wet and miserable.

It is six months of being constantly harassed by professionally trained warriors who seek to find the weak of mind and body and eliminate them from ever becoming a Navy SEAL.

But, the training also seeks to find those students who can lead in an environment of constant stress, chaos, failure and hardships.

To me basic SEAL training was a life time of challenges crammed into six months.

So, here are the ten lesson’s I learned from basic SEAL training that hopefully will be of value to you as you move forward in life.

Every morning in basic SEAL training, my instructors, who at the time were all Viet Nam veterans, would show up in my barracks room and the first thing they would inspect was your bed.

If you did it right, the corners would be square, the covers pulled tight, the pillow centered just under the headboard and the extra blanket folded neatly at the foot of the rack—rack—that’s Navy talk for bed.

It was a simple task–mundane at best. But every morning we were required to make our bed to perfection. It seemed a little ridiculous at the time, particularly in light of the fact that were aspiring to be real warriors, tough battle hardened SEALs–but the wisdom of this simple act has been proven to me many times over.

If you make your bed every morning you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another.

By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter.

If you can’t do the little things right, you will never do the big things right.

And, if by chance you have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that is made—that you made—and a made bed gives you encouragement that tomorrow will be better.

If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.

During SEAL training the students are broken down into boat crews. Each crew is seven students–three on each side of a small rubber boat and one coxswain to help guide the dingy.

Every day your boat crew forms up on the beach and is instructed to get through the surfzone and paddle several miles down the coast.

In the winter, the surf off San Diego can get to be 8 to 10 feet high and it is exceedingly difficult to paddle through the plunging surf unless everyone digs in.

Every paddle must be synchronized to the stroke count of the coxswain. Everyone must exert equal effort or the boat will turn against the wave and be unceremoniously tossed back on the beach.

For the boat to make it to its destination, everyone must paddle.

You can’t change the world alone—you will need some help– and to truly get from your starting point to your destination takes friends, colleagues, the good will of strangers and a strong coxswain to guide them.

If you want to change the world, find someone to help you paddle.

Over a few weeks of difficult training my SEAL class which started with 150 men was down to just 35. There were now six boat crews of seven men each.

I was in the boat with the tall guys, but the best boat crew we had was made up of the the little guys—the munchkin crew we called them–no one was over about 5 foot five.

The munchkin boat crew had one American Indian, one African American, one Polish America, one Greek American, one Italian American, and two tough kids from the mid-west.

They out paddled, out-ran, and out swam all the other boat crews.

The big men in the other boat crews would always make good natured fun of the tiny little flippers the munchkins put on their tiny little feet prior to every swim.

But somehow these little guys, from every corner of the Nation and the world, always had the last laugh– swimming faster than everyone and reaching the shore long before the rest of us.

SEAL training was a great equalizer. Nothing mattered but your will to succeed. Not your color, not your ethnic background, not your education and not your social status.

If you want to change the world, measure a person by the size of their heart, not the size of their flippers.

Several times a week, the instructors would line up the class and do a uniform inspection. It was exceptionally thorough.

Your hat had to be perfectly starched, your uniform immaculately pressed and your belt buckle shiny and void of any smudges.

But it seemed that no matter how much effort you put into starching your hat, or pressing your uniform or polishing your belt buckle— it just wasn’t good enough.

The instructors would fine “something” wrong.

For failing the uniform inspection, the student had to run, fully clothed into the surfzone and then, wet from head to toe, roll around on the beach until every part of your body was covered with sand.

The effect was known as a “sugar cookie.” You stayed in that uniform the rest of the day—cold, wet and sandy.

There were many a student who just couldn’t accept the fact that all their effort was in vain. That no matter how hard they tried to get the uniform right—it was unappreciated.

Those students didn’t make it through training.

Those students didn’t understand the purpose of the drill. You were never going to succeed. You were never going to have a perfect uniform.

Sometimes no matter how well you prepare or how well you perform you still end up as a sugar cookie.

It’s just the way life is sometimes.

If you want to change the world get over being a sugar cookie and keep moving forward.

Every day during training you were challenged with multiple physical events– long runs, long swims, obstacle courses, hours of calisthenics—something designed to test your mettle.

Every event had standards—times you had to meet. If you failed to meet those standards your name was posted on a list and at the end of the day those on the list were invited to—a “circus.”

A circus was two hours of additional calisthenics—designed to wear you down, to break your spirit, to force you to quit.

No one wanted a circus.

A circus meant that for that day you didn’t measure up. A circus meant more fatigue– and more fatigue meant that the following day would be more difficult–and more circuses were likely.

But at some time during SEAL training, everyone—everyone– made the circus list.

But an interesting thing happened to those who were constantly on the list. Overtime those students— who did two hours of extra calisthenics– got stronger and stronger.

The pain of the circuses built inner strength-built physical resiliency.

Life is filled with circuses.

You will fail. You will likely fail often. It will be painful. It will be discouraging. At times it will test you to your very core.

But if you want to change the world, don’t be afraid of the circuses.

At least twice a week, the trainees were required to run the obstacle course. The obstacle course contained 25 obstacles including a ten foot high wall, a 30 foot cargo net, and a barbed wire crawl to name a few.

But the most challenging obstacle was the slide for life. It had a three level 30 foot tower at one end and a one level tower at the other. In between was a 200 foot long rope.

You had to climb the three tiered tower and once at the top, you grabbed the rope, swung underneath the rope and pulled yourself hand over hand until you got to the other end.

The record for the obstacle course had stood for years when my class began training in 1977.

The record seemed unbeatable, until one day, a student decided to go down the slide for life– head first.

Instead of swinging his body underneath the rope and inching his way down, he bravely mounted the TOP of the rope and thrust himself forward.

It was a dangerous move–seemingly foolish, and fraught with risk. Failure could mean injury and being dropped from the training.

Without hesitation– the student slid down the rope– perilously fast, instead of several minutes, it only took him half that time and by the end of the course he had broken the record.

If you want to change the world sometimes you have to slide down the obstacle head first.

During the land warfare phase of training, the students are flown out to San Clemente Island which lies off the coast of San Diego.

The waters off San Clemente are a breeding ground for the great white sharks. To pass SEAL training there are a series of long swims that must be completed. One– is the night swim.

Before the swim the instructors joyfully brief the trainees on all the species of sharks that inhabit the waters off San Clemente.

They assure you, however, that no student has ever been eaten by a shark—at least not recently.

But, you are also taught that if a shark begins to circle your position—stand your ground. Do not swim away. Do not act afraid.

And if the shark, hungry for a midnight snack, darts towards you—then summons up all your strength and punch him in the snout and he will turn and swim away.

There are a lot of sharks in the world. If you hope to complete the swim you will have to deal with them.

So, If you want to change the world, don’t back down from the sharks.

As Navy SEALs one of our jobs is to conduct underwater attacks against enemy shipping. We practiced this technique extensively during basic training.

The ship attack mission is where a pair of SEAL divers is dropped off outside an enemy harbor and then swims well over two miles—underwater– using nothing but a depth gauge and a compass to get to their target.

During the entire swim, even well below the surface there is some light that comes through. It is comforting to know that there is open water above you.

But as you approach the ship, which is tied to a pier, the light begins to fade. The steel structure of the ship blocks the moonlight–it blocks the surrounding street lamps–it blocks all ambient light.

To be successful in your mission, you have to swim under the ship and find the keel—the centerline and the deepest part of the ship.

This is your objective. But the keel is also the darkest part of the ship—where you cannot see your hand in front of your face, where the noise from the ship’s machinery is deafening and where it is easy to get disoriented and fail.

Every SEAL knows that under the keel, at the darkest moment of the mission– is the time when you must be calm, composed—when all your tactical skills, your physical power and all your inner strength must be brought to bare.

If you want to change the world, you must be your very best in the darkest moment.

The ninth week of training is referred to as “Hell Week.” It is six days of no sleep, constant physical and mental harassment and– one special day at the Mud Flats—the Mud Flats are area between San Diego and Tijuana where the water runs off and creates the Tijuana slue’s—a swampy patch of terrain where the mud will engulf you.

It is on Wednesday of Hell Week that you paddle down to the mud flats and spend the next 15 hours trying to survive the freezing cold mud, the howling wind and the incessant pressure to quit from the instructors.

As the sun began to set that Wednesday evening, my training class, having committed some “egregious infraction of the rules” was ordered into the mud.

The mud consumed each man till there was nothing visible but our heads. The instructors told us we could leave the mud if only five men would quit—just five men and we could get out of the oppressive cold.

Looking around the mud flat it was apparent that some students were about to give up. It was still over 8 hours till the sun came up–eight more hours of bone chilling cold.

The chattering teeth and shivering moans of the trainees were so loud it was hard to hear anything– and then, one voice began to echo through the night—one voice raised in song.

The song was terribly out of tune, but sung with great enthusiastic.

One voice became two and two became three and before long everyone in the class was singing.

We knew that if one man could rise above the misery then others could as well.

The instructors threatened us with more time in the mud if we kept up the singing—but the singing persisted.

And somehow– the mud seemed a little warmer, the wind a little tamer and the dawn not so far away.

If I have learned anything in my time traveling the world, it is the power of hope. The power of one person—Washington, Lincoln, King, Mandella and even a young girl from Pakistan—Mallah—one person can change the world by giving people hope.

So, if you want to change the world, start singing when you’re up to your neck in mud.

Finally, in SEAL training there is a bell. A brass bell that hangs in the center of the compound for all the students to see.

All you have to do to quit– is ring the bell. Ring the bell and you no longer have to wake up at 5 o’clock. Ring the bell and you no longer have to do the freezing cold swims.

Ring the bell and you no longer have to do the runs, the obstacle course, the PT– and you no longer have to endure the hardships of training.

Just ring the bell.

If you want to change the world don’t ever, ever ring the bell.

To the graduating class of 2014, you are moments away from graduating. Moments away from beginning your journey through life. Moments away starting to change the world—for the better.

It will not be easy.

But, YOU are the class of 2014—the class that can affect the lives of 800 million people in the next century.

Start each day with a task completed.

Find someone to help you through life.

Respect everyone.

Know that life is not fair and that you will fail often, but if take you take some risks, step up when the times are toughest, face down the bullies, lift up the downtrodden and never, ever give up–if you do these things, then next generation and the generations that follow will live in a world far better than the one we have today and— what started here will indeed have changed the world—for the better.

Thank you very much. Hook ‘em horns.

AMEN; Hook 'em!!!

-----

Update: Bed Made....

 

Attempting to insult Konni Burton, media unintentionally praises her!!!

"But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive."
Genesis 50:20

In endorsing her opponent, the Ft. Worth Star Telegram threw a HILARIOUS temper tantrum:

Political newcomer Konni Burton of Colleyville, a Tea Party activist who first grew concerned over the federal debt, somehow finds it easy to dismiss Shelton’s career and success.

When he talks about working with Texas Republicans on conservative budgets and education policy, she replies as if something has gone horribly wrong: “So — how’s that experience working out for us?”

Instead of campaigning for the district, Burton seems to be campaigning against Austin leadership in general and for an ideology.

She strongly opposes runaway federal spending and wants to stave off any hint in Austin.

But the closing line is the best:

Burton is more dynamic and more in touch with this year’s trend.

Radical Entrepreneurship: How to Bankrupt Crony Capitalists.

Do you see a man who excels in his work?
He will stand before kings;
He will not stand before unknown men.
Proverbs 22:29

Max Borders gave a fantastic talk at Liberty on the Rocks last night:

Highlights:

• The need to decentralize power.

• How do you dismantle power?!?

• Crony relationships have happened since time immemorial.

• Radical Democratization: Air B'n'B and Lyft are early examples.

• Intrepreurship: Making change within an organization.

TPPF Turns 25

"teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,"
Titus 2:12

TPPF turned 25 this past week; to celebrate, they put out a fantastic video:

Highlights:

• The droves of people coming from California, New York, and Illinois proves the value of the work.

• Texas is where the future of the conservative movement will take place.

• If they weren't effective, the IRS wouldn't have targeted them.

Matt Rinaldi Opens Big Fat Mouth: Dan Branch Crying

"And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
John 8:32

Ken Paxton picked up several new endorsements today, Matt Rinaldi's quote is best:

"Ken Paxton is the proven conservative who will fight for our values, and Dan Branch, based on his record, simply will not. Rep. Branch’s past association as a registered union lobbyist is troublesome, especially with his vote for SB 346 to restrict the political speech of conservatives yet exempt unions. Conservatives simply can’t trust Dan Branch, and that’s why they overwhelmingly support Ken Paxton for Attorney General.”

Amen!!!

Jonathan Stickland Backs Wallace Hall

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Joshua 1:9

Jonathan Stickland weighs in on the Wallace Hall impeachment fiasco:

Hall has been under assault by the political establishment for months — his character attacked and name dragged through the mud. His case was recently thrown to the den of liberal wolves at the Travis County public integrity unit in an attempt to bring criminal charges against him.

Why? Because Hall dared to stand up and demand both transparency and accountability at the University of Texas at Austin. Now, the very legislators who may be connected to the scandals he has uncovered are working with the Austin media to destroy him.

Must I be the only elected official to tell the emperor he has no clothes?

The very idea that a university regent — who is tasked by the Texas Constitution and by statute with overseeing a public institution of higher education — could be impeached for asking questions is absurd. It’s even more absurd when the people attacking that regent admit that he uncovered serious malfeasance that has yet to be addressed.

It’s clear to me that this has become a fight between the grassroots and the establishment.

....

The fight to clean up corruption in this state and return control of their government to the citizens of Texas is only beginning. Hall should stand firm against those trying to silence him. The scandals that he is uncovering at UT must come to light so that those of us in the Legislature who oppose public corruption can begin the hard work of moving our state forward. The future of accountability and transparency in Texas government may very well depend on him.

For the sake of Texas, I hope Hall stands strong against these attacks. He will not be alone.

Read the whole thing here.

Rick Perry Wins: UT-Austin Freezes Tuition

"How much better to get wisdom than gold!
And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver."
Proverbs 16:16

They must be feeling the heat:

AUSTIN — After Gov. Rick Perry sent a letter to the chairman of the University of Texas System board of regents Wednesday morning urging them to find alternatives to tuition increases, the board put off a decision on in-state tuition at the system's nine academic institutions until Tuesday.

....

Chairman Paul Foster said Perry influenced the process, adding, “He's the governor of the state. I believe that's his role.”

“We are all very cognizant of, not only his desire, but our own desire to limit tuition increases,” Foster said.

....

The UT academic institutions had asked for increases of tuition and fees ranging from 2.13 percent to 3 percent for in-state undergraduates taking 15 semester credit hours in fall 2014 if they don't opt for a more costly guaranteed rate, which will be locked in for four years.

Perry's letter urged placing “a far greater emphasis on controlling the spiraling costs of a college education.”

Read the whole thing here.

Bob Deuell resorts to Branch/Sitton Playbook

The lofty looks of man shall be humbled,
The haughtiness of men shall be bowed down,
And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.
Isaiah 2:11

We recieved this from a friend in Dallas County; reprinted in full with permission:

May 14, 2014 – Republican State Sen. Bob Deuell has stepped up his increasingly personal attacks on runoff challenger Bob Hall. Since 2003, Deuell has represented Senate District Two, which includes the counties of Delta, Hopkins, Hunt, Rockwall, Kaufman, Fannin, Rains, Van Zandt and part of Dallas County.

Given the serious nature of Deuell’s allegations that his opponent is a tax cheat and guilty of spousal abuse, conservative grassroots leaders Ken Emanuelson and JoAnn Fleming investigated the charges. Grassroots America’s Executive Director JoAnn Fleming said, “We have reviewed the evidence – court and IRS documents – and can confidently report that Sen. Deuell is being shamefully deceitful in his communications with his constituents and has certainly misled the media.”

Dallas Tea Party co-founder and attorney Ken Emanuelson added, “The primary results clearly show incumbent Bob Deuell has a very big problem in this race. He knows full well he can’t run for reelection on his voting record in Austin. If voters pay attention to Bob Deuell’s failing grades from conservative groups,[1] his support for death panels,[2] his support for in-state tuition for illegal aliens,[3] scores of new taxes,[4] contraceptives for children without parental consent[5] and free needles for drug users,[6] the voters of Senate District 2 are very likely to throw him out. He knows this and is pulling out all the stops to distract voters from the issues by dumping all the mud he can on surging challenger Bob Hall.”

Finding #1: Court Documents Prove Florida Family Court Completely Exonerated Bob Hall

Deuell claims the record shows that Bob Hall is guilty of spousal abuse. Deuell bases this allegation on a single document filed by Bob Hall’s ex-wife in the course of a heated legal dispute. Deuell was almost certainly in possession of the full file on Bob Hall’s litigation in Florida, but it appears that he sent only the “complaint” portion of the file to the media. It is also the only portion of the file Deuell mentions in his direct mail attacks on Hall.

The court documents actually contain a single complaint, filed by Bob Hall’s ex-wife in the heat of a dispute four years after their divorce, which made all manner of allegations against Bob Hall. What Bob Deuell didn’t disclose is this – the complaint was completely rejected and dismissed by the court.[7] Deuell’s private investigator surely unearthed the same documents we reviewed – Okaloosa County, Florida, court documents that completely exonerate Bob Hall – but Deuell deceptively withheld those documents from the media and his own constituents in order to conceal the truth.

In particular, Deuell purposefully withheld the “final disposition” court document, whereupon after a hearing before a judge, the complaint against Bob Hall was totally and completely dismissed in less than a month’s time [8] because the judge found absolutely no basis for the allegations set forth therein.[9] The court records show the plaintiff (Bob Hall’s ex-wife) accepted and agreed with the judge’s decision! The Record Search Certificate obtained from the office of Circuit Court Clerk in Okaloosa County, Florida, showed that no other cases involving Bob Hall even exist.

By way of background, the court that issued the temporary order takes domestic violence complaints very seriously. When a complaint (remember, a complaint is not a charge or conviction – it is simply a bare allegation) is filed, a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) is automatically issued on behalf of the plaintiff, and a date is set for a hearing before a judge. No evidence or testimony is required from the plaintiff for the TRO to be issued. The purpose of the hearing is to determine if the complaint is valid and warrants a “Permanent” Restraining Order or other action.[10]

Even the threshold for issuing a “Permanent” Restraining Order is very low. No physical evidence or witness testimony is needed to convince a judge of the need for a Permanent Order. If the judge feels there is even a small “indication” that any one of the complaints may have validity, the judge can, and most often does, issue a permanent order. At the conclusion of the hearing, the judge notes his findings on a “Final Disposition Order.”[11]

In this case, the judge felt that there was no evidence whatsoever that any of the allegations were true. The handwritten note by the presiding Judge (on the Final Disposition Order in case #94-DR-2087 S) shows “No Indications,” which means the Judge concluded there was absolutely no indication whatsoever that any of the allegations the plaintiff made on the complaint form had any factual merit.[12] Therefore, the Judge’s dismissal of case #94-DR-2087 S completely exonerated Bob Hall, the defendant, of any wrongdoing

Finding #2: IRS Documents Prove Bob Hall Took on the IRS—and WON!

Bob Deuell also makes much of the fact that Bob Hall has had multiple disputes with the IRS. Bob Hall does not deny standing up and fighting the IRS. The IRS disagreed with Hall on what he owed in taxes. Faced with the difficulty of fighting the IRS, many of us might decide to roll over and pay more than we owe. Bob Hall didn’t. Rather than roll over, Bob Hall chose to stand up against the IRS, and HE WON. In each case in dispute with a taxpayer, the Internal Revenue Service follows a standard procedure in contested cases by filing routine tax liens. These liens are automatically filed to allow the IRS to collect in the event they prevail, or if the taxpayer dies before the contested matters are resolved.

Bob Deuell proudly trumpeted Bob Hall’s tax liens, but was once again very deceptive. What Bob Deuell hid from his constituents and from the media is this – the IRS released every single “tax lien” Deuell referenced.[13] The official record shows there is no history of taxes due from Bob Hall to the IRS. In fact, in 2011, Hall received a refund from the IRS of more than $12,000 dollars. The IRS does not send refunds to people who owe them money.

Emanuelson and Fleming Conclude: “Sen. Bob Deuell has deliberately attempted to deceive both his constituents and the media in a pitiful effort to destroy the character of his opponent and thereby suppress the vote in the May 27 runoff election. The direct mail Deuell is using to spread these disgusting lies is some of the worst we’ve ever seen. He should be ashamed.”

Ken Emanuelson: “What Mr. Deuell doesn’t want voters to know is that he is terribly lacking in endorsements from conservative organizations because of his liberal voting record. He definitely does not want them to know that he was ranked – in a 2012 independent study by Rice University Political Science Professor Mark Jones – as the most liberal Republican state senator in Texas.[14] Mr. Deuell would certainly rather distract with deception than have folks know about his consistently low or failing grades from all of the conservative watchdog groups in Texas.”[15]

JoAnn Fleming agreed, “Mr. Deuell is clearly out of touch with the people of Senate District 2. In the results for the 2012 Republican primary ballot resolutions, 95% of SD 2 voters said they favored limiting any increases in government spending. Deuell ignored the expressed will of his constituents by voting to increase state spending 26%;[16] however, this is not a recent lurch to the left for Bob Deuell. In a 2011 interview with the Quorum Report and YNN, Deuell stated, ‘I’m advocating using the Rainy Day Fund – all of it. I also think we should raise the gas tax 10 cents a gallon and close loopholes in the sales tax.’[17] Deuell’s own words prove everything his opponent Bob Hall is saying about Senator Deuell’s liberal tax and spend voting record. Deuell cannot defend his record in conservative Senate District 2, so he has chosen to try to destroy Bob Hall with abject lies and distortions. Texans deserve better.”

###

[1] See, e.g., www.SenatorDeuell.com.
[2] The Association of American Physicians & Surgeons (AAPS) and Texas Right-to-Life labeled Senator Deuell’s SB 303 “The Death Panel Bill” because of the power it gave bureaucrats over life and death decisions.
[3] Sen. Deuell voted for S.B. 1528 (79th Leg.,) providing in-state tuition for illegal aliens.
[4] “We should raise the gas tax 10 cents a gallon” – Bob Deuell, March 5th, 2011. See also Dallas Morning News, “Another GOP senator supports gas-tax increase”; Senate Bill 855 (81st Leg.) would have created brand new taxing powers for transportation projects.
[5] Senate Bill 592 (81st), supported by Deuell, would have usurped parental authority concerning contraception for minor girls.
[6] See Senate Bill 308 (80th Leg.)
[7] See Form 1.998, Final Disposition Form, Case # 94-2087 FD, 7-12-94 http://www.scribd.com/doc/223095477/Final-Disposition-Form
[8] See Certified Dismissal, April 8, 2014 - http://www.scribd.com/doc/223095440/Certified-Dismissal
[9] See Final Disposition Form, supra.
[10] See, e.g., Florida Domestic Violence Benchbook http://www.fcadv.org/sites/default/files/Benchbook%20for%20Judges%202008.PDF
[11] See Florida Domestic Violence Benchbook, supra.
[12] See Final Disposition Form, supra.
[13] See, e.g., Certificates of Release of Federal Tax Liens - http://www.scribd.com/doc/223095505/Certificate-of-Release-of-Federal-Tax-Lien ; http://www.scribd.com/doc/223095443/Certificate-of-Release-of-Federal-Tax-Lien ; http://www.scribd.com/doc/223095445/Certificate-of-Release-of-Federal-Tax-Lien ; http://www.scribd.com/doc/223095457/Certificate-of-Release-of-Federal-Tax-Lien ;
[14] A copy of Prof. Jones study is posted at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qBhe1NjJYeNH6xs0L-k9WkyF-UjeEE9YJiSre7Qvr_Syeucm0n3Uz5GSpsNP/edit?usp=sharing
[15] See, e.g., www.SenatorDeuell.com.
[16] See “The Great Texas Budget Debate of 2013” - http://www.texaspolicy.com/center/economic-freedom/blog/great-texas-budget-debate-2013
[17] See “Tax increases proposed by Texas Senator” - http://arnoldpublicaffairs.com/2011/03/05/tax-increases-proposed-by-texas-senator/