The beginning of every legislative session commences with selecting the Speaker of the Texas House and Tuesday January 3rd, 2015 begins the 84th Texas Legislative Session.
Why is this vote so important to us Texans?
Most of the speaker’s power lies in their appointments to committee chairs. With these appointments, comes power and responsibility for the legislation that ultimately makes it to the floor for a vote. As an example from last session, under the leadership of the current “Republican” Speaker, Joe Straus, not one Pro-Life bill made it to the floor during regular session. It was only because of pressure from Governor Rick Perry that forced the special session that made the way for the landmark pro-life bill (HB2) that has provided protection for so many women in Texas and saved the lives of so many precious lives. So many bills submitted from our liberty minded legislatures were blocked in committee or never allowed out of calendar.
We, as Texans have an obligation to protect Life and Liberty for our children, for our state and ultimately as Texas goes, so does the United States. I believe Texas is and will be the last line of defense in the protection of our civil and religious liberty.
As Christians we believe our liberties are derived from our Creator not from our government.
Stand firm therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and don’t be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. Galatians 5:1 (WEB)
As the body of Christ, “We the People” were established as the true caretakers of our own Liberty. Our legislators are sent as Representatives to that affect. We must make our voices heard in Austin, affecting change through the legislative process.
The Speaker’s race is paramount to our fight for Liberty. We must petition our legislatures to vote for a new Speaker that will not misuse their power as the current Speaker has since 2009.
The current Speaker, Joe Straus, has misused that power and has been a hindrance to our Liberty through his policies:
- Retribution was threatened on those representatives refusing to support Straus in previous sessions.
- In 2013, 51% of legislation that made it to the Governor’s desk was authored by Democrats – who unanimously voted for Straus as Speaker.
- Pushed for state expanded Medicaid under Obamacare
- In 2013, spent the entire $8 billion budget surplus and took $4 billion from the state’s rainy day fund.
Empower Texans provided an exhaustive list of Conservative reforms that were killed by Straus and his crony committee appointments (from The Joe Straus Record):
- Urging Congress to cease imposing the Obamacare contraception mandate on business
- Monthly reporting requirement for abortion doctors, providing penalties
- Allowing volunteer security staff with a CHL to carry a concealed weapon in the course of their service with church permission
- Requiring counties, cities, and school districts to list total outstanding debt and debt per capita on any ballot for a new bond election
- Preventing school boards from discriminating against religious organizations seeking to use public school facilities during non-instructional time
- Preventing insider trading by state officials or employees
- Protecting Texans from federal gun registrations
- Prohibiting discrimination by institutions of higher education against faculty or students who research Intelligent Design
- Protecting Texans from the Obamacare individual mandate
- Closing the “judicial bypass” loophole allowing minors to receive and abortion without parental notification
- Placing greater restrictions on eminent domain powers
- Preventing abortions after 20 weeks post fertilization
- Preventing abortion service referrals in Public School sex education courses
- Addressing coercive conditions imposed on the state by the receipt of federal funds
Who is running for Texas Speaker of the House?
The current Speaker of the House, Joe Straus, will be seeking re-election to the position and we have got to fight to get him “de-throned”.
The Liberty Blessing is endorsing a man of great distinction, a Godly man with a servant leader view of his role as a legislature, Scott Turner.
“The Lord is shaking the very foundations of the Texas House. The key is – the people are speaking, but the question is – Will we listen?” – Scott Turner
I have been blessed with the opportunity to pray for and with Scott Turner. He shared his heart with a small group of Christian activists in Tarrant County. This man has the calling of the Lord on him. He understands what it means to be a servant leader, to lift others to do great things. He understands the power of the Word in his life and how Jesus Christ can soften the hearts of those you share Him with. He understands what it means to “wait on the Lord” and to listen to the guiding of the Holy Spirit. For this next role, most importantly he understands the Liberty, the Lord has for us and the importance in fighting for that Liberty.
Watch Scott Turner give his testimony:
History is set to be made this session. The last contested vote for the Speaker’s seat was in 1975, every vote since has had the contender publicly drop out prior to the vote. This is also the first time that a contender has spent so much time and money actively campaigning directly to Texas citizens asking them to pressure their representative to support them for the Speaker’s seat. Only the members of the Texas House casts votes for the Speaker and we want this vote to go to the floor.
What can you do?
Your Texas House Rep needs to know where its constituents stands on issues they face during session. A phone call, an email, or even a hand-written note will make an impact on your legislature. We often feel that government has gotten too big for our representatives to care about a single call or a note from some “nobody” in their district. For some reps this is true, but that tide is changing and your voice does make a difference – especially at the State level. I have personally met with many Texas House Reps and when asked what can we as concerned Texans do to affect change, they all reply “communicate with us”. You would be surprised how few calls or notes they actually receive. Your note or call does not have to be long or eloquent. An example note would look like this,
“My name is ____________________________, I am one of your constituents and I would like you to vote for Scott Turner For Texas House Speaker.”
This is a great site to Find Your Representative and author a quick note that will be printed and hand delivered to your representative. You can also locate your representative at the state’s Find Your House Rep page or Find Your Senator’s page.
Take Action Now
Please take action now. We have a little over a month to communicate just how important this vote is to our House Reps and our friends. See below for ways you can pass the message on:
The Liberty Blessing 
I don’t care who prays with whom; it is of no consequence to me whether prayers are Catholic, Buddhist, Muslim, or Christian. It matters whether men and women electrd to represent the best interests of all Texans do so in the upcoming session. For that reason I’m hoping Joe Strauss makes it.