Hello Citizen Advocate Army!

Welcome to March Madness!  (aka primary election season).  I think we'll all breathe a collective sigh of relief on March 6 when the primary election is over.  BUT... don't get too comfortable!  There's always another election.  The next one for most of us is in May when we have municipal elections for school boards, city councils and the too often proposed and dreaded BONDS!   Later in May, we will have primary runoffs.  Luke Macias suggests there might be a number of races that go to runoffs, so we need to prepare for that too.  So take a quick vacation after March 5th, and then get ready to fight again.

Three things I want to talk to you about today - Conventions, Campaigns and Kill Switches.  Seem like a strange combination of topics?  Yes, it is!  But each needs to be addressed, and each needs ACTION from you.

Let's start with Conventions:

I hope you know that the Republican Party Convention process is about to begin, and I hope that you will commit to participating at some or all levels.  This is so important!  The Republican Party in Texas has become divided into 2 groups.  The "establishment" types want to maintain the status quo, re-elect anyone with an R behind the name, and generally keep things the way they've always been.  The "grassroots" types (like us!) want to see a change.  We want elected representatives to be accountable, transparent, and honest in representing their districts, and we want them to uphold the conservative principles of the RPT platform and priorities.

The RPT Convention process is how we elect representatives from the party to various positions, change or revise the RPT platform, and establish legislative priorities for the next session.  We need as many of our TTP grassroots army soldiers as possible to attend all convention levels.

Our  February How To Video  explains the convention process, how it works and why it's important.  Please watch it again and take note of what you need to do to jump in.  Then plan to participate in your Precinct Convention, SD or County Convention and State Convention.  For information on how/where/when, please contact your local county GOP offices. Also feel free to reach out to me with questions.  We're happy to help, and we need as many True Texas Delegates as possible at Local and State Conventions.

And speaking of State Convention - TTP will have a booth in the exhibit hall at State Convention in San Antonio, May 23-25.  We will be needing volunteers to help staff the booth and talk to folks about TTP.  We can use non delegates as well as delegates so that the booth is covered while delegates are in their voting caucuses.  Please reply to this email if you would be able to help with the TTP booth. This especially applies to the Bexar County Satellite group since y'all are local to the convention center.

Let's take a moment to talk about convention resolutions.  Starting with Precinct Conventions all Republicans have a chance to submit Resolutions to be considered for the Platform and/or Priorities.  Anyone can submit a resolution.  Each convention level then approves or rejects the resolutions and sends them up the chain ultimately to the State Convention platform or priorities committees.  This is a chance for us all, as individuals, to have a voice in the party platform.  For resolution suggestions, please contact the single issue groups that work on your pet issue (TX Gun Rights, TX for Vaccine Choice, TX Family Project, TX Right to Life, Advancing Integrity, etc. These are just suggestions, there are others).  Most of them will have suggested resolutions for you to submit.  OR, create your own!  But it all starts with Precinct Conventions!

Campaigns

Have you ever seen a campaign year with more mud slinging and dirty politics than this one?  I don't think I have.  And the money that is being thrown around to protect bad incumbents is just mind blowing!  Luke Macias, on his podcast this week, talks a lot about this, and I urge you to take a listen.  If you don't listen to podcasts, please at least listen to ours of course! (TTP@Home), and listen to The Luke Macias Show.  Luke always has insightful information on whatever is happening in Texas politics.  This week he highlights the astronomical amounts of money being pumped into campaigns to protect bad incumbents against strong conservative challengers.

Julie has already admonished everyone to stay the course. 

Don't be misled by the campaign ads and mailers that are full of last minute accusations and lies. If you have questions about something you read - verify it before you spread it around and start questioning your decisions.  Ask the candidate! That's what Julie and I do.  And we nearly always find that there is a reasonable explanation, or proof that the accusation is false.  Luke reminds us that this is not a time to be anxious or stressed, it's a time to be engaged.  We engage in the election process because we feel we are called to do so.  So, stay strong, and work the long game.

What's A Kill Switch?

I'm glad you asked!  It's an evil plot for the government to take over your vehicle!  I actually saw this on a TV series set in the future.  A guy is driving along in a car, and suddenly he hears a voice that says "The US Government is taking control of this vehicle."  Then the steering wheel recedes into the dashboard, and the car goes to the side of the road and stops.  Now I doubt that current day versions of kill switches are that sophisticated - they would just stop your car and not let it start again.  That's a pretty scary thought!  What if you're going 70 miles an hour down a busy freeway?

Well, kill switches in vehicles is exactly what's going to happen unless we all take action. As Heritage Action reports,

"Buried in the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was a requirement (Sec. 24220) for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to develop a federal motor vehicle safety standard mandating that all new cars have technology that can:

1. Passively detect intoxication levels and disable the car, and/or
2. Passively monitor for “impaired” driving (with cameras or sensors) and either warn the driver or cause the car to come to a stop.

Biden’s NHTSA has now initiated the first round of the rulemaking process and the general public has until March 5, 2024 to submit comments in opposition."

Our friends at TURF (the transportation people) have been fighting against this idea  too.  See their information and watch a report, on their website.  Take action by commenting in the public comment links provided in both references.  It's important to speak up!  The Infrastructure Investment Act was a green new deal bill in disguise.  We need to oppose it.

ACTION ITEMS THIS WEEK:

#1)  Participate in the RPT Convention Process!  Starting with Precinct Conventions either on the night of March 5 after polls close, or shortly after, then SD or County Conventions later in March, and finally, the State Convention in May.  Contact your local GOP office for dates, times, locations and details of all conventions.  State Convention information is on the RPT website.

#2)  Offer Resolutions at Precinct and SD/County Conventions, and consider serving on one of the Convention Committees either at the SD or State level.

#3)  Support our grassroots candidates' campaigns in every way you can.  Dispel the lies and rumors, contribute if you can, be a poll greeter, share TTP voter recommendations with your friends and neighbors.  Get past the 5th and then start working the run-offs.  The rewards are worth the effort!

#4)  Go to the Regulations.gov website and write a comment opposing the Kill Switch regulation. Overwhelming opposition in the comment period could change the course of this regulation.  Deadline is March 5, so don't wait!

Thanks for all you do to support and strengthen True Texas Project!  We have gained a reputation as an influential army of activists, and that's all because of YOU!  Keep up the great work.

Stay Engaged!

Fran Rhodes, President

REMEMBER:  TTP voting recommendations for over 80 counties can be found on our website elections page.  There are printable flyers for each area that you can share with others or take to the polls with you.

CLICK HERE FOR VOTER RECOMMENDATIONS

AND.... our TTP@Home podcast, episode #2 drops today.  Julie and I chatted with Luke Macias about his forecasts for primary election night.