Texas Insider Report: HOUSTON Texas The Tea Party has played an important role this year and I want to be sure their voices are heard in Austin long after next Tuesday said State Senator Dan Patrick (R-Houston) in announcing his joining with fellow conservative legislators to create a Tea Party Caucus. The power of the Tea Party beyond election day is to hold those elected accountable for a conservative voting agenda said Patrick.
The Tea Party caucus will be active throughout the session meeting with conservative leaders from the Tea Party movement discussing issues and building support for important conservative legislation.
Continued membership in the caucus will be based on performance in three areas Patrick said:
- Supporting key Tea Party issues
- Signing the Texas Conservative Coalition Pledge with Texas; and
- Keeping a conservative voting record that is in line with TCCs Annual Report Card.
Through the Legislative Tea Party Caucus grassroots activists will maintain a connection with our elected representatives throughout their life cycle - before they are elected and as long as they are in office said Julie Turner of the
Texas Tea Party Patriots.
We will support them when their votes reflect our core values and challenge them when they stray said Turner.
Senator Patrick will invite legislators to join the new caucus over the next two months and ask Tea Party leaders from across the state to form a legislative committee that will meet with the caucus throughout the session.
The formal announcement of the caucus will come at the beginning of the session with a planned rally at the Capitol of caucus members and Tea Party members.
The caucus will be guided by a board of 11 members of both the Texas House of Representatives and Senate. Representatives Wayne Christian Brandon Creighton and Ken Paxton as well as Senator Brian Birdwell have already agreed to serve on this board.
After the 2011 Legislative Session future board members will be voted upon by the full membership of the caucus.
I stand with Senator Patrick and all my conservative colleagues to affirm that our state and our nation were designed to be ruled not by the politicians but by the people
stated Representative Wayne Christian.
Former U.S. Senator Daniel Webster (1782-1852) said Make them (the people) intelligent and they will be vigilant; give them the means of detecting the wrong and they will apply the remedy said Christian.
Through the alliance of our new Tea Party caucus and the
Texas Conservative Coalition we pledge to again make Texas of the people by the people and for the people.
