Category: County Chair

    Bastrop County Republican Party Resolution – December 30, 2024

    December 31, 2024 by Stephanie Phelps in

    WHEREAS, the Texas House Republican Caucus met on December 7, 2024, to nominate a candidate for Speaker in compliance with the Platform and House Rules; and

    WHEREAS, in the third vote, 26 Republican Representatives, which included Texas House District 17 Representative Stan Gerdes, walked out of the Texas House Republican Caucus vote in an attempt to deny quorum to the caucus so that a candidate could be elected with Democratic votes; and

    WHEREAS, the Texas House Republican Caucus voted on the third ballot to support Representative David Cook of Tarrant County as their official nominee; and

    WHEREAS, Bastrop County Republican Party Executive Committee and voters from across the county are disappointed with Texas House District 17 Representative Stan Gerdes for not following the Rules of the Texas House Republican Caucus; and

    WHEREAS, the Bastrop County Republican Party Executive Committee condemns any effort by Representative Stan Gerdes to ally with Democrats to elect a Speaker who was not supported by the majority vote of the Texas House Republican Caucus; and

    WHEREAS, after extensive meetings with Representative Dustin Burrows, the Texas House Democratic Caucus, led by radical Houston Representative Gene Wu, has “released” its members to vote for a Republican Speaker Candidate other than Representative David Cook in an effort to stop Republican agenda items such as school choice, ending taxpayer funded lobbying, and ending the practice of appointing Democratic chairs; now

    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Bastrop County Republican Party Executive Committee calls on Representative Stan Gerdes to publicly commit to supporting the Texas House Republican Caucus nominee in accordance with the Caucus vote and with the Republican Party of Texas Platform; and

    THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that for the House Speaker vote scheduled for January 14, 2025, the Bastrop County Republican Party provides notice to State Representative Stan Gerdes, that a vote against the Texas House Republican Caucus nominee, Representative David Cook, in the floor vote for House Speaker shall constitute a censurable act, given he pledged to comply with all the Legislative Priorities including  “No Democrat Chairs”.  A vote against the Texas House Republican Caucus nominee shall be considered a censurable act.

    THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that for the House Speaker vote scheduled for January 14, 2025, the Bastrop County Republican Party provides notice to State Representative Stan Gerdes to not interfere with rules or use subversive tactics such as denying a quorum or participate in absenteeism that causes a quorum to come into question.  Actions that deny quorum for the House Speaker vote, shall be considered a censurable act;

    THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that for the House Speaker vote scheduled for January 14, 2025, the Bastrop County Republican Party provides notice to State Representative Stan Gerdes, that a vote for a House Speaker secret floor ballot vote, will be interpreted as an attempt to hide a vote with Democrats who want Democrat Chairs, and as such, be considered equivalent to a vote for a Speaker supported by Democrats, and shall be considered a censurable act. 

    THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, in the unforeseen event the Texas House Republican Caucus nominee, Representative David Cook, withdraws his candidacy for House Speaker, a vote by Representative Stan Gerdes during the House Speaker floor vote for any other candidate who has not pledged publicly, prior to the floor vote, to comply with the Legislative Priorities of “No Democrat Chairs” shall constitute a censurable act.

    THEN THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, during the full 2025 session, a vote against or in hindrance thereof of the current Republican Party of Texas “Legislative Priorities” or the current Republican Party of Texas “Principles” in the Republican Party of Texas Platform shall constitute a censurable act and shall be considered in the censure process according to RPT Rule 44.

    The Meaning of Christmas, by Pastor John Eason, Jr.

    December 22, 2024 by Stephanie Phelps in

    It goes without saying, even though I am saying it, most know the celebration of Christmas is far more than packaged gifts, cool cards, yard displays, and Santa and the gang. It is even more than angels, shepherds in the field, and wise men traveling from afar. I, for one, like Christmas’s cultural and religious traditions, such as lighted trees, Christmas movies, caroling, and candlelight services. Count me in on just about everything. But, deep down, I know that Christmas is about Life, Ultimate Life becoming flesh. Theologically spoken of as the Incarnation, Christ the Eternal Word becoming flesh. Emanuel – God with us.  

    With the birth of Christ, a historical shift took place, from God among us to God within us. Mary, mother of Christ, was the first to experience the great mystery of “Christ in you.” Mary was first to know the indwelling Christ. Christ dwells in the world through the hearts of people. Because Mary was the first she became an archetype for the rest of us. In other words, she is the model, the template, and the pattern that would reveal this same great truth leading to the same great experience: “Christ in you.” Christ was formed first within Mary’s womb and is now formed within our hearts. Christ in the heart is not any less than Christ in the womb.

    Let me point out a few characteristics of Mary that will help us have this same great experience that Mary had, the indwelling Christ. First, Mary was a person of faith. Luke said, “She believed the word spoken to her by the angel.” Mary’s faith must have been great to believe the impossible miracle of becoming pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Second, Mary had a submissive heart. She responded to the angel’s word with, “Do it unto me according to your word.” Mary was willing to submit to the will and purposes of God even though it would come with a great cost. And third, Mary’s humility. Mary referred to herself as the Lord’s maidservant and later would thank God for regarding her lowly state. Mary’s womb was truly the most compatible place for Jesus to be nurtured and brought forth. Jesus would later personify those same traits that His mother had. We must obtain these same characteristics if Christ is to be formed within us. We must first believe and accept the divine purposes and surrender our lives to them in humility. 

    Let Christ richly dwell within your heart this Christmas.
    God Bless,
    John

    Federalist Paper #10: Are Factions A Grave Concern?

    December 15, 2024 by Stephanie Phelps in

    Factions have always been a concern in any form of government but especially in a republican form of government because we take our freedoms so seriously and do not want to be controlled by one interest group. Thankfully, the Constitution sets up a system of government which limits the power of factions. Factions in our country are further limited due to competing geographical interest within a faction. Ironically, James Madison’s initial concern with factions is extremely interesting because he would later use them extensively in his political career. His concerns are valid enough though, that they have stood the test of time and are legitimate concerns for constituents in the 21st century.

    The first concern: the peoples’ will would be thrown aside to accommodate the agenda of the faction. Although this fear results from historical accounts, it is more an outgrowth of the British occupancy of the colonies through the years. The British would disregard the colonists’ interests and govern according to their interest to further the British Empire. This leads into Madison’s second concern: the public good is disregarded in the conflict of rival parties. A prime example of this would be the government shutdown in 1995-1996. The two parties were looking out for their own interest that they felt were important to their constituents but in the process caused huge problems with running the government. Thirdly a “superior force of an interested and overbearing majority decides measures.” [i]Some liberals would suggest that the 1994 Republican takeover of Congress would fall into this category. Their view is that the new leaders pushed legislation through that furthered their own interest and began initiating severe cuts in social programs. The Democrats, although the minority, used this to their advantage to show that Republicans only care about one group the wealthy. Obamacare would be a more current example where conservatives and really every day Americans believed the Democrat party was overreaching in their legislative powers. This leads into Madison’s fourth concern of the rich versus the poor and how they naturally form factions, which are good for the government, because the conflicting principles form modern legislation.

    Although Madison presents valid arguments against factions, he realized that they are inevitable and cannot be eliminated. That to eliminate factions would trample on people’s liberty and “Liberty is to Faction, what air is to fire, an ailment without which it instantly expires.” [ii]Without liberty, the people would never be heard, and the Revolution would have been pointless; they were living in such a situation under the British and did not want to repeat the mistakes of that era. Without liberty, everyone would be required to have the same opinions, passions, and interests and this is not possible. It is not possible because men are fallible and have the right to express this fallibility to allow different opinions to emerge.

    Madison’s solutions for controlling the factions are simple and straightforward. First, the country needs to be a republic and not a pure democracy. Consequently, representatives need to be elected that represent a proportion of the population neither too large nor too small. This enables a blending of views to form a national consensus. By bringing together a limited number of people representing a vast area, interest specific factions are severely limited within the legislative process because of their competing geographical interest. This type of large republic with small representation creates a happy medium where all interest is heard yet representatives do not get attached to their constituents thereby reducing factions that would trample on people’s liberties.

    Secondly, the House of Representatives limits the use of factions because of the creation of single member districts (smds), the way district lines are drawn using a census, and limiting the number of representatives to 435. In the winner takes all situation of smds, there is no incentive for more than two parties. However, the drawbacks would be the formation of special interest groups that cover interests disregarded by the mainstream parties thus factions are formed to a degree, but their effects are limited because they are not legislating due to a lack of voter participation due to their party identification. Single Member District also helps to ensure that there are deviations from party line voting because the congressional member has to appeal to their district in order to be re-elected.

    Thirdly, the Constitution limits factions in several ways. One by implementing a census every ten years to proportion representation among the states. This results in congressional district lines being redrawn and the possibility of new representation in office as well as shifting representatives from one state to another depending on population growth or loss while maintaining that each state must have at least one representative so that its interest can be heard. Another restriction placed on the legislature by the Constitution is the number of years a Senator or Representative can serve at any given time. It was supposed to create a decent amount of turnover so that power did not get concentrated in the hands of a few people. For most of our history this was true, however since the early part of the 20th century, Congress has become more professionalized with a larger workload. Additionally, by making the Vice President the tie breaking vote in the Senate, the national interest may be better served. This is because the vice president like the President is elected by the nation and not a select group of individuals like the Representatives or Senators. Congress put additional limits on factions by limiting the number of representatives to 435 in 1929 when the Permanent Apportionment Act was passed. This creates larger constituencies thereby reducing the effects of special interest members.

    Although Federalist Paper No. 10 failed to eliminate parties, it did help to limit factions by putting forth the idea of Single Member District and pointing out the deficiencies of the factions.

    [i] Federalist Paper No. 10 pg. 43

    [ii] Federalist Papers No. 10 pg. 43

    Federalist #84 Specifically the Need for a Bill of Rights

    December 5, 2024 by Stephanie Phelps in

    The idea of a Bill of Rights was particularly important during the Ratification of the Constitution but there were some (Federalists) who held that it was not necessary because the Constitution itself was a limiting document therefore the national government was not in a position to take rights away. The Anti-Federalist argued for a Bill of Rights and made this a condition of ratification. They felt that even if the Constitution were a limiting document, it would not stop a right from being taken away.

    In Essay #84 of the Federalist Papers, Alexander Hamilton argues that a Bill of Rights is not needed in the Constitution using a specific argument: “The establishment of the writ of habeas corpus, the prohibition of ex post facto laws and TITLES OF NOBILITY, to which we have no corresponding provisions in our constitution, are perhaps greater securities to liberty than any it contains.”  While the argument is true in some respects, it is also false in the extent that the Constitution is both limiting and unlimited depending on the conditions present at the time a right would come under question.

    Hamilton is correct that habeas corpus is protected unless there is a crisis, but it is the second and third part of this particular argument that fails to protect the rights of citizens.

    The second part of the argument, the prohibition of ex post facto laws, is questionable on whether this stops the usurpation of rights by the government. I contend it is not a mechanism to stop the usurpation of rights because an ex post facto law only prevents a person from being prosecuted for an act that was not a crime at the time said act occurred. It doesn’t prevent the government from suppressing rights in the future. It doesn’t present an absolute protection of individual rights. For example, without the second amendment’s protection of the right to bear arms, Congress could make a law prohibiting private ownership of a gun on the basis that people commit murders with guns and for the common defense of the union, we have to confiscate all privately owned guns. Ex post facto would say prosecution of those individuals who own guns prior to the effective date of the law is unlawful but it doesn’t prevent a right from being taken away. Since the Constitution has unlimited powers with regards to common defense, government officials could use that loophole to increase their powers over the people. Without some types of prohibitions, the government can look to increase their power by making it more difficult for the individual to protect themselves from government overreach because rights taken away will be done in the name of common defense.

    Continuing on to the third part of this particular passage, Hamilton makes his argument that the prohibition of titles of nobility protects the rights of the people. Hamilton knows that the people fear the implementation of an aristocracy because of the inherently oppressive nature of that system, and he assures the people that because the constitution prohibits this, no perceived rights will be taken away. However, Hamilton is a student of human behavior and has spoken in previous papers of ambitious or rapacious men who will do what they can to obtain power. The question now becomes, do they need that title of nobility to take away rights? The answer is a resounding no; all they would need is a perceived crisis to use the common defense loophole to gain more power over the individuals. As Hamilton has pointed out on several occasions, in past papers, human nature is such that passion for some objective will lead to the ambitious pursuit of that objective (no title of nobility necessary) to fulfill the ambition of attaining power. Hamilton knows this but it appears he chooses to ignore it and only focuses on the people’s fear of an aristocracy. Could this be because his own personal preference is towards a strong central government with a monarch like executive?

    Hamilton, who by nature is biased towards a strong central government, understands the importance of unlimited powers, and does not want that subverted by a bill of rights which could bring the government to a halt when dealing with different issues. But without some type of delineated rights, a distrust of government could form and manifest itself in such a way as to cause the creation of factions (who distrust government) to spring up and threaten the stability of the union. This could ultimately lead to disunion and anarchy which is antithetical to the intent of the founders – Hamilton included. Hamilton must know this and yet he refuses to acknowledge that such a thing could happen.

    Hamilton’s opposition to a bill of rights is perplexing, especially in light of his ultimate objective which is the preservation of the union and the assurance of prosperity. Ultimately his opposition to the Bill of Rights would be a moot point because his Federalist Papers co-writer, James Madison, would assume the issue in Congress and worked to get a Bill of Rights passed. In the years that followed, rights have been protected because of the passage of the Bill of Rights most recently with the Bruen decision regarding the right to bear arms.

    Dianna Greenwood began her service in the Marine Corps in September of 1995 and graduated from boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina in December of 1995 and was then stationed at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland until April 1997 when she was honorably discharge due to medical issues.

    After leaving the Marine Corps, Greenwood earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from the University of Arizona in 1999.  She then received her Master’s in American History and Government from Ashland University in Ashland Ohio in 2016.

    Dianna Greenwood has a long career in local and political activism both in Ohio and in Texas. In Ohio, she became the leader of New American Patriots, the local tea party in Ashland OH. She served in that position from 2009 to 2013 before deciding to focus on continuing her education. Prior to her involvement in the tea party, she had worked on the 2004 presidential campaign in Stark County along with helping on smaller local campaigns. In 2010, she was the primary campaign manager for Matt Miller who ran in the OH 16th Congressional District. Subsequently she has worked on a variety of campaigns here in TX with all but one of her candidates winning their elections.

    Upon moving to Texas in June of 2015, Dianna Greenwood volunteered at the Bastrop County Historical Society Museum prior to getting involved in local politics.  She has served locally in several current and former capacities such as Chairman of the Bastrop County Republican Party, Grassroots Director of the Bastrop County Young Republicans, Board Member of the Central Texas Republican Assembly, Chairman of the Government Affairs Committee for the Bastrop Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Red, White and Blue Banquet Committee, a member of the Bastrop Education Foundation Committee and a member of the Bastrop Historical Society Museum’s gift shop committee. 

    In addition to her many activities Greenwood worked as an adjunct professor at Concordia University for 2 years teaching American History and then worked for a local law firm before leaving to work as the Executive Director of the Texas State Rifle Association.

    She has a daughter, Katharine, and enjoys traveling to historic sites around the country with her.

    The True History of Thanksgiving by contributing writer, Dianna Greenwood

    November 26, 2024 by Stephanie Phelps in

    The True History of Thanksgiving

    By Contributing Writer Dianna Greenwood

    For four hundred and three  years we have been taught the simple tale of the “First Thanksgiving” in which the Pilgrams gave thanks for a bountiful harvest and celebrated with the Wampanoags who were their friends. This is a heartwarming story but is not true in its entirety. There are winners and losers in history and the winners write the historical record to favor their version of events but that is not what was done by the original Pilgrims, instead other writers later did it. This is why an examination of the historical record utilizing original documents is so important. There is limited information on what is generally known as the First Thanksgiving so it is important to look at other events which may have taken place that would lead to two groups of people coming together to celebrate. But it also begs the question, was the Pilgrims celebration really the First Thanksgiving.

    There is only one historical account of this event written by Edward Winslow in one paragraph of a letter to a friend back in England:

    “Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that we might after a more special manner rejoice together, after we had gathered the fruits of our labors. They four in one day killed as much fowl as, with a little help beside, served the Company almost a week. At which time, amongst other recreations, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest king Massasoit, with some 90 men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought to the plantation and bestowed on our governor, and upon the captain and others. And although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty.”

    This celebration would have been known as a Harvest Home and went on for three days not in November but sometime between September 21st and November 9th of 1621 (Plimoth Patuxet Museums n.d.). Part of the celebration would have included firing guns, and this would have attracted the attention of the Wampanoag people who may have thought a war had broken out.

    We have no actual information on why the Wampanoag joined the feast nor what actually happened in those three days, but we do know that for the Wampanoag it was most likely a diplomatic mission because their people had been decimated due to diseases that Europeans brought over, and this left them vulnerable to other rivals such as the Narragansetts. The Wampanoags would enter into treaties with the English that would last for approximately 50 years until King Phillips War in 1675 forever changed the balance of power between the European settlers and the Native Tribes. In fact, in the spring of 1621 the Wampanoag people and the colonists had entered into a treaty of mutual protection. Unfortunately, due to a language barrier, the treaty would favor the English colonists and ignore the Wampanoag’s governing system.

    However, what we do know, based on the Winslow account, is that the Wampanoag people with their Sachem (leader) Massasoit join with the Pilgrims in this feast and then go out and kill 5 deer bring them back and share the food with the Pilgrims during the feast. We also know that the modern day Thanksgiving dinner is quite different from what the Wampanoag people and the Pilgrims would have eaten. Through Winslow’s journal we know that Governor Bradford sent four men on “fowling” mission to obtain some type of birds to eat for the feast and because they were celebrating the first autumn harvest there would have been an abundance of vegetables on the table such as onions, beans, lettuce, spinach, and corn. Corn

    in those days was not cooked the same way as we do today but instead make into porridge that might have been sweetened with molasses. Fruit would have been in abundance as well because in that region there are blueberries, cranberries, plums and grapes. The cranberries would have been eaten like berries rather than how we do it today which didn’t begin until about 50 years after this feast.

    So, if the first Thanksgiving isn’t a Thanksgiving but instead a Harvest Home celebration then why do we consider it the First Thanksgiving? Well in the mid 1800’s, the story of this first celebration resurfaced, and it fascinated modern Americans of the time. Paintings and stereotypical images of the Pilgrims and Wampanoags began to appear during a time when Manifest Destiny was in place as the United States was expanding westward. Then Sarah Hale, the editor of Godey’s Lady’s Book, a popular magazine at the time, led the campaign to create a National Day of Thanksgiving which occurred in 1863 during the Civil War. Now there had been calls for National days of Thanksgiving and prayer before but nothing similar to what Mrs. Hale was doing. Through her persistence and work the myth of the First Thanksgiving was created resulting in a loss of historical accuracy for future generations.

    This loss of historical accuracy and cultural context isn’t the only loss, as time passed the holiday focused more on nostalgia and family and less on religion. The idea of a thanksgiving in those days was to thank God for the bountiful harvest that would sustain them through the winter months. It consisted of prayer and fasting. Many other colonists during this era also had Thanksgiving celebrations such as the settlers in Jamestown, the Englishmen who explored Canda in 1578 and the French Huguenots who settled near Jacksonville, Fl in 1564.

    The First Thanksgiving in Plimoth (sic) has many myths associated with it, but at its heart, it is a day of giving thanks for bountiful harvests and gratitude for the blessings that have been bestowed on us by our creator. That is ultimately the true meaning of Thanksgiving and while not all people share in that belief because of atrocities that occurred after that feast, it is a day to be grateful for all that has been accomplished, for the beauty around us and for the relationships we have established.

     

    Great Gift Ideas for that Special Republican!

    November 23, 2024 by Stephanie Phelps in / / / / / /

     Great gift ideas for that special Republican in your life! These items are available for purchase and pickup at our office or purchase online HERE

    Bastrop County Republican Office.

    443 Highway 71 West Bastrop Texas 78602

     To have your purchase shipped, please email us at

    ~ BCRP’s own Tumbler. Perfect for your hot or cold beverages. $20.00 ~

    ~ An AUTOGRAPHED copy of “TARGETED” One Mom’s fight for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, by Lindsey Graham, The Patriot Barbie. $20.00 ~

    Online Order form HERE

     

     

    A Message from Curtis Courtney, County Chair

    October 20, 2024 by Mark L. Torrey in

    IF YOU DON’T VOTE, WE DON’T WIN!

    This election might come down to 10,000 votes, maybe 1,000 votes, or perhaps even just 1 vote – which could be YOUR vote.

    Turnout will determine the outcome of this election. Bastrop County Republican Party is encouraging EVERYONE who can – GET OUT AND VOTE and VOTE EARLY! Let’s send the message right now that we are TAKING BACK TEXAS and AMERICA!

    Early voting starts TOMORROW (Monday), October 21st, at 8:00 a.m. There will be four (4) locations for early voting and fifteen (15) locations on election day, November 5th.

    When you go vote, be sure to cast your vote down the ballot. Every candidate needs your vote. VOTE. VOTE EARLY. VOTE REPUBLICAN.

    Curtis Courtney, County Chair Bastrop County Republican Party

    BCRP and LPRW have put together a comprehensive GOP VOTER GUIDE. This one-stop guide will help you make an informed vote. The guide is complete with a tear-off “sample ballot” that you can take inside the voter booth.

    For the English version of the 2024 Voter Guide, click HERE. 

    For the Spanish version, click HERE .

    2024 General Election Voter Guide Featured

    October 14, 2024 by Darrell Smith in / / / / / / /

    The Bastrop County Republican Party (BCRP) and Lost Pines Republican Women (LPRW) joined together to generate a 2024 Voter Guide  for early voting and on Election Day November 5th, 2024.  Available in English and Spanish.

     

    Remember cellphones and other digital devices are not permitted inside the polling place, but you can take the red boxed tear off section of candidates on the last page of the Voter Guide as your helpful notes.

    July Informational Meeting followup

    July 26, 2024 by Mark L. Torrey in / / / / / / / /

    One of our best attended Informational Meetings so far, with a full house and some of us standing in the hallway.  Sergeant Miller spoke on the presence, dangers and Bastrop County Sheriff’s Office reduction efforts of the Fentanyl epidemic sweeping our County, State and Nation, and answered several questions at the end.  The biggest take away is being aware of the symptoms:

    • slow, shallow breathing or respiratory distress
    • slurred speech
    • loss of consciousness

    These can quickly become serious health problems, resulting in permanent injury or death. The next biggest is knowing what forms Fentanyl is typically trafficked:

    • pills
    • powder
    • liquid

    Don’t take chances and certainly DO NOT TOUCH anything suspicious, such as small plastic baggies with unknown pills, powder or other substances.  It could contain products that, in the smallest quantities could cause you or others irreparable harm or death. If you see or find anything suspicious, or encounter someone who might need medical assistance Call 911 immediately.   If you have any questions or would like further details, please call Bastrop County Sheriffs Office .

    July 16th 2024 Prayer Rally

    July 19, 2024 by Mark L. Torrey in / /

    Bastrop County area and community members gathered together Tuesday evening, July 16th, at the Bastrop County Courthouse Gazebo for a prayer rally to honor the victims of Saturday’s assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump in Butler, PA. Organizers said, “A failed assassination attempt on the President’s life claimed the life of an innocent husband and father and critically injured two others, having the potential to drastically alter our history more than it already has. Many local area residents gathered to pray for healing and strength for our nation, for the families and innocent victims of the shooting, and for President Trump to heal physically, mentally and for continued spiritual strength throughout this trying period. The non-partisan, non- denominational event was open to all in Bastrop County.

    Additional prayer rallies are being planned throughout the year, to encourage community, state and national healing and involvement to heal the Nation. Organized by pastors and members of local churches and organizations, the “An Appeal to Heaven” movement, and the Bastrop County Republican Party.
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