Every Texan's Call to Rise! (URGENT!)

If you live in Texas and love this state and what she has stood for over the years, then you MUST read these emails sent to me by David Barton at WallBuilders (www.wallbuilders.com). INACTION IS NOT AN OPTION! WE MUST RISE UP AGAINST THIS ATTACK!

See messages below, and respond. The first message was sent to me Friday, January 2nd, followed by the second email Saturday, January 3rd.

Troy

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1st Email from David Barton, founder of WallBuilders, sent 1/2/09
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In Texas (as well as in America), WallBuilders has proudly stood for defending life and traditional moral values. Over the past decade, it is arguable that no state in the nation has made more progress in enacting laws protecting unborn life, traditional marriage and family, parental rights, and public religious _expressions. However, there is now an aggressive and unprecedented attempt underway to halt progress on the issues about which we care most.

In the Texas House, there are 150 Representatives, so a majority of 76 votes is required to enact any measure or pass any policy. Currently, 65 of the most anti-life and anti-family Democrats have joined with 11 liberal Republicans in a coup attempt to take over the House leadership, replacing the current House Speaker with one of their own. (The 11 Republicans currently identified by the Houston Chronicle as participating in this coup include Edmund Kuempel, Brian McCall, Jim Keffer, Burt Solomons, Byron Cook, Delwin Jones, Tommy Merritt, Jim Pitts, Rob Eissler, Joe Straus, and Charlie Geren.)

The first act of the upcoming legislative session will be to elect a Speaker of the House -- a decision that will subsequently affect everything else that happens in the House. The Speaker chooses the Committee Chairs (who then decide which bills they will hear and which they will kill) and the Speaker also chooses which of the bills that emerge from the committees will come to the floor for a vote and which will be buried. If these liberals succeed in their effort to choose the Speaker, pro-life and pro-family legislation will no longer move through the Texas House. What they are attempting to do is not only disgraceful but will be highly destructive to all of our issues.

It is crucial that you call your State Representative immediately and demand that he/she not participate in this coup. Ask for an answer. Let him or her know that if he joins in this effort, you will take it as a message that he is opposing everything you care about and the traditional values of life and family for which you stand. (You can find the contact information for your State Representative at http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/welcome.php.)

Thanks for your rapid action on this! God bless!

David Barton

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2nd Email from David Barton, founder of WallBuilders, sent 1/3/09
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As a follow up to the message you received earlier about the Texas Speaker, the first step has been taken to install an anti-life, anti-family Texas House Speaker. The 11 dissident Republicans selected Rep. Joe Straus as their candidate for Speaker, and that selection is expected to be supported by 64 anti-life and anti-family Democrats.

Unfortunately, Rep. Straus (who has been in office for only two sessions) has developed a clear voting record that demonstrates overt hostility toward unborn life and traditional family values.

Rep. Joe Straus Supported:

* Making it easier to perform late-term, third-trimester abortions (SB 419, vote 672, 2005). And in the 2007 session, he received a 100 percent voting record from the radical pro-abortion group NARAL, and the pro-abortion group Planned Parenthood contributed to his reelection campaign
* Homosexuals as foster parents (SB 6, vote 327, 2005)
* Expanded casino gambling (HB 10, vote 939, 2007)
* Increased gaming and gambling (HB 2265, vote 749, 2007)
* Increased sale and consumption of alcohol during Sunday morning church hours (HB 168, vote 357, 2005)
* Making it easier to sell alcohol without community approval, as is currently required (SB 1626, vote 852, 2005)
* Increasing state budget spending by an amazing 19 percent over only two years (SB 1, vote 946, 2005)

Rep. Joe Straus Opposed:

* Using statistically-proven methods to strengthen marriage and reduce divorce by encouraging pre-marital counseling (HB 2685, votes 384, 437, and 1407, 2007)
* Parental rights, opposing a bill to let parents know the service-referrals that school counselors are making for their children (HB 2136, vote 592, 2007)
* School choice (HB 1, vote 235, 2007)

Given Rep. Straus' voting record over the past two sessions, it is unlikely that pro-life and pro-family measures will move through the Texas House of Representatives should he become the Texas House Speaker.

It is crucial that you call your State Representative immediately and demand that he/she not participate in this coup. (Even if you previously called as a result of the earlier WallBuilders message, call again. Since it is now the weekend, you can send emails to your Representative or call and leave him or her a message; then on Monday morning you can call his office and talk someone in person.) Ask for an answer. Let him or her know that if he joins in this effort, you will take it as a message that he is opposing everything you care about regarding the traditional values of life and family for which you stand. (You can find the contact information for your State Representative at http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/welcome.php.)

David Barton