Republican knives out for "Obamacare"

Right wing activists intend to turn the tide in the mid-term
primaries.

They have a definite strategy and it's coming to local polls.

Republicans nationwide are prepared to rewrite huge areas of
the U.S. and state constitutions to address their grievances
with Federal taxation, gun rights, border control,
immigration and court procedures.

What's more, they are advocating a repeal of the 16th
amendment that authorizes the Federal income tax levy
without apportionment to the states, as well as a repeal of
the 17th amendment that provides for popular election of
Senators and the right for the state executive to make
appointments to fill vacancies of Senate seats.

Texas is a hotbed of radical political action in this regard
and the pressures applied are starting to have an effect,
especially in negotiations between Congressmen and the Obama
Administration.

Word came late last week that Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson
moved conferees in marathon talks off dead center when he requested
elimination of an amendment to Senate health care reform
legislation that would have allowed a one of a kind federal
subsidy to cover the entire cost of a Medicaid expansion in
his home state.

Republican governors were outraged by the proposal, rallying
party faithful nationwide to protest what Governor Rick
Perry termed "a deal to secure the vote of Nebraska Senator
Ben Nelson." In a letter to Alabama Governor Bob Riley,
Perry said, "As a result, Nebraska will be exempt from
increased Medicaid costs resulting from this bill's
passage." He estimated a cost to Texans of $21 billion to
pay for the scheme over the next decade.

The political action committee "New Revolution Now" met on
the State Capitol steps today to hear speakers such as John
Stacy, a Republican operative from Dallas, inveigh for the
"nullification" of certain Federal laws and Constitutional
provisions - all in the name of states' rights as guaranteed
by the 10th amendment, which reserves to the states all powers
not covered by the U.S. Constitution.

Texas Republicans find particularly aggravating the proposed
National Health Care Reform law under consideration in
Congress.

They demanded that Governor Perry immediately:

"File suit against the Government of the United States for
violation of constitutional authority causing harm to the
State of Texas;

"Call a special session of the legislature to write and pass
a nullification resolution focused specifically on this law;
and

"Consider impounding any taxation upon businesses or
citizens within the State of Texas, or compulsory
withholding of income mandated by this unconstitutional law,
until such time as the United States Supreme Court has
issued a final ruling on the State's lawsuit, nullification
resolution, or both."

A lot of "soft money" contributions to state and national
Republican parties are up for grabs in the upcoming Republican
primaries, as well as Political Action Committee assistance
to key Republican candidates who are prepared to go the
route outlined by the New Revolution Now activists.

Soft money contributions to state and national political
parties are unlimited. Contributions to PAC's by individual
are limited to $5,000 yearly, but contributions made in
primary seasons to PAC's and candidates are counted
separately. Though corporations are precluded from making
contributions to PAC's, it's perfectly legal for them to
"sponsor" such slush funds. In fact, the majority of PAC's
are sponsored by corporations who administer the record
keeping, banking and compliance functions for the
committees. Corporate employees and officials are thereby
empowered to use the clout of their money to influence
candidacies and elections at any level of the process.

Here are a few of the pointed questions asked in a
questionnaire circulated to candidates applying to New
Revolution Now for campaign funding.

"Will you advocate and author or co-sponsor legislation to
establish a recall procedure wherein the citizenry of Texas
can vote on the suitability of an existing elected
representative to continue in office in the state of Texas?

"Will you advocate and author or co-sponsor legislation for
a U.S. constitutional amendment to repeal the (income tax
levy) 16th Amendment?

"Will you advocate and author or co-sponsor legislation to
reform the state tax system by replacing the property tax
with a sales tax system?

"Will you author or co-sponsor legislation to repeal the
(popular election of Senators) 17th Amendment?

"...Would you support Texas' rejection of federal control of
the southern border and assumption of the responsibility to
close and protect that area?

"Will you advocate and author or co-sponsor legislation that
strengthens citizenship requirements and enhances
opportunity for immigrants by making English the official
language of Texas?

"Should the state place reasonable limits on punitive
damages and specify the standards under which they can be
awarded?

"Should the state implement medical liability reform by
capping non economic damages and limiting attorney
contingency fees?

"Do you oppose state attorneys general from using private
law firms to prosecute actions on behalf of states when
compensation is based on a contingency fee agreement?

"Do you support enforcement of the 10th Amendment by the
State of Texas , so that when the federal government passes
increases in Medicaid to be borne by the states, these
increases are rejected by the State of Texas?"

In other areas, there are questions about "sanctuary cities"
in which is it illegal for anyone employed by the city to
ask questions about citizenship or national origins of
people under investigation, a provision generally considered
friendly to illegal aliens in the workforce.

According to the PAC's campaign literature, "The next
American revolution will be won or lost at the ballot box."

Local Republican Chairmen are taking that to heart.

The sole candidate for Bosque County Republican Chairman,
outgoing Republican Club President Dr. Tom Bratcher, said in
a recent press release, "Texans will begin this cycle
holding elected officials accountable, replacing liberals
and RINO (Republicans In Name Only) with true conservatives.
Minorities are beginning to understand that real opportunity
lies with the GOP...This can happen only if you work to make
it happen."

Dr. Bratcher is a Baylor Professor of long experience whose
specialty is statistics.

"For myself, I intend to walk with God, seek His guidance,
and treat all as I would have them treat me. The Democrats
have successfully taken God out of our culture...However,
Jesus said 'My kingdom is not of this world.' The Muslims
have perverted this by making their religion their
government. The Democrats have it wrong and the Muslims
have it wrong."

Dr. Bratcher is calling for an end to the multi-term tenure
of Democratic U.S. Representative Chet Edwards of Waco,
chairman of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on
Veterans Affairs and a long-term member of the Water
Resources Committee.

Son of the Pastor Emeritus of First Baptist Church of Waco,
Mr. Edwards's alma mater is Texas A&M University. He served
as a staffer in former Representative Olin E. Teague's
office following his graduation. Mr. Teague was a power on
the House Veterans Affairs Committee and the Water Resources
Committee, which has broad influence over the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, for many terms.