Texas State Convention 2014 War Zone

“I have said many times that I want to see common-sense immigration reform pass. I think most Americans want to see the problem fixed.” - Senator Ted Cruz on immigration

The 2014 Texas State Convention could prove to be a war zone regarding the immigration plank in our 2012 platform. It seems that some Republicans have thought it over and don’t want a Texas Solution to what we all know is a broken immigration system. It’s also very disturbing that Texas will be spotlighted in all the news media because of this battle and we are all going to be lumped into one group, racists. We shouldn’t hide from the fact that both sides, the Democrats and the Republicans, have their fair share of bigots.

As conservatives we should all want a solution. Let’s face reality, Texas will be predominately Hispanic by 2020 and the immigrants coming from Mexico are Christian with the same values the Republican Party symbolizes. Shouldn’t our efforts be focused in a more positive light? Texas must take the lead in immigration reform, if not, the inevitable will happen. The Liberals will take a stand with an Executive Order I doubt we will like.

Delegates and Alternates have an opportunity to show leadership by voting for a Texas Solution to our border security and our work place. We can not let the naysayers win this argument. Unfortunately there are a few Tea Party groups trying to keep Texas down and are offering no viable solution. They seem to have the word NO down to a science. Notice that they could not even come up with their own logo but had to modify the original Texas Solution logo. In fact, on one of the websites they proudly announce:

Bottom line? MAKE A BIG STINK! Remember that if we push back enough, even the adopted platform as written will carry less weight because of the grassroots uproar. (Remember how conservatives pushed back against immigration reform in 2006, during the Bush administration? We need to do it again!)

It’s appalling that a group would actually print this on their website, but ignorance has no bounds. It’s embarrassing that they claim to be Texans believing that if they “Make a Big Stink” that this will solve the problem. Makes you wonder about their agenda.

There are many attending the convention supporting a Texas Solution including GOP Impact, Texas Federation of Republican Women (letter is below) and former candidate for Lt Gov Todd Staples and former Secretary of State George Strake to name a few.

Don’t be a naysayer, be a creative thinker and move our Texas forward. Let’s lead America into the Future. Vote for A TEXAS SOLUTION!

RED SONJA2014©
Pray, FIGHT, NEVER GIVE UP!


Letters in Support:

Friends,

I’m George Strake former Secretary of State of the state of Texas and former Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas.

I want to encourage our delegates at the convention to vote in favor and support – and actively support – the Texas Solution. This country was built on immigrants. These people are good workers, they turn out to be good Americans, they have enlisted in our military – and in record numbers. They have earned their medals of honor for bravery defending our country. Let’s start thinking about that as human beings and useful human beings and have them come to the party that welcomes them the most – and not trying to use them – and that’s the Republican Party of Texas.

Let’s take the offense and get the Texas Solution incorporated into our National Republican Platform and this country, not only Texas, but the whole United States will be better off.

Thank you,
George Strake

CAROLYN HODGES
TEXAS FEDERATION OF REPUBLICAN WOMEN
Immediate Past President
May 12,2014

Dear RPT Delegates to 2014 Convention, In a couple of weeks, we will all gather in Fort Worth for our convention and take care of crafting and approving the 2014 Republican Party of Texas Platform. Each Senatorial District has appointed a temporary member to the Platform Committee. Please be sure you attend your SD caucus meeting at 5:00pm Thursday, June 5. That is when the permanent committee members will be elected. I am urging you to elect a person to this committee that will ensure that "The Texas Solution" will remain a part of our platform. A copy of "The Texas Solution" is included. In 2012, our party platform offered a SOLUTION to the immigration dilemma for the first time. What a forward mark of progress that was, and our party is to be congratulated for this achievement.

As a bit of background, in late 2011 in a meeting with Republican Women leaders, Senator John Cornyn charged me, as the incoming president of the Texas Federation of Republican Women, with providing leadership to this mighty organization of over 10,000 to provide a consensus policy and practical solution for immigration reform through responsible discussion. TFRW's Committee on Immigration Reform spent most of 2012 studying the issues in depth, including comprehensive time spent with law enforcement, experts, naturalized citizens, and organizations involved with border security and immigration. Members of this committee, who were not appointed by me but who asked to take part in this work, traveled at their own expense to engage in this endeavor.

The result that was passed by the TFRW Board of Directors with only one dissenting vote in January, 2013, called for comprehensive immigration reform in our country that resembled the principles of "The Texas Solution." In March, 2013, the National Federation of Republican Women unanimously passed this same policy statement, as a guest worker program had been included in the national platform in 2012. This is an essential part of our platform that must not be eliminated.

Our Texas population is expanding daily. Having a guest worker program is important to our economy in many aspects. State of the art technology must be used to document guest workers and to make sure they are employed only by business people that deduct and match taxes.

###

As a Delegate you may contact the Platform Committee Chairman Tom Mechler and give your recommendations [email protected]

TEXAS STATE CONVENTION PLATFORM AND RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE http://www.texasgop.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Platform-and-Resoluti...

,p> IMMIGRATION PLANK
TEXAS SOLUTION AS VOTED ON AT THE STATE CONVENTION 2012 IMMIGRATION page 21

 

The Texas Solution – Because of decades-long failure of the federal government to secure our borders and address the immigration issue, there are now upwards of 11 million undocumented individuals in the United States today, each of whom entered and remain here under different circumstances. Mass deportation of these individuals would neither be equitable nor practical; while blanket amnesty, as occurred with the Simpson-Mazzoli Act of 1986, would only encourage future violations of the law. We seek common ground to develop and advance a conservative, market- and law-based approach to our nation’s immigration issues by following these principles:

1. Secure Our Borders – The U.S. Border must be secured immediately! We demand the application of effective, practical and reasonable measures to secure our borders and to bring safety and security for all Americans along the border and throughout the nation. 2. Modernize the United States Social Security Card – We support the improvement of our 1936 Social Security card to use contemporary anti-counterfeit technology. The social security card will not be considered a National ID card for U.S. citizens.

3. Birthright Citizenship – We call on the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches of the United States to clarify Section 1 of the 14th amendment to limit citizenship by birth to those born to a citizen of the United States with no exceptions.

4. Create an Effective and Efficient Temporary Worker Program – A national Temporary Worker Program should be implemented to bring skilled and unskilled workers into the United States for temporary periods of time when no U.S. workers are currently available. The program should also require:
Self-funding through participation fees and fines;
Applicants must pass a full criminal background check;
Applicants with prior immigration violations would only qualify for the program if they paid the appropriate fines;
Applicants and/or Employers must prove that they can afford and/or secure private health insurance;
Applicants must waive any and all rights to apply for financial assistance from any public entitlement programs;
Applicant must show a proficiency in the English language and complete an American civic class;
Temporary Workers would only be able to work for employers that deduct and match payroll taxes;
All participants would be issued an individual Temporary-Worker Biometric Identification Card that tracks all address changes and both civil and criminal court appearances as a defendant.

2012 Republican Party of Texas Platform

http://s3.amazonaws.com/texasgop_pre/assets/original/2012Platform_Final.pdf

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