JULY MEETING REMINDER!
On Wednesday, July 23rd, Fort Worth Republican Women will have guest speaker, George P. Bush, Republican candidate for Texas Land Commissioner. George P. will speak on why he is running for Land Commissioner. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, he earned his undergraduate degree at Rice University and later earned his Juris Doctorate from The University of Texas School of Law. While you might know him as the grandson of George H.W. Bush, son of Jeb Bush, and nephew of George W. Bush, George P. Bush is an accomplished businessman, civic leader, philanthropist, and veteran. He lives in Fort Worth with his wife, Amanda, and their son, Prescott. Come and hear part of the next generation of Texas leadership!
Social – 11:00am Program – 11:30am; Location – Fort Worth Club, 306 7th St., 12th Floor. Valet parking is available for a $5 charge.
To make a luncheon reservation ($25 with reservation, $27 without), RSVP by noon on Monday, July 21, 2014 to Helen Bavousett at 817-516-0704 or byronandhelen@live.com. If you are not having lunch, no reservation is necessary. Those who RSVP but do not attend will be billed for their reservation cost. (Please do not RSVP using the Comment/Reply section below.)
July President’s Message
Judge Bonnie Sudderth, President of Fort Worth Republican Women
I am a Republican because Republicans understand that while it’s okay to split a loaf a bread, you shouldn’t split a baby. Republicans understand that while some compromise may be essential in order to maintain a civilized society, if someone suggests that you walk down a dangerous path, it’s not prudent to compromise by just going part of the way.
When House Majority Leader Eric Cantor was defeated last month, I was struck by comments from liberal political analysts, lamenting his defeat as a tragedy, because, they said, he was one of the few Republican members of Congress who was “willing to compromise in order to get things done.” While I take no position as to the outcome of that particular election, it did occur to me when I was listening to the pundits the next morning that to tout “compromise in order to get things done” is a very Democrat thing to say these days. And it completely ignores what any intelligent person knows to be true – that while compromise can sometimes be a virtue, compromise can also be a vice.
And, especially today, when the very foundations upon which this nation was built are being challenged, touting the willingness to “compromise in order to get things done” as a virtue presupposes two fallacies: (1) that compromise is a virtue, and (2) “getting things done” at the federal level is desirable.
Is compromise always a virtue?
We are all familiar with the lesson of King Solomon found in the Old Testament (Kings 3:5-14), regarding the dispute between two women over who was the mother of a baby. After listening to both women, King Solomon announced that he would solve the problem through compromise – he would cut the baby in half – so that both mothers would have a share. One woman agreed to the compromise, while the other not only refused to accept it, she begged King Solomon to allow the other woman to raise her child, rather than to cause the baby to die. (Thus revealing who the real mother was…)
We apply this principle – that compromise is not always correct answer – every day. As parents, we teach our children that when a peer pressures them to do something wrong, such as smoke cigarettes, the correct answer is “no,” not a compromise to smoke only half a pack. When a co-worker suggests to a fellow employee that they steal from their employer, the correct answer is “no,” not a compromise to steal only items from inventory and not cash from the till.
Perhaps one of the worst examples of compromise in American history occurred at the very birth of our nation. The 3/5ths Compromise, a clause which remains in our U.S. Constitution even today, resulted in the counting of black slaves as 3/5ths of a person for the purpose of apportioning Congressional representation. Rather than resolve – once and for all – the question of whether a nation founded upon principles of liberty and freedom should allow the reprehensible practice of human slavery, our leaders chose compromise.[1] I know of no one today who would suggest that compromise on the subject of slavery was the right thing to do.[2]
Is “Getting Things Done” in Congress Desirable?
In our society today, where our federal government is encroaching into personal liberties and privacy at an alarming pace, whether it is a good thing for the federal government to “get things done” depends on what kind of “things” the federal government wants to “get done.” Take, for example, the area of public education.
Except with regard to schools in the District of Columbia, nowhere in the Constitution is the federal government given the right to exercise authority with regard to public education. Nevertheless, for the past 50 years, the federal government has been meddling in our local schools to the absolute delight of liberals who believe that government involvement, especially federal government involvement, is the answer to every problem we face.
And now, through grant incentives, the federal government is pushing a content-based agenda, the Common Core national education standards. Constitutionally speaking, the federal government has no place in public school curriculum content. Pragmatically speaking, there is no evidence that federal involvement improves education outcomes. In fact, the contrary is shown. Despite ever-increasing federal involvement and funding, our children today are no more proficient in reading and mathematics than they were before President Johnson’s Elementary and Secondary Education Act was passed in 1965 or before President Carter created the Department of Education in 1979.
So, if the question is whether it is desirable for Congress to “get things done” with regard to education, the answer is an emphatic “no.” When it comes to public education, there is no “thing” that Congress should “get done.” And if the lack of compromise by our Republican representatives is providing a roadblock to Congress “getting things done” with regard to public education, that is good, not bad.
And that is why I say this is a very Democrat thing to say these days. “Getting things done” is part of the liberal agenda, because “getting things done” really means passing more laws, engaging in more oversight and authorizing more regulation – in essence, getting the federal government more involved in our lives. What most Republicans find refreshing are leaders who are committed to “getting things undone,” i.e., getting the federal government out of our lives and our businesses.
I am a Republican because Republicans understand that there are times when compromise is not the right answer. I am a Republican because Republicans appreciate that just because Congress wants to “get something done,” doesn’t mean Congress has any business doing it in the first place. I support Republicans because whether they compromise to get something done usually depends upon whether the something to be done is the growing of government, the whittling away at the rights of the citizens or the unnecessary expenditure of taxpayer money.
I’m not thoroughly familiar with House Majority Leader Eric Cantor’s propensity toward compromise and whether, on the whole, it was laudable or lamentable. I don’t know whether his loss at the polls was a victory or a tragedy, if indeed he was he was one of the few Republican members of Congress who was “willing to compromise in order to get things done.”
What I do know is that Cantor apparently got so wrapped up in the inner workings of Washington that he lost touch with the needs and expectations of his local constituency. And that is a tragedy.
So perhaps the lesson learned for all members of Congress is to spend less time trying to work out compromises in the name of “getting things done” and spend more time trying to understand what your constituency wants you to get done – or undone – while you’re there.
I am a Republican because Republicans understand that sometimes compromise is necessary to get something done, but that compromise is not the be-all and end-all, in and of itself. Republicans understand that on some matters, compromise is not the answer. And in those circumstances, I can count on Republicans to take a firm and principled stance.
Bonnie Sudderth
[1] Interestingly, the debate leading up to the 3/5ths compromise made for very strange bedfellows. The northern abolitionists did not want black slaves counted at all, not because they thought blacks didn’t count as persons, but because they wanted to weaken the power of southern states in Congress. The southern slaveholding states, on the other hand, wanted black slaves counted equally with whites, not because they considered black slaves equal to whites, but because they wanted to strengthen their pro-slavery voice in Congress.
[2] In fact it took more than seven decades and more than half a million lives lost in war before slavery finally ended in our country.
CARING FOR AMERICA – LADDER ALLIANCE
The Ladder Alliance empowers at-risk women who are often victims of domestic violence to become self-sufficient. They are empowered by learning marketable job skills while building their self-esteem and self-confidence. On Monday, July 21, the Fort Worth Republican Women will be delivering a meal to the Ladder Alliance.
We are still in need of casseroles or cash donations. Please contact Marilyn Vanhoozer at 817-292-1011. We also need two (2) volunteers to stay and help serve food. We will be feeding 10-15 adults and 20-22 children, so “kid food” is welcomed! Food should be delivered to the Ladder Alliance (inside Riverside Christian Church) by 6pm at 1000 Bonnie Brae St., Fort Worth 76111
WHY AM I A REPUBLICAN?
This month we feature Dr. Jaye Janiak, a Fort Worth small business owner and member of the Fort Worth Republican Women, to share why she is a Republican. We hope that you have been following this series of contributions this year. If not, take a look back and you will certainly be renewed in your beliefs. For those of you who may not understand why a person, especially a woman, would be a Republican, we hope that you will follow these posts with an open mind. We are confident that if you do, you will see that republican issues are women’s issues. Thanks to “Dr. J” for your honest contribution!
Why am I a Republican? It’s more than just I think Democrats are wrong. My personal core beliefs align best with the Republican Party. Ever since getting my bachelor degree in business, I have realized that government needs to be small to be effective. Too much government does nobody any good. It is not the government’s job to take care of me like an infant. I believe that you reap what you sow, and that you should keep what you earn.
I do not work every day for other people to sit at home and do nothing. Of course, I’m not saying we shouldn’t help those who are in need, but 99 weeks of unemployment is ridiculous. After 2 weeks, you get a job that may not be good enough while you continue to look for a job in your field. I do not believe in spreading the wealth or income equality. We all have different skills, desires and abilities. Not everyone can be a CEO. I believe people get ahead by working hard.
I believe in personal responsibility, not government mandate. I believe that I’m responsible to keep the environment clean and the government shouldn’t have to tell me recycle my glass. At the same time, I expect my recycled glass gets recycled and not put into a landfill next to my other trash. I believe in taking care of the poor and less fortunate. But I don’t want the government to take my money to do that, if I choose to help. I should be able to choose the amount I help with.
I believe all men are created in God’s image with different skills and abilities. It is our responsibility to use those skills and abilities to provide for ourselves and our families.
This is why I am a Republican. It is doing what’s right because it’s right, not because the government told me to.
WANT TO KNOW HOW YOU CAN KEEP TEXAS RED?
Keeping Texas Red is more than a saying. It’s a job and we have our work cut out for us. Below are a few hands-on things that you can plan on doing in the immediate future.
- PHONE BANK VOLUNTEERS – Every Wednesday night, there is a phone banking opportunity at party headquarters at 2405 Gravel Drive, Fort Worth, Texas 76118 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The center needs to place 3500 calls a week so everyone’s help is needed. For questions, please call the Tarrant County Republican Party Headquarters at 817-595-0303
- CALL TO ACTION BLOCK WALK this Saturday, July 19th with Senator Ken Paxton. Report to the Tarrant County Republican Party Headquarters at 9:00 a.m. for breakfast and your block walk assignment. Remember to charge you smart phones too! You can choose to download an app to report your block walk contact results, or you can use a pen, paper and clipboard. These block walks are critical in identifying our voters and potential voters!
SAVE THE DATES!
SAVE THE DATE for Monday evening , September 15, 2014 . Cecilia Abbott, Greg Abbott’s wife, will be speaking locally at the Northeast Tarrant County Republican Club. The program begins at 7:00 p.m. and the meeting is held at First United Methodist Church, 1245 Bedford Road, Bedford, Texas 76021. Anyone who would like to attend is welcome.
SAVE THE DATE for the following Voter Registration Drives:
- Gun Show in Tarrant County Aug 23-24;
- Operation Backpack Aug 23rd;
- Pantego Fest Sept 26-28th
More information to come! We need volunteers and for members to become deputized to register voters and come to these events. Please contact Debbie McDaniels for more information! debbiemcdaniels@gmail.com
FORT WORTH REPUBLICAN WOMEN 