Tuesday, April 12, 2016

The Milam County Health Department

Yesterday during Commissioner’s Court the members voted on turning over the Milam County Health Department to the Texas State Department of Health Services Region 7 control. This proposal had been tabled for a while to allow the county commissioners to research the issue and touch base with their constituency in order to make an informed choice.

Yesterday, after a short discussion the topic was voted on and it was agreed to keep the status quo and continue to operate as the Health Department has since its inception in the 1940’s.

Prior to and following the vote, many folks have asked me what is the position of the Republican Party of Milam County on this topic. Officially, the local party has not convened to discuss the Health Department and therefore has no stance on this issue. For me to offer an opinion on this topic as the party’s stance would be a disservice to those who work so hard for the Republican Party of Milam County.

I will say that the Republican Party of Milam County is fully supportive of the process the County Commissioners’ Court used to explore this plan, research the issue, and then make the decision they felt was best for the people of Milam County.

On a personal note, as a Republican I believe in a representative form of government where the elected represent and govern based on the beliefs and values of the constituency that elected them. Regardless of the social welfare arguments, big-government/small-government issues, or any other such politically-fueled squabbles, the important issue is that those with the authority to make decisions do so in a manner the best represents and serves those that elected them to public office.

In this case, I personally believe the Commissioners’ Court got both the process right and the decision right; however, if you disagree there is always another election coming up in the future.

See you at the polls!!

Bill

Friday, April 1, 2016

Milam County Resolutions for the State Party Platform

Every two years, county political parties conduct Precinct Conventions and a County Convention in preparation for the State Convention held every two years. During the Precinct Conventions, Resolutions are considered and if passed, are forwarded to the County Convention.

During the March 19th County Convention, the Resolutions Committee considers the resolutions passed from the Precinct Conventions and they are presented to the Convention for passage. Those resolutions that are passed are then sent on to the Texas State Convention for consideration and possible inclusion in the State Platform.

This is why the Precinct and County Conventions are so important if you really want to be a part of the process of how the parties work. Below I have included the resolutions that were passed out of the most recent Republican Milam County Convention.

Thanks,
Bill

1.       Resolution One - Delegates to the RNC National Convention
be it resolved THAT for the Republican Party, no delegates having voting power within the nomination framework shall exist without being selected by or bound to a vote from the primaries or caucuses of the States which they represent; that no unpledged “super Delegates” currently exist or will ever be created to interfere with the states intent of the people.

2.       Resolution Two – Campaign Finance Account Limitations
BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Campaign accounts of candidates, whether elected or not, should only be allowed to be opened for a finite period of time rather than the current system which allows candidates to keep their campaign accounts open for an unlimited time period. Accounts may be open and funds may only be raised from a time period of four (4) months prior to the filing period for an election and that all accounts must be closed out in a timely manner following the end of a candidate’s campaign, regardless of the outcome.

3.       Resolution Three – Total Delegates to the State Convention
BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Convention of the Republican Party of Texas has become too cumbersome to manage properly with the current number of delegates allowed to the convention; therefore, the number of Delegates should be reduced to a more controllable number of delegates from the state with a system being similarly based on the number of gubernatorial votes from the counties; however, the numbers should then be reduced on a curve where the county with the largest number GOP Gubernatorial votes would receive fifty (50) delegates and the remainder of the counties would have their delegation determined based on a percentage of that same calculation with no county receiving less than three (3) delegates.  This process would, reduce confusion and disruption at the convention, lower the cost of the convention, provide a wider variety of venues for the convention to be held, and increase productivity of the event.

4.       Resolution Four – Congressional Term Limits
BE IT RESOLVED THAT service in the Texas State Legislature and the United States Congress should be controlled and restricted by a set of term limits. The terms of service would be limited to the length of time as laid out below.
Texas State Legislature – Total Service of eight (8) years.
Examples:
            Four (4) terms in the State House;
or Two (2) terms in the State Senate;
or Two (2) terms in the State House and one (1) term in the State Senate.

United States Congress – Total Service of twelve (12) years.
            Examples:
Six (6) terms in the U.S. House;
or Two (2) terms in the U.S. Senate;
            or Three (3) terms in the U.S. House and one (1) term in the U.S. Senate.

5.       Resolution Five – The Reorganization of the Texas House of Representatives
Be it Resolved that we urge the Texas Legislature to enact legislation amending the Texas State Constitution to allow the Texas Senate to continue to be districted based on populations, but require each member of the Texas State House of Representatives to represent two (and only two) geographically-attached counties defined by a like rural or urban population size, thus reducing the size of the House from 150 members to a total of 127 Members while presenting a geographically based house of the legislature.