Republican for Texas House District 12
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An Arizona US District Court has issued today a partial injunction Arizona’s law SB 1070 in regards to illegal immigration into their state.
Judge Susan Bolton has made it clear that she is deeply skeptical of the Department of Justice’s argument that the Arizona law is an illegal preemption of federal law. She blocked some of the toughest provisions in the Arizona illegal immigration law from going into effect tomorrow, putting on hold the state’s attempt to have local police enforce federal immigration policy, but let stand laws to discourage the hiring of illegal immigrants.
All governments have the inherent power to maintain public safety and the security of its citizens. Therefore the state of Arizona was justified in its actions of defending its citizens and enforcing existing federal regulations and border security.
James White, candidate for Texas State Representative District 12,believes that states have the right to defend their borders using the appropriate amount of force deemed necessary by the situation.
“It’s unfortunate that our federal government has used a substantial amount of wealth and time fighting the states in the courts instead of working cooperatively with all state leaders throughout the country in securing our borders,” says James White.
Although HD 12 Incumbent Jim McReynolds (D) speaks publicly about East Texas values, he continues to vote Washington values by supporting illegal immigrants and their voting rights. He arrogantly voted in favor of SB 89, Amendment 4, 79R that would have allowed illegal immigrants to use foreign issued ID as proof of identification to vote. He also callously voted against legislation, HB 218, 80R, which would have required voters to produce a photo ID, prevented voter fraud, and protects ballot integrity. The incumbent even voted to let illegal immigrants get an official Texas driver’s license, HB 25, Amendment 2, 78R; HB 396,77R.
“This is an issue of public safety. It is important that Texas does not issue drivers licenses to illegal immigrants to keep our state safe.” James White said.
James White is strongly in favor of state governments using all the appropriate and necessary measures to protect the borders, uphold the Constitution, enforce immigration law and establish domestic order and tranquility.
James White will co-sponsor any Arizona-like immigration law that empowers Texas and Texans to secure our own border.
“We need to protect the integrity of our American system. I, James White, vow to protect the great state of Texas and the great country of America, by securing our borders, and protecting our citizens to the fullest extent of the law and to the best of my abilities. “
For obvious reasons, State Representative Jim McReynolds, the 13-year Democrat incumbent, often tells East Texans how well the state economy is doing.
But unfortunately, the incumbent’s voting record indicates that he has fought against the pro-growth economic policies promoted by the Republican Governor Rick Perry and the Republican-led Texas Legislature and instead supports the tax and spend philosophy of Obama-Reid-Pelosi.
The Democrat incumbent has voted against a vibrant Texas economy. He voted to raise taxes on nursing homes and home owners. This Democrat incumbent has voted for job killing bills that would have created additional gasoline taxes and even a payroll tax on Texas businesses.
While many East Texans do not see automatic increases in their take home pay, the Democrat incumbent voted to make sale tax increases permanent. Not only has this Democrat fought Republican policies of low taxes and fiscal responsibility, his votes to raise taxes and increase spending would have hurt the Texas economy, which would have endangered the funding for our schools and public safety.
Even though too many Texans are still out of work, Texas has continued to lead the states in job creation and attracting new industry. The reason is simple. Governor Rick Perry and the Republican leadership in the Texas Legislature have not raised taxes. Republican leadership has ensured that the state government spends within its means and maintains a regulatory environment that protects the public without discouraging business growth. Our Republican-led state government does not spend all of the tax revenue that hard working East Texans send to Austin. That is why Texas has a Rainy Day fund of $9 billion dollars. As your Republican state representative, I will go to Austin and work with the Republican leadership to lower taxes and control spending. With a vibrant economy in East Texas, we will have the money for the finest schools, great public safety, and superb roads.
This past weekend GOPAC Texas, a Republican organization dedicated to recruiting, training and electing more Republicans to the Texas Legislature, visited Lufkin to hold a campaign training school for those that registered for it.
We had about 120 people attend the event held at the Courtyard Marriott located on 1st street in Lufkin, Texas.
People came from all over East Texas to attend the Go Pac Grass Roots Campaign Training School.
Speakers at the event included Trey Trainor – Go Pac Texas, Bob Flournoy – District Attorney Lufkin, Wayne Christian – State Representative District 9, Dan Flynn- State Representative District 2, Aaron Whitehead – Rick Perry Campaign East Texas Coordinator, and myself, James White – Candidate for State Representative District 12.
East Texans didn’t show up for this grassroots training just to support my campaign or the Republican Party, they showed up because they have a desire to leave Texas better than the way they found it.
We would like to thank everyone who came out to our event for showing up and participating in our grassroots movement.
Our objective in holding this training session was to empower you, the conservative grass roots activist, by giving you the tools and the confidence to go out and incite your own revolution to restore the conservative values in government that made the state of Texas and America great.
Now we need you, the newly informed Republican Grassroots Activist, to go out into your neighborhoods, churches, businesses, and groups and inform them about the James White Campaign using the tools you have gleaned from this session.
It is only through the help and support of each and every one of you that our campaign will be a success.
Some of the ways you can help us out would include holding a tea or coffee at your house and inviting friends and neighbors to join.
You can contact our campaign at 936-673-2400 to schedule a coffee or tea at your house.
My campaign will not be won through bureaucrats in Austin. This campaign will be won by empowering folks like you through grass roots efforts, reaching people on a one-on- one basis.
I want to tell each one of you who participated on Saturday and throughout my whole campaign for your involvement.
We need your continued involvement in our efforts.
The same spirit in 1776 that brought about this momentous date 234 years ago is the same spirit that brings us here today in Jasper in 2010.
Times have changed, but the grievances are the same. Then as now, Americans had a government that engaged profligate spending that threatened to subjugate future generations to a financial bondage.
Then, Americans had a series of taxes, the Sugar Act, the Stamp Act, the Revenue Act, the Tea Act et.al. that attempted to punish the most productive. Today, Americans have a government that imposes a string of taxes, income tax, gross margins tax, sin tax, sales, tax, excise, tax, health care tax only to satisfy the insatiable thirst for the people’s wealth in order to buy votes.
As then with the Quartering Act, Americans are confronted with a government that has contempt for property rights with such schemes as the Texas Trans Corridor, the perversion of the power of eminent domain, and excessive valuations by appraisal districts.
Leading up to 1776, the American people owned allegiance to a government that failed to protect its citizens among the frontier regions.
Today, Americans have a national government that not only neglects its sovereign duty to secure its international borders, but joins with foreign governments to sue its citizens for doing what it arrogantly refuses to do. As the Coercive Acts did in 1774, our government has devised a regulatory regime that tramples over constitutional rights and strangles the American entrepreneurial spirit.
Above all, as during our colonial era, Americans faced a threat to their ultimate means to confront tyranny when British soldiers marched to Concord and Lexington.
Today, year after year, Americans are forced into costly legal battles to affirm their rights to bear arms, only to breathe a sigh after having those rights upheld by one vote on the Supreme Court.
So therefore, what is this spirit, the Spirit of 1776, which we celebrate today? It is simple. This spirit is the spirit of had enough. As then, today we meet here with one resounding response, “We have had enough!”
Had enough! Americans will not allow this government to consign our children’s children, some of which yet event to be born, to be slaves of financiers and the central banks of Asia.
Had enough! The American people are a people of faith, innovation, rugged individualism, and hard work. Yet, we have a vice president that tells the American people after spending $800 billion in so-called stimulus, “there is no possibility to restore the 8 million jobs lost over the last two years.”
And then you have the treasury secretary, who could not even calculate his taxes correctly with the aid of a software program, that “the world economically cannot depend much on the U.S. as it has in the past.” Mr. Vice President and Mr. Secretary that is not your job.
Had enough! It is not their job to determine the height or the breadth of the American spirit. To the both of them, shut up, stop spending, stop taxing, stop the borrowing, get out of the way and the American people will create the jobs.
Mr. Secretary, maybe you have, but the American people have not resigned themselves to second-class status. This is the shining city on the hill, and the American people intend to lead economically, culturally, and militarily.
Had enough! The American people are sick in tired of being sick and tired of a government that refuses to do its job. It spends all of what the American people send it on April 15th, then it borrows vastly more, and still needing more, it continues to print more dollars. It can find the EPA and OSHA regulators, to come to our state and harass our industry and it can find teams of census workers to count the number of toilets in your house, but it cannot find the boots on the ground to secure our borders.
We have had enough! Americans along our borders are going about their lives in fear of stray bullets from drug cartels, money hungry coyotes engage in exploitation of poor men and women desiring a chance to provide for their children, and communist spies live in our mist.
Amongst abject failure, the federal government sues, lectures, and along with foreign leaders criticizes sovereign and popularly elected governments along our southern border in the enforcement of the national government’s immigration laws and our Constitution. We have had enough!
Had enough, of sending our best, bravest, and brightest to foreign lands to secure our freedom without the support of their civilian military leadership, without the necessary equipment, and with rules of engagement that would even be a mockery in a spitball fight.
The American people do not deploy their military for the conquest of land or the subjugation of nation. The American flag is a symbol of liberation. Allow our men and women to win and bring them home.
Had enough, of this progressive liberal contempt for our institutions, principles, and values. We do not need change, we only need a restoration of those principles and values that have made us a great nation.
Had enough of the do-gooder elites talking down to Americans about their lifestyles and deeply held beliefs.
We are a free people that loan power to the government. We are a free people that have the virtue to possess means of violence such as firearms as the ultimate check on despotic government.
Had enough! How dare the President of the United States take it upon himself, go overseas, lecture to the American people, and tell a foreign nation we are not a Christian nation. He needs to stop reading Saul Alinsky and read a speech by Reverend Martin Luther King.
Had enough of the government takeover over of our prized industrial sectors.
Had enough of the international groveling, the United States is a blessed nation that liberates and defends the world, feeds the world, medically cares for the world, clothes the world, ministers to the world, finances the world, educates the world, and has liberally open its arms to all desire liberty and opportunity.
As one writer once stated, “America is great because she is good, and as long as she is good, she will be great.” No, our foreign policy does not need a reset; the American people need to reset its elected government.
Had enough is the spirit that animated an entire people over two centuries ago to say no, we can do better, not for ourselves, but for our posterity.
Today, we say had enough, not because of our 401k statements, our disposable income, the price of gas at the pump, but because of the blood, sweat, and tears of generation before us have bequeath us a land of abundance and freedom and our birthright is blood debt that we must pay for children’s opportunity.
Today, July 3, 2010, let our newly found spirit of had enough mark Jasper as our Lexington, Woodville, as our Concord, Lufkin, as our Trenton, Coldsprings, as our Princeton, Groveton, as our Saratoga.
And, on Election Day, let every ballot box in East Texas, be our Yorktown.
Pray that God continue to Bless America and Texas.
Once in a graduate school seminar, one of my professors asked the class, “Does man really create new ideas, or are the same ideas presented over time?” Well, as we discussed this concept, we came to the general conclusion, that there are no real new ideas, just new ways of presenting these ideas. In particular, there are fundamental truths.
United States, One Nation Under God
America is a blessed nation. We recognize that fundamental rights are so precious because they are God-given and government, at best, can only protect them.
“America is great because she is good and as long as she is good, she will be great.” Alexis de Tocqueville.
American Exceptionalism
America is a special place. That is why we are a nation of immigrants bonded by the ideas of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness instead of a common ethnicity or race.
America is that shining city on hill and man’s last and best hope that freedom and equality are achievable earthly ends.
Constitutionalism
The “G” in government does not stand for god. Government is not an all-encompassing entity. We have a supreme law or a constitution on the national and state level that recognizes that the people are sovereign and through periodic elections, the people loan power to the government temporarily.
Our constitutions restrict government to a few clearly defined powers and the people expect their government to do those few tasks very well.
Socialism Does not Work
Despite well intentions or other names assigned, socialism does not work. Large state run programs that promise free health care and generous welfare benefits eventually bankrupt the government.
Increasing Taxes. Government Spending and Debt Do not Create Wealth
If high taxes, increased government spending, and amassing deficits were the key to economic growth, then California, not Texas would be the state expected to lead the nation out the recent economic slump and the global economy would be looking to Greece, not the United States for economic leadership.
When taxes are decreased, government revenues for education, roads, and public safety increase.
Americans Have a Constitutional Right to Bear Arms
The most profound point about Monday’s Supreme Court ruling, which struck down the punitive gun control ordinances in Chicago, is that such a question concerning the people’s right to own a firearm for their public safety was even before the Court.
Moreover, the Court affirmed this constitutional right by a 5-4 margin. The 2nd Amendment is the ultimate check on government tyranny and an acknowledgement that a free people have the virtue to win and use means of physical power.
With Texas facing a potential $18 billion dollar revenue shortfall, unsecure borders, and federal regulation that threatens to kill key East Texas industries, it is time to rekindle the spirit of the Alamo and “draw a line in the sand.”
Nullify Nationalized Health Care.
I applaud the efforts by Attorney General Greg Abbott to challenge the constitutionality of Obama Care.
However, the state legislature is the true voice of the people and it must immediately pass legislation that protects Texans from nationalized health care. We need health care reform that addresses costs and ensures access.
Obama Care does not do this. It adds more to the national debt and spends money that our children have not even earned.
Among the fifty states, Texas is the one economic bright spot and Obama Care threatens to dampen it. It will add at least $2.5 billion to our state budget, which will restrict how we will provide for public education, public safety, and the health care for deserving Texas citizens.
Nationalized health care will impose burdensome regulations on our medical professions and exacerbate the shortage of doctors in East Texas.
Eventually, Obama Care will become an unfunded mandate on local governments that are currently experiencing budget challenges. Texas needs to draw a line.
Nullify the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Takeover of Refinery Permitting.
Blatant politics and contempt for the Constitution has resulted in the EPA disregarding state regulatory agencies and taking over the refinery permitting process in Texas.
The state legislature must quickly pass legislation that nullifies any attempt by the Obama Administration to destroy Texas’ economy in order to elect more Democrats to Austin and Washington.
Our refinery industry is one example of how Texas has achieved a dual set of ends: a strong economy and clean environment. Before this power grab by the EPA, Texas’ refineries were operating under legally enforceable permits issued by Texas Commission on Environmental Quality under the guidance of EPA.
Since 1985, emissions of nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, and carbon monoxide in Texas have decreased significantly. From 2000-2010, Texas has achieved a 22 percent reduction in ozone and a 46 percent reduction in NOX emissions.
Texas needs to draw a line in the sand. We don’t want our Texas refineries regulated in the same manner the Federal Government has executed the oil clean up in the Gulf.
Enforce the Constitution and Stop Illegal Immigration. The national government has a constitutional responsibility to secure our international borders and encourage legal and healthy immigration to our country.
Our nation is exposed to daily terrorists’ threats on our soil. The federal government continues to procrastinate and state and local governments are left to fend for themselves.
When Arizona attempted to come up with a solution that simply enforces existing national law, it did not spur a sense of urgency from the federal government. Instead, the national government will sue Arizona.
Texas is a border state that is very familiar with drug cartel violence. Safety first. Constitutionally, the state of Texas cannot be concerned with being sued by the national government. It must secure the border first and not encourage illegal behavior by requiring local governments to provide Medicaid and welfare benefits to people that have disregarded the laws of the United States and the state of Texas.
Texas needs to draw a line in the sand.
General Order No. 3: The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor.
The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere
Identical to the United States, Texas originated with conflicting duplicity. While beginning with the spirit of liberty and free enterprise, Texas also proceeded along a pattern of tyranny and despotism with chattel slavery. Not only would time, but the natural human urge to be free would not allow liberty and bondage to coexist. It took a war that claimed almost three quarters of a million Americans and a social revolution that lasted almost a century.
Today, Juneteenth, we celebrate this legacy of achievement. On June 19, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger issued General Order No. 3 that enforced the Emancipation Proclamation which President Abraham Lincoln issued freeing the slaves in the Confederate states. The Emancipation Proclamation and Granger’s announcement only affirmed God’s design for Man: that he be a free-willed and rationale being.
As we celebrate Juneteenth, we all should remember that if even one of us is in bondage, the cruel natural order is for bondage to overwhelm every man and women. This day reminds us that our forefathers sacrificed blood, intellect, and treasure here at home and abroad for our blessing of liberty, and thus, our birthright commands us to also pay our sacrifice. May God continue to be with you and your family as you celebrate this great day of Liberty.
God Bless Texas
James
Regular Session, 2010 ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 145
BY SENATORS ADLEY, LONG, NEVERS, ALARIO, AMEDEE, APPEL, BROOME,CHABERT, CHAISSON, CHEEK, CLAITOR, CROWE, DONAHUE,
DORSEY, DUPLESSIS, ERDEY, B. GAUTREAUX, N. GAUTREAUX,
GUILLORY, HEBERT, HEITMEIER, JACKSON, KOSTELKA,
LAFLEUR, MARIONNEAUX,MARTINY, MCPHERSON, MICHOT,
MORRELL, MORRISH, MOUNT, MURRAY, PETERSON, QUINN,
RISER, SHAW, SMITH, THOMPSON AND WALSWORTH
A RESOLUTION
To recognize and declare Sunday, June 20, 2010, as a Statewide Day of Prayer for Louisiana and for the population and region surrounding the Gulf of Mexico, in particular those people affected by the environmental and economic disasters that erupted in the aftermath of BP Deepwater Horizon oil leak.
WHEREAS, in times of great distress and need, we, the people of this land, have always turned to private, public, and corporate prayer; and
WHEREAS, a Statewide Day of Prayer provides each of us with a powerful opportunity to humble ourselves before our Almighty God; and
WHEREAS, the citizens of Louisiana are urged to pray for a solution to this crisis,each according to his or her own faith, to pray for God’s continued guidance and protection, and to join in the observance of a day of prayer, seeking God’s blessings upon both our state and nation; and
WHEREAS, although there exists a great diversity of types of prayer, prayer is always about calling upon God, and prayers woven together through common effort can themselves become an awesome and powerful force; and
WHEREAS, a day of unified, intercessory prayer, by and for those people living throughout the regions around the Gulf of Mexico, to pray for an end to this environmental emergency, sparing us all from the destruction of both culture and livelihood; and
WHEREAS, untold millions of people, not only in regions surrounding the Gulf of Mexico, but throughout the world, will be affected by this event; a crisis that remains unaffected by the efforts of mortal man; and
WHEREAS, we now turn our attention and our prayers to the present circumstances and humble ourselves before Almighty God.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby designate Sunday, June 20, 2010, as a Statewide Day of Prayer for Louisiana and for the population and region surrounding the Gulf of Mexico.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate of Legislature of Louisiana does hereby urge the citizenry of the state and all people of faith throughout the United States and the world to give personal thanks, each according to his faith, for the blessings we have received, for God’s continued guidance during these trying times, and for God’s grace to bring an end to the devastation.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate of Legislature of Louisiana calls upon the people of Louisiana to join each other and the entire community that is linked by the Gulf of Mexico in this unified expression of faith and hope.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
East Texas businesses and families have tightened their budgets and made sacrifices since the economic downturn began more than two years ago.
Unemployment too high
Unemployment in East Texas in 2010 is unacceptably high.
The Governor this spring has directed each state agency to cut at least 5 % and now another 10% to close a revenue shortfall of 18 billion dollars.
And still, McReynolds is either in Austin or traveling around the state or talking to media half way across the state, wondering how, where, and how much he will cut his prison system budget and not endanger public safety.
Government Needs to Make Tough Decisions
I understand that many East Texans communities are economically impacted by the correction facilities in their areas.
The economic slowdown began in September of 2008 and now it is June 2010, and the politicians in Austin, like McReynolds, are still figuring out what local governments, families, and businesses have had to do for the last two years: make tough decisions.
What is taking so long?
It seems as if the incumbent is distracted. It seems as if the incumbent is more concerned about keeping prisons open in Abilene instead of opening new businesses in East Texas.
Often McReynolds talks about the 4.5% of Texans that are in criminal adjudication yet he has little to say about the 10% or more of Texans that are unemployed.
Our Unemployment Rates
In House District 12, Tyler County has an unemployment rate of 11.1% as of March of this year the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics says.
The latest unemployment stats comparing Texas to our 4 county district are as follows: Texas overall 8.3%, Angelina County 9.2%, San Jacinto County 11%, Trinity County 9.4%, and Tyler County 11.1%. Unemployment is higher in each of our counties than in the entire state of Texas.
House District 12 needs representation that shares its common interest. I live, work, and worship in this district. Not only will I go to Austin and hold the line on the budget and stop new taxes, but I want to work with local government and business leaders to stimulate economic growth and development.
James White
There is no more of an appropriate day than Sunday, as many Americans are involved in worship services, to reflect on June 6, 1944. On this date 66 years ago, the Anglo-American democracies led by the United States, along with Free French forces, conducted the largest combat amphibious invasion in history.
Embarking upon a mission to preserve a way of life we continue to enjoy today, places such as Utah, Omaha, Gold, and Pointe du Hoc saw many men, in the dawn of their lives, make the ultimate sacrifice. Today, these locations throughout Normandy serve as shrines as to how the power of liberty, based in morality, can succumb the fortified cliffs of tyrants and even the massive firepower of evil.
Though many that survived the horrors of war as they defeated Nazi Germany are no longer with us, let us continue to commemorate and honor their sacrifice.
James White
