2013 Election and Texas Constitution Proposition Thoughts

The BCS Tea Party mission is to Teach, Empower, and Act and with this charge to promote the principles of liberty and prosperity as enumerated in the United States Constitution.  This mission is centered on issues and ideas not on personalities or candidates seeking positions of leadership.  We believe that a truthful examination of issues and ideas based on constitutional principles will result in obvious choices for those who deserve the opportunity to serve as our elected leaders. With this understanding the BCS Tea Party Leadership Team recommends that the following concepts be considered when making decisions on which candidates will receive your vote.

Always keep in mind the purpose for which people join together for create any government. This principle is stated in our Declaration of Independence:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

To ensure this principle requires a correct understanding of ends and means. Wikipedia offers “ In philosophy, the term ”means to an end” refers to any action (the means) carried out for the sole purpose of achieving something else (an end).”

The constitutionally principled voter must ask themselves,  “What rules of action would do most to promote the Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness in the long run of the individual, or for the whole community, or of all mankind?”  and then vote accordingly for the means – the policy or candidate – deemed best to secure, maintain, and enhance those ends of Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness – which is the pursuit of private property.

Consistent with these ends are means such as:

• Commitment to serve the public in an open and transparent manner and stand firm on the principles of limited government as enumerated in the United States Constitution.  The candidate needs to explain their understanding of limited government and how it applies to the office they seek.

• Commitment to reduce the size and scope of government.

• Commitment to reduce government debt.

• Commitment to honor the role of free enterprise as the engine of liberty and prosperity.

• Commitment to actively condemn corruption and crony capitalism.

Bryan Mayoral, City Council and College Station Mayoral and City Council

In Making No Choice, We Hope To Make Our Adherence to Principles Clear.

The Bryan, Tx mayoral and city council candidates are mired in the philosophical reasoning of secular democracy. Secular democracy means that unbridled human nature rules without the restraint of moral absolutes. If the basic principle of democracy is the ability to disagree without fear of coercion, punishment, or retribution, then crony-capitalism should be considered a threat to, not a pathway toward, free enterprise and the pursuit of happiness.  The process of secular democracy is nothing more than mob rule, with the group demagogues always promising their group of supporters that non-group members will be held accountable for the needs of the group members. Because, the mob is secular means the adherents of the group have no moral compunction to regard non-members as equal, valid members of the community. A secular democratic demagogue is disdainful, dismissive, or hostile to anyone offering criticism of his methods/ideas, as well as any facts supporting the opposition in their position. The course of action of all demagogues is to reward his friends/supporters and eliminate his competition or opposition. This is why all democracies end in tyranny and oppression.

Or as Madison explained in Federalist 10 concerning man’s fallen human nature at work in democratic subgroups, or factions:

 By a faction, I understand a number of citizens, whether amounting to a majority or a minority of the whole, who are united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest, adversed to the rights of other citizens, or to the permanent and aggregate interests of the community.

Propositions for the Texas State Constitution

Proposition 1: “The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of all or part of the market value of the residence homestead of the surviving spouse of a member of the armed services of the United States who is killed in action.”

Do Not Support:  How to best fund the necessary purpose of government is a debate that must be settled. The responsibility of all citizens to be a contributing member to the community could restore the virtue of good citizenship being tied to being a contributing member to the support of civil government. This message becomes garbled when we bestow charitable overtones to whom is required or excluded from being a contributing member of civil society. Military benefits should be addressed a different way. Fundamentally, this is nothing more than a selected method of redistribution of wealth.

Proposition 2: “The constitutional amendment eliminating an obsolete requirement for a State Medical Education Board and a State Medical Education Fund, neither of which is operational.”

SUPPORT: You had us at eliminate…

Proposition 3: “The constitutional amendment to authorize a political subdivision of this state to extend the number of days that aircraft parts that are exempt from ad valorem taxation due to their location in this state for a temporary period may be located in this state for purposes of qualifying for the tax exemption.”

Do Not Support: The burden of property tax is a brake on economic prosperity that should be simplified, not codified into the classic byzantine labyrinth of bureaucratic tax codes. Singling out one group for a tax exemption, only transfers that burden to another tax paying entity which must make up the difference. Crony-capitalism inhibits the prosperity inherent in the liberty of free enterprise. What’s good for the aircraft/ air travel industry is good for every other industry.

Proposition 4: “The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of part of the market value of the residence homestead of a partially disabled veteran or the surviving spouse of a partially disabled veteran if the residence homestead was donated to the disabled veteran by a charitable organization.”

Do Not Support:   Again, as in Proposition 1, this proposition is well intended, but adds yet another exemption to the long list of property tax‐cuts. It also perverts the intent of charity by confusing tax exemption as charity, not as method to fund the necessity of government.  Further, this redistribution of wealth distorts justice by shifting the cost of local government to the shoulders of others in the community.  Because the principles we hold in regard to the role of government suggests we should either officially change military benefits if appropriate or make private donations to members of our community in such need.

Proposition 5: “The constitutional amendment to authorize the making of a reverse mortgage loan for the purchase of homestead property and to amend lender disclosures and other requirements in connection with a reverse mortgage loan.”

Do Not Support:  Reverse Mortgages depend upon the appreciation of real property. All citizens should be wary now that our own federal government passed legislation that actually sabotaged the housing market of the entire nation, at a huge financial cost to those involved as well as to the taxpayer obliged to repay the debt. What has happened before can happen again. In a bizarre way, the original owner of the reverse mortgage can bequeath this reverse mortgage debt upon their heirs (sic).

Proposition 6: “The constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas and the State Water Implementation Revenue Fund for Texas to assist in the financing of priority projects in the state water plan to ensure the availability of adequate water resources.”

Do Not Support:  Economist Milton Friedman noted this truth about government: “If you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara Desert, in 5 years there’d be a shortage of sand.” What is the historic track record of the unity of government and vital commodities? One of scarcity, want, and inflated prices. Think before you put an appointed board of 4 people in control of a vital commodity for life.
Besides, this is not a water conservation plan, this is an inducement for municipal debt. We Texans state:  These funds can only be use to provide additional security in the form of

debt service, deferred loan structure or credit enhancement  on projects already supported by Texas Water Development  Bonds.  Texas voters authorized $6 billion in revolving bond authority in 2011 none of which has been issued or utilized. These new funds would provide additional incentive to local governments to utilize these bonds (i.e., loans, taking on more debt) by providing a reduction in the interest due on the loan.  Local governments generally already have sufficient credit ratings to complete projects without financial assistance from the state.

Proposition 7:  “The constitutional amendment authorizing a home-rule municipality to provide in its charter the procedure to fill a vacancy on its governing body for which the unexpired term is 12 months or less.”

Do Not Support:  We believe complaints over the cost of special elections don’t take into account the benefit of accountable, elected elections. A quorum can usually be reached regardless, it just might not be the “appointed member” quorum vote desired. We believe clear transparent elections keep human nature’s tendencies in check.

Proposition 8: “The constitutional amendment repealing Section 7, Article IX, Texas Constitution, which relates to the creation of a hospital district in Hidalgo County.”

Support:  They had us at repeal….

Proposition 9: “The constitutional amendment relating to expanding the types of sanctions that may be assessed against a judge or justice following a formal proceeding instituted by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct.”

Do Not Support:  The history of political favoritism in the work of any of these State Commission of self-regulation is a disgusting blight creating an atmosphere of cronyism within and apathetic cynicism amongst the citizenry is a threat to the very essence of self-government. The power and authority of the people must require uniformity in these sanctions. We currently have the power to fine, recall, or impeach any offenders. The people must use their own authority to solve some of these constitutionally ethical lapses within the judiciary.