Brownsville Tea Party Association

Archive for the ‘Blake Farenthold’ Category

I streamed the townhall meeting with Congressman Blake Farenthold that was held at Burns Elementary yesterday evening. The first 30 minutes or so was a “canned” presentation on the debt problem that was way too easy to ignore, so I did. In a nutshell, the national debt and deficit are huge problems that could wreck the country unless we get a handle on spending. I get it.

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Online video chat by Ustream

A townhall meeting with Congressman Blake Farenthold will take place at Burns Elementary on April 26 on Tuesday at 6pm in the evening.

Address:  1974 Alton Gloor Blvd

After Vote Report Table HR1

Blake won the recount. 

This is from Blake Farethold’s Facebook wall:

I just accepted a phone call from Congressman Ortiz. He called to congratulate me and promised to work with me for the good of everyone in South Texas.

From the Brownsville Herald:

U.S. Rep. Solomon P. Ortiz conceded late Monday to Congressman-elect Blake Farenthold.

Noting that the recount of more than 106,000 votes had been completed in the district, Ortiz said: ‘Therefore, with great respect and admiration in the Democratic process, I congratulate my opponent, Mr. R. Blake Farenthold, in his election to the 27th Congressional District of Texas in the U.S. House of Representatives.’

From the left-leaning Politico:

Texas Republicans gained an overwhelming victory last Tuesday night with 22 State House pickups and 3 new U.S. Congressmen, but the Democrats are still fighting us to delay all of our wins.

Much like other close races across the nation that still have yet to be called or have gone into a recount, we have a similar challenge here in Texas where our Republican candidate needs our help to claim final victory.

Here is the up-to-the-minute situation. In Congressional District 27, Republican Blake Farenthold won victory over the Democrat incumbent Solomon Ortiz, with a margin of 799 votes. However, the 14-term incumbent Ortiz has not conceded the race and has demanded a manual recount of the vote in all six counties. Ortiz filed paperwork to request the recount on Tuesday afternoon, but on Wednesday the Secretary of State rejected the first application for failure to comply with requirements. Ortiz has already begun regrouping today with his legal team and is fully expected to file another request by the end of the day.

The time is short for us to ready for action! The RPT is prepared for all contingencies in this recount, and has individuals on standby to send into CD27. Working in conjunction with the RNC and the Farenthold campaign – we stand ready to assist. We will take no chances on this recount, and will do everything in our power to support Blake in ensuring that this recount is conducted fairly and accurately in accordance with state law.

You can help us in the defense of this seat.

By making a special emergency contribution to the Republican Party of Texas, you will help us pay for the costs of transporting, housing and feeding our staff members who are standing at the ready. We are also working with our county Republican parties to identify volunteers who can assist in this process.  Your financial support will help us prepare for our defense!

This seat and this victory must be protected, not only for the strength of our Texas Congressional delegation, but for the future of all Republicans in South Texas. We must make this final stand. Please join with us today and contribute whatever you can to this important work.

Thank you,

Steve Munisteri
Chairman, Republican Party of Texas

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By Chris Rowan

I don’t have to tell you that Blake Farenthold beat longtime incumbent Solomon Ortiz in the most surprising upset victory in recent memory.  This is the first time, EVER, that District 27 has been led by a Republican.  This is the first time, EVER, that District 27 has been led by anyone other than Solomon Ortiz.  No one I heard over the radio thought Blake had even a ghost of a chance.  Last night – which was ELECTION night - I listened to Sergio Sanchez and Tim Sullivan on 710AM crack jokes about how Republicans were going to get “slapped” yet again, like they always did.  No one saw this coming.

No one, that is, except Blake himself.

I know this because I asked him what he thought his chances were back on October 18, when Farouk Shami endorsed Governor Perry at Cobbleheads here in Brownsville. 

“Are you optimistic about the election?” I asked.

Blake paused a moment, wrinkled his brow, looked me in the eye and said “I’m cautiously optimistic.”

At the time, I attributed it to wishful thinking, perhaps, or his belief in the Power of Positive Thinking.  But Blake was just being honest and accurate in his assessment of the situation.  In retrospect, I’m flabbergasted that he confided in me.  I mean, who the deuce am I?  Blake knows I maintain the BATPA site, Facebook and Twitter presence.  He also knows I wasn’t an early supporter of his.  I supported Willie Vaden and only became a bonafide supporter of Blake’s after he won the Republican primary.  I could have taken what he told me and broadcast it all over the Internet, twisting it in such a way as to convey that he was whistling past the graveyard.  It was a huge risk, telling me what he really and truly felt.  But he trusted me, judged me to be a decent sort of fellow.

Now that Blake has won, I look back on that incident and marvel at how revelatory those few moments were.  It gave me a peek into Blake’s character, and I like what I saw.

By Duane Rasmussen

A lot of information came out about our Socialist Democrat US. Rep. Solomon P. Ortiz during the three-part series of articles in a local daily concerning his travels, allegedly on our behalf over the past few years. One of the most alarming concerns is his thinking that he can fool us about the substance and meaning of the travels. Also, he, himself, still will not explain himself. Instead, he uses the old trick of having one of his serfs do the explaining. .

He expects us to believe that he and a few other Congressmen had some effect on diverting the North Koreans from their nuclear ambitions. Come on, Solomon. Congressmen can do nothing to change another government’s actions. Diplomacy is conducted by the administrative branch through its diplomats. All the rest is window dressing. The North Koreans simply told Ortiz what he wanted to hear. And, again, where are the jobs in what industries that Ortiz gained from a number of trips to China?

In the last few days we caught up with Blake Farenthold, the Republican candidate for U.S. District 27 in Congress. We had a phone conversation in which he laid down his aspirations should he win the support of the people in the district represented poorly by Ortiz over 27 years.

Farenthold attended a Catholic high school before gaining a bachelor of science degree in radio, television and film from the University of Texas at Austin. Later, he obtained his law degree from St. Mary’s University at San Antonio. He practiced law for seven years in the agricultural area, and then grew a computer consulting firm to 15 employees before selling out. Before entering the race for Congress, he co-hosted a conservative radio talk show in Corpus.

Farenthold wants less government as he says, “Get out of our hair!” A campaign slogan he has adopted reads, “If you elect me, I’ll work hard to do less.”

While he does not think the opposition to Obamacare will be strong enough in the new Congress to repeal it, he does plan to work to deflect as much of it as is possible to cripple it.

He is opposed to government bail outs and believes that nobody is too big to fail. Government help should not be used to save businesses. The Fannie and Freddy episodes have proven, he continued, that government cannot force banks to loan money to those who cannot pay back the funds.

Concerning immigration, Farenthold said the federal government let illegals come in as an underclass. He would work for a plan that makes it easier for legal immigrants to enter after background checks and the presentation of proof that a job is waiting. He further believes the border patrol is hamstrung by laws, rules and regulations that obstruct their actions. The border patrol needs the resources and then the military to lend support. He also is in favor of the use of more of the unmanned aircraft for surveillance.

Farenthold believes in less government spending and taxes. Jobs are critical, he believes, so capital gains taxes need to be reduced along with the rules and regulations that hold back expansion here.

Concerning Ortiz’ travels, Farenthold reminds that big supporters helped pay and that some are in jail for smuggling in Chinese.

“Ortiz should do his traveling into his district,” Farenthold concluded.

Over the past months the reader has read a huge number of reasons why Ortiz is inimical to the best interests of our country and our district. You have two choices in sending him home. All things considered, to work within the system that we are burdened with, Farenthold should get the votes. Make it happen folks!

More In Two Weeks

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I received a Facebook message from Andres Bocanegra, who works for the Perry Campaign, at about 3:00 PM on Sunday.  Governor Perry was going to hold a grassroots event at Cobbleheads in Brownsville on Monday at 2:15 pm, and he hoped that I could attend and promote the event to others.  It turns out that this was to be the event at which Farouk Shami would endorse Rick Perry for governor.  Blake Farenthold and Carlos Cascos were in attendance.  Several camera crews were on hand, too.

On a personal note, this was my second opportunity to visit with Governor Perry.  He speaks off the cuff very effectively.  There were no cringe-worthy moments.  He seemed relaxed as he walked around the room meeting with people.  Lots of smiles and laughter.  He hit all the right notes with this conservative audience, who responded with enthusiastic applause numerous times. 

Memo to Farenthold Campaign Leadership 10-11-10 – Final

I’m reposting a comment made by Blake Farenthold (R-TX27) to an earlier post so everyone gets a chance to see it. 

-Chris

Below is a letter I drafter to the campaign for Liberty Website today:

Campaign for Liberty
5211 Port Royal Road, Suite 310
Springfield, VA 22151

Via Fax: (202) 747-7597

Ladies and Gentlemen:

I have been contacted by several of my supporters regarding my answers to your Campaign for Liberty questionnaire I completed in February. I am a newcomer to politics, so I filled out your survey not realizing the results would be disseminated in tabular form without my comments. I could easily and honestly have answered “YES” to some of your questions and qualified that answer, just like I qualified the “NO”s. I believe if you read the comments on my original survey you will find I am much more in agreement with your position than the posted results indicate.

So, without changing my position on the issues, I respectfully request you change my answers as follows:

Question 2: Will you support legislation removing capital gains and sales taxes on gold and silver coinage?

Change answer from “No” to “YES”

Though I did not qualify this answer on my survey, I support the abolition of capital gains taxes across the board. Though not a federal issue, unless we are successful in passing a fair tax, I support removal of sales tax on gold and silver coinage except collectables sold at above spot value.

Question 8: Do you support U.S. withdrawal from the United Nations?

I remain a NO on this question. When I posted a copy of your survey on my website (see http://www.blake.com/ElectBlake/LibertySurvey.pdf) I added this note, “Though I have my issues with the UN, It provides a diplomatic forum for advancing America’s goals. We should, however, be vigilant and avoid ceding power to the UN.”

Question 9: Will you support the American Sovereignty Act to restrict the Executive’s ability to forge international agreements that lessen our sovereignty?

I stand by my NO on this question as well. The “American Sovereignty Act” (HR-1146) is Ron Paul’s bill to withdraw from the UN. As cited above, I am not in favor of entirely withdrawing from the UN.

Question 13: Will you vote to eliminate the IRS:

I leave it to you to decide whether I am a “YES” or “NO” on this question. My comment on the original survey was “I support a flat or fair tax. Someone’s got to collect it.” Whether that’s the IRS or some other entity is not important to me.

Question 15: Will you oppose federal power grabs like roving wiretaps and warrantless searches and oppose Patriot Act Renewal that includes such items?

Change Answer from “No” to “YES”

As I commented on the original survey, “I feel the Patriot Act is overreaching, but modern technology requires laws that allow surveillance while still protecting constitutional rights.”

In re-reading my answer to the Patriot Act question I don’t think I made clear my distaste for the “federal power grabs” like the Patriot Act. One of the toughest balancing acts our government now faces is between protecting citizen’s constitutional rights and fighting the war on terror. I think we have forgotten Benjamin Franklin’s famous quote “Anyone who trades liberty for security deserves neither”

Thank you for your consideration.

R. Blake Farenthold

Candidate
U.S. Congress, TX-27

Blake Liberty Survey

By Chris Rowan

Wikipedia describes Campaign for Liberty as “. . . a political organization founded by eleven-term United States Congressman Ron Paul.  The mission of the Campaign for Liberty is to promote and defend the principles of individual liberty, constitutional government, the gold standard, free markets, and non-interventionism, by means of educational and political activity.”

It is difficult to find the word “Libertarian” on the Campaign for Liberty website.  It is not on the “About” page.  I guess it doesn’t really matter.

Anyway, the Campaign for Liberty organization developed a candidate survey in which the “correct” answer to all questions is Yes (Y).  A “no” (N) answer is defined as “. . . a deficiency toward Liberty,” which means an answer that is anti-liberty (I guess).  I’m not sure what “deficiency toward Liberty” means.  ”U” means undecided.  “-” means the candidate did not answer the question.

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Please contact Channel 5 and request that they send a camera crew to cover this event. This page contains the email addresses of the news anchors and reporters. I just emailed all the anchors.