Last week, the Tip of Texas Tea Party protested against ObamaCare outside the local office of US Representative Solomon P. Ortiz (D-Corpus Christi, TX). A block away on the corner of FM 802 and Paredes Line Road, Coffee Partiers protested for ObamaCare. Noticing the lack of attention, they joined us.

None other than Democratic Party county chairman Gilberto Hinojosa led the Coffee Party. Does his presence with known Democrat operatives mean the Democrats are the Coffee Party? Recall the meme of Tea Parties consisting solely of angry Republicans and served as basis for Rio Grande Guardian‘s questions to us. Did Republican Chairman Frank Morris protest? No. For the record, Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, and Independents make up our group.

County Chairman Hinojosa’s protesting is at odds with Democratic National Committee (DNC) member Hinojosa. At the DNC winter meeting held last month in Washington, Hinojosa complained President Barack Obama’s lack of attention on jobs. Since Inauguration Day, the President concentrated on his number two legislative initiative, ObamaCare. 

Liberals, Hinojosa openly endorsed then-Senator Hillary Clinton in the 2008 Texas Primary. According to Politico, the Democrat stated, “You’re not going to worry about whether you have health insurance if you’re looking for a job, or climate change or all those things that have been a part of the agenda.”

Hinojosa went on to misrepresent Rio Grande Valley unemployment figures claiming it was “more than 20 percent.” The Texas Workforce Commission‘s  January unemployment numbers for Hidalgo County was 12.2% while Cameron County came in with 11.5%. In February jobless rate were 11.8% and 11.3% respectively. To end up with Hinojosa’s unemployment rate you have to virtually add Cameron and Hidalgo County together, an interesting form of mathematics.

“Republicans have done [a] good job turning things around and blaming us for the problems they created. We need to get our message out better than we have in past,” argued Hinojosa. He missed the point. People want those in power to take action, not talk about your message. That’s called a press release. Do something that won’t burden future generations with bills we cannot afford.

In “Advocates For and Against Health Care Reform Bill Rally in Brownsville,” the Rio Grande Guardian reported

[Hinojosa] was impressed with the number of people at the rally for health care reform. More than 100 participated. ‘You could hear from the people going by honking their horns how important this issue is. . . Health care is an issue that every family worries about and nowhere else in the country do families worry more about it than in the Rio Grande Valley, because so many people do not have access to health care and lack health insurance.’

There were more of us, and we did not reach fifty. We were more vocal and respectful. We got the honks before, during and after the Democrat shills joined us, but I digress.

To Politico and the nation Hinojosa declared the Valley cared about jobs, not ObamaCare. Nevertheless back home he protested for Ortiz’s support of ObamaCare because the Valley needed it. He contended, “We have close to 50 percent that are uninsured. That is unacceptable.”  With his habitual misleading, are we sure about anything he says including his uninsured statistic?

We are all tired and have plenty to do, but IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT for us to set aside some time to stand together with Michelle Bachman and TEA Party Patriots from all over America on Thursday, Nov. 5th at 11:00 AM (12:00 ET) to oppose this monstrosity of a health care bill that is designed to be government control of Americans.

The Tip of Texas TEA Party encourages Harlingen, Brownsville and Surrounding Areas to join us as we rally near Representative Solomon Ortiz’s office at 11:00 AM on Thursday, Nov. 5th.

Paseo Plaza Shopping Center
1805 E. Ruben Torres Blvd.,
Brownsville (across the street from HEB)

It is suggested to send up to 3 people at a time in Ortiz’s office, each signing the register, voicing opposition to government controlled health care and delivering a letter.

Write a letter to your letter to your Congressman, asking him to VOTE NO on this Health Care bill. Bring the letter to the rally on Thursday, Nov. 5th, at 11:00 AM. You will be a part of this nation-wide effort to bring thousands of constituents to Congressional members’ offices to put pressure on them to vote AGAINST the proposed health care “reform” bill that is expected to go for a vote on Friday.

These individual letters truly make a difference and TEA Party Patriots encourages you to make a copy of your hand written letter and fax it to them at 678-302-5377.

They will hand deliver it for you!

E-mail those on your email lists and ask them to participate in the Congressional House Calls by visiting the District Office of their Congressional Member at 11:00 Am (noon ET) on Thursday, Nov. 5th.

Call everyone you know and spread the word.

Encourage everyone to come out for this.

It may well be our last chance to stop this take over by our government.

Tonight (08/27/09) Channel 4 announced a Town Hall this coming Thursday at their Harlingen studio with Congressmen Ortiz, Hinojosa and Cuellar. You must go to valleycentral.com to register for the event. Rules are posted and you are asked to submit your question. This will be broadcast live from 6-7 pm. There will also be a live chat and a phone bank. It is unclear if/how questions will be taken from the chat or phone banks. It is unclear if the Congressmen will have the opportunity to screen submitted questions and answer only those they care to and if the same will be done with the phone and live chats. Nevertheless I did register and urge as many TTTP members to do the same. Can you believe it fellow Patriots? You have to be a lottery winner for the privilige of seeing your elected representative in the flesh.

Action 4 News Schedules Town Hall Meeting

By Miriam Marentes

Thursday, August 27, 2009 at 11:01 p.m.HARLINGEN, TEXAS — Action 4 News will be hosting a Health Care Reform Town Hall Meeting in the Action 4 News Studio.

U.S. Congressman Solomon Ortiz, Ruben Hinojosa and Henry Cuellar have all agreed to attend the forum.

The event will include a live chat and phone bank to answer questions from the public.

It will air from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. next Thursday, September 3.

To reserve a seat in the live audience and to read the rules of the town hall meeting, click here.

KGBT TOWN HALL MEETING TICKETS

U.S. Congressmen Solomon Ortiz, Ruben Hinojosa and Henry Cuellar are coming to the KGBT-TV studios for a unique event on Thursday, September 3rd.

The Rio Grande Valley congressmen are holding a unique Hall Meeting about Health Care Reform inside our television studio.

The event will include a LIVE chat room and phone bank to answer questions from the public.

The Town Hall Meeting will be aired on LIVE television from 6 to 7 p.m.

Action 4 News viewers have the chance to win tickets to be in the studio audience and ask their own question to the congressmen.

Participants must be 18 years & older and will have to submit to the following rules:

• arrive early
• Submit to a security screening
• No disruptions
• No profanity
• No signs
• No buttons

Registration ends at Noon on Wednesday, September 2nd.

Click here for a complete set of rules

The Brownsville Tip of Texas Tea Party did their part today, demonstrating their opposition to Congressman Solomon Ortiz’s support of Obamacare.

Thomas D. Segel
Tom@thomasdsegel.com
www.thomasdsegel.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

America’s Leaders – Or Congressional Cowards?

Harlingen, Texas, August 19, 2009:  They came from across the Rio Grande Valley.  Citizens of every stripe, Democrats, Republicans, Independents and even non-voting youth from three counties were there. They gathered at a Town Hall meeting in Harlingen, Texas last night. 

A meeting room in the city library was filled to capacity with a standing-room-only crowd of more than 150 people.  Speakers were also placed in an outside patio area next to the meeting room, where another hundred taxpayers assembled to hear information on healthcare reform and other Administration proposals.  Everyone showed up, except the two individuals elected to represent those same voters in Washington D. C. 

“Here in Texas”, said one man, “we appreciate people with backbone, but that seems to be a missing body piece on the two members of Congress representing the southern tip of the Lone Star State.”

Though Texas is a very conservative state, the strength of the Democrat Party rests in the southern counties, all with majority Hispanic populations.

The 15^th Congressional District stretches from the Rio Grande Valley to the Coastal Bend.  Voters have sent Ruben Hinojosa to Washington seven times since 1996, but he couldn’t be located to answer four separate Town Hall invitations, sent over several weeks to his office by constituents asking him to attend their scheduled gathering.

The Congressman, who is known for being a frequent flyer at taxpayer expense, was off on another junket to China.

When told of this latest “fact finding tour”, one Town Hall participant said we shouldn’t be too hard on Hinojosa.  “After all” said the man from McAllen, “he is our best representative – for Nancy Pelosi.”

Representing the 27^th Congressional District of Texas is Solomon P. Ortiz. Though his district covers an area from Corpus Christi to the Rio Grande Valley, he is rarely seen in Brownsville or Harlingen and only appears when he is handing out money from a pork laden piece of legislation or running for reelection.  Still, voters have sent him back to Washington repeatedly since 1982. 

Ortiz not only refused to attend the Town Hall meeting, but also had his aide, Jose Borjon, insist to the media that only a member of Congress had the right to schedule such an event. “We feel that town hall meetings should be held by elected officials,” said Boejon.

Borjon said the Congressman also objected to his political challengers being members of the Town Hall panel. “Why can’t the constituents just talk to the people who are going to vote on health care reform.  What is the point of having others there?  He later reversed himself saying, “We want to make sure all parties are included”.  But, the Congressman still had no plans to attend the meeting.

Ortiz has also said that he might answer some questions via telephone, but would not be yelled at by voters.

How did this “no show event” come to pass?  First of all, it did not happen for lack of trying.  One man made repeated attempts to gain their participation.

Art Cohan served more than 20 years in the Marine Corps before retiring to help teach young men about leadership at the Marine Military Academy.  He is now fully retired and spends his days making sure his 13 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren, along with everyone else he can reach, understand the Constitution of the United States of America.  He feels it is his responsibility to educate everyone about the Constitution and how our elected officials, almost from its inception, have violated it.

On four separate occasions, Cohan and the other meeting organizers sent letters to the two congressmen who represent Cameron County.  Because congressional mail takes at least two weeks to get into the hands of representatives due to security concerns, each mailed invitation was followed up with emails also requesting the elected officials to attend.

Congressman Ruben Hinojosa not only ignored the request from his constituents, but also refused to acknowledge the invitation and turn it down in writing or by telephone.  He then had his aide call The Valley Morning Star newspaper to tell the editor constituents should not organize Town Hall Meetings and that representatives of other political persuasions should not be present.

The reason Independent candidate Willie Vaden, Republican candidate Eddie Zamora, and Democratic candidate Douglas Purl were invited was to make certain some panelists would be present when the elected representatives refused to acknowledge their invitations.

Says Cohan, “I do condemn the two representatives for hiding from constituents.  I attribute part of it to arrogance, and a lot of it to fear.  They simply do not want to face the music, and answer constituent’s questions.  Perhaps they cannot.”

During the two-hour question and answer event everything was addressed from the Second Amendment to excessive spending. The majority of the questions and statements, however, were on the subject of healthcare reform.  Everyone in attendance remained very civil, but it was evident that the audience was extremely angry when they faced the podium and two empty chairs.

Saturday August 22 @ 12 noon at congressman solomon ortiz’ office letters will be delivered to the Congressman urging him to vote “no” on health care reform.

Ortiz’s office is located on the north side of 802 across from the HEB in Brownsville.

We will have someone deliver your handwritten letter for you if you cannot attend.

Have a letter writing session at your home with your acquaintances.

Take some letters around your neighborhood and get signatures.

Respectfully submitted by Sandra Altemeyer:  sandyaltemeyer@yahoo.com.

Contact Sue Goldberg for more information at:  suebgold@hotmail.com.

TOWN HALL MEETING

A Town Hall Meeting/Public Forum will be held at   7:00 PM in the Auditorium of the Harlingen Library on Tuesday, August 18th. Seating begins at 6:30. Representative Solomon Ortiz has declined participation and Hinojosa has not replied.  Their challengers will be present.

Your attendance is strongly encouraged!

Contact Your Representatives and Join the Rally! 

Please Handwrite letters to your representatives urging them to vote No on Health Care Reform.  Addresses are available via our website.
 
Letters can be hand delivered to Ortiz’s office on Saturday, August 22nd, during our rally from Noon to 1:00 PM.
 
We will have someone deliver your handwritten letter for you if you cannot attend!
 
Suggestions:

• Have a letter writing session at your home with your aquaintances.
• Take a letter around your neighborhood and get signatures.
   
  We must act now!

Meet or Rally in Austin on Sept. 5th!  

Our Next General Meeting will be on Saturday, Sept. 5th at Word of God Church 1944 E. Alton Gloor Blvd.  (next to Burns Elem. School in Brownsville). 
 
This is also the day some of us will be going to Austin to participate in the State TEA Party from 1:00 – 4:00.  If you would like to join those going to Austin, respond to ttteaparty@gmail.com.
 
Those not traveling to Austin, please make every effort to attend our meeting. We will have a meet and greet session at 9:00 AM and The meeting will begin at 9:30 AM.
 
Thanks to all who attended today. Your input and participation are invaluable to me and America!   It was great to see new faces.  Everyone, bring a friend on Sept. 5th!

-Sue

 HTP tried notifying Washington and sending faxes, etc… well over a week ago, and no responses.
 
The letters pretty much guarantee that the Congressman will be “safe” from screaming and  heavy confrontation.

WE WILL NOT CANCEL
 

In the event that Ortiz and/or Hinojosa do/does not show, there will be empty chairs with their respective names on them, for the two Congressmen.

Two challengers have accepted their invitations and will be there. Another has also been invited.

Congressmane Ortiz’s challenger is  Willie Vaden, who is declared as an Independent and very strong on the Constitution. 
 
Please remember that this is an event open to the public.  This is  not a Tea Party event.   We are simply a group of concerned Patriots.

The media is all over this. Check out http://myharlingennews.com.   

 The Town Hall Meeting will be held the evening of Tuesday, August 18th in  Harlingen.

The Harlingen Library has confirmed  the use of their auditorium (150 people, max), and the meeting has also been “pencilled in” for the city owned hall (that will seat 850 in case either or both Congressmen accept(s)the invitation.

Art from the Harlingen Tea Party has been receiving calls and emails from Lyford, Mission, and even Corpus Christi, wanting to bring busses!

You will be notified of the definite place and time as soon as possible.

Thank you  for your support of the Tip of Texas TEA Party.  I hope to see you Saturday. After the meeting we will have a sign making session for those who wish to stay and help make signs for the Aug. 22nd Health Care Protest.
 
-Sue