Sept e mbe r 2016
Volume 1, Is sue 1
M C L ENNAN R EPUBLICANS
COLONEL'S COLUMN
By Col (Ret) Jon R. Ker
Welcome to the first volume of the new Republican Party of McLennan
County Newsletter. Many thanks to Lisa Dickison for her efforts in putting it
together and getting it disseminated.
We are frequently reminded this Presidential election is quite likely, and in
my opinion is, the most important election in our nation’s history. Like none
before, this election will determine whether we preserve our Constitution or
complete the “transformation of America” as promised and pursued by Mr.
Obama. It is that call to “transformation” which propelled me to re-engage in
the political process, to fight for conservative values, and to support the Party
candidate, Donald Trump. When you hear the phrase “transform America,”
take that to mean turning our nation into a socialist/ communist nanny-state where individualism
and opportunity are demonized into extinction.
If, like me, you love our constitutional republic and desire our children, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren to enjoy the blessings derived from it, then we must fight and defeat the progressive,
liberal, socialist-communist agenda of Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party!
Regardless of how you view or perceive Donald Trump, his focus is on restoring America’s
greatness, not transforming it into a European style third-rate country. Allow me to give you what I
consider three compelling reasons to support and promote the candidacy of Donald Trump and
defeat Hillary Clinton:
National Security. The first order of governmental business is the protection and preservation of
its people and its own existence. The security policies of Mr. Obama, which Hillary has promised to
continue, have weakened our national security and our ability to defend ourselves and to project
power as a deterrent to aggression by rogue nations and terrorists. Take close notice of how our
enemies are now emboldened against us. Everything else concerning our nation (the economy,
social and all other issues) is dependent upon national security. As an almost 40-year military
veteran, I assure you our military is no longer the strongest in the world, and our enemies know it!
Trump, like Reagan after the disastrous Carter administration, has promised to rebuild our military
once again so it is an effective deterrent to aggressive, evil nations and ISIS.
Preservation of our 1st and 2nd Amendment Rights. Hillary Clinton has within her crosshairs
these two Constitutional provisions and guarantees. She has stated on a number of occasions that
our closely held religious beliefs and practice must give way to a new social order. In other words,
the liberal concept of abortion, promotion of the homosexual agenda, and political correctness is of
greater importance than our blood bought constitutional right to believe, practice and promote our
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Christian principles in the public arena. Indeed, political correctness has diminished our free
speech rights by demonizing into silence those who disagree with their progressive, immoral
agenda. It is now a rare occasion for people to freely and openly speak out against the progressive
elites, but that is what Donald Trump is doing. Hillary has repeatedly and openly called for new gun
laws to take away our 2nd Amendment right to defend ourselves and our homes. The path for
Hillary’s success on these points runs through the judicial appointment system, especially that of
the Supreme Court. Should Hillary become our next President she will have the opportunity, like
FDR in the 1930’s, to stack the court with at least 2 and possibly 3 liberal justices who agree with
her interpretation of the 1st and 2nd Amendments. With that makeup of the Court, she will obtain
her goal to eviscerate both of these rights. When one of our constitutionally protected rights falls to
the liberal agenda, it is not difficult to see the rest are in serious danger of also being lost.
Opportunity. Our nation’s history includes oppressed people seeking to breathe the fresh air of
freedom and to seek opportunity to better themselves and their families through hard work and
fortitude. Under a Hillary administration, opportunity will be relegated to the trash heap of history,
replaced by the socialist nanny-state. Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister of Great Britain,
stated it best as she fought socialism within her own country, “The problem with socialism is that
you eventually run out of other people’s money!” A Hillary Clinton administration will seek to run
our lives from birth to grave. Under that form of government, opportunity cannot co-exist. There
being no incentive to better one-self, opportunity will be lost with no reason to give it consideration
anymore. The loss of opportunity spells the loss of America’s uniqueness and ingenuity.
If America and our constitutional republic are to survive, we cannot allow Hillary Clinton to succeed
to the White House. I urge you to engage in the fight for the preservation of our constitution and its
protections, get out the vote for Donald Trump and the Republican candidates down ballot, and do
your part to assure Victory in November!
FROM THE VICE CHAIR
By Barbara White
For those of you who I have not yet met, my name is Barbara White, and I am
the newly appointed vice-chair of the McLennan County Republican Party.
When Jon Ker was elected as the new local party chairman, he asked me to
join him in his effort to reunite the party and help elect constitutional
conservatives. Both of those things are important to me as well, and
Chairman Ker’s optimistic and positive outlook was hard to say no to.
To tell you a little about myself, I was born and raised in the Axtell area of
McLennan County, and my husband David and I have two grown children.
We also own a business, which my husband has been operating for over 33 years. My professional
background includes 10 years as election manager at McLennan County, 5 years as election
manager at Williamson County, and 8 years as an account manager for elections vendor Hart
InterCivic. I’ve also worked in other local and state government positions. I have a Bachelor’s
degree in Business from Tarleton State University, and currently work with my husband and son in
our family business. I have been a delegate to the last three county and state conventions, I am a
current precinct chair, and am a member of the McLennan County Republican Club and the
McLennan County Republican Women’s Club.
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The first election I voted in was for Reagan in 1980. I was intrigued by his unwavering
conservatism and his relaxed, confident style. My favorite Reagan quote is, “government is not the
solution to our problems; government is the problem”. Being a conservative, particularly a Reagan
conservative, is something I’ve always embraced because nothing else ever really made sense to
me. Reagan’s notion of American exceptionalism is something I fear we are losing due to the
actions of the liberals in Washington, D.C. Reagan’s shining city on a hill is being stolen from us.
Can Donald Trump reverse that trend? I hope so. I know that I like what I’m hearing from him so
far. But the most important thing about Trump is that he is not Hillary. And for me, that alone is
enough. Because we know what to expect from Hillary – more of Obama, perhaps worse. And if
Hillary happens, the theft of America will continue until we no longer recognize our shining city on
a hill.
I look forward to working with my fellow Republicans in the coming months. This is an exciting
time and there is much to be done. But I believe our hard work will pay off with Republican
victories up and down the ballot.
WHY I'M A REPUBLICAN
By Carmen Jones, Precinct Chair, Precinct 85
My father was very active in politics in Alexandria, Louisiana. I learned a lot
from him about the politicians’ roles. He and I attended many political rallies
during my teenage years. He hosted a lot of meetings to support various
candidates on local, state and national levels. I guess one would say politics
are in my blood. However, my dad was a Democrat and when I registered to
vote, I registered as a Democrat.
Many years later, I began to look at how things were under the Democratic
rule in Louisiana and I was not pleased. I changed to the Republican Party
after talking with more and more people who were Republicans. As a
resident of that state I saw things improve considerably under Republican
leadership. I was met with a lot of negativity because of my choice of party, especially with Blacks.
Even today, I experience a lot of negativity. However, I hold my ground on what I believe and
continue to move on.
I hold on to the values the Republican Party was founded on. Even if we make mistakes along the
way, when the seeds of great ethical value have been planted in us they will not die. We just have to
remove the weeds that try to hinder us and keep flourishing.
As a Republican, I believe that a person’s destiny should be in their hands.
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FEATURED ELECTED OFFICIAL
By Will Jones, County Commissioner, Precinct 3
My duties as your County Commissioner vary and are broad, but to give an
example of what can fill my days and weeks I submit to you the following:
The county commissioner’s court serves as the governing body in each of
Texas’ 254 counties. This administrative body was established by the Texas
Constitution of 1876 and is comprised of a county judge and four
commissioners. The major duties of the commissioner’s court involve
overseeing the budgetary and policy making functions of county
government. In addition, in many counties, commissioners have extensive responsibilities related
to the building and maintenance of county roads.
As in each county in Texas, McLennan County is divided into four commissioner’s precincts with
one commissioner being directly elected by the voters of each precinct to a four year term. I am the
current Commissioner to Precinct 3 which encompasses the greater north territory of McLennan
County to include North Waco, Lacy Lakeview, Chalk Bluff, Gholson, Elm Mott, Leroy, Ross, Tours
and West. Commissioners are elected on staggered terms with two precincts voting for the office of
commissioners in each general election. Precincts two and four of every county elect their
commissioner the same year the Texas gubernatorial election takes place, while precincts one and
three elect their commissioners in presidential election years. To be eligible to run for a county
commissioner seat, an individual must be a qualified voter, a resident of that precinct and have
never been convicted of a felony.
As the commissioner’s court meets to fulfill its budgetary and administrative responsibilities, each
commissioner, along with the county judge, participates in all the decisions and work of the court.
Passing a county budget is a major undertaking for the commissioner’s court and being in January
until the budget is adopted at the end of August. During the budget process, myself and the Court
approve the employment level of the county and consider the level of funding necessary for the
other county offices to carry out their duties and services that are provided to the public.
In addition to approving the county budget, commissioner’s courts have other financial
responsibilities. The commissioner’s court sets the county’s property tax rate, - not to be confused
with setting the appraisals on properties, that is solely the responsibility of your local appraisal
district- and has the authority to grant tax abatements for economic development and authorize
contracts in the name of the county. Beyond my budgetary duties, I as a commissioner have the
responsibility of providing oversight of the county’s infrastructure. This can include anything from
overseeing the construction, maintenance and improvement of county roads and bridges,
establishing long-range thoroughfare, open space, and land use plans, and acquiring property for
rights-of-way or other uses determined to be in the public's best interest. Commissioners each
serve as the road and bridge administrator in their elected precinct. Other responsibilities include
reviewing and approving subdivision platting and wastewater treatment for rural areas, providing
rural transportation services and subsidizing rural fire protection and libraries. Additional
personnel and operating responsibilities fall under the job duties of a county commissioner. Some
of these duties include financial and law enforcement/jail needs planning, establishing
commissioners and justice of the peace precinct boundaries, and setting employment and benefit
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policies for the county. Commissioners court may also call, conduct and certify elections, including
bond elections, and appoint non-elected department heads and standing committees.
Finally, as a member of the commissioner’s court, a county commissioner may be called upon to fill
vacancies in elective and appointive positions in the county and supervise and control the county
courthouse, county buildings and other county facilities.
In order to stay up to date on the latest changes in state law affecting the operation of counties and
to acquire improved management techniques and skills related to infrastructure maintenance,
commissioners are required to earn sixteen classroom hours of continuing education annually
related to the performance of their duties.
The job of County Commissioner is a hands-on service, complete with policy making budget
decisions to assure that our financial situation for McLennan County always stays solid. Currently
McLennan County carries an AAA Rate in the S&P. I am proud of this accomplishment in my first
term of office and will pledge to continue to push for the same as I embark on my second term.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
October 4 – County Executive Committee Meeting
October 6 - 15 HOT Fair and Rodeo
October 11 – Last Day to Register to Vote
October 21 – Last Day to Apply for Ballot by Mail (Received, not mailed)
October 24 – 28 – Early Voting, 8am-5pm
October 29 – Early Voting, 7am-7pm
October 30 – Early Voting, 1pm-6pm
October 31 – November 4 – Early Voting, 7am-7pm
November 8 – Last Day to Receive Ballot by Mail (in Elections Office by 7pm)
November 8 – Election Day
MIGHTY TEXAS STRIKE FORCE
Want to be a part of something special? Are you looking to make a difference in 2016? We are
looking for people who would like to help Republicans win elections across the entire State of Texas
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as well as across the country. If you’re interested, fill out the form below and contact your
corresponding captain. RPT Vice Chair Amy Clark is serving as the stay-at-home/phonecalling/post-carding Captain.
To participate, you may donate, mail postcards, travel to a targeted swing state or travel to a
targeted area of Texas. You are responsible for your travel lodging expenses. A limited number of
scholarships are available.
To begin, sign up at http://www.texasgop.org/strikeforce/.
UNITE TO WIN TRAININ G
Unite to Win Training in Hillsboro for SD22 East Side, August 13, 2016
Join us for our Abbott University Training in Waco! This comprehensive training will cover 2
important topics every grassroots activist should know:
Advantage Voter Contact System & Organization Building
RSVP to reserve your spot today at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/abbott-university-waco-tickets26954352193
Tuesday, September 6th
6:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Community Bank
1711 Lake Success
Waco, TX 76701
Please contact Caitlin Baalke at 907-887-4937 with any questions!
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DONATE/MEMBERSHIP
Donors’ names will be published here each month.
YEARLY CONTRIBUTIONS
Top Gun: $1000
Chairman’s Circle: $500
100 Club: $100
MONTHLY CONTRIBUTIONS
Regular: $10 per month
Flag-Bearer: $20 per month
Minuteman: $30 per month
Patriot: $40 per month
Eagle: $50 per month
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
We have many volunteer opportunities available. Visit the website, www.mclennanrepublicans.org,
and choose the “Volunteer Menu” to sign up or you can speak to our Party Secretary, Linda Hill. She
can be reached during office hours.
The big project will be sending post cards for Trump into other states. These will have handwritten
notes. We will need volunteers to man to the book at the HOT Fair and Rodeo.
We will also need people to help decorate and ride on the float in the West Fest Parade and other
upcoming parade. Contact Donna Mick at (254)498-2253.
Lisa Dickison also needs your assistance with the social media. This is easy and can be performed
from your computer, cell phone or tablet. We need Twitter and Facebook users to like, share,
comment and retweet our posts. If you have any questions, contact Lisa at (254)733-0953.
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The party’s Twitter handle is @McLennanRepub.
The Facebook page is Facebook.com/McLennanRepublicans.
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OFFICE HOURS AND CON TACT INFORMATION
OFFICE HOURS
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 10am-3pm (except as noted below)
Closed Wednesday
Closed September 5th for Labor Day
Open September 7th
MAILING ADDRESS AND SOCIAL MEDIA
539 N. Valley Mills Dr.
Waco, TX 76710
(WestView Village Shopping Mall)
Facebook: Search @McLennanRepublicans
https://www.facebook.com/McLennanRepublicans/
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 254-772-6955
Twitter: @McLennanRepub
Direct link: https://twitter.com/McLennanRepub
Website: www.mclennanrepublicans.org
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