What’s Wrong With the GOP? - Charlie Geren: A Case Study

What’s Wrong With the GOP?

Charlie Geren: A Case Study

By

James Scott Trimm

It is no secret that Charlie Geren is an establishment moderate. Geren’s most recent rating from Texans for FiscalResponsibility is an F, and his cumulative rating is also an F and he has stillnot signed the Taxpayer Protection pledge.

A recent expose by Adam Cahnan revealed that Charlie Geren has received thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from [gulp] the very liberal Texas Trial Lawyers Association.  

Of course Charlie Geren is well known to be Speaker Joe Straus’s chief Lieutenant, and Joe Straus became Speaker in 2009 when he brought together a group of 11 liberal Republicans teamed up with 64 Democrats to oust Republican Speaker Tom Craddick. Straus maintains his power base with a coalition with backing from Democrats.

Geren has complete disdain for real conservatives in the House like Conservative hero Jonathan Strickland.  The Dallas Observer has even reported:

Stickland aggravated House Speaker Joe Strauss (sic) and his allies so badly that at least two legislators saw Strauss (sic) ally Charlie Geren dangle a cookie on a string in front Strickland in a mocking attempt to lead him away from one of his frequent back-microphone stem-winders.

(Dallas Observer; Oct. 2nd 2015)

Charlie Geren also recently went through the halls of the capitol, ripping down pro-life signs from the doors of pro-life representatives. Just a few months ago, when Planned Parenthood came to Austin to lobby for money to murder babies in the womb, Pro Life Representative Jonathan Stickland put a sign (supplied by Texas Right to Life) on his office door identifying himself as a former fetus. Geren made the news (Star-Telegram March 11, 2015) when he ripped the sign from Stickland’s door and stormed into his office yelling at Stickland’s staff.  

At the recent Texas Alliance for Life annual banquet, Joe Pojman and his organization actually gave Straus Lieutenant Charlie Geren an award for his “Courageous Defense of Life”.   The claimed mission of this organization is to “protect innocent human life from conception through natural death through peaceful, legal means.” And there was a time when this organization was true to its mission, but today theorganization exists largely to give cover to liberal politicians that are weakon pro-life issues.  While they are a pro-life, or at least anti-abortion group to an extent, they also often fight conservatives on end of life issues.  For example Pojman has empowered the healthcare lobby and hospitals toend the life of a patient without family permission.  While Texas Right to Life has been lobbying since 2005 has to end death panels in Texas.  But opportunities to reform this act have presented themselves, Pojman’s Texas Alliance for Life has run interference.  For example in the 84^th Texas Legislative session (2015) Texas Alliance for Life actually supported House Bill 2351, which was supposed to be a bill to reform these death panels, but in reality this Bill only perpetuated the death panels.  It is because of the efforts of the so-called Texas Alliance for life that Chris Dunn is currently fighting for his life as the Houston Methodist Hospital Death Panel fights to let him die!

Now Some of you may not know this, but a few months ago I stepped up to the plate and volunteered to become GOP precinct chairman for my precinct.  This also made me a member of the Tarrant County Republican Party Executive Committee. 

Before our November meeting started, I decided to go visit the area where the District 99 (Geren’s District) precinct chairs sit.  (We sit in designated areas based upon our House Districts.  I am in House District 92, which I am proud to say is represented by Conservative Hero and Tax Payer Champion Jonthan Stickland).

I quickly met a precinct chair in Geren’s district (whom I shall not name).  I struck up conversation with him and asked his opinion of the House 99 race (without first giving my own view).  I want to share with you what he said, because it reveals exactly what is wrong with our party.

He immediately told me flat out that Charlie Geren is too liberal.  He then went on to tell me that he would be a fool not to support Geren regardless of his being a RINO.  He told me that Geren had amassed too much power for his district in Austin to replace him.  He told me about all of the “goodies” Geren had gotten for his constituents. 

I was completely polite and we walked away friends.  But I have to say that I am so glad that I can say that my Representative (Jonathan Stickland) is standing for me as a real conservative, fighting for my rights and fighting for less government and more freedom. 

Now I admittedly don’t live in District 99, but I could never in good conscience support a Representative like Charlie Geren, just because he was getting “goodies” for his District. 

The problem with our party is that too many of the “party faithful” have “sold out”, even on the grass roots Precinct Chair level.  If we at the grass roots don’t support real conservative values then who will?

This is a call to action!  We have got to stop selling out for “goodies” and start working for less government and more freedom. We have got to start supporting real conservative candidates like Bo French (who is running against Geren in the upcoming primary election) and getting rid of establishment moderates like Charlie Geren.