Welcome to 2023. Conservatives have our work cut out for us. The 2022 mid-term elections did not achieve the “Red Wave” we had worked and hoped for. Once again, many counties across America, including some in Texas, saw numerous instances of election system and process failures which disenfranchised Republican voters on election day. Many Get Out The Vote organizations encouraged Republican voters to wait until election day to cast their vote. This was a mistake as many large counties ran short of ballots, were under-staffed, had printed ballot errors, etc. causing hours-long wait times to get into the polls. And, of course, mail-in ballots were again subject to manipulation and rejection by unscrupulous election workers. We must continue to demand that election laws are obeyed, and significant consequences applied to those who ignore them. Stay or get involved in the election process – work in the election administration office during early voting, work the polls, or be a poll watcher. 

Along with involvement in our elections, we need more involvement in and awareness of what happens daily in local politics. It seems that the general public only gets involved when an extreme issue is brought to their attention – i.e., the 2019 hospital tax district vote and the LG ISD chapter 313 issue in late 2022. There was terrific public response on these issues, and they were both defeated. FCRW will continue to watch for issues which would be detrimental to citizens and  taxpayers in Fayette County. However, the general public needs to also take responsibility for their own awareness of on-going political issues by attending school board, county commissioner, and FCRW meetings. 

I am aware that some were upset by the actions of Republicans in the US House of Representatives while negotiating their choice for House Speaker. Regardless of how the DEMs and media attempted to portray these actions as “dysfunctional,” “chaotic,” “broken” etc., the final result was a WIN for conservatives. We should be proud of the members of the Freedom Caucus and what they were able to accomplish. Because they stood firm to demand the following commitments by the proposed Speaker, the House conservatives should have more influence during the sessions.

1. Allowing a single member to make the motion to remove the Speaker if he goes back on his word or policy agenda. 
2. A “Church” style committee, as recommended by Tucker Carlson: this allows us to look into the weaponization of organizations like the FBI against the American people. 
3. A vote on term limits 
4. Single-subject bills that can’t be loaded with irrelevant nonsense 
5. A Texas border plan 
6. A budget that stops an increase in the debt ceiling and holds the Democrat-controlled Senate accountable 
7. Ending ALL COVID mandates and funding 
8. Requiring a minimum of 72 hours to read a bill

In 2023, FCRW will continue to educate voters on actions needed to support conservative values and our constitutional freedoms, but your participation is needed. Our weapons are truth, justice, and the American way. We will lead you on the battlefield. 

Deborah Frank, FCRW President 2023