Protecting every individual’s right to economic freedom and opportunity
AUSTIN – Americans for Prosperity-Texas released its 2009 Legislative Report Card to taxpayers today with the help of Santa Claus, who read the names of legislators who made the “Nice” list by earning an A for the 81st Texas Legislative Session and those who made the “Naughty” list by earning a D or F.
“A number of legislators earned good grades this year. As result of their work, Texas is doing relatively well,” said AFP State Director Peggy Venable. “Texas remains the beacon of fiscal sanity in this country because of the leadership of these legislators. Our legislative leaders –Governor Rick Perry, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, and Speaker Joe Straus, along with all of those legislators who earned high marks – deserve recognition for steering Texas in the right direction.”
“Taxpayers have one thing on their Christmas list – less government and more liberty – and Santa made his list accordingly,” said Venable.
Grades for AFP’s Report Card were determined on a numerical basis based by the legislators’ votes on key issues which relate to AFP’s mission statement and AFP-Texas’ “Defending the American Dream Agenda” (see it at http://www.afptx.org). AFP tallied votes on issues ranging from fiscal responsibility and limiting government growth, to appraisal reform.
Santa announced today that four State Senators and 44 State Representatives earned a coveted spot on the “Nice” list, including six House members who earned A+ grades.
Those on the ill-fated “Naughty” list include 17 State Senators (three D’s and 14 F’s) and 27 State Representatives (22 D’s and five F’s). The complete listing of numerical grades and the votes considered are available on the AFP-Texas website.
“Legislators who rated well used fiscal restraint in spending, and that will serve Texans well in the future as Congress is cramming more unfunded mandates to the states,” Venable said. “Even Santa has tightened his belt in these tough economic times, so we commend Texas legislators who have done the same.”
“What better time than the holidays to let citizens know which legislators protected their constituents’ pocketbook and liberty in the 2009 legislative session,” Venable continued, “and which legislators were generous with other people’s money and used it to grow government.”
Legislators who received A’s voted in a manner which promoted individual liberty, lower taxes and fewer onerous regulations.
“It is no coincidence that we are releasing our state legislative report card list this week, as Congress is poised to pass one of the most expensive and expansive pieces of legislation in my lifetime,” Venable said. “We are bankrupting our children and grandchildren. Texas is doing well as the No. 1 state in the country for business relocation, for having more Fortune 500 companies than any other state, and thanks to sound fiscal and regulator policies, Texas has created more jobs than all other states in the country combined.”
AFP is encouraging legislators on the “Naughty” list to adopt the principles of AFP’s Defending the American Dream Agenda if they want to continue to see Texas in the No. 1 spot in the nation. They are being encouraged to read the AFP-Texas booklet “Keeping Texas Competitive, Prosperity in the Lone Star State.”
“Government doesn’t provide prosperity – businesses do,” said AFP-Texas Advisory Board chairman Ben Streusand from Houston. “As Congress has put us over $12 trillion dollars in debt, it is appropriate to recognize that Texas has a strong economy as result of those in leadership who have followed the right course.”
To see the full report card, including the legislators who made the “Naughty” list, visit www.afptx.org.
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Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is a nationwide organization of citizen leaders committed to advancing every individual’s right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFP believes reducing the size and scope of government is the best safeguard to ensuring individual productivity and prosperity for all Americans. AFP educates and engages citizens in support of restraining state and federal government growth, and returning government to its constitutional limits. AFP has more than 800,000 members, including members in all 50 states, and 24 state chapters. For more information, visit www.americansforprosperity.org
December 23, 2009 at 4:21 pm |
There can be no argument with the fact that we’re much better off then the likes of CA, NY, NJ and MI but it’ll take more than “fiscal sanity” to stand for Texas in the future.
What do you think Governor, might it be time to do more than posture? Great rhetoric Rick…all bark and no bite I’d say.
Due to a lack of leadership, Texans are still subject to voter fraud. With orgs such as ACORN doing their dirty deeds, voter fraud is rampant. Minnesota just placed a not so funny blowhard comedian in the U.S. Senate due to this reality.
We didn’t get a voter ID bill, we didn’t get immigration reform such as banning “sanctuary cities” and we can’t get state government to stand up for Texans, even in the face of the worst encroachments by the federal government in our nation’s history. We’re under assault here guys… whaddya say?
Perry, Dewhurst and Strauss will have to be dragged kicking and screaming to truly stand up for the citizens of Texas.