In his book, Fed Up, Texas Governor Rick Perry observed, “It’s not enough to be fed up. We must act.” Yet at a signing for his tome in New Orleans over the weekend, Wesley Strackbein of TSA Tyranny.org asked Perry (left) to do just that — act, and see that the wildly popular anti-TSA groping bill is presented in the special session of the Texas Legislature that convened after the regular session ended in May. The Governor refused. (See the video below of an exchange between Perry and Strackbein at the Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans.)
Yesterday, on Father’s Day, Texas State Rep. David Simpson, the bill’s author, penned an open letter to the supposedly "fed-up" Governor, calling for him to step up to the plate and keep his promises: Texans had been promised by Perry that if he was convinced enough votes were present to pass the bill, he would call it up in the special session. The House version, HB 1937, enjoyed unanimous support in the lower chamber and a near-unanimous status in the Texas Senate — until an ominous letter from the Department of Justice was delivered threatening to end all flights into and out of Texas if the bill passed. Notwithstanding the foolhardiness of cancelling flights to the world’s tenth-largest economy, or if “they” can even do that, Texas Senators caved and pulled their support of the bill. Outrage from around the state and the country ensued, and the pressure was on.
Simpson filed HB. 1937 as HB. 41 in the special session, including certain language that had been requested by Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott.
Last week, the issue was ratcheted a little tighter when two Texas public officials endured horrific “pat-downs” by the TSA, and declared themselves to be fed up.
Rep. Simpson’s open letter to Gov. Perry quoted Perry from his book Fed Up about the kind of leadership that will “make Texas stronger while defending the Constitution and demonstrating the harm caused by excesses in Washington.” In his letter, Simpson also recounted the rationale Perry gave Strackbein for not calling up the anti-TSA groping bill during the special legislative session — and then demolished Perry’s rationale:
I am perplexed because yesterday I learned that in New Orleans at a signing of your book, Fed Up, you stated that there were not enough votes in either house to pass the bill. However, with a full roster of coauthors in the House and the leadership of Senator Patrick and Lieutenant Governor Dewhurst in the Senate, there is clear support for the bill. [Emphasis in original.]
You also stated in that video account that “there was not enough time.” With such overwhelming support for the bill in the Legislature, and throughout Texas, I respectfully submit that there is still time to pass this bill if you act now.
Strackbein, founder of TSA Tyranny, a grassroots organization dedicated to stopping TSA abuses, agrees that the bill has the support needed for passage. And he told The New American that the Governor knows it:
It strains credulity that the Governor would be unaware that we had enough votes when his office has been inundated with calls from the public and from the bill’s supporters in the legislature since its near-defeat at the hand of the DOJ.
Rep. Simpson’s respectful letter documents the extent of that legislative support and calls for the Governor to do one thing — take a stand.
Texans concerned about preserving freedom and dignity know that time is short, and they are urging their fellow Texans to call the Governor’s office at 512-463-2000 and ask for this bill — the Travelers’ Dignity Act (HB 41 in the House, SB 29 in the Senate) — to be put before the legislature once again. And Lone Star State constitutionalists are also asking for the support of those around the country who are concerned with the TSA’s overreach.
As goes Texas, so goes the nation.
Related article:
Texas Officials Groped by TSA as Anti-groping Bill Makes Comeback
