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By Terry Lowry - Editor In Brazoria County, only two races have yet to be decided for the Republican Ballot for this coming November 2024. The Runoff Election Day is Tuesday, May 28th. Remember, this is the day after the long three-day weekend holiday, Memorial Day (Monday, May 27th). So, make plans to vote early. Early voting days and times below. Editor’s Note: Alex Kamkar is in the runoff for State Representative District 29. Endorsing Alex Kamdar are: Greg Abbott, Governor; Dan Patrick, Lt. Governor; Ted Cruz, US Senator; State Senator Mayes Middleton; Julie Pickren, SBOE and many others. Visit: www.AlexKamkarForTexas.com Editor’s Note: Jay Burridge is the runoff for County Commissioner Precinct 1. Endorsing Jay Burridge is the late Joe & Jackie King; State Senator Mayes Middleton, Ted Broaddus, Former Candidate; Larry Phillips, Businessman/Rancher; Tobey Davenport, Former Freeport Mayor, Port Freeport Commissioner; Bubba Rape, Retired Marshal; Rob Giesecke, Port Freeport Commissioner; Dr. Gaylon Hughes; Eric Aguilar, Clute City Council; Joel Castro, Alvin City Council; Texas Right to Life and many others. Visit: voteburridge2024.com ALERT: RUNOFF ELECTION FOR REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES FAST APPROACHING 10924 Grant Road, Suite 133 • Houston, Texas 77070 • www.terrylowry.com On the web at www.TerryLowry.com Archives posted since January 1st 2005 May 2024, Volume 32, Number 9 LINKING TEXAS CONSERVATIVES SINCE 1993 WEEKDAYS 2:00-3:00PM ON KKHT 100.7FM THE WHAT’S UP Radio Program RUNOFF EDITION MAY 2024 – BRAZORIA COUNTY Alex Kamkar Candidate for Texas House District 29 EARLY VOTING HOURS MAY SUN MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 MAY 28 29 30 31 JUNE 1 Election Day 7:00am - 7:00pm Jay Burridge Candidate for Precinct 1 Commissioner Terry Lowry www.TerryLowry.com May 2024 2 Texas Parents are Ready for Change GUEST EDITORIAL Texas State Senator Mayes Middleton As parents, our rights come from God, not govern- ment. Unfortunately, Texas is one of few remaining states in the country that does not allow parents to have the final say on their child’s education. This is why we have seen the strong emergence of the parent’s right movement across the state. During the March 2024 Republican Primary Election, anti-school choice candidates across the state lost big. We saw incum- bent Republicans that fought against empowering parents through a school choice program defeated by candidates that championed parents being the principal decision makers in their children’s education. Trust Moms and Dads During the next Legislative Session, we must trust moms and dads by empowering parents to direct their children’s education, with money following the child to the school of their choice. Unsurprisingly, we saw taxpayer-funded lobbyists come out in droves to defend anti-parental empowerment Republicans during the Primary. Taxpayer-funded lobby- ing is the practice of local governmental entities, such as cities, counties, and school districts, using your tax dollars to hire Austin lobbyists to oppose policies that you support. Stop Tax-Payer Funded Lobbyists This unethical practice is the epitome of the Austin swamp. ■ Taxpayer-funded lobbyists have opposed border security, including the Texas border force that was approved on the primary ballot. ■ They have opposed election integrity and citizenship verification of our voter rolls. ■ They have opposed property tax relief. ■ They have opposed parental empowerment through school choice. ■ They have even lobbied for the Democrat’s radical agenda of allowing boys in girls restrooms and locker rooms. Remove the Roadblock Not only are your own tax dollars used to lobby against you, taxpayer funded lobbyists act as a roadblock to every major Conservative priority we attempt to pass in the Legislature. Next Session, we must finally ban taxpayer- funded lobbying to restore the power back to “we the people” and pull the plug to the Austin swamp. In Texas, we have a mandate from voters and parents to get them done. Defeat the Biden Agenda At the top of the legislative “to-do” list is defending Texas from the destructive policies of the Biden Administration. Joe Biden has continued his assault on Title IX and women by attempting to force transgen- derism into women’s sports. Last Session, I was proud to author and pass the Save Women’s Sports Act, which bans men from unfairly competing against women in collegiate sports. In Texas, men can no longer unfairly steal opportunities from women collegiate athletes. We must continue to push back against the insane and unfair treatment of women athletes by the radical left and stop the woke transgenderism ideology being forced on our kids. Secure the Border One of the most important things we must do during the next Session is continue the fight to secure our border. The Biden Administration has allowed an invasion and Texas is exercising our Constitutional right to defend ourselves. Last year, Texas passed the nation’s strongest border security measure, Senate Bill 4, and the Biden Administration has fought us every step of the way. Make no mistake, the radical left wants an open border and defenseless Texas. I have heard concerns from parents Mayes Middleton3 May 2024 www.TerryLowry.com and voters across my district about how unsafe they feel in their own communities as mass illegal immigration has caused spikes in crime. We must continue to secure our border and put citizens first. Demand a Refund from WDC Throughout the years Biden has been in office, Texas has stepped up to the plate and spent billions of taxpayer dol- lars to do the job of the Federal government and secure our border. This represents billions of dollars that could have gone to property tax relief had Biden followed the law. Next session, I intend to file a bill to demand the Federal government pay Texas back the billions of dollars we’ve spent on border security and return that money as property tax relief to who it really belongs to – the taxpayers. As we prepare to vote on May 28th in the Republican Primary Runoffs, it is clear parents and voters of Texas want a change from the status quo. Parents and voters want true Conservative fighters in Austin to pass the Conservative policies that they’ve been asking for. No more excuses. Texans are ready for conservative change. Editor’s Note: Please vote in the Republican Primary Runoff. EARLY VOTING HOURS MAY SUN MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 MAY 28 29 30 31 JUNE 1 Election Day 7:00am - 7:00pm www.TerryLowry.com May 2024 4 Without a Border – We Have No Country GUEST EDITORIAL Alex Kamkar, Candidate Texas House District 29 As a proud Texan and Republican candidate for State Representative, I understand that if we don’t have a border, we don’t have a country. That’s why my top priority once in office will be defending our state from the unending flow of drugs, crime, and chaos that Joe Biden has unleashed at our southern border. Texas is at the frontline of this ongoing crisis, and while Governor Abbott has made great progress toward restor- ing law and order, he needs Conservative allies in the State House to help him get the job done. The Border Crisis Is Real To someone in New York or Chicago or Washington, the crisis at our border might seem like an abstraction, but in Texas, it couldn’t be more real. You only have to look as far as Eagle Pass, a small community completely over- run because of the Federal government’s failed policies. ■ Public Parks once used by families are now housing migrants ■ Infrastructure is overwhelmed by masses of tens of thousands of people suddenly arriving ■ Valuable law enforcement resources are diverted to control chaotic encampments It’s Not About Race When I was growing up, my grandmother’s house was burglarized by an armed robber who beat her within an inch of her life. When they caught the monster who did it, they found he was a criminal illegal alien with a long rap sheet. My Hispanic grandma didn’t care about the color of this guy’s skin. She cared about being terrorized in the one place where she was supposed to feel safe. Contrary to what some on the far left would have you believe, securing our border is not about being racist or hateful or anti-immigrant. It’s about protecting our fami- lies so that Texans of every race, color, and creed can thrive in this state. Biden is Avoiding Responsibility Of course, border security is supposed to be a Federal responsibility, but seeing Washington’s unwillingness to act, Governor Abbott recognized that Texas had to defend itself. After border crossings skyrocketed nearly 300% from 2020 to 2021, he initiated Operation Lone Star, deploying thousands of our Texas National Guard and Department of Public Safety officers to detect and repel illegal cross- ings, arrest human smugglers, and intercept the influx of deadly drugs . So far, we’ve apprehended over 500,000 coming across, arrested over 40,000 criminals, and seized 469 million doses of fentanyl. Thousands Transported to Other States Texas finally made blue states share in the burden of the crisis, sending 105,000 migrants to sanctuary cities across the nation. Of course, this commonsense response made the left go crazy. Blue cities, with much more infrastructure to support migrants than places like Eagle Pass, went ballistic. Joe Biden sued Texas over and over – and lost – rather than put in the work to fix this crisis. Much Work is Still Needed While we got results (migrant encounters were up only 9% in Texas compared to 62% in California, Arizona, and New Mexico), the fact that migrant encounters continue to rise at all means Texas still must do more. In my tenure, I will build on these successes, fighting for solutions that ensure Texas remains a bastion of both order and opportunity. Alex Kamkar 5 May 2024 www.TerryLowry.com ■ Enhancing Operation Lone Star with increased financial and legal support to withstand Federal challenges is crucial. Texas should be prepared to defend its right to secure its borders, especially when faced with Federal inaction or opposition. ■ We must establish a robust legal fund to protect our bor- der initiatives from endless litigation that aims to weaken our security efforts. ■ Funding for new tools and technology will play a pivotal role in modernizing our bor- der security. We must use the right tool in the right place such as impenetrable walls in heavily populated areas and state-of-the-art systems on more remote stretches of the border. ■ Implementing AI-driven surveillance can predict and intercept illegal crossings more effectively than ever before. ■ Investing in policing within border towns like Eagle Pass is vital. Local law enforcement should receive grants to hire more officers and access specialized training. Now is not the time to defund the police. We must back the blue with the best resources and equipment possible to safeguard our communities as they work to defend us from criminals from both here and abroad at the same time. Texas: A Beacon of Hope Our next state representative has to be a proven fighter to support our governor’s efforts to solve this once and for all. That’s why Governor Abbott has endorsed me as the strongest Conservative in the race and the only one who can be counted on to champion border security. With your vote in the runoff, we can protect our families, uphold our values, and ensure that Texas continues to thrive as the brightest beacon of freedom and opportunity in the entire country. Editor’s Note: State Senator Mayes Middleton has endorsed Alex Kamkar. He asks that you vote in the runoff, along with other family members and friends. www.TerryLowry.com May 2024 6 Meet Jay Burridge GUEST EDITORIAL by Jay Burridge Candidaate for Precinct 1 Commissioner My name is Jay Burridge, and I am a conservative Republican running for Pct. 1 Commissioner. I am happily married to Samantha Burridge, and we have four wonderful children. I am a fourth-generation Brazoria County resident and a fourth-generation successful small business owner. I am a proud veteran of the US Navy. In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, I was among the first wave of reservists called to active duty for Operation Noble Eagle. For the next 13 months, I served my country with pride. During my time on active duty, I was honored to be selected as Sailor of the Quarter in my unit, which consisted of 150 personnel. Additionally, I was nominated to represent my unit as Sailor of the Year for the Base. During my time as a Master Texas Peace Officer, I had the opportunity to work in various leadership and supervisory positions, as well as serve as a member of an active SWAT team. However, my most meaningful duty was teaching the children of Brazoria County the D.A.R.E. program for over a decade, while serving as a community rela- tions officer. Throughout my career as a police officer, I was honored to receive the Officer of the Year award multiple times. Additionally, I founded the Angleton Explorer Law Enforcement group, where we taught high school students valuable skills that they could use in their daily lives and also compete against their peers from across the state. My involvement in this program led me to be named the Boy Scouts of America's Explorer Advisor of the Year. I have a diverse background that includes owning and operating a successful small business, which I eventually sold to TDECU. I was grateful to have the opportunity to join their leadership management team where I gained valuable corporate operational skills from a multi-billion- dollar corporation. Additionally, I hold a degree in Occupational Safety and Health, which I was able to obtain thanks to the GI Bill. Over the years, I have had the privilege of serving on the Board of Directors for several local civic organizations. My lifetime has been dedicated to serving my community and country When I made the decision to run for public office, I knew that providing Tax Relief, Transparency, and Term Limits to the citizens would be among my most important duties. I call these duties my 3 T's. Once elected, I will create Tax Relief by controlling wasteful spending and maintaining budgetary compliance. I will work hard to make county government more transparent to increase openness and accountabili- ty. Transparency is at the heart of building trustworthy relationships with the community I serve. I strongly believe in term limits and, upon being elected, I will self- impose a two-term limit. Term limits help to reduce government stagnation, increase accountability, and lead to a more diverse represen- tation of your county government. With the most qualifications and a steadfast conservative outlook, I stand out as the sole veteran, the only Master Peace / DARE Officer, the only successful small business owner, and the only candidate with a college degree. Editor’s Note: Find Jay Burridge at www.voteburridge2024.com Jay Burridge7 May 2024 www.TerryLowry.com www.TerryLowry.com May 2024 8 Designed Babies: Does IFV Create More Problems than it Solves? GUEST EDITORIAL by Kris Ullman, President Eagle Forum “The Sweetest Place on Earth” is the tagline for Hershey Park in Pennsylvania. In addition to a family-friendly amusement park, it is also the home of Chocolate World where you can create your own candy bar. For $29.95, you can “Dream up your perfect candy bar and watch it come to life, from flow- ing chocolate to solid bar. Choose your ingredients and design a personalized wrapper!” The price tag is steep, but at least you get to choose what ingredients you want. No surprises! Customized and Designed Customization is also one of the benefits of in vitro fer- tilization (IVF). While most couples do not choose IVF unless they are infertile, the “upside” is that embryos can be selected, indeed customized, for a variety of factors. This designer service is marketed to more couples includ- ing those who can conceive naturally. This is just one of the many ethical issues with IVF. Are Embryos Babies Once created? IVF was thrust into the political spotlight earlier this year when the Alabama Supreme Court found that embryos created via IVF were covered by the state’s wrongful death statute. The ruling caused a panic not only in the state, but across the nation, as IVF clinics threat- ened to shut down unless they were given complete immunity for negligent acts like the one at issue in the case, in which a hospital patient entered an unsecure area of the facility, removed several cryogenically frozen embryos, and dropped them onto the floor, thus killing the embryos. Complete Immunity The Alabama legislature quickly passed a law providing both criminal and civil immunity to IVF clinics and the governor Kay Ivey signed it saying, “Alabama works to foster a culture of life, and that certainly includes IVF.” Is an Embryo human life? In addition, former President Trump said Alabama, “really did a great and fast job” and gave unequivocal and unquestioned support for IVF when he released his state- ment on abortion and life issues. Even Kellyanne Conway, a pro-life champion, seemed to get tripped up during an interview with Politico when reporter Ryan Lizza asked, in the context of IVF, how she would advise a Republican candidate who believes an embryo is a human life. Are There Ethical and Legal Issues with IVF? The regulation of IVF is sure to be an issue in this election year as pro-abortion advocates seek to weaponize “reproductive health” topics. Some on the right would rather ignore the serious ethical and legal issues surround- ing IVF and instead seemingly champion its use without limitations. Is this the right approach? In 2021: Over 4.1 million Embryos Created With just over 94,000 live births. Where Are The Other 4 Million Plus Babies? Researcher Emma Waters of the Heritage Foundation published a report that raises many of these important questions. She reminds readers that “IVF treatments in the United States rely on the routine destruction of embryonic life, either intentionally or through neglect.” The report estimates that 4.1 million embryos were cre- ated by IVF in 2021 but only 2.3% result in the live birth of a baby. Waters points out that these excess creations are not essential to the industry. Louisiana and “many Western countries permit IVF but limit or prohibit the wanton transfer, production, and destruction of human embryos.” Kris Ullman9 May 2024 www.TerryLowry.com Designed Babies: the Eugenics Aspect of IVF Another troubling issue is the eugenics aspect of IVF. The Heritage paper states that, “more than 75 percent of fertility clinics offer preimplantation genetic testing for genetic issues; 73 percent offer testing for sex selection or hair, eye, and skin color.” “Have Healthy Babies” is the promise on the website for Orchid Health, a company that offers whole genome screening of embryos. A customer testimonial says it “is the best thing you can do for your child and yourself.” Is it? Becoming a Creator and Owner Dr. Raymond G. Bohlin, Vice President of Vision Outreach with Probe Ministries, asked in the April 2021 issue of the Eagle Forum Report, “If parents have constructed the best child for them using the best available technology they can afford, are they still parents, or cre- ators and owners with additional rights and privileges?” End Result: Too Many Men – Not Enough Women. Stephanie Gray Connors has written about the tragic sit- uation in China, where men vastly outnumber women by 33.59 million (in 2016) and are unable to find women to marry. This has led to men responding with “desperate measures and treating women as property, trafficking them as modern-day slaves, forcing them into relation- ships they do not want.” If IVF is used to allow parents to self-select the sex of their children, the U.S. could face a demographic problem. Good or Bad: Eliminating Civil or Criminal Liability? Finally, eliminating any civil or criminal liability for the IVF industry leaves parents and their pre-implanted embryos vulnerable to negligence and abuse. Parents des- perate for a child spend between $12,000- $30,000 per round of IVF. There are a number of instances of clinic negligence leading to destruction of embryos. In Ohio in 2018, 950 families lost 4,000 embryos when the freezer malfunc- tioned at the UH Cleveland Medical Center. Most clinics accused of negligence settle out of court, perhaps to avoid court rulings similar to the one in Alabama – that these embryos are indeed human beings. Shielding the clinics from liability does nothing to help families or babies. Law professor Dov Fox from the University of San Diego said in an article, “Damage awards are the principal tool that courts have available to remedy such wrongs. But as with many intangible losses, dollars and cents can’t of course make things all better or put the plaintiffs where they were before this happened.’’ We Should Not Ignore Ethical and Legal Issues. The ethical and legal issues are numerous and should not be ignored. As Dr. Bohlin stated, “Within a few short decades, our children will be pressured to alter their chil- dren genetically to keep up with society. Scientific research may well use human embryos as research subjects. This research may likely extend to developing fetuses, all in the name of furthering health and eliminating disease. Do we really think we can improve on the original design?” Pro-life politicians should be careful not to uncritically support IVF clinics without protections and regulations.Next >