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Just got off of the phone with one of his staffers, who last week when I spoke to him told me someone would call me back with the Senator's position on SB 354 but never did, and he told me that 1. The Senator voted in favor of the bill last session 2. All his analysts are telling him to oppose the bill 3. Since he supported it last session it can be assumed he will this session and 4. That it was HIS decision to make and only he knew how he would vote.

I then asked if I could speak to him or what was protocol at the Capital and he told me no I could not speak to him and the only way to meet with him would be to talk to his scheduler and that she always defers to the analysts. So if he is my Senator why can I not know how he will vote before he votes and why is he so unreachable.... Is it really too much to ask for 5 minutes..... I mean he is supposed to vote for his constituents and NOT HIS way.

Needless to say I was very disappointed but I did urge the staffer to let him know to vote to suspend the rules and vote in favor of the bill.

On the positive note the staffer did say they were receiving a lot of calls about this bill.

He's not mine, but I sent him an email...along with the rest of them.

AFCop wrote:Just got off of the phone with one of his staffers, who last week when I spoke to him told me someone would call me back with the Senator's position on SB 354 but never did, and he told me that 1. The Senator voted in favor of the bill last session 2. All his analysts are telling him to oppose the bill 3. Since he supported it last session it can be assumed he will this session and 4. That it was HIS decision to make and only he knew how he would vote.

I then asked if I could speak to him or what was protocol at the Capital and he told me no I could not speak to him and the only way to meet with him would be to talk to his scheduler and that she always defers to the analysts. So if he is my Senator why can I not know how he will vote before he votes and why is he so unreachable.... Is it really too much to ask for 5 minutes..... I mean he is supposed to vote for his constituents and NOT HIS way.

Needless to say I was very disappointed but I did urge the staffer to let him know to vote to suspend the rules and vote in favor of the bill.

On the positive note the staffer did say they were receiving a lot of calls about this bill.

If he doesn't want to talk to and/or represent you today , you can talk to him at the next election. Throw the bums out...all of 'em! It's the American and Texas way!

I can understand disappointment, but try to keep the big picture in mind. Speaking as someone who has monitored and lobbied the Texas legislature, and US Congress for a long time, you have to remember one thing - the people who play the long game win, and people who play the short game lose. The guy you are calling a bum this session, well, you may need his vote next session, or the one after. You have to respect that these guys have a lot on their plate besides our one single issue.

We might take a few knocks this session, or we might win one single thing. It won't matter. As shooters, we've demonstrated for a long time, that we do vote, we do differentiate between candidates based on their support or history with our issues, and as a result, we're winning the long game. It hasn't been that long ago, that "shall issue" was the big goal. Now, the majority of states are shall issue states. Shooters won that by relentless pressure, not by epithets. We'll win the rest the same way.

BLDavis wrote:I can understand disappointment, but try to keep the big picture in mind. Speaking as someone who has monitored and lobbied the Texas legislature, and US Congress for a long time, you have to remember one thing - the people who play the long game win, and people who play the short game lose. The guy you are calling a bum this session, well, you may need his vote next session, or the one after. You have to respect that these guys have a lot on their plate besides our one single issue.

We might take a few knocks this session, or we might win one single thing. It won't matter. As shooters, we've demonstrated for a long time, that we do vote, we do differentiate between candidates based on their support or history with our issues, and as a result, we're winning the long game. It hasn't been that long ago, that "shall issue" was the big goal. Now, the majority of states are shall issue states. Shooters won that by relentless pressure, not by epithets. We'll win the rest the same way.

Just speaking for myself, but a lot of the frustration relates to elected officials "playing the game."

I respect someone that acts on principle - when elected officials are driven by long term political survival and use their votes as political "currency," I don't feel they've earned much respect.

BLDavis wrote:I can understand disappointment, but try to keep the big picture in mind. Speaking as someone who has monitored and lobbied the Texas legislature, and US Congress for a long time, you have to remember one thing - the people who play the long game win, and people who play the short game lose. The guy you are calling a bum this session, well, you may need his vote next session, or the one after. You have to respect that these guys have a lot on their plate besides our one single issue.

We might take a few knocks this session, or we might win one single thing. It won't matter. As shooters, we've demonstrated for a long time, that we do vote, we do differentiate between candidates based on their support or history with our issues, and as a result, we're winning the long game. It hasn't been that long ago, that "shall issue" was the big goal. Now, the majority of states are shall issue states. Shooters won that by relentless pressure, not by epithets. We'll win the rest the same way.

I did not call him a bum. I understand he is busy BUT he was elected to represent ME along with many others and all I was asking for was 5 minutes of his time OR a concrete answer on his position and I got neither!

More importantly WE THE PEOPLE of this district sent him to Austin do do what we want (of, by and for the people) not what he wants! I am not calling him a bum as he has done things to advance 2A issues BUT that does make me any less disappointed right now.