Conservative reform groups in Texas, spurred by the requests of their membership, the success of last month’s Stand up for Texas Rally in Austin and the national perception that Texans are taking the lead in the grassroots conservative movement, have chosen to form a new coalition across the state named “Common Sense Texans”.  Encompassing tea parties, 9/12 groups and other grassroots strategists, the new coalition includes in its membership the major tea party, 9/12  and/or other organizations in Dallas, Arlington, Carrollton, Houston, Katy, Baytown/San Jacinto, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Austin, Lubbock and Wichita Falls, with more local groups soon to join.  Organizers estimate that Common Sense Texans number over 100,000 and that this coalition will allow for a substantial growth in membership ranks.

The goals of Common Sense Texans are to educate, advocate and support citizens and their public servants in the group’s five core values:

Limited Government

Fiscal Responsibility

Personal Responsibility

The Rule of Law and

National Sovereignty.

“We have enjoyed the rallies and the opportunities they have provided to give everyday Texans a voice in the direction of government, but it is clear that despite these well-attended rallies many of our national leaders and some of our state leaders steadfastly refuse to listen to our call for a return to conservative values,” said Dallas Tea Party’s Phillip Dennis, one of the coalition’s founders and a prominent national conservative grassroots voice.  “It has been obvious – because we’ve been told so by members of Congress – that nothing short of the knowledge that we can vote them out will deter public officials from taking actions that violate the will of the majority of Texans and Americans.   The best way for us to make it clear that we can - and will - vote out public officials who spend too much, tax too much and lie to their people is to band together and grow our numbers.”

Common Sense Texans, through the efforts of the Dallas Tea Party, has developed a proprietary information program – available to all members of the coalition without charge - that allows members statewide to be connected with likely-conservative individuals in their zip codes and voting precincts so that they can form their own local organizations.  Felicia Cravens of Houston Tea Party Society notes, “Common Sense Texans is not trying to control local metro or neighborhood groups.  The coalition is designed to give us a springboard to allow us to continue to do what we do locally, but to do it better and with more information.  Let’s be clear.  We are moving toward getting out the vote by conservatives and to educate others on the conservative values that we believe will help our country.”

“Although we are conservative in political philosophy, we are non-partisan in approach,”  adds Judy Holloway, founding member of Common Sense Texans and organizer of Austin Tea Party Patriots.  “Both parties need to re-dedicate themselves to the principles of our founding fathers and remember that this should be the government of ‘We the People’ and not of special interest groups or pork-laden politics.”