The national Democratic Party has used Texas as an ATM machine for longer than I can count.  The state has not gone blue for President since Jimmy Carter.

Check this out —

… for 2008, another presidential election year, Texans gave $15.7 million to Democratic candidates and committees and followed up with $17.9 million for 2010. So far this cycle, donors have given $7.4 million.

For decades, Democratic Party leaders and influentials have stood by and watched this happen, even participating.  Meanwhile, local Democratic parties struggle to stay afloat and even pay rent on headquarters.  And the state party is flat broke.

I, too, open my wallet to folks from foreign states.  However, I match those donations at home in Texas.

I have a suggestion.  We need to ask foreign candidates to leave 10% of what they raise in Texas in Texas.  Leave us a tip.  Help fund a program to get out Hispanic voters and Texas will turn blue.  I promise you that.

Let me give you an example of what we’re facing.  Barack Obama came to Houston and raised $2.7 million in one night.  A week after that, I had to drive to Austin and beg, seriously, beg  for 10 Obama rally signs to use at a fundraiser I was giving locally for Get Out The Vote efforts.  And, to make matters worse, I live in the county that HAS to flip if Democrats are to win the state.  We carried 49% for Obama 4 years ago.

I begged and got 8 rally signs.

The campaign  probably pays 25 cents each for those rally signs, maybe even less, but you’d have thought I asked for the Holy Grail just to get 8 stinkin’ rally signs.  I do not blame President Obama for that.  I blame the damn consultants and money men who are totally unwilling to help local parties.

I made $10,000 on the fundraiser for our local Silver Democrats club and we’ll buy our own damn rally signs from an independent supplier.  But, we are limited by law to spending no more than $1,000 on a national campaign.  So, unless someone gives us Obama materials, we’re screwed.  Right along with other Democrats in Texas.

It pisses me off.