PETITION FOR TEXAS

THE FOLLOWING IS THE PETITION THAT I PROPOSE FOR ALL TEXANS WHO WISH TO IMPROVE THEIR STATE (IT WILL ALSO WORK FOR OTHER STATES):


DEAR SENATOR/REPRESENTATIVE____________________,

I, (NAME)__________________________________,
RESIDING AT THE ADDRESS OF , (ADDRESS)__________________________________,
ATTEST THAT I AM YOUR CONSTITUENT.

I AM SIGNING THIS PETITION TO IMPRESS UPON YOU MY CONVICTION THAT PERSONS BELONGING TO THE GAY, LESBIAN, BI-SEXUAL, AND TRANS-GENDER COMMUNITY, HENCEFORTH REFERRED TO AS THE GLBT COMMUNITY, ARE DESERVING OF ALL THE RIGHTS THAT SHOULD BE RESPECTED UNIVERSALLY.

I SUPPORT, GENERALLY, LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ENSURE GLBT INDIVIDUALS ARE NOT DISCRIMINATED AGAINST IN SUCH THINGS AS EMPLOYMENT, HOUSING, HEALTH CARE, VISITATION, MARRIAGE AND ADOPTION RIGHTS.

MORE BROADLY, I AM OF THE CONVICTION THAT RIGHTS THAT ARE ENJOYED BY SOME, SHOULD BE ENSURED FOR ALL. AND THAT NO GROUP SHOULD BE UNDULY EXCLUDED FROM THE RIGHTS NECESSARY TO ALLOW FOR THE PARTICIPATION IN SOCIETY, THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS, AND THE BETTERMENT OF ONE'S FAMILY (USING THE BROADER DEFINITION OF THE WORD).

MY SIGNATURE AFFIXED HERE:________________________
DATE:_______________


THE GLBT PETITION FACE BOOK PAGE.

American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Texas

P.O. Box 12905, Austin, TX 78711-2905, T 512.478.7300 F 512.478.7303 www.aclutx.org

Friday, June 27, 2008

TexBlog Pac

TexBlog Pac is a collection of bloggers working to directly fund, support, and help win a Democratic majority in the Texas House. http://www.texblogpac.org/?page_id=2

Gerrymandering and redistricting have brought about an unfairly maintained Republican majority. Very few Congressional seats are competitive. http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0519-24.htm

The district lines are custom redrawn so that Republican Congressmen choose who votes for them. Rick Perry, the incumbent governor of Texas, recently retook the governor's mansion with 39% of the vote.

Winning a few seats is all it takes and the Democrats can remove Tom Craddick, the current House Speaker. We will have a Democratic majority. Progressive politics will be possible in Texas.

TexBlog Pac seeks a synergistic existence with activists to gain representation for Texans that more accurately reflects their values.

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Rick Noriega 2 Points Behind John Cornyn

According to the Progressive Electorate:

A recent Texas Lyceum poll (a non-profit, non-partisan group) shows Rick Noriega is only 2 points behind John Cornyn; 38% to 36% with 24% undecided.

http://www.progressiveelectorate.com/showDiary.do;jsessionid=9224ABF51D79616F6828100C97F97C3D?diaryId=22

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Obama's Campaign to Have Presence in Texas

Hoping to influence specific local races, Obama's campaign will have a presence in Texas. According to Obama's deputy campaign manager, Hildebrand, Texas is "...one of the most important redistricting opportunities in the country." The state legislature will redraw congressional districts after the 2010 census.
http://www.truthout.org/article/obamas-aim-14-bush-states-and-local-races

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Competitive Texas House District 96













Chris Turner, Democrat, is running for the highly competitive seat of State Representative for Texas House District 96. This district is in Southern Tarrant County and it includes parts of Arlington, Fort Worth, Mansfield, and the city of Crowly.

According to Burnt Orange Report, Zedler, the incumbent, received 52% of the vote against an unfunded and relatively unknown Democrat, Chris Youngblood.

http://www.burntorangereport.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=4560


During the recent primaries, however, the Democrats outvoted the Republicans by a greater than two-to-one margin.
There were more Democratic primary voters in HD 96 than in any other House District in Tarrant County.

The TexBlog Pac endorsed Chris Turner and contributed $5,000 to his campaign.

http://www.takingbacktexas.org/candidates.htm
Help send Chris Turner to Austin and take back Texas.

http://votechristurner.com/






Red Light Cameras

According to the Houston Chronicle Blog, James Rodriguez, Houston City Council Member from District 1, asked for a budget amendment to install 125 red light cameras.

In 2004 the Houston City Council approved traffic cameras for certain intersections. www.offthekuff.com/mt/archives/004653.html

111,000 people were caught by red light cameras in Houston between September 2006 and August 2007. Of these, 360 challenged the tickets, 78 were successful. www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5085095.html

On September 1 2006, red light cameras were installed at 10 major intersections. There was a $75 civil fine when caught on camera; $150 for subsequent violations; $220 if cited by a police officer.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_events_of_Houston

It seems James Rodriguez is keeping at least three of his campaign promises:

"Introducing initiatives for safer neighborhoods and parks that will attract families."

"Seeking the funding we need to have responsive police and fire departments."
(Assuming that that is what the revenues are used for.)

"Working with neighborhood leaders for ordinances and laws that preserve our neighborhoods."


HGLBT Caucus: July 4th Celebration


PARTY PARTY PARTY


The Houston GLBT Political Caucus will be having a 4th of July celebration to raise funds. All proceeds benefit Houston GLBT Political Caucus and will help to get better representation for the GLBT community elected!

7 pm is the VIP Pre-party. 8-10 pm is general admission ($50 per ticket for general admission.)

Join us at this exciting venue! RocBar, at Bayou Place, 530 Texas Avenue, Downtown Houston. Fireworks will be in view! For tickets and more information visit: theCaucus.org

PARTY PARTY PARTY

Monday, June 23, 2008

Farmers Branch:ACLU Victory

On December 26th of 2006 various plaintiffs filed suit in Dallas District Court challenging the city of Farmers Branch's anti-immigrant housing ordinance no. 2892. This ordinance was challenged under the U.S. Constitution and federal statutes. The plaintiffs sought declaratory and injunctive relief to halt its implementation and enforcement.

Vasquez V. City of Farmers Branch - Complaint.

The ordinance, enacted by the City Council November 13, 2006, required landlords and property managers of apartment buildings to document the US citizenship or "eligible immigration status" of all tenants prior to allowing the tenants to occupy an apartment.

On May 28th, 2008, the ACLU of Texas prevailed when the ordinance was declared unconstitutional for preempting federal law and violating due process.

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Amendment SA 4803

Amendment SA 4803 is also known as the expanded GI Bill of Rights, or Post 9/11 Veterans Educational Act. This amendment was proposed by Senator Reid. The bipartisan Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Act covers full in-state tuition at public universities for veterans who have served in the Armed Forces beginning on or after 9/11/2001.

It would pay the tuition to a public university with payments not to exceed the most expensive cost of in-state tuition at the most expensive public university in the state the veteran is enrolled in. In addition, it would pay for room, board and supplies.

The Post 9/11 Veterans Educational Act passed in the Senate 75-22. It just passed in the House. The Senate will have to vote on it again.

John Cornyn, Republican junior US Senator from Texas, voted against the expanded GI Bill.

According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, John Cornyn voted to approve $165 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan but provided 1 of 22 votes against the domestic spending measure paired with the war spending bill. The senate bill would add about 50 billion through 2017 for veterans' educational benefits.

There are two competing bills. SA 4803 is sponsored by Senator James Webb, D-VA. The other bill is a trimmed-down version co-sponsored by Senator John McCain, R-AZ. Cornyn supports the McCain bill, which was defeated.

I found the following website helpful:

Vote Smart: www.votesmart.org

This is the link to the info about SA 4803:

http://www.votesmart.org/issue_keyvote_detail.php?cs_id=19358

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Camp Equality 08

The Human Right's Campaign (HRC) Camp Equality, held at the Double Tree Hotel in Houston, was a two-day affair on Saturday and Sunday June 14-15. I attended on the 14th only. This was due to a commitment on the following day.

Campy Equality was a conference that had a Fundamentals Track, and, an Advanced Track. The two Tracks split up late in the afternoon. I attended the Fundamentals Track.

The Partner Organizations, with presentations made by each, included: Equality Texas, HGLBT PAC a.k.a. The Caucus, Houston Stonewall Young Democrats, The Sierra Club, Houston Area Stonewall Democrats, and Texas Young Democrats. There are links below to the respective organizations:

www.equalitytexas.org

www.thecaucus.org

www.houstonstonewallyd.org

www.sierraclub.org

www.houstonareastonewalldemocrats.com

www.texasyds.org

A variety of speakers gave practical advice on such diverse topics as blogging, gaining free media coverage, motivating reporters, helpful hints on holding a press conference, and how to be a good volunteer for a political campaign.

An openly gay candidate told anecdotes about his campaign. Also, a campaign manager presented examples of effective campaign messages, as well as a little advice on how not to craft your message.

Bill Kelly, Harris County Democratic Party
www.burntorangereport.com

JD Angle, The Tyson Organization
www.tyson.org


There are no magic beans when it comes to developing your message. But, there are helpful guidelines. People and personalizing stories are the key, things and abstractions: issues, are not.

Examples of effective mailers were shown via Power Point.

The "Message Box", a graphical technique used for developing your campaign message, was explained. It can be thought of as a two-dimensional table (two columns and two rows) to write in.

With the "Message Box" the two messages of your candidate and the two messages of the opposing candidate are written in the table and evaluated. What do you say about yourself and your opponent? What does you opponent say about himself and you?

The Earned Media talk was given by Robert Jara. To summarize, reporters are not your friends. Advice on understanding their motives was given. You may present research on the negative aspects to reporters if consistent with your campaign plan and message.

I attended the Fundamentals Track as opposed to the Advanced track. The Fundamentals Track was presented by Amy Everhart of the Sierra Club. The ratios: 40% 20 % 40% were presented with the 20% being the all-important "swing" voters. We saw a picture of sophisticated phone-banking equipment that was housed in back of a large truck. Questions regarding registering people to vote were answered. She recommended being deputized for that.

I found this to be a worthwhile conference, well attended, and interesting. My goal was to broaden my skills as a volunteer. As a precinct captain for the Obama campaign I was self-trained. I saw Camp Equality as an opportunity to more thoughtfully develop my skills. It was a success.

Jim

Tea Party

"Indeed, the rightward tilt of the state's GOP electorate permitted another Tea Party insurgent to mount a respectable run without serving as a spoiler to Perry's similarly themed campaign. Debra Medina, a darling of the far right, recently made headlines for questioning the government's involvement in the 9/11 terrorist attacks, but came in with about the same 16 percent showing that polls registered prior to her gaffe. -http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20100304/ts_ynews/ynews_ts1213


The rightward slant of the Republican party in Texas portends ill for its citizens and residents alike. A state already gerrymandered to the Republican's advantage, allowing a comfortable margin for incompetence, is being pulled toward a radical part of the political spectrum.

The Tea Party rejects any workable form of federalism where the Federal government plays a necessarily central role in funding large projects, such as roads and dams, and provides funding for necessary functions, such as public education.

"But by the time Republican voters went to the polls here in a primary on Tuesday, the political ground had shifted under Senator Hutchison, who lost in a three-way race to Mr. Perry." -link to NY Times Article.

The Tea Party candidates posit themselves as outsiders. But, Rick Perry has been governor for over 10 years.

http://www.billwhitefortexas.com/


If you really want change, elect someone who hasn't been governor for 10 years. Bill White handily beat several other Democratic challengers, and, Bill White doesn't have to hide under a false agenda.

The Tea Party is a mis-informed tax revolt married to a wild-eyed dream of secession. All States require federal money to complete big projects because this is the tax money not hijacked by regional petty thievery, and, back-stabbing. It provides the wealth to the communities too poor to educate their own children or pave their own streets. And it provides a necessary counterweight to local lapses in judgment.

Don't leave the future of Texas in the hands of a movement that would send us back into the Dark Ages; where a decent education is a luxury, and a decent life is a far-off dream. This is the movement that would deny you your unemployment benefits. In fact, Governor Perry already has.

Capitol Building -Austin

State Capitol Complex:
11th and Congress.
Parking at the intersection's southeast Corner, and 1500 block of Congress.
Larger than any other state capitol.

Texas Employment Law

"Texas employment law does NOT prohibit workplace discrimination and/or termination based upon sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status." -Equality Texas


"The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), federal legislation that would add sexual orientation as a protected class against discrimination, has been proposed but failed in the past few years. But it is expected that President Obama and the a stronger Democratic majority in Congress will pass and enact the law in 2009." -HRHero.com

http://www.hrhero.com/topics/sex_discrimination.html

Texas Travel and Leisure Blog

Check out my website:
Texas Travel and Leisure Blog
It has articles on travel and leisure in Texas. Also, information pertaining to equality.
Enjoy!