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

Saturday, July 19, 2008

John Culberson's ANWR OCS Solution

Culberson's recent mailer advocates drilling in The Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge, Gulf Coast, Outer Continental Shelf, and the Mountain West.

ANWR
The Arctic Natural Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) is a place of ancient wilderness that remains the same as it was at the end of the last ice age. It contains only a small percentage of our energy needs. Lifting the ban on drilling in this wild-life habitat would have a minute impact on the price of oil. The small gain would not be worth the destruction. Drilling in ANWR would take 10 years to have any effect on the price of fuel.

OCS
Drilling for oil in the environmentally sensitive Outer Continental Shelf will not help reduce the price of fuel. It would not have an impact until the year 2030.

The below quote is from a Truth Out article titled, Drilling Without Oil, Tax Cuts Without Growth. It is taken from within the context of Senator McCain's energy policy. It applies equally well to John Culberson policy, however.

"Of course, Senator McCain knows the amount of oil potentially available offshore in environmentally sensitive areas is too small to have a noticeable impact on prices and that it will take a decade before we even see a drop."

Despite the substantial crude oil and natural gas contained in the Outer Continental Shelf, drilling in this area will not substantially effect the price of oil and natural gas. It would not substaintially raise the production of oil and natural gas compared to what is expected to be produced in other areas with the ban in place.

"Mean estimates from the MMS indicate that technically recoverable resources currently off limits in the lower 48 OCS total 18 billion barrels of crude oil and 77 trillion cubic feet of natural gas..."

"The projections in the OCS access case indicate that access to the Pacific, Atlantic, and eastern Gulf regions would not have a significant impact on domestic crude oil and natural gas production or prices before 2030. Leasing would begin no sooner than 2012, and production would not be expected to start before 2017. "

Drilling in environmentally sensitive areas in an attempt to lower energy prices isn't going to work.

Sites of Interest for Further Reading and Information Used in this Blog:
Center for American Progress
Natural Resources Defense Council
The Energy Information Administration
Progressive Punch



No comments:

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!