Sunday, March 14, 2010
“What it means when the last bookstore closes...”
The following was e-mailed to me: (James Legare);
In the spirit of National Women’s History Month, Latinovations would like to acknowledge the great accomplishments of Latina women and thank Linda Chavez-Thompson for her contribution.
Laredo, Texas, with a population of 250,000 now has the distinction of being the largest city in the nation without a bookstore. B. Dalton’s bookstore shut its doors for good on January 16th. Put another tombstone in the predominantly Hispanic south side of San Antonio now that Waldenbooks has left, leaving no bookstore for miles.
We’re not looking for pity here in Texas, but we are waiting for Republican leaders to recognize that this is an economic crisis of our own making.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, by the year 2014, 2 million jobs will be created in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math.
A bookstore would sure come in handy.
But despite the bragging of Governor Rick Perry and Lt. Governor David Dewhurst that Texas is creating jobs, the reality is one out of three students are walking out of our high schools without a diploma. Among Latinos, it’s one out of two.
But dropouts are just a symptom of a broken system — a system that has already failed our children before they’ve even entered the first grade. Parenting Magazine, not your typical political reading I realize, recently spelled out the epidemic that is the early literacy crisis:
“While a child growing up in a middle class neighborhood will own an average of 13 books at any given time, low-income communities average about one book for every 300 children.”
By the way, not only do Hispanics now make up over 50% of public school students from kindergarten through second grade in Texas, but one out of every two Hispanic children lives in poverty.
So if the Republican leadership doesn’t want to listen to a lifelong labor organizer and the daughter of a cotton sharecropper, they should at least listen to their own advisors. Steve Murdock, the former state demographer and Bush appointee, warned years ago that, “our fates are intertwined and related. How well our non-Anglo citizens do in Texas is how well Texas will do.” (Amen.) Murdock explains that because educational attainment is faltering, average wages in 2040 will be lower in constant dollars than wages in the year 2000.
For those who don’t know my story, I was forced to quit school in the ninth grade to help support my family in the cotton fields of West Texas. It’s ugly work. So when I got a chance to work as a bilingual secretary for the local labor union, I took it. Twenty-eight years later, I was the first woman of color to serve as the Executive Vice President of the AFL-CIO. After a lifetime of working to lift wages up for working families, I’m not going to sit idly by as Republican neglect of education — from pre-K to college — drives wages down.
I realize Texans are known for their big talk. But the outside world needs to know there is some truth to the Texas myth. Because when you’re born in the Lone Star State, you just grow up believing the sky is the limit. It’s true for this daughter of a cotton sharecropper. And in today’s economy, it can still hold true for any Texas child with a book in their hand.
Linda Chavez-Thompson is the Democratic nominee for Lt. Governor of Texas. In a career devoted to fighting for better wages for working families, Chavez-Thompson served twelve years as Executive Vice President of the AFL-CIO, the first woman and the first person of color to serve in that position. President Bill Clinton appointed Chavez-Thompson to serve on his Race Advisory Board, as well as on the President’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities. The daughter of a cotton sharecropper, Chavez-Thompson has devoted her campaign to increasing economic opportunities through education. To find out more, or to support her campaign, visit www.electchavezthompson.com.
La Plaza
--
Saludos,
La Lisa Hernandez
361.558.5068 mobile
Lalisahernandez@gmail.com
...And that was it. I will add my opinion:
The Democratic Party is the one viable party for improving the lives of the residents of the GLBT Community in Texas.
I would hate to live in a city with no bookstores of any kind.
In the spirit of National Women’s History Month, Latinovations would like to acknowledge the great accomplishments of Latina women and thank Linda Chavez-Thompson for her contribution.
Laredo, Texas, with a population of 250,000 now has the distinction of being the largest city in the nation without a bookstore. B. Dalton’s bookstore shut its doors for good on January 16th. Put another tombstone in the predominantly Hispanic south side of San Antonio now that Waldenbooks has left, leaving no bookstore for miles.
We’re not looking for pity here in Texas, but we are waiting for Republican leaders to recognize that this is an economic crisis of our own making.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, by the year 2014, 2 million jobs will be created in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math.
A bookstore would sure come in handy.
But despite the bragging of Governor Rick Perry and Lt. Governor David Dewhurst that Texas is creating jobs, the reality is one out of three students are walking out of our high schools without a diploma. Among Latinos, it’s one out of two.
But dropouts are just a symptom of a broken system — a system that has already failed our children before they’ve even entered the first grade. Parenting Magazine, not your typical political reading I realize, recently spelled out the epidemic that is the early literacy crisis:
“While a child growing up in a middle class neighborhood will own an average of 13 books at any given time, low-income communities average about one book for every 300 children.”
By the way, not only do Hispanics now make up over 50% of public school students from kindergarten through second grade in Texas, but one out of every two Hispanic children lives in poverty.
So if the Republican leadership doesn’t want to listen to a lifelong labor organizer and the daughter of a cotton sharecropper, they should at least listen to their own advisors. Steve Murdock, the former state demographer and Bush appointee, warned years ago that, “our fates are intertwined and related. How well our non-Anglo citizens do in Texas is how well Texas will do.” (Amen.) Murdock explains that because educational attainment is faltering, average wages in 2040 will be lower in constant dollars than wages in the year 2000.
For those who don’t know my story, I was forced to quit school in the ninth grade to help support my family in the cotton fields of West Texas. It’s ugly work. So when I got a chance to work as a bilingual secretary for the local labor union, I took it. Twenty-eight years later, I was the first woman of color to serve as the Executive Vice President of the AFL-CIO. After a lifetime of working to lift wages up for working families, I’m not going to sit idly by as Republican neglect of education — from pre-K to college — drives wages down.
I realize Texans are known for their big talk. But the outside world needs to know there is some truth to the Texas myth. Because when you’re born in the Lone Star State, you just grow up believing the sky is the limit. It’s true for this daughter of a cotton sharecropper. And in today’s economy, it can still hold true for any Texas child with a book in their hand.
Linda Chavez-Thompson is the Democratic nominee for Lt. Governor of Texas. In a career devoted to fighting for better wages for working families, Chavez-Thompson served twelve years as Executive Vice President of the AFL-CIO, the first woman and the first person of color to serve in that position. President Bill Clinton appointed Chavez-Thompson to serve on his Race Advisory Board, as well as on the President’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities. The daughter of a cotton sharecropper, Chavez-Thompson has devoted her campaign to increasing economic opportunities through education. To find out more, or to support her campaign, visit www.electchavezthompson.com.
La Plaza
--
Saludos,
La Lisa Hernandez
361.558.5068 mobile
Lalisahernandez@gmail.com
...And that was it. I will add my opinion:
The Democratic Party is the one viable party for improving the lives of the residents of the GLBT Community in Texas.
I would hate to live in a city with no bookstores of any kind.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
2010 convention
1. The 2010 convention will be an open convention. Anyone who voted in the Democratic Primary on March 2 may sign in and be seated as either a Delegate or Alternate whether or not they were selected as a Delegate or Alternate at the Precinct Convention, unless the precinct already has its full entitlement and provided that the Precinct Caucus votes to add them to the caucus. For each delegate there is one alternate slot allocated to the precinct.
2. After transitioning Alternates to Delegate status at the initial precinct caucus to fill all of the Delegate positions to which the precinct is entitled, the precincts will be able to add delegates and alternates from persons signing in who were not selected as either a delegate or alternate at the precinct convention on March 2. Provided the full number of delegates to which the precinct is entitled is not present at the time the Temporary Chair convenes the Convention, the precinct may caucus to add delegates until the entire precinct allocation is reached. Persons signing in at the SD convention who were not elected delegates or alternates at the precinct convention may be added by a precinct caucus. The precinct caucus secretary (or chair) will submit a report to the Credentials Committee asking that the caucus elects be added to the convention roll and receive credentials permitting them to vote on matters brought before the convention.
3. If the precinct elects its full allotted number of delegates and alternates, persons who sign in at the convention who are not elected as a delegate or alternate to the convention, may still submit their request to be a delegate or alternate to the state convention to the At-large nominations committee. Forms will be provided in each precinct packet to record the delegates and alternates elected at the precinct caucus. In addition the precinct packet will include forms for persons not selected as either a delegate or alternate at the precinct caucus to petition the Nominations Committee to be nominated as a delegate or alternate to the state convention.
4. Each precinct or paired precinct is entitled to a delegate. The number of delegates to which each precinct is entitled is determined by dividing the number of votes that the precinct cast for the Democratic Party candidate for Governor in 2006 by 180. Precincts that did not cast at least 180 will be paired with other precincts so that each paired precinct may select delegates and alternates by the same formula.
5. The excess number of votes over 180 that each precinct cast for the Democratic Candidate for Governor are allocated to an at-large pool and totaled so that the SD may receive the total number of Delegates to which it is entitled. The excess number of votes from the precincts is divided by 180 with the sum being the number is the number of delegates that the nomination committee will select to assure balance in the delegation.
6. To determine the profile of the at-large delegates, a tally is made by the nominations committee for each of the fairness attributes to be considered in balancing the delegation. The fairness attributes that are considered are:
Age 35 years or younger
Ethnicity
GLBT status
Disability status
Gender
7. The Nominations Committee makes its report to the Convention. The convention may elect to approve the report or may entertain nominations from the convention. In making nominations from the floor to replace a delegate, the persons making the nomination must specify by name which of the delegates nominated by the nomination committee is to be replaced by the person being nominated from the floor.
8. Upon completion of the process of nominations from the floor, the entire delegation must vote to ratify the delegation.
9. The convention must elect the delegation chair.
2. After transitioning Alternates to Delegate status at the initial precinct caucus to fill all of the Delegate positions to which the precinct is entitled, the precincts will be able to add delegates and alternates from persons signing in who were not selected as either a delegate or alternate at the precinct convention on March 2. Provided the full number of delegates to which the precinct is entitled is not present at the time the Temporary Chair convenes the Convention, the precinct may caucus to add delegates until the entire precinct allocation is reached. Persons signing in at the SD convention who were not elected delegates or alternates at the precinct convention may be added by a precinct caucus. The precinct caucus secretary (or chair) will submit a report to the Credentials Committee asking that the caucus elects be added to the convention roll and receive credentials permitting them to vote on matters brought before the convention.
3. If the precinct elects its full allotted number of delegates and alternates, persons who sign in at the convention who are not elected as a delegate or alternate to the convention, may still submit their request to be a delegate or alternate to the state convention to the At-large nominations committee. Forms will be provided in each precinct packet to record the delegates and alternates elected at the precinct caucus. In addition the precinct packet will include forms for persons not selected as either a delegate or alternate at the precinct caucus to petition the Nominations Committee to be nominated as a delegate or alternate to the state convention.
4. Each precinct or paired precinct is entitled to a delegate. The number of delegates to which each precinct is entitled is determined by dividing the number of votes that the precinct cast for the Democratic Party candidate for Governor in 2006 by 180. Precincts that did not cast at least 180 will be paired with other precincts so that each paired precinct may select delegates and alternates by the same formula.
5. The excess number of votes over 180 that each precinct cast for the Democratic Candidate for Governor are allocated to an at-large pool and totaled so that the SD may receive the total number of Delegates to which it is entitled. The excess number of votes from the precincts is divided by 180 with the sum being the number is the number of delegates that the nomination committee will select to assure balance in the delegation.
6. To determine the profile of the at-large delegates, a tally is made by the nominations committee for each of the fairness attributes to be considered in balancing the delegation. The fairness attributes that are considered are:
Age 35 years or younger
Ethnicity
GLBT status
Disability status
Gender
7. The Nominations Committee makes its report to the Convention. The convention may elect to approve the report or may entertain nominations from the convention. In making nominations from the floor to replace a delegate, the persons making the nomination must specify by name which of the delegates nominated by the nomination committee is to be replaced by the person being nominated from the floor.
8. Upon completion of the process of nominations from the floor, the entire delegation must vote to ratify the delegation.
9. The convention must elect the delegation chair.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Bill White and Prop 2
”These are the kind of politics that remind one of baying at the moon.” -unknown.
Rick Perry, Republican, is running for a third-consecutive four-year term as governor of Texas. He assumed office when George W. Bush resigned before his presidential inauguration. (George Bush leaving was a great blessing, but, our dire problems in Texas continue, read on.) Rick Perry is now the darling of the Tea-Party and State Sovereignty Movement. His enthusiastic embrace of these groups was to provide the much needed margin, a little over 1%, necessary to beat his challenger in the Republican primary, Kay Bailey Hutchison (a more moderate Republican who also has a poor record on LGBT issues.).
"We can't afford 14 years of one person appointing every state board, agency and commission." -Kay Bailey Hutchison, also "To make a political point, we turned down half a billion in federal money, sacrificed it to other states, and now we're borrowing three times as much and sticking Texas businesses with the tab" -Kay Bailey Hutchison.
Rick Perry turned down federal money from the stimulus package (from Washington D.C.) that would have extended unemployment benefits; sacrificing the needs of those who are struggling financially in order to pander to the social conservatives. He will hang the future of Texas on a whimsical argument with an ambitious interpretation of the 10th amendment.
Bill White, who supports civil unions instead of marriage for same-sex couples, has won the Democratic nomination for the governor's race. He spoke out against Prop 2 in front of GLBT advocacy groups. Prop 2 banned same sex marriage and civil unions.
Read the Dallas Voice: dallasvoice.com/
Rick Perry, Republican, is running for a third-consecutive four-year term as governor of Texas. He assumed office when George W. Bush resigned before his presidential inauguration. (George Bush leaving was a great blessing, but, our dire problems in Texas continue, read on.) Rick Perry is now the darling of the Tea-Party and State Sovereignty Movement. His enthusiastic embrace of these groups was to provide the much needed margin, a little over 1%, necessary to beat his challenger in the Republican primary, Kay Bailey Hutchison (a more moderate Republican who also has a poor record on LGBT issues.).
"We can't afford 14 years of one person appointing every state board, agency and commission." -Kay Bailey Hutchison, also "To make a political point, we turned down half a billion in federal money, sacrificed it to other states, and now we're borrowing three times as much and sticking Texas businesses with the tab" -Kay Bailey Hutchison.
Rick Perry turned down federal money from the stimulus package (from Washington D.C.) that would have extended unemployment benefits; sacrificing the needs of those who are struggling financially in order to pander to the social conservatives. He will hang the future of Texas on a whimsical argument with an ambitious interpretation of the 10th amendment.
Bill White, who supports civil unions instead of marriage for same-sex couples, has won the Democratic nomination for the governor's race. He spoke out against Prop 2 in front of GLBT advocacy groups. Prop 2 banned same sex marriage and civil unions.
Read the Dallas Voice: dallasvoice.com/
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Census 2010
It is critically important for members of the GLBT community to return their Census so that we may be counted. It only comes once every 10 years. Don't cheat Houston out of Federal funds that it would otherwise receive. Mail it in.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Texas Stonewall Democratic Caucus
“The Texas Stonewall Democratic Caucus (TSDC) will celebrate its 10th anniversary as the officially recognized LGBT Caucus of the Texas Democratic Party at the Texas Democratic Convention, which will be held at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi on June 24-26. We invite all LGBT Democrats and allies to begin making preparations now to join us in Corpus Christi!" - texasstonewalldemocrats.org
Link: http://www.texasstonewalldemocrats.org/
The informed citizen is our best defense. -unknown.
Link: http://www.texasstonewalldemocrats.org/
The informed citizen is our best defense. -unknown.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
HGLBT Pac
I went to the HGLBT Pac meeting 3-3-2010 and got to vote for which judges the Caucus would endorse for the 270th civil district court seat, and the 311th family district court seat.
Roberts Rules of Order were followed, as they always are at these meetings, impeccably. Kris Banks ran the meeting, the current president of HGLBT PAC.
Yesterday, I went to a small caucus convention for the democratic party after voting in the primaries and I get to go to the precinct convention for my precinct. A resolution I brought from the Equality web site passed after I read it. These are progressives.
Jolanda Jones, Houston City Council at large position 5, (at the HGLBT Caucus meeting) told of how she is trying to help a trans-gender person on her staff who is being harassed for using the ladies room. There may be an executive order from Annise Parker as a policy decision. Joland Jones is a tall, black, stylish, beautiful woman who speaks her mind -and has been endorsed by the caucus again and again. And she keeps winning.
Roberts Rules of Order were followed, as they always are at these meetings, impeccably. Kris Banks ran the meeting, the current president of HGLBT PAC.
Yesterday, I went to a small caucus convention for the democratic party after voting in the primaries and I get to go to the precinct convention for my precinct. A resolution I brought from the Equality web site passed after I read it. These are progressives.
Jolanda Jones, Houston City Council at large position 5, (at the HGLBT Caucus meeting) told of how she is trying to help a trans-gender person on her staff who is being harassed for using the ladies room. There may be an executive order from Annise Parker as a policy decision. Joland Jones is a tall, black, stylish, beautiful woman who speaks her mind -and has been endorsed by the caucus again and again. And she keeps winning.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
