Bio:
I transplanted from New Orleans to Cibolo, TX in 2001 where I work from a virtual office in my home. At the beginning of 2008 I became a precinct chair.
Progressive members of the State Democratic Executive Committee are working to move the 2012 TDP platform to a more progressive stance on issues of importance to Texans and Americans in general. We have found that the party rules include the following language:
D State Convention
5 Officers and Committees
(d) Temporary Resolutions Committees
(9) Any resolution that considers an idea or policy that should be considered for inclusion in the Party Platform shall be referred by the Temporary Resolutions Committee to the Permanent Platform Committee of the State Convention.
We have therefore written 6 resolutions specifically to require that they be sent to the Permanent Platform Committee at the state convention. We encourage you, dear reader, to take the time to print them and bring them with you to your county or senate district convention and urge their passage. Then if you're elected as a delegate to the state convention we would ask that you or a progressive associate in your Senate District caucus run for the Platform Committee so that these important issues will have supporters on the committee. Please look below for these special resolutions.
With the retirement of Charlie Gonzales TX 20 Joaquin Castro looked like a shoe in, but at the Northeast Bexar County Democrats meeting Saturday Ezra Johnson http://www.ezraforcongress.com/ showed why that hasn't been the case since he announced his candidacy. Johnson was certainly the most dynamic and animated candidate from any district represented and the "fire in his belly" delivery won enthusiastic applause. Ezra spoke of having the courage of his convictions and when he was done I believed him. Johnson's top issues included comprehensive immigration reform, strengthening social security and Medicare without shrinking benefits, taking care of our veterans as they justly deserve and getting our economy back on its feet.
Joaquin Castro put on his usual smooth performance and spoke about his success in getting things done even when in the deep minority in the legislature. Other attendees I spoke to found Ezra's delivery as refreshing as I did. While I don't have a horse in that race I'll be watching it carefully and I'm going to find it difficult not to be disappointed if Johnson doesn't pull of what the conventional wisdom would call an upset victory.
As the SDEC Committeeman for SD-25 I try to keep an eye on what's going on in the major races in the area but I was surprised when out of the blue I had the opportunity to meet a terrific woman who has taken it upon herself to challenge the odious Lamar Smith in TX 21. That woman is Candace Duvál http://www.candaceduval.com/ and she too has the fire inside her. She's another truly progressive candidate and she's willing to go toe to toe with anyone to bring fairness and justice to Texans and all Americans. Candace focused on the need to protect our environment through green initiatives and renewable, sustainable energy projects.
Candace is running a grassroots campaign just like Ezra Johnson and she can use both your financial and shoe leather support. If you're a Central Texas progressive I urge you to give them both a look.
Central Texas has some really great Democratic candidates and I can't wait for November.
Today's Northeast Bexar County Democrats meeting was a forum for congressional candidates and the TX 35 race was the most hotly contested with 3 candidates. Patrick Shearer made a strong case for his candidacy and the need for a progressive who will not just vote the right way but who will be a real leader.
The club members seemed genuinely enthusiastic about his candidacy and one attendee told me that Patrick is just the kind of congressman the district deserves. That same person, a Hispanic male, was disappointed in Sylvia Romo whose case for her candidacy was largely "this district was drawn as a minority district and I'm a Latina, I represent diversity."
Patrick Shearer, candidate for US Congress in district 35 spoke to the Dem's Café Wednesday evening, the democratic club in Schertz/Cibolo. The members in attendance were sufficiently impressed with him that we all signed his petition for a place on the primary ballot which would allow him to save the $3000 filing fee and use those funds for campaigning instead. Given that his is a grassroots campaign he'll need every penny he can get. http://shearerforcongress.com/
We asked Mr. Shearer about his positions on various issues and he kindly responded to all of them, this is my interpretation of his answers as I of course can't speak for him.
One of the ongoing difficulties suffered by the progressives nationally has been getting our message out. The progressive message and the accomplishments of the movement have been overwhelmed by the conservative message machine. While conservatives control a majority of traditional mass media outlets most of them recognize that they can't swing too far to the right for fear of losing subscribers/listeners etc. We have an opportunity and an obligation to change the conversation by making our views and values known to the public. The way that the grassroots can accomplish this for little or no money is through ongoing efforts like a letters to the editor committee.
To give you an idea about what can be accomplished by a small group I offer the following example: in a small area within Texas involving just suburban/rural Comal and Guadalupe counties there is a letters to the editor group consisting of about 8 individuals who have collectively written over 200 letters to the editor in 2010 and 2011. That same group has been published over 160 times. The group members submit their letters to two small city daily papers, two small weeklies and one major metro daily. On occasion they have swept the letters to the editor page and have also had the same letter published in as many as four newspapers in the same week. None of these people have ever written for a living. If they can do it then so can others. We cannot expect to change the conversation in this nation without organizing and encouraging groups like this everywhere.
San Marcos Activity Center
501 E. Hopkins, San Marcos
I-35 to Exit 205, go west about one mile, it's on the right
Special Guests:
Dan Boone, candidate for US Senate 11:20am
Gilberto Hinojosa, candidate for TDP Chair 11:20am
Ciro Rodriguez, candidate for CD-35 1:20pm
Sylvia Romo, possible candidate for CD-35 2:20pm
Lunchtime Guest Speaker - Rachel Farris aka Mean Rachel
Schedule
10am registration opens
10:15am - opening remarks
10:30am - Getting started with Texas VAN (VAN 101) - presenter JC Dufresne
11:20am - visit from US Senate candidate Daniel Boone, Lt. Col, USAF retired
Visit from Gilberto Hinojosa, candidate for TDP Chair
11:30am - How to be a delegate to the state and national conventions (2012 Delegate Selection Plan) - presenter JC Dufresne
12:30am - lunch and guest speaker blogger Rachel Farris
1:20pm - visit from CD-35 candidate Ciro Rodriguez
"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one..."
Do you believe in Peace?
Do you care about the Earth?
Are you ready to be the change you wish to see in the world?
~~~ One Day of Peace, Love, Learning & Music! ~~~
• Meet other students who share your ideals and goals
• Hear from leaders in the peace movement
• Join in workshops with experts and activists
• Share your stories in the Service Project Fair
• Team up for hands-on service learning projects
Everyone is invited to join us afterwards for Imagine Café, a "coffee shop" venue in which we share our talents. Bring your instruments, voices, poetry, dance and art! Feel free to perform or just watch the show! A café style supper will be served-- deli sandwiches, bakery treats, and choice of beverage.
Hosted by:
Students for a Peaceful Society Samuel Clemens High School
Schertz, Texas
$20 registration fee includes Imagine 2011 t-shirt, breakfast, lunch, and materials.
Add $3 for supper and admission to Imagine Café.
For more information and registration forms, email: imaginestudentpeacesummit@gmail.com
Please Note: Deadline for registration and payment is Friday, March 11, 2011
Social Security and by extension Medicare have often been called one of the three legs of the Democratic Party yet some in the media are reporting that our President is planning to call for cuts to those very programs in his State of the Union address. Let's all be clear regardless of the findings of the Deficit Commission, Social Security and Medicare are not the cause of the deficit. We all know that Social Security is paid for by taxes dedicated directly to it and not out of the general fund. Social Security is not now and will not be in the next few decades in danger of default.
Considering the level of Democratic voter apathy in Texas due to the poor economy I believe it is incumbent the Democratic Party and our elected officials to show by word and deed that we intend to protect Social Security and Medicare from cuts. It is high time that the message of the Party and our elected officials focused on the moral issues of our day and one of those issues it protecting the weak and less fortunate among us. It is above all necessary that the Party return to its roots as the party of the people. If the leadership of the Democratic Party makes the mistake of accepting the conservative frame on this issue it will mean the end of the "social safety net" and the Democratic Party.
I urge you in your capacity as the leader of the Texas Democratic Party and spokesperson for Texas Democrats to use all your resources to insure support for Social Security and Medicare among the Democratic members of the Texas Congressional delegation. I also call on you to bring to the attention of the Democratic National Committee and the President the urgent need to protect Social Security and Medicare from cuts.
With all the depression and recrimination going on in Texas and around the country it seems that many have forgotten that there is a special election coming up Dec 14 in HD 44, Guadalupe, Wilson and Gonzales counties. With the untimely demise of the venerable and well liked Edmund Kuempel shortly after winning his re-election we now have a special election to fill the seat and there are 10 candidates running. There are two Democrats though one is of questionable nature - he won't be eligible vote until Dec 12 since he just did register to vote in the district. There's one Libertarian and a remarkable seven Republicans.
Cheryl Patterson is the Democrat that party regulars have coalesced around and she's died in the wool progressive. Patterson has a Masters of Educational Administration from Texas A&M, a Masters of Legal Studies from Southwest Texas State University, and a Bachelors of History from Southwest Texas State University. She is a former teacher and principal and how is a real estate agent for Coldwell Banker as well as a member of the Navarro ISD Board of Trustees.
She visited with us this evening and let us know that she's going to be a strong advocate for green energy device production in the state as well as public education. Cheryl told us she firmly believes in the separation of religion and state and a woman's right to control her own body.
So if you'd like to help get us to 52 Dems in the state house please contact Cheryl's campaign coordinator Gloria Sasser at 830-556-2887 gloriasasser@wildblue.net Cheryl can use all the help phonebanking and blockwalking that she can get as this will be a really short campaign.
Ken Mercer and the other extremists on the State Board of Education would have us believe that Social Studies textbooks in our state have been promoting the "Islamic agenda". The only problem is that the textbook used as the exemplar isn't in use in Texas and if it was it could only have been with the approval of the very members of the SBOE that are making an issue of it.
To paraphrase Pastor Niemoeller's famous quote: "First they came for the Muslims and I did not speak out - because I was not a Muslim. Then they came for the Mormons and I did not speak out - because I was not a Mormon. Then they came for the Catholics and I did not speak out - because I was not a Catholic. Then they came for me - and there was no one left to speak out for me."
Perhaps Mercer and his fringe associates believe that Texans live in fear of "the other" and scapegoating members of other faiths will bring them votes in November. I believe that Texans are better than that and electing Rebecca Bell-Metereau to the State Board of Education will prove that.
