This Thursday the Club will meet at 7 p.m. at Lupe's Restaurant. The Women's group will meet at 6:30 p.m. Come anytime after 6 p.m. if you wish to eat. The meeting will be information concerning the pipeline that is scheduled to come through the county.
In preparation for the 7:00 program and discussion, Mary Decker sends along the following information about the TransCanada pipeline.
The following URL links to a report just released today on risks associated with tar sands pipelines, co-authored by Sierra Club, National Wildlife Federation, Natural Resources Defense Council, and most key, the independent group Pipeline Safety Report.
http://www.sierraclub.org/dirtyfuels/downloads/2011-02-safety.pdf
A local news story about the proposed pipeline - http://www.blogger.com/goog_1657905538
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Saturday, February 12, 2011
House Makes Committee Assignments
The House has made their meeting assignments and committee meetings have begun. You can check out the make up of any committee by going online to http://www.house.state.us.tx/. The committee meetings can be watched on the internet live or archived. This is a good way to know what is happening. News outlets don't always report things acurately. Hearing it first hand is good idea.
With that in mind you might want to listen to the State Affairs Senate hearings on the Sonagram Bill. The bill as it was filed and the bill that was passed are not the same after amendments. Listening to Senator Patrick is also an interesting way to spend some time.
The Senate Finance Committee is having hearings on each part of the Senate Budget Bill. Each section has invited testimony and public testimony. If there are parts you are particularlly interested in, you can see what the Committee is being told by the people and by the people they want to hear from. The hearing on Human Services was interesting as the Senators must sit and listen to people from many of the MR facilities tell why they want funding to be continued to the facilities in which they live. Mothers bring their children who are in danger of loosing services and show how difficult their lives will be without the programs their children need.
With that in mind you might want to listen to the State Affairs Senate hearings on the Sonagram Bill. The bill as it was filed and the bill that was passed are not the same after amendments. Listening to Senator Patrick is also an interesting way to spend some time.
The Senate Finance Committee is having hearings on each part of the Senate Budget Bill. Each section has invited testimony and public testimony. If there are parts you are particularlly interested in, you can see what the Committee is being told by the people and by the people they want to hear from. The hearing on Human Services was interesting as the Senators must sit and listen to people from many of the MR facilities tell why they want funding to be continued to the facilities in which they live. Mothers bring their children who are in danger of loosing services and show how difficult their lives will be without the programs their children need.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
The Legislature Is Moving On -- What Do You Think About What's Happening
Well the Senate is not waiting around to get to work this session. They have named their committees and are at work. The Finance committee is meeting Monday through Thursday with invited and public testimony. They began discussing Health and Human Service issues and will continue through each section of the budget. The Committee on Education has also begun hearings. If you want to watch any of these committees you can do so online at http://www.senate.state.tx.us/ and look at the list of sessions available. Texas Impact has posted short snippets of pertinent information on their web page each week -- www.texasimpact.org . Other ways to keep up with what is happening in Austin: http://www.texastribune.org/ and http://www.statesman.com/.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Keeping Up With The Legislature
Aren't you glad that the 2011 session of the legislature began early in January since we have a voter emergency going on. But Governor Perry has stepped in to save the day. He put Voter ID legislation on the fast track and the senate has been debating it as a committee of the whole. No time to wait for a real committee and no time to wait for the word to get out to the those living outside of Austin or way up here behind the Pine Curtain. So no time for the public to travel to Austin to give testimony.
So today Wednesday, January 26, the Senate passed a bill that would require voters to have a photo ID in order to vote. It will now move to the House. Since this is a Republican backed bill and the Republican Governor put it on the fast track, it is probable that the 101 Republican in the House will be able to push this bill past the 49 Democrats. Many feel that there is no fraudulant voting crisis which a photo ID will fix. Others will say that there are many people voting who should not be voting but during hearings in the past about this issue, very few cases were presented to prove this assumption. The implication is that undocumented persons are coming in droves to vote.
FEAR. That is the watch word for our times. Be afraid, be very afraid. So let's be aware of what is being said and do some research of our own and share our views with Senator Nichols and Representative Hopson.
So today Wednesday, January 26, the Senate passed a bill that would require voters to have a photo ID in order to vote. It will now move to the House. Since this is a Republican backed bill and the Republican Governor put it on the fast track, it is probable that the 101 Republican in the House will be able to push this bill past the 49 Democrats. Many feel that there is no fraudulant voting crisis which a photo ID will fix. Others will say that there are many people voting who should not be voting but during hearings in the past about this issue, very few cases were presented to prove this assumption. The implication is that undocumented persons are coming in droves to vote.
FEAR. That is the watch word for our times. Be afraid, be very afraid. So let's be aware of what is being said and do some research of our own and share our views with Senator Nichols and Representative Hopson.
January Meeting for Cherokee Democrats
Thursday, January 27, at 7 p.m. the Cherokee County Club will meet at Lupe's restaurant. The Women's group will meet at 6:30 p.m. Come join the group and see what everyong is thinking about the first days of the Texas Legislature.
Come Join Us!!!
Come Join Us!!!
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Texas Legislature Begins Tuesday, January 11
Tuesday, we are off to the races. The newly elected member of the State House and the new members of the Senate will be sworn in. The election of the next speaker will be one order of business.
Remember that you can keep up with all the in and outs and ups and downs of the Texas legislative session by tuning into chamber sessions and legislative hearings of the House (http://www.house.state.tx.us/) and of the Senate (http://www.senate.state.tx.us/).
Explore these websites and keep up with bills and their progress through the legislature and learn about the state's legislature.
Remember that you can keep up with all the in and outs and ups and downs of the Texas legislative session by tuning into chamber sessions and legislative hearings of the House (http://www.house.state.tx.us/) and of the Senate (http://www.senate.state.tx.us/).
Explore these websites and keep up with bills and their progress through the legislature and learn about the state's legislature.
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