Author: refinish69

This past week was the Texas Democratic State Convention and I was there as an Obama Delegate.  It was so thrilling and exhausting to be with over 15,000 Democrats for 3 days.  

                The weekend started off Thursday night with all the parties.  I was at the Bloggers Caucus and had a blast!!!  It is one of the best attended parties at every Texas Convention.  We had lots of bloggers, candidates, elected officials and excited Democrats.  Who wouldn’t have a great time drinking and talking politics with some the best of the Texas Blogosphere.  The event was host by the Texas Progressive Alliance and I am happy to report I am a member.

Listen to the podcast @ Hearding Cats at the Texas Democratic Convention

A little music, a little politics and a few laughs. LOL
Here are just a few of the great candidates who stopped by;(be sure and visit their websites to help out with their campaigns)

                Diana Maldonado TX-HD52

                Robert Miklos TX-HD 101

                Larry Joe Doherty TX-US 10 and his wife Joanne

                Glen Melancon TX-US Con 4

                Rick Noreiga TX-US Senate

                The list goes on and on….

Now is the time for Democrats to get busy working on the November elections.  WE need to elect good people from the White House to the Courthouse!!!

Friday was spent waiting in lines and finding rooms and then finally convening the SD14 delegates to start the long procedure of voting for committee members and also national delegates.  We set Texas history by staying in session the longest of any senate district ever.  We were there till 3:36 am on Friday Night and then had to be back as early as 8 am for some. LOL

Chelsea Clinton spoke to the Delegates on Friday night.

Saturday was spent listening to speeches and voting on resolutions, the party platform and the Party Chairperson.  I am happy to say that Boyd Richie was reelected to a second term.   I finally gave up around 7pm and headed out for dinner and cocktails but I know others who stayed till at least midnight on Saturday.  

Texas By The Numbers

Remembering Ann Richards

 and Lady Bird Johnson

and honoring a True Texas Statesman and Hero

Texas Senator Mario Gallegos

We are ready to Take Texas Back and we hope you will join us in this battle!!!

Help Send me to Netroots Nation!!!

Netroots Nation is coming to Austin next month and the only way I will be able to attend is if I win one of the scholarships being offered by Democracy for America. I am asking all my readers and blogging friends to help me make a dream come true.

                They have announced at Democracy for America that one scholarship will be awarded solely on the number of grass roots supporters.  I have 40 supporters as of airtime but I know my listeners would love to hear me podcast live from Netroots Nation.  

                I got started blogging after attending Demfest 2005 in Austin and meeting some of the top bloggers from around the world. They inspired me to add blogging and podcasting to my political and civil rights activities. The blogging community has made a huge difference in American politics and I believe I have helped inform people about issues near and dear to my heart.

                Attending Netroots Nation will give me a chance to meet some of the great bloggers who inspire me with their activism and writing while also challenging me to do more and more to continue the battle to make this a better world for all people.

                Please visit my Netroots scholarship application and show me some of that famous grassroots support.

Netroots Nation is coming to Austin next month and the only way I will be able to attend is if I win one of the scholarships being offered by Democracy for America. I am asking all my readers and blogging friends to help me make a dream come true.

This is me at the Bloggers Caucus at the Texas Democratic Convention.

Man Eegee

They have announced that one scholarship will be awarded based on number of grassroots supporters and the others will be based on application content, active experience, individual need, geographic, gender, age, and ethnic diversity as well as community member support. Please help Man Eegee and refinish69 get to Netroots Nation.

I got started blogging after attending Demfest 2005 in Austin and meeting some of the top bloggers from around the world. They inspired me to add blogging and podcasting to my political and civil rights activities. The blogging community has made a huge difference in American politics and I believe I have helped inform people about issues near and dear to my heart.

Attending Netroots Nation will give me a chance to meet some of the great bloggers who inspire me with their activism and writing while also challenging me to do more and more to continue the battle to make this a better world for all people.

Please visit my Netroots scholarship application and show me some of that famous grassroots support.

Man Eegee has applied for a scholarship also and we all know his great work as an activist. He has worked tirelessly to educate us all on immigration issues as well as many other topics. His willingness to reach out and work with others and be supportive of new bloggers is a blessing for us all.

Help Send Man Eegee to Netroots Nation

You can support us both and help to bloggers from the pond finally meet.

Okay, the primary season and the delegate race for the presidential nomination are winding down.  Barack Obama will be the Democratic Nominee.  First let us thank all the candidates who threw their hats in the ring for the 2008 Democratic Presidential Race.  It took a lot of guts, fearlessness or sheer audacity to put themselves out there like that.  There have been tense moments, angry words, incredible screw ups and even some laughs.

Cross posted @ Doing My Part For The Left & Texas Kaos
Who can forget this great video from Mike Gravel’s campaign.

Even here in Texas, we had candidates we supported in the primary who did not win but opened up discussions on all types of issues.  We now have to put the primary season behind us and gear up to win BIG in November!!!

We all have to come together to elect Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States.  We cannot let John McCain , with his promise of leaving our troops in Irag for 100 years, in the White House.  His total lack of support for Women’s Rights or Equal Rights for anyone makes him the worse choice any America can make.  We need a leader who wants to try and bridge the way between the extremes and put America  on path to greatness again.

There are so many down ticket races across the Texas that are vital to win to make Change in  Texas and America possible.  Here are just a few that I am really interested in seeing win for a better America.

Rick Noriega

Rick Noriega is running in Texas to bring real representation to Texas in the US Senate.  He has served 5 times in the Texas Legislature and has proven his is a friend to all Texans.  His support for our troops, children, education, women’s rights and equal rights for all make him the obvious choice for Texas but it is going to take all of us working together to get him elected.  While Rick is away for the next two weeks with the National Gard, his wife, Melissa with the help of other Texans are trying to fill his boots while he cannot campaign.  They have set a goal of raising $50,000 in two weeks to take Texas back. If you can help, please donate to help take Texas and America back

Larry Joe and Joanne Doherty

Larry Joe Doherty is running for TX-US Congressional District 10 and needs all our support to get elected.  Every Democrats in Texas should be willing to help out and send someone to Washington who will try and make things better not only for Texans but for all Americans.

Glen Melancon

Glen Melancon is running for TX-US Congressional District 4 and everyone knows we need better representation from Texas than Ralph Hall,  Glen needs our help and our support no matter who we supported in the presidential race.

We, as Texans and Americans can make a huge difference in November but we have to put the presidential primary behind us now and work together as a team.  We might not have agreed on who we wanted at the top of the ticket or even on some of the spots down ticket but we all agree that the Republicans have nearly destroyed America and Texas.  We can do something about this in 2008.  The record turnout for the March Primary shows that Texans are sick and tired of the status quo.  Now it is up to us  Texans with some help from others  to show what we can do and turn this state and America Blue again!!!

We have seats we can take in the Texas Legislature and finally take back the majority and move Texas forward instead of selling our children, our highways, and everything else we value in Texas to the highest bidder.  Here are just a couple examples of races where we can make a huge difference.

Diana Maldonado

Diana Maldonado is running in TX-HD52.  She is running for the seat that Mike Krusee decided he would rather retire from that run against a strong Texas woman.  Diana has experienced as an elected official on the Round Rock School Board.  She believes in Texas and Texans but needs our help to get elected.  You can volunteer to help out her campaign and/or make a contribution to help get this strong Texas Woman elected.

Sherrie Matula

Sherrie Matula is another great example of a strong Texas woman running for Texas Legislature who can make a difference in the lives of Texans if we help her.  She is running for TX-HD129.  Sherrie has a background in Education and I have not met a stronger candidate for the Ledge than her.  So lets show Sherrie  some love and by love I mean volunteer or donate.  Let’s be real it takes money and volunteers to win.

There are many other races here in Texas we can all help with but it will take all Texans working together to bring about the change we want to see.  We can be some contentious folks when we are in the heat of a campaign but now we have to keep our eye on the prize and that is November 4th, 2008!!!  It is time to come together as Texas and use that fighting Texan spirit to win!!!  Let us move forward as a Team and Take Texas Back!!!

John McCain was quick(well sort of) to throw Rev Hagee under the Straight Talk Express but I wonder just how fast he plans to send back the money he took from him?

Cross posted @ Doing My Part For The Left and Texas Kaos

The Straight Talk Express has had to move to fund raisers featuring old Shrub from fancy locations like the Phoenix Convention Center and a Hotel Ballroom in Utah to private homes since they couldn’t sell enough tickets to guarantee more attendees than protesters, John might be a little strapped for cash. We all know the fund raising gimmick in Florida last year didn’t work.

I wonder how many of these other fine upstanding Republicans will return Rev. Hate- oops Hagee’s hate money to him.  You know John Cornyn is always talking about how much he cares about Veterans but always seems to come out smelling like a cow pie when the truth is known.  Now of course old Box Turtle has been mighty quiet about Rev. Hagee.

It seems like Texans have a clear choice.  They can either vote for two losers who will take hate money from Hagee or we can elect Democrats who actually care about Texas and Texans.  I know I’m voting for Rick Noriega for TX-US Senate as well as whoever gets the Democratic Nomination for President.

Why shouldn’t we just go ahead and let Hillary be President?  What have we got to lose?  She has been the heir presumptive since 2006.  She is entitled to be president and has proven what a great leader she will be for the next 4 years.

Cross posted at Daily Kos, Texas Kaos, Doing My Part For The Left
With Hillary, we will have a type of president we have become so use to in the past 8 years.  Hillary’s strong belief in her way or the highway is so reminiscent of Shrub we might find it hard to realize that a Democrat is actually in the White House.

Just think, we can look forward to 4 glorious years of a President who can never be allowed in public with out people to keep a tight reign on what she says.  Who knows she might be tired and just say any old thing that is lurking in her mind.  Sort of like Shrub giving the finger or telling people to go to hell when they don’t agree with him. At least we know Hillary can pronounce nuclear and read cue cards.

Hillary will be just one of the boys tossing back shots and bluffing her way through 4 years just like George has done.  She voted for the Iraq War and by god she ain’t apologizing.  While we’re at it we might as well start a 3rd war with Iran just so Hillary can get some good photo ops.

And we know Hillary can spin a good yarn to keep us all entertained.  Just look at that whopper she told about her trip to Bosnia.  If the TV stations hadn’t had actual video of her hugging that little girl, we would have sworn she had Chelsea under one arm and a sub-machine gun in the other.  Why it’s as good a whopper as Shrub’s about weapons of mass destruction.

Hillary will also do a bang up job on getting us better health coverage just like she did when she was First Lady.  She proved as First Lady how well she could reach out and build a coalition to get things changed.  She has all that experience working with Democrats and Republicans to make things easier for All Americans.  Well, not the people who lost their jobs because of NAFTA or the GLBT Community that she threw under the bus when she was advising Bill about “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” or said nothing against DOMA, but that’s fine.  George has been throwing people under the bus for 8 years so it won’t be an adjustment for anyone.

On the other hand you might not better bring up mistakes she made when she was First Lady.  She has that thing like Shrub where if it wasn’t good, it didn’t happen.  She cannot be held responsible for things in her past cause that’s  the past.

Now don’t cross her cause we never know what she might have in mind for you.  Hillary has a long memory and can think up some of the worst things that have ever happened to wish on people who ain’t with her.

Here’s to a Hillary Presidency.  4 more years of the same stuff we have been getting for the last 8.  It’ll be like Shrub never left.

This week the California Supreme Court ruled that the laws banning Gay Marriage in California were unconstitutional per the California State Constitution.  This was a historic day in the history the GLBT struggle for Equal Rights and in the struggle for Equal Rights for All People.

The Republicans are already trying to use this to rally their ultra conservative base to help elect John McCain and reelect some of the worst Republican Senators and Congressmen.  This was to be expected.  What was not expected was the cry from many progressives on so many blogs.

   It’s bad timing.
   It will only help the Republicans.
   It will help John McCain.
   It will hurt Democrats in the fall.
   It should have waited till after November.
   It will do the same as Gay Marriage did in 2004.

The people saying these things are not progressives. They are the same people who told Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to wait for a better time.  The people who told Mildred Loving not to buck the law and file a law suit to end laws that prevented interracial couples from marrying or living in any state.  These are the same people who told the suffragettes to wait for the vote.  It would happen some day…maybe tomorrow.

Cross posted at Texas Kaos, Daily Kos, Doing My Part For The Left
I was never so disgusted with so called progressives than when they tried to lay the blame for Kerry’s loss in 2004 at the door of the GLBT Community except maybe as they kept telling me that we should wait.  Be Patient. There is always tomorrow.

Well, Tomorrow never comes unless you fight.  There has never been a civil right awarded just because someone felt good about doing it.  No election has been won just because it felt right to vote for the person and no war has been ended just because it was tomorrow.

There is no better time than right now to demand Equal Rights for All Americans.  There is no better time than right now to guarantee the right of every American to vote. There is also no better time to protest the war that is killing Americans.  

As a dear blogger , shirlstars , commented in an incredible diary about the California decision at Booman Tribune.

“Please, with love, kindness and allowance of your opinion, please get beyond it.  I remember when we gays were blamed the day after the 2004 election.  It was our fault for wanting civil rights that Kerry lost.  And that was on the Big Orange, people who mouthed the words, we support you, we want you to have your rights and then turned immediately to blame.

As I recall I didn’t have anything to do with the lies the rebugs told and continue to spew to try to bring fear to the hearts of american citizens.  As I recall I have never asked for nor expected anything other than the same civil rights for everyone, every citizen.

I am not particularly a proponent of marriage, that would be marriage for anyone, straight, gay or otherwise, but if it is a right or a privilege that the government wants to give to citizens, then it must be to all citizens.

We told the African Americans, not yet, be quiet, don’t make waves, it will come. . .sometime. . .and it took hundreds of years.  Now we want to tell GLBT, not yet, be quiet, don’t make waves, it will  come. . .sometime, just STFU.

Please!  Stop living in fear.  This country is further along than you think.  They will bring change in a wave no one will believe possible.  Yes, the repugs will use this issue and every other slimeball, dirty, nasty, lying thing they can come up with.  We have a candidate that can and will stand up to them and do it with strength, truth and integrity, not to mention amazing eloquence.

Try to move towards hope and away from fear.

I have to agree with Shirl.  The time for living in fear and always waiting for Tomorrow is over.  The progressives need to wake up and quit asking the GLBT Community or any other Minority Community to wait till tomorrow.  If you can not move beyond your insecurities and fears and actually fight for what is right and celebrate the victories as they happen, then please do not rain on our parade as we move forward instead of backwards.  Tomorrow is Here and we are not waiting any more.

Trust old Bible thumping Bigot Cornyn to start talking about the National Marriage Amendment yet again on the day the California Supreme Court rules against the laws and statues banning Gay Marriage in California.

cross posted at Texas Kaos, Daily Kos, & Doing My Part For The Left

The Dallas Morning News WASHINGTON – Thursday’s California court ruling striking down that state’s ban on gay marriage will spark a fresh push to add a nationwide ban to the U.S. Constitution, Texas Sen. John Cornyn said shortly after the ruling was announced.

“It’s certainly surprising. Many of us thought that the efforts to overturn the tradition marriage laws would be confined just to Massachusetts,” said Mr. Cornyn, a chief backer of a push to enact a constitutional ban, which failed in 2004.

 He noted that during congressional debates several years ago, one argument used by opponents of a constitutional ban was that few states allowed such arrangements, making the drastic step premature.

The California development, he said, reopens that argument.

“I do expect it’ll generate some more debate, and I’ll be happy to contribute to it,” said Mr. Cornyn, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, adding that Thursday’s ruling also unleashes a slew of questions about whether other states will be forced to recognize same-sex unions from California.

Texas has had enough of Cornyn’s hatred and bigotry and spouting the same old tired lines that Bush & Company used to take power and wreck their divisive politics and failed policies on Texas and this nation.  It is time to elect new leaders who actually care about America and not just pandering to the religious bigots.

I hope you will join me in supporting Rick Noriega for US Senate.  Rick believes in Equality for All Americans.  To quote Rick, ” I do not tolerate bullies”.  Rick has stood up for the GLBT Community and all Texans during his 5 terms in the Texas Legislature.  Please donate to Rick at Netroots for Noriega Act Blue Page

This just in from the Rick Noriega Campaign.

Yet another poll shows Rick Noriega just 4 points behind John Cornyn in the race for U.S. Senate.

Today, Research 2000 released a poll with Rick receiving 44% while Cornyn is at 48%. Again, John Cornyn is polling below 50% — a sign of his weakness and vulnerability this fall.

Along with the Rasmussen poll released earlier this week, this poll shows what we’re seeing across Texas: Voters are ready for a change. Rick Noriega is the candidate to deliver this change and beat Cornyn this November.

We have the momentum in this race.

Now we need the resources. We need your help to introduce Rick Noriega, define John Cornyn and get voters to the polls this November. If we can do this, we can win.

Donate at Netroots for Noriega ActBlue Page

To see even more of the poll results , check out TX-Sen: dKos poll confirms close Senate race
This is great news not only for Rick Noriega but for Texas also!!!  Rick Noriega has proven he is a friend to all Texans and is willing to stand up to the bullies in the Ledge and will also stand up to them in Washington.  Rick is what I call a statesman instead of a politician.  He has a set of core values he is unwilling to through away for a vote.  The past 5 sessions in the Texas Legislature he has been a Champion of Equal Rights for All Texans,  He has worked to try and increase funding for teachers and school, he has worked to protect Women’s Rights, and maintain and increase funding for Children on SCHIP.

This is the type of Leader we need in Washington as a Senator from Texas.  We have seen enough of John Cornyn’s give to the rich and screw the poor and middle class.  It is time to have a senator who cares about all Americans.  We also need a Senator who understands what our military are having to put up with as they continue to fight the Bush War for Oil.  Lt. Col. Rick Noriega served in Afghanistan and will work to bring our troops home and stop this senseless war!!!

To help bring real change in Washington, donate at Netroots for Noriega ActBlue Page.  With your help we can have a Real Democratic Majority in the Senate and a True Texas Hero as our Senator!!!

Noriega Express

On April 24th & 25th, I attended the Texas Solar Forum at the capital.  It would probably have been better to send someone with a science background to cover it but I did learn quite a few interesting facts about solar power.

A survey was done 25 years ago asking people where they thought they would be getting their energy in the 21st century.  48% of the people surveyed  said they would be using solar power.  Sad to say in Texas only .01% of power is supplied by solar power at this time.

cross posted @ Daily Kos, Doing My Part For The Left, Texas Kaos
Texas and America are at a point where we can become leaders in the solar industry or major importers from other companies.  I would hate to see Texas waste the resources we have right here in our state and buy from other countries and states.  Several of the panelist through out the two days talked about the skills and resources already available in Texas from the semi conductor business and highly trained scientist at Texas universities.

Germany, which leads the world in solar power, has created over 20,000 new jobs in clean energy which amounts to the same as all automotive jobs in Germany.  Just think if we did the same here in America.  

America at this time only accounts for 8% of the solar power in the world.

If you look at the following map, you will see by color which areas of the country have the most sunlight than can be used for power.  Texas is one of the top sites.  This map is from 2004 so with global warming I think we have more sunlight now than 3 years ago.

click for full size

The Texas Business Review April 2007  gives a great overview of why Texas needs to get busy instead of wasting time on coal plants and oil wells.

I was intrigued to see Bob Manning, Director of Engineering for HEB, there.  Bob brought home a lot of points about why Texas and a lot of Texas businesses are not jumping at the chance to use solar power.  It is still cost prohibitive. A member of the audience asked what type of price would make it feasible and Mr. Manning said “It would have to pay for itself in 5 years.  Currently, with no incentives from the state or local municipalities, the price was not one a company can absorb as they deal with higher prices and lower profits.”

I know we have all seen the newspaper stories where companies such as Starbucks have started adding solar panels to their drive through windows to help save energy.  Starbucks is based in California where the state does give huge incentives for for companies that go green.  

This is where the Texas Legislature(and other states)and US Congress have to catch up.  Instead of giving subsidies to oil companies who are making multi-billion dollar profits, they need to start investing in the future.

Do I think we will see solar power become a big industry in Texas?  YES!!!  The plans the different companies were putting forth which included combining wind and solar in the same ares so that an area was used to maximum both day and night made lots of sense even to a none science person like me.   One of the biggest problems facing solar companies in Texas is there is no standardization in the electric industry in Texas.  Each electric district has their own coupling or linking systems and with solar on businesses and homes you have to have a way for solar to override or tie into the current power system as well as feed back into it.  

I never realized that extra power your home or business generates from solar has to be bought from you by the local power company.  In Germany, the government set prices at which the power companies had to buy solar power from individuals and guaranteed it for 20 years.  That is something which needs to be done here.  A typical German customer who also has solar power panels on their home gets a power bill and a check from the power company each month.  Germany, which is the leader in solar power in the world, has the natural solar out put of Montana.  

Solar power as well as Wind power is the wave of the future along with other renewable energies.  Texas has a chance to be first in the nation or be an importer.  Which do you think we should strive for?

Sorry this is not more wonkish but I am scientifically challenged. LOL

I wrote last week about Safe Schools: National Day of Silence April 25th  I would like to share a little more about the day and the rally I attended at the Texas State Capital to break the silence.

Young people across America went to school and did not speak on National Day of Silence to bring attention to the silence that is heard from teachers, parents, school administrations, elected officials, and students about the ongoing problem of bullying in our schools.

Crossposted @Cross posted @ Daily Kos, Texas Kaos, Doing My Part For The Left

The National Day of Silence brings attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools. This year’s event will be held in memory of Lawrence King, a California 8th-grader who was shot and killed Feb. 12 by a classmate because of his sexual orientation and gender expression. Hundreds of thousands of students will come together on April 25 to encourage schools and classmates to address the problem of anti-LGBT behavior.

At 4:30 pm students from several Austin high schools, their friends and allies started arriving at the south steps of the capital to break the Silence.  The featured speakers from such groups as TACT(Transgender Advocates of Central Texas), PFLAG(Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians & Gays), Equality Texas, and many other groups were there to show their support for the brave teenagers.

The most heart moving moment was when a young transgender woman spoke about how we all say “Not  In My Town” when we hear of violence and evil.

She was on her way to work on the morning of February 12th when she heard a news story of a 8th grader being killed in California.  As time went by the story was elaborated on and it turned out Lawrence King had been shot and killed by a fellow classmate in class for being gay.   The most shocking part for this young lady was that the killing happened in her hometown.  She had always been able to say ” Not in my town” but now it had happened in her town.  The time for silence was over and she would never be able to say “Not In My Town” until we could say “Not In Any Town”.  

Many of the students also told of their day in school and what type of reception they received from their classmates and teachers.  There were stories of taunts and jeers as well as support and cheers.  The most impressive thing was that each of the students, no matter their experience, said they would continue to observe the National Day of Silence as well as speak out loudly for change the other 364 days of the year.  

For an older gay male standing listening to these brave young people, it was one of the most heart warming experiences I have ever had.  Here are young people doing what could never have been done back when I was 15. Many of the students could not speak or be on camera as they are not out to parents but it was not only GLBT students but also their straight allies who were there supporting them.  

After talking several of the teenagers into talking at the open mike, I also shared some of my thoughts with the audience.  

I stand here today in awe of the young people for their bravery in speaking out against bullying and harassment.  I, also, appreciate all the allies I see supporting change and trying to make this a better world for all Americans.  

I have been involved in Civil Rights since I was 8 years old and will be 50 in November.  I cam out at the age of 15 in a small town in North Carolina and was beaten and nearly killed 3 times and could not go to the police as they probably would have finished the job.  This was before there was any such thing as a hate crime.  

I remember when I first started working for Equal Rights for the Community.  It was Gay Rights then Gay & Lesbian Rights then Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Rights then Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Rights then Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Rights and now Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Androgynous Rights.  Before long we will add so many letter we will have the whole alphabet and maybe then we will stop discrimination.

I remember Martin Luther King’s speech “I Have a Dream”  

He said “I have a dream… little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.”

I have a dream also.  I dream that one day young men and women will be able to hold hands and look into the eyes of the person they love and no once care who that person is.  We have come a long way but we have a long way to go but we will get there.

The way we make the biggest difference is speaking out and also changing the leadership in this building behind me.  We have to elect leaders who understand and care about all of their constituents and not just the status quo.  We have many great allies in the Texas Legislature but while there is a Republican majority we will always be treated as an outcast minority.  If you are not registered to vote, talk with me.   afterwards