NO OPD MEETING THIS THURSDAY!

The Michael Pollan program at the Progressive Forum conflicts with our meeting so we are rescheduling and relocating it...

RESCHEDULED:  LAST OPD MEETING OF THE YEAR

Sun, Nov 13, 5:30pm, Central Market meeting room, 3815 Westheimer, Houston, TX  77027

We don't have a speaker.  Instead we'll be chowing down on the great food options at Central Market, hoisting a couple of brews (or glasses), and...oh yeah, nominating officers for 2012 (hint: if you haven't paid your dues yet for 2011, you can't be nominated).  We'll probably hash out the results of the 2011 elections and gripe about Texas politics, too.  Now is a GREAT time to think about coming over and writing a check for your 2012 dues AND planning to participate more in 2012 with the most unique Democratic club in Harris County (as founder John Preston likes to put it, we're the Democratic equivalent of Log Cabin Republicans).

We've got big plans for 2012 (Dem convention in June, fundraising, etc.), but we need your precious warm bodies to implement them.  As a starter, how about cleaning out your bookcase of all the detritus you've collected over the years, taking it down to Half Price Books, selling it, and bringing the proceeds to this meeting as a donation (on TOP of your membership dues!) to give us a leg up for all the money we plan to give to State Democratic candidates in 2012???

EARLY VOTING STARTED THIS WEEK, ENDS NOV 4

Early Voting for the November 8, 2011 elections began Monday, October 24, and runs through Friday, November 4. Here are a few things you should know before heading to the polls.

1.      You don't need a photo ID to vote in this election. T he photo voter ID bill that passed the legislature last session has not been pre-cleared by the Department of Justice and has not gone into effect.  All you need is your voter registration certificate or any of the many other acceptable forms of ID under current election law (listed here:  http://www.votexas.org/need_id.html).

2.      The last day to apply for a ballot by mail is November 1, 2011.  More information about voting by mail can be found at:  http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/voter/reqabbm.shtml or at HarrisVotes (see 5, below).

3.      Texas Constitutional Amendments will be on all ballots.  You can read explanations of each amendment here:  http://www.votexas.org/exp-statements-2011.html.  For what it's worth to you, the Texas AFT (American Federation of Teachers) recommendations are listed at the end of this email.

4.      The nonpartisan League of Women Voter's Voter Guide for all positions can be found here: http://www.lwvhouston.org/pdfs/10_10/VG_Gen_10_WEB.pdf.

5.      Go to HarrisVotes.Org to find early voting locations and other necessary informatio: http://harrisvotes.org/.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

We've begun discussing our Energy Caucus at the 2012 Democratic Convention, to be held here in Houston in early June.  If you have good ideas for authoritative speakers on fracking, global warming/climate change, and alternative energy, we'd like to hear them.  If you'd like to help plan our caucus, we'd REALLY like to hear from you. We've gotten a couple of ideas, but we need more (especially highly visible local or nationally recognized speakers on those subjects).  Email Donna at schpinna@yahoo.com with your 2 cents worth and put CAUCUS! in the subject line.

*FRIENDLY MEMBERSHIP REMINDERS*

Did you move?  Change your phone or email address?  Please email oilpatchdems@gmail.com with your updated information.

NOW IS THE TIME TO PAY YOUR 2012 DUES!  Dues are $25 per person/$10-Reduced/Student.  If you are not able to attend the next meeting, you can mail your check to Jim Cargas at 2450 Louisiana St. #400-333, Houston, TX  77006 (make your check payable to OPD-PAC), OR go online to our ActBlue site:  https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/entity/18607.  Be sure to put in the correct amount for membership, or if you're contributing more than the membership, just email Jim Cargas to let him know your contribution includes a membership.

 *TEXAS AFT LEGISLATIVE HOTLINE

MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2011

Voting Begins on Ten State Constitutional Amendments*

The Texas Constitution of 1876 is an unwieldy, often anachronistic document that has been amended nearly 500 times. The legislature this year put ten more amendments on the ballot for voters' consideration in the November 8 general election, for which early voting begins today and runs through November 4.

The Hotline has previously reported on the problematic Proposition 6, authorizing increased withdrawals from the state trust fund for the public schools, the Permanent School Fund. (See http://texasaftblog.com/hotline/?p=1349 [http://texasaftblog.com/hotline/?p=1349 ] for our explanation of how the ballot language for Proposition 6 fails to tell the whole story behind this amendment.)

For further guidance on the ten ballot propositions, we commend to your attention the recommendations (see below) of the Texas AFL-CIO executive board, on which Texas AFT and its local affiliates have substantial representation. (For the Texas AFL-CIO to take a position for or against an amendment requires a two-thirds vote of the executive board.) 

Here are those recommendations: 

Proposition 1 (Property Exemptions for Surviving Spouses of Disabled Veterans) – Yes

Proposition 2 (Water Development Fund Bonds) – Yes

Proposition 3 (Bonds to Finance Educational Loans) – Yes

Proposition 4 (County Bonds for "Unproductive, Underdeveloped or Blighted" Areas) – No recommendation

Proposition 5 (Interlocal Contracts Between Cities and Counties) – Yes

Proposition 6 (Increases Amount of Principal Withdrawn From Permanent School Fund) – No

Proposition 7 (Authorizes El Paso County to Create Conservation and Reclamation Districts) – No recommendation

Proposition 8 (Taxation of Open Space Land Devoted to Water Stewardship) – No recommendation

Proposition 9 (Authorizes Governor to Pardon Persons Who Complete Deferred Adjudication) – Yes

Proposition 10 (Extends Length of Unexpired Term Triggering Automatic Resignation When Certain Officials Announce for Other Offices) – Yes

If you would like to take an in-depth look at the pros and cons of all ten constitutional amendments before you vote, we encourage you to check out the report of the Texas House Research Organization at:http://www.hro.house.state.tx.us/pdf/focus/amend82.pdf [ http://www.hro.house.state.tx.us/pdf/focus/amend82.pdf ].

--
Oilpatch Democrats
 www.oilpatchdemocrats.com

Meetings: 4th Thursday of every month,
7pm, HCDP headquarters, 1445 N. Loop W., Suite 110, Houston, 77008

OPD Newsletter 21 September 2011

OPD WORKING ON IDEAS FOR JUNE 2012 CONVENTION CAUCUS

THIS THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 6:30 meet & greet for munchables, 7pm meeting, HCDP headquarters, 1445 N. Loop W., Suite 110, Houston, 77008

For the last couple of months, we’ve been discussing our Energy Caucus at the 2012 Democratic Convention, to be held here in Houston in early June.  We’ll continue the discussion this Thursday—

•      If you have good ideas for authoritative speakers on fracking, global warming/climate change, and alternative energy, we'd like to hear from you at this meeting (or email Donna at schpinna@yahoo.com, putting CAUCUS in the subject line, if you can’t come to the meeting).  If you'd like to help plan or work our caucus, we REALLY need to hear from you and/or meet you.

We’ll also be discussing an action item recently posed by Jim Rine—sending copies of the book "Hot" by Mart Hertsgaard (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/06/books/review/Stephenson-t.html ) to Mayor Parker and Judge Emmett with the hope that they might become more proactive with climate change issues in Houston and Harris County.

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TAR SANDS HEARINGS NEXT WEEK

From our friends at Texas Drought Project: "…the decision on the Canada-to-Texas Tar Sands pipeline is critical to the future of the planet, and citizens across the continent are weighing in, hoping to persuade President Obama to deny the permit. Two very important hearings will be held in Texas in the next ten days--first, in Port Arthur, then in Austin. It is vital that you attend one or more of these hearings to make your voice heard.

"Eminent climatologist Dr. James Hansen believes that the Tar Sands mining, refining, and subsequent emissions represent "game over" for the effort to stem climate change.The Alberta Tar Sands are larger than Saudi Arabia in size, and emit three to four times more greenhouse gases than conventional crude. The process is also water-intensive, with two barrels of water being discarded in toxic pools for every barrel produced. Additionally, those who claim that this will help put the US on the road to energy independence are being duped; the Gulf Coast will be a portal for international shipping, but it will not be used domestically. Nor will the state or the country benefit from added tax revenue from the effort; the refinery is in an international free trade zone, exempt from US taxes.

"It's a lose-lose proposition, and we are the biggest loser…

"The date and location of the hearings are as follows:

Port Arthur, Texas—Monday, September 26th, 2011 4:30PM to 10:00PM, Bob Bower Civic Center, 2011 Cultural Center Drive

You can read more on Facebook, network with like-minded friends, and sign up to receive updates:   http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=168395876573490

Austin, Texas—Wednesday, September 28th, 12:00PM to 8:00PM, LBJ Auditorium, 2313 Red River Street

You can also join with this group of attendees on Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=233052136742613"

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IN DEFENSE OF THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION & DOE ON SOLYNDRA SOLAR

From Jim Cargas, our General Counsel and PAC Treasurer:

"As a former Clinton appointee to the US Department of Energy, I can affirm that commercialization of technologies developed with US taxpayer funds is a great challenge, but not for the nefarious reasons stated in the media.  DOE is very sophisticated -- it contains our national labs after all.  If a technology offers low risk and high return, then the private sector commercializes it and makes a profit.  Done.  However, if the technology is high risk or presents a marginal return on investment but has some non-monetary environmental or social benefit, private investors (i.e. banks, angels, hedge funds, multi-national energy companies, etc.) will not touch it.  When Bill Richardson was Secretary of Energy, we coined the term "bleeding edge technology" due to the significant potential for financial loss.  The private sector, and the insurance companies that they can shift their risk to, stay away from the bleeding edge and continue to use inefficient but reliable technologies.

"One role of government is to step-in where the free market system fails.  DOE does this by assuming the risk the private sector will not with loan guarantees.  The Office of Fossil Energy, where I served, calculated that if 4 out of 10 commercializations succeed, the overall program would be a financial success.  It is in the public interest to take that first step onto the bleeding edge -- especially if a more environmentally benign technology is involved.  Once the first instance becomes a proven success due to a government sponsored pilot program, the private sector, and its investors and insurers, will step in and embrace the new technology.  Only then does it get the label "cutting edge" and become commercialized.

"During my tenure at DOE, I had the privilege of learning from research managers at DARPA who conduct the most risky government research in the world.  Their failure rate is very high, but the payoffs, like airplane and submarine stealth and the internet, pay huge dividends for the Defense Department and the taxpayer.  They are also very strict about de-funding a project if the probability of success gets too low. Perhaps, the only thing the current DOE may have been guilty of was not pulling the plug sooner. Deciding when to cut losses is always a difficult task.

"Government is not the private sector, and should not be compared to it.  The American public needs to accept some failure to gain its long term goals.  Let's hear about all the billions in successful loans made by DOE and how they far outweigh the disappointment of Solyndra."

—Jim Cargas

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JOHNSON-RAYBURN-RICHARDS DINNER FEATURES REP. STENY HOYER

Sat, Oct 22, Bayou City Events Center, 9401 Knight Road, Houston 77045, 6pm VIP Reception, 7pm Dinner & Program

OPD would like to put together at least one table, if not more, for HCDP's most important annual fundraiser.  Please go to http://www.hcdp.org/get-involved/jrr2011/ to buy your tickets and be sure to indicate you're sitting with OPD.  And email Donna at schpinna@yahoo.com to ensure she knows you're a'comin'.

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*FRIENDLY MEMBERSHIP REMINDERS*

Did you move?  Change your phone?  Have a different e-mail address?  Please e-mail oilpatchdems@gmail.com with your updated information.

Have you paid your dues, or do you want to make a donation to the club or to the PAC?  Dues are $25 per person/$10/Reduced/Student.  If you are not able to attend the next meeting, you can mail your check to Jim Cargas at 2450 Louisiana St. #400-333, Houston, TX  77006 (make your check payable to OPD-PAC), OR go online to our ActBlue site:  https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/entity/18607.  Be sure to put in the correct amount for membership, or if you're contributing more than the membership, just email Jim Cargas to let him know your contribution includes a membership.

March OPD Newsletter

OPD MEETING DATE THIS MONTH IS MARCH 31 (not our regular meeting date)

Thurs, Mar 31, 6:30 meet & munch, 7pm business meeting, 8pm program, HCDP headquarters, 1445 N. Loop W., Suite 110, Houston, 77008

Former Texas Congressional Representative and candidate for Houston City Council, Ellen Cohen, will brief OPD on the 82nd Legislature and lead a discussion of municipal issues important to OPD members.

Remember that 2011 dues are now due. See wayyyyy below for where to pay up and how much.

UPCOMING MEETINGS: SAVE THE DATES

Note the next meeting will also not be on our regular meeting night:

· Tues, Apr 26—OPD will host an HCDP Evening Brown Bag featuring Matt Tejada, Executive Director of Air Alliance Houston, who will talk about the current status of the Houston region’s air quality as well as upcoming changes to regulations. This includes the state Sunset Review of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, EPA permitting for greenhouse gases, and reform of the Toxic Substances Control Act.

OTHER STUFF

MEETING OF CITIZENS TRANSPORTATION COALITION

Thurs, Mar 24, 7pm, Rice Lofts, Downtown

George Greanias, new METRO president and CEO, will provide the keynote talk, sharing his experience leading the transformation of a sometimes embattled agency and will update us on METRO's urban light rail expansion and the availability of federal transit funds. Greanias will be joined by Christof Spieler, an engineer and long-time transit advocate who was named to METRO's board in March 2010. Prior to joining METRO, Christof served 4 years on CTC's board, and he will contrast his experience advocating for high-quality transit from outside and inside the agency.

HOUSTON GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY LUNCHEON

Wed, Mar 30, 11:30am-1pm, Petroleum Club of Houston, 800 Bell St., 43rd Floor, Houston TX 77002

Contact Jim Rine if you’d like to join his party (see his contact information at the end of this email). Speakers Wayne Kelley and Richard Bishop (CEO and Exec Director of RSK, respectively) will discuss Economic Limits to Oil Supply: a Non-Hubbert Curve View. Go to http://www.hgs.org/en/calendarevents/v/1300/.

GET READY FOR 2012—BE A DEPUTY VOTER REGISTRAR

The Harris County Tax Office has scheduled four more training sessions for volunteer deputy voter registrars, all in April. All the classes last 1 hour and begin promptly at the stated time.

• April 2 (Saturday)—Crosby branch of the Harris County Public Library, 135 Hare Road, Crosby 77532. The session will begin promptly at 10:35 am.

• April 9 (Saturday)—Octavia Fields branch of the Harris County Public Library, 1503 South Houston, Humble 77338—11:05 am.

• April 12 (Tuesday)—Tracy Gee Community Center, 3599 Westcenter Drive , Houston 77042—11:05 am.

• April 30 (Saturday)—Tomball College and Community Library, 30555 Tomball Parkway, Tomball 77375—10:45 am.

If you are unable to attend any of the sessions, and wish to renew your certification, please fill out a renewal form on the Tax Office website www.hctvoter.net and mail the form to Marty Morrison, Harris County Tax Office 1001 Preston Suite 200, Houston, Texas 77002. You may contact Marty Morrison at 713-368-2323. Training for new or renewing registrars is available online. Go to http://www.hctax.net/Voter/Deputy/acknowledge.aspx. Read the material there, acknowledge your responsibility to follow the rules, and click on the “I agree” button to access the newest material and applications for appointment as a volunteer deputy voter registrar.

PROGRESSIVE FORUM 2011 SPEAKER SERIES

Tickets are sold only through the PF website (http://www.progressiveforumhouston.org/) and by phone at 832-251-0706 any day 9:00 am to 9:00 pm. If you have any problems purchasing your tickets online, please call the help desk at the box office at 888-695-0888. Contact The Progressive Forum office at any time at 713-664-0020 or email toinfo@progressiveforumhouston.org. For the hearing impaired, free headsets are available from the ushers.

Dr. Sylvia Earle, Premier Oceanographer, "Sustainable Seas: The Vision and the Reality"—Tues, Apr 5, 7:30 pm, Wortham Center, Cullen Theater

Called “Her Deepness” by The New Yorker and The New York Times, Dr. Sylvia Earle is widely acclaimed as the most important advocate for research and protection of the world’s seas. Her appearance is timely when much of the evidence should be in after the BP oil spill disaster. Formerly chief scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Earle is explorer-in-residence at National Geographic. She is one of the world’s great adventurers, she has spent over 6,000 hours under the sea and still holds the record for the deepest untethered solo dive. She was the first Time magazine “Hero for the Planet” in 1998. She is a Library of Congress “Living Legend,” a member of the National Women’s Hall of Fame, and the 2009 TED Award winner. She is the author of over 100 publications on marine science and technology including her books Sea Change (1995) and Wild Ocean (1999). Her presentation will include a big-screen audio-visual experience. She will greet fans and sign books at the end of the evening.

Michael Pollan, Bestselling Author—Thurs, Oct 27, 7:30 pm, Wortham Center, Cullen Theater

Presented in Association with Urban Harvest. One of the top ten “New Thought Leaders” named by Newsweek, Michael Pollan is leading the American conversation about the places where the human and natural worlds intersect: food, agriculture, and gardens. He is the author of the bestsellers In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto and The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals which was named one of the ten best books of 2006 by The New York Times. In 2009, PBS broadcast a 2-hour documentary based on another bestseller, The Botany of Desire. His most recent book, Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual, was an immediate No. 1 New York Times bestseller upon publication at the end of 2009. Pollan was the narrator of the Oscar nominated documentary, Food, Inc. He will sign books and greet fans at the end of the evening.

PROGRESSIVE FORUM NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT

Progressive Forum has supported us by coming out to talk to us, so please keep voices of real answers coming to Houston by donating to PF! PF depends on us for essential cash flow; ticket sales cover only half the event costs. This is the only time this year PF asks for our support. PF is America's only civic speaker organization dedicated expressly to progressive values. It's more important than ever! Donate by:

- Clicking on donation: https://http://secure.pledgeconnect.com/donation.aspx?pfhouston

- Send a check to PO Box 1722, Bellaire, TX 77402-1722

- Call 713-664-0020 to make a credit card donation

FRIENDLY MEMBERSHIP REMINDERS

Did you move? Change your phone or have a different e-mail address? Please e-mailoilpatchdems@gmail.com with your updated information.

Have you paid your dues, or do you want to make a donation to the club or to the PAC? Dues are $25.00 per person/$10.00 Reduced/Student. If you are not able to attend the next meeting, you can mail your check to Jim Cargas at 2450 Louisiana St. #400-333, Houston, TX 77006 (make your check payable to OPD-PAC), OR go online to our ActBlue site: https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/entity/18607. Be sure to put in the correct amount for membership, or if you're contributing more than the membership, just email Jim Cargas to let him know your contribution includes a membership. Actually, since the provider charges us 3.5% to use this great tool, a little extra would be a good idea.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CONTACTS

Do you have any ideas for speakers, events, fundraisers, working meetings, etc.? Contact one or all of the Executive Committee—

Donna Hackemack Bryant (President)—schpinna@yahoo.com

Jim Rine (Vice President)—jmrine@hotmail.com

Bruce Menke (Treasurer)—kbmenke@earthlink.net

Jim Cargas (Secretary/General Counsel, PAC Treasurer)—jcargas@aol.com

--
Oilpatch Democrats
www.oilpatchdemocrats.com

Meetings: 4th Thursday of every month,
7pm, HCDP headquarters, 1445 N. Loop W., Suite 110, Houston, 77008

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