Photos used by permission of Sal Costello, David Stall, Pam Thompson, Tatum Evers, Tom Blackwell and Marilyn Short.
Part 4 of this series is intended to be a primer for keeping the fire turned up under elected officials and for keeping the light shining on dirty, underhanded deeds. This journal is about resistence that is occurring in Texas. However, it chronicles a small segment of current day American Society. From New York to Pennsylvania to Chicago and Indiana and Colorado the same forces are operating contrary to the public good. The same lies are being told. The same tactics are being use.
There are effective ways to combat fat cats with deep pockets who are lickin' their greasy chops in anticipation of big payoffs at the expense of ordinary citizens, business men and women, farmers, ranchers, truckers and children. The battle isn't won yet in Texas but recently there have been some squirmishes which have left the fat cats ducking for cover and compliant politicans yelling about repentance and know understanding what they were doing!
RULE No. 1: My enemies enemy is my friend.
Forget about partisan differences and identify neighbors and leaders of other parties who share your distain for private/public partnerships for toll roads, secret negotiations by politicians and bureaucracies, and legislation which benefits a few at the expense of many.
RULE No. 2: Forge coalitions across party lines to encircle the wagons and get the attention of politicians.
Don't hesitate to invite people who agree with you on this (these issues) but usually oppose your position on other issues to go with you to the State Capitol to hearings and to speak with legislators. When citizens from all parties show up and say the same things, some legislators are smart enough to realize that discontent is mounting which may be large enough to unseat them when they face re-election. Even the worse transgressors, when frightened enough, tend to try to start distancing themselves from some of their bills and votes.
RULE No. 3: Don't hesitate to allow Legislators whose performance riles you the most to come on board and do right on this particular issue. You don't have to like them. You need not vote for them. You need not trust them. Let them step across the line and VOTE RIGHT on this issue. Votes count even from scoundrels.
RULE 4: Don't rely on the main stream media to get the word out. Use them when you can but develop other communication tools.
RULE 5: Share, share, share.
Share contacts, forward pertinent e-mail messages, introduce people who share common interests even if they disagree on many other things.
RULE 6: Teach, mentor, and enable.
Everyone doesn't have the same education, skills, or resources. Everyone has something to contribute. Assist, encourage, share, utilize.
RULE 7: Thank people. Thanks is fuel for the battle.
When an elected official makes a correct stand, whether in an interview, at a hearing, or by sponsoring or co-sponsoring or voting on legislation, call, write or e-mail and thank him or her. When a reporter gives fair coverage to the issue, send a thank-you stating your appreciation of the coverage. When you see others leading the charge and contributing to the effort, pat them on the back and tell others what a good job they have done for the cause.
RULE 8: Research, research, research -- verify, verify, verify -- communicate, communicate, communicate.
Email and internet allows us to link our home offices together into a virtual network. Don't hesitate to shout when you need help, are confused, or are overwhelmed. This is a relay race. One carries the torch for a leg or two while other recharge and prepare to step in for the next leg of the journey. The enemy is large with deep pockets and highly motivated by greed. Alone we are defeated. Together we are an army attracting new recruits with fresh resources and skill sets. It isn't about any one person's ego or position. It is about the welfare of humankind. We are each one voice in a mighty chorus.
Below is an Action Alert for NAIS. Tomorrow a similar Action Alert will be posted for Toll Roads. Use this as an example. Even if you are in another State, it shows you how to keep the heat turned up to change the positions of elected officials on oppressive legislation. Most of the content of this Action Alert was written by Judith McGeary of the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance.
Take Action to Get Anti-NAIS Bills Passed
There are two Anti-NAIS Bills in the Texas House of Representative.
Representative Rose filed HB 3573 which will repeal HB 1361. This is a great development in the fight against NAIS!!! More information is available on the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance website: http://farmandranchfreedom.org
You can read the bill on the State of Texas website at: http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/...
There is a very long road between getting a bill introduced and getting it made into law. Right now, the law in Texas allows the TAHC to make NAIS mandatory at any time. So we must get a bill through the House, Senate, and past the Governor's veto that changes the current law.
The committee substitute of HB 461 and HB 637 would be a big step forward by barring a mandatory program and preventing coercion from being used to force people into it. HB 3573 goes further by repealing the statute that specifically gave TAHC authority for NAIS. But even then, the NAIS issue would not be over because the bill does not stop all the problems with NAIS. In several states, agencies have implemented NAIS through their general powers to protect animal health, and used coercive methods to force people into the program. We must make sure that does not happen in Texas. Please urge your legislators to support all the anti-NAIS bills: HB 461, 637, and 3573.
There is a very long road between getting a bill introduced and getting it made into law. Right now, the law in Texas allows the TAHC to make NAIS mandatory at any time. So we must get a bill through the House, Senate, and past the Governor's veto that changes the current law.
The committee substitute of HB 461 and HB 637 would be a big step forward by barring a mandatory program and preventing coercion from being used to force people into it. HB 3573 goes further by repealing the statute that specifically gave TAHC authority for NAIS. But even then, the NAIS issue would not be over because the bill does not stop all the problems with NAIS. In several states, agencies have implemented NAIS through their general powers to protect animal health, and used coercive methods to force people into the program. We must make sure that does not happen in Texas. Please urge your legislators to support all the anti-NAIS bills: HB 461, 637, and 3573.
Take Action
- Look at the list of legislators at the end of this alert. If the Representative is a co-author of HB 461, send an email saying thank you. Be sure to put "Thank you for supporting HB 461" in the subject line of the email. And tell your Representative about the new HB 3573.
- If your Representative is not yet a co-author, call, email, or write, asking that he or she sign on to HB 461, 637, and 3573.
- Call, write, or email you Senator. Tell him or her that you want a commitment to support HB 461, 637, and 3573 if they come to the Senate.
Tell your friends and relatives to do the same!
TIPS:
Always be polite. Explain your views to the staff person or legislator concisely, and ask them for their opinion in return. Engage them in a dialogue and try to respond to the issues they raise. Offer to follow-up with more information, which we can provide. We gain nothing by antagonizing people or being rude, so remember that you can disagree politely!
In-person visits, calls, and faxed or mailed letters are the most effective methods. If you e-mail your legislator, put what you want in the subject line ("Thank you for supporting HB 461" for example). Legislators get many, many emails every day!
CONTACT INFORMATION:
The tables below include the phone number for each legislator. If you don't know who your legislator is, go to http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/ Contact your State Representative and Senator about HB 461, 637, and 3573.
Take Action NOW to HELP DEFEAT the Implementation of Mandatory Animal ID (NAIS): The three Anti-NAIS Bills currently before the Texas Legislature are HB 461, HB 637 and HB 3573.
To email a Texas State Representative: firstname.lastname@house.state.tx.us.
Their mailing addresss and local phone numbers are shown at http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/...
Representatives who have NOT yet co-authored an Anti-NAIS bill
Please ask the Representatives listed below to sign on to HB 461, 637, and 3573!
District Name Austin Phone No.
1 Stephen Frost (512) 463-0692
2 Dan Flynn (512) 463-0880
7 Tommy Merritt (512) 463-0750
14 Fred Brown (512) 463-0698
15 Rob Eissler (512) 463-0797
16 Brandon Creighton (512) 463-0726
20 Dan Gattis (512) 463-0309
22 Joe Deshotel (512) 463-0662
23 Craig Eiland (512) 463-0502
24 Larry Taylor (512) 463-0729
25 Dennis Bonnen (512) 463-0564
27 Dora Olivo (512) 463-0494
30 Geanie Morrison (512) 463-0456
32 Juan Garcia (512) 463-0672
33 Solomon Ortiz (512) 463-0484
37 Rene Oliveira (512) 463-0640
38 Eddie Lucio III (512) 463-0606
39 Armando Martinez (512) 463-0530
42 Richard Raymond (512) 463-0558
44 Edmund Kuempel (512) 463-0602
46 Dawnna Dukes (512) 463-0506
47 Valinda Bolton (512) 463-0652
48 Donna Howard (512) 463-0631
49 Elliot Naishtat (512) 463-0668
50 Mark Strama (512) 463-0821
51 Eddie Rodriguez (512) 463-0674
52 Mike Krusee (512) 463-0670
53 Harvey Hilderbran (512) 463-0536
55 Dianne White (512) 463-0630
57 Jim Dunnam (512) 463-0508
63 Tan Parker (512) 463-0688
65 Burt Solomons (512) 463-0478
66 Brian McCall (512) 463-0594
67 Jerry Madden (512) 463-0544
68 Rick Hardcastle (512) 463-0526
69 David Farabee (512) 463-0534
70 Ken Paxton (512) 463-0356
72 Drew Darby 463-0331
75 "Chente" Quintanilla (512) 463-0613
76 Norma Chavez (512) 463-0622
77 Paul Moreno (512) 463-0638
78 Pat Haggerty (512) 463-0728
79 Joe Pickett (512) 463-0596
82 Tom Craddick (512) 463-1000
84 Carl Isett (512) 463-0676
86 John T. Smithee (512) 463-0702
87 David Swinford (512) 463-0470
88 Warren Chisum (512) 463-0736
89 Jodie Laubenberg (512) 463-0186
90 Lon Burnam (512) 463-0740
91 Kelly Hancock (512) 463-0599
92 Todd Smith (512) 463-0522
93 Paula Pierson (512) 463-0562
95 Marc Veasey (512) 463-0716
96 Bill Zedler (512) 463-0374
97 Anna Mowery (512) 463-0608
98 Vicki Truitt (512) 463-0690
99 Charlie Geren (512) 463-0610
100 Terri Hodge (512) 463-0586
101 Thomas Latham (512) 463-0464
102 Tony Goolsby (512) 463-0454
103 Rafael Anchia (512) 463-0746
104 Roberto Alonzo (512) 463-0408
106 Kirk England (512) 463-0694
107 Allen Vaught (512) 463-0244
108 Dan Branch (512) 463-0367
109 Helen Giddings (512) 463-0953
110 Barbara Caraway (512) 463-0664
111 Yvonne Davis (512) 463-0598
112 Fred Hill (512) 463-0486
113 Joe Driver (512) 463-0574
114 Will Hartnett (512) 463-0576
115 Jim Jackson (512) 463-0468
116 Trey Fischer (512) 463-0616
118 Joe Farias (512) 463-0714
119 Robert Puente (512) 463-0452
120 Ruth McClendon (512) 463-0708
121 Joe Straus (512) 463-0686
122 Frank Corte, Jr. (512) 463-0646
123 Michael Villarreal (512) 463-0532
124 Jose Menendez (512) 463-0634
125 Joaquin Castro (512) 463-0669
128 Wayne Smith (512) 463-0733
129 John Davis (512) 463-0734
130 Corbin Van Arsdale (512) 463-0661
131 Alma Allen (512) 463-0744
134 Ellen Cohen (512) 463-0389
135 Gary Elkins (512) 463-0722
136 Beverly Woolley (512) 463-0696
137 Scott Hochberg (512) 463-0492
139 Sylvester Turner (512) 463-0554
141 Senfronia Thompson (512) 463-0720
142 Harold Dutton (512) 463-0510
143 Ana E. Hernandez (512) 463-0614
145 Rick Noriega (512) 463-0732
146 Borris Miles (512) 463-0518
147 Garnet Coleman (512) 463-0524
148 Jessica Farrar (512) 463-0620
149 Hubert Vo (512) 463-0568
150 Debbie Riddle (512) 463-0572
Representatives who have authored/co-authored HB 461
Please send them an email saying "Thank you!" Put in the subject line of your email: "Thank you for supporting HB 461"
District Name Austin Phone No
3 Mark Homer (512) 463-0650
4 Betty Brown (512) 463-0458
5 Bryan Hughes (512) 463-0271
6 Leo Berman (512) 463-0584
8 Byron Cook (512) 463-0730
9 Wayne Christian (512) 463-0556
10 Jim Pitts (512) 463-0516
(co-author on HB 637)
11 Chuck Hopson (512) 463-0592
12 Jim McReynolds (512) 463-0490
13 Lois W. Kolkhorst (512) 463-0600
17 Robby Cook (512) 463-0682
18 John Otto (512) 463-0570
19 Mike Hamilton (512) 463-0412
21 Allan Ritter (512) 463-0706
26 Charlie Howard (512) 463-0710
28 John Zerwas (512) 463-0657
29 Mike O'Day (512) 463-0707
31 Ryan Guillen (512) 463-0416
34 Abel Herrero (512) 463-0462
35 Yvonne Toureilles (512) 463-0645
36 Kino Flores (512) 463-0704
40 Aaron Pena (512) 463-0426
41 Veronica Gonzales (512) 463-0578
43 Juan Escobar (512) 463-0666
45 Patrick M. Rose) (512) 463-0647 (author of HB 3573)
54 Jimmie Aycock (512) 463-0684
56 Charles Anderson (512) 463-0135
58 Rob Orr (512) 463-0538
59 Sid Miller (512) 463-0628
60 Jim Keffer (512) 463-0656
61 Phil King (512) 463-0738
62 Larry Phillips (512) 463-0297
64 Myra Crownover (512) 463-0582
71 Susan King (512) 463-0718
73 Nathan Macias (512) 463-0325
74 Pete Gallego (512) 463-0566
80 Tracy O. King (512) 463-0194
81 G.E. Buddy West (512) 463-0546
83 Delwin Jones (512) 463-0542
85 Joe Heflin (512) 463-0604
94 Diane Patrick (512) 463-0624
105 Linda Harper-Brown (512) 463-0641
117 David Leibowitz (512) 463-0269
126 Patricia Harless (512) 463-0496
127 Joe Crabb (512) 463-0520
132 Bill Callegari (512) 463-0528
133 Jim Murphy (512) 463-0514
138 Dwayne Bohac (512) 463-0727
140 Kevin Bailey (512) 463-0924
144 Robert Talton (512) 463-0460
Contact Your Senator
Below is a list of all of the Texas State Senators. If you don't know who your legislator is, go to http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/
You can find their mailing address and local phone numbers at http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/...
Their email address is: firstname.lastname@senate.state.tx.us.
District, Name, Austin Phone No.
1 Kevin Eltife 463-0101
2 Bob Deuell 463-0102
3 Robert Nichols 463-0103
4 Tommy Williams 463-0104
5 Steve Ogden 463-0105
6 Mario Gallegos 463-0106
7 Dan Patrick 463-0107
8 Florence Shapiro 463-0108
9 Chris Harris 463-0109
10 Kim Brimer 463-0110
11 Mike Jackson 463-0111
12 Jane Nelson 463-0112
13 Rodney Ellis 463-0113
14 Kirk Watson 463-0114
15 John Whitmire 463-0115
16 John J. Carona 463-0116
17 Kyle Janek 463-0117
18 Glenn Hegar 463-0118
19 Carlos Uresti 463-0119
20 Juan Hinojosa 463-0120
21 Judith Zaffirini 463-0121
22 Kip Averitt 463-0122
23 Royce West 463-0123
24 Troy Fraser 463-0124
25 Jeff Wentworth 463-0125
26 Leticia Van de Putte 463-0126
27 Eddie Lucio 463-0127
28 Robert Duncan 463-0128
29 Eliot Shapleigh 463-0129
30 Craig Estes 463-0130
31 Kel Seliger 463-0131
Special Thanks to Judith McGeary of the Farm and Ranch Alliance for most of the content of this post.