Washington County Texas Democrats

Discuss Health Care Reform

2009-08-19T13:38:00.000-07:00

This is your place to discuss Health Care Reform. What do you think? Add a comment below.

HB 1893: Letter to the Editor by George Dillingham

2009-04-17T10:53:00.000-07:00

Two years ago on this infamous date, April 16th , a deranged student went on a deadly rampage at Virginia Tech University killing 32 people and wounding 17 others. Since that tragic event there has been continuous public discussion and inquiry concerning what went wrong at Virginia Tech and what society and universities can do to prevent this type of attack in the future.

Currently there is a proposed bill before the House of Representatives in the Texas legislature (H.B. No. 1893) that was conceived by its proponents as a rather crude attempt to prevent a Virginia Tech type of tragedy in Texas and to further advance the usage of concealed handguns in Texas.

The proposed HB 1893 Bill provides that a person who is licensed to carry a concealed handgun can, without restriction, carry a concealed handgun into classrooms of both public and private universities.

This proposed bill reads as follows:

A license holder may carry a concealed handgun on or about the license holder’s person while the license holder is on the campus of an institution of higher education or private or independent institution of higher education in this state.

The bill further provides as follows:

An institution of higher education or private or independent institution of higher education in this state may not adopt any rule, regulation, or other provision prohibiting license holders from carrying handguns on the campus of the institution.

This legislation is undoubtedly promoted by the National Rifle Association (NRA) and other proponents of unrestricted usage of weapons. The National Rifle Association is a highly visible, well organized, and well funded special interest group that is relentless in applying political pressure to achieve their ends. Without question, many elected representatives in the Texas legislature who support this bill are heavily influenced by the NRA and their followers.

I feel confident that there are many citizens in Texas who would object to having guns in college classrooms if they were made aware of this pending legislation. This letter is written to bring to the attention of the local community what is actually going on under the big top in Austin.

Rational people certainly might questions whether a law allowing handguns in college classrooms would create more problems than it is intended to solve. I would hate to be the college professor who gave a failing grade to an aggressive gun toting student. Of course, the same professor might feel more secure in a freshman class since most freshmen are not yet 21 years of age, the current age requirement to obtain a license to carry a concealed handgun. A well organized mass killer might also be aware that a freshman class would offer an easier mark for their bloody endeavors. Do we want gun “protection” in the classroom for seniors but not freshmen?

I was a student at the University of Texas in 1966 when a highly trained marksman named Charles Whitman, picked off students with a high powered rifle from the Tower of the U.T. administrative building. Every student on the University of Texas Campus could have been armed with a handgun that day and they would have been unable to deter the deranged killer, Whitman.

What we don’t need on campus is the NRA inspired vision of the recreation of the gunfight at O.K. corral. What we do need is increased trained security and law enforcement personnel on campus. If Texas legislators directed their efforts to that end, society would be better served than by leaving the safety of innocent students to a group of vigilantes whose modest training in the use of handguns apparently qualifies them for the role of defenders of the universe.

Please contact your state representative and express your opinion as soon as possible.

George Dillingham
Brenham, Texas

Democratic Election Night Celebration

2008-10-30T10:30:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday November 4th, election day, there will be a big Democratic celebration held at the Washington County Democratic headquarters starting at 7:00 P.M. immediately after the polls close. Food and drinks will be provided by the Democratic Club. The Democratic Club is also providing a big screen T.V. to view the election returns. All Democrats and their families are invited.

The Washington County Democratic headquarters is located in the Atrium building at 105 E. Main St. immediately across the street from the Washington County courthouse. Parking is available around the courthouse and behind the Atrium building in the city parking lot. If you have any questions please call the Democratic headquarters at (979) 277-9690

Early Voting Information for Washington County

2008-10-23T08:31:00.000-07:00

Twelve days of early voting for the November 4th 2008 General Presidential Election.

Location: Courthouse Annex, 100 S Park St, Brenham, (Downtown, Across from the Courthouse)

MondayOctober 20: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Tuesday, October 21: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Wednesday, October 22 : 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Thursday, October 23: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Friday, October 24: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Saturday, October 25: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm (4 hrs)
Sunday, October 26: 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm (3 hrs)
Monday, October 27: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Tuesday, October 28: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Wednesday, October 29: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Thursday, October 30: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Friday, October 31: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

WashingtonWashington County Democrats Hold Campaign Kickoff Banquet

2008-10-09T12:50:00.000-07:00

Washington County Democrats celebrated Labor Day with a campaign kickoff banquet. Approximately 300 people, including some from surrounding counties, were at the Blinn College Student Center to hear an array of Democratic candidates for local, area and state offices.

Firing up the crowd with his humorous country style was congressional candidate Larry Joe Doherty. Larry Joe is opposing Republican incumbent Michael McCaul for the 10th District seat, which includes Washington County. During his speech, Doherty criticized McCaul for his connections to big oil companies and for his opposition to alternative fuel research and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program.

Also addressing the crowd was Melissa Noriega, wife of U.S. Senate candidate Rick Noriega, who is challenging incumbent John Cornyn. In addition, several judicial candidates also made appearances.

The featured speaker was State Senator Kirk Watson. Senator Watson pointed out what he considered to be obvious flaws in the Republican philosophy of government. He charged that the Republican “trickle down” economic program has been an obvious failure as evidenced by the current state of our economy. He emphasized that we need a change in economic policies that benefits the middle class and not just the wealthiest segment of our society.

Another large gathering at the Washington County Democratic headquarters is planned for election night on November 4. Please check this website for additional information on that event.

The Decline of the Middle Class Income

2008-09-06T15:04:00.000-07:00

Since 1980 when the Reagan Administration moved into Washington and instituted what Reaganites described as trickle down supply side economics, there has been a dramatic change in the relative prosperity of the middle class and the small group of very wealthy individuals who have been the primary beneficiaries of Republican economic policies. The statistics listed here clearly indicate that very little of the fruits of the economic expansion have “trickled down” to the middle class. From 1980 to the present, the fortunes of the wealthiest 1% of American have grown dramatically in both assets and income to a point that has been unmatched in this country since the age of the robber barons in the early 1900’s.

Over the 25 year period from 1980 to 2005 the median family income has increased by 18 percent. During the same period the income of this country’s wealthiest individuals has gone up 200 per cent. The financial magazine, The Economist, reports that in the United States “the gap between rich and poor is bigger than in any other advanced country.
In 1980 the income of the average CEO of an American Corporation was forty-two times the average blue collar worker’s pay. Twenty-five years later the average CEO’s compensation had climbed astronomically to 431 times the average worker’s pay.
CEO compensation increased 340 percent from 1992 to 2002, while the average employee’s pay increased only 36 percent, barely enough to keep up with inflation.
Lee Raymond, the former chairman of Exxon/Mobil, in testimony before congress declared that “we are all in this together, all over the world,” and that the drastic increase in the price of oil was due purely to supply and demand forces. We would all like be in it together with Mr. Raymond whose compensation during his tenure as chairman of Exxon/Mobil worked out to be $144,573 per day. It is fair to ask what concern does someone who is making $143,573 per day have for the severe economic problems of the average citizen that escalating oil prices have created. The Lee Raymond’s of this country are the chief beneficiaries of rising oil prices, accumulating vast wealth while the rest of humanity suffers.
During the first five years of the 21st century, it is estimated that the United States lost more than three million manufacturing jobs. Much of this loss was attributable to misguided “free trade” policies and agreements such as NAFTA that were supported by our government. In addition, many high paying jobs were outsourced to foreign countries such as India and China where large multi-national corporations could exploit cheap labor at the expense of the American worker.
According to the Pew Research Center, 59 % of workers polled believe that it’s harder to earn a decent living today than it was 20 or 30 years ago. Despite claims by big business and Wall Street concerning the benefits of globalization and unrestricted free trade, American workers can recognize the reality on main street of a rapidly declining standard of living for the average citizen.
Economist Emmanuel Saez of the University of California calculated that, even excluding capital gains, that 75% of the pre tax income growth in the so-called Bush expansion (2002-2006) went to the richest 1% of American families versus only 46% in the Clinton expansion (1993-2000). Clearly Republican economic and tax policies have had the effect of enhancing the income of the wealthiest Americans at the expense of the shrinking middle class.
Texas multi-millionaire Bernard Rapoport recently commented “I certainly don’t think that there is anything wrong in making money the right way. But when 1 percent of the population has more assets than the bottom 99 percent in a country of almost 300 million people – this means that 30,000 so-called capitalists have more combined wealth than the bottom 100 million people in these United States – there’s something wrong!”
Since 1979 real inflation adjusted hourly wages for most workers have increased by only 1% during a period when the average worker’s productivity increased 60%.

It is obvious that the long term trend for the economic well being of the average American family is in serious decline. The Democratic Party is sensitive to the severe financial squeeze that the middle class is experiencing. We do not believe that this is a nation of “whiners” as ex Republican Senator, Phil Gramm, recently claimed. We believe that the Bush tax cuts which primarily benefit the wealthiest segment of our society need to be eliminated and replaced with a tax plan that benefits the beleaguered middle class. So called “free trade” agreements that eliminate and export good high paying jobs in this country need to be reevaluated. Our trade laws and tax policies need to discourage and penalize mult-national corporations who outsource jobs to low paying third world countries. Average Americans should finally begin to realize that their best interests are not served by the Republican party. We need to wake up now before it is too late to save our rapidly disappearing middle class.

Responding to the "Energy Crisis"

2008-09-06T15:03:00.000-07:00

Recently there has been considerable discussion and political posturing concerning U.S. energy policies and the advisability of permitting increased drilling on federally owned lands both onshore and offshore. Most Americans, including many of our elected officials, have a strong tendency to ignore long term problems until evolving circumstances reach the point of a crisis. Lee Raymond, former chief executive of Exxon Mobil, in commenting on our country’s “no-action policy” stated that “by the time there is panic, people need to realize this: there is no quick-fix on this. By the time you panic, it was way too late.”

T. Boone Pickens, a legendary figure in the U.S. oil and gas industry, has proposed an innovative solution to our dependence on foreign oil through a combination of developing alternative energy sources (wind power) and powering automobiles with natural gas. Mr. Pickens solution may be difficult to implement because of the huge existing infrastructure for gasoline and diesel powered automobiles, however, he believes that we are not going to find a meaningful solution to our dependence on imported oil without a huge investment in alternate energy technologies. Boone Pickens has stated repeatedly “this is one crisis that we are not going to drill our way out of.”

Pete V. Domenici, the ranking Republican member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and a 36 year veteran of the Senate is one of the most knowledgeable people in the federal government concerning our energy policies. He recently stated “much of what we’re seeing today could have been prevented or ameliorated had we chosen to act differently.” In his opinion, “it was a bipartisan failure to act.”

According to the National Commission on Energy Policy, nearly 70% of the 21 million barrels of oil that the United States consumes every day goes for transportation, primarily for automobiles. One of the best examples of our failure to deal with our growing energy problems occurred in 1990 when a bill to raise corporate average fuel economy or CAFE failed in congress due to opposition from Detroit and traditional conservative lawmakers opposing “government intervention.” Liberal Democrats from auto making states, like Carl Levin, joined conservative Republicans such as Jesse Helms and killed the bill before congress. Knowledgeable sources indicate that we would probably be using three million barrels less of oil per day if we had passed that law.

With only 4% of the world’s population, the United States consumes nearly 25% of the world’s oil. It is clear that this type of consumption can not continue forever as developing nations such as China and India compete with the U.S. for scarce world energy resources. The billions of impoverished people in these countries desire an improved standard of living and will continue to consume an increasing percentage of the world’s finite oil supply. Long term, it is evident that we will be living with higher oil and gas prices.

What we critically need in this country is a comprehensive, effective, long range energy policy that it supported by the American people. Such a plan may very well include opening some additional federal lands for oil and gas development. It will also likely include government sponsorship and financial incentives for a variety of alternative energy sources, an increase in corporate average fuel economy standards for automobiles, and strong incentives for Americans to conserve energy. What we don’t need is simplistic solutions such as immediate calls for more drilling to be used as a politically charged panacea or magic pill for $4.00 gasoline. Our energy crisis is too critical for voters to allow themselves to be manipulated in the heat of a political campaign and find at the end of the game that congress and the next President have failed us again in leading our nation toward a real solution to our problems.

Larry Joe Doherty - U.S. Congress District 10

2008-09-06T13:46:00.000-07:00

Long before he was ever chosen to start in the TV show Texas Justice, Larry Joe Doherty made a name for himself as the lawyer who sued other lawyers – holding accountable some of the most powerful lawyers who abused the system and cheated their clients.

Today, Larry Joe Doherty is running for Congress to ensure the rule of law applies equally to everyone and root out the corruption that puts the special interests ahead of ordinary working families.

If you’re ready to make a change from the failed leadership of the past and get serious about turning our economy around, increasing our independence from foreign oil and passing real health care reform, then support Larry Joe Doherty for United States Congress in the 10th Congressional District.

Claim America’s energy independence
Our over-reliance on fossil fuels from the Middle East threatens not only our national security, it hurts working families struggling to keep up with gas prices. Larry Joe Doherty wants to stop oil company giveaways, develop sensible, clean alternative fuel sources, and expand wind power and ethanol programs to take advantage of the resources with which we’re blessed.

Affordable healthcare for working families
“We don’t have a national system of healthcare, we have a system of insurance companies that don’t care,” explains Larry Joe Doherty. And it’s the middle-class, working Texans who pay the price. America spends 50% more on healthcare than countries that provide healthcare as a natural right of citizenship, but our citizens are no healthier. In Congress, Larry Joe will fix the loopholes in the Medicare prescription drug program and work to create insurance systems that let all Americans share the risks of catastrophic healthcare costs.

Create more opportunity through higher education
A college degree is the ticket to opportunity, and Larry Joe Doherty will fight for more grants, scholarships and low-interest loans to make sure every Texan has a chance to reach higher.

Protect landowner rights
The government seizure of private property to enrich private special interests is an assault on our constitutional principles. It is an insult to common sense. The Trans-Texas Corridor plan undermines principles of Due Process. The TTC’s destructive impact on open space and our precious water supplies have not even been considered. It must be stopped before its corrupt concept destroys the landowner rights and environmental needs of all Texans.

Protect Texas’ clean water and natural legacy
The water crisis in Texas is building, and having plenty of clean water is an issue that runs deep whether you live in the city or rural Texas. A champion for land stewardship, Larry Joe Doherty understands that in a few short years our population will exceed our supply of water to sustain it, and he’s energizing leaders to get to work now to plan for the growth Texas will soon experience.