Category Archives: Texas Dems 2012

Keryl Douglas’ Divide and Conquer Strategy

It angered folks when Manuel Rodriguez tried it, and Democrats all over the county have had the same reaction to Keryl Douglas’ disingenuous flyer. In what is not only a personal attack on HCDP Chair Lane Lewis, but an affront to the GLBT community and all other communities who fight for civil rights, Keryl Douglas has definitely hit a new low.

Douglas shows her hypocrisy in the flyer when she states she “worked across ALL communities,” but chooses to attack one in particular. Well, I’ll repeat an oft-stated civil rights mantra:  When one of us is attacked, we are all attacked. So, we must not only rise in defense of the GLBT community, we must ensure our Harris County Democratic Party is led by someone who doesn’t talk it (or puts it on a flyer), but walks it, and that’s Lane Lewis.

What is scarier than losing in November to right-wing Republicans is having a Party led by someone who would attempt to divide Democrats from within. Early voting is done, but Tuesday is Democratic Primary Day. VOTE!

Or, if Keryl Douglas doesn’t “get it,” I agree with Kuff.

Updated DC Virtual Slate Card

I had gotten some emails from concerned folks wondering if I was supporting President Obama, since he wasn’t on the first slate card. Then I figured, I may as well seek out some more complaints and add a few more DC-nods. So, here goes.

Apologies for running out of room, but I think I resolved the situation. Click to enlarge.

DC Inbox: DREAM Act Rally & TDP Forum

Contact: Rebecca Acuña (512) 478-9800(956) 206-5853

***Advisory for Rally and Forum Thursday, May 17, 2012 at 11:00 AM***

TDP’s Promesa Project: Rally and Forum in Support of the DREAM Act

Houston – As part of its Latino engagement program known as the Promesa Project, the Texas Democratic Party is holding events across the state on National DREAM Act day of action in support of the DREAM Act. The TDP’s Promesa Project Fellow will participate in a DREAM Act rally and urge voters to support the referendum in favor of the DREAM Act on the Democratic Primary ballot. In the evening, Promesa Project Fellows will host a forum in support of the DREAM Act. The DREAM Act would allow immigrant students who were brought here as children and have stayed out of trouble earn a path to legalization through a higher education or military service.

WHAT:   Rally in support of the DREAM Act on the Democratic Primary ballot AND  Forum in support of the DREAM Act

WHO: -Maria Virginia Ivañez, Promesa Project Fellow from the University of Houston

            -DREAM Act Students

WHERE:  Rally: University of Houston Downtown Campus, South Deck

FORUM: Harris County Democratic Party Headquarters, 1445 North Loop W # 110 Houston, TX 77008

WHEN:  Rally: Thursday, May 17, 2012 at 11:00 A.M.

                Forum: Thursday, May 17, 2012 at 7:30 P.M.

The referendum (#1) reads as follows:

Any graduate of a Texas high school, who has lived in the state for at least three years and lived here continuously for the last year, should be eligible for in-state tuition at state supported colleges and universities and given the opportunity to earn legal status through a higher education or military service.

The DREAM Act would help an estimated 2.1 million young people in the country earn a path to legalization through a higher education or military service. An estimated 258,000 – or 12 percent – of total DREAM Act beneficiaries live in Texas.

The Texas Democratic Party’s Promesa Project will hold events today in Austin, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, El Paso, Houston, Brownsville and El Paso in support of the DREAM Act and in support of the referendum in favor of the DREAM Act on the Democratic Primary ballot.

Austin has a press conference, too.

WHAT:                 Press Conference urging voters to support the referendum in support of the DREAM Act on the Democratic Primary ballot

WHO:  -Representative Rafael Anchia (D-Dallas)

-Julieta Garibay, a DREAM Act beneficiary who holds a Masters in Science of Nursing with a focus on Public Health from the University of Texas at Austin

-Justin Perez, Promesa Project Fellow from the University of Texas at Austin 

WHERE:              TDP Headquarters, 505 W. 12th St. Ste 200

WHEN:                Thursday, May 17, 2012 at 10:00 A.M.

And Laredo, too, along with a phone bank!

WHAT: Press Conference and Phone Bank urging voters to support the referendum in support of the DREAM Act on the Democratic Primary ballot

WHO:   -Arnoldo Alonso, Promesa Project Fellow at TAMIU

-Several Democratic Party candidates 

WHERE:   Press Conference:  Outside the Webb County Courthouse, 1000 Houston St., Laredo, TX 79902

Phone Bank:  1019 San Bernardo, Laredo, Texas 78401                                              

WHEN:   Press Conference:            Thursday, May 17, 2012 at 9:00 A.M.

Phone Bank:       Thursday, May 17, 2012 from 1:00PM-4:00PM.

 

HCDP to Host BBQ Fundraiser

The Clubs and Organizations of the Harris County Democratic Party will be hosting a BBQ Fundraiser on Early Vote Sunday. The 1st Annual Club Carniv-ALL not only offers good food and fun, but also a bus to the nearest polling location!

Here are the particulars:

Harris County Democratic Party Clubs & Organizations

First Annual HCDP BBQ Fundraiser – Club Carniv-ALL

Sunday, May 20, 2012 – 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm
1445 N. Loop W. Houston, Texas 77008

BBQ Picnic and Carnival Style Booths with fun filled entertainment for the entire family!

A bus will be available to take people to the nearest Early Vote location for their convenience to officially vote that day.

Children under 9 eat free.

Click here to purchase you ticket(s) now!

All attendees can participate in our 1st ever Straw Poll.  Voters, candidates, and candidate supporters will be given a sample ballot with their admission ticket(s) so come vote for your favorite candidates in Democratic contested races. Buy your ticket(s) and bring as many people you like to vote for your favorite candidate and let’s make this a fun and exciting event for everyone!

Precinct Chairs & Election Judges will have trainings available during the event.

HCDP HOST COMMITTEE

Democracy For Houston
Houston Area Stonewall Democrats
Meyerland Dems
ROAD Women
Spring Branch Democrats
West University Dems
Oak Forest Area Democrats
Area 5 Dems
Greater Heights Democrats
Kingwood Area Democrats
Oil Patch Democrats
Silver D’s
Tejano Democrats
Bay Area New Democrats (BAND)
Cy-Fair Area Democratic Club

Elected Officials, Candidates, and Clubs please email
navid@hcdp.org to become a sponsor of Club Carniv-ALL

Promesa Vid: Rep. Jessica Farrar on the GOP Supermajority

Here’s the most recent installment from our friends at the Promesa Project, the Texas Democratic Party’s Latino youth outreach program. Visit the site and check out this vid featuring DC-Amiga State Rep. Jessica Farrar.

And I’ve gotta say…I’m proud to be part of the Buzz, too.

But we need to pick Team Dem, first. Early Voting in the Democratic Primary continues through the 25th. VOTE EARLY!

DosCentavos Endorses in 2012 Dem Primary

Here’s my virtual slate card. VOTE EARLY! And here’s the Early Voting schedule (pdf) from the county. Remember, you can vote at any location during this period. Might as well get it done early!

North Harris Dems To Host Candidate Forum

The 2010 HQ

Brad Neal has done it again. The candidate for State Representative, District 150, is set to open the North Harris HQ for suburban Democrats again in 2012. The HQ for his 2010 campaign, the storefront was the center of activity in the ‘burbs with the awesome and talented Ashley Williams at the ready to activate all who would walk in. And this Saturday, the HQ will be hosting a grand opening and candidate forum.

Here are the particulars:

Join Brad Neal, Candidate for State Representative for HD 150 at the Grand Opening of the campaign office for the North Harris County area. We will be hosting a candidate forum as well as allowing candidates to speak with voters about their plans for the future.

If you have any questions please email Ashley at ashley@votebradneal.com or Brad at brad@votebradneal.com

Saturday, May 11, 2012, 11AM to 2PM

4884 Louetta Rd, Spring, TX 77388 (map)

A lot of campaigns have Brad Neal to thank for opening the office, and this year will be no different. Go check out the place, as I hear Ashley and the crew have been busy getting the place prepped and ready.

Just one question:  Will there be Brad Neal Cake again?

Feds Sue Arpaio–Finally!

We kind of knew it’s been coming, but Maricopa County, AZ Sheriff Joe Arpaio has been sued by the United States of America for civil rights violations–and it’s about time.

Arpaio has made it his job to vilify and menace Latinos–documented or not–during his tenure. He has gained national attention in doing so, and has even injected himself in local (Houston) politics by endorsing an equally right-wing opponent of our Sheriff Adrian Garcia.

The Feds explain the suit:

Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Thomas Perez said the Justice Department sued Maricopa County, the sheriff’s office and Arpaio in U.S. District Court in Arizona after trying unsuccessfully for three and a half months to get Arpaio to comply with federal civil rights law.

Arpaio faces re-election in November in the county that includes the Phoenix metropolitan area. He has become the face of hardline local efforts to crack down on illegal immigration, placing him on a collision course with the federal government.

Maricopa County has created inadequately trained special units that are used to target Latinos for unlawful and unjustified arrests; has willfully denied Latino prisoners their civil rights in jail; and under Arpaio’s direction has arrested political opponents for no valid reason, the DOJ suit contends.

“At its core, this is an abuse of power case involving Sheriff Arpaio and a sheriff’s office that disregarded the Constitution, ignored sound police practices and did not hesitate to retaliate against perceived critics in a variety of unlawful ways,” said Perez.

“Constitutional policing and effective policing go hand in hand. The complaint outlines how Sheriff Arpaio’s actions were neither constitutional nor effective,” he said.

One needs to ask the right-wingers running for Sheriff if they approve of these kinds of gestapo tactics.

In one case, a sheriff’s officer stopped a Latina – a U.S. citizen who was five months pregnant – as she pulled into her driveway and insisted that she sit on the hood of her car.

“When she refused, the officer grabbed her arms, pulled them behind her back, and slammed her, stomach first, into the vehicle three times,” the suit said.

Nonetheless, the fact that one of them rejoices in a cheap TV ad that he was endorsed by Arpaio is enough to make one sick, given the facts of this lawsuit.

Obviously, we’ll keep an eye on this.

Fertitta Earns Chron Nod for DA

It wasn’t a surprise when Zack Fertitta was endorsed by the Chronicle to be the Democratic nominee for District Attorney. After seeing him in action at an event in Kingwood, where he exhibited a commitment to public safety and common sense criminal justice reform, little doubt was left that Democrats could have a strong candidate in November, as long as we give him our vote on May 29th in the Democratic Primary.

I caught a second speech of his at the Sharpstown Democrats club recently and put it on tape. I’m sure you’ll come to the same realization that he’s a great candidate deserving of our vote in May and November.

Post #4400 Goes to the Promesa Project

This is my 4400th post  and I figured it should go to the future of Texas; the young leaders who will be working hard to increase the Latino youth vote in 2012, the Promesa Project Inaugural Fellows.