Category Archives: government

Sausage Making: HB1062? nee, HB2094

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I previously emailed Rep. Farrar about House Bill 1062. She pushed for similar legislation two years ago, and got stomped by the distributers lobby. She left a comment hinting she was going to introduce a more feasible bill, but didn’t offer the details.

I ran into Brock Wagner soon thereafter. He had just met with Rep. Farrar in Austin and gave me the details. There are particulars that the the enormous distributers lobby complain about. Those pieces needed to be minimized if the legislation is to have a chance. She was going to introduce different legislation that had a better chance of surviving.

I’ve been so busy working on a new job that I missed the introduction of the new bill, HB2094. Charles Kuffner had mention of it on his blog, but I missed that too.

It seems it was scheduled for a public hearing the day after St. Patrick’s Day. I haven’t yet heard how that went. I don’t think that newspapers pay attention to government anymore.

Texas Brewers Parity Amendment

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“Not only should Texans be able to buy Texas beer, but our beer-buying money should, whenever possible, stay in the communities where the beer is produced.”  So says J.R. Labbe at the Star-Telegram.

Contact your state senator and representative and tell them to support HB 754 and SB 1062.  Heck, tell them to co-sponsor it.

It should be a no-brainer.  Get it done, and get on with the hard work!

Texas State Senator Mario Gallegos, Jr., Don’t Let This Bill Die

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Did you contact your Representative yesterday?  Excellent!  Today, we are contacting our state Senator…

The Texas State Legislature has once again convened (for the 81st time), and there is another attempt to pass a minor, simple, and obvious bill that will set right the current inability of small brewers to sell their product from their breweries – a right that was restored to the craft vintners of the state in 2005.

Whenever this bill arises, it is usually killed in committee, thanks to big money distributors (Eagle among them).  See I Love Beer for more information on what you can do, and please contact your state senator!  The more light that shines on an issue, the harder it is for a legislative committee to keep it from seeing the house floor.

Open Letter:

Representative Gallego,

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Texas State Representative Jessica Farrar, Don’t Let This Bill Die

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The Texas State Legislature has once again convened (for the 81st time), and there is another attempt to pass a minor, simple, and obvious bill that will set right the current inability of small brewers to sell their product from their breweries – a right restored to craft vintners of the state in 2005.

Whenever this bill arises, it is usually killed in committee, thanks to big money distributors (Eagle among them).  See I Love Beer for more information, and please contact your state representative!  The more light that shines on an issue, the harder it is for a legislative committee to keep it from seeing the house floor.

Open Letter:
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Republicans Scared?

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Can the Republican State Senators provide three examples of “election day vote fraud” in the past two elections? Why are they trying to fix something that isn’t broken? Why are they using the inauguration news cycle to hide their actions? (Similar to the current Israeli incursion.)

Just when it appeared that the Texas Legislature was putting partisan politics behind it with a consensus speaker in the House to replace the autocratic Tom Craddick, GOP state senators spoiled the session kickoff last week with a bare-knuckled power play.

Determined to clear the way for a controversial measure to require voters to present photo ID at polling places, Republican senators led by Tommy Williams of The Woodlands and Dan Patrick of Houston pushed through a rules change to suspend the normal two-thirds margin needed to bring legislation to the Senate floor.
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Inauguration Memories: 1997

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Capitol with Flags

Capitol with Flags

I lived in DC from 1995 to 1997. I lived in Arlington, VA, part of the original district, about 3 miles from the National Mall. I worked in the part of the current district, on Wisconsin Ave. in north Georgetown.

I went to Bill Clinton’s second Inauguration in 1997. Not to say I was at the actual swearing in.

Pennsylvania Avenue

Pennsylvania Avenue

I was on the Mall, fending off the cold, waiting for the procession down Pennsylvania Avenue. At one point I ducked into the National Gallery of Art to keep warm. I recall there being very few people in there for how packed the streets were. It was a good opportunity to check things out.

There was lots of things going on on the streets. I walked up and down to check things out.

Eye in the Sky

Eye in the Sky

The Canadian Embassy is on Pennsylvania, and was fairly new and had all kinds of Canadian flags flying.

There were your typical group of people with giant pictures of aborted fetuses. What’s politics without those people?

They weld the man hole covers shut. There are extra security guys everywhere. But it’s a fun spectacle to get to witness.