TMRA2 Legislative Update

Chair Report

Nothing going on at our capitol and nothing planned in the foreseeable future so we have been watching the House on C-Span and the Senate on C-Span 2.

Of course you are aware that the Senate Immigration Bill was killed in the senate. Probably most of you didn’t have the opportunity to watch it unfold. It was a real battle for a few days once Senator Reid brought it back up again. Having watched these people for so long I can almost vote for them when their name is called. While watching the manipulations it became plain to me that Senator Reid knew that the Bill would not pass.
I reported on the TV Show Tuesday night that the Bill would not pass but it would be stopped by a bipartisan vote. Reid was pushing for a vote so they could tell those of Mexican Descent “We tried to pass this Bill but the Republicans stopped it.” Of course they won’t mention that the number of Dems voting against and Reps voting for was almost the same. That way they could get those votes from those citizens wanting the Bill to pass.
Sure enough the vote was 17 short of passage despite some Republicans voting for it.

In the House there were two things I watched of significance.
Congressman Conaway of Midland was asked to lead the Pledge of Allegiance during the House opening ceremony. He did not say “UNDER GOD”. Rather he said One nation, indivisible, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Was this a momentary lapse of memory or was it intentional?

VP Cheney has said his office was not a part of the Executive Branch when he was subpoenaed on the attorney firings. While working on the budget the Democrats offered an Amendment to cut VP Cheney’s $4,000,000 yearly allowance for staff and his residence from the Executive Branch Budget.
Boy did that cause an uproar. Again I believe it was just for show and not intended to pass. Some in both Parties voted both ways and it fell just short of passage. If they think they sent Mr. Cheney a message I’m afraid they wasted their time.

We received an Email with a list of Laws that would supposedly take effect on July 1st. Since Bills take effect immediately if they get enough votes and on September 1st if they don’t I felt this should be checked out. I found only one of the mentioned Laws and there were companion Bills for such a law but neither passed. This leads me to believe that this message was mistaken. If you find otherwise please let us know.

July is shaping up to be a very busy month already. We shall attend the TOG Chapter meeting on Sunday the 1st then head home to welcome my son and his family home. We will be starting a new chapter in Liberty County on Monday the 2nd. I shall go back home to finish out the rest of the week celebrating with the family and get back to work.
We’ll be in Corpus Christi the 10th of July and in Wichita Falls on the 19th. We will then attend the Hot Damn Run at its new location in Brownwood. On the 28th we will meet with the American Legion Riders in Killeen. Of course we’ll be doing the Show each week and I am sure there will be more appointments before the month ends.
Have a Happy 4th and remember what the day stands for. Get back on track and be ready to defend that which our Founding Fathers and others died to give us.

Sputnik

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE TMRA2 WARRIORS
As most everyone is aware there has, for the first time in our existence,
been some dissension in our ranks. Each member has my heart felt apology
for what has taken place over the past few weeks. I had hoped this
disagreement could have been resolved with the least amount of publicity
and pain to the general membership. Unfortunately it got out of hand and
festered into a major catastrophe and spread across the nation.

Thankfully calmer heads prevailed and the disagreement was worked out in
an amicable meeting between the Warriors representing the Clubs and the
Warriors representing the Independent Riders. As a result of an agreement
reached during this meeting and subsequent action the State Chair of TMRA
2 Breeze has resigned his position effective 6/25/07. The majority of the
District Advisors have voted to appoint Sputnik to that position until
such time as the association can regain it’s footing both mentally and
financially.

I am aware this action will not satisfy every member of the association
and there will be some who choose to resign or not renew their membership
in TMRA 2. There will also be some who may have considered joining that
will not do so. Either scenario will be a loss for the association and all
it has stood for these past 15 years. It is my hope that most can get past
the animosity bred over the past short period of time and be guided by
what is best for the association.

There needs to be some changes to our Bylaws to better the structure of
the association. This need was recognized during the May General
Membership Meeting. To that end a special General Membership Meeting was
called for August 18th at the State office to discuss openly and make
those necessary changes by a majority consensus of those members present
at that meeting. It is time to rejuvenate and rededicate to that which we
have all held dear over the past few years. This will be the most
important meeting this association has ever held since the first one those
many years ago which officially established Texas Motorcycle Rights
Association.

I urge everyone to stand down, take a deep breath and allow any animosity
held to dissipate. Attend this meeting and make your wishes known. This is
your association as it has been from its inception. Please take the time
to attend this meeting and let the will of the membership rule. If you
are holding sending in your TMRA2 renewals or donations, please go ahead
and send it in to us at the Elgin address.

Respectfully,
Sputnik

Got this link from a few people.

Here is a website with some PSA’s for Motorcycle Awareness. It’s always interesting to view these videos. Click on the link and select the video you wish to see.

http://www.pleaselooktwice.com/

Governor Perry vetoes Eminent Domain Legislation

Governor Perry’s veto of eminent domain legislation is a serious wrong to every private property owner in the State of Texas. The governor’s reasoning was that the passing of this legislation would slow down and shut down needed construction projects at the expense of taxpayers.
However, the intentions of House Bill 2006 was not to prevent progress, but to protect the rights of private property owners from individuals wanting to build roads or other public-use projects without justly compensating landowners. The origination of House Bill 2006 was with the U.S. Supreme Court’s unprincipled ruling, two years ago, in a lawsuit challenging eminent domain abuse in New London, Connecticut. In Kelo v.
City of New London, the court upheld a private development corporation’s right to exercise the power of eminent domain by seizing an entire neighborhood for private development. In her dissent, Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor said, “The specter of condemnation [now] hangs over all property. Nothing is to prevent the state from replacing any Motel 6 with a Ritz-Carlton, any home with a shopping mall, or any farm with a factory.”

Dennis Childers, MBA
Breeze
TMRA II State Chair
“SEPIUS EXERTUS, SEMPER FIDELIS, FRATERS INFINITAS”
(Often Tested, Always Faithful, Brothers Forever)
“The more corrupt the State the more numerous the laws.” Cornelius Tacitus, Roman historian & politician (55 AD – 117 AD)

From The Chair’s Corner-Juneteenth

The June 19th tradition is called Juneteenth, which became an official state holiday in Texas on January 1, 1980. News regarding the end of slavery did not reach Texas until June 19, 1865 when Union soldiers reached Galveston and brought word that the Civil War was over. The Emancipation Proclamation officially freed the slaves on January 1, 1863, although it was not until the end of the war that this document had any affect on circumstances in Texas. Although Juneteenth began as a day of rejoicing for former Texas slaves and their descendents, the celebrations have spread as a day that commemorates African American Independence and freedom all over the world.

We, as an organization, continue today to fight to protect our rights that are under assault from individuals who attempt to enact unfair and questionable policies. Juneteenth provides an occasion to contemplate the promise of freedom, justice and equality that characterizes our country. As we honor our history of progress and the struggle for equality, we must rededicate ourselves to the safeguard of our most sacred rights.

Dennis Childers, MBA
Breeze
TMRA II State Chair
“SEPIUS EXERTUS, SEMPER FIDELIS, FRATERS INFINITAS”
(Often Tested, Always Faithful, Brothers Forever)
“The more corrupt the State the more numerous the laws.” Cornelius Tacitus, Roman historian & politician (55 AD – 117 AD)