Legislative Update

Spoke with Clif at DPS Motorcycle Safety Division this morning. He has agreed to submit a bid for TMRA 2 to place two Billboards in each city, Houston, Dallas, Ft. Worth and Austin.
These Billboards will be for motorcycle awareness to increase driver awareness to share the road with motorcycles. We have several other ideas we will be working on in the near future.
Sputnik

3:48 am Thursday morning as I hammer out this report and what a week this has started out to be.
I became somewhat incensed when I heard on the radio Monday that the Feds were still trying to bend to the will of the O’Hare crowd. The US Mint will mint new silver dollars with a noticeable change. You will NOT see “In God We Trust” written around the face of it. They are quick to note that the motto hasn’t been removed but rather has been stamped around the corrugated edge of the coin. Those in the know say you will need a magnifying glass to read the inscription.

Then I learned that the Texas Attorney General has signed onto the brief in the Supreme Court Case siding with EPA not to regulate Carbon Dioxide from tail pipe emissions of new vehicles. Normally such action falls under the jurisdiction of the Environmental Agency to request such intervention but they say the were never contacted and did not request that the Attorney General intervene in the suit on their behalf.
I don’t say whether Carbon Dioxide should be regulated or not but the fear is that if it is then that will affect industrial plants as well.
The coal burning power plants that Perry just fast tracked into being granted permits would be hit also. According to Environmental Defense the eleven plants proposed by TXU would be the equivalent of adding 10,000,000 Cadillacs to the highway.

The real crusher came as I continued down my To Do List for Wednesday and contacted TxDOT to check on the status of the Federal Grant for Motorcycle Safety & Awareness. We received $317,000 to be used for that purpose. I had asked Clif to work with a group established just for that purpose.
After reading the letter from Clif in the Suds-N-Butterfly Newsletter I was curious why it was there with this much money ready to be spent.
I spoke with Frank in Traffic Safety and he was very possessive of the grant saying “This is our money we applied for the grant” and I explained I knew that the state applied for it and I also knew it could go to a non profit group that served the purpose for which the grant was received.
Frank reiterated that it was their money and they had already decided where it would go. When I asked where it was going he said it went to DPD Motorcycle Safety Division.
I called Clif and he was every bit the politician. At first he said they hadn’t given him the money. When I said Frank told me they had then he said well they told me to write up how I could spend the money and I asked if he had contacted the group I had asked him to work with. He said no, he didn’t have time to go looking for someone to share the money but he was going to buy some Share The Road Signs for Texas Motorcycle Roadriders Assoc.. I said we need the money spent on driver awareness we already spend money to teach us to be careful. His reply was “ I don’t know that I agree about that.” He also stated that they could make the material for PSA’s, Billboards and such but could not pay to run the PSA’s or keep the Billboards up. But he could maybe work with a group that would do that.
But he said he only had til the end of this week to get anything filed.
I called the officers of the group I had recommended and one didn’t know anything about it and the other didn’t return my call. My mind went blank and my stomach felt empty. It appears this money will not be used like it should be unless I can do something today. I will be down at Clif’s office later this morning and try to find some way to work around this crap. If not the all I can do is apologize for not staying on top of it but I was under the impression it was being handled. I pointed everything in the right direction and then went on with other things.

WE have a meeting with a Club in Bryan Sunday and a show to do Tuesday then I think I will take a little hiatus and get my head back on straight. Of course I’ve been saying that since June 1994.
Sputnik

I am at home right now but will get back to the office in the morning after checking by the hospital for the results of my tests for Sleep Apnea and get my flu shot that was due in October.
Uncle Sam gave us a Thanksgiving present by placing a Lien on our bank account and taking nearly $1700 in back taxes. They gave us until March 22nd to pay the balance. Of course we knew this would happen sooner or later but had hoped our financial situation would improve. This has left us broke with Legislative Day expenses coming up. I will pay for the parking out of my pocket until such time as there is some money coming in again but I will need this money back.
Still waiting to hear from those we have asked to Author our Bills.
Hopefully we can get numbers on them prior to Legislative Day. AS soon as we learn Monday if our request for parking has been appreoved we shall get a Flyer sent out.
Sputnik

Bet they didn't expect an expert like Greg to be on site. We're proud og Greg for following his gut.
Sputnik
State Chair TMRA 2



I am gathering evidence that points to the REAL reason behind the "results" of the recent elections in Texas. I have almost 30 years experience in Information Technology, with programming experience in Elections systems. I was a Poll Watcher at the Central Tabulating Station on Election Night in Hill County. Problems lasted into the early morning hours with periodic numbers pronounced as "good" that didn't add up. Early in the a.m., the Elections Administrator, worn to a frazzle, was ready to accept ANY numbers that the ES&S technician onsite blessed.
I repeatedly pointed out errors in the numbers until the last set, which I was not able to see until the EA said they were final. At that time I asked if they could get those numbers to match the tapes from the DRE's, and they could not because one of the printed tapes was not legible.
They could not reproduce the tape because they said the machine was still at the polling location!!! I lodged a formal complaint for vote counting irregularities based on that, and the problems experienced throughout the evening. I also later lodged a complaint with the SOS and was told someone would contact me. I have still not heard back from them.

My local candidates filed requests for Public Records, and the results tell the tale!!! Anomalies that are statistically next to impossible abound. Hill County voters used a combination of paper ballots and the No paper trail DRE's from ES&S. ALL the candidates, up and down the ticket had much better numbers on the paper ballots, and ALL the local candidates won on paper, both in early voting and on E-Day. Before you attribute it to only Democrats asking for paper ballots, you need to know that we had Precincts running out of paper ballots at 9am!!! During the school for elections workers, the EA dept told everyone to "...push the machines, because you WILL run out of paper ballots otherwise...".

ES&S has blamed their "poorly trained" technician for the problems, but he NEVER made an independent move, and ALWAYS had his cell phone stuck in his ear for instructions, as HE was running the console.

Hill County has ALWAYS been a Blue County, and the paper numbers verify it still is! Another statistical anomaly happened in the 2 contested County Commissioner races. The Republicans in both races got the same number of votes - 1179!!! When the ES&S representative (Chris Moody) was asked in Commissioners Court at the Special Canvass meeting what the odds of that happening were, he replyed, "...the Lottery...".

Rural Counties like Hill, with little technical expertise, are easy targets for this type of manipulation, but it does not stop there!!! ALL of the voting machines were deployed throughout the country pre-programmed with a formula that Karl Rove was probably talking about when he said he had "...done the math...". The logistics of pre-programming these machines meant that the formula had been done based on the "math" in early October at the latest. By the time early voting and E-Day rolled around, the mood in the country had changed considerably, but it was too late to re-program unnoticed. All across the country the voters beat the percentage or got close. Tons of money (that we can never match) was poured into races that just didn't make sense, but for only the reason to give the impression that IT made the difference. For example, one of the Republican Commissioner candidates here spent over $8000, with "...little of his own money...", and the balance coming from "donations".

A citizen WatchDog group founder told me, this was one of the best reports she had ever heard, when I told her my tale in detail.. Since ES&S has picked up the scent that we were on to something, we have now gone public. The major media outlets will be reluctant to report on this, but with pressure from the public, they shouldn't have much choice.

We owe it to the voters of Texas and the United States to insure the integrity of the vote. We owe it to all of the Democrats who worked their asses off, and got shafted by the machines, to shine some light on this and FIX it!!! If the voters don't have confidence that their vote counted, they'll quit voting, AGAIN!!! If we don't fix this, all the work you've done, and are going to do for the next election, will be for naught!!!

Please help me, by keeping this topic in the limelight. A simple review of the close races in the Texas House and Senate shows that Democrats really won control. It also looks like we really won some of the statewide races. I would urge you to look at the numbers yourself, especially the differences in Counties that had paper and machine voting, and ANYWHERE there were "glitches" with the machines.

I have included the release from the nonpartisan, nonprofit, consumer protection for elections group, that I have been working with below.

Thank you,
Greg
--------------------------------------

Permission to reprint or excerpt granted with link to http://www.blackboxvoting.org

Hill County Texas had results that fluctuated wildly on Election Night
-- ES&S
blamed their own technician -- Four Hill County candidates have filed for a recount.

ES&S equipment saw a Texas-sized meltdown in the November election, but ES&S says not to worry, didn't affect the votes.

Nevertheless, ES&S wasn't too sure whether they wanted anyone to get the records for the mess. In a note from ES&S to Hill County elections chief Patsy Damschen, ES&S's Chris Moody writes, "Who is asking for these reports?
Depending on who is asking for them, we may have a problem." (Here's a copy of that document):

ES&S: Depending who's asking, may be a problem http://www.bbvforums.org/forums/messages/1954/Email_EA_Asst_to_ES_S_Nov_8_2006-45413.pdf



Woops, that's the wrong one, try this:
http://www.bbvforums.org/forums/messages/1954/Email_ES_S_to_EA_Nov_14_2006_1_-45422.pdf



Servers crashed, mismatched times appeared, and error messages stuttered onto the screen 22 times in 60 seconds, and that was just the beginning of a long, long evening. See these pollwatcher notes for more evidence:

Contemporaneous notes from a Hill County tabulation room pollwatcher - yikes!
http://www.bbvforums.org/forums/messages/1954/PollWatchNotes-45414.pdf

THE VENDOR'S SONG: "IT DIDN'T AFFECT THE ELECTION"

Well now that's hard to know, isn't it, since the machines are paperless touch-screens and the results around 1:30 in the morning showed fewer votes than they had a half-hour earlier.

Results sheet at 1:27 am
http://www.bbvforums.org/forums/messages/1954/Hill_Summary_127am_final-45415.pdf


Results sheet at 5 min to 1
http://www.bbvforums.org/forums/messages/1954/Hill_Summary_1255am-45416.pdf

The problems in Hill County reportedly are not due to the special election that ES&S admits caused last-minute manual changes on memory cards, or electronic ballots boxes (who examined that?), in 34 other Texas counties. Some counties, like Hidalgo, didn't get their fix and couldn't get their votes counted on
time:

-------------------------------------------------------
quote:
"The special election held in 34 Texas counties on Election Day required ES&S staff to manually change information in the electronic ballot files.
Regrettably, this step was missed in Hidalgo County...We sincerely regret that this caused any delay in the reporting of results,"
--------------------------------------------------------

That's what Chris Moody of ES&S wrote to Hidalgo County , who faxed this letter to Black Box Voting with a cover letter that said "FOR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION".

BUT THAT'S NOT ALL:

On Nov. 10, ES&S wrote to county elections officials throughout Texas to admit that problems had been found, and to urge them to send information on this to an ES&S location in Addison, Texas:

ES&S equipment repair notice
http://www.bbvforums.org/forums/messages/1954/Equipment_Repair_email-45417.pdf


Meanwhile citizens in Sarasota, Florida have filed a lawsuit for a whole new election on the ES&S equipment. Not to worry, ES&S has sidestepped any blame, or even any explanation, stating that the Sarasota people didn't avail themselves of the ES&S technicians:

ES&S Sarasota letter
http://www.bbvforums.org/forums/messages/1954/ESS_Sarasota_Letter-anon-45418.pdf


By now, painful as it may be, Sarasota may be glad that it didn't. ES&S has reportedly outsourced its service and maintenance to other firms, and there is apparently a shortage of both trained technicians and parts, nationwide.

Even the experienced subcontractors, like Casto & Harris in West Virginia, are revealing records that inspire more questions than confidence, like this one, obtained by Black Box Voting in public records from West Virginia:

http://www.bbvforums.org/forums/messages/1954/45419.jpg

So you can activate one ES&S memory card with another? What can you do with it when you activate it? Can you activate it with an infrared device that is not part of the ES&S system? How close do you have to be?

Stay tuned. There will be more breaking on this Thanksgiving turkey.

EXCERPTS FROM ES&S SYSTEM LOG LISTING - HILL COUNTY, TEXAS GENERAL ELECTION - NOVEMBER 7, 2006

TX1 11-07 09:26 pm START PACK ACCUMULATION (Replace Mode - beginning with first)
TX1 11-07 09:55 pm 0001-Terminal(s) not closed (Reply was: Update)
TX1 11-07 09:56 pm 0001-Time stamp mismatch (Reply was: Update & stop
checking)
TX1 11-07 09:56 pm PRC 0001
REPLACED BY PACK (BALS=3 TOT=12)
TX1 11-07 09:56 pm 0002-Terminal(s) not closed (Reply was: Don't update)
TX1 11-07 09:56 pm 0003-Terminal(s) not closed (Reply was: Don't update)
TX1 11-07 09:56 pm 0004-Terminal(s) not closed (Reply was: Don't update)
TX1 11-07 09:56 pm 0005-Terminal(s) not closed (Reply was: Don't update)
TX1 11-07 09:56 pm 0006-Terminal(s) not closed (Reply was: Don't update)
TX1 11-07 09:56 pm 0007-Terminal(s) not closed (Reply was: Don't update)
TX1 11-07 09:56 pm 0008-Terminal(s) not closed (Reply was: Don't update)
TX1 11-07 09:56 pm 0009-Terminal(s) not closed (Reply was: Don't update)
TX1 11-07 09:56 pm 0010-Terminal(s) not closed (Reply was: Don't update)
TX1 11-07 09:56 pm 0011-Terminal(s) not closed (Reply was: Don't update)
TX1 11-07 09:56 pm 0012-Terminal(s) not closed (Reply was: Don't update)
TX1 11-07 09:56 pm 0013-Terminal(s) not closed (Reply was: Don't update)
TX1 11-07 09:56 pm 0014-Terminal(s) not closed (Reply was: Don't update)
TX1 11-07 09:56 pm 0015-Terminal(s) not closed (Reply was: Don't update)
TX1 11-07 09:56 pm 0016-Terminal(s) not closed (Reply was: Don't update)
TX1 11-07 09:56 pm 0017-Terminal(s) not closed (Reply was: Don't update)
TX1 11-07 09:56 pm 0018-Terminal(s) not closed (Reply was: Don't update)
TX1 11-07 09:56 pm 0019-Terminal(s) not closed (Reply was: Don't update)
TX1 11-07 09:56 pm 0020-Terminal(s) not closed (Reply was: Don't update)
TX1 11-07 09:56 pm 0021-Terminal(s) not closed (Reply was: Don't update)
TX1 11-07 09:56 pm 0022-Terminal(s) not closed (Reply was: Don't update)
TX1 11-07 09:57 pm 0023-Terminal(s) not closed (Reply was: Don't update)
TX1 11-07 09:57 pm 0001-Time stamp mismatch (Reply was:
TX1 11-07 09:57 pm 0001-Precinct already updated (Reply was: Cancel)
TX1 11-07 09:57 pm STOP PACK ACCUMULATION
TX1 11-07 09:57 pm START PROCESS PEBS
TX1 11-07 09:57 pm STOP PROCESS PEBS
TX1 11-07 09:57 pm EARLY VOTE GROUP 3 SELECTED FOR UPDATE ...

TX1 11-07 11:40 pm START PACK ACCUMULATION (Add-to Mode - beginning with
first)
TX1 11-07 11:40 pm 0001-Time stamp mismatch (Reply was: Update & stop
checking)
TX1 11-07 11:40 pm PRC 0001
ADDED TO FROM PACK (BALS=2 TOT=11)
TX1 11-07 11:40 pm 0002-Time stamp mismatch (Reply was:
TX1 11-07 11:40 pm PRC 0002
ADDED TO FROM PACK (BALS=20 TOT=121)
TX1 11-07 11:40 pm 0003-Time stamp mismatch (Reply was:
TX1 11-07 11:40 pm PRC 0003
ADDED TO FROM PACK (BALS=17 TOT=162)
TX1 11-07 11:40 pm 0004-Time stamp mismatch (Reply was:
TX1 11-07 11:40 pm PRC 0004
ADDED TO FROM PACK (BALS=41 TOT=348)
TX1 11-07 11:40 pm 0005-Time stamp mismatch (Reply was:
TX1 11-07 11:40 pm PRC 0005
ADDED TO FROM PACK (BALS=7 TOT=43)
TX1 11-07 11:40 pm 0006-Time stamp mismatch (Reply was:
TX1 11-07 11:40 pm PRC 0006
ADDED TO FROM PACK (BALS=5 TOT=27)
TX1 11-07 11:40 pm 0007-Time stamp mismatch (Reply was:
TX1 11-07 11:40 pm PRC 0007
ADDED TO FROM PACK (BALS=7 TOT=43)
TX1 11-07 11:40 pm 0008-Time stamp mismatch (Reply was:
TX1 11-07 11:40 pm PRC 0008
ADDED TO FROM PACK (BALS=3 TOT=26)
TX1 11-07 11:40 pm 0009-Time stamp mismatch (Reply was:
TX1 11-07 11:40 pm PRC 0009
ADDED TO FROM PACK (BALS=7 TOT=42)
TX1 11-07 11:40 pm 0010-Time stamp mismatch (Reply was:
TX1 11-07 11:40 pm PRC 0010
ADDED TO FROM PACK (BALS=21 TOT=100)
TX1 11-07 11:40 pm 0011-Time stamp mismatch (Reply was:
TX1 11-07 11:40 pm PRC 0011
ADDED TO FROM PACK (BALS=6 TOT=86)

Now, if you don't care for the turkey ES&S just cooked, go roast your own. Have a happy Thanksgiving!

Date: 11/16/2006
From: Clifton.Burdette@txdps.state.tx.us

I've been involved in motorcycle safety at one level or another since 1979. This is not "just a job." Motorcycle safety is something that I believe in. I believe that if all of our efforts saves the life of one rider, we've done our job.

Our goal is to get as many people involved in the motorcycle safety efforts as possible. The DPS Motorcycle Safety Unit employees seven dedicated individuals. We administer the Motorcycle Operator Training and Safety program and the ATV Safety Training Programs. With each of those programs comes many related sub-programs such as a legislatively-mandated moped certification program and helmet exemption sticker program.

We have about 80 motorcycle safety training locations statewide and 600 dedicated RiderCoaches that teach Basic and Advanced Motorcycle Safety Courses in whatever weather the great state of Texas can throw at them. Over 29,000 Texans took the basic or advanced course last year.

In our spare time we get involved in as many public awareness functions as we can. Each year we staff a booth at the motorcycle show in San Antonio and have a mobile training unit on display at the Republic of Texas Biker Rally. Recently we had a Mobile Training Unit on display at an Orange County Chopper bike build event here in Austin. At each of these events we get to speak with a variety of folks, some that are riders and some that want to be. Many of the folks we speak with are looking for course information for for themselves or for a relative. Some just stop by to thank us or relate their experiences while taking a course.

Try as we might, our staff members cannot do it all. Insuring that motorist awareness materials are produced and distributed where they can do the most good is a significant job in itself. As a state agency we can develop the materials, print the materials and distribute the materials. We distributed nearly 350,000 pieces of promotional material last year. We can distribute public service announcements to the TV stations but we cannot pay for air time on the radio or TV. We can pay to post a bulletin board but we cannot pay to keep it there.

Motorcyclists tell us to let them know when and if we need help. As a state agency, we can respond if someone volunteers help but we cannot solicit help.

I think it would be really cool if motorcycle enthusiasts, clubs or groups would commit to adopting a billboard in their area, however, we cannot solicit that kind of help. Maybe these same folks could visit with driver training schools, insurance agencies, et., etc. in their areas to promote motorist awareness, or at least drop off some of our CycleVision literature. We can provide the literature, we cannot provide the leg-power.

I'll sign off for now. I'm looking forward to working together to reduce the number of motorcycle crashes and resulting injuries and fatalities.
For information about motorcycling in Texas, check our web page, www.txdps.state.tx.us/msb. If I can be of any further assistance, call me at 512/424-2803 or 1-800-292-5787 or email me at clifton.burdette@txdps.state.tx.us.

Sincerely,

Clif Burdette
Coordinator
DPS Motorcycle Safety Unit


NOTE FROM BTTRFLY: For those of ya'l who want to help with motorcycle awareness, you can contact Clif to find out how to receive printed material (ie posters, etc) to distribute to your local Driver Education classes.
Clif is a very easy man to contact and very concerned with helping us get any information we need to help promote motorcycle awareness.
Thanks Clif, for taking time to send out this great message to let the bikers know more about what we can all be doing to help out. ~Bttrfly

here's a good pict of Clif ...
http://sudsandbutterfly.homestead.com/files/Clif_Burdette_1.jpg

-----------------------------------

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Saturday night just after midnight we got a phone call informing us that Aldo Luna, VP of the Road Dogs M/C in El Paso had been hit broadside on his motorcycle while enroute to the District Advisor Meeting for TMRA 2.
He had volunteered to represent Dist. 29 during the meeting.

He is in Brackenridge Hospital in critical condition. He is on a respirator and has numerous broken bones and lacerations. Aldo will require several operations and a long, long time to recuperate if indeed he does survive. State Secretary, Terri met with the family at the hospital today to give what help she could. The driver has admitted fault and said his insurance company would pay. The case has been called in to AIM Attorney Richard Lester. Remember this man and his family in your prayers.

Sunday we attended the COC Meeting at Cindy’s Gone Hog Wild on Hwy. 71.
There was no attorney present so no official business took place. We learned from Gimmee Jimmy that Rick Perry is looking forward to signing an Adult Helmet Bill in Texas next year. We had already been told there would be a Helmet Bill introduced by a House Member. We shall still file a Cleanup Bill on the Helmet Law in both Houses.
With Senator Lautenberg on the Transportation Sub-committee and the Appropriations Committee we will damned sure be facing a federal helmet Bill next year. We will have to pop a kink in some DC Democrats tails to see that don’t happen.
We received the $1500 check from Alamo City Gypsy M/C to renew their Platinum Membership and signed up 9 individual members.

Jennifer and I spent several hours in the capitol today. We walked the halls and I introduced her to several staff members of our major supporters, both Dem and Repub., Reps and Senators. We explained the New Legislative Task Force we had set up on Saturday and asked them to give the Task Force members the same respect and courtesy as they have extended to me over the years. Each agreed that would be done. We also gave them the date for Legislative Day.
We stopped by to request reserved parking spaces for our day at the capitol. We told them we need every parking meter they control around the capitol for that day. We are anticipating at least 10,000 riders to pass through the capitol on that Monday. We learned we can file a written request for 116 meter spaces and any more than that have to come from the city. The spaces are reserved on a 1st come 1st served basis. We will learn on Monday if our request will be approved. Now we need riders there to meet our boast.

We received a Draft of a Poker Run Bill while at Rep Chavez’s office but it is only for Charity Poker Runs. That might make Charity Riders happy but it would be of no use to TMRA 2. Rep Chavez has also introduced a Bill to be a defense to prosecution to allow Indian Tribes to gamble on their land.
I believe we could better support the introduced Bill to legalize gambling in Texas and establish a Gaming Commission to oversee casinos and such.
More on that later. We were given a copy of a proposed Bill in Senator Gallegos’ office to allow lane splitting under certain conditions. We were asked to read it and comment. It would need some modifications for me to recommend it for support.

The Bill last year to require that you have to take a Rider Training Course to get a license which we shot down and offered a compromise for will be introduced this year with the compromise. To purchase a vehicle in your name you must show proof of a current license to operate that type vehicle.

It’s going to be a fun session and we are looking forward to seeing more riders getting involved this time.

We shall post finalized Plans for Legislative Day 2007 sometime next week.

Ride Free – Ride Sober
Sputnik
State Chair / Texas Motorcycle Rights Association

At the TMRA 2 Advisor's meeting today we voted to hold the General Membership Meeting for 2007 on May 5, 2007. The Board Meeting will be held at 11:am then the Ballots will be counted to determine the State Chair and all District Advisors for the coming two years.
To have your name on the Ballot for State Chair send in your application to the State Office with Five (5) members listed who approve your Application. All current members vote on the State Chair Position.
District Advisor Candidates send your name to the state office along with the names of three (3) current members who support your application for a spot on the Ballot. The Ballot will also have a blank space for a write in candidate for each position.
The Official Ballot will go out in the February Warrior. Mark your Ballot, place it in an envelope and write your membership # in the bottom left hand corner of the envelope so your member status can be verified. If two members of the household are using the Ballot place both member numbers on the envelope. That way those who count the Ballots will have no idea who cast the vote.

Several locations for the meeting were proposed so it was decided to have the District Advisors send this message to all the members in their district that they had Email addresses for. Terri will send it to all members the state has Emails for that don't have Advisors in their districts. The locations are, in no particular order:
State Office
Jim's Cycle Shop
Sawmill Town
LP Cycle Shop
V-Twin Valley (used to be Eagle's Landing) Ghost Town in Manor (between the office and Austin on Hwy 290) and - The East Texas M/C Enthusiast Camp Ground in Nacogdoches.

To cast a vote for one of these locations simply send an Email to secretary@tmra2.org and write the name of your choice in the text body and your name. Only current members may vote.

Thank you,

Sputnik
State Chair
Texas Motorcycle Rights Association
The General Membership Meeting will be held at 1:00pm with the new officers being announced and seated at the beginning of new business for the General Meeting.

The elections are over and here we go. There are over 500 Bills already Pre-Filed. One of note is SB59 the Road Block Bill by Senator Zaffirini. Guess we will be fighting that one again. Several of the Bills are ones we can support such as the Recorded Vote Bills in both Houses. HB 103 By Rep Riddle is similar to the Florida Castle Doctrine that removes the necessity to flee before using deadly force. HB 154 would abolish the Texas Transportation Commission and create an elective office of Commissioner of Transportation. That would give the public some control over TXxDOT if it passes. There are Bills that deal with noise Regulation by Cities and Counties.

While talking to one Rep about a Helmet Law clean up Bill we were told there will be a Bill introduced to reinstate the Adult Helmet Law so we had better get ready to be on the defense. I believe the best defense is an offense so we shall still file the Bill.

ABATE will file the Failure To Yield Bill. It will be a little different but one that is agreeable to all and more likely to pass.

We spoke with DPS Chief Beckworth yesterday about his officers getting out of control again. Told him we are fed up with them targeting Rallies for patrol. We told him we have never heard of them patrolling back and forth in front of a Country Club and stopping the cars as they came out. We specially complained about one officer who was so intent on giving a rider without a helmet a ticket he gave him a warning ticket. We asked since when do you give a warning ticket for being legal. He was especially upset about that. He will bring that officer on the carpet and have a meeting with Personnel to get the word out to the officers again.

Tom, Shari, Terri and I attended the United Clubs Of Waco meeting last night in Harker Heights at the invitation of Waldo of the Boozefighters M/C. WE spoke to them about Tmra2, what we have done and what we continue to do. They gave us a donation to help with travel expenses and we signed up 15 new members. Several of the clubs took applications for the rest of their members who weren’t present to join. This is one of the most receptive meetings we have had with clubs in a good while.
Thanks Brothers.

On the Federal level Senator Lautenberg will head the Transportation Safety, Infrastructure Security and Water Quality Subcommittee. Among the issues Lautenberg said his panel will deal with are drunken driving, MOTORCYCLE SAFETY, chemical plant security and oil spills. He will also be on the Transportation Committee. Get ready to do battle on a Federal Helmet Law also.

WE DID WELL !
By: Sputnik

11/07/06 - 10:42pm

With just over 1/3 of the vote counted the State wide Republican Leadership has claimed victory as all have been re-elected to serve another term. The calls began coming into the office immediately from those feeling down at the apparent results of the election. Even State Secretary, Terri said I dont like politics after enjoying her first time to work campaigns. She was really discouraged to find that all the work was for nothing and you see candidates less qualified than the ones you supported being elected.

Hold it right there. No one told you when you became a Warrior that this would be easy. You werent even told you would come out a winner in every battle. You were told that you could make a difference and you have, not just in Texas but for other states whose riders follow your example. Always look for the bright side. This is not always winning a battle. Its about winning the war.

Look at what took place on the Congressional Level. Congressman Chet Edwards beat off a strong push to dislodge him from his seat once again in a district carved out by the Tom DeLay redistricting fiasco to remove him two years ago. This campaign was fought diligently once again by Dist 22 Advisor Greg Bodovsky and those he could recruit.
Down in my Dist where thanks to Mr. Tom DeLay I was put into his district by the plan he used to take Nick Lampson out of the district where he served us so well. This one was a personal vendetta for me. WE won the race and gave one extra Democrat seat to the Texas Congressional District. If enough states do that there will once again be some checks and balances in DC. We are proud to have Congressman Nick Lampson serving us again.
TOM DELAY IS NO LONGER IN OFFICE

Currently they are showing 48 seats in the Senate for each Party. That is about as good as you can get. Personally I would like to see the US Senate vote end with 50 seats for each Party. At this moment it appears that enough states are doing the same as Texas and that the Democrats will Rule the Senate. They could do a hell of a lot better than California’s Nancy Pelosi for Speaker of The House. This woman is as far off center as anyone could get without falling off.
But even with this sad note mixed in we have still won. This scenario could not be better if it had purposely been orchestrated by us in a secret hideaway. Congress Passes a Bill that is absolutely along Party lines. If the Bill is that important to the Parties in the Senate then it will elicit a 50/50 vote in the senate. Then VP Cheney will have to cast the deciding vote or kill it by not voting on nearly every Party Line Bill. HOW SWEET IT IS!!!!

Our State Senate will still be controlled by the Republicans but I will go out on a limb tonight and say the Democrats will gain control of the House. I have been looking at this scenario for a good while and talking to inner circle friends about it for about three months. This of course will mean a new Speaker of the House. According to my calculations that seat will be held by someone who knows us and our goals as well as anyone. A person who acknowledges in political circles that we and our political goals are better than sliced bread.
Now this in turn means new committee chairs.
Transportation Committee:
Bye Bye Mike Krusee, hello friend (probably from Houston) Our Bills get a hearing. Helmet Law Amendment, Failure To Yield, Retune Signal Lights or allow bikes to go after one light cycle. Etc..


Appropriations Committee:
Return the money taken from our 402 Safety Fund, put into a 601 Fund and stolen by the State. Return the full amount owed to us and return the whole works to the 402 Safety Status and rededicate it. Also put a Biker of our choice on a committee to determine how our money is spent.

Yes, we lost the governors race but we are in far better position than we were two years ago. We did well folks. If you don’t feel better about the elections by now then hear these final words.

Don’t be such a defeatist. January the 22nd you get your chance to win a battle. Call it the battle of wills and determination. Our will is strong and we are determined that those we supported to represent us must make use of the chance they have been given to prove themselves worthy to serve in our House. Will shall judge their voting records closely and judge them harshly. The next campaign for them begins on Legislative Day as they are visited by 7500 of their bosses who happen to ride and wear leather. After all that is our building that they work in and they are there to represent our issues.
Got to grab a nap and head for New Mexico in the morning. Its great to be heading out to report how well we did in the elections here in Texas. Oh Yeh, I remember. We didnt win OR DID WE?

Good night all

Hello;
My name is Sputnik and I am posting this article as a personal opinion.
Several riders have asked who I am voting for when I speak at Events before I even get started but they are asking me as Chairman of TMRA 2.
Please allow me a personal opinion here as just myself. A rider who happens to spend most of my life in the political arena.
Are you opposed to the Trans Texas Corridor?
Do you feel you should have the right to dress as a biker in public establishments?
Should you be allowed to hold Rallies or just ride with your Bros without being the target of Law Enforcement?
Do you think that Medical Marijuana should be legal and simple possession should not result in jail time.
We currently have to carry medical insurance to ride without helmets but many policies won't pay if you are injured on a motorcycle. We have tried to get that changed to no avail. How do you feel about that?
These and many other questions have been posed to Chris Bell by me and other riders and the answers have all been acceptable.

His answers:
This issue will be brought back up in the legislature and killed. I will change the head of TxDOT. Our property will not be taken to make a private company wealthy.
You should be allowed to wear your colors into places open to the public.
Your colors will always be welcome in the capitol and Sputnik will be wearing his colors into my office at any time.
Riders should not receive undue scrutiny and I will do my best to keep that from happening.
NO one has shown me a way that legalizing marijuana could work but I do support Medicinal Maijuana. I also believe that entirely to many people are in prison for simple possession and we should free up that space for criminals. Simple possession should not carry jail time but I will have no mercy on dealers.
I will appoint an Insurance head that does not take his marching orders from the Insurance Lobbyest. We will honestly lower rates and look at what can be done with other changes for policy holders in Texas

That is why I will be voting for Chris Bell for to become the next Governor of Texas Tomorrow. NOT just because he is a Democrat, there are good and bad in both Parties. NOT just because Rick Perry is the worst governor I can remember and Chris Bell is the only candidate that can beat him. I will proudly vote for Chris Bell as a man of conviction. A congressman who lost his seat to to the Tom DeLay orchestrated redistricting and refused to admit defeat. A man who filed charges on Tom DeLay which drove him from office with two counts proven true and one yet to be heard in court.

I will go back to my regular routine job after voting tomorrow but tonight this message is sent to Texas riders via a dumb ass biker from the wrong side of the tracks expressing a PERSONAL OPINION.

Be sure to vote!!
Sputnik