Next Monthly Meeting Postponed
Our monthly meeting will be postponed a week. We’ll meet Thursday, May 14th, at 6:30 PM at 7122 San Pedro. Make sure you check our website www.alamobama08.com for the President’s weekly address, latest from the White House, legislation, events and more.
Volunteers
Thanks to all who signed up through our survey. You’ll be getting a phone call in the next few days to discuss your participation as alamObama moves forward. We will also use a significant portion the May14th meeting as a working session for our councils.
National Events
White House
The President discusses the government’s response to the 2009 H1N1 flu virus, from school closings to activating online social networks. He urges Americans to be calm but cautious; at a town hall, the President looks back at his term so far. Read his remarks, look at the slideshow, and come back for his press conference streamed here at 8:00;
Energy
Congressman Charlie Gonzalez says, “ Affecting the change we need requires an understanding of the underlying facts and embracing the challenges. We cannot, despite the wishful thinking of many, simply stop using oil, gas, or coal.”
Things are heating up with regards to the President's Energy Plan as The American Clean Energy and Security Act works its way through the Energy and Commerce Committee in the House of Representatives. Early Obama and alamObama supporter Representative Charlie Gonzalez is featured in a new ad by MoveOn and a rally is planned outside his office tomorrow here in San Antonio. Here is an opportunity for federal and local politics to merge right here in
our backyard. For more information, check out the link below: http://www.alamobama08.com/legislative-watch.html.
Read Congressman Gonzalez’s position in his own words at the end of this roundup.
Health Care
The health care fight is upon us! If you support the idea of a public option for all (like Medicare for all Americans), you may already know that Howard Dean has returned to his old community organizing group, Democracy for America, to lead the fight for this. TONIGHT starting at 8 pm there will be an online briefing. Emergency Online Briefing with Dr. Dean, Monday, May 4, 9pm Eastern, hosted on MoveOn.org’s website at www.moveon.org/drdean .
OFA is gathering its forces around the issue and we can expect to hear from them this week as well. Keep checking my.barackobama.com, watch your email for details and be ready to act.
Education
Democratic lawmakers today reintroduced legislation that will help make America’s public school facilities more safe, healthy, energy-efficient and technologically advanced, while creating thousands of new jobs in construction and green industries. The House Education and Labor committee will consider and vote on the bill next Wednesday, May 6. Here’s more:
Organizing for America
Go to my.barackobama.com and check out the changes in the OFA website. See changes affecting our state in the first 100 days, see how different issues have helped to build a foundation for lasting change, and read the personal stories of those affected. my.barackobama.com/page/content/foundationforchange
Texas Legislation
Legislation to reshape Texas’ school accountability system
Texas schools would be graded with new standards – highlighting an emphasis on college readiness in high schools – while student testing would lose much of its punch in lower grades under school improvement bills the Legislature passed Wednesday. Read details here
Senate Says Yes to Passenger Rail Study
Texas should create a long-term plan for developing a statewide passenger rail system, the state Senate decided today in the first such step in years.
Community
Rain to Drain Field Trip
San Antonio Water System ensures that you always have a safe, reliable supply of water at the turn of the tap. If you're interested in learning more about where your drinking water comes from and where it goes when you're done with it, consider joining SAWS and EAA Education Teams for our Rain to Drain Community Field Trip. Saturday May 30, 8:45 AM – 5:00PM
CONTACT: Greg Wukasch at gwukasch@saws.org or fax: 233-5043
VIA Public Hearings
VIA Metropolitan Transit will hold a series of public hearings to receive comments from citizens regarding design and placement of stations and terminals for VIA’s proposed bus rapid transit line:
- Monday, May 4, 2009 - 6:00 P.M., Norris Conference Center, Crossroads Mall, 4522 Fredericksburg Rd., Suite A100, SATX 78201
- Tuesday, May 5, 2009 - 6:00 P.M., Ecumenical Center for Religion and Health, Jones Hall,
- 8310 Ewing Halsell Dr. (Wurzbach), SATX 78229
- Wednesday, May 6, 2009 - 6:00 P.M., Bob Ross Senior Center, 4207 Babcock, SATX 78229
- Thursday, May 7, 2009 - 6:00 P.M., VIA Metro Center, 1021 San Pedro, SATX 78212
- Saturday, May 9, 2009 – 8:30 A.M., VIA Metro Center, 1021 San Pedro, SATX 78212
GreenCamp San Antonio
GreenCamp San Antonio is a community education event on Saturday, May 9, 2009 at The Historic Pearl Brewery from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm p.m., with registration at 8:30 a.m.
The event is free to all attendees, including lunch and snacks, and is fully sponsored. The event follows the unconference model. Unconferences are events at which the attendees determine the agenda on the day of the event.
GreenCamp San Antonio was created to provide an opportunity to connect with like-minded people who are passionate about San Antonio, living Green, and creating a fun, sustainable and thought-provoking Green community. Attendees will be able to become part of a grassroots leadership team that feels empowered and has the knowledge to implement positive environmental change within your own social network. It is an opportunity to have an impact on the environmental policy in your own city. There’s only one attendee requirement: Everyone must participate in some way. You can present information, give a demo, lead a discussion or just ask tough questions. The event is free so we are asking local business to sponsor the event to defray the costs of food, chair rental and giveaways. We are also open to in-kind donations for giveaways and door prizes. If you know anyone who might want to sponsor, please feel free to pass on this information and a link to our sponsor page. greencampsa.com/?page_id=18 or contact daniella@greencampsa.com. For more information and registration go to www.greencampsa.com
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Congressman Charlie Gonzalez’s Letter on Clean Energy
"Our future success depends on creating a new energy paradigm. That's a major statement, but there is no longer any doubt that we need to change how we power our economy, reducing our emissions and our dependence on foreign oil. We cannot afford not to.
"Affecting the change we need requires an understanding of the underlying facts and embracing the challenges. We cannot, despite the wishful thinking of many, simply stop using oil, gas, or coal. These fossil fuels are integral to our present system and will remain so for many years, and we have no choice but to use the natural resources we have. Neither can we pump away our problems, however. We must embrace renewable, clean energy like wind and solar power and begin to replace fossil fuels with these energy sources. That's why I will continue to support funding these alternatives and the modernization of our nation's electric grid. This will create new jobs and revitalize American manufacturing, while saving us money.
"The first and most efficient means of reducing emissions and cutting costs, however, is even simpler and faster than renewable fuel: energy efficiency. Reducing the waste when cold escapes through uninsulated windows or hot water from an improperly installed heater might sound boring or even pointless. But improving the efficiency of a single home can save that family hundreds of dollars a year, and doing it for our country would save us billions of dollars and reduce the fuel we buy and the emission we release. That's good for the economy and for the environment, too.
"President Obama understands the importance of new energy policy for our future success. As a member of the House Subcommittee on Energy and the Environment, I look forward to working with my colleagues and with the President to bring us all into a better world."
Sincerely,
Charles A. Gonzalez
Member of Congress
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