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Politics : SUPPORT OUR TROOPS -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: PatiBob who wrote (2620)	8/28/2003 11:35:56 AM
From: sandintoes	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 3592

Our new congresswoman, whom WE helped to elect, said she would represent "all the people of DeKalb County"...meaning us included..the first thing she did was meet with Hillary. Majette Hosts Fourth District Leaders at African American Summit in D.C. June 26, 2003 Washington, D.C. – June Barnes and Gil Turman, community leaders from the Fourth Congressional District, today attended the Congressional Black Caucus’ African American Leadership Summit. They were invited to attend by Congresswoman Denise L. Majette (GA-04). The summit was sponsored by Congressional Black Caucus members, Senate Democrats and Democratic leaders, including Rep. Majette and Senator Hillary Clinton from New York, to discuss issues important to African American families, including jobs and the economy, education, health care, civil rights and homeland security. Congressional Black Caucus members and Democratic Senators each invited two leaders from their respective states or districts to participate in the summit. The participants represented a variety of different backgrounds and professions. “June Barnes and Gil Turman bring a wealth of knowledge and experience about the issues that are important to our community—health care, education and economic development,” said Majette. “Their contribution to this summit was invaluable, and leaders throughout the country and in our community are very fortunate to have the benefit of their dedication and expertise.” June Barnes, born and raised in Atlanta, is a breast cancer survivor and has been a breast cancer educator since 1995. She is currently a navigator at a local hospital through the Emory Windship Cancer Center, and is the chair of the Atlanta Mammography Metro Program and the second vice-chair of the National Silver Haired Congress. Barnes is a registered gerontologist, recently retired from the Atlanta Housing Authority where she worked for more than 34 years. She received her training at Morehouse Medical College and is a charter board member of Breast Health Connection of Georgia. Barnes is a widowed mother of one biological daughter and one adopted daughter. She has one great grandson, Isaac, and one granddaughter. She has been a member of the Mitchell Street CME Church since her birth 70 years ago. Gil Turman, born in Atlanta in 1940, graduated from Clark Atlanta University in 1962 with a B.A. in Business Administration, and went on to receive his M.A. in Education and his EDS in Administration and Policy Studies. Before retiring, he was a former teacher, coach, principal and assistant superintendent, all in DeKalb County. He is a new member of the MAPP Steering Council in DeKalb County and president of the South DeKalb Neighborhood Association. Turman has three children and two grandchildren. The Summit opened with roundtable discussions with Senate and House Democrats and African American leaders. Former Secretary of Labor Alexis Herman moderated a panel discussion on jobs and the economy. The Summit concluded with a town hall meeting with young African American leaders. The discussion focused on policy priorities raised by these emerging civic leaders and encouraged greater participation of younger African Americans in the electoral process. The Summit is an unprecedented joint effort by the CBC and the Senate Democrats to bring African American leaders to the Capitol to discuss policy issues. The African American Leadership Summit is a continuation of a dialogue between the two legislative partners. house.gov

To: PatiBob who wrote (2620)	8/29/2003 4:35:26 PM
From: PROLIFE	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 3592

texasgop.org Redistricting needed to correct a travesty of democracy What would you do if after casting your vote on Election Day you learned that someone had secretly taken your ballot and thrown it in the trash? Imagine how angry, frustrated and betrayed you would feel. "What happened to the principle of one man, one vote?" you might ask in outrage. The disturbing truth is that in November 2002, nearly ten percent of Texans' votes cast in congressional races were effectively thrown away. Election returns show that fifty-six percent of Texans voted for the GOP congressional candidate in 2002. Yet Republicans received less than 47% of the seats. This travesty of democracy is caused by the unfair way congressional district lines are currently drawn. According to the Center for Voting and Democracy, a non-partisan Washington D.C.-based think tank, "[Texas] Democrats drew the most effective partisan gerrymander for congressional elections in the nation in 1991." The Almanac of American Politics agreed, labeling the Democrats' work "the shrewdest gerrymander of the 1990's." In 2001, our elected legislators had the opportunity to right the wrongs of the past by enacting a fair plan that respected communities of common interest and the will of Texas voters. But State House Democrats refused to pass a congressional redistricting plan, and instead abdicated their constitutional responsibility to a group of appointed federal judges who imposed the map Texas has today. The federal judges drew a map that met the bare minimum legal requirements while making sure it was not "avoidably detrimental to Members of Congress of either party holding unique, major leadership posts." In other words, the court chose to protect incumbent politicians instead of working to correct the horrible Democrat gerrymandering of 1991. This explains why a majority of Texans are not getting what they are voting for today. The federal court admitted that its interim map was not intended to reflect Texans' voting behavior or minority population growth across the state. In fact, the court stated that creating additional minority or Republican districts, in accordance with population and electoral changes since the last census, is "a quintessentially legislative decision." Earlier this year, legislators once again had the opportunity to do right by Texans and fulfill their constitutional responsibilities by passing a final redistricting plan. But House Democrats, desperate to protect their synthetic congressional majority and the national Democrat Party, ran away to Oklahoma and shut down the legislature. Today, Texas stands at the crossroads. Democrats want Texas to go down the road to nowhere, where nothing is done on redistricting and the current, blatantly unfair map is left in place. If that is the path Texas chooses, thousands and thousands of voters will continue to have their ballots disregarded on Election Day and rapidly growing minority populations will continue to be under-represented. The second option, championed by Governor Rick Perry and Republicans, will reestablish the principle of one man, one vote in Texas congressional elections and provide new leadership opportunities for minority Texans. Gov. Perry is right to call a special session of the legislature to finally pass a fair congressional redistricting plan. Democrats have stifled Texans' voices for their own political gain for too long. To allow Democrats to continue to disenfranchise Texas voters would be an absolutely irresponsible travesty of our democratic system. The legislature must enact a fair redistricting plan now, before the next election, so that Texans' voices are finally heard and respected. As an American and a Texan, voting for your elected officials - and having your vote count - is your right. The Democrats should no longer be allowed to take that right away from you.