>>> THE TEXAS LEGISLATIVE

SESSION IS UNDERWAY.

SO IF YOU THOUGHT YOUR CIVIC

RESPONSIBILITIES ENDED ON

ELECTION DAY, THINK AGAIN.

YOU NEED TO STAY ENGAGED WITH

ELECTED LEADERS AS THEY DO THEIR

WORK IF YOU WANT TO HOLD THEM

ACCOUNTABLE.

THAT MIGHT SEEM DAUNTING,

ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE ALREADY

JUGGLING WORK AND FAMILY.

NOT TO MENTION THE IDEA OF

COMPETING AGAINST THE SPECIAL

INTERESTS AND LOBBYING GROUPS

FOR THE ATTENTION OF DECISION

MAKERS IN GOVERNMENT.

TONIGHT WE'RE HERE TO FOCUS ON

WHAT IT TAKES TO GET YOUR VOICE

HEARD IN THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE.

>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR

THIS SPECIAL PROGRAM, CIVIC

SUMMIT.

YOUR STATE LEGISLATURE, YOUR

VOICE.

SPONSORED BY KUTK, KRLU.

I'M NATHAN.

THIS COMMUNITY CONVERSATION IS

PART OF OUR WHY BOTHER NEWS AND

PUBLIC DIALOGUE SERIES LOOKING

INTO WHY TEXAS HAS ONE OF THE

LOWEST RATES OF CIVIC

PARTICIPATION IN THE COUNTRY.

I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR

PANELISTS FOR TONIGHT'S

DISCUSSION.

TO MY LEFT STATE SENATOR WENDY

DAVIS, WHO IS SERVING HER SECOND

TERM IN THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE,

REPRESENTING SENATE DISTRICT 10

IN TARRANT COUNTY.

STATE REPRESENTATIVE LARRY

GONZALES, REPRESENTS HOUSE

DISTRICT 52 IN WILLIAMSON

COUNTY, JUST NORTH OF AUSTIN.

HE'S ALSO SERVING HIS SECOND

TERM.

BEE MORE HEAD IS THE EXECUTIVE

DIRECT OF TEXAS IMPACT, A

STATEWIDE RELIGIOUS GRATROOTS

NETWORK THAT ROUTINELY ADVOCATES

BEFORE THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE.

AND FINALLY, BRENDAN STEIN

HAUSER WITH THE TEXAS PUBLIC

POLICY FOUNDATION, A FREE MARKET

THINK TANK BASED IN AUSTIN THAT

MANY RELY ON FOR RESEARCH.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

AS YOU CAN YOU KNOW, GETTING

HEARD AT THE STATE CONTINUE HAVE

GONE A DAUNTING TASK FOR ANYONE,

WHETHER YOU'RE A FRESHMAN

LAWMAKER OR YOUNG PERSON OR A

MEMBER OF YOUR LOCAL PARENT

TEACHER ASSOCIATION.

ONE GROUP THAT HAS BECOME

FAMILIAR TO MANY IN THE HALLS

UNDER THE DOME IS CALLED ADAPT

OF TEXAS.

THEY'RE VOLUNTEERS -- THEIR

VOLUNTEERS CONVENE ON THE

CAPITOL EVERY TUESDAY AND

THURSDAY AND THEY FLEX WHAT THEY

CALL PEOPLE POWER.

>> I'M JENNIFER AND I'VE BEEN

WITH ADAPT 23 YEARS.

MOST OF THOSE YEARS I'VE BEEN A

COMMUNITY ORGANIZER.

TODAY WE'RE GOING TO INTRODUCE

OURSELVES TO MOST OF THE

LEGISLATORS.

THERE'S A LOT OF NEW PEOPLE THAT

CAME THAT WE NEED TO EDUCATE

ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT WE WORK

ON.

>> THAT STARTED AS A GROUP OF

INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE CONCERNED

ABOUT LACK OF ACCESS TO PUBLIC

TRANSPORTATION.

>> WE DO A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF

BEING A VERY CONTINUOUS PRESENCE

HERE AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT

WE'RE ALL VERY PROUD OF.

>> WE'RE WITH ADAPT OF TEXAS.

>> GREAT.

>> WE JUST WANTED TO COME BY AND

INTRODUCE OURSELVES.

>> WE WERE VERY NAIVE OF THE

LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.

WE WOULD LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.

WE -- WE WERE LIKE EVERYONE

ELSE.

WE THOUGHT WE WOULD EDUCATE

PEOPLE AND THEY'LL DO WHAT YOU

WANT.

WE LEARN IT WAS A CAME OF

POLITICS.

SO WHAT WE DECIDED WAS -- A GAME

OF POLITICS.

SO WHAT WE DECIDED WAS WE TO USE

PEOPLE POWER AND THAT'S WHAT

ADAPT IS ALL ABOUT.

IT'S BASICALLY TAKING THE PEOPLE

AFFECTED BY THE ISSUES AND HAVE

THEM SORT OF COME TOGETHER

ORGANIZE, AND SEND THE MESSAGE

TO THE POLICY MAKERS.

WE'VE HAD AN EFFECT OF NOT ONLY

GETTING TO KNOW THE LEGISLATORS,

BUT ALSO ABOUT, YOU KNOW,

GETTING SOME POLICY CHANGES THAT

WE'RE VERY PROUD OF.

EVEN IF IT'S NOT EXACTLY

PERFECT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE OUT

THERE, TO SEND OUR MESSAGES.

SOME OF OUR PEOPLE SAY THINGS

THAT SOMETIMES WE SAY, OH, MY

GOODNESS, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S

PERSONAL.

IT'S HOW THEY FEEL.

AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT THESE

LEGISLATORS NEED TO HEAR.

>> SENATOR DAVIS, WE JUST HEARD

FROM ONE ORGANIZATION WHO HAS

FIGURED OUT A STRATEGY THAT

WORKS FOR THEM.

FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, IN THE

TEXAS SENATE, WHAT ARE THE

BIGGEST BARRIERS FOR PEOPLE WHO

WANT TO VOICE THEIR CONCERNS TO

THE LEGISLATURE?

>> WELL, I STARTED MY POLITICAL

CAREER IN A CITY COUNCIL ROLE.

AND IT WAS VERY EASY FOR PEOPLE

TO COME TO THEIR LOCAL CITY

COUNCIL MEETING AND PROVIDE

INPUT.

WHEN YOU'RE IN THE STATE CAPITOL

FOR A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE

REPRESENT, IT'S QUITE A DISTANCE

TO COME.

AND TO BE HEARD.

AND TO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS TO

BEING HEARD IN AND OF ITSELF CAN

BE A CHALLENGE.

THE ORGANIZATION THAT WE'VE JUST

HEARD ABOUT IS WORKING HARD TO

MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND

WHAT THAT PROCESS IS AND HOW TO

CAPTURE IT AND MAKE THEIR VOICE

HEARD.

FOR MANY THEY'RE RUNNING UP

AGAINST LOBBIES THAT HAVE WORKED

MANY, MANY YEARS AND HAVE BUILT

STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH

LEGISLATURE IN THE CAPITOL.

AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THEM NOT

TO FEEL TOO DAUNTED BY THAT.

AND TO CONTINUE TO INSERT THEIR

VOICES IN OUR OFFICES, IN A

COMMITTEE HEARING, SO THAT THEY

CAN BE REPRESENTED IN THE

PERSPECTIVES THAT WE ADVANCE.

>> RIGHT.

AND I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT SOME

OF THE WAYS THAT PEOPLE WITH DO

THAT.

BUT FIRST, TO ADDRESS SOME OF

THOSE SPECIFIC CHALLENGES THAT

YOU'VE BROUGHT UP,

REPRESENTATIVE GONZALES, SENATOR

DAVIS TALKED ABOUT THE POWERFUL

INTEREST THAT ARE ALREADY IN THE

HALLS OF STATE GOVERNMENT.

HOW CAN ONE OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS

WHEN IT COMES TO YOU AND ASK

YOU, HOW CAN THEY GET THEIR

POINT ACROSS AND THEIR VOICE

HEARD WITH THOSE POWERFUL

INTERESTS, WHAT DO YOU TELL

THEM?

>> OF COURSE, I LIVE HERE.

I'M JUST IS A FEW MILES AWAY.

>> SURE.

>> SO WE HAVE QUITE AN ACTIVE

GROUP THAT IS IN THE CAPITOL

QUITE A BIT, PLUS BECAUSE I AM

SO CLOSE, I GO HOME EVERY NIGHT

AND I GET A LOT OF INPUT THERE

AT HOME, TOO.

IT ISN'T JUST AT THE CAPITOL.

BUT FOR THOSE OF US WHO LIVE

NEARBY, IT'S GOING TO THE SAME

MEETINGS THAT WE'RE AT.

WE MAKE MANY, MANY ACROSS THE

DISTRICT.

IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY THERE, EVEN

DURING SESSION TO CONVERSE.

BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S ABOUT A LOT

OF TIMES JUST RELATIONSHIPS.

AND IT'S JUST SPENDING TIME.

LONG BEFORE I WAS REPRESENTATIVE

LARRY GONZALES, I WAS A YOUNG

STAFFER, JUST LARRY.

I'M LEAH'S DAD, I'M ALEXANDER'S

DAD.

IT'S SIMPLE.

THAT'S KIND OF WHO I AM.

AND SO ALWAYS BEING

APPROACHABLE, ALWAYS HAVING THE

OFFICE THERE.

READY TO TALK AND GREET SOMEBODY

WITH A SMILE.

YOU'D BE AMAZED HOW FAR THAT

GOES, RIGHT?

BUT IT'S AN INVESTMENT OF TIME.

IT IS AN INVESTMENT OF TIME.

TO COME DOWN AND GET TO KNOW US

AND GET TO KNOW MY STAFF AND YOU

KNOW, TELL US NOT JUST ONCE

ABOUT YOUR ISSUES, TELL US AGAIN

AND TELL US AGAIN, BECAUSE THERE

ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS

GOING ON.

WE CAN'T POSSIBLY BE ON TOP OF

ALL OF IT ALL THE TIME.

BUT I NEED SOMEONE TO TAKE THE

TIME TO COME TO THE OFFICE AND

SAY, LARRY, ONE MORE TIME,

REMEMBER, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE

LOOKING FOR.

AND THERE'S NEVER TOO MANY TIMES

TO EMAIL.

THERE'S NEVER TOO MANY TIMES TO

CALL.

WE NEED THE INPUT FROM THE

CONSTITUENTS.

>> WHAT GETS IN THE WAY OF

CONSTITUENTS DO YOU THINK FROM

HAVING THEIR VOICES HEARD IF

THERE'S A TICK ISSUE THAT THEY

CARE THE?

>> I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S JUST A

MATTER OF -- A MATTER OF TIME.

YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE BUSY.

AND WHERE I LIVE, THERE'S A LOT

OF 30s TO 40-YEAR-OLDS.

WE'RE TALKING BOTH PARENTS WORK,

THE KIDS ARE VERY ACTIVE IN

SCHOOL, LIKE MINE ARE IN SOCCER

AND GIRL SCOUTS.

SOMETIMES THINGS JUST GET VERY

BUSY WITH LIFE.

SO TAKING THE TIME TO SHOOT AN

EMAIL OR WRITE A LETTER OR MAKE

A PHONE CALL, PEOPLE GO ON WITH

THEIR LIVES SOMETIMES.

BUT WHEN YOU DO THAT, REALIZE

THAT I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM YOU.

REALIZE THAT I NEED YOU TO TAKE

THE TIME TO JUST -- AND THE GOOD

THING ABOUT THE SOCIAL MEDIA AND

THE MULTI-MEDIA, THERE'S LOTS OF

WAYS TO GET US.

THERE'S NOT A LONG DISTANCE

PHONE CALL ANYMORE.

IT'S THE FACEBOOK, IT'S TWITTER,

IT'S THE INTERNET.

ICE ALL KINDS OF WAYS TO REACH

US THESE DAYS.

SO HOPEFULLY THERE ARE FEWER

OBSTACLES.

IN THE HOUSE RULES WE PASSED A

RULE THAT WOULD ALLOW PEOPLE TO

VIDEOTAPE A THREE-MINUTE PUBLIC

TESTIMONY FOR COMMITTEE HEARING

AND MAIL IT TO THE COMMITTEE

CLERK.

ONE MORE WAY OF REACHING OUT TO

TRY TO MAKE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE.

SO IF YOU WANT TO VIDEOTAPE YOUR

TESTIMONY IF YOU CAN'T BE IN

AUSTIN, VIDEOTAPE IT AND SEND IT

IN.

>> WELL, BEA, YOU ARE NO

STRANGER TO THE HALLS.

IS IT WELL JUST A MATTER OF TIME

GETTING IN PEOPLE'S WAY?

>> I THINK TIME GETS IN PEOPLE'S

WAY.

I THINK THE BIG THING THAT WE

TRY TO TELL OUR MEMBERS WHO ARE

PRIMARILY PEOPLE WHO BELONG TO

RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES IS, YOU

KNOW, CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IS A

MARATHON, NOT A SPRINT.

YOU CAN'T DO IT ALL ONE TIME --

YOU CAN'T SEND 10 EMAILS AT ONE

TIME AND MAKE A BUNCH OF PHONE

CALLS AND ASSUME THAT THAT KIND

OF TOOK CARE OF YOUR CITIZENSHIP

FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.

IT'S A CONSTANT PARTICIPATION IN

THE LIFE OF THE COMMUNITY, IT'S

CONTINUE STATELY REFRESHING YOUR

LEGISLATION -- CONSTANTLY

REFRESHING YOUR LEGISLATION AND

NOT JUST TRYING TO GET YOURSELF

A PRODUCT OUT OF IT.

>> NOW, BRENDAN, YOU GREW UP IN

TEXAS.

YOU SPENT A FEW YEARS IN D.C.

WORKING FOR FREEDOM WORKS BUT

NOW YOU'RE BACK WITH THE TEXAS

PUBLIC POLICY FOUNDATION.

WHAT'S THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE IN

PUSHING THE AGENDA OF, YOU KNOW,

PEOPLE WHO -- WHOSE IDEAS YOU

REPRESENT?

>> I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF

CHALLENGES.

CERTAINLY THERE'S A LOT OF

DIFFERENT INTEREST.

THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT

GROUPS THAT ARE PUSHING AGAINST

YOU.

AND SO YOU KNOW, WHAT I'VE SEEN

THAT'S EFFECTIVE IS WHEN PEOPLE

GET ORGANIZED AND THEY BAND

TOGETHER, CITIZENS CAN MAKE A

HUGE IMPACT.

AND WHAT I LIKE TO TALK ABOUT

WHEN I TRAVEL AROUND THE COUNTRY

AND TALK TO GROUPS, YOU KNOW,

FIND SOMETHING YOU CAN ALL AGREE

ON, ORGANIZE A LITTLE BIT, PUT

TOGETHER A PLAN OF ACTION THAT

LASTS THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE

SESSION.

FIND OUT WHAT ARE THE ONE OR TWO

THINGS THAT YOU WANT TO GET

DONE, HAVE A PLAN, ENACT THAT

PLAN, WHETHER IT'S COMMUNICATION

TO LEGISLATORS, WHETHER IT'S

REACHING OUT TO THE MEDIA AND

SITTING DOWN WITH THEM AS A

GROUP, WHETHER IT'S A PUBLIC

DISPLAY OF RALLY OR A PROTEST.

>> AND I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT

THOSE SOLUTIONS, BUT FIRST, THE

PROBLEMS, THE OBSTACKLES AND THE

CHALLENGES.

YOU HAVE DEALT -- HELPING TO

ORGANIZE TEA PARTY GROUPS, FOR

EXAMPLE, THAT -- WHAT GETS IN

THEIR WAY OF PUSHING THEIR

CONCERNS ABOUT THE DEBT OR

DEFICIT.

>> SURE, A LOT OF TIMES IT'S

KIND OF A FEAR OF NOT KNOWING

THE PROCESS OR UNDERSTANDING THE

PROCESS AND BELIEVING THAT

THERE'S SOMEHOW CUT OUT OF THE

PROCESS.

BUT NOT REALLY.

YOU CAN ACTUALLY GO AND SCHEDULE

AN APPOINTMENT AND SIT DOWN WITH

YOUR LEGISLATOR'S STAFF.

WHETHER IT'S IN WASHINGTON OR

IT'S IN AUSTIN.

YOU ACTUALLY HAVE THAT ABILITY

AND THAT CAPABILITY.

YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY THERE'S A

LEVEL OF FRUSTRATION OUT THERE

WHERE PEOPLE FEEL LIKE I DON'T

COUNT OR MY SIDE NEVER WINS.

BOTH SIDES KIND OF FEEL THAT

WAY, I THINK.

IF YOU REALLY ANALYZE IT.

SO IT'S REALLY -- A LOT OF IT'S

SAGE LOCK CAL.

A LOT OF IT'S THIS --

PSYCHOLOGICAL.

A LOT OF IT'S THIS THING AS

CITIZENS WE HAVE TO GET OVER AND

ORGANIZE AND DO SOMETHING.

>> SENATOR DAVIS, WHAT IMPACT

DOES THE TIGHT SCHEDULE OF THE

LEGISLATURE HAVE, 140 DAYS EVERY

TWO YEARS.

HOW DOES THAT AFFECT PEOPLE'S

ABILITY TO GET INVOLVED IN STATE

POLITICS?

>> WELL, I THINK IT CAN BE

OVERWHELMING TO TRY TO ACHIEVE A

VERY DIFFICULT TASK IN A SHORT

PERIOD OF TIME.

140 DAYS GOES BY IN AN INSTANT.

AND AS YOU SAID, COMPETING FOR A

LEGISLATOR'S TIME ARE A MYRIAD

OF ISSUES, AND MAKING IS THIS

YOUR THAT YOURS IS RISING TO THE

TOP AND IS ONE THAT IS BEING

VOICED ON THEIR BEHALF CAN BE

RATHER OVERWHELMING.

I KNOW THAT FOR MANY PEOPLE THAT

I'VE WORKED WITH WHO COME

THROUGH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THESE

AND WHO MAY FEEL THAT IT'S JUST

TOO DIFFICULT A TASK, I REALLY

DO TRY TO ENCOURAGE THEM BACK TO

THE MARATHON, NOT A SPRINT

ANALOGY, THAT SOMETIMES

ACHIEVING A GOAL THROUGH A

LEGISLATIVE BODY CAN TAKE MORE

THAN ONE, MORE THAN TWO, MORE

THAN THREE SESSIONS.

BUT THEY HAVE TO KEEP AT IT,

BECAUSE ALWAYS WHAT WILL BE

THERE ARE THE MORE POWERFUL,

MORE WELL-FINANCED INTERESTS

THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE A

LOBBYIST THERE ON THEIR BEHALF

EVERY MOMENT THAT THE

LEGISLATURE IS CONVENED AND

EVERY MOMENT DURING OUR INTERIM.

AND THEY CAN'T GIVE UP ON MAKING

SURE THAT THEIR VOICES ARE BEING

HEARD, AS DISCOURAGING AS IT CAN

BE.

AND REPRESENTING SOME OF THOSE

COMMUNITY VOICES ON ISSUES LIKE

PAYDAY LENDING, FOR EXAMPLE,

WHERE I'VE CONFRONTED PROBABLY

THE MOST -- ONE OF THE MOST

POWERFUL LOBBIES IN THE

LEGISLATURE, CAN GET

DISCOURAGING, EVEN FOR ME WHO

HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO HOLD THE

MICROPHONE ON THE SENATE FLOOR

AND FIGHT ON BEHALF OF THE

ISSUES THAT I'M WORKING ON

THERE.

BUT I TRY TO REMIND MYSELF OF

THE MARATHON, NOT THE SPRINT.

AND THAT WHAT I'M WORKING ON

REALLY MATTERS AND THAT THE

PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES ARE BEING

IMPACTED BY WHAT WE'RE WORKING

ON COLLECTIVELY REALLY MATTERS.

AND WE JUST HAVE TO SHORE EACH

OTHER UP AND KEEP FIGHTING FOR

WHAT WE CARE ABOUT.

>> RIGHT.

YOU TALK ABOUT -- YOU BROUGHT UP

THE FINANCIAL AND INTEREST I

KNOW AS LAWMAKERS IT'S JUST A

FACT OF LIFE THAT YOU NEED MONEY

TO RUN CAMPAIGNS AND I KNOW,

THAT YOU?

DAVIS, AND REPRESENTATIVE

GONZALES, HAVE BOTH TAKEN MONEY

FROM SOME OF THE SAME GROUPS,

THE AT&T-- JUST AS AN EXAMPLE.

WHAT -- WHAT DO LOBBYISTS AND

CORPORATE DONORS GET OUT OF

THAT, REPRESENTATIVE GONZALES?

>> I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY GET

OUT OF IT.

I THINK GOING BACK TO WHAT I

SAID EARLIER, IT'S JUST -- IT'S

JUST A MATTER OF HAVING A TIME

COMMITMENT AND A RELATIONSHIP.

I THINK THE LOBBYISTS GET A BAD

RAP, BECAUSE ANYBODY WHO'S A

TEXAS CITIZEN PROBABLY HAS ONE

OR TWO GROUPS LOOKING OUT FOR

THEIR INTEREST.

SO YOU'LL HAVE THE CHAMBER OF

COMMERCE, YOUR LOCAL CHAMBER OF

COMMERCE, PROBABLY GOT A GR

TEAM.

IF YOU'RE A TEACHER, THERE ARE A

MYRIAD OF TEACHER GROUPS THAT

ACTUALLY HAVE YOUR VOICE APPEARS

AS WELL.

SO I KNOW -- THE EASY THING TO

KNOCK THE LOBBY, BUT QUITE

FRANKLY, THEY ARE AN INSTRUMENT

OF COMMUNICATION THAT REPRESENT

QUITE A FEW PEOPLE ALREADY, YOU

KNOW?

I DON'T TAKE I GUESS AS NEGATIVE

APPROACH.

BUT CAMPAIGNS COST MONEY, YOU

KNOW.

IT'S WHAT IT IS.

THERE'S JUST A FUNDAMENTAL THING

ABOUT WHEN YOU'RE COMMUNICATING

WITH THE PROFESSIONALS, THE PAID

LOBBY, IS THAT THEY SPEND TIME

WITH YOU, RIGHT.

THAT'S WHAT THEY DO.

AND PROBABLY MORE ACCESS THAN,

YOU KNOW, SOMEONE WHO'S AT HOME

AND WORKING AND BALANCING THE

KIDS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

BUT I STILL THINK IT'S IMPORTANT

TO RECOGNIZE THAT EVEN IF YOU'RE

AT HOME, AND THAT THERE ARE

PEOPLE UP HERE THAT ARE

REPRESENTING YOU, THAT ARE PAID

TO REPRESENT YOU.

SO I KIND OF TAKE A LITTLE BIT

DIFFERENT APPROACH TO THE

LOBBIES --

>> RIGHT.

I APPRECIATE YOUR PERSPECTIVE,

REPRESENTATIVE.

ARE -- HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE

ROLE OF LOBBYISTS IN STATE

GOVERNMENT?

>> I'M A REGISTERED LOBBYIST.

>> THERE YOU GO.

>> SO I THINK LOBBYISTS ARE AN

IMPORTANT PART OF THE PROCESS

AND WHAT WE TRY TO EXPLAIN TO

OUR MEMBERS IS EVERYBODY IS AN

IMPORTANT PROCESS.

IT TAKES EVERYBODY

PARTICIPATING.

THE LOBBY IT DO SOMETHING THAT

THE -- LOBBYISTS DO SOMETHING

THAT THE AVERAGE CITIZEN CAN'T

DO.

THEY'RE HERE ALL THE TIME.

THEY PROVIDE A LEVEL OF

INFORMATION.

THE PEOPLE WHO ARE BRINGING THE

DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT

WHATEVER THE ISSUE IS, YOU KNOW,

YOU DON'T -- I DON'T THINK THAT

LEGISLATORS EXPECT IN A KIND OF

ACADEMIC RESEARCH FROM THEIR

CONSTITUENTS.

WHAT THEY EXPECT FROM

CONSTITUENTS, THE LEGISLATORS

ARE HERE SO THEY COULD ANSWER

BETTER, BY MU MY UNDERSTANDING,

MY EXPERIENCE IS THEY EXPECT

THEIR CONSTITUENTS' PERSONAL

EXPERIENCE IN THE LOCAL

COMMUNITY.

WE HAD AN INTERESTING -- ONE

TIME A COLLEAGUE OF MINE HAD A

LETTER THAT FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT

HAD ACTUALLY WRITTEN TO HER

GRANDFATHER WHO HAD BEEN A

MINISTER AND THE LETTER SAID, I

NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU HOW MY

POLICIES ARE WORKING IN YOUR

LOCAL COMMUNITY, BECAUSE I CAN'T

BE EVERYWHERE AT ONE TIME.

AND SO TO LOBBY JUST DOES A

DIFFERENT THING THAN THE PERSON

WHO CAN CALL AND SAY ON MY

STREET IT DIDN'T LOOK THE SAME

WAY.

>> YEAH.

BRENDAN, I MEAN, FROM YOUR

GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING, DO MORE

ORGANIZED INTEREST GET IN THE

WAY OF LOCAL GRASSROOTS GROUPS

WHEN THEY'RE TRYING TO REACH OUT

TO LAWMAKERS?

>> I THINK YOU DO SEE SOME OF

THAT.

I THINK THAT THERE ARE PLENTY OF

EXAMPLES, THOUGH, WHERE LOCAL

CITIZENS BANNING TOGETHER CAN

ACTUALLY BEAT PAID INTEREST AND

CAN ACTUALLY HAVE BETTER STORIES

AND BE ORGANIZED AND BE MORE

PASSIONATE.

IT DOES TAKE MONEY TO FUND

ORGANIZATIONS, BUT TO

REPRESENTATIVE GONZALES' POINT,

IF YOU SUPPORT THE SIERRA CLUB

AND THE IDEALS, YOU CAN

CERTAINLY GET INVOLVED WITH

THEM.

IF YOU SUPPORT THE NRA, THEY'VE

HAD A BOOMING MEMBERSHIP OVER

THIS GUN DEBATE.

SO HAS THE OTHER SIDE.

I THINK THE LOCAL CITIZENS

SHOULD LOOK TO SUPPORT AND

RESOURCES.

IF YOU DON'T THINK THE SIERRA

CLUB IS DOING ITS JOB, AND

THEY'RE NOT REPRESENTING YOU,

WELL, YOU SHOULD LET THEM KNOW

HOW THEY CAN BETTER REPRESENT

YOU.

IF YOU DON'T THINK THE NRA IS

DOING WHAT YOU WANT, CALL THEM

AND UP TRY TO BAND TOGETHER TO

HAVE AN IMPACT WITHIN THE

ORGANIZATION.

AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS THERE

ON A LOT OF THESE ISSUES, WHERE

GRASSROOTS FOLKS CAN ACTUALLY

HELP STEER THOSE ORGANIZATIONS

IN THE DIRECTION THAT THEY WANT

THEM TO GO.

>> SENATOR DAVIS, WHEN PEOPLE

COME TO YOU, IS IT MORE -- IS IT

MORE EFFECTIVE IF THEY HAVE A

NARROW CONCERN THAT THEY'RE

TRYING TO ADDRESS OR WOULD YOU

RATHER HEAR A LAUNDRY LIST OF

COMPLAINTS?

>> WELL, I THIS THINK THE ANSWER

IS PRETTY CLEAR.

A DIRECT, CONCISE, MESSAGE AND A

DIRECT, CONCISE REQUEST OF A

LEGISLATOR IS REALLY HELPFUL.

BAE WAS TALKING ABOUT -- I

KNOW -- BEA WAS TALKING ABOUT,

JOHNATHAN DOES THE SAME, THEY'RE

WORKING TRYING TO PULL MULTIPLE

IDEAS TOGETHER AND PUT THEM IN A

REQUEST THAT MAKES SENSE TO

THEIR LEGISLATORS.

IT DOES HELP US TO BE ABLE TO

CARRY THAT FORWARD IF IT COMES

TO US IN THAT WAY.

BUT WE ALL HAVE WONDERFUL TEAMS

OF PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR US IN OUR

LEGISLATIVE OFFICES AS WELL.

AND THEY'RE SKILLED AND

EXPERIENCED AT HELPING PEOPLE TO

DISTILL THEIR REQUESTS INTO A

DIRECT MESSAGE THAT WE CAN THEN

CARRY FORWARD ON THEIR BEHALF.

SO I WOULD NOT HESITATE TO SAY,

DON'T FEEL AS THOUGH YOU NEED TO

WALK IN YOUR LEGISLATOR'S DOOR,

TERRIBLY ORGANIZED.

JUST COME WITH A PASSION.

COME WITH A REAL CONCERN THAT

MATTERS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.

AND BRING IT FORWARD IN A WAY

THAT LETS THAT SHINE THROUGH AND

YOU WILL BE HEARD, EVEN IF YOU

DON'T HAVE THE SLICKEST

PRESENTATION BRINGING IT

FORWARD.

>> BUT REPRESENTATIVE GONZALES,

SENATOR DAVIS ALLUDED TO THIS

EARLIER, AS A LAWMAKER THERE'S

ONLY SO MUCH YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH

NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU WANT TO

HELP SOMEONE.

>> WELL, I MEAN, WHAT WE DO,

TOO, IS THE THINGS WE'RE WORKING

ON NOW DURING SESSION, WE'VE

BEEN WORKING ON SINCE WE LEFT

LAST SESSION.

RIGHT?

THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT HAVE

BEEN GONE OKAY CONVERSATION WITH

MANY GROUPS.

>> WHAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF THAT?

>> WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH

FUNERAL HOME LEGISLATION.

THAT HAPPENED PROBABLY SHORTLY

AFTER WE LEFT LAST SATISFACTION.

AND WE'VE TAKEN THE TIME TO

RUN -- LAST SESSION.

WE'VE TAKEN THE TIME TO RUN ALL

THE -- WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT

ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE AN

INTEREST IN IT.

WHEN YOU GET HERE, OUR

LEGISLATION IS PRETTY TIGHT.

WE FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT WHERE

IT IS RIGHT NOW.

BECAUSE WE'VE RUN THE TRAPS THE

LAST YEAR AND A HALF.

I THINK WHAT -- WE TALKED ABOUT

EARLIER ABOUT THE LOBBYISTS, THE

REALLY GOOD ONES, THE PAID

LOBBYISTS, THEY WILL COME IN

WITH SOMEBODY FROM YOUR

COMMUNITY.

SO WHEN THE ARCHITECTS COME INTO

THE OFFICE TODAY, THEY'RE WITH

ONE OF MY LOCAL ARCHITECTS.

JOHN MOMMAN WHO HAPPENS TO BE A

CITY COUNCILWOMAN AND THERE'S

THAT CONNECTION THERE.

I SEE -- COUNCILMAN AND THERE'S

THAT CONNECTION THERE.

I SEE JOHN ALL OVER THE PLACE.

WHEN THEY WALK IN, THEY ARE

WALKING IN WITH JOHN SO THERE'S

THAT KIND OF CONNECTION, BRING

SOMEONE WITH THE DISTRICT WITH

YOU WHO HELPS MAKE THAT

CONNECTION, BECAUSE JOHN AND I

HAVE HAD THAT RELATIONSHIP FOR

MANY YEARS, LONG BEFORE I WAS

ELECTED.

>> WITH THE TEXAS LEGISLATIVE

SESSION UNDERWAY, WHAT ARE SOME

PRACTICAL WAYS FOR PEOPLE TO

TAKE THEIR CONCERNS TO -- OR

ISSUES TO THE CAPITOL.

WE WANT TO BEGIN BY HEARING

ABOUT SOME OF THE IDEAS THAT

PEOPLE CAME ONE DURING THE WHY

BOTHER DIALOGUE WE HELD IN

DECEMBER.

ANN BEESON IS --

>> THANK YOU, NATHAN.

ONE OF THE GOALS OF OUR WHY

BOTHER SERIES IS TO HEAR

DIRECTLY FROM CITIZENS AND

DURING OUR CONVERSATION LAST

DECEMBER AT AUSTIN COMMUNITY

COLLEGE, CITIZENS WORKED

TOGETHER IN ROUND TABLES TO

IDENTIFY CHALLENGES AND DEVELOP

SUGGESTIONS FOR HOW TO GET MORE

PEOPLE ENGAGED.

THEY OFFERED A NUMBER OF

INTERESTING INSIGHTS ABOUT THE

PROBLEM.

ONE CITIZEN SAID, WE NEED TO

MOVE FROM A CONSUMER VIEW,

VOTING FOR WHO GIVES ME THE MOST

OF WHAT I WANT, TO A

COLLABORATIVE VIEW, CITIZENSHIP

AS A VERB.

WE NEED TO ENFRANCHISE PEOPLE

AROUND ACTION, NOT JUST VOTING.

CITIZENS ALSO CAME UP WITH SOME

CONCRETE SOLUTIONS AND I WANTED

TO SHARE A FEW OF THEM WITH YOU

TONIGHT.

ONE GROUP SAID, WE SHOULD

REQUIRE ELECTED OFFICIALS TO

SPEND MORE TIME IN NEIGHBORHOODS

THEY REPRESENT.

ANOTHER GROUP SAID, WE SHOULD

CREATE BETTER SPACES FOR CIVIC

ENGAGEMENT AND MORE

OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO

CONNECT IN THEIR OWN

NEIGHBORHOODS.

AND FINALLY, A GROUP SAID, WE

SHOULD MAKE IT EASIER FOR

CITIZENS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S AT

STAKE IN POLICY DEBATES BY

EXPLAINING HOW SPECIFIC BILLS

WOULD ACTUALLY AFFECT PEOPLE'S

LIVES.

I'M EAGER TO HEAR MORE IDEAS

FROM THOSE OF YOU HERE WITH US

IN THE AUDIENCE TONIGHT, BUT

FIRST LET'S HEAR WHAT OUR

SPEAKERS THINK OF THESE

SUGGESTIONS.

NATHAN?

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

LET'S START WITH YOU, BECAUSE WE

LEFT OFF WITH YOU,

REPRESENTATIVE GONZALES.

>> OKAY.

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT SOME

OF THOSE SUGGESTIONS?

DO ANY OF THEM SOUND PROMISING

TO YOU?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

IT'S UNDERSTANDING JUST THE

CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY OF THE

TAXPAYER, TO BE INVOLVED.

YOU KNOW, SHOWING UP TO

DIFFERENT EVENTS IS CLEARLY VERY

IMPORTANT.

I MEAN, TO THE ONE THAT TALKED

ABOUT ELECTED OFFICIALS BEING

AVAILABLE AND ACCESSIBLE, WE GO

TO EVERYTHING.

IT IS ALL ENCOMPASSING.

LUCKILY, MY DISTRICT IS PRETTY

COMPACT.

I'M IN A HOUSE DISTRICT THAT'S

PROBABLY 25 MINUTES END TO END.

IT'S A LITTLE LESS PRACTICAL IN

YOU'RE IN A DISTRICT THAT COVERS

18 OR 22 COUNTIES.

BUT MODERN TECHNOLOGY HAS MADE

IT MUCH EASIER TO CONTACT US.

THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.

TO ENGAGE WITH US.

WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST, ONE OF THE

IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO WOULD BE

TO PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL.

THE EMAILS ARE GREAT.

BUT THERE'S NOTHING LIKE HEARING

FROM SOMEBODY ON THE TELEPHONE,

JUST TAKING THE TIME TO CALL AND

VISIT WITH THEM ONE-ON-ONE,

BECAUSE THEN I CAN GET ON THE

PHONE ON AS WELL AND I CAN TALK

TO THEM ONE-ON-ONE LIKE THAT.

SO YES, IT'S GREAT.

BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS ON

THE CITIZEN SIDE, TOO, TO BE

PRO-ACTIVE, AND MAKING THOSE

CONNECTIONS.

>> SENATOR DAVIS, WHAT CAN

LAWMAKERS DO TO GET MORE INPUT

FROM CITIZENS?

>> WE HAVE TO FULFILL OUR

RESPONSIBILITIES TO REACH OUT TO

OUR COMMUNITY AND MAKE SURE AS

FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT DID, THAT THE

ISSUES THAT WE'RE WORKING ON

WITH REALLY REFLECTIVE OF THE

PRIORITIES OF OUR COMMUNITY.

AND WE TRY TO DO THAT THROUGH

OUR SENATE OFFICE IN A NUMBER OF

WAYS.

I REPRESENT ABOUT 830,000

PEOPLE, SO IT CAN BE

CHALLENGING.

BUT WE ESTABLISH TOWN HALL

MEETINGS.

WE TRY TO HOLD THEM THROUGHOUT

THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND THEN

ALSO IN THE INTERIM SO THAT

WE'RE GATHERING INPUT, WE'RE NOT

WAITING UNTIL WE'RE IN THAT

140-DAY PERIOD BEFORE WE BEGIN

THE WORK WE NEED TO ENGAGE IN.

AND WE ALSO OUTLIZE TELEPHONIC

TOWN HALLS WHERE WE CALL

THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE

DISTRICT, ANNOUNCE THAT WE'RE

HAVING A TELEPHONIC TOWN HALL

AND INVITE THEM TO STAY ON THE

LINE.

WE TYPICALLY DO IT TOPIC BY

TOPIC.

WE HAD SEVERAL DURING THE

INTERIM TO TALK ABOUT SCHOOL

FUNDING, TO TALK ABOUT WOMEN'S

HEALTH CARE, AND TO HEAR OUR

COMMUNITY VOICES AND CONCERNS

ABOUT THOSE PARTICULAR ISSUES.

AND WE FIND THAT THOSE HAVE

WORKED VERY WELL.

AND THEN EACH OF US OF COURSE

HAVE DISTRICT OFFICES.

SOME OF US HAVE MORE THAN ONE

DISTRICT OFFICE, DEPENDING ON

HOW LARGE OUR DISTRICTS ARE.

AND THOSE PROVIDE A REALLY GOOD

CONDUIT TOO, FOR PEOPLE TO COME

IN IN PERSON, MEET WITH US OR

MEMBERS OF OUR STAFF TO MAKE

SMUR THAT THEIR ISSUES ARE BEING

RECOGNIZED.

>> BEA, DO ANY OF THOSE THINGS

WORK FOR YOU?

WHAT'S THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO

ADVANCE YOUR AGENDA IN THE

LEGISLATURE?

HOW DOW DO IT?

>> WE USE EVERY TRICK IN THE

BOOK.

>> TELL ME ALL YOUR TRICKS.

>> JUST TO KIND OF PICK UP ON

THIS -- WHEN SAYING LEGISLATORS

SHOULD GO OUT INTO THE

NEIGHBORHOOD -- I HAVE A STORY

THAT HAPPENED RECENTLY THAT I

THINK WAS REALLY INTERESTING AND

IT KIND OF BRINGS UP SOME OF

THE -- WHY SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T

WORK LIKE WE THINK IT'S GOING

TO.

I WENT OUT AND WAS SPEAKING TO

SOME PEOPLE AT A CHURCH AND THEY

KNEW WHO THEIR LEGISLATOR WAS

GOING TO BE.

AND MANY OF THEM WEREN'T VERY

HAPPY ABOUT IT AND THEY WERE

KIND OF GRUMBLING AND I SAID,

HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE EVER MET

THEM.

AND THEY ALL SAID, OH, NO, THEY

HAD NEVER MET THEM AND THEY

DIDN'T THINK THEY'D LIKE HIM AND

THEY DIDN'T THINK THE LEGISLATOR

WOULD LIKE THEM.

I SAID, HAVE YOU EVER, YOU KNOW,

CONSIDERED HAVING THEM COME OVER

LIKE FOR COFFEE AND THEY'RE

LIKE, THEY WOULDN'T COME.

THEY -- AND I SAID, WELL, I

DON'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT IT

UNTIL YOU TELL ME THAT YOU'VE

TRIED INVITING THEM AND IT

DIDN'T WORK.

THEY CALLED ME SHEEPISHLY A

COUPLE DAYS LATER AND THEY SAID,

ACTUALLY IT TURNED OUT THAT THEY

HAD CALLED AND THE LEGISLATURE

WAS VERY EXCITED TO COME TO

CHURCH TO HAVE A COFFEE AND

THEY'RE ALL GOING TO MEET EACH

OTHER.

SO YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IT'S THE

LEGISLATOR NOT WORKING OUT.

BUT SOMETIMES IT'S PEOPLE IN THE

COMMUNITY NOT BEING WILLING TO

MEET THEM HALFWAY AND I THINK

THAT'S THE HUGE SHAME, IS JUST

LIKE IN THE PERSONAL

RELATIONSHIP.

EVERYBODY WONDERS WHY NOBODY

CALLS.

>> YOU TALKED ABOUT -- YOU'VE

TALKED ABOUT THIS IN YOUR WORK

IN THE CAPITOL.

BRINGING PEOPLE TO U.S.

SENATORS' OFFICES AND THEY WERE

SURPRISED THAT THEY COULD GO AND

UP KNOCK ON THE DOOR.

>> RIGHT, WE HAD THOUSANDS OF

PEOPLE IN TOWN FOR A BIG RALLY

AND AT THE THE END OF SAID,

LET'S HEAD OVER TO THE SENATE

OFFICE GLIS GO FIND THESE GUYS

AND TALK TO THEM ABOUT WHAT IT

IS WE GAR ABOUT AND PEOPLE

DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO FIND THEM.

THEY DIDN'T KNOW THE PROCESS.

AND NO ONE IS REALLY TO BLAME

FOR THAT OTHER THAN, I SAW MY

JOB AS LOWERING THE BARRIER TO

ENTRIES FOR POLITICS AND

PARTICIPATION.

AND WHAT EVERYONE IS TALKING

ABOUT, THE PARTICIPANTS IN THIS

DISCUSSION, IS THAT A

DEMTYSATION OF POLITICS WHICH IS

HAPPENING.

IT IS A GOOD THING.

AND IT'S JUST GOING TO BE A

LITTLE BIT OF CHAOS FOR A WHILE

UNTIL WE FIGURE OUT THE BEST

TOOLS AND TECHNOLOGIES.

BUT THAT'S A GOOD THING.

I THINK WE'VE LOWERED THAT

BARRIER AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO

GET CHEAPER AND CHEAPER THIS

TERMS OF TIME AND MONEY FOR

CITIZENS TO GET ENGAGED.

>> BEA, YOU'VE GOT TO TELL ME

SOME OF THOSE TRICKS YOU WERE

TALKING ABOUT.

>> WELL --

>> BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THIS IS

ABOUT.

>> RIGHT, EVERYBODY WANTS TO

HEAR THE TRICKS.

>> WE ALL ARE PRETTY FAMILIAR

MOST OF US WITH THE STANDARD

WAYS THAT WE CAN ENGAGE WITH OUR

LEGISLATORS.

BUT ARE THERE ANY -- ANYTHING

THAT YOU MIGHT -- WE MIGHT NOT

THINK OF.

>> I MEAN, I THINK THE -- ONE OF

THE THINGS THAT WE TALK TO

PEOPLE ABOUT, AND I DON'T -- I

HOPE THIS IS GETTING OUT WHAT

YOU'RE ASKING.

WE TRY -- WE ASK THEM TO TRY TO

THINK CREATIVELY ABOUT HOW TO BE

IN RELATIONSHIP WITH A

LEGISLATOR.

SO HOW TO -- HOW TO DEVELOP A

COMMUNICATION WITH THEM THAT'S

ONGOING, THAT HAS TO DO WITH

WHAT THEY HAVE IN COMMON IN THE

COMMUNITY, AND IF THEY DON'T

HAVE SOMETHING IN COMMON, IF

THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE

VERY GOOD BASIS FOR A

RELATIONSHIP, WHAT WE SAY IS,

THE -- IT'S ALL CONNECTED.

SO IF YOU'RE NOT THE RIGHT

PERSON, MAYBE WE BETTER, IF I

DON'T EVEN TRY TO TALK TO YOU

DIRECTLY, MAYBE WHAT I NEED TO

DO IS BE IN RELATIONSHIP WITH MY

WHOLE COMMUNITY AND FIND

SOMEBODY ELSE WHO CAN GO TALK TO

YOU.

SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT

WE DO IS TO TRY TO GET PEOPLE TO

UNDERSTAND THEMSELVES, NOT JUST

AS A CONSUMER LIKE ANN WAS

SAYING, OF A POLITICAL PRODUCT

BUT A PARTICIPANT IN A PROCESS

WHERE I MAY NOT BE -- I MAY NOT

BE THE STAR OF IT ALL THE TIME.

>> RIGHT.

IN TERMS OF DIRECT DEMOCRACY,

TEXANS HAVE ACCESS TO AT LEAST

ONE FORM OF THAT.

WE CAN RATIFY AND REJECT

AMENDMENTS TO THE STATE

CONSTITUTION, RIGHT?

BUT THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF WE

CAN'T DO.

WE CAN'T RECALL STATE LAWMAKERS,

ALTHOUGH I THINK THAT CAN BE

DONE IN SOME HOME RURAL CITIES,

RECALLING COUNSELORS, BUT AT THE

STATE -- COUNCILORS, BUT AT THE

STATE LEVEL, WE DON'T HAVE THE

ABILITY TO CREATE A PETITION AND

GET A LAW ON THE BOOKS.

IS THAT TYPE OF THING HEALTHY

FOR THIS SORT OF REPRESENTATIVE

SYSTEM, SENATOR DAVIS?

>> WELL, I THINK ONE OF THE

ISSUES THAT WE CONFRONT IN

TEXAS, AND IT'S HAPPENED IN

OTHER COUNTRIES A -- OR OTHER

STATES, EXCUSE ME, ACROSS THE

COUNTRY AS WELL, AND THAT IS

THROUGH THE REDISTRICTING

PROCESS, VERY PURE PARTISAN

DISTRICTS HAVE BEEN CREATED.

AND I THINK IT'S REALLY LED TO A

SENSE OF DISENFRANCHISEMENT,

DISCOURAGEMENT BY OUR SAYSRY.

I -- CITIZENRY.

I MAY BE A PROGRESSIVE WHO LIVES

IN A VERY CONSERVATIVE DISTRICT

WHERE THE REAL CONVERSATION IS

TAKING PLACE IN PARTY PRIMARIES.

AND THERE REALLY ISN'T A GENERAL

ELECTION CONVERSATION THAT GOES

ON.

AND I MAY FEEL -- I MAY ASSUME

THAT A PERSON WHO'S

REPRESENTED -- OR ELECTED,

EXCUSE ME N THAT DISTRICT WON'T

REPRESENT -- MEAN N THAT

DISTRICT WON'T HEALTH DEPARTMENT

MY PARTICULAR CONCERNS, SO I MAY

WITHDRAW -- REPRESENT MY

PARTICULAR CONCERNS, SO I MAY

WITH YOU DRAW COMPLETELY UNTIL

THEY CAN CONSIDER MY

PERSPECTIVE.

IT IS WHAT IT IS.

AND THAT IS THE EXISTING

CIRCUMSTANCE THAT WE HAVE IN THE

STATE OF TEXAS TODAY.

SO I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE

PEOPLE, WHETHER YOU FEEL THAT

THAT REPRESENTATIVE IS --

PARTICULAR REPRESENTATIVE IS A

PERSON OF YOUR PARTY PERSUASION,

A PERSON WHO YOU MIGHT TYPICALLY

VOTE FOR, YOU STILL NEED TO MAKE

SURE AND TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO

ENGAGE WITH THEM.

AND THAT PETITION PROCESS, WHILE

IT MAY NOT EXIST IN TERMS OF A

CONSTITUTIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR

THE VOTER, THEY DO HAVE THE

OPPORTUNITY TO PETITION THEIR

PERSPECTIVE THROUGH THE PERSON

WHO IS ELECTED.

AND IF IT'S NOT REFLECTIVE, THEN

TO WORK WITHIN THE EXISTING

SYSTEM THAT THEY HAVE FOR THE

NEXT FREE ELECTION.

AND SEE IF THEY CAN TRY TO MAKE

AN IMPACT ON IT, EVEN IF IT'S IN

THE PRIMARY.

AND I THINK THE TEA PARTY REALLY

HAS BEEN A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF

HOW CITIZENS -- A CITIZENS

MOVEMENT HAS BEEN ABLE TO

CAPTURE THE ATTENTION OF A

PARTISANSHIP WHERE THEIR VOICE

WASN'T NECESSARILY BEING

REFLECTIVE BUT THEY MADE SURE

THAT IT'S GOING TO BE GOING

FORWARD.

AND THAT CAN CERTAINLY WORK ON

BOTH SIDES OF THE PARTY AISLE

WHERE PEOPLE TAKE THAT POWER ON

FOR THEMSELVES.

>> THE TOOL KIT THAT YOU PROVIDE

TO TEA PARTY GROUPS WHEN YOU

VISIT WITH THEM, WHEN YOU ARE A

PART OF FREEDOM WORKS, WHAT IS

IN THAT TOOL KIT?

WHAT DO YOU TELL THEM THAT THEY

CAN DO TO HAVE THEIR VOICE

HEARD?

>> SURE, AND IT REALLY IS GREAT

PHRASE, THE TOOL KIT AND SORT OF

OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE FOR

ACTIVISM.

AND ESSENTIALLY TEACHING PEOPLE

HOW TO RUN AN EFFECTIVE

CAMPAIGN, WHETHER IT'S A

CAMPAIGN FOR A LOCAL CANDIDATE,

WHETHER IT WAS A PART OF A

LARGER CAMPAIGN FOR STATE

SENATE, WHETHER IT WAS AN ISSUE

CAMPAIGN.

SO WE TAUGHT EVERYTHING FROM A

TO Z, HOW TO RAISE MONEY, HOW TO

SPEAK TO THE MEDIA, HOW TO BUILD

RELATIONSHIPS.

HOW TO KNOCK ON DOORS AND TALK

TO VOTERS.

AND TALK TO DIFFERENT VOTERS,

CONSERVATIVES VERSUS LIBERAL

VERSUS MODERATE.

THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION

THAT WE PROVIDED TO PEOPLE AND

JUST SAID, WE'RE NOT GOING TO

TRY AND EVEN ORGANIZE YOU.

YOU CAN ORGANIZE YOURSELF IN THE

WAY THAT YOU THINK IS RIGHT.

AND THAT WAS VERY EFFECTIVE.

AND I THINK WHAT WE'RE GETTING

AT HERE IS THE MACHINERY OF

POLITICS IN GOVERNMENT IS SORT

OF IT IS WHAT IT IS AND WE HAVE

TWO MAJOR POLITICAL PARTIES THAT

TEND TO HOLD 90% OF THE POWER AT

LEAST IN THIS COUNTRY, IF NOT

MORE.

WE'VE GOT ELECTIONS.

AND WE'VE GOT BASICALLY A

STRUCTURE SET UP.

THE QUESTION IS HOW DO YOU DEAL

WITH THE WORLD AS IT IS, THE

WORLD AS IT IS NOT AS YOU WANT

IT TO BE.

AND THAT'S WHAT YOU DO.

YOU GET ORGANIZED IN A WAY THAT

MAKES THE MOST SENSE FOR YOUR

SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT.

AND THAT'S WHAT I WOULD

RECOMMEND TO EVERYONE ACROSS THE

AISLE WHO'S FIGHTING FOR

SOMETHING THEY BELIEVE.

>> I WAS HOPING WE'D GET A

SOLINSKI MENTIONED IN HERE.

>> REPRESENTATIVE GONZALES,

WHAT -- I MEAN, IF YOU HAVE A

CONSTITUENT WHO IS VERY

PASSIONATE ABOUT AN ISSUE AND

THEY COME TO YOU AND IT'S JUST

SOMETHING THAT YOU DISAGREE

WITH, I MEAN, DO THEY HAVE ANY

OTHER RECOURSE AT THAT POINT OR

CAN YOU HELP THEM?

>> THE FIRST THING WE DO IS WE

RESEARCH IT IN-DEPTH, SO IF

SOMEONE COMES UP TO ME WITH AN

IDEA, A SUGGESTION, THAT MAYBE I

HAVEN'T BEEN ON BOARD WITH

BEFORE, WE LOOK AT IT, BECAUSE

WHEN YOU HAVE THAT CONVERSATION,

I'M IN A ROLE AT THAT POINT OF

LEARNING.

SO TALK TO ME.

RIGHT.

TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON.

CONVINCE ME.

FOR ME PERSONALLY, A LOT OF THAT

IS ANECDOTAL.

I WANT TO KNOW NOT NECESSARILY

THE THEORETICAL KIND OF THINK

TANK CONVERSATION.

YOUR LIFE, YOUR BUSINESS, YOUR

KIDS, YOUR SCHOOL, TALK TO ME

ABOUT WHAT IT IS THAT YOU'RE

ASKING FOR.

AND SO WE HAVE A CONVERSATION.

IF I CAN'T BE THERE, I CAN'T BE

THERE, RIGHT?

BUT THE THING THAT WE DO IS WE

TALK TO EVERYBODY.

MY STAFF KNOWS, WHOEVER WALKS

IN, CAN WE HAVE A VISIT?

ABSOLUTELY.

RIGHT, DURING REDISTRICTING AS

SENATOR DAVIS REFERENCED, DURING

REDISTRICTING I -- I CALLED THE

DEMOCRAT CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNTY

AND I SAID, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE

LOOKING AT.

AND THIS IS WHAT THE NEW

DISTRICTS WILL LOOK LIKE.

AND I'M LOOKING FOR, YOU KNOW,

YOUR INPUT, KIND OF WHAT ARE

YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS STUFF.

AND GOT A WONDERFUL NOTE BACK,

YOU KNOW.

I LEFT A MESSAGE AND GOT A

WONDERFUL NOTE BACK, AND THIS

PAST SWEARING-IN DAY, THE FORMER

DEMOCRATIC CHAIRMAN CAME TO THE

OFFICE AND THANKED ME FOR A

COUPLE OF ARTICLES WE HAD

WRITTEN IN ONE OF THE LOCAL

PAPERS.

BUT IT'S THAT CONSTANT DIALOGUE,

SO IF I'M NOT THERE, ON ONE,

MAYBE I'M THERE WITH YOU ON

ANOTHER ONE OR ANOTHER ONE.

IT'S THAT DEMONGROUND AND WE ALL

LIVE WITH HOUSE DISTRICT 52.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR THAT COMMON

GROUND.

TAYLOR AND HUDDLE AND ROUND ROCK

ARE PRETTY DIFFERENT CITIES.

BUT OVERALL, WE'RE LOOKING FOR A

SOUTHERN WINSTON COUNTY KIND OF

APPROACH.

AND BY THAT MEANS I THINK IT'S A

PRETTY GOOD CONVERSATION TO

HAVE.

SO THERE'S NO AT LOVE OF

THINGS -- NOT A LOT OF THINGS

THAT THEY CAN WALK IN WITH THAT

WE'RE NOT ON BOARD ENTIRELY, BUT

I LOOK FOR THE THINGS THAT WE

CAN BE.

TRY TO SHAPE THE CONVERSATION,

WHAT CAN I HELP YOU WITH.

>> I UNDERSTAND.

AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU CAN BE

MORE EFFECTIVE IN THAT REGARD IF

YOU HAVE A BUNCH OF PEOPLE ON

YOUR SIDE AS OPPOSED TO BEING AN

INDIVIDUAL OUT IN THE WILDERNESS

BY YOURSELF.

>> IT'S TRUE.

AND IF I CAN JUST ADD ONE QUICK

THEY ABOUT, BECAUSE YOU BROUGHT

UP INR, THE INITIATIVE AND

REFERENDUM, WE DON'T HAVE THAT

BUT WE HAVE AN INTERESTING

PROCESS OF PRECINCT RESOLUTIONS

WHICH WE'VE TRIED TO USE AS AN

ORGANIZING TOOL AND I KNOW Y'ALL

HAVE, TOO.

I'M ALWAYS INTERESTED IN THE

CONVERSATION IN MY OWN PRECINCT

WHEN SOMEBODY FINALLY DOES BRING

UP ONE.

THAT'S KIND OF THE WAY THAT WE

DO SORT OF PURE DEMOCRACY IN

TEXAS, IS THE PRECINCT LEVEL

CONVERSATIONS ABOUT ISSUES.

AND HONESTLY I THINK THERE'S ONE

THING THAT ALL OF THE

GRASSROOTS -- PEOPLE WANT TO

KNOW WHAT THEY CAN DO MORE OF.

I'D SAY DO MORE REAL PRECINCT

RESOLUTION CONVERSATIONS WHEN

THEY REALLY HAPPEN.

THEY'RE FANTASTIC.

>> TELL ME ABOUT THE VALUE.

>> IT'S ONE THING, IT EDUCATES

THE PEOPLE PRECINCT BY PRECINCT

ON THE ISSUE.

IT KIND OF STARTS TO CRYSTALLIZE

THE IDEA AS WE MOVE -- YOU KNOW,

WE MOVE THROUGH THIS LEGISLATIVE

BIENNIAL PROCESS AND THE

PRECINCT RESOLUTION IS KIND OF

THE FIRST GRASSROOTS LEVEL TIME

TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION THAT

THEN WILL BUILD INTO FINALLY THE

LEGISLATIVE PROCESS, WHERE WE

BRING ACTUAL LEGISLATION.

SO I THINK IT'S OUR ANSWER TO

INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM AND WE

SHOULD EXPLOIT IT MORE.

>> AND YOU'VE USED THOSE, TOO?

>> MOST OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE

DONE IS ACTUAL LIE IN THE SENSE

OF -- ACTUALLY IN THE SENSE OF

WHAT THE SENATORS ARE REFERRING

TO, TAKING OVER THE MAJOR

POLITICAL PARTY OF THE PRECINCT

LEVEL.

THE POLITICAL SIDE WAS SOMETHING

WE USED QUITE A BIT AND IF YOU

CAN GET YOUR PRECINCT ORGANIZED,

THEN YOU CAN GET YOUR COUNTY

ORGANIZED.

IF YOU CAN GET YOUR COUNTY

ORGANIZED, THE MAJOR COUNTIES,

THEN YOU CAN AFFECT YOUR

DISTRICT AND YOUR STATE.

IF THERE IS ONE LESSON TO TAKE

AWAY FOR ME THIS EVENING, I

THINK IT IS FOCUSED ON LOCAL

THINGS FIRST.

GET SOMETHING DONE LOCALLY.

WHATEVER YOU'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT

IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD IN YOUR

COMMUNITY.

LEARN -- KIND OF CUT YOUR TEETH

IN THAT EFFORT, HAVE SOME

SUCCESS AND BRING THAT UP TO THE

NEXT LEVEL TO THE COUNTY AND THE

STATE.

>> AND EVEN IF YOU LOSE,

HOPEFULLY YOU LEARN SOMETHING IN

THE PROCESS.

>> IF YOU LOSE, ASK YOURSELF,

DID WE COME OUT STRONGER, DID WE

RECRUIT MORE MEMBERS, DID WE GET

A LITTLE MORE ATTENTION, ARE

PEOPLE STARTING TO TAKE NOTICE.

AND IF THE ANSWER IS YES, YOU'RE

DOING SOMETHING RIGHT.

YOU SHOULD CONTINUE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

NOW MY FAVORITE PART OF THIS

ENTIRE PROGRAM WHERE WE ACTUALLY

GET TO HEAR FROM PEOPLE IN THE

YOU HAD AUDIENCE.

YOU CAN ASK SOME QUESTIONS OF

YOU FINAL INDIVIDUALS.

ANN, WHO HAVE YOU GOT FOR US?

>> THIS IS MICHAEL.

HE IS A STAFFER FOR THE TEXAS

LEGISLATURE AND HAS ALSO WORKED

IN THE PAST FOR THE PENNSYLVANIA

STATE LEGISLATURE.

SO MICHAEL, TELL US A LITTLE BIT

ABOUT YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON

CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT BEING A

STAFFER FOR A REPRESENTATIVE.

>> WELL, EVERY TIME I TALK TO

PEOPLE ABOUT CONSTITUENT

ENGAGEMENT, ONE STORY ALWAYS

COMES TO MIND.

IT SPEAKS OF IT TO

REPRESENTATIVE COMES VOICE POINT

ABOUT WHEN YOU'RE HAVING A

DIALOGUE WHEN SOMEBODY DISAGREES

WITH YOU.

WHEN I WAS IN THE FENCES

LEGISLATURE, IT WAS AA

CONTENTIOUS ISSUE, WE GOT A LOT

OF CALLS LEADING UP TO THE VOTE.

AND I REMEMBER ONE OF MY FRIENDS

WHO SAT NEXT TO ME WAS ON THE

PHONE, GENERALLY CALLS LASTED

ABOUT FIVE MINUTES OR LESS BUT

HE WAS ON THE PHONE FOR ABOUT 30

MINUTES.

AND HE GOT OFF AND HE TURNED TO

MEAN, IT WAS A REALLY LONG

DISCUSSION.

WE DISAGREED THE ENTIRE WAY.

AND YOU KNOW, WE ENDED UP

HANGING UP DISAGREEING.

SO WE WON'T, OKAY.

A COUPLE MINUTES LATER THE PHONE

RANG AGAIN.

HE PICKED IT AND UP HE WAS ON

AND OFF IN A COUPLE MINUTES.

HE TURNED TO ME AND HE SAID, IT

WAS THE SAME GUY.

HE DIDN'T REALIZE HE WAS CALLING

BACK TO THE SAME OFFICE.

HE DIDN'T WANT TO EMBARRASS HIM,

SO WE DIDN'T HE WILL TIM IT WAS

THE SAME -- TELL HIM IT WAS THE

SAME OFFICE, BUT THE GENTLEMAN

SAID I CALL THE SENATOR OTHER

OTHER OFFICE AND I SPOKE TO ONE

OF HIS STAFFERS AND I DISAGREED

WITH HIM AT THE BEGINNING AND I

STILL DISAGREED WITH HIM AT THE

END BUT I UNDERSTAND WHY HE'S

MAKING THE VOTE THAT HE'S MAKING

NOW.

SO I ALWAYS TRY TO KEEP THAT IN

MIND.

SOMETIMES YOU'RE JUST GOING TO

DISAGREE WITH SOMEONE AT THE

BEGINNING AND AT THE END.

BUT AT LEAST YOU CAN COME TO

THAT TYPE OF UNDERSTANDING.

FROM.

>> SO SENATOR, SOMEONE COMES TO

YOU AND YOU JUST CAN'T -- ONE OF

YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND YOU CAN'T

COME TO TERMS.

DO YOU TAKE REPRESENTATIVE

GONZALES'S APPROACH AND LOOKING

FOR SOMETHING YOU CAN AGREE ON,

THEN, OR HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH

THE MOST DISAGREEABLE OF THE

PEOPLE YOU REPRESENT?

>> WELL, GOING BACK TO MY

EXPERIENCE ON THE CITY COUNCIL,

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I

LEARNED, AND IT SERVED ME AND MY

DISTRICT VERY WELL, WAS TO

ALWAYS PUT TOGETHER COMPETING

INTERESTS AT THE TABLE AND TALK

THROUGH, HAVE A DIALOGUE.

AND IT WAS A GREAT MODEL FOR ME

TO LEARN FROM AND IT'S ONE THAT

I'VE TRIED TO CONTINUE.

AND THE STATE LEGISLATURE, IT IS

HARDER TO GET SOMETIMES THOSE

COMPETING INTERESTS AT THE

TABLE.

I TRY TO REMOVE MY OWN PERSONAL

PERSPECTIVE AND REALLY GIVE THE

OPPORTUNITY FOR BOTH SIDES TO

CONVINCE ME ON AN ARGUMENT.

AND I TRY VERY HARD AND I KNOW

THERE ARE MEMBERS ON BOTH SIDES

OF THE AISLE THAT DO THIS, TO

SET ASIDE PARTISANSHIP AND FIND

PLACES WHERE WE CAN AGREE.

EVEN IN THE AREAS WHERE WE HAVE

LARGE DISAGREEMENTS.

NOW, THERE ARE GOING TO BE TIMES

WHEN A POLICY IS SO IMPORTANT TO

YOU AND TO THE CONSTITUENCY THAT

YOU REPRESENT, THAT ULTIMATELY

EVEN THOUGH YOU'VE WORKED ON

TRYING TO HEAR EACH OTHER'S

PERSPECTIVE, YOU'RE GOING TO

HAVE TO TAKE A POSITION.

AND YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO

ARGUE AND BE PERSUASIVE ON THAT

POSITION.

BUT I THINK THAT YOU DO A BETTER

JOB OF THAT IF YOU LISTENED

ALONG THE WAY, THAT YOU TRULY

TOOK AN OPPORTUNITY TO

UNDERSTAND BOTH SIDES OF AN

ISSUE AND THEN CAN SPEAK

RESPECTFULLY ABOUT WHY YOU'RE

TAKING A POSITION THAT MAY BE

DIFFERENT SOMEONE WHO CAME INTO

YOUR OFFICE WOULD TAKE.

>> WE HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU

GUYS.

>> SIDE LIKE SO INTRODUCE JIMMY

NELSON.

JAMIE IS AN ADVANCED NURSE

PRACTITIONER, A PSYCHIATRIC

NURSE PRACTITIONERS, AND HAS

BEEN ADVOCATING AS A VOLUNTEER

BUT ON BEHALF OF HER PROFESSION

AND FOR HER CLIENTS.

YOU CAN TELL US ABOUT YOUR

EXPERIENCE?

>> YES.

I STARTED ADVOCATING FOR

ADVANCED PRACTICE NURSING

LEGISLATION IN 2009.

AND THEN AGAIN IN 2011.

AND THEN WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD

TO IT AGAIN THIS YEAR.

I ACTUALLY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY

TO VISIT SENATOR DAVIS'S OFFICE

LAST FALL.

MY CONCERN WITH ADVOCATING, THE

REASON THAT IT'S SO DISCOURAGING

EVERY YEAR, IS -- HAS A LOT TO

DO WITH THE COMMITTEE PROCESS.

I HEARD BEA ON THE RADIO THE

OTHER DAY TALKING ABOUT HOW --

WHEN YOU'RE VISITING THE

LEGISLATURE, THAT BEING A

CONSTITUENT OF THE PERSON THAT

YOU'RE GOING TO VISIT REALLY

GETS YOU MORE ATTENTION AND

INTEREST.

I HAVE NOT HAD THE FORTUNE OF

ACTUALLY GETTING TO TALK TO ANY

OF THE SENATORS OR

REPRESENTATIVES.

WE TYPICALLY SHOW UP AND IT'S A

VERY SUPPORTIVE AND INTERESTED

LEGISLATIVE STAFFER.

I LOVE THEM.

I KNOW THEY WORK REALLY, REALLY

HARD.

BUT IT DOES FEEL LIKE YOU'RE NOT

GETTING TO MEET THE REAL PERSON

THAT'S GOING TO CAST THE VOTE.

BUT THEN MORE IMPORTANTLY,

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GET TO CAST

THE VOTE BECAUSE OF THE

COMMITTEE SYSTEM, YOUR PIECE OF

LEGISLATION THAT YOU REALLY,

REALLY CARE ABOUT, YOUR

LEGISLATOR MAY NEVER HAVE THE

OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE ON IT

BECAUSE THEY DON'T SERVE ON THE

COMMITTEE THAT IT'S GOING TO GO

THROUGH.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS

PERSONALLY BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR

ME AND MY COLLEAGUES.

EVERY LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THE

BILLS THAT WE WANT GET HUNG UP

IN COMMITTEE.

AND NO MATTER HOW MUCH SUPPORT I

HEAR FROM THE PEOPLE WHO

REPRESENT ME, THEY CAN'T DO

ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

>> THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT

POINT AND I WONDER IF SOUR

PANELISTS WANT TO COMMENT ON

THERE AND WHETHER THERE ARE ANY

REFORMS THAT COULD BE USED TO

CHANGE THE PROCESS.

>> I WANT TO ASK BOTH OF THESE

TWO LAWMAKERS ABOUT IT.

I HAVE TO START WITH YOU,

SENATOR DAVIS, BECAUSE YOU WERE

REMOVED FROM THE PUBLIC

EDUCATION COMMITTEE?

>> WHEN THE COMMITTEE

ASSIGNED -- ASSIGNMENTS WERE

MADE.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT AND

HOW DO YOU ADVANCE, YOU KNOW --

YOU'RE OBVIOUSLY PASSIONATE

ABOUT PUBLIC EDUCATION.

YOU RALLIED IN FAVOR OF

RESTORING CUTS IN THE 2011

SESSION.

AND I MEAN, WHEN YOU'RE NOT ON

THAT COMMITTEE, WHAT CAN YOU

REALLY DO?

>> WELL, OBVIOUSLY, I STILL HAVE

A VICE ON THE SENATE FLOOR.

WHAT I ONLY -- VOICE ON THE

SENATE FLOOR.

WHAT I WON'T HAVE A VOICE IN

TERMS OF HAVING A VOTE IN THE

PROCESS.

I INTEND TO CONTINUE TO GO TO

THE PUBLIC EDUCATION HEARINGS,

COMMITTEE HEARINGS, AND I INTEND

TO CONTINUE TO ASK QUESTIONS AND

TO MAKE MY PERSPECTIVE KNOWN AS

PART OF THE PROCESS.

BUT I WON'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY

TO VOTE.

AND IT'S REALLY EVEN MORE

DAUNTING THAN THAT IN TERMS OF

MAKING YOUR VOICE HEARD THROUGH

THE COMMITTEE.

IT ISN'T JUST ABOUT WHETHER YOU

HAVE A REPRESENTATIVEES WHO'S

GOING TO BE ABLE TO VOTE ON AN

ISSUE IN COMMITTEE.

REALLY IT GOES EVEN ONE STEP

BACK FROM THAT.

IT GOES TO WHETHER THE CHAIR OF

A COMMITTEE DECIDES THAT THEY

WANT TO EVEN ADVANCE AN IDEA.

BILLS ARE FILED AND REFERRED TO

COMMITTEES IN BOTH THE HOUSE AND

THE SENATE THAT MAY NEVER GET A

HEARING DEPENDING ON WHETHER THE

CHAIR PROVIDES A HEARING.

WE HAVE SOME CHAIRS IN THE

SENATE THAT DO A REALLY GOOD JOB

OF TRYING TO AT LEAST GIVE AN

AIRING TO EVERY ISSUE THAT'S

BEEN FILED IN THEIR COMMITTEE

AND THEY TAKE GREAT

RESPONSIBILITY TO DO THAT.

WE HAVE OTHER CHAIRS IN THE

SENATE WHO WILL ABSOLUTELY SIT

ON PIECES OF LEGISLATION THAT

THEY'RE OPPOSED TO AND THAT THEY

DON'T WANT TO GIVE A VOICE TO AS

PART OF THE COMMITTEE PROCESS.

WHEN I WAS A BRAND-NEW SENATOR

IN 2009, IT WAS THE MOST

DISAPPOINTING PART OF THE

PROCESS FOR ME, BECAUSE WHAT I

LEARNED IS THAT SOMETIMES THE

DEMOCRATIC PROCESS CAN BE

ANYTHING BUT DEMOCRATIC.

AND I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE,

WHERE I GET DISCOURAGED ABOUT

THAT AND WHERE I KNOW SOME OF

OUR COMMUNITY VOICES GET

DISCOURAGED ABOUT THAT, JUST TO

KEEP TRYING, PARTICULARLY IN

GETTING THE ATTENTION OF THE

CHAIR, NOT TO GIVE UP, AND NOT

TO GIVE IN TO THE FACT THAT THAT

MIGHT NOT BE WHERE AN ISSUE IS

AIRED.

WE ALWAYS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY ON

THE SENATE FLOOR -- I HAVE

LEARNED AND HAVE COME TO BE

PRETTY SKILLFUL AT USING THE

AMENDMENT PROCESS TO GET ISSUES

THAT I CARE ABOUT HEARD ON THE

SENATE FLOOR AS PART OF AMENDING

TO OTHER BILLS AND -- IT DOES

PROVIDE US AN AVENUE TO CONTINUE

TO HAVE OUR VOICE THERE.

>> I JUST WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT

THIS AS WELL REALLY QUICKLY,

REPRESENTATIVE GONZALES, BECAUSE

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE

MACHINATIONS OF GOVERNMENT THAT

SOMETIMES DON'T DO THE BEST JOB

OF REFLECTING THE INTERESTS OF

THE CONSTITUENTS YOU'VE BEEN

HIRED TO REPRESENT.

SO IF A CONSTINT WENT COMES TO

YOU, IF YOU'RE NOT ON THAT

COMMITTEE THAT GOVERNS THAT

TOPIC AREA, HOW DO YOU MAKE YOUR

VOICE HEARD?

>> THERE'S A COUPLE OF WAYS IN

THE HOUSE PARTICULARLY.

THERE IS SOMETHING CALLED A

REREFERRAL TO COMMITTEE.

YOU CAN ASK THE SPEAKER TO

RE-REFER IT.

IF AT SOME PLACE THAT YOU AREN'T

HAPPY WITH, THE OTHERS AREN'T

HAPPY WITH, YOU CAN ASK THEM TO

MOVE IT TO A DIFFERENT

COMMITTEE.

I'VE SEEN THAT.

THIS IS MY 11th SESSION.

I WORKED NINE AS STAFF.

SO AS A STAFFER YOU LEARN AMEND

TRICK AND OTHER THINGS.

BUT YOU CAN HAVE -- AMENDMENT

TRICK AND OTHER THING.

YOU CAN HAVE A BILL REFERRED TO

A DIFFERENT COMMITTEE.

I HAVE A BILL THAT DIED AT THE

HANDS OF ONE SENATOR THAT PASSED

UNANIMOUSLY FOUR TIMES IN THE

HOUSE, BUT WE COULDN'T GET IT

PASSED WITH ONE COMMITTEE CHAIR.

SO THIS YEAR I'M ASKING FOR IT

TO GO TO A DIFFERENT CHAIRMAN.

A COMMITTEE THAT I THINK ALSO

HAS A DIFFERENT JURISDICTION,

BECAUSE IT HAD OVERWHELMING

SUPPORT IN THE HOUSE, RIGHT?

AND IT'S DIFFERENT WHEN YOU HAVE

150 VOTER OR 149-0 VOTE IN THE

HOUSE -- OR YOU HAVE A PIECE OF

LEGISLATION THAT THE SPEAKER WAS

TALKING ABOUT, THAT COMES UP

EVERY SESSION, THAT HAS A LOT OF

CONTROVERSY ON BOTH SIDES.

, THAT HAS SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE

FOR IT AND SOME WHO ARE AGAINST

IT.

SOMETIMES YOU DON'T HAVE THE

VOTES.

SOMETIMES YOU JUST DON'T HAVE

THE VOTES.

AND THIS WAS WHEN SENATOR DAVIS

TALKED ABOUT IT COULD TAKE TWO

SESSIONS OR THREE SESSIONS OR

FOUR.

I'VE BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE.

WHAT THE SPEAKER WAS TALKING

ABOUT IS A BILL THAT'S BEEN

CHANGING OVER THE YEARS.

IT FAILS ONE SESSION, YOU ADAPT

IT.

YOU ADDRESS THE CONCERNS, THE

SHORTFALLS AND YOU TRY IT AGAIN.

THAT'S PART OF THE PROCESS.

THAT'S THE PRO ES.

AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE

VOTES -- PROCESS.

AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE VOTES,

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET THE

VOTES.

AND THAT MAY TAKE A WHILE.

OR HAVE IT REFERRED AND TRY IT

THAT WAY.

>> LET'S HEAR FROM SOMEONE ELSE,

ANN?

>> I HAVE DIANE MILLER HERE.

AND DIANE HAS AN INTERESTING

QUESTION ABOUT THE PROCESS THAT

NEEDS TO HAPPEN BEFORE WE ARE

READY AS CITIZENS TO ADVOCATE

BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE.

>> THANK YOU.

SO WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT

INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS COMING TO

YOU WITH ADVOCACY POSITIONS BUT

WHAT I DON'T SEE AS MUCH OF IN

OUR COMMUNITY AND AT THE

LEGISLATURE IS FORUMS WHERE

PEOPLE CAN TALK ABOUT COMPLEX

ISSUES IN WAYS THAT HELP THEM

GET AT KIND OF WHAT THEIR

UNDERLYING INTERESTS ARE OR

ISSUES ARE, MOVE AWAY FROM THE

PREVIOUSLY HELD POSITIONS AND

TALKING ABOUT THE TRADEOUTS,

BECAUSE YOU'RE HAVING TO MAKE

TOUGH CHOICES, LIMITED

RESOURCES, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO

SPEND MONEY ON.

AND I'M WOND FERG A MORE

INFORMED DELIBERATIVE PROCESS

WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS BEFORE

THEY COME TO YOU WITH THESE

IDEAS ABOUT WHAT YOU MIGHT WANT

TO WEIGH IN ON, IF THAT WOULD

REALLY BE A REALISTIC STRATEGY

FOR US LET'S SAY IN CENTRAL

TEXAS TO HOLD THOSE FORUMS,

WOULD THE OUTPUT OF THOSE

CONVERSATIONS WHERE PEOPLE ARE

TALKING ABOUT THE FACTS, GETTING

OUT WHAT DO THEY CARE ABOUT, AND

TRY TO FIND SOME COMMON GROUND,

BECAUSE MY BIG CONCERN IS LIKE

COME TO US WITH YOUR OPINION AND

YOUR ADVOCACY AND YOUR PRESET

IDEA OF WHAT YOU WANT AND WE'LL

KIND OF TRY TO FIGURE IT OUT HOW

TO DO IT.

BUT LET THE PUBLIC TALK ABOUT

THOSE COMPLEX THINGS AND LET

THEM DELIBERATE AND BUILD

RELATIONSHIPS AND HAVE A

DIALOGUE ABOUT WHAT THEY'D LIKE

TO SEE HAPPEN.

WHAT THAT BE SOMETHING THAT'S

REALISTIC IN THE POLITICAL

PROCESS WE HAVE?

A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE ARE

DISCOURAGED AND THEY DON'T COME

BECAUSE THEY THINK WHATEVER I

SAY ISN'T GOING TO MAKE BECAUSE

THE DECISION MAKERS HAVE THEIR

OPINIONS, THEY'RE RESET, AND AS

POLICY MAKERS, YOU'RE ALWAYS IN

A POSITION WHERE YOU -- YOU'RE

BEING ASKED TO DO THE

IMPOSSIBLE, RIGHT, BECAUSE

PEOPLE HAVEN'T DEALT WITH THE

TRADE-OFFS OF THESE HARD CHOICES

YOU HAVE TO MAKE.

SO MAYBE YOU CAN SAY WHAT THAT

MIGHT LIKE LOOK AT THE

LEGISLATIVE LEVEL.

>> I FIRST WANT TO ASK BEA ABOUT

THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING

YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH A LOT,

WHEN YOU'RE DOING THE GRASSROOTS

ORGANIZING, ALIGNING INTERESTS

IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT'S

EFFECTIVE FOR YOU TO DRIVE YOUR

POINT HOME.

>> ONE OF THE ANSWERS I WOULD

HAVE ISE -- I'M COMING HERE FROM

DOING THAT VERY THING.

WE JUST GOT DONE WITH A

THREE-DAY EVENT WITH 200 --

HAPPENED TO BE METHODIST WOMEN.

WE BROUGHT THEM TO AUSTIN FOR

THREE DAYS AND HAD THEM

UNDERSTAND ALL OF THE SIDES OF

SEVERAL DIFFERENT COMPLEX

ISSUES, AND THEN THEY WENT OVER

AND HAD LEGISLATIVE VISITS.

BUT YOU KNOW, THAT'S KIND OF A

ONE--A-YEAR HIGH-STATION THING.

WHAT WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO DO

IS HAVE LOW-STAKES ISSUES FORUMS

IN THEIR LOCAL WHEN IT'S NOT --

WHEN IT'S NOT THE 11th HOUR

AND EVERYBODY IS ALREADY GOTTEN

THEMSELVES, YOU KNOW, PARTISANLY

ALIGNED.

AND IT'S REALLY A TRICK, BECAUSE

WHEN YOU GET PEOPLE TOGETHER IN

A ROOM, EVERYBODY COMES WITH AN

AGENDA.

THE MORE PEOPLE THERE ARE, THE

HARDER IT IS TO GET PEOPLE TO BE

HONEST AND TAKE DOWN BARRIERS.

YOU HAVE TO SET A REALLY STRONG

FRAMEWORK.

BUT I THINK WHEN A LOCAL

COMMUNITY SAYS, WE WANT TO HAVE

AN HONEST CONVERSATION ABOUT AND

WE WANT TO HAVE IT FAR ENOUGH

FROM THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION

THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET

UNINTENDED INTERACTIONS WITH THE

PARTISAN PROCESS, THAT HAS TO

HAPPEN, ABSOLUTELY, OR THE

PUBLIC ISN'T REALLY A USEFUL

PARTICIPANT AND A HELPER TO THE

LEGISLATURE LIKE THEY SHOULD BE.

>> ONCE YOU DO THAT YOU CAN POOL

RESOURCES, RIGHT?

>> SURE.

I THINK IT'S FUNNY.

THE ONLY THING HARDER THAN

GETTING PEOPLE DISAGREE IN A

RAUL TOGETHER AND GETTING TO

MOVE FORWARD IS GETTING PEOPLE

TO AGREE ON PRINCIPLES BUT ARGUE

ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE.

I THINK THAT WORK HAS TO BE

DONE.

I DO THINK, THOUGH, THAT THERE

ARE A LOT OF OUTLETS, THE

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR PAGES, THE

MEDIA IN GENERAL.

I MEAN, IT IS UP TO THE

CITIZENS.

THERE'S AN ELEMENT OF PERSONAL

RESPONSIBILITY HERE FOR

INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES,

LEADERS IN THOSE COMMUNITIES TO

STEP AND UP SAY, WE'RE GOING TO

CREATE A FORUM AND WE'RE GOING

TO INVITE EVERYONE TO ATTEND,

ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS.

WE HAVE A DEBATE OR DISCUSSION

NEEDS TO HAPPEN ABOUT OUR SCHOOL

OR ABOUT OUR -- HOW OUR SENATOR

REPRESENTATIVE SHOULD VOTE ON A

BILL.

PERHAPS IT'S UP TO THE LOCAL

COMMUNITY LEADERS TO SAY WE'RE

GOING TO PUT THIS TOGETHER AND

INVITE THE EXPERIENCE AND IF THE

REPRESENTATIVE CAN'T MAKE IT --

SPEAKERS, AND IF THE

REPRESENTATIVE CAN'T MAKE IT,

WE'LL HAVE AN EMPTY MICROPHONE.

THEY CAN SEND SOMEBODY OR NOT.

IT'S GOT TO COME UP FROM THE

BOTTOM UP, NOT THE TOP DOWN.

LEGISLATORS ARE THERE TO

REPRESENT PEOPLE.

AND IF YOU FEEL THEY'RE NOT

DOING A GOOD JOB, THAT'S WHAT

ELECTIONS ARE FOR.

>> WE'RE JUST ABOUT OUT OF TIME.

I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SUM

UP SOMEWHAT WE'VE HEARD TONIGHT.

IF THERE'S ONE PIECE OF ADVICE

YOU COULD LEAVE PEOPLE WITH, YOU

KNOW, THE CENTRAL QUESTION THAT

WE'RE TRYING TO GET AT HERE,

WHICH IS HOW CAN WE HAVE OUR

VOICES HEARD IN THE STATE

LEGISLATURE, BESIDES JUST

REACHING -- PICKING UP THE PHONE

AND CALLING STATE LEGISLATORS,

WHAT IS -- WHAT'S THE MOST

EFFECTIVE PIECE OF ADVICE YOU

WOULD GIVE TO SOMEONE TO HAVE

THEIR VOICE HEARD IN STATE

POLITICS?

>> VOTE WITH YOUR INTERESTS.

I CANNOT EMPHASIZE THAT ENOUGH.

AND I THINK WE'RE SEEING ON BOTH

THE STATE LEVEL AND A NATIONAL

LEVEL HOW THE POWER, FOR

EXAMPLE, OF THE LATINO VOTER IS

MAKING POLICY IN OUR GOVERNMENT.

VOTE YOUR INTEREST.

AND WHERE THOSE AREN'T BEING

REPRESENTED, MAKE SURE THAT YOU

GO AND YOU HOLD THAT PERSON

ACCOUNTABLE AT THE BALLOT

POCKETS.

AND THEN OF COURSE, AFTER YOU'VE

EXERCISED YOUR VOICE IN THAT

REGARD, STAY HOOKED IN TO YOUR

LEGISLATOR.

GO TO THEIR TOWN HALL MEETINGS.

IF HEAR NOT HAVING MEETINGS, ASK

THAT THEY DO THAT AND IN A

PUBLIC FORUM, ASK YOUR QUESTIONS

AND HOLD THEM RESPONSIBLE FOR

THE ANSWERS THAT THEY GIVE YOU.

>> YOU FEEL THE HEAT, IF THAT'S

DONE?

>> IT'S VERY WELCOME.

WHEN YOU SAY, HAVE YOUR VOICE

HEARD, I MEAN, YOUR VOICE CAN BE

HEARD WITHOUT IT BEING YOUR

VOICE.

GET INVOLVED IN YOUR LOCAL

PUTTA, YOUR LOCAL PTO, YOUR

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, TEACHERS

GROUP.

BRILLIANT ADVICE FROM BEA

BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE INVOLVED AT

THE PRECINCT LEVEL, YOU AFFECT

WHAT HAPPENS AT THE COUNTY

LEVEL, THE STATE LEVEL, YOU MAKE

YOUR WAY THROUGH ALL THE

POLITICAL CONVENTIONS, RIGHT?

BUT IT'S THAT VERY FIRST STEP AT

THAT LEVEL OF GETTING INVOLVED.

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE YOU AT THE

CAPITOL.

MAKING TIME TO BE DOWN HERE.

THERE ARE ORGANIZATIONS THAT

REPRESENT YOU.

BACK TO MY FIRST POINT.

BUT BE INVOLVED IN THOSE

ORGANIZATIONS SO THAT YOU HAVE

AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE YOUR

VOICE HEARD WITHOUT IT

NECESSARILY HAVING TO BE YOUR

VOICE.

>> RIGHT.

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IS IMPORTANT?

>> START WITH WHAT YOU LOVE, NOT

WITH WHAT YOU HATE.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN THIS BECAUSE

WE ALL CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER.

IF WE DIDN'T WE'D ALL JUST BEAT

EACH OTHER UP.

WE'D TRY TO HAVE THIS PROCESS

BECAUSE WE WANT TO DO THE RIGHT

THING FOR EACH OTHER.

SO START FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.

I THINK YOU CAN'T GO WRONG.

>> START WITH WHAT YOU LOVE.

GREAT ADVICE.

BRENDAN?

>> I THINK IT'S BEEN PRETTY WELL

SAID.

YOU HAVE MORE POWER THAN YOU

REALIZE.

FIND SOMETHING YOU'RE PASSIONATE

ABOUT.

GET INVOLVED.

NOBODY BATS .400 IN BASEBALL.

YOU'RE GOING TO WIN SOME, YOU'RE

GOING TO LOSE SOME.

BUT GET INVOLVED, WE'LL MAKE AN

IMPACT ESPECIALLY AT THE LOCAL

LEVEL.

IT'S YOUR CIVIC DUTY AND IT'S

SOMETHING WE OWE TO EACH OTHER

AND OURSELVES.

>> WE COME TO THE END OF OUR

TIME THIS EVENING, BUT WE HOPE

YOU WILL CONTINUE TALKING ABOUT

THIS, BECAUSE IT'S VERY

IMPORTANT.

WE NEED YOUR HELP TO REVERSE THE

LACK OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT HERE IN

TEXAS.

SO HERE ARE FIVE THINGS THAT YOU

CAN DO.

YOU CAN CALL, WRITE, OR VISIT

YOUR LEGISLATORS TO DISCUSS

ISSUES THAT MATTER TO YOU.

YOU CAN TRACK BILLS AND WATCH

SESSIONS LIVE ONLINE.

JOIN IN ON PROFITS THAT

ADVOCATES SOME ISSUES THAT YOU

CARE ABOUT.

YOU CAN WRITE A LETTER TO THE

EDITOR OF YOUR LOCAL NEWSPAPER

OR USE SOCIAL MEDIA, FACEBOOK

AND TWITTER, TO SHARE YOUR

VIEWS.

YOU CAN TESTIFY AT PUBLIC HOUSE

OR SENATE COMMITTEE HEARINGS.

AND NOW WE KNOW FROM

REPRESENTATIVE GONZALES, YOU CAN

EMAIL TESTIMONY.

I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR GUESTS AND

OUR AUDIENCE FOR THIS GREAT

CONVERSATION.

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO KEEP

THIS DISCUSSION GOING, PLEASE

VISIT WHYBOTHERTEXAS.ORG.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[APPLAUSE]