The Bitter with the Sweet

The Helmet Bill died on the Floor of the House, last night at midnight..

With sixteen pages of the Bills to be debated and passed on.. the Helmet
Bill was on page fifteen.. Our time just ran out on this one..

With so much effort and support of this Bill.. I must admit that I'm sadly
disappointed.. Especially after the defeat of the Lautenburg Amendment in
Washington.. Now .. that was sweet..

There is much benefit to be gained from this Legislative Session this year..
Bikers from all over Texas.. representing the many independent clubs and
advocacy groups, came together.. We made our influence and presence heard
and felt by the elected ones in Austin.. Few, if any will forget that
spectacle of thousands of motorcycles rumbling down Congress Ave. to the
Capitol .. Few.. if any of those legislators will forget the thousands of
motorcyclists constituents, in their offices .. all of them offering thought
provoking insights into the opinions of the legislation being proposed..

Many of those elected legislators will breathe a sigh of relief that the
Helmet Bill will not be debated during this Session.. We have held their
attention since January.. Returning to their districts and facing their
constituents would have been certain disaster for them.. There is no doubt,
many would have stood opposed to this Bill.. There also is no doubt, the
lingage of this Bill to several other Bills would have been difficult to
deny..

TMRA II and ABATE led this battle to level the playing field of Bikers
everywhere.. The opposition has been, and is.. just as intense .. This
battle has not been lost.. it has just been put off for a while longer..
Actually.. it is just the beginning ..

Everyone who participated and assumed a proactive role in this Session of
our Legislature is to be congratulated and commended.. We've all fought
the battle with integrity and courage.. No one has lost and no one has won
anything.. If anything .. we've gained the attention of our legislators and
they are convinced that Bikers who are united on a common cause, are a
political force to be contended with.. That is a definite WIN.. Those
Legislators were not convinced of that before, but you can be assured, they
are now.. After all.. we aren't worse off than we were before the
Legislature opened.. We are all still here and this is the beginning of a
new episode..

Sputnik, Essary, Alvey, Maltzenburger, McKeeghan and all the others who have
worked tirelessly toward returning our government to Texans deserve the
respect and gratitude from everyone in Texas who benefit from their
efforts..The State Representatives who helped these men and women also
deserve respect, gratitude and their own re-elections.. we need them in our
government.. Norma Chavez.. you are certainly one of our heroes.. Thanks..

Your Friend in Irving
Bill Walker

 

You are very welcome.. Some of my posts and responses are quite harsh.. I
know that..

Recently .. a group of us were talking about this newsgroup.. It is read
quite often by brothers and sisters who are active in motorcycle advocacy
groups with me. Few of those brothers and sisters post on usenet..
especially in this newsgroup.. They've all asked me why I continue to
participate in this newsgroup.. My response to them is that " There are many
good, sincere motorcycle enthusiasts in this group"..

All of us can't be on the floor in our Capitol and all of us don't have the
time or resources to stand up and be counted.. The ones of us who can..
have.. Little as anyone would have us believe, we've made a slight
difference and will continue to do so.. I thank you on behalf of every one
of us who challenge the lawmakers and try to influence the outcome of their
legislation..

Bill Walker
Irving, Tx.

 

Bill there are many of us that appreciate your work and your effort to
keep us updated and informed.--darin ginther-
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- -
''You are very welcome''.. Some of my posts and responses are quite
harsh.. I know that..
Recently .. a group of us were talking about this newsgroup.. It is read
quite often by brothers and sisters who are active in motorcycle
advocacy groups with me. Few of those brothers and sisters post on
usenet.. especially in this newsgroup.. They've all asked me why I
continue to participate in this newsgroup.. My response to them is that
" There are many good, sincere motorcycle enthusiasts in this group"..
All of us can't be on the floor in our Capitol and all of us don't have
the time or resources to stand up and be counted.. The ones of us who
can.. have.. Little as anyone would have us believe, we've made a slight
difference and will continue to do so.. I thank you on behalf of every
one of us who challenge the lawmakers and try to influence the outcome
of their legislation..
Bill Walker
Irving, Tx.
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- -
''I am another one'' who appreciates the Texas Law upDate material by
you, on this group, and the frequentness of your reports. etc.
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Bill, I for one, would be interested in knowing how long, and how you
got involved on such a serious note, in Texas Politics concerning
motorcycle legislation?
How you managed to be right in there,
shaking hands with important politicians?
(bjay.Kana)

 

The day mandatory helmets and insurance became an issue. Anything that
would mean he had to spend money he didn't have.

 

Bill, I for one, would be interested in knowing how long, and how you
got involved on such a serious note, in Texas Politics concerning
motorcycle legislation?
How you managed to be right in there,
shaking hands with important politicians? (bjay.Kana)
/
/
More by bjay) Bill hope my above response didn't come across as being
petty, or arrogent, or silly, to YOU?
I just wondered, you don't have to share with all, email me, if ya
wanna.
Or don't, that's certainly your bizness.
your cyber friendly, bjay-kana

 

I retired .. Bjay..

Before I retired, I was like most everyone else.. I paid taxes and voted..
After I retired, I began to realize that during usual and ideal times, that
voting and paying taxes were adequate in order to fulfill citizen
responsibilities.. Then.. it struck me that these are not "usual and ideal
times"..

Our representative type democracy has become tilted and out of control.. Our
elected representatives, no longer represent the constituents who vote for
them.. They represent more.. the special interests which fund their
elaborate and expensive campaigns.. The constituents are mostly out of the
loop of representation..

The more I became aware of this upside down situation, it became clear to
me, that corporate interests are the ones in control and not the
constituents.. The Constitution and Bill of Rights are increasingly becoming
bypassed and ignored.. Corporations are even suing for individual
recognition, under that Constitution and Bill of Rights..

I'm fully retired now.. I have the time and the means to make whatever
slight difference that I can.. Even though I have always been a democrat,
I've always held corrupt politicians in contempt.. I've always admired and
respected the elected politician who represented his consituents.. no matter
what his party persuasion might be..

I've become a member of TMRA II in the past three years, because that is
pretty much the philosophy that I observe amongst their membership and
leadership.. I don't always agree with some of the actions of TMRA II ..
There are times when the leadership and I disagree on the issues which they
support or oppose.. We do that within a framework of respect for each
other..

The leadership and membership of TMRA II is a mixed bag of political party
affiliations.. Democrats, republicans and independents come together,
discuss and debate.. Then we vote and whether we approve of the results of
that vote or not, there it is.. If the issue is one that we disagree
strongly enough about, we sit it out, rather than compromise our individual
integrity..

I'm not sure that I understand the question about the association with the
power politicians .. Every taxpayer and voter in Texas, has the right and
responsibility to question and confront his elected representative.. When I
speak to our elected representatives, I am only exercising the right,
afforded to all of us..

Hopefully, when I am addressing those elected representatives, the issues
will be ones that everyone can relate to and agree with.. When I don't . and
someone disagrees, then .. they should exercise their own rights, and
present their opposing views to that elected representative.. Nothing
special with anything that I am doing.. We all have the same rights .. I'm
just exercising mine and many of us, are not..

Our Legislative Session is coming to a close, this month.. The time is
growing short to address those elected representatives, but they will all be
returning to their home districts.. Don't hesitate to see them and present
your concerns to them when they come home.. It's all out there and available
to each of us.. if we don't take advantage of our opportunities, we can only
blame ourselves when it doesn't go to suit us..

Hopefully .. this response answers your questions..

Your Friend in Irving
Bill Walker

 

(BILL Walker responds)
I'm not sure that I understand the question about the association with
the power politicians .. Every taxpayer and voter in Texas, has the
right and responsibility to question and confront his elected
representative.. When I speak to our elected representatives, I am only
exercising the right, afforded to all of us..
- -
Hopefully, when I am addressing those elected representatives, the
issues will be ones that everyone can relate to and agree with.. When I
don't . and someone disagrees, then .. they should exercise their own
rights, and present their opposing views to that elected
representative.. Nothing special with anything that I am doing.. We all
have the same rights .. I'm just exercising mine and many of us, are
not..
- -
Our Legislative Session is coming to a close, this month.. The time is
growing short to address those elected representatives, but they will
all be returning to their home districts.. Don't hesitate to see them
and present your concerns to them when they come home.. It's all out
there and available to each of us.. if we don't take advantage of our
opportunities, we can only blame ourselves when it doesn't go to suit
us..
Hopefully .. this response answers your questions..
- -
Your Friend in Irving
Bill Walker
- -
- -
- -
IT DID, and I thought it was interesting.
Some are good at such, and others arent cut out for ''legislation
stuff'', ''party stuff'', ''club stuff'', that's me I guess.
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We have such a large family, of which requires, good time management, on
my part, in order to remain/maintain the head honcho/chairman, godfather
like image, when we all assemble to Ride. smiling, heehee.
- -
That was a figure of speech, about you shaking hands with the ploitical
leaders and so 4th.(I don't think I said power?!)
- -
But, I think, you do know some of the maybe more prominent (power)
politicians down there, right? I thought i saw a photo of you with an
important man, or so?
But, you worked at it, and like it. It's probably a part of your life,
that you feel good about, and gives you something to do, meeting Bikers
all around and stuff. I admire it. I surely do. ThanksBill...
(bJay) (of NETexas) (bordering Arkansas)