This weekend, citizens of US Congressional District 28 learned from an interview that their representative, the Honorable Henry Cuellar, planned to vote NO on Health Care Legislation unless language regarding abortion was not changed:
"I want to make sure that the Henry Hyde amendment that federal funds not being used for abortion is adhered to," said Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, who says he's a Stupak supporter.
What's a small town to do?
In Schertz (pronounced shirts), Texas, they plan ACTION. Today, along with MoveOn Councils nationwide, they held a rally. Progressives in this small Texan town want others to know that small Texan minds (like the Texan State School Board and their ilk) don't speak for the entire population.
The recently founded New Braunfels/Cibolo/Schertz Move-On Council is already gaining a lot of attention in this suburban/rural area just outside San Antonio, Texas.
Recently, legislative staff at the offices of Rep. Henry Cuellar asked what was going on. They've received an unprecedented amount of calls from people wanting this legislation to pass from this council's area, Guadalupe County. Through an extremely active Letters to the Editor Campaign as well as emails to family and friends, this council of 40 members is kicking butt. And they are getting notice.
Today's rally attracted more than 40 people outside Schertz City Hall. This might sound small to big city folk, but in Red State Texas, this is huge. And it's more than a rally. Events like these energize people. Successful rallies encourage future action for more progressive causes. And they show locals that the surrounding neighbors may not be as conservative as they might think. That in turn encourages more progressives to come out of the woodwork, to speak out, to vote, to run for office. This is how we bring Texas into the 21st century.
Congressional Aide, Mark Gonzalez holds meetings for Cuellar constituents every third Tuesday in Schertz. The rally attendees were able to pass on concerns to him and know that they would end up on the Congressman's desk. This direct action receives different attention that those daily phone calls, important as they are. Gonzalez was able to take photos to share with Congressman Cuellar. And he was reminded again and again that Catholic Hospitals support the bill, that constituents that would actually vote for a Democrat support the bill, and that his constituents need this bill.
The rally was covered by the local Fox News affiliate and a team of reporter and photographer from the local New Braunfels Herald Zietung newspaper. WOAI, the local NBC affiliate, later called for photos that were shown on the 5 o'clock news.
Here was the message for Representative Cuellar, in the words of the local Council Coordinator, Stephen Baird,
The legislation being considered by Congress will make health insurance affordable for more than 30 million currently uninsured Americans. Texas ranks last among all other states in health care with over 25% of its residents without health insurance and Rep. Cuellar's district has more uninsured than the average for the state.
A recent study at Harvard University revealed that 45,000 Americans die each year because they are uninsured and do not get medical help until it is too late to reverse their illnesses. Using this number,
more than 5 people died from lack of health care during the 1 hour honk and wave rally today.
Please give the New Braunfels/Schertz/Cibolo MoveOn Council a round of applause!
If you would like to start your own MoveOn Council in your neck of the woods, please visit MoveOn.org/team.
In closing, I would like to share some photos from this marvelous events.