Open forum for concerns of voters. We want a lively discussion of topics.
Click to follow:
[img_assist|nid=63|title=Facebook|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=100|height=100][img_assist|nid=64|title=Twitter|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=100|height=100]
Starting more groups, editing current groups, etc...
In two weeks time, Coffee Party USA will be releasing an internal Facebook type application specifically for members of the Coffee Party website. Until then, we are asking that everyone make due with the tools they have currently. This new platform will knock your socks off.
Please bear with us. We built it, you came, we have to remodel. 
Comments
Coffee Party Houston General Meeting
Coffee Party Houston will be having its next general meeting on April 24, 2010 at Coffee Groundz (the room next door to the cafe) from 2 - 5 pm. The primary focus of this meeting is defining our organizational mission and vision. Our issue groups will give a brief overview of their findings/research/next steps. Plus, we will discuss Coffee with Congress, National's polling results, and potential events/collaborations for the month of May. Hope to see you there!
Check Events Page
Please check the events page for a list of our upcoming scheduled meetings. You can also find a list by visiting www.coffeepartyhouston.camp7.org
Preliminary March 27th Event Notes
Please go here for a copy of our March 27th preliminary notes. If you have not already, please look over our Coffee Party Houston website and register. Thanks!
- Tenisha
http://coffeepartyhouston.camp7.org/Default.aspx?pageId=584002&mode=Post...
March 27th Coffee Party Summit
If you do not have a local coffee party to attend this weekend or you are not yet comfortable facilitating a meeting on your own, please attend our Coffee Party Summit at Coffee Groundz this Saturday from 2-5. You can go to the Coffee Party USA event page and register.
- Tenisha
Web site
Our Coffee Party Houston web site is now live. Take time today to go and register. The forums are opened so you can discuss issues and sign-up for volunteer positions. http://coffeepartyhouston.camp7.org/
Beta Website
Here is a beta web site for Coffee Party Houston I designed today. let me know what you think - http://coffeepartyhouston.camp7.org/
Beta web site
This is a good web site. Kudos to the designer!! I will be joining the group physically when we relocate to Montgomery in the spring (right around the corner) and I will become active.
Nice work on website
Your digital skills would be very welcome to help us sell our important initiatives to the legislators.
Can you begin to think about selling changes to the political culture?
Sure thing!
Paul you just want to run me ragged -j/k! I love ya!!!
March 27th Event and Coffee with Congress
If you would like to facilitate an event for March 27th please let me know tidowu06@aol.com.
Also, we are trying to plan our Coffee with Congress event for sometime during the March 29th - April 9th recess. Please share your thoughts.
Thanks!
Tenisha
March 13th Pictures
If you took photos at the March 13th event yesterday, please remember to post your photos. Please send me a copy at tidowu06@aol.com.
March 13th Meeting
Hi Everyone,
We had a very great Kickoff Event on Saturday. We had 53 people sign in for the event. Our actual number of people who attended the event is slightly higher because there were some people who came who did not sign in.
The meeting started with us getting into a circle. Each member then gave a brief introduction, told us why he or she joined, and shared his or her story. We then broke into smaller groups by issue - health care, accountability, jobs/economy, and education. I will be posting more specific information about what each group discussed later today. For our March 27th event, we would like to break our coffee party groups into issue groups and spread them out all over the city.
Lastly, we discussed the open volunteer roles that we need to have filled. You can click this link below to see the list of roles. Please contact me at tidowu06@aol.com if you would like to volunteer.
http://tinyurl.com/yk29x7c
I created a chat room so that we can all get together and talk:
http://tinyurl.com/ylmjqtt
If you have Facebook please visit the Facebook page and click on the discussions tab to see what members are discussing:
http://tinyurl.com/yfnz64g
If you took any pictures of our event, please follow the directions on the home page of the web site to upload the photos to Coffee Party USA and send me a copy at tidowu06@aol.com.
I will be posting additional information throughout the day/week. Please stay tuned for updates.
Once again, thanks to everyone who had an opportunity to come to the event, and I hope to see more of all of you in the future!
Wake up and Stand up,
Tenisha Idowu
Political reform
If anyone in Houston is interested in Political reforms to deal with the influence of special interests please get in touch with your coffee partiers in Austin. We can build a Texas network to share ideas and make our voices more compelling.
Paul Silver pjsilver@yahoo.com
Ideal, New Subject Matter for the Meetings
Fellow Citizens,
I may have stumbled upon the answer.
I have authored a book that explains a specific strategy to regain control of our federal government. Though listening carefully, I’ve heard of no other solutions being offered so far. The book includes as yet unspoken analysis, entirely unique perspectives, a full explanation of the logic leading to my conclusions and a step-by-step plan that could enable the masses to re-establish control of our Federal government. Here's a sample
Votimate Our Politics
Our country needs a new way of doing business. Under the current system politicians have many motivations. This strategy could reduce their need for multiple motivations. This strategy could help create a system where politicians are:
Votimated
Politicians Motivated for Votes Only
PREFACE
We’ve heard from the Politicians, the Pundits, the Experts and from all of those who can buy a platform from which to speak, yet nary an answer for that which ails our country. Clearly it is getting worse with no end in sight. Perhaps it is time to hear from “Joe Public.”
I can’t say that I speak for the 99%, but I come from the 99% and after losing everything, perhaps even the bottom percent. How can the 1% get away with robbing and causing such harm to the 99% when the 99% of us control the vote? Armed only with the logic of a layman and the urgent need of a pauper I drilled down deep into this dilemma and made some discoveries that might be worth hearing.
The first several chapters offer unique, unspoken perspectives, intended to expose, categorize, organize and simplify the basic core issues within the bigger issue, our politics, or more specifically, our lack of effective governance for the 99%. The next several chapters offer unique comparative analysis, completely “out of the beltway” ideas and surprisingly possible solutions to the core problems. The final few chapters include stunning, previously undisclosed analysis exposing clearly why we must take action soon - and what the result of taking action could mean for us.
This is not just conceptual. I propose specific action. This is “nuts and bolts.” This is “what’s the next step”, a potential roadmap to restoring a government that works for us, the 99%. Restoring our democracy is the only issue worth talking about. Until we adapt and upgrade our political system, the 99% will continue to lose. Until we do, nothing else matters. Without a functioning government, we have nothing.
INTRODUCTION
I’m not experienced with politics and have no education in economics. Like many, I’ve lost everything and see little happening to bring me hope while watching our country implode seemingly like never before. This is saying a lot because at 54 years old, I survived the horrific Richard Nixon 30,000-dead-to-get-re-elected-war/impeach-a-crook-Watergate era.
Many of us are in need of hope. They say that need is the mother of invention. America is in need of solutions. While most solutions to complex issues include in-depth analysis and long explanations, true also in this case, like most straightforward arguments, mine too has a short answer. So I’ll cut to the chase and work my way backward.
In January 2010, while watching the disturbing display of the four “Too Big To Fail” banksters acting innocent and clueless in front of Congress, I found myself wondering, “How can our country become as successful as these corporations have become?” Even more to the point, how can we, Joe Public, benefit from our government like their shareholders benefit from their successful banking corporations? After all, who would argue that those corporations have pimped our system and punked us all? We know it. They know it. Everyone knows it.
Simply put, it is an industry licensed by, governed by and residing in the United States of America that has become more powerful than the Federal Government of The United States of America. That’s a mouthful. Other than two senseless wars, this is the worst realization of my lifetime. It’s huge. It cannot be overstated. It is bleeding us dry and I don’t see it changing on it’s own. It has stolen our Democracy. But what on earth can we do about it?
The status quo approach would be to peck away at it with legislation that will start with good intentions, but with powerful lobby bribes end up watered down, rendered ineffective and/or reversed by the next congress and administration. First, it is: our political/governing system needs an overhaul from the bottom up. It no longer works, which begs one of many questions, “which specific part is broken?”
To that purpose, I analyzed the differences between how the Wall Street banksters and health insurance providers do business from within their system – the free market corporate model – and compared it to the way the U.S. Government, does business from within our current political/governing system. I drilled down deep and what I found astounded me and might surprise you too. They are very different. Ergo, it’s the differences in the two structures/systems that allow the banksters and insurance providers to be so successful while operating from within theirs and what makes our government fail while operating from within ours, which allows private industry to dominate us.
By comparing the structures side-by-side it became obvious; the deficiencies in our system of governing are glaring and alarming when compared to their adapted, efficiently incentivized system. Upon identifying it the ultimate question arose, “how can we fix it?” The answer to fixing it is surprisingly obvious and has been readily apparent all along, despite the requisite in-depth analysis and long explanation disclosed herein.
My argument’s short answer is to propose applying elements of their successful free market corporate model to our system of politics and governance and we, Joe Public, should be rewarded like shareholders of a successful corporation. Once you go to this simple, logical perspective fantastic advantages naturally arise benefiting the citizens of America, not just the chosen few as it is now. On the following pages I will propose specific, step-by-step methods to reigning in the parasites.
Paradigm Shift
In my view, we can’t expect this type of “system overhaul” perspective and change to come from – or to be driven by – politicians fighting for their careers within our broken system. Ever since special interest groups have been counting profits in the billions, maybe even trillions, they’re far too powerful and already own our political/governing system.
If ever a “grass roots movement” were needed, it is for this “paradigm shift.” The 99% must conceive and drive this change and do it soon or our beloved country will implode from the unintended consequences of insatiable special interest capitalism. So let’s take a page from those who are doing it to us and make it work for us. With the strategy outlined herein, “we the shareholders” can take our government back from special interests.
United and armed with this plan, we can simply insist.
To find out more, visit votimate.com. I have lowered the cost for the “download” format to my cost only, $1.49, through Friday, March 12. You can find the “download” option just under the “Add to Cart” button on the right side of my publisher’s page. By Saturday, March 13th, the price will go back to $10 for the immediate download and Ebook versions. You won't be disappointed.
Best wishes, JP Sayles
March 13th National Coffee Day
Hi everyone,
We are meeting Saturday, March 13th at Coffee Groundz 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. I will be on location at 1:00 p.m. so if you want to get there early feel free. We will be in the room next door the cafe.
Sign up here:
http://tinyurl.com/ygkwwr3
If you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail me at tidowu06@aol.com.
Hi Everyone, Please use this
Hi Everyone,
Please use this link to upload contact information.
http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?hl=en&formkey=dEdnWFFDOHBYNmlSQ3...
Contact Information
Hi Everyone,
I am trying to get everyone's contact information. Please use this link and enter your contact information:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0Aol0d4Z_iDt7dEdnWFFDOHBYNmlSQ3o2...
Meeting Reminder!
Hi Everyone,
My name is Tenisha Idowu and I am the admin of the Houston Chapter on Facebook. We are hosting a meeting this weekend -
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Time: 2:00pm - 5:00pm
Location: Coffee Groundz
Street: 2503 Bagby Street
City/Town: Houston, TX 77006
Please feel free to contact me via e-mail: tidowu06@aol.com
Link to Houston Chapter on Facebook - http://tinyurl.com/yf3slbu
Link to my profile on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/tenisha.idowu
meeting
I'll be there with my daughter,she needs to get involved too!
Sister group in Austin
Our chapter is forming in Austin.
It seems that while Anabel spoke out for civil discussions on any topic, she was very specific in her mission statement about a few items that might be considered fundamental.
- the government is the expression of our collective will.
- We demand a government that responds to the needs of its citizens...NOT corporate interests as expressed by misleading advertisements and campaign contributions.
Is it true to her intent if this is paraphrased and elaborated as:
we support policies to make government effective and efficient.
we support policies to level the playing field among public and private interests in the crafting of policy. And neutralizing the influence of special interests.
We support policies to make public office more accessible to citizens without connection to wealth.
We vote for those who we believe are aligned with us.
I welcome any help in trying to grasp the intent and potential of the Coffee Party Movement.
Grassroots Sprouting
I read an essay in the New York Times by Olivia Johnson today about grass and I somehow segued that into thinking it might be good for me to define what a grassroots organization means to me. If I take the word grassroots and think about that in its literal sense, I think of the plant species. If you think about grass in general, it is a very diverse species, there are over 10,000 different types of grass ranging from giant bamboo, to food crops, to small tufts growing between rocks in high altitudes, and everything in between. It is a very good analogy as to what a grassroots organization is, not just because of its most common meaning of growth from the ground up, but also because of its diversity. Grass is a dominant life form, not because it is a strong individual plant or that all grasses act the same, but because of its diversity and adaptability to change for the common good.
Just by performing this mental exercise in the meaning of a word I was able to expand my mind to a new concept, which is exactly what I think this Coffee Party is trying to accomplish. By really listening, talking, and understanding other peoples diverse ideas, and like the grasses, it will make us stronger as a democracy with more power than we thought imaginable.
Thanks Olivia
No Future Parties...NOT
If your political party does not work to a positive future for American, then why are you supporting it. Just move where there is no government, like Afghanistan, join a tribe with your guns, and support your family there. It perfect for you, Tea Party members. Held together by the old War Party,GOP(Cheney/Bush), by force and guns.
Bye Bye
Had enough?
Hello -- Houston, we have a problem. The wingnuts/teabaggers are full throated screaming. Had enough?
I've heard enough
I'm sick of hearing them talk about raising taxes. What taxes have been raised??? The teabaggers seem to think all government is bad but here in the Houston area they sure want "their" share of FEMA, etc.
Conservatisism, is now anti-America
As noted throughout our history, when things get bad, conservatives are the first in line for handouts, first to criticize our government. Otherwise they are generally, the poorly educated, with no positive self image, no future inspirations
They should just move to where there is no government, you have no balls,c an't stand up for yourself,and just do what your told to think.
The tea party is those people, and its members, voted for Cheney/bush, twice.
The Coffee Party is about a positve moving world.
Defintely!
It is way over time for American Progressives to stand up and drink the coffee. We have been idle for far too long.
When can we meet and start to organize this area?
Best, Elizabeth
Organizing
A good question, when and How to organize. The local organization needs a leader to get things moving. Do we have one in place or should we try to meet as a group and decide. I do not want the job but I am willing to help out. Houston is quite large and diverse. It might be difficult to get people from all over the city to meet up in one location so we may need to organize local chapters. Events should be enjoyable as well as productive to keep people enthused about participating. Communication needs to be succinct and consistent, people are busy but want to have a say as well. All are welcome regardless of any differences, lets be a group that actually represents the population of this country instead of the all white tea-bagger's group. I am not on facebook but will join up to organize there with a Houston specific group that should not allow members outside of our group to join other than national leaders of the movement. There is already a national facebook group. These are just a few ideas about how to proceed.
Saturday Meeting
Hi Everyone,
My name is Tenisha Idowu and I am the admin of the Houston Chapter on Facebook. We are hosting a meeting this weekend -
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Time: 2:00pm - 5:00pm
Location: Coffee Groundz
Street: 2503 Bagby Street
City/Town: Houston, TX
Please feel free to contact me via e-mail: tidowu06@aol.com
Link to Houston Chapter on Facebook - http://tinyurl.com/yf3slbu
Link to my profile on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/tenisha.idowu