A few free resources to help you make a difference

I'm a feeling a little agitated by the pitch and the furor of criticism aimed solely at the White House. I understand that Obama is a huge political figure and as one CNN pundit put it, "He blocks out the sun." However, let's think about who makes decisions that most directly affect our daily lives. If we really want to take control of our fates and ease the unsettling sensation that we're on a runaway train, we need to learn who our local politicians are, and what they're up to.

Breathe easy, I'm not going to get up on the soap box today, I'm only going to rest on it while I list a few resources you can use to become informed about your direct representation.

Harris County

If you are a registered voter in Harris County, you can visit the Harris County Tax Office website and simply fill out a voter search using your name and or address. Once you are able to view the results, you'll see a list of local and national representatives. The first step in moving our communities in a positive direction is to know who the decision makers are. Here's what my search results look like:

YOUR ELECTED DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVES IN PRECINCT 0173
U.S. Senator:	John Cornyn
U.S. Senator:	Kay Bailey Hutchison
U.S. Representative:	Michael McCaul
State Senator:	Dan Patrick
State Representative:	Allen Fletcher
Harris County Judge:	Ed Emmett
Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector:	Leo Vasquez
Harris County Commissioner:	Jerry Eversole
Harris County Constable:	Ron Hickman
Justice of the Peace Pos. 1:	Judge J. Kent Adams
Justice of the Peace Pos. 2:	Judge Tom Lawrence
State Board of Education:	Terri Leo

Fort Bend and Other Counties

If you live in Fort Bend county, you can perform the same search by visiting your Voter Registrar website.

If you live somewhere other than these counties, click here to find information about your county's voting system and public officials.

State Political Resources

Texas Legislature

Texas Senate

Supreme Court of Texas

Use these websites to see what is on the floor of Texas Congress. Knowing what bills are being debated empowers you to see where state and national political priorities are. Don't just rely on the national media networks to keep you informed. Being an independent thinker means going right to the source.

I know that some of the legislative material can be dense, but if you have questions call the office of your state representative and ask someone to explain it to you. That is what they are there for and YOU are the one keeping them employed. Take advantage of this.

National Politics

US Senate

House of Representatives

White House

Take a look to see what national issues are on the floor for debate here. Make it a goal to do this twice a month. Compare what you read here to what you see on your favorite news network and ask yourself if the media is trying to inform you, or if they're simply salesmen trying to keep your attention long enough to get to commercial break.

Houston City Hall

I don't know about you, but I'm embarrassed to say that I have no idea what goes on at City Hall. I don't know who my representatives are or what the hell they're up to. A lot of the decisions that take place downtown affect how and where businesses are able to operate, what lands are going to be taken for government use and other ordinances that can affect your commute, your taxes or even your child's access to education.

From the city's e-government portal, click on the Government tab and you'll find links to Houston City Hall minutes, links to several city services, and links to surrounding municipalities and other county resources.

A quiet call to arms

We need to spend less time on the couch, watching the news through the "soda straw" lens that the networks force us to use- and more time in each other's living rooms informing each other and discussing how we feel about how local, state and national government are shaping our country.

We are Americans. If we choose not to be involved, or to not use our first amendment rights, or to let the media become an arm of its advertisers and not our lens into government; we will no longer be Americans. We will become nameless consumers of whatever the hell TV is trying to sell us.

Take some time to check out the links, you'll feel better and be better for it.