tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7679105172386610762024-03-21T01:03:42.047-05:00carl parkerismsIf you don’t want the truth, read something else.t.l.h.hellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02633375108151144635noreply@blogger.comBlogger269125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-767910517238661076.post-4033789923401359172016-09-26T16:47:00.000-05:002016-09-28T18:10:47.065-05:00SHOWING AMERICA’S GREATNESS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ixivl5trn_I/V-xMHWcpViI/AAAAAAAAFXE/H_NOe--oJs84KRnRGEHFdYxEc9th56YoACLcB/s1600/kaepernick.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ixivl5trn_I/V-xMHWcpViI/AAAAAAAAFXE/H_NOe--oJs84KRnRGEHFdYxEc9th56YoACLcB/s320/kaepernick.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Because of freedoms enjoyed by American citizens, we can, if
we so choose, burn the flag, criticize the president, or kneel at a football
game during the playing of our national anthem. While such an act can capture national attention, it
does little about the things <a href="http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000691077/article/colin-kaepernick-explains-why-he-sat-during-national-anthem" target="_blank">Mr. Kaepernick</a> is currently complaining about.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Once, I was told the story about a large family, the mother
of whom had hideous scarring to the point she looked like a creature from a
horror movie; and yet, the children all seemed to shower her continually with
affection and hugs and kisses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
someone asked why there was so much doting on such an unattractive person, it was revealed that years before there had been a terrible fire at the home
of this family and these children had been rescued—their lives saved by their
mother braving the flames, resulting in her sustaining horrible,
disfiguring scarring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The same story might be told about the United States of America.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No doubt our country has scars, and several things which can
be criticized.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet, it remains a
beacon to which almost every citizen of every other country is drawn.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When America was birthed as a nation by the development and
adoption of our Constitution, some of those participating in its writing
deplored slavery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even so, they
did not prevail at the time and a provision was written into our founding document
classifying some humans as less than human because of their skin color.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nonetheless, because of the general
provisions and freedoms assured by our Constitution and subsequent Bill of
Rights, we have emerged as a thoughtful, caring nation in many regards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Citizens of all stripes enjoy more privileges,
rights and protections than any other nation on earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hopefully, we will continue to evolve
in this regard.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While I will defend Kaepernick’s right to express his
dissatisfaction about things in this country, I also have the right to deem him
wrong in his behavior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
drawback of the kneeling exercise teaches minority little league players they
are being short-changed by their country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Further, it clearly fails to inspire children to do things in a positive
manner that would improve the way of life for us all. It is my belief that more can be accomplished standing up
than kneeling down. Even kneeling
in prayer would not be as productive without an active follow through of faith. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Marching to the polls, attending your city council or school board meeting,
door-to-door knocking for a candidate of your choice, or volunteering for a
“get out the vote” campaign would do infinitely more to change things for the
better than simply a relatively effortless protest.</b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Among our many other privileges as Americans we have the
ultimate ability through voting to alter the course of our nation and our
society.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, only a
small percentage of American citizens take advantage of this wonderful
privilege.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How much better would it
be if we focused on inspiring
children to participate in large numbers of informed voting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is my fervent belief our nation
would be far better off if those who spend hours organizing marches to protest
the shortcomings of our country would spend more time organizing mass marches
to the polling places on election day.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our nation may not be perfect, but without a doubt it is
great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is up to us to try to
keep it that way. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How much
better would it be if those who aspire to leadership of our fellow Americans of
all stripes could inspire others to change our nation for the better through
responsible, thoughtful participation.</div>
t.l.h.hellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02633375108151144635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-767910517238661076.post-18380990686759934842016-09-19T17:19:00.000-05:002016-09-28T18:12:34.075-05:00An Open Letter to Evangelicals of a Certain Political Persuasion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ymebiTezuBk/V-xGofgBzqI/AAAAAAAAFW0/E3Ec23L5EXUdZHfjqHCOAubGfNu9b8DgwCLcB/s1600/burning%2Bbush.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ymebiTezuBk/V-xGofgBzqI/AAAAAAAAFW0/E3Ec23L5EXUdZHfjqHCOAubGfNu9b8DgwCLcB/s320/burning%2Bbush.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
DEAR EVANGELICAL FRIEND:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have recently become aware of a gentleman who would love
to become a deacon in your church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is an older gentleman who is currently married to his third
wife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has a history of publicly
boasting of his past adultery and sexual conquests.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When asked, he has expressed the view that he has never felt the
need to confess or ask forgiveness from God or anyone else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is known to have
insulted numerous people because of their race, national origin or
religion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So far he has also
refused to apologize for this behavior to any of the people whom he has
offended.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Also, this gentleman is
somewhat loose with the truth and has told a few whoppers when it would be
beneficial to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is somewhat profane with his language in public speech.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He appears to have a dim view of most women stating on
occasion that women look better when they are on their knees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He regularly ridicules people with whom
he differs, especially on the subject of their religion. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While claiming to be a
devotee of the Bible, he is unable to cite a single biblical verse with
which he was familiar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Additionally, he has not demonstrated an ability to even correctly cite
scriptures in the Bible—particularly, New Testament books that have two parts.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In spite of these minor flaws, I am certain this gentleman
would contribute greatly to your church because he says he is very rich.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, there is no evidence that he
has tithed or is committed to do so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is my understanding that in the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>near future
this gentleman will be applying and requesting your church to select him as a
member of your board of trustees, deacon or whatever your governing body
is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I look forward to seeing how
this gentleman is received by your church.</div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #f6b26b;"><b>Author’s note:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><b><i>If you would not accept such a gentleman in the fold to govern your
church, why on earth would you support such a man to lead the nation?</i></b></span></div>
t.l.h.hellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02633375108151144635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-767910517238661076.post-25997428559874341012016-09-12T16:47:00.000-05:002016-09-28T17:46:18.173-05:00FAIRNESS AND WORKERS<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7YS6k6qrxwI/V-xBk88A3eI/AAAAAAAAFWk/8Yex-QucHogKx_TYGfFl-TF9NAnzbXxQgCLcB/s1600/the%2Bcookie%2Bcrumbles.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7YS6k6qrxwI/V-xBk88A3eI/AAAAAAAAFWk/8Yex-QucHogKx_TYGfFl-TF9NAnzbXxQgCLcB/s320/the%2Bcookie%2Bcrumbles.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
My father, who lived through a depression, was a person who
had firsthand experience with hard times.
His father died when he was a young boy and so he was required to drop
out of school to help support his family.
He later became president of one of the largest local unions in the
United States. I suppose his
experience shaped much of his thought concerning working people. He harbored a deep-seated belief that a
man’s job was almost as sacred as his right to worship. He witnessed firsthand the difference
between laboring under circumstances where a man’s livelihood could be
terminated at the whim of a boss and the conditions which could prevail while
working under a decent union contract.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is difficult for me to fully grasp the fact that so many
wage earners who live from payday to payday do not appreciate the difference
between working with some job protection and with none.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seldom does a week pass at my law
office without receiving a call from an hourly wage earner who has been
unfairly treated, fired from their job, or subjected to oppressive behavior by
their superiors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most are stunned
when I relay to them that in Texas and many other states there is no real job
protection unless there is a union contract or a personal employment contract.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of these cases involve
circumstances where the employee is accused of certain conduct but there is no proof
the accusations against them are true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
Sadly, I have to tell them that in the absence of a
contract—union or otherwise—they have absolutely no remedy whatsoever because
Texas is what is called an <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/At-will_employment" target="_blank">"at will" employment</a> state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An employer can discharge an employee for absolutely no
reason whatsoever other than the fact that the employer wants them gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only avenue available to people who
work for a living are the federal statutes which prohibit discrimination based
on race, gender, age, national origin—or in some cases, disability.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Many people in our state mistakenly believe that the Right to Work
statute has something to do with maintaining your employment unless discharged
for good cause.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, the
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right-to-work_law" target="_blank">Right to Work statute in Texas</a> and other states has absolutely nothing
whatsoever to do with the right to keep a job or earn a living.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is simply a device by which "closed
shop" agreements by unions are made unlawful.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Even more stunning to me is that so many working people in
our state have turned to the Republican Party as their choice for government
leadership.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In Texas, since the late
1970’s, with the growing control of the Republican Party in our State Legislature
and statewide elected offices, the concept of fairness in the workplace—or
even safety in the workplace—has taken a nosedive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Republicans—not only in Congress but also in our own State
Legislature—have fought at every turn against safety measures such as
OSHA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even consideration of a
decent minimum wage law is not a matter even to be discussed in the halls of
government.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Worker compensation or
other insurance provisions for injured workers in Texas is not mandatory; and
even if it exists, it is well-nigh impossible for an injured worker to find a
lawyer who would handle his case against insurance companies and their
high-dollar attorneys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
Legislature’s restrictions on worker's comp has made it virtually impossible
for an attorney to be adequately compensated for handling a worker's comp case
unless able to do it virtually pro bono.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Koch brothers and most Republican leaders continue to
ignore hazards of the work place—and also to deny that climate change is a scientific
fact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Money and profit trump
worker safety and public health.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We should all remember that those defending positions in the name of
good business are much the same interests who lied to workers for years about
silicosis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> And, they are t</span>he same folks who
refused to acknowledge the harm of smoking.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>It is truly time for people who work for wages to wake up,
arise, and vote in every election possible—<i>and closely examine<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>which party serves their livelihood.</i></b></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
t.l.h.hellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02633375108151144635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-767910517238661076.post-11023426054685197642016-09-05T20:08:00.000-05:002016-09-05T20:08:19.412-05:00 WHY WE HONOR LABOR <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XJrp0MOky58/V7fLxQnCcjI/AAAAAAAAFUQ/0TCCb4LoGqcKXz8xHZIquUu66SwJZVSaQCLcB/s1600/268027-Sophocles-Quote-Without-labor-nothing-prospers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XJrp0MOky58/V7fLxQnCcjI/AAAAAAAAFUQ/0TCCb4LoGqcKXz8xHZIquUu66SwJZVSaQCLcB/s320/268027-Sophocles-Quote-Without-labor-nothing-prospers.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is good to set aside a date to honor labor, both the verb
and the adjective.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The primary
reason America has reached its level of greatness is because its underpinning
is labor, both the efforts put out by American citizens, as well as our fellow
Americans who provide the real work to give us the goods and services that make
our lives better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
It is truly an
American blessing that we can profit by our labors and are free to engage in
the laboring efforts of our choice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
With the current shrinking of the middle class, it is especially important that we honor
labor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clearly, in our
capitalistic society the infusion of capital is essential to our economic
well being.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still, we should pause remember today that
nothing would be made, produced or provided without those of us who work with
our hands.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We need not only to honor labor ourselves but call it to the
attention of our political leaders—state, national and local—that they should
be ever mindful of honoring labor with safe workplaces, decent conditions and
a fair wage for a day’s pay.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Unfortunately, in today’s political climate too many of our
officeholders ignore the fact that many who labor in full-time jobs cannot
afford their basic needs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
We as
well as our elected politicians should be ashamed that, in a country blessed
with the abundant wealth that exists, many who labor full time are required to
be on food stamps and other forms of welfare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Too many laborers are not adequately protected from
the dangerous conditions of their job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As an example, many states, including Texas, do not even require worker's
comp coverage for those who might be seriously injured or disabled while producing
goods and services for the rest of us.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Too often even our tax policies belie the degree to which we
respect labor and hard work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
should be asking why our tax policy is such that money earned by money is taxed
at a much lower rate than money earned by the sweat of one’s brow.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
The right of workers in the labor force <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to organize themselves into unions to
speak for them should be zealously guarded and honored as part of the American
way of life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Organized labor has
lifted workers from the drudgery of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>dangerous and degrading workplaces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has stamped out child labor and provides some degree of
protection to citizens in the workplace from unfair treatment.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Many of us who believe in America’s greatness should
remember the words of Ulysses S. Grant who said, “The laborer is the author of
all greatness and wealth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without
labor there would be no government, and no leading class, and nothing to
preserve.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
t.l.h.hellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02633375108151144635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-767910517238661076.post-328514642939482902016-08-28T15:59:00.000-05:002016-10-02T16:00:29.298-05:00DR. TRUMP’S MEDICINE SHOW<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-stDhdD3cnPE/V_F1LIOyS8I/AAAAAAAAFXc/qGk41rwEVJoTtsr8SFmAVZb5gzxBqis5ACLcB/s1600/doc%2Bgrayson%2Bmedicine%2Bshow.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-stDhdD3cnPE/V_F1LIOyS8I/AAAAAAAAFXc/qGk41rwEVJoTtsr8SFmAVZb5gzxBqis5ACLcB/s320/doc%2Bgrayson%2Bmedicine%2Bshow.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">When I was a child my
family and I lived on main Avenue in Groves when it was a shell road.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> O</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">ur neighbor was the Smith Dairy and
its pastures.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">We of course had no
television set, so my main source of entertainment electronically was a console
radio that sat in our living room.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">My dad, however, was always keen on providing the family with some sort
of entertainment that he would scout out and locate.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I vividly recall a trip to a vacant lot in the area where "Dr.
T" had erected his tent and stage.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The doctor billed his entourage as “Dr. T’s Magic Medicine Show.”</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">The doctor’s show consisted
of a few magic acts, a song or two and a few other acts that passed for
entertainment; but the main thrust of the gathering was the doctor’s lengthy
spiel concerning the merits of his magic elixir—a concoction he claimed would cure almost every ailment known to man from backaches to hair loss.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In hindsight, I now know that Dr. T’s
magic elixir consisted primarily of alcohol with some tasty flavoring added to
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It probably did make some
people feel better if they drank enough of it at one time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I doubt, however, that it ever really
cured any serious ailment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Following the doctor’s spiel, his assistants would launch themselves
into the audience hawking the bottles of Dr. T’s cure-all medicine, which
almost everybody bought for a buck or two.</span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Dr. Trump is putting on his
own medicine show.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since watching
the Republican nominee for president lately perform on television, I am
immediately reminded of Dr. T’s medicine show in which he extolled the virtues
of his medicine claiming it could cure almost everything, but didn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like Dr. T, Mr. Trump’s cures are
described in very vague terms without telling you really how or why his
proposed remedies, which are unstated, would cure what’s wrong with
America.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His recent performance at
the Republican convention was completely devoid of any concrete proposals which
would help us with jobs, crime, terrorism or anything else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you ask Mr.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trump, “How are you going to stamp out
crime immediately upon being sworn in as president?” His answer is, “Right away.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When asked how he is going to do away
with ISIS; “very quickly,” he says.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And, “How are you going to bring jobs to the United States?” “I’m going
to re-negotiate trade deals.”</span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I suspect that no person in
their right mind would employ a homebuilder to build them a nice home when that
homebuilder would not or could not show plans, had never built a home in the
past but only promised that he was the best builder around and would build a
beautiful home for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we
would not trust a homebuilder under such circumstances to build us a home, why
on earth would we trust someone to run our national government who had no
experience, who refuses to outline any cogent plan for improving our lives and
has never served in an elective office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>While most of our homes are our greatest investments, the cost of a home
pales in comparison to what we all have at stake when trusting someone with the
office of president.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alexander
Hamilton while confronting a political opponent said it best.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said, “Is it recommended for a
person to have no theory?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can man
be a systematic, able statesman who has none?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe not.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Hamilton went on to say, “In civil life we never progress in selection
of leadership unaided in producing a single measure of important public
utilities.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Donald Trump has no
theory of government and certainly has never produced a single measure of
important public utility. </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr. Trump fails to answer the question posed by gold star father Kzir Khan at
the Democratic National Convention concerning his deceased son who died in the
military.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said, “Mr. Trump,
what have you sacrificed?”</span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
t.l.h.hellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02633375108151144635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-767910517238661076.post-36008246383394105582016-08-22T16:01:00.000-05:002016-10-02T16:27:55.774-05:00TEXAS GOVERNMENT AND RIGHT TO LIFE?<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-to0dmLHmIPo/V_F7nixaLZI/AAAAAAAAFXs/HCq3SZWQZ4YFHXu1KuXzBLZS_j_dqOAdQCLcB/s1600/child%2Bhealth.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-to0dmLHmIPo/V_F7nixaLZI/AAAAAAAAFXs/HCq3SZWQZ4YFHXu1KuXzBLZS_j_dqOAdQCLcB/s400/child%2Bhealth.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
Concern over the life of the unborn is a worthy
endeavor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What about concern for
the lives of those already born?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In a backdoor effort to curtail abortions, the Texas Legislature
seriously reduced funding and stopped funding of Planned Parenthood in the
State of Texas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The September
issue of “Obstetrics and Gynecology” reports that maternal deaths in Texas have
doubled since the funding reduction and the cessation of support for Planned
Parenthood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 2010 when the cuts
were made there were 72 reported deaths of women related to childbirth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The most recent report was 2012 when
the number of maternal related child deaths was pegged at 148 which caused
Texas to lead the nation in such deaths.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Many in the Texas Legislature seem to believe programs run
by the private sector are always better than any government program.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is somewhat strange that when it
comes to women’s health and counseling, those same politicians obviously
believe a state-run program can be more beneficial than Planned Parenthood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Truth be known, Planned Parenthood has
been unfunded by the Texas Legislature as an additional way to deter
abortion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is even though the
Legislature has the authority and power<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>to fund Planned Parenthood while excluding abortion services by that
organization.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, most
Planned Parenthood facilities had already ceased offering abortion services
prior to the Legislature’s action putting them out of business.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After shutting down Planned Parenthood, the Legislature has
authorized what they call an initiative for women’s health.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It appears not to be working. It is
disorganized, and has relied primarily on an organization dedicated to opposing
abortion.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Even if the Legislature could not be motivated by humane
concerns over the health of pregnant would-be mothers, it seems consideration
should be given to costs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has
been proven time and time again that lack of prenatal care can lead to problems
in children which the state ends up having to deal with for several years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They can’t seem to get it straight that
healthy mothers more often lead to healthy children.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The shocking facts above, along with other policies
neglecting protection of life, call into question the real commitment of our
governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our top leaders seem to ignore not only the health of
mothers but problems with the agency responsible for the care and safety of
children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Several children have
died for lack of follow up, investigation or action by Child Protective Services.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sadly, for some time, our state has
refused to address the problems with this agency.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>CPS has long been understaffed, underfunded and burdened
with caseloads too large to properly<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>manage.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Because Abbott and other top leaders want to burnish their
conservative credentials, <b>Texas has become number one in the nation in the
number of children without adequate healthcare.</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems that Attorney General Paxton is more concerned with
suing the U.S. government than relieving the suffering of thousands of Texas
children.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is time for us to elect some statewide leaders who really
care about protecting the right to life rather than partisan bickering over
bathrooms and wasting millions of dollars on frivolous suits against our own
government.</div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
t.l.h.hellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02633375108151144635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-767910517238661076.post-39492432507408780232016-08-15T20:04:00.000-05:002016-08-19T22:11:37.979-05:00TRUMP AND TURTLES<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k9gLPFLrb_Y/V7fAwU9qXyI/AAAAAAAAFT8/yabvdH5UJCgk57W3NVKYLlcTvFwqKEoSwCLcB/s1600/sea%2Bturtle.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k9gLPFLrb_Y/V7fAwU9qXyI/AAAAAAAAFT8/yabvdH5UJCgk57W3NVKYLlcTvFwqKEoSwCLcB/s1600/sea%2Bturtle.jpeg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Recently, several newspapers as well as several conservation groups have reported that recent research has
found no sea turtle nest on the beaches of Galveston and the adjoining
peninsula.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Scientists attribute
the lack of sea turtle nests to damage done to the Gulf of Mexico by the
Horizon oil spill.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The absence of
turtle nests is significant in that it is an indication of the ecological
condition of the Gulf of Mexico.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Mr. Donald Trump strongly
advocates abolishing those pesky regulations that are holding our economy
back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This, and <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2016/03/22/this-is-the-only-type-of-climate-change-donald-trump-believes-in/?utm_term=.3f5dfe52f16b" target="_blank">his denial that global warming exists</a>, is a view shared by other billionaire businessmen who
care more about making a dollar than protecting the environment we all live
in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Donald Trump and other irresponsible
industrialists claim that environmental regulations are holding our economy
back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I suppose they want to
return to the good old days when paper mills were able to use the Neches River
as a giant sewer for their waste.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Perhaps they would like to return to the days when the Sabine River had
so much mercury in it that it was dangerous to eat the fish you might catch
there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without environmental
regulations, what if we allow oil companies to cut corners and have another
blowout in the Gulf?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I suppose Mr.
Trump would say what’s the loss of a few pelicans, trout or turtles compared to
letting oil companies make greater profits?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Obviously, Trump is more concerned with the profits made by
BP, Shell Oil and others than he is whether or not the eco system which
produces much of our seafood survives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I’ve always considered
fishermen and hunters America’s best conservationists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, too many of us in that
category have lost sight of protecting the very thing which allows us to enjoy
our hunting and fishing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, hunters are focused more on whether or not we will be able to keep semi-automatic
weapons with 15 shot mags.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span>
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-co8ui1220jo/V7fA0cCF-XI/AAAAAAAAFUA/rFEm2AlxOJoMd5HwPpK_lJX70q4S6DOPwCLcB/s1600/baby%2Bsea%2Bturtles.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-co8ui1220jo/V7fA0cCF-XI/AAAAAAAAFUA/rFEm2AlxOJoMd5HwPpK_lJX70q4S6DOPwCLcB/s1600/baby%2Bsea%2Bturtles.jpeg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Fellow
sportsmen, it is time to wake up: Take a stand for preserving our ecology even
if it sometimes discomforts those who would sacrifice it on the altar of
profit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we don’t wake up, we
could in the near future awaken to discover that we have no game to shoot with
our nice weapons and no fish to catch on our shiny, offshore rigs.</span></div>
t.l.h.hellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02633375108151144635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-767910517238661076.post-26112424030156140732016-08-08T20:02:00.000-05:002016-08-19T21:18:24.584-05:00THE OSTRICH TAX POLICY<div class="Standard" style="text-align: left;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MfPm5d5Wzoo/V7e9yvmoQGI/AAAAAAAAFTw/JtICpBakqpgLCd2X9_RuXuTYIl-oWny0wCLcB/s1600/ostrich.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MfPm5d5Wzoo/V7e9yvmoQGI/AAAAAAAAFTw/JtICpBakqpgLCd2X9_RuXuTYIl-oWny0wCLcB/s320/ostrich.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
The
no new tax motto by politicians is hurting home-owning Texans. The fear of runaway taxation stoked by
conservative politicians has led to a stupid tax policy in our state. More accurately, it has led to no tax
policy in our state. Our
legislature continues to lurch from crisis to crisis and claiming no new taxes
while elevating our fees on everything possible. The latest is a substantial increase in our car
registration. </div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
The
word “taxes” has been elevated—or lowered—to the level of a swear word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a result, few, if any, of those
seeking office will even say the word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The big lie following grandiose promises of politicians as to where the
money will come from is that we will glean it by reducing waste.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, the most recent waste in
Texas—as viewed by our elected members of the Legislature—happens to be at the
expense of our children.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
We
live in a changing world. Life itself is dynamic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>States change, technology changes, populations change and
human needs change. Therefore, why shouldn’t tax policy be one of change?</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
Democracy
works best when our leaders offer new ideas, debate whether or not old ones are
still valid and discuss and share with the public where it is we should be
headed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, taxation in
Texas has never enjoyed any rational or considered study.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our school mess is a prime example of
why the lack of any vision or policy relative to taxation is hurtful to us
all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
The basic problem with school
finance is that it is unwieldy, grossly unfair and does not provide an adequate
amount for the state to meet its constitutional duty of an efficient system of
public education for all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because
our legislature has failed to provide an adequate amount of funding to support
public schools, in oly 20 years Texas’ homeowners taxation has gone from near the
bottom<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to second or third from the
top of all states of the union.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Our public debt has exploded to the point that Texas’ taxpayers face a
mountain of debt at both the state and local level. Because schools are now so
dependent on the property tax, we continue to struggle with its inadequacy and
unfairness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Patrons of one school
district can produce with a minimal tax effort thousands of dollars per student
while the school district next door struggles with the maximum effort on taxes
and can raise only a small portion of what their neighboring rich district can
acquire.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
If
all property in Texas were taxed the same, we would not only have a fair tax but the tax on our homes and small businesses would also be much lower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We would also do away with the
continual lawsuits at the state level over school finance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, we, the taxpayers, along
with our elected state leaders and legislators, rushed to repeal the
constitutional state property tax several years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Regrettably</span>, that delivered scant benefits to the ordinary
homeowners in Texas and large benefits to huge property owners.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
Texas
leads among the states in population growth with fewer, if any, forms of tax
which match our growth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sales
tax may be the exception, but it hits the poor and middle class hardest.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
An
income tax is generally regarded by Texas taxpayers as an instrument of the
devil, and rejected out of hand with little or no discussion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In-depth studies of the income tax,
however, reveal the average homeowner or small business owner would fare much
better with it than having to tolerate the ever-increasing property taxes on
our homes or businesses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An income
tax as a revenue source would be more fair, more productive and able to keep
pace with the changing needs of our state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ever-escalating tax on our homes is a tax on most of our
most valuable possessions and continues after our productive years are long
since in the past.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
While
pondering our state’s budget and hopefully our taxation policy, we can only
hope and pray our elected leaders will get their heads out of the sand and
adopt IBM’s old motto: “THINK!” </div>
t.l.h.hellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02633375108151144635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-767910517238661076.post-28059516913217168892016-08-01T20:01:00.000-05:002016-08-19T21:07:09.765-05:00WHERE HAVE ALL THE ETHICS GONE?<div class="Standard" style="text-align: left;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--ED5m1kTg4M/V7e7JaAgnmI/AAAAAAAAFTk/2SWUajvJDkUbVd66B0UrTl8Yv3RkZZ5jQCLcB/s1600/money%2Bchanging%2Bhands.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--ED5m1kTg4M/V7e7JaAgnmI/AAAAAAAAFTk/2SWUajvJDkUbVd66B0UrTl8Yv3RkZZ5jQCLcB/s320/money%2Bchanging%2Bhands.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
Recently
it has been reported that Trump University was investigated by our then
attorney general and current governor, Greg Abbott. The result of the investigation was that, in view of findings
that Texans had been “duped” out of several thousands of dollars, Trump
University agreed to leave the state and not return. <br />
<br />
In fact, the assistant attorney general at the time (Abbott) recommended a penalty against Trump University of $5.4 million. Attorney General Abbott apparently passed on the option of a $5.4 million dollar fine or any reimbursement
for victimized Texans and let Trump and his fake university leave the
state. Later, it seems, Abbott
chose to accept a $35,000 contribution from Trump. On top of that, our attorney general, Mr. Paxton, has now
sent a cease and desist letter to the whistleblower and is attempting to cover up the
whole thing. </div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
News
sources do not attach a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">quid pro quo </i>between
allowing Trump University to escape a serious lawsuit and penalties and the
contribution to Abbott.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However,
my question remains: Does it not tell us something about the ethics of our
governor who is willing to accept a fairly substantial contribution from a man
whose conduct led to him being exiled from Texas because of his con-artist-type
behavior?</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
It
seems the Republican Party which once prided itself on dedication to strict law
and order and high morals now seems to find ways to embrace Donald Trump, who
without a doubt is a serial liar, philanderer, con artist and bully.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only that, it seems the Grand Old Party in
Texas has decided to turn a blind eye to illegal conduct and even do away, or
make powerless, state agencies which attempt to corral unlawful conduct and
unethical practices in government.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
Our
past governor, Rick Perry, who claims to be a Godly man, managed to “shop
around” for a friendly Republican court to dismiss his indictment for trying to
blackmail an elected official to bend to Mr. Perry’s will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Little, if anything, has been said by
leading Republicans about Rick Perry’s slush fund that we now know was nothing
more than a slush fund for his cronies and a source of political contributions
for Mr. Perry’s war chest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
has even been little mention, if any, outside of a newspaper or two about Perry
shelling out several thousand dollars to ex-staffers as they left his
employment to get on his campaign payroll.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
Perry
must have set the standard of using state dollars for political purposes
because we now know our Republican Ag Commissioner and Bush legatee have spent
several thousand dollars paying employees who no longer were coming to work or
doing any beneficial work for the taxpayers of this state.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
I
suppose we shouldn't expect more attention on ethics from a party which chose a
man indicted for cheating citizens to be our state attorney general.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr. Paxton seems more inclined to sue
the U.S. than con-artists in Texas.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
Apparently,
too many of us (voters) missed the message conveyed by the Republican
Legislature abolishing the integrity unit of the Travis County District
Attorney’s Office and adopting instead a “shop for your prosecutor” system for
elected officials charged with criminal wrongdoing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our state Ethics Commission is virtually a toothless tiger
and there appears to be little appetite among our elected officials from the
governor on down to arm that body and make it capable of being a true watchdog
for bad conduct among our elected officials.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
I guess it is alright to allow the Ethics Commission to
remain so weak—particularly, in view of the fact it seems a majority of Texas’
voters do not seem to care.</div>
t.l.h.hellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02633375108151144635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-767910517238661076.post-84699258655144170542016-08-01T19:59:00.000-05:002016-08-19T22:40:25.480-05:00SCIENCE V. SENSE<div class="Standard" style="text-align: left;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jOHn0V3nzjw/V7e3LUUaQXI/AAAAAAAAFTY/eF7M9WxKRXo9hxXLKo_1iewTut2fxdFcgCLcB/s1600/07-12-2016y.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jOHn0V3nzjw/V7e3LUUaQXI/AAAAAAAAFTY/eF7M9WxKRXo9hxXLKo_1iewTut2fxdFcgCLcB/s400/07-12-2016y.png" width="400" /></a></div>
Conflict
between conservative leaders and science is not new. History reveals that in 1633 in Italy
the conservatives jailed the leading scientist of the time, Galileo,
for expressing his view that the earth rotated around the sun. Almost 400 years later, it seems conservatives
are still at odds with science. <br />
<br />
<br />
Sadly, however, in actuality, today's battle is over money and greed. </div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
Conservative
Republicans continue to deny scientific findings in order to help their wealthy
benefactors, even when history has proven the denial of scientific facts is not
in the interest of a majority of us. The standard bearer for the Republican Party,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <a href="http://newenergynews.blogspot.com/2016/07/quick-news-july-12-dems-call-for-wwii.html" target="_blank">Donald Trump, has been quoted</a> calling climate change a "hoax," "mythical" and a "con job" and stating that <i>"The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make manufacturing non-competitive."</i></span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
Do
you recall when the cigarette industry continued to publish article after
article by "bought" scientists saying smoking was not harmful to the human body
and was not really the cause of lung cancer?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Similarly, hundreds if not thousands of working men and
women died from asbestos exposure while corporations not only denied the
connection, but actually concealed it from their workers.</div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
Locally,
in Jefferson County, how long did it take for refinery workers to force their
employers to admit that benzene was a cause of leukemia and benzene emissions a
contributor to leukemia among our children?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
One
only needs to read a recent publication entitled “Dark Money” to discover how
many billions are being spent by the Koch brothers to preserve their
multi-billion dollar activities through the bogus denial of climate change
caused by their refining plants’ emissions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
The most recent example of conservative conflict with
science deals with the oil and gas industry in Texas, but the handmaiden for
Texas oil and gas is our elected Railroad Commission.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://thescoopblog.dallasnews.com/2016/05/ut-study-long-before-fracking-oil-and-gas-activities-caused-texas-earthquakes.html/" target="_blank">A new study by University of Texas scientists has revealed a large number of recent earthquakes are in fact caused by drilling activities.</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This fact is hotly
disputed by our elected Railroad Commission, and even worse, our Republican
controlled Legislature—which espouses the primacy of local government—has passed a law <i>prohibiting
cities from regulating drilling activities which affect local citizens by
creating tremors</i>.</div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<br /></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
It
seems some things never change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
t.l.h.hellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02633375108151144635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-767910517238661076.post-92085958065504296102016-07-18T19:57:00.000-05:002016-08-19T19:37:54.195-05:00WHO CARES FOR KIDS?<div class="Standard" style="text-align: left;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Yp1nzn3cJ4E/V7emNijGbtI/AAAAAAAAFTI/rKhErS-0Yzg_hAHVx5IDtL9Wj5qGvrcAQCLcB/s1600/school2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Yp1nzn3cJ4E/V7emNijGbtI/AAAAAAAAFTI/rKhErS-0Yzg_hAHVx5IDtL9Wj5qGvrcAQCLcB/s320/school2.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
There’s
an old saying that the master who does not hold his servants accountable will
end up getting very negative results.
We citizens of Texas need to take a hard look at those who serve us in
Austin. A district court has
documented that approximately 700 small children have died from negligence or
abuse because Children’s Protective Services is mismanaged, grossly
understaffed, and underfunded.
Such a shame in view of the fact that the Attorney General, Commissioner
of Agriculture and other elected state officials have squandered several
hundred thousands of dollars rewarding ex-employees who no longer work—and
have done so illegally.</div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
We
rank 37<sup>th</sup> in support of our public education system, and our leaders
refuse to replace the $5 billion+ dollars deducted from the education budget
two sessions ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They smugly
stand idly by while even the Supreme Court, in its attempt to justify their
inaction, says that our system has many, many faults, but it meets minimum
standards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ask yourself whether or
not you would trust a baby doctor—who clearly has many faults and shortcomings
as a physician, yet meets minimum standards—with the handling of your child. </div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Legislature in its panic to avoid
addressing a shortage of tax money has driven us into debt by over 30 billion
dollars, and yet our highway system is in sore need of fixing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A substantial number of our bridges
have been ruled to be substandard by reputable engineering investigations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet there is not one hint of how we
could raise additional revenue to address our crumbling transportation
infrastructure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
Our
governor steadfastly refuses to accept several billion dollars in federal funds
which are available to us for health purposes while we continue to lead the
nation in uninsured citizens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
Come
on people, there’s got to be more important issues for us to dwell on rather
than who goes to the potty where; whether we wear our guns inside our coat or
out; and whether or not we should allow our public schools to spend $62 million
dollars on football stadiums.</div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
It
is past time for us to take a more enlightened view of our public servants and
stop blindly voting because of a label.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Self-proclaimed arch-conservatives may conserve a dollar or two, but
they are certainly not conserving a bright future for our posterity or the
future of this state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We all need
to be better motivated to participate in the elections and be better informed
on how we hold our public officials accountable.</div>
t.l.h.hellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02633375108151144635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-767910517238661076.post-31302305791792495142016-07-11T19:46:00.000-05:002016-08-18T21:54:28.781-05:00SOUTHEAST TEXANS<div align="center" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: center;">
<!--[if supportFields]><span
lang=EN-CA style='mso-ansi-language:EN-CA'><span style='mso-element:field-begin'></span><span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1</span><![endif]--><!--[if supportFields]><span
lang=EN-CA style='mso-ansi-language:EN-CA'><span style='mso-element:field-end'></span></span><![endif]--></div>
<div align="center" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
For 32 and one-half years I represented the people of Jefferson, Orange and other Southeast counties in the State Legislature. I found Southeast Texans hardworking, honest, ready to help their neighbors. The majority of Southeast Texans are folks who work for their paydays to support their families, but most of all, Southeast Texas were discriminating and savvy about the people they voted for. I submit, as well as hope and pray, most are too savvy to buy the huckster-type sales pitch of Donald Trump.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aDV2qkvG2qk/V7Z0nMqOVfI/AAAAAAAAFS4/VkhDYzL8k2k15LXBQTNzAAjbS-8zY4B2gCLcB/s1600/trump.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aDV2qkvG2qk/V7Z0nMqOVfI/AAAAAAAAFS4/VkhDYzL8k2k15LXBQTNzAAjbS-8zY4B2gCLcB/s320/trump.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br />
I
have found through a long career of playing competitive ball that the guys who were
the first to brag on themselves were usually mediocre players attempting to
inflate their own worth to the team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’ve not seen a bigger braggart than Mr. Trump.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s the best negotiator, best
Christian, best military strategist, best businessman, best lover and one of
the richest billionaires in the country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It has been difficult for me to understand why a man with all those
qualities has been so reluctant to reveal his income tax records so a lot of
that bragadociousness could be verified.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
My
father told me a long time ago a fellow who will lie to you will steal from you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have been keeping a record of the
outright lies repeatedly told and doubled down on by Mr. Trump.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here are a few.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2015/sep/21/carly-fiorina/trumps-four-bankruptcies/" target="_blank">Trump claims he was never in bankruptcy</a> because the four bankruptcies he was involved
in were bankruptcies of "corporate entities" ... albeit these were corporate entities in which he had lured people to
invest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/jun/22/donald-trump/trump-still-wrong-his-claim-opposed-iraq-war-ahead/" target="_blank">Trump claims he always opposed the war in Iraq</a> as well as assisted the rebels in
Libya.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Videos of him saying to the
contrary are clear evidence he plainly mis-spoke or outright lied about this.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/jul/21/donald-trump/despite-new-adverb-trumps-claim-about-clinton-want/" target="_blank">Trump claims Hillary wants to repeal the second amendment.</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s been no such proposal from Hillary Clinton who has
proposed some moderate restrictions on the purchase of guns such as background
checks for all and stopping potential terrorists from being able to purchase a
weapon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/11/politics/donald-trump-deportation-force-debate-immigration/" target="_blank">Mr.Trump vowed he would immediately expel all undocumented immigrants</a>, restrict
anyone of the Islamic faith from entering America and self-fund his political
campaign to avoid conflicts of interest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Mr. Trump has backed down on nearly all of these commitments.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
Although
Mr. Trump is trying desperately to appeal to the religious right in the coming
election, he has boasted of his sexual dalliances, and obviously engaged in
adultery and sexual misconduct for which he claims to have never sought forgiveness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He claims a dedication to the Christian
faith but cannot think of a favorite scripture in the Bible—<a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/donald-trump-fluffs-bible-reference-in-speech-at-christian-liberty-university-a6819946.html" target="_blank">and when attempting to quote one, couldn’t get it right. </a></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
He
continues to degrade women with such statements as there is, “No such thing as
a 10 without large breasts and a nice rearend.”</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
He
promises great results without filling in the details of how they would be
accomplished other than illegal or outlandish type strategies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jul/01/donald-trump-anti-terror-policies-war-crimes-waterboarding-torture" target="_blank">As an example, to fight and rid theworld from ISIS, he proposes killing their families, torturing them with waterboarding, putting religious mosques under surveillance or simply “bombing thehell out of them.” </a>Unfortunately,
he also thinks he could make the world safer by having America withdraw from NATO or
allowing Japan or South Korea to be armed with nuclear weapons.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
His
criticism of world trade is clearly hypocritical in that he has imported
non-union labor from overseas for some of his projects, and has the majority of
<a href="http://money.cnn.com/2016/03/08/news/economy/donald-trump-trade/" target="_blank">Trump ties, furniture, clothing and other products produced out of the UnitedStates by virtual slave labor.</a></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
If
the working folks of Southeast Texas believe Donald Trump—born rich and made
richer by taking advantage in sly, unscrupulous deals—could really empathize or
have much in common with the working folks down here, they are seriously flawed
in their thinking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope and
trust the people of this corner of Texas are still the good, right-thinking
folks I have known the majority of my life.</div>
t.l.h.hellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02633375108151144635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-767910517238661076.post-27811057438282485342016-06-28T19:43:00.000-05:002016-08-18T20:45:37.493-05:00FOURTH OF JULY<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S6-rCbWTM1E/V7ZkcB4_3VI/AAAAAAAAFSo/D4ii1nETqrwvg7eXEkn8Rmo1TYrHZN4fQCLcB/s1600/4th.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S6-rCbWTM1E/V7ZkcB4_3VI/AAAAAAAAFSo/D4ii1nETqrwvg7eXEkn8Rmo1TYrHZN4fQCLcB/s400/4th.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<!--[if supportFields]><span
lang=EN-CA style='mso-ansi-language:EN-CA'><span style='mso-element:field-begin'></span><span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1</span><![endif]--><!--[if supportFields]><span
lang=EN-CA style='mso-ansi-language:EN-CA'><span style='mso-element:field-end'></span></span><![endif]-->The
coming 4<sup>th</sup> of July is a time when all of us loyal Americans should
celebrate and thank our Maker for the privilege we have of living in a great
nation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It really rubs me the
wrong way when I hear a candidate for president use as his slogan that he wants
to make America "great again."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Obviously, he cannot see that America was and still is the greatest
nation on earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Were we not a
great nation, the thousands and thousands of people from other parts of the
world would not be so anxious to come here.</div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
Our
nation was started by a group of people who fled England to avoid persecution
for their religious beliefs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
are one of the few countries on earth where we can choose to worship any god we
choose, or choose not to worship any at all if that is our option.</div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
You
can count on one hand the nations of the world where the citizens of the
country are free to criticize the heads of state of a nation without fear of
reprisal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Think what would happen
to a citizen of North Korea were he to cast aspersions on their supreme leader
anywhere akin to the criticisms that our current president endures. </div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
Our
system of higher education is the envy of the world, and in large measure it is because of our great colleges and universities that we still lead the world in
innovative technology and innovation.</div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
Our
unique system of self government allows us to arm ourselves, speak as we
choose, assemble at any time we want to, own our own property, be protected by
a world-class military and change our government leaders if we want to or have
the will to do so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
We
are still the strongest nation in the world as we have repeatedly demonstrated
by protecting the countless freedoms and benefits which we enjoy every
day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those among us who take great
pride in speaking of our national government as though it was some sort of
despotic, foreign power have obviously not counted their blessings for the
privilege of living in such a great and wonderful country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>We should all take inventory this 4<sup>th</sup>
of July and rejoice in the freedoms and blessings we have, envied by
others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
t.l.h.hellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02633375108151144635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-767910517238661076.post-10854678872190972452016-06-20T19:41:00.000-05:002016-08-18T20:36:21.252-05:00WHO’S TO BLAME?<div class="Standard" style="text-align: left;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LuuiZE31Hmc/V7ZiWvSQEAI/AAAAAAAAFSc/TMC9h2XVm4cr05EaWNeMOxW-FdlSHGNQQCLcB/s1600/pogo.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LuuiZE31Hmc/V7ZiWvSQEAI/AAAAAAAAFSc/TMC9h2XVm4cr05EaWNeMOxW-FdlSHGNQQCLcB/s320/pogo.jpeg" width="210" /></a></div>
Several
years ago a cartoonist named Walt Kelly published a regular cartoon called
Pogo. Pogo was a very wise ‘possum
who would regularly opine on the state of the union, social issues and other
important items. Probably Pogo’s
most famous quote was, “We have met the enemy, and the enemy is us.” </div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
Currently,
there is a great outcry about the loss of jobs, the imbalance of trade between
the U.S. and other countries and free trade robbing the middle class of its
livelihood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Donald Trump proposes
an isolationist policy whereby he would slap large tariffs on any product
entering the United States manufactured in another country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He rails on and on about how Americans
are losers because our leaders are stupid and do not know how to make a deal
with foreign nations.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
Unfortunately,
the fault does not lie principally with bad deals made by our elected leaders
on trade agreements, but with most of us because of our greed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A recent experiment reported on
national television revealed that when average consumers were asked to choose
between a pair of $50 jeans made in China and basically the same jeans made in
the United States for $85, consumers overwhelmingly chose to trade with China.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Additionally,<a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-americans-prices-vs-made-in-usa-20160414-story.html" target="_blank"> recent polls</a> show that
67% of American consumers choose price over where products are made.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Daily, billions of automobiles,
televisions, computers, clothing and God knows what else are sold in America to
consumers based on advantageous price.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Without a doubt, American consumers vote for free trade if it means
saving them a dollar or two on price.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
Similarly,
immigration—so attacked by Trump and other so-called conservatives—is
similarly caused by too many Americans’ desire for cheap labor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If this were not true, our American
Congress would have long ago simply passed a law putting severe penalties—even
including jail—on employers who chose to employ illegal aliens in their
businesses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It continues to boggle
my mind that those who squawk about illegal immigration refuse to support a
very simplistic remedy for the whole situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The guy who rails at Tea Party conventions oftentimes is
the same guy having an uninvited guest from Mexico mowing his lawn on a weekly
basis.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
In
another arena we continue to let politicians—who first admit they are not
scientists and know little of global warming—get by with allowing the decline
of the air we breathe and the water we drink simply because “fat cat” companies
don’t want to lose a dollar’s worth of profit to protect the environment.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
We
decry the government and say government is not working while probably less than
half of qualified voters even take the time to vote.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, even those who do oftentimes are sadly
uninformed and vote based more on their prejudice than on being well informed
on the qualifications and aims of those seeking office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
Yes, I’m afraid Pogo was more right
than wrong that there is a clear explanation of why we have so many idiots in
office. It’s called representative government.</div>
t.l.h.hellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02633375108151144635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-767910517238661076.post-74621490206303538062016-06-13T19:01:00.000-05:002016-08-18T20:21:11.895-05:00IS TEXAS’ PUBLIC EDUCATION OK?<div class="Standard" style="text-align: left;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nXxS0uZsZlo/V7ZepOR6hWI/AAAAAAAAFSQ/aOiVLWR-6II6ykdEh3UfvVqpOMl9_ctXgCLcB/s1600/horse%2Bmanure.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nXxS0uZsZlo/V7ZepOR6hWI/AAAAAAAAFSQ/aOiVLWR-6II6ykdEh3UfvVqpOMl9_ctXgCLcB/s320/horse%2Bmanure.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
When
one of my old country friends felt some highbinder was trying to sell him a
bill of goods he would exclaim, “That fellow must believe he can convince me
that horse manure tastes like wild honey.” The same could be said about the recent Texas Supreme Court
ruling concerning public education.</div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
Having
presided as Senate Education Chair for many years and grappling with the thorny
problem of trying to solve the issue of public school funding, I am familiar
with the pitfalls encountered in such an effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is amazing to me that anybody of intelligence could look
at Texas’ current system of allocating public resources to public education and
declare it to meet the constitutional mandate of our constitution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The critical words at issue in our
state’s basic legal document is that our legislature is obligated to provide an
<u>efficient</u> system of free public education for the children of this state
(emphasis mine).</div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
It
boggles my mind that our system could be called efficient when it provides some
districts with the ability to furnish twice or three times the amount of
dollars to educate the children in that district while other districts, even
though given a maximum tax effort, can produce only one-fourth as much per
pupil.</div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
Another
clue as to whether or not our system truly meets our constitutional mandate for
free public schools for Texas children is the fact that Texas has now slipped
to 37<sup>th</sup> in ranking for what we do for public education.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There have been lawsuits filed
concerning the unfairness and inadequacy of school funding in Texas since the
early ‘60's.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No court having
examined the situation has pronounced our system to be what it should be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All trial judges who have examined our
system of funding have found it not to meet the constitutional mandate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Frankly, the current situation with our
Supreme Court appears, simply, to be one where the Republican Supreme Court wants
to let our Republican Legislature off the hook so they do not have to face the
reality of adequately funding public education.</div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
In
spite of all of our political rhetoric from our governor, lieutenant governor
and past governor about wanting to make Texas first and preparing future
generations to underpin a dynamic, growing economy for the state, their
rhetoric continues not to match their deeds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact when things get tight, rather than dip into the so called
Rainy Day Fund, our Republican leadership led the charge to simply rob public
schools of $5 billion dollars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Incidentally, the $5 billion has not been replaced and we are barely
keeping up with same amount for natural growth in the number of school children
in our state.</div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
One
thing our legislative politicians should awaken to is there is another court
system that might reach a different solution than our partisan Supreme
Court–the federal court system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Back in the ‘60's, Edgewood School District, a very poor school district
in San Antonio, filed a federal suit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>By a close vote of the panel of judges hearing that lawsuit, the court
ruled against plaintiffs, but in the process were extremely critical of Texas’
system of funding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The courts said
although the Edgewood case did not quite reach the status of being a denial of
equal protection, it was very close; and unless the state did something to
address the problem, the federal courts would take another serious look at
Texas’ system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While our past attorney
general, now our governor, and the current attorney general seem to enjoy
making a hobby out of suing the federal government, the future of our children
in Texas is far too important to continue to play political games, particularly with public education.</div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
The
real problem that faces our legislature is there is really only one way to
solve the inequity in the way we finance public education–that is to raise
enough revenue to adequately fund our schools on an equal basis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Doing so would have the benefit of
stopping the meteoric rise in property taxes on our homes and small businesses
in the state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The means available
for doing so are very limited: (1)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
statewide property tax that would raise enough revenue and could be divided
equally among all of the schools—or, God forbid, (2) a state income tax that would
raise enough money to adequately and equitably support our schools.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other choice would be to raise the
sales tax or create some new tax to get the job done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It appears, however, that none of these options could garner
enough favor among our “no new tax” legislature to get us out of the mess we
are in.</div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
Unfortunately,
it is my prediction that our legislature will continue to try and find
substitutes for money while trying to address our school problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will also continue to siphon off the
funds — that ought to be going to educate the vast majority of our children — by
authorizing more and more private and charter schools to be funded without tax
dollars, or continue to force higher and higher property taxes locally.</div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<br /></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
They
say that a true statesman is one who looks years into the future and tries to
prepare our government to address it in a way beneficial for the greatest
number of citizens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I pray
for more statesmanship in our state, based on past practice and partisan
politics, I am not hopeful.</div>
t.l.h.hellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02633375108151144635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-767910517238661076.post-70336473062943540882016-06-06T19:19:00.000-05:002016-06-08T19:44:51.106-05:00ALLIGATORS AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY <div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w5VvpyiOZgo/V1i3RUNxmEI/AAAAAAAAFO8/Kt2U7dvBkBchcUFerLZZvDxtSsM9zvlAwCK4B/s1600/alligator%2Bin%2Bbrazos%2Bstate%2Bpark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w5VvpyiOZgo/V1i3RUNxmEI/AAAAAAAAFO8/Kt2U7dvBkBchcUFerLZZvDxtSsM9zvlAwCK4B/s400/alligator%2Bin%2Bbrazos%2Bstate%2Bpark.jpg" width="400" /></a>In
their recent state convention <i>[See <a href="https://www.texasgop.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/PERM-PLATFORM-as-Amended-by-Gen-Body-5.13.16.pdf" target="_blank">party platform</a>, item #39]</i>, it seems the <a href="https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2015/endangered-species-act-05-06-2015.html" target="_blank">Republican Party favors elimination of protection by the federal government of endangered species</a>. To me a party which appears to be
obsessed with claiming a strong belief in God would want to preserve much of
the way the earth was designed by our Supreme Creator. Nature has a delicate balance which could be upset by elimination of various species.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
A
perfect example of government protection of nature’s beasts is the
alligator.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
By
the 1960's alligators were disappearing from Texas’ swamps and marshlands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only natural enemy of a gator is
humans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though taking of
alligators was unlawful in Texas, enforcement was well-nigh impossible because
when caught with a valuable alligator hide, poachers and illegal hunters would
simply claim the gator had been taken in another state and its hide simply
brought to Texas for sale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
was really no way to identify the source of an alligator hide or other body
parts.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
Because
of the value of alligators whose meat could be consumed, its hide made into
valuable purses, shoes and other items and its teeth taken as a source of
ivory, alligators were disappearing at an alarming rate and about to be listed
on the federal register as an endangered species.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
Because
of concern expressed by environmentalists, I, while a member of the Texas House
of Representatives, introduced legislation to make it a crime to possess any
part of an alligator while in Texas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The strategy worked and in only a few years alligators had made a
spectacular comeback in our Texas estuaries and marshes.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
Alligators
were really essential to the whole ecology of marshlands because as a part of
their propagation female alligators wallow out a large hole in the marsh
pushing vegetation into a large pile whereupon they would place their eggs,
cover them with other vegetation and allow the decomposition of the vegetation
to furnish the heat thereby hatching many new gators.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The process was extremely helpful to the other creatures
inhabiting marshlands because in times of drought, alligator holes were often
the only source of water for other creatures.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
The
strategy of the legislation worked so well that in the ‘70's while a member of
the Senate, Parks and Wildlife, as well as citizens, prevailed on me to
introduce a second alligator measure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Alligators were becoming so prolific in Southeast Texas that complaints
were arising by people who had their pets attacked and eaten in yards which
abutted waterways or swamp lands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Through cooperation with Texas Parks and Wildlife, a bill was devised
setting strict regulations whereby alligators could be hunted pursuant to
permits in limited seasons.<br />
<br />
Because
of government intervention, alligators have flourished, wetlands have
benefited, hunters have a new and exciting outlet for their efforts and there
is even a flourishing industry attached to the hatching, sale and use of
alligator parts in our state.</div>
t.l.h.hellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02633375108151144635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-767910517238661076.post-54151547573316900092016-05-31T18:41:00.000-05:002016-06-08T19:17:47.177-05:00THE SHAME OF RICK PERRY<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BThvG-dd02Y/V1i1WA1WpfI/AAAAAAAAFOw/lTLsMQK_o3sCWHosTNbM54o30mmivejIgCK4B/s1600/perry%2Band%2Btrump.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BThvG-dd02Y/V1i1WA1WpfI/AAAAAAAAFOw/lTLsMQK_o3sCWHosTNbM54o30mmivejIgCK4B/s400/perry%2Band%2Btrump.jpeg" width="400" /></a><a href="http://www.nationalreview.com/article/421494/rick-perry-compares-trump-cancer-know-nothings-and-joe-mccarthy-double-barreled-dc" target="_blank">“Mr.Trump, have you no shame?” </a> These
are the words addressed to Donald Trump by Rick Perry only a short time ago in Perry’s
effort to shame Trump out of the presidential race. It now appears Rick Perry has no shame. It seems he is willing to put aside his
so-called conservative principles in an effort to further his own
self-aggrandizement and to stay in the public’s view. <a href="http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/2016/06/trump-rules-out-rick-perry-for-vp-but-eyes-him-for-senior-post.html/" target="_blank">Perry has placed the good of the country second to his own personal ambition by endorsing Trump</a> <span style="font-family: "times new roman";">while offering himself up as Trump’s
vice-presidential running mate. <i>[Update, June 8: Trump declines veep idea but <a href="http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/2016/06/trump-rules-out-rick-perry-for-vp-but-eyes-him-for-senior-post.html/" target="_blank">still has a post in mind for Perry.</a>]</i></span></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment--><!--EndFragment--><br />
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
Perry
called Donald Trump a cancer on conservatism, a phony—in other words, indicating Trump was merely a huckster trying to pull the wool over the eyes of
American voters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When asked how
Perry could put aside his criticisms of Trump given his past condemnation, he
said that was simply political talk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It seems to me this is a confession that Rick Perry will say whatever is
necessary in a political context to curry favor with voters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the other hand it is pretty good
evidence neither Perry nor his fellow travelers ever mean what they hold forth
about pretending they are concerned only for what is good for the state and nation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
If
one believes Perry’s touting of his fervent Christian beliefs, which he claims
to be long-held, one would have to question how he could support someone like
Donald Trump.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last time I checked, Christian beliefs did not include having numerous affairs out of wedlock,
divorcing one’s wife twice or three times, or being so smug about your
self-righteousness that you claim you never felt the need to ask God for
forgiveness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is in addition
to the obvious evidence that Trump holds very doubtful beliefs about
Christianity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although he claims the
Bible to be his favorite book,<a href="http://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2016/01/19/trump-evangelicals-misquote-bible-kaye-dnt-ac360.cnn" target="_blank"> he could not correctly quote a scripture fromthe Book of Corinthians</a> and refuses to reveal his favorite biblical
scripture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So much for Perry
supporting candidates with so-called family values that he seems to espouse so
greatly.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
For Perry,
who was Texas’ governor for fourteen years, supporting someone like Trump who
babbles insults based on gender, religion, national origin or race brings into
question all of the proclamations of Perry doing what was right for citizens of
Texas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyone with an iota of
political experience could readily see the phoniness of building a wall on the
Mexican border, arresting and banishing 11-million Mexicans who do not have
legal papers, or doing away with the national debt in two years is simply
ignoring the truth. For<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perry to
support someone who has told the litany of falsehoods and uttered the insulting
comments as has Donald Trump can only be explained by Perry's burning ambition to
stay in the public limelight and retain status that holding a high office
brings.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
We
are only now discovering how Perry doled out millions to his buddies from
gubernatorial slush funds in exchange for financial support in the
elections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are also seeing how
willing he was to let little children suffer without adequate health care by
refusing the billions of dollars available to Texas from federal funds merely
to burnish his conservative credentials while running for president.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, Rick Perry have you no shame?</div>
t.l.h.hellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02633375108151144635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-767910517238661076.post-36377279471198174372016-05-23T17:47:00.000-05:002016-06-08T18:40:52.687-05:00WHAT’S WRONG WITH PAY-AS-YOU-GO<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CocURW614fM/V1istkShn6I/AAAAAAAAFOg/B2E7MlcHcSguEp-vLlVlX1j1GbasX5GJQCK4B/s1600/debt.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CocURW614fM/V1istkShn6I/AAAAAAAAFOg/B2E7MlcHcSguEp-vLlVlX1j1GbasX5GJQCK4B/s400/debt.jpeg" width="400" /></a>If
the father and mother of a normal family had the ability to earn adequate
income to provide for the necessities for their family and yet refused or
failed to give adequate sustenance or clothing to their children while all the
while depositing portions of their income into a savings plan, such conduct
would be considered child abuse. Or, at the very least, the parents would be deemed unfit
or unwise. This is especially true
if, while denying their children adequate care and stuffing money into their
savings account, they refused to follow a course available to them to earn more
money. This scenario is exactly
what the State of Texas has chosen to do with its so-called <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/tribpedia/rainy-day-fund/" target="_blank">Rainy Day Fund</a>.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
Texas’
constitution written by our forefathers provided that Texas should never engage
in debt but should pay its bills as the needs arose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For years, until the approach of the current 21<sup>st</sup> Century,
the Legislature managed to avoid imposing debt on the taxpayers of Texas and
established basically a savings plan of surpluses available in the approaching
‘90's.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Legislature had a
choice at that time of either putting surplus tax money into a savings account
or reducing taxes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Legislature
chose the Rainy Day Fund over the option of saving money at the time for their
constituents.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
Like
the family who deprived their children rather than spend from their savings
account, Texas has denied millions of its children educational opportunity,
health care services and many other essentials for Texas’ constituents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It appears the Legislature has been
unwise in the use of the Rainy Day Fund by simply using it to avoid having to
consider raising taxes. While eagerly preserving the Rainy Day Fund, our state
leaders have managed to allow debts in numerous areas to continue
unabated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One example of failure to attend to its children is the spectacular rising cost of a higher education in Texas.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">For another example, </span>no money until recently has been allocated for highways and roads even though our roads and bridges are seriously deteriorated throughout the state. It seems the Legislature would rather search for gimmicks rather than 'ponying up' and doing what is necessary to raise adequate funds for our highways. They have the ability to attend to the needs of the state as are currently necessary. However, the current estimate of
what it would take to get us out of the mess created by attempting to provide
adequate highways and roads in Texas through toll ways is that it has left us $30 billion in debt. </div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
On the horizon
there are other bad signs our state could be in further financial trouble. Our
recent Attorney General and the current Attorney General seem to be hellbent
on succeeding by suing the United States government.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, the vast majority of the suits they have
filed have been unsuccessful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There are currently three or four serious lawsuits pending against the
State of Texas concerning education and the neglect of children, any one of
which could bring about severe financial impacts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The question will be whether or not our leaders will simply
use up the Rainy Day Fund and then attend to other needs of the State by paying
as the needs arise.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
Our
forefathers had it right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
should pay as we go. And if our earnings or income is not adequate, our leaders
should have the guts to stand up and say "we are going to cut services for you
and your children rather than ask you to pony up a little more money to attend
to these needs."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
For years
politicians have been running on the promise they will pay for the wonderful
things by eliminating waste and corruption.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After 32 years as a member of the legislative body, I’m here
to attest there 'ain’t' that much waste and corruption to be found.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our legislative and state leaders need
to simply suck it up and admit to the public what’s needed and attend to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
Texans are not so stupid they can’t
understand increasing the tax burden a little to provide for those things
essential to future growth and a decent living for the citizens of Texas.</div>
t.l.h.hellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02633375108151144635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-767910517238661076.post-58984526632248795842016-05-16T16:22:00.000-05:002016-06-08T17:45:25.693-05:00DEFINE CONSERVATIVE<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FMEUmYtwdyw/V1iMeIGRiDI/AAAAAAAAFNQ/9rCdnfUrteYWV53aOm22dX6SaqP5nqHRQCK4B/s1600/lying.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FMEUmYtwdyw/V1iMeIGRiDI/AAAAAAAAFNQ/9rCdnfUrteYWV53aOm22dX6SaqP5nqHRQCK4B/s400/lying.jpeg" width="400" /></a>It
is clear most Texans who vote in our elections consider themselves
conservative. In the past I have
written about how a Texas conservative is defined. Frankly in too many instances it is my fervent belief that
being a conservative politician in Texas means dancing to the tune of special
interests—particularly the oil and gas industry, along with the insurance
industry.</div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
Recently
<i>Dallas Morning News</i> published <a href="http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/latest-columns/20160407-mike-collier-are-texas-politicians-truly-fiscal-conservatives.ece" target="_blank">a provocative article about whether or not members of Texas Republican leadership are true conservatives.</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the minds of most folks a
governmental conservative or conservative politician is one who does everything
possible to save taxpayers money, has a tight fiscal budget, and limits government intrusions into citizens’ everyday lives.</div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
The
article questioned whether or not our leaders were true conservatives, particularly in the field of responsible money management for our state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Rick Perry took office our state’s
bonded indebtedness was $14.8 billion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Under the fiscal leadership of Perry and our current governor, our
state’s bonded indebtedness has risen to $40.8 billion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While the rallying cry for our
Republican politicians has long been the accusation that all Democrats do is
tax and spend, they seem to ignore the Republican style which could best be described
as borrow and spend.</div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
While
ignoring the option of a small gradual increase in our motor fuel tax, or
taking the option of pegging our motor fuel tax to the rising economies of
national productivity, our leadership has deemed it good policy to simply issue
more bonds and borrow more money to support unprofitable toll roads.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
Failure
to keep an eye on our ever growing obligation on retirement programs in Texas,
there has been a spectacular growth far above the national average in our
unfunded liabilities for retirement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Our retirement liability is growing at a rate of 13.5% per year, about
twice as much as the national level, and far exceeding the economic growth of
our state which is 6.5%. </div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
Our
governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general have pretty much ignored the
growing debt through the borrowing they have sanctioned by simply saying that
increased economic activity and population growth in Texas would more than make
up for the difference and we would quickly be able to pay off our debt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Population growth in Texas has failed
by several percentage points to match the projected forecast of our leaders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Texas’ population growth has slowed to
where it is only about 3% per year. </div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<br /></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
It
seems to me that perhaps we should re-define conservatism or demand that our
statewide politicians who sell themselves as being conservatives do a better
job of practicing what they preach.</div>
t.l.h.hellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02633375108151144635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-767910517238661076.post-57446253276809289662016-05-10T16:36:00.000-05:002016-06-08T17:26:42.275-05:00IDEAS ON ABORTION<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jLUBtznbnCs/V1iP1kvWbqI/AAAAAAAAFNk/F90BUMC24VYi5GZ-NvsFJLvW6VfOKOjAwCK4B/s1600/planned%2Bparenthood%2Bclosed.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jLUBtznbnCs/V1iP1kvWbqI/AAAAAAAAFNk/F90BUMC24VYi5GZ-NvsFJLvW6VfOKOjAwCK4B/s400/planned%2Bparenthood%2Bclosed.jpeg" width="400" /></a>It
seems to me that anytime anyone comments on abortion they are bound to run into
trouble with one group or another.
There are some attitudes about abortions which simply do not compute in
my mind as logical reactions.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
I’ve
often said that hypocrisy is too often a common malady among participants in
the ritual of self-government.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
my mind the same is true<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>concerning abortion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First
of all, while I am repulsed by the thought of abortion, I’m also repulsed by
the thought that government should enforce a religious belief and that men
should vote and pass laws telling women how they should treat their own bodies.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
I’ve
also opined that the hypocrisy in the forces of anti-abortionism strikes me as
somewhat hypocritical in that great concern is expressed time after time for
the unborn, but generally those expressing that concern appear to have very
little concern for those children already born.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
Texas
has a dismal record of caring for its children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Currently, there is a minor scandal going on concerning the
state’s foster care program.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
are numerous records of abandoned children being required to spend the night in
the offices of state administrators because of inadequate facilities to offer
better care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are serious
questions as well about psychiatric care of children who are victims of
abuse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apparently, there is no
cohesive policy as to when and how long children should be afforded
psychological therapy and very little tracing of the results thereof.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
There’s
no aggressive adoption program in Texas, and our state leadership in their
wisdom is doing its best to obliterate Planned Parenthood which was doing a
credible job of counseling poor and unwed women about how to avoid unwanted
pregnancies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
Child
Protective Services has traditionally been classically underfunded and
inadequately staffed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Numerous
cases have surfaced where children left in abusive situations too long have
suffered debilitating injuries and even death for lack of follow up and
adequate investigation.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
The
national press has repeatedly reported that there are more uninsured children
in Texas percentage-wise than any other state of the union, and yet our
governor and past governor steadfastly refuse to accept federal funds there for
the asking which could cover millions and millions of Texas children with
adequate medical care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Children
who lack medical care will only cost us in terms of not only dollars but
heartaches for future generations in our state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I understand the desire of those who, based on
religious beliefs, advocate abolition of abortion, I do not understand those who
claim to adhere to the majority of our religious teachings ignoring in such a
callous way the needs of Texas children.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
t.l.h.hellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02633375108151144635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-767910517238661076.post-77811847859199718222016-04-25T16:44:00.000-05:002016-06-08T16:59:34.650-05:00IS TEXAS MISTREATING ITS CHILDREN?<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2AOZ4jT_5us/V1iS1FdJ2FI/AAAAAAAAFOA/kBgYdSx9fdEq1ItHuRP6tK81I4UEZBArgCK4B/s1600/download.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2AOZ4jT_5us/V1iS1FdJ2FI/AAAAAAAAFOA/kBgYdSx9fdEq1ItHuRP6tK81I4UEZBArgCK4B/s400/download.jpeg" width="400" /></a>The
most precious asset of the State is its children. The primary responsibility of a state to its children is
their safety, their health and their education. Unfortunately, the State of Texas is and has been for
many children woefully lacking in all
three categories.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
The
latest public crisis has been the state’s treatment of neglected or abused
children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The primary problem in
all three categories is the fact that our legislative leaders, governor and
lieutenant governor continue to stubbornly believe there is some substitute for
adequate funding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately,
there is not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
The
most recent crisis in the public realm is the treatment of abused or neglected
children by the agency charged with the responsibility of their care. A federal
judge has found the foster children program in Texas an abomination and
constitutionally lacking in addressing the needs of children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A recent senatorial committee given the
responsibility of examining the problem spent a couple of hours debating
whether or not the problem was related to poor management or lack of
money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To me that almost seems to
be a joke because a blind man could see that the children’s protective services
in Texas has been overworked, underpaid and inadequately staffed for more than
thirty years. </div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
The
recent revelation before the Senate committee was that there is a 57.7%
turnover rate in the staff workers who investigate child abuse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I assure you these staffers are not
simply quitting their jobs to stay home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They are leaving their state jobs because they are able to find better
work elsewhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Inadequate funding
and staffing of the children’s protective agency has been causing workers to
have to house children on couches at their offices or at police stations for
lack of adequate foster homes or other facilities to accommodate these
neglected children. </div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
Even
worse, the response time because of caseloads that are too heavy for individual
investigators, has caused serious injury or death to several children
throughout the past few years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is because of lack of follow up where abuse has been indicated or
suspected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A recent example of the
price we pay for not attending to needy children who are on the street or
neglected was the case of the 17 year old at the University of Texas who
recently murdered a co-ed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This 17
year old fell through the cracks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Instead of being counseled, placed in a shelter or given treatment, he
was left on his own to wander the streets of Austin and find residence in an
abandoned warehouse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I doubt
seriously if any amount of management changes in the agency would provide more
foster homes or live-in residences for homeless children. Not only has the State
of Texas, our governor, lieutenant governor and members of the Legislature
abdicated their duty as to investigating abuse of children, they have been
complicit themselves in not doing what’s right for young people of Texas.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
There have been three or more
cases<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in the past thirty years in
which courts have ruled that our system of funding public education does not
meet the standards set by our own Constitution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One case came perilously near having our education system
ruled unconstitutional under the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>federal Constitution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our
system of passing out taxpayer dollars for public education is inadequate,
unfair and inefficient.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even after
the courts have ruled repeatedly confirming this, the Legislature has sought
ways to avoid the problem or claim its cure without adequately “ponying up” and
adequately funding our public education system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>The failure of the Legislature to do what is right has led
to spectacular growth in property taxes on homeowners and small businesses in
Texas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are some school
districts in Texas that are wonderful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There are others that are woefully inadequate and are cheating young
people out of a decent education or high school diploma.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only a brief look at our system tells
you that some districts in Texas with a minimum effort at raising taxes are
able to spend $11,000-$12,000 dollars a student on their young people while
others struggle paying the maximum tax rate allowed by law and producing
approximately $3,000 per student.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>While this continues to allow politicians running for office to boast of
not having increased taxes in Texas, it is a lie, and it is shortchanging and cheating the
future of many of our children—they have just pushed the
responsibility down to the local level.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
Lastly,
Texas’ children are being cheated out of the opportunity for decent health
care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Texas has more children who
are uninsured and inadequately cared for than any state in the union.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We probably do less for our children in
need of health care than countries like Cuba and several other third-world countries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
Unfortunately for our children, the situation
is not going to improve until those of us who care are able to persuade enough
of our fellow citizens to demand better treatment of future generations of
Texans. </div>
t.l.h.hellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02633375108151144635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-767910517238661076.post-74537957707506028432016-04-18T17:30:00.000-05:002016-06-08T17:43:41.425-05:00Global warming<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<!--[if supportFields]><span
lang=EN-CA style='mso-ansi-language:EN-CA'><span style='mso-element:field-begin'></span><span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1</span><![endif]--><!--[if supportFields]><span
lang=EN-CA style='mso-ansi-language:EN-CA'><span style='mso-element:field-end'></span></span><![endif]--><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-28QDgUWisxU/V1ieOmXXQPI/AAAAAAAAFOQ/l_Px9RqMDWcB5PxFT9RPoflGbJwG0AyEACK4B/s1600/dad%252C%2Bwhat%2Bis%2Bscience.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-28QDgUWisxU/V1ieOmXXQPI/AAAAAAAAFOQ/l_Px9RqMDWcB5PxFT9RPoflGbJwG0AyEACK4B/s400/dad%252C%2Bwhat%2Bis%2Bscience.jpeg" width="400" /></a>As
an attorney, one phrase I hear a lot of from friends and acquaintances is “I’m
not a lawyer, but...”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The friend
usually goes on to give me some off-the-wall legal opinion which is usually
incorrect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Recently, I’ve noticed
a similar phrase coming from mostly conservative politicians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It goes, “I’m not a scientist, but...” and
then they go on to explain why they either don’t believe there is global warming
caused by human activity, or they give some inane reasoning which really doesn’t
make sense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
It’s
my fervent belief the reason for the self-expressed doubts about global warming
and human activities is that folks like the Koch brothers are fearful it might
cost them a nickel. A recent interview of Senator Rubio of Florida is the
perfect example of the convoluted reasoning attempting to dodge the issue of
why Republican conservatives are so bound to do nothing about global warming. Senator
Rubio started off with the same phrase stating he is not a scientist; but his
reasoning went on to explain that no law that could be passed could help the
environment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The environment is
worldwide and why should we punish investors and plant operators in the United
States while India, China and others are pumping poison into the atmosphere on
an hourly basis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
First
of all, if Senator Rubio is not a scientist and knows nothing of the facts
about global warming, why shouldn’t he accept the word of the vast majority of
scientists throughout the world who have expressed over and over again that we
are gradually lending to the ultimate destruction of our planet?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next, Senator Rubio and other
Republicans’ reasoning is that since we can’t fix global warming with laws in
the United States, we should simply do nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s about as crazy as proposing that since we can’t stop
crime with laws, why don’t we just dismantle police forces.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
I
have learned a lot by living so long and probably I have grown up in a real
laboratory concerning laws and pollution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Senator Rubio is dead wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I know from experience that laws can help save the atmosphere, particularly here in my own neighborhood.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
I
recall as a child while growing up in the shadow of two major refineries there
were days when the odor from the refinery was so bad it could almost make you
sick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact I knew of young kids
who would have episodes with asthma brought about by the toxic air emitted from
those refineries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m pleased to
say that as the years have gone by, and refineries have been forced by law to
do something about emissions. The odors no longer exist around Port Arthur, and
I know of very few young people who have asthma attacks brought about by
refinery emissions.<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
Another
prime example of how laws can improve things is something I learned while flying to and
from Austin in my airplane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Time 'was when I would fly over Houston and the city was enveloped by an
orange-yellow fog emitted from a Houston steel company.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On any windless day, you could almost
count on flying over or through this yellowish fog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The EPA took over, imposed serious rules and regulations on
what could be emitted into the atmosphere, and the yellowish fog disappeared.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
While
I agree that laws passed by the United States government or the various states
of the union cannot cure worldwide pollution brought about by uncaring smog
producers, the old adage
comes to mind that every journey begins with one step.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems to me that as stewards
appointed by God to care for this planet, we should be willing to at least take
the first step protecting it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
owe it to future generations and to ourselves, if we are concerned about our
health and that of our children and grandchildren.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is time for us to face up to those who would make a few
more dollars’ profit at the expense of rising seas, cancer, breathing problems
and an unhealthy atmosphere in which we all must live.</div>
t.l.h.hellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02633375108151144635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-767910517238661076.post-3342650230992001442016-04-04T15:20:00.000-05:002016-06-08T16:02:08.849-05:00Worker's Comp in Texas<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IAvOFEoDUzU/V1iG4agMxxI/AAAAAAAAFNA/ufM3EkFRZ5I9sHRwokqqGGmhpsaM-3eBwCK4B/s1600/sitting%2Bduck%2Bworkers.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IAvOFEoDUzU/V1iG4agMxxI/AAAAAAAAFNA/ufM3EkFRZ5I9sHRwokqqGGmhpsaM-3eBwCK4B/s320/sitting%2Bduck%2Bworkers.jpeg" width="320" /></a>Probably
the bitterest pill I was required to suffer as a senator in the State of Texas
was the dismantling of a decent worker's comp system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Big business, with an army of lobbyists, ran over the
workmen of Texas while alleging they were fighting greedy lawyers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lawyers have suffered little as a
result of the so-called workers’ comp reform, but the same cannot be said for
working Texans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though Texas
is a leader in the United States in injured and killed workers, Texas persists
in refusing to address the problem of medical care and other benefits for
working Texans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Texas is one of
the few states that does not require workers’ compensation insurance for the
workers in this state.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
This
is one of the reasons I marvel at blue-collar workers who work with their
hands and who, in great numbers, are voting Republican.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Republicans are the biggest advocates for and handmaidens of Big Business, which wants to save money at the expense of injured workers in our
state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hardly a week goes by that
I do not have a call at my law office where someone has been a victim of
misconduct at the workplace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Unfortunately, I have to tell them it is well nigh impossible to find a
lawyer who will handle a worker’s on-the-job injury claim.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Legislature, driven by the business
lobby, has pretty successfully taken lawyers out of the equation. The reason is that a lawyer finds it
very difficult to earn a fee while representing an injured worker. Only limited situations will allow a
fee to be paid for a lawyer representing an injured worker. In almost every instance, however,
where there is a contested hearing, the employer/insurance company always has
legal representation of a very able and skilled nature. </div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
While
Texas does not require employers to furnish workers’ comp insurance, defenders
of this situation quickly point out there are serious consequences and
incentives for employers to provide workers’ compensation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As an example, theoretically, when an
employee is injured on the job where there is <b>no</b> worker compensation, the
employer should not or may not use <a href="http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Fellow-Servant+Rule" target="_blank"><i>fellow servant negligence, assumption of risk or contributory negligence</i></a> as a defense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, too many Republican-appointed or elected
judges are making a mockery out of these rules as, too often, they are allowing juries to be
swayed by contributory negligence rules in the guise of other activities.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
A
recent article in one of our major newspapers in the business section pointed
out that several large companies in Texas are boasting of saving millions of
dollars by doing away with worker compensation insurance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unhappily, these plans seldom
compensate injured or disabled workers to the full extent that the injured
employee can maintain the necessities for his or her family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Worse, there is no ground swell
of working class Texans to demand addressing this serious problem for the Texas
workforce because very few workers, particularly young healthy ones, ever believe
they will be the victim of a disabling injury on their job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is only when tragedy strikes that
the family raises a concern, but by then it is too late.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
I
would hope that a simple sense of decency and fairness would cause a vast
amount of Texas voters to demand better for people who work, earn a living and
produce our goods and services that lead us to a better life in this state. </div>
t.l.h.hellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02633375108151144635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-767910517238661076.post-48032194752363785352016-03-28T14:59:00.000-05:002016-06-08T15:18:52.287-05:00Higher Ed<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<!--[if supportFields]><span
lang=EN-CA style='mso-ansi-language:EN-CA'><span style='mso-element:field-begin'></span><span
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1</span><![endif]--><!--[if supportFields]><span
lang=EN-CA style='mso-ansi-language:EN-CA'><span style='mso-element:field-end'></span></span><![endif]--><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XrUYgpC9I30/V1h9ey7QbGI/AAAAAAAAFMw/-h5_A-o9-S0Dbe1qYsRaTNAjFbpzlDN1ACK4B/s1600/higher%2Bed.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XrUYgpC9I30/V1h9ey7QbGI/AAAAAAAAFMw/-h5_A-o9-S0Dbe1qYsRaTNAjFbpzlDN1ACK4B/s400/higher%2Bed.jpeg" width="334" /></a>I
usually read 2-3 papers as a daily routine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I find it amazing what you can find in a daily
newspaper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes I’m amazed
that other people have not discovered the same source of information.</div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
Recently,
two of the newspapers reported our state leadership, governor, lieutenant
governor and members of the Legislature have awakened to the fact that the cost
of college has dramatically risen. </div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
When
I was chairman of the Senate Education Committee, I am proud of the fact I
resisted efforts to have the Legislature release restraints on college
tuition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, after my
departure, in 2003 the Legislature decided—in their infinite wisdom—to get the Lege out of the business of setting college tuition and passed the buck to boards of regents
of individual colleges. Apparently now some of the legislative leadership have regrets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Recently, Lt. Governor Patrick wrote
college boards around the state urging them to not increase tuition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apparently these boards didn’t get the
letter, or they ignored it completely.</div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
After
turning college tuition costs over to the individual colleges, these same legislative and state leaders seem shocked by the fact college tuition in Texas
has reached near the point where college is unaffordable to most middle-class
Texas families.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Between 2003, when
the Legislature made this mistake, and 2012 college costs increased nationally by a 55%.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In Texas, the growth in costs is
65%.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During this same period of
time, while the cost to students was rapidly escalating, the state
Legislature reduced their contribution to college funding by 27%.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Governor Abbott is so shocked that he
now wants to have a study committee address rising costs of college.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have news for Governor Abbott, you
don’t need a committee, call me—I’ll tell you why.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s basic reasoning ... the Texas Legislature has cut
Texans short on providing quality higher education for its citizens.</div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
Encouraging
and allowing young Texans, or Texans of any age, to better themselves with a
college degree should not be considered an expense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s certainly not a wasteful exercise and should be
considered an investment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a
matter of fact, if we do not invest in education, it can easily be said that
we, as a state, care little about investing in our future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As quality higher education diminishes,
it will only encourage more low-paying jobs throughout our state, and we already
lead the nation in that category.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It does not bode
well for young high school graduates who would like to stay in this state,
contribute their talents and help gin up our economy.</div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
As
the Legislature of late usually does, its leadership continues to look for
gimmicks to cure the problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Rather than pony-up and spend what is necessary to make college
affordable, they continue to waste 800 million dollars on sending state
troopers to the border to chase illegal aliens whom the troopers have no authority to
even arrest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Current chairman of the Senate Education Committee </span>Senator Seliger's only proposal, at least published,
is that he intends to put pressure on the colleges to graduate college students
sooner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> This</span> seems to me to be a
counterproductive solution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
only way to graduate college students sooner is to teach them less.</div>
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
<br /></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt;">
If
the State of Texas invested an adequate amount in developing a highly skilled
and educated workforce, forward thinking companies would be more inclined to
come to Texas to establish their new enterprises.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is certainly not very encouraging to read what
Representative Zerwas, House Higher Education Chairman, had to say about the
solution to the problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said, “I
think we will have a much more serious conversation about it.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
t.l.h.hellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02633375108151144635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-767910517238661076.post-60306827689927018232016-03-22T11:36:00.000-05:002016-03-22T11:36:26.967-05:00RECENT MYTHS IN POLITICS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hEvNvQ0-Jcg/VvFvipjcKOI/AAAAAAAAFIQ/XLMfYjBu2CYt0bKNEbuVv7ncCe4oSH9Cg/s1600/myth.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hEvNvQ0-Jcg/VvFvipjcKOI/AAAAAAAAFIQ/XLMfYjBu2CYt0bKNEbuVv7ncCe4oSH9Cg/s320/myth.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
One
of the primary definitions of a myth is “A widely held but false belief or idea
or a misrepresentation of the truth.
A factitious or imaginary person or thing, or an exaggerated or
idealized conception of a person or thing.” In my opinion, the most recent and biggest myths in politics
are the following:</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
1. The
<b>first big myth</b> in recent history was the one propagated by George W. Bush that
there were <b>weapons of mass destruction being gathered in Iraq.</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This myth led us to spend almost a
trillion dollars of tax money (off the books) and cost approximately 4,000
American lives and an untold number of physical and emotional problems for
thousands of our servicemen.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
2. The
<b>second big myth</b> that I believe to have been perpetrated in Texas concerns the
Republican effort and law which was passed requiring voter identification, claiming it was solely for the purpose
of preventing voter fraud.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Numerous scholarly investigations and testimonies in court have pretty
well established there was little or no <b>voter fraud in Texas</b>, and particularly none based on mis-identification of voters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The idea was born at an ALEC (American Legislative Exchange
Council) gathering which was comprised of mainly conservative state legislators
and sponsored by the Koch brothers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Numerous conversations and utterances from Republican leaders after the
deal was passed clearly indicate it was their hope it would adversely impact
the number of minority voters going to the polls and would favor Republicans in
upcoming elections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some
Republicans still look at you with a straight face and say it was only for the
purpose of stopping voter fraud ... none of which they can document.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
3. <b>The
third current big fairy tale</b> is almost amusing, as well as somewhat sickening—that
our legislative leaders in Austin can look the public in the eye and say the
only purpose for draconian<b> restrictions on abortion clinics in Texas was
for ensuring the health of women</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is after the same leaders have traversed the state
vowing to end abortion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I’ve
never been keen on abortion, it strikes me as grossly hypocritical to stack so
many requirements on what the court has determined to be a constitutional right
by using the phoney excuse they are trying to help women.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s almost as ludicrous as the old
saying, “I’m the tax man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m here
to help you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
4. The
<b>fourth big myth</b> is that climate change is a "myth" — it is being propagated by captains of industry that <b>climate
change, or global warming, is a myth created by radical environmentalists</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even worse, a Republican candidate<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>running for election to the State Board
of Education has proclaimed global warming is something made up by Karl Marx to
destroy Capitalism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I have
done some research on the theories that Karl Marx espoused, I have never found
such an advocacy dealing with global warming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Political conservatives continue to deny its existence in
the face of thousands of prominent worldwide scientists who have documented the
effects of the continual warming of our planet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The real opposition is not any altruistic desire to save the
planet, but is simply to save profits of large fossil fuel burning power plants and corporations which continue to
spew trash (carbon dioxide) into our atmosphere destroying the ozone layer around the earth
which protects us.</div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
5. <b>The
fifth and biggest myth of our time</b> has been around for quite a while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is that <b>if we cut taxes for
multimillionaires and billionaires it will somehow put money into the pockets
of working men and women</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Supply-side economics has never worked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn’t work for Reagan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn’t work for either Bush. It won’t work in the
future. If
you believe that lowering taxes on the billionaires will add one penny to your
family's income, you must believe in fairy tales. Theories espoused by the majority of the current United
States Congress simply continue to widen the gap between rich and poor in
America, and eventually will erode the very fabric of our nation. </div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="Standard" style="tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in 467.9pt; text-align: left;">
Watch carefully for myths put forth by
politicians ... <b>and do your best to vote your own interests in the upcoming
elections.</b></div>
t.l.h.hellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02633375108151144635noreply@blogger.com0