Letters from our Readers - November 2007

Love Not Hate
It was so nice to read Richard Amburgey and Bob Brown's answers to Gina Parker Ford's hateful letter. Once again she reveals the hatred of republicans. 
She and Republicans do not want gays protected despite a history of gay bashing and murder --just because the victim was gay. The churches she wants to "protect" are a big cause of this hatred. 
They still teach hatred of gays by quoting scriptures in the book of Leviticus and Romans. The book of Leviticus gives the law of Moses which was used by the pharisees to try to trap Jesus. They brought a woman caught in adultery to him and asked him what to do. If he said to stone her he would be following the law of Moses but would contradict his message of love and forgiveness. He wrote, "he that is without sin, cast the first stone." No stone was thrown. 
These churches act more like pharisees than Jesus. They do not stone women caught in adultery today but still throw stones at gays. The same book of Leviticus they use to justify their hatred also says that slavery is legal. In fact, it says that a man can sell his daughter into slavery as long as he can get a fair price. Why aren't they advocating slavery? 
I have seen their ministers and members eating meat rare which means they are eating blood. Yet, Leviticus states that if a man eats blood he "shall be cut off from his people." I have heard some of their children cursing their parents which according to Leviticus means the child "shall be surely put to death." Yet, the church does not put the child to death. 
These churches have a history of oppression of some kind-- whether slavery, sexism or segregation. All have histories of oppressing gays. 
They no longer read the laws of Moses except to oppress gays. The apostle Paul condemned homosexuality in Romans. However, he is the only apostle to do so and Jesus never did either. As a young man Paul studied under one of the most respected Rabbi's in Israel. He was drilled in Moses law and like his teachers became very homophobic. He also taught that women should be quiet in church and if they have a question--they should wait until they leave church and then ask their husband. How many churches enforce this law? Not any I have ever been in. In fact, many churches ordain women against the teachings of Paul. 
In his letter to Philemon he reveals that he has sent the escaped slave Onesimus back to his master Philemon and asks Philemon to be merciful to him for escaping. He did not help the escaped slave stay free or even to beg for his freedom but sends him back into slavery. Paul was a great evangelist but also a man of his time. 
Although he had converted to Christianity and brought the gospel to the gentiles he was still the Jew his rabbi's taught him to be. 
That is also revealed in his writings. 
Today, the church condemns slavery even though Leviticus and Philemon states it is legal and moral. Desmond Tutu states that homophobia and apartheid are both "contrary to the heart of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 
It is time for the church to stop persecuting gays. I have known gays who were thrown out of their homes as teenagers by so called Christian parents. Is there any wonder there so many teenage suicides with parents like these? The persecution of gays should be laid aside just as slavery and all the other horrible laws found in Leviticus have been. 
The churches Gina wants to "protect" should be the ones advocating the passage of the law to protect gays. 
There is no place in the church of Jesus Christ for hatred --just Love. 
I have requested my name be omitted as I know from experience that too many so called followers of Jesus, the prince of Peace, are full of hate instead of love. That includes ministers--how sad. 
Name Withheld

Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson's War Justification 
Iraq was invaded under false pretenses, the supposed goals that Bush set out have all been completed, we need to bring back the rest of our troops to their lives and families. The VA will need to help the 29,000 physically wounded and 47,000 emotionally wounded for the rest of their lives. Have you considered that cost?
It will take generations to repair the damage to our Nation and its people along with the people in Iraq and their country, if it ever can be repaired. We need to start re-building our International reputation. Our infra structure at home is falling apart, our social funds, heating and food help for the elderly and poor have been drastically cut to fund this invasion. Our deficit is enormous, how is that for fiscal responsibility? 
Senator, we need to clean up our own house before clearing the world of dictators, we need to prioritize taking care of our young and poor before spending money we don't have. I certainly don't place all the blame on your party, because right now I can't tell the difference between either party in power. Both have forgotten the purpose they were put into office. 
Linda Woode
Montgomery, Texas

Three Murals
Josie Patrick, an art teacher, painted some murals in 1955
To depict Conroe's early logging and oil history, he made it come alive. 
His work was done on a plastered brick wall of a restaurant in the old Liberty Theater, called the Jimmie Williams Cafe.
Annie Belle Dinkins, the owner, had hired him to do the work, and it turned out to be the highlight of many a day.
The murals consisted of logging scenes, oil wells, and general area construction
Including a picture of the old Delta sawmill, that was magnificently done.
But as the years passed by, and the building began to deteriorate
Plans to tear it all down, to make a parking lot, were the plans as of late.
The 50ish year old rustic murals could have just disappeared
When the last of the old Liberty Theater, at 219 N. Main, was demolished and cleared.
But thanks to the persistence of local businesswoman Pat Moritz, it was not meant to be
As she was determined to save a piece of Montgomery County history.
Three of the murals have been restored and framed, and will be held until
hey are placed gently at her Jewell Restaurant Bar and Grille.
Another preserved piece of history, being it is going to be built inside the old ice house, opening in the spring of 2008
Kudos to Pat Moritz, for her participation in the downtown revitalization plan, and to see the results, the entire city can hardly wait.
Mary Elizabeth Rumsey
Porter, Texas

(Editors Note: While working on saving the murals from destruction Pat discovered how many people in the area had memories of The Old Sparkle Ice House Building. She now plans on keeping the old name.)

Single Member Districts
In our efforts to educate the citizens of Conroe on Single Member Districts we have formed the Single Member Districts Committee. Anyone interested in forming part of this committee can contact us at singlememberdistricts@gmail.com  . 
Why do we feel the support of Single Member Districts is of monumental importance?
We believe the City of Conroe qualifies for single member districts due to a possible violation of the voting rights act; The racial group is geographically concentrated which constitutes a majority in a single-member district. The at large voting system is used to give minority voters less opportunity than other voters to participate in the political process and elect representatives of their choice to public office. 
This system of election would level the political playing field therefore increasing our chances of obtaining a diverse council. True diversity can only be achieved when minorities are represented. Single Member Districts will enable the City of Conroe to equally distribute funds allocated for community and economic development. We would like the same development of infrastructure in east Conroe as in other parts of the city. By implementing Single Member Districts we would have a representative for that district representing our community. 
How will we remedy the current concerns of the minority community?
Sedrick Thrower, Chairman 
Carl White, Co-Chairman
Single Member Districts Committee 
936-441-4206 Home (Sedric's #) 
936-520-0106 Cell (Carl's #)

Giving Law Enforcement the Tools to Prevent Terrorist Attacks 
Protecting American lives is my most important duty as your Senator. This is an era in which violent extremists seek to do us harm. They strive to recreate the horrors of September 11th, and they attack our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan daily. We have many tools to help our intelligence community foil terrorist plots overseas and on our soil. But some members of Congress advocate measures that would take away crucial intelligence assets, and cripple our counter-terrorism efforts worldwide. We must be equipped to intercept calls between terrorists in order to prevent attacks they plan.
Last August, I worked with my colleagues to pass the Protect America Act of 2007. This important legislation amended and modernized the decades-old Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA). Today, our enemies utilize cell phones, wireless Internet networks and countless other technologies that were not in place when FISA was enacted 30 years ago. Consequently, the lawmakers of that era could not have contemplated the challenges we face in today’s Global War on Terror. 
Previously, terrorists exploited laws designed to protect Americans’ privacy and placed phone calls unnoticed to conspirators within our borders. Our intelligence officers could monitor a call between two foreign locations unhindered, but conversations beginning or ending on our soil required a court order. In today’s digital age, the time it takes to obtain these documents makes it impractical to intercept nearly instantaneous messages on cell phones and over the internet. And delays could mean the difference between life or death.
A recent news story in the New York Post is painfully illustrative. The Post reports that earlier this year, Al-Qaeda operatives ambushed seven of our soldiers on patrol in Iraq. Four were killed, and three were taken hostage. Our forces immediately began searching for the survivors, but were quickly halted by red tape. Because some of the terrorists’ cell phone calls were routed through U.S. networks, officers were forced to seek a court order to monitor their communications. Rescuers were delayed for almost ten hours while lawyers and judges decided whether or not they could search for their comrades. The trail went cold, our soldiers were executed and the terrorists escaped. As one observer aptly noted, “How many lawyers does it take to rescue our soldiers? It should be zero.”
The reforms of the Protect America Act give our law enforcement and intelligence officers new tools to prevent attacks against Americans. Appropriately, a court order is still required to listen in on purely domestic calls, between two people within our borders. But our intelligence community may now monitor phone calls originating outside our country, from Pakistan or Saudi Arabia, for instance, without time consuming court proceedings. Prior to these reforms, al-Qaeda leaders could have placed a call to a sleeper cell inside America without fear of detection. Today, our forces have the ability to intercept and monitor this call quickly and unencumbered.
The Protect America Act expires in February, and with it the new flexibility and effectiveness we have given our intelligence community. Rather than making these vital reforms permanent, some of my colleagues support legislation to impose more regulations that handicap our intelligence community. In addition, their initiatives do nothing to prevent frivolous lawsuits against telecommunications companies that cooperate with intelligence officials to aid in the War on Terror. 
I pledge to work to defeat these dangerous measures in the Senate, so the intelligence community has the tools it needs and the privacy of law-abiding Americans is protected. Some of my colleagues use terms like “warrantless wiretaps” and “domestic surveillance” to score political points. In reality, as its title suggests, FISA applies strictly to foreign intelligence, and guarantees the proper judicial processes for purely domestic communications. 
As our brave service members endeavor to protect us from terror attacks around the world, Congress must employ every possible means to protect our soldiers and cities from future deadly plots. We must ensure that those who sacrifice so much to defend our freedom have the knowledge and resources they need to carry out their mission.
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison

America The Land Of The Scared 
Senator Hutchison wrote that her most important duty was to protect American lives. Really? Where in her pledge of office does it say that? What it does say is, " I pledge to uphold and defend the constitution of the United States of America." 
The signers of the Declaration of Independence put their lives and the lives of their families as well as their fortunes at risk by signing their names. The constitution guarantees that our government of law with checks and balances with three branches of government. 
Patrick Henry stated, " Give me liberty or give me death." If our founding fathers had not felt that way we would still be colonies of Great Britain. Each person entering the military also pledges to uphold and defend the constitution. Our service members serve and die to protect the constitution, not the president. 
Benjamin Franklin stated, " He that sacrifices liberty for the sake of security deserves neither." Our congress has been giving Bush the right to take away our liberties and allowed him to invade a country who was not a threat to us or any other country. It funds his occupation of this country. It accepts his statement that we are at war when we are not. Wars are between nations, not between a occupying power and that country's citizens. We won the war in Iraq as we overthrew the government of Saddam Hussein. Now, we are occupying Iraq. 
The Congressional Budget office shows the federal debt has soared past $9 Trillion, up from $5.7 Trillion when Bush took office. Yet, Bush keeps asking for more money and congress keeps giving it to him. How irresponsible can our leaders be? We have stopped being a lending nation to being a debtor nation. Bush is ruining our country and we and our congress follow like sheep. Bush is leading us to the slaughter and we keep following. 
By allowing the Bush administration to tap into our telephone conversations without a court order is a violation of the constitution. 
How soon we forget President Nixon's "enemy list" that targeted his political opponents. Bush has proven capable of doing the same. Are we willing to create a Hitler here in our country? I hope not. 
Senator Hutchison has violated her oath of office and deserves to be impeached and removed from office just as President Bush does. 
This violation is not their first violation but one of many. President Bush has violated the constitution by kidnaping citizens off streets and sends them to foreign countries to be held and tortured without any court order. Torture is against our constitution as it is Cruel and unusual punishment, clearly unconstitutional. 
Government kidnaping of innocent citizens and sending them out of the country is clearly unconstitutional. Holding these people without notifying their families about it or letting them know where their love one is, is clearly unconstitutional. 
By international law he deserves to be arrested and tried in the world court as a war criminal. Yet, our congress will not stand up to him. He has caused irreparable harm to our international relations. We as a nation must stop being a nation of sheep and stand up for the values of our founding fathers. Otherwise, we will lose this republic they risked their lives to form. 
Senator Hutchison, your duty is to defend the constitution of our country and you have not. You are not worthy of your high office and should be removed as a traitor to the constitution you swore to uphold. I appeal to you to do your duty, stand up and oppose President Bush's violations of our constitution. Let him know he is not above the laws of our country. 
Name Withheld 
Houston, TX

The New American
Most Americans are patriotic. They love their freedom, independence, and our Constitution. Unfortunately, they put too much trust in their elected and appointed officials. Relatively few know what these officials are really doing.
It would surprise most Americans to learn that some of these officials plan to erase our borders with Canada and Mexico and merge us into a North American Union. They plan to do this via the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP). Go to www.thenewamerican.com for details. 
In late August, President George W. Bush, Mexico’s President Felipe Calderon, Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and other officials met in Montebello, Quebec. This SPP meeting had very tight security and what they talked about was kept secret. 
The SPP is a stealth program. It is proceeding without congressional approval and is quietly being implemented by the massive bureaucracy of the federal executive branch. Unless more Americans learn of this deception and demand that congress stops the SPP, we will soon find that the USA no longer exists. 
Christopher H. Fogleman
Reseda, CA

The Big One
Neither sex or car bombs compare to the impact on our future from the disaster unfolding in the arctic .
I found an intriguing article on which words are "googled" (searched) the most in various countries. It is both funny and, in one case,scary (the link is on my TexasViking blog below).
The word "sex" was searched the most in Egypt, India and Turkey. (Why is it that the most conservative places score high on this one?) Holland, and its red light district, didn't make the list.
The word "Jihad" was searched the most in Morocco, Indonesia, and Pakistan. (That should make everyone sleep tonight, knowing Pakistan has nukes and Benazir Bhutto is back to fight for democracy and save the day).
The scary one?
The words "car bomb" is searched the most in - Australia, Canada and the United States.
Since India is the second most populous country in the world, jihad is happening in Pakistan, then what does this search trend indicate for the United States?
Here's the other news "bombshell." 
Scientists report that we lost 25% of the arctic ice in just two years -- since 2005. The planet's arctic air conditioning system is being lost at a catastrophic rate. 
If the President is worried that doing something about global warming will "hurt" business, ignoring it will hurt business even more.
Imagine how bad it will be for business to have a drought-covered, UV intense, heating-up planet with dwindling fresh water -- all caused by overheating after the arctic ice cap is gone. At this rate it will be gone a few years from now -- not "decades" later as commonly thought.
What's clear from these new facts is that we have no more time to waste to take action --in the U.S. and globally. There needs to be a new global treaty, a "cap and trade" system, something! Ask your rep to take action before 2008.
Fiddling while Rome burns is not a good idea. We need action now --and a pledge from all candidates from both parties to protect ourselves and future generations from both car bombs and the even worse results from global warming.
Michael Fjetland
Counter-terrorism Adviser
www.InternationalLegalGroup.com 

To Be Young Again
I can feel the full season of Fall in progress now. The pumpkins have come out, and the costumes are being purchased for the grand finale.
As a child, we used to make up our own costumes from materials around the house, and then we'd head out the door, just as soon, as it started to get dark. As long as we were back at a set time, all was well.
We'd go from house to house, and then eventually we'd cover one street after another. Every once in a while, we'd have to hit the same house twice, for they had the real goodies. It wouldn't take us too long before our bags began to get heavy.
Would you believe that we actually ate whatever was in our bags? We ate it along the route. We ate it after we got home, and then we finished it off, during the few weeks that followed.
There was no stopping us, back in the old days, and no reason to think otherwise. Whether it be a caramel apple, or a homemade popcorn ball, we ate it all.
Nowadays, we have to be more careful with the way that the world has become. Yes, I know that there are a lot of good people in the world. It's just too bad that we've had to change our behavior, because of the the few that aren't so good.
Having a ten year old daughter, and three grandchildren, I get to enjoy Halloween, I mean aka the Fall season, in a different way. As a child, I used to greatly anticipate that special night. Now I see the same feeling reflected in my little one's eyes.
It's their turn now. We head off to the costume shop, and they pick one of their choosing, and then we travel the fall festival circuit. It's a little different than from the way I used to do it, as a child, but it works. 
"Time passes, but from what I summize-
Some things stand still, such as the
enlightenment in childrens' eyes."
Mary Elizabeth Rumsey
Porter, Texas

Demand the Release of POW/MIAs
Regarding our national POW/MIA remembrance memorials I think we should remember our POW and MIAs and remember foremost also their massive betrayal into a living hell on earth by our own government leaders leaving a massive stain on Americas’ honor that cannot be erased at this point in history. 
We can however wake up to the treason that is enveloping our country in Washington D.C. and elect members of Congress that will reestablish American honor in the tradition of General Douglas MacArthur when he observed, “There is no substitute for victory!” The horrible fate of our Prisoners Of War and those Missing In Action left behind by our own government in enemy hands in WW- II, Korea, Vietnam, etc. must never be repeated. But it will be if we fail to wake up and create a new era of extreme vigilance. For there has never been a shortage of highly placed traitors in our government as the POW/MIA issue shows. We should read the book titled: ‘AN ENORMOUS CRIME’ (see on internet) by former congressman William Hendon and Elizabeth Stewart (her father’s MIA in Vietnam) that exposes secrets of the Vietnam War, and documents that American POWs were left behind, and also see: www. JBS. org (search: (POW/MIA) for more shocking information . 
We should continue to demand through the full weight of our government through Congress the release of our POW/MIAs left behind as some are probably still alive. We must partially resolve this terrible stain on Americas’ honor by rescuing the remaining survivors or we are doomed to repeat it on a much larger scale whereby America may not survive. We must pressure our Congressmen and Senators until our soldiers are returned, and accept nothing less. 
Ed Nemechek
Landers, CA 

Maintaining Our Leadership In Space
On Oct. 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched the Sputnik satellite, setting off alarm bells that America was falling behind in space technology. But America's ingenuity was dramatically mobilized by President Eisenhower, under whose administration Congress passed the National Defense Education Act, providing massive investments in science, engineering and technology.
Those investments paid off when we safely landed a man on the moon, fulfilling President Kennedy's promise. The research program we created spawned some of the most significant technologies of modern life, including personal computers and the Internet.
Today, we are on the verge of another Sputnik moment. In November, China will launch its first lunar orbiter — a major milestone in its rapidly developing space program. In fact, China's progress has been so substantial the Chinese are planning on landing a man on the moon by 2020. A decade or so from now, China's red flag may be flying on the lunar surface.
In this ominous environment, you would think Washington would be trying to recharge America's commitment to space exploration. In fact, the opposite is happening. Right now, NASA is planning to retire the space shuttle in 2010. Until its replacement is ready (not expected until 2015) the United States will have no way to launch humans into space.
During this five-year time gap, we will have to rely on Russia to get our own scientists and astronauts to the International Space Station. As the world's leader in space technology, it is simply unacceptable that we will be in this position of technological dependency. Our national security depends on our ability to explore space without relying on nations who may not always have our best interests at heart. Thankfully, there is still time to prevent this frightful scenario from becoming reality.
Congress should provide NASA with the added funds it needs to narrow or close the gap in our human spaceflight capability, by accelerating Ares and Orion— the shuttle replacement vehicles — providing increased support to potential commercial vehicles, and, if necessary, keeping the space shuttle flying longer than 2010. This will ensure that America stays in control of its space destiny.
Since NASA was created in 1958, the research that has gone into the space program has also spurred innovations that have greatly improved our lives — from car phones to heart monitors, from ultrasound scanners to laser surgery. Recently, NASA has been implementing my plan to use the U.S. segment of the ISS as a "national laboratory," which means that even more breakthroughs can be expected once that lab is fully operational. On Sept. 12, NASA and the National Institutes of Health signed the first of what should be several inter-agency agreements to facilitate ISS research in the future.
We want the United States to be the leader in space research because the unique environment of space enables scientists to conduct many experiments not possible on Earth. For example, NASA is considering placing a sophisticated particle detector on the ISS to learn more about cosmic rays. This research must be carried out in space, where researchers can collect data without the hindrance of Earth's dense atmosphere and gravity. The results could lead to breakthroughs in our fundamental understanding of matter and possibly, new sources of energy.
There is a strong relationship between space research and national security. For example, by using space-based navigation systems, we can guide a missile to within meters of its intended target. This not only allows our military to more effectively hit a target, it also saves civilian lives and limits collateral damage.
The Chinese are gaining ground in technological areas. China recently surpassed the U.S. as the world's largest exporter of information-technology products (and the U.S. has become a net importer of those products). The Chinese are now turning their attention to space technology, and they are determined to use it as a means of strengthening their military. We cannot allow other countries to acquire new weapons technologies while America does not keep up.
On the day before he was tragically assassinated, President Kennedy remarked, "This nation has tossed its cap over the wall of space, and we have no choice but to follow it. Whatever the difficulties, they will be overcome."
As we mark the 50th anniversary of Sputnik, let's renew our commitment to overcome those difficulties once again. We've worked too hard, and accomplished too much, to willfully forfeit our leadership in space. Let's make the necessary adjustments to maintain our supremacy. Our future depends on it. 
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison

"Runaway" Insurance Premiums 
Forbes Magazine just identified Texas as maintaining the highest cost of homeowner insurance in the nation!!!
As per the article: No. 1: Texas Average Annual Premium: $1,362
Thanks to hurricanes, tornadoes, hail, windstorms and earthquakes, living in Texas can cost you an arm and a leg in more ways than one. Rates are going down thanks to 2003 regulations, though, and the rest of the country is quickly catching up. 
First of all, the above "reasons" for such high premiums given by the insurance industry and the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) are NOT completely true as the sole reasons for sky-high insurance premiums. BTW, rates are NOT going down they have been stabilizing. In addition, often companies cut coverage while maintaining the same cost. Secondly the term "rates" is different from insurance premiums. Thirdly, the main reason Texas is #1 in premium costs is that 3 years ago lax insurance legislation and state officials "looking the other way" enabled the industry virtually overnight to double premiums. Lastly, no one has done anything about it in 2 years!!!
Although during the past 5 years I have continued to write on this issue [home insurance] and have pointed-out the real undercurrents prevailing in the industry, most insurance clients remain ignorant while the governor, TDI, state officials and the industry pretend an issue does NOT exist.
Maybe now that Forbes Magazine put Texas in the limelight as #1 taxpayers will have their eyes opened more and aggressively will contact officials to get after the insurance industry to lower homeowner insurance premiums to a more realistic and appropriate level.
Did Texas homeowners forget about their doubled insurance premiums?
Time to rein in home insurance premiums! We need to ask ourselves, “Why?” Three years ago with Gov. Rick Perry, then Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) Commissioner Jose Montemayor, and legislators “looking the other way,” lax insurance legislation permitted the industry to double the premiums paid by Texas homeowners. 
At that time and during the previous several years, the insurance industry had been experiencing a “hard market” and was losing revenue; we were told it was due to excessive claims due to storms, winds, flooding, hail, and mold. It had called upon the state informally to help with correcting the market, but few listened to industry pleas.
As in many previous years of “hard markets,” the insurance industry elected to act on the problem without waiting any longer for government interaction on its behalf. Virtually overnight, it then “over-corrected” the market by doubling home insurance premiums.
In some instances, the industry decreased the coverage and still increased the premiums significantly.
The reaction of homeowners was disbelief and then anger. They contacted the offices of the governor, TDI, and various legislators. They were told publicly by Perry and Montemayor that by the next year, the insurance industry would refund up to 14 percent of the increased premiums.
To date, that has never occurred. 
So, now it's been 3 years of insurance over-compensation and profiteering and premiums are still doubled!
The governor and state officials continue to permit the insurance industry in Texas to maintain the highest home insurance premiums anywhere else in the nation.
Currently, we are nearing the end of the third fiscal business quarter of year 2007 and are in a “softer market.” The industry has been reaping substantial profits for the past several years and is still. Despite high revenues, there is no sign of legislators providing more oversight and/or regulation on the insurance market, nor is the industry on its own considering lowering the premiums of home insurance to a more reasonable amount.
Periodically and when public opinion and discontent require it, Perry gives the issue some lip service and leaves it up to the Legislature to consider, but no one seriously acts on behalf of overburdened Texas homeowners. With ever-increasing property values and taxes, home insurance is a close second as the cause of the record number of foreclosure throughout the state.
Apparently, unless Texans pound on the gubernatorial and legislative doors, communicating via phone and letters that home insurance relief is needed now, no one will do anything about it and Texas homeowners will continue to pay the highest premium costs anywhere in the nation. We can’t depend on the governor, legislators, current TDI Commissioner Mike Geeslin, or the insurance industry to offer homeowners relief. To them, the sweet smell of profits overrides the stench of decay from the “American Dream” becoming a nightmare for most of us.
We either can remain the docile sheep officials want us to be, or we can move on correcting this unacceptable series of insurance events. During the past several years it has been proven that we can NOT depend on our governor, TDI leaders or state officials to resolve this issue in our mutual best interests.
Peter Stern,
Driftwood, TX

Health Care in Montgomery County
Recently a friend asked for my help with a bill he received from Conroe Regional Medical Center. This 74 year old man went in for a one day procedure. His bill was $19,652.00. His procedure was for kidney stones. The procedure went fine but the nurse removed the catheter without DEFLATING it. This caused severe pain, bleeding and an extended infection. Also, he was then REQUIRED to spend an additional two days in CRMC to be certain the bleeding was contained.
This gentleman adamantly said that CRMC should not charge Medicare and his supplemental insurance for their mistake. To add insult to injury the floor nurse forgot to notify the kitchen this man was still in his room. So this 74 year old man had one meal, after the surgery and no meal after that. When he complained a breakfast was brought to him around 11:00 A.M. on day 2 but it was cold and congealed. No lunch, no supper on day 2 and no meals on the 3rd day. His family brought in food. He was told that the "kitchen had new software and no one knew how it worked." I guess picking up a telephone and ordering a meal by the floor nurse would be too difficult.
The surgery was in February, he has now received a bill for $766.00 additional dollars that Medicare and the supplemental insurance did not cover.
Conroe Regional Medical Center billed Medicare for the two extra days they caused this man to be hospitalized. Also, there were additional doctor's charges to clear up the infection caused by the catheter being removed improperly.
To this date letters sent to Mr. Jerry Nash, Administrator brought no apology. Mr. Nash actually said that CRMC found no wrong doing. Now we all know that is to put off any liability. Conroe Regional Medical Center does not have a Patient Advocate, we were told that "all hospital employees are patient advocates". Right, your check is signed by someone you have to correct. 
Conroe Regional Medical Center needs to refund the additional charges that their employee caused to this patient to Medicare and his supplemental insurance, apologize and clear the additional incorrect charge of $766.00. 
Anyone who thinks National Healthcare is welfare needs to think about this, a $20,000.00 charge for a MISTAKE that was paid by our healthcare system now. Hospitals are running amok, there is no accountability for over charges and mistakes. Oh final note we did contact the accreditation board and received no answer. 
Linda Woode 
Montgomery, TX

Limbaugh Is the Phony
Of all people, Rush Limbaugh, the guy, like Paddy Buchanan, who got out of serving his country by crying about a pimple on his ass (You can't make this stuff up), tells us that any US soldier who is against this war in Iraq is a "phony" soldier! 
Now, Rush, Hannity, DeLay, Lott, , Gingrich, Rudy, O'Reilly, Romney and all his sons are all what I call war cheerleaders whose insatiable appetite for new military conflicts (Can we all say "Iran"!) is matched only by their steadfast refusal to volunteer to fight! 
I call them paper patriots. But it was Adlai Stevenson who truly nailed the true meaning of the word patriotism. He said, " Patriotism is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion (Hum, I wonder who comes to mind?), but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime". 
Anyone who has served their country need not worry about the sharp words that come from fat boy, Limbaugh. Geez, if the words of Hannity, Limbaugh and O'Reilly were bullets, we'd have won the Iraq war years ago! 
Jim Farrell 
Oak Ridge North, TX

Unruly Women
In her Emmy acceptance speech Sunday night, Sally Fields recognized the mothers of U.S. troops: “Surely this belongs to all the mothers of the world. May they be seen, may their work be valued and praised. Especially to the mothers who stand with an open heart and wait. Wait for their children to come home from danger, from harm's way, and from war. I am proud to be one of those women. If mothers ruled the world, there would be no..." (Fox cut the rest from the broadcast) What some heard was, "god-damned wars in the first place"
Rush Limbaugh weighed in: “What? 'Mothers don't start wars'? What about Margaret Thatcher? She started plenty of wars! And Golda Meir and Indira Ghandi? And Hillary Clinton started more wars while she was in Washington than any man in history! And what about those Amazons?”
Prime Minister Thatcher responded when Argentina invaded the Falklands.
Golda Meir responded when Syria and Egypt attacked Israel.
While touting Condoleeza Rice for president, Lynn Cheney praised Indira 
Ghandi's strong feminine leadership for India's 1971 victory over Pakistan. 
As for the fifth target in Limbaugh's testosterone-fueled outburst: “Amazon matriarchy is the product of Greek mythology.” (War and Gender by Joshua Goldstein.)
Limbaugh is obviously a closet misogynist, a concept related to gynophobia, the fear of women. (Especially strong-willed, smart women.)
Referring to Sally Fields' comments, “UnrulyWoman,” National Post blog, wrote, “The freedom to speak uncensored, even in protest of our government, is one of the rights those who support the war often say our men and women are fighting to protect. War advocates like so many who are attached to Fox, tell us we are hated by our enemies because of our freedoms. And yet they censor and demonize people like Ms. Field, who use their celebrity to promote peace and the positive value of honoring mothers.” 
God bless the “unruly women.”
Bill Barnes
Conroe TX

Mayor Metcalf,
It was a pleasure speaking with you at the September 13, 2007 council meeting and thank you for welcoming the LULAC Youth Council #1087 officers at their first council meeting.
I am writing you in reference to our meeting in 2005 during my bid for city council position #3 along with my campaign manager and our discussion concerning a voting system to facilitate equal representation for election of minorities in the City of Conroe. 
In February 2005, you stated in The Courier “We want to make sure that everyone's represented (on the council).” In this same article it is interpreted you were painfully aware of the Caucasian composition of all five positions on the council. 
In our meeting you addressed a plan similar to single member districts, the 1-2-4 voting system. You credit our city attorney Marcus Winberry for this voting system. (The Conroe Courier, February 2005).
In our meeting you promised if there were two consecutive elections where minorities were unable to win you would re-visit the issue. As time states, two consecutive elections have passed where minorities are unable to win in a municipal election. The 2006 election was comprised of 3 separate minority candidates in which each of them were vying for three council positions #3, #4, and #5. 
Mayor Metcalf, would you consider re-visiting the 1-2-4 voting system in which you state in The Courier is the best of both worlds?
Will you and the current city councilmen prove the painful awareness of lack of representation on the council by supporting a plurality voting system or Single Member Districts? 
If not, what plan have you and the current city councilmen constructed to remedy this very important issue facing over 40% of all minorities in the City of Conroe?
If the readers are interested in the article mentioned above visit the following link 
http://www.hcnonline.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=13927744&BRD=1574&PAG=461&dept_id=532207&rfi=8 
Norma Duran
Conroe , TX

Texas Tort Reform
Basic economics teaches that imposing higher costs and burdensome regulations on businesses leads to fewer businesses and higher costs for consumers. 
The opposite is also true: Lower costs and fewer restrictions in a marketplace will lead to more market participants, greater supply, and lower prices for consumers. Texas’ medical malpractice insurance industry provides a clear example of this principle.
In the spring of 2003, the Texas Legislature passed medical liability reforms, subsequently approved by Texans via constitutional amendment. Prior to the reforms, Texas presented a hostile climate for medical practitioners. Frequent lawsuits against physicians and hospitals and escalating jury awards to plaintiffs drove doctors and insurers from the state, leading to physician shortages and higher costs for both doctors and patients. 
Frivolous medical malpractice lawsuits were rampant. Even though 85 percent of these suits failed, doctors paid tens of thousands of dollars to defend against them. This, of course, was bad for patients, as increased litigation means less time and money on actual patient care.
Between 1996 and 2000, one of four Texas doctors was sued. In the 10 years following 1989, the average medical malpractice verdict skyrocketed from $472,982 to $2,048,541. The percentage of such awards attributable to non-economic damages, which are intangible injuries like pain and suffering, increased from 35.7 percent to 65.6 percent. Between 2000 and 2003, 13 of the state’s 17 medical insurance carriers pulled out of Texas. 
Fortunately for doctors and patients, the reforms passed by the Legislature and approved by the voters capped medical malpractice non-economic jury awards at $250,000. For death-related cases, economic damages were capped at $1,600,000. The reforms also created stricter requirements for expert testimony and a tougher negligence standard for emergency medical cases.
Over the last four years, doctors and insurers have returned in droves, premiums are falling, and health care is more available and affordable. 
The Pacific Research Institute’s "U.S. Tort Liability Index: 2006 Report," an analysis of the tort systems of all 50 states, found that Texas has the best overall tort climate, ranking highest in categories measuring financial losses linked to frivolous lawsuits. Though the study gave the lowest possible marks for Texas in several categories, including the number of counties characterized as “judicial hellholes,” the overall tort climate in Texas is increasingly favorable to physicians, insurers, and patients.
Pre-reform, medical malpractice rates were rising 15-20 percent per year; post-reform, rates have fallen almost 40 percent. Texas Medical Liability Trust, the state’s largest medical malpractice insurance carrier, has reduced rates the last five years, with a cumulative 31% rate reduction and about $200 million in premium savings.
In May 2003, there were 35,723 in-state medical doctors. Today, there are 6,000 more. The number of doctors is up 52 percent in San Antonio, 51 percent in El Paso, and 46 percent in Houston. The backlog of applications at the Texas Board of Medical Examiners exceeds 2,500. Doctors view Texas as an attractive place to practice.
Moreover, at the time of the reforms, much of the state did not have certain specialists. For example, more than 150 counties lacked obstetricians. However, since the passage of Proposition 12, Texas added 195 OB/GYNs, 169 orthopedic surgeons, 554 anesthesiologists, 497 emergency medicine physicians, 110 neurologists, and 36 neurosurgeons. 
Though there is much room for improvement, Texas is showing the rest of the country what happens when doctors are freer to practice their trade and less encumbered by frivolous lawsuits and runaway juries.
Credit the Texas Legislature and Texas voters for making the necessary malpractice changes that have expanded health care and lowered prices. Unless Texas turns its back on the successes of its reforms, the tort system, and thus the people of Texas, will continue to be healthier by the day.
Drew Thornley
Texas Public Policy Foundation

Cargo Ships in Paradise
Imagine if someone put a superhighway through Yosemite.
That’s exactly what’s happening just outside the Golden Gate. Our Yosemites on the sea are being used as on-ramps to the global economy. And as long as they continued to be used this way we can only expect more and worse Cosco Busan spills.
The San Francisco Bay area is home to 3 contiguous National Marine Sanctuaries —the Cordell Bank, Monterrey Bay and the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuaries. The federal government has a system of 13 National Marine Sanctuaries, the ocean equivalent to our national park system, which protect the most sensitive and biologically diverse of our national waters. California has four in all including one in the Channel Islands. There are also dozens of state Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) along the Central and North Central Coast.
Running shipping lanes through these sanctuaries undermines the intent of the 1972 Sanctuaries Act to protect these biologically rich areas.
Running these shipping lanes through or near newly proposed MPAs also threatens to undermine the number one goal of the 1999 Marine Life Protection Act—protecting the integrity of critical marine habitats including areas like Pt. Bonita, Duxbury Reef and Pt. Reyes, all three of which have been polluted by the Cosco Busan spill.
The deadly little secret of the Cosco Busan spill is that our sanctuaries and state MPAs are in danger. Every cargo vessel and oil tanker that enters San Francisco Bay passes right through at least one of our three contiguous National Marine Sanctuaries. The approximately 3,600 vessels that annually enter the bay are threatening the very integrity of these invaluable marine habitats and the San Francisco Bay.
This year, the California Department of Fish and Game began working to establish a new network of MPAs along the North Central California Coast. One of the critically important areas in the region, Pt. Bonita in the Marin Headlands, which is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, is now contaminated by the Cosco Busan spill. Every vessel entering the bay passes right through Pt. Bonita and one of the northbound lane runs right through Pt Reyes.
Attention to the threat from shipping in the North Central region has been mostly missing in the MLPA planning process. Hopefully, last week’s oil spill and a recent stranding of a humpback whale in Pt. Reyes National Seashore, which was reportedly struck by a large ship, will serve as a wake up call all the stakeholders involved. 
As devastating as oil spills are, large cargo vessels and oil tankers present a wide-ranging threat to the environment. They contribute to global warming by burning bunker fuel like that spilt by the Cosco Busan. 
Large ships and oil tankers also emit intense low-frequency noise at the same frequency used by baleen whales—the biggest source of ocean noise pollution in the ocean today. Ocean noise pollution is on the rise locally and globally. In some areas, scientists have documented that underwater noise levels have doubled every decade for the past four decades. Ocean noise pollution has a range of impacts on marine life. At worst, it can be deadly. Studies show that fish, including commercially important species, are dramatically impacted by noise pollution. Hearing loss, changes in migration and schooling along with serious reduction in catch rates have all been documented.
The problem of large vessel traffic into San Francisco Bay is increasing rapidly and is not going to go away unless action is taken right now to address it. The Port of Oakland, already plaguing local communities with toxic emissions from both the vessels and semi trucks that service them, is the 4th busiest container port in the U.S. and 20th busiest in the world. According to the federal government, the global large commercial vessel fleet nearly tripled from about 30,000 vessels in 1950 to more than 85,000 vessels in 1998. The number of large vessels in the global fleet is expected to nearly double in the next 20-30 years. About 2 oil tankers already visit the Bay each day. 
The Cosco Busan spill can be a lesson that our national marine sanctuaries and new state MPAs must be protected from the rising threat of large cargo vessels and oil tankers. Federal and state agencies responsible for protecting these marine habitats and managing vessel traffic must begin to work together as well as with industry and environmental groups to address this urgent problem. 
The number one goal of the Marine Life Protection Act is to protect the integrity of these proposed marine protected areas. That cannot be achieved if we continue to ignore the risk of more Cosco Busan spills, ship emissions, ship strikes, and rising ocean noise pollution.
Robert Ovetz, Ph.D.
Executive Director, Seaflow
www.seaflow.org

Save a Turkey
Give a turkey something to be thankful for this Thanksgiving—your own personal pardon. When turkeys aren’t forced to live in filthy factory farms, they spend their days caring for their young, building nests, foraging for food, taking dust baths, preening, and roosting in trees. They relish having their feathers stroked and like to chirp, cluck, and gobble along to their favorite tunes. Poultry scientist Tom Savage says, “I’ve always viewed turkeys as smart animals with personality and character, and keen awareness of their surroundings.”
In the wild, turkeys stay with their mothers for up to the first five months of their lives. A mother turkey will courageously defend her family against predators. Turkeys can live between 10 and 12 years, but in factory farms they are slaughtered when they’re just 5 months old.
Thanksgiving should be a time for celebration, not suffering. Please visit www.VegCooking.com  or call 1-888-VEG-FOOD for humane holiday recipes and information on purchasing a ready-made vegetarian Thanksgiving feast. Have a happy and humane holiday!
Heather Moore
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)

Secure our Borders by opposing the North American Union
I’m glad to see the John Birch Society is continuing their nationwide campaign to secure our borders by opposing any NAU (North American Union) legislation (which will combine America, Mexico, and Canada into one regional government with NO borders) and opposing ANY open borders legislation in Congress or the Senate such as amnesty or "guest worker" bills, etc., being perpetually promoted by the anti-American leaders we have been cursed with in The White House and Congress.
The Birch Society, I also notice, is leaving no stone unturned warning Americans about legislation threatening our borders, and through educational efforts is providing back-up public pressure on Congress to stop this scandalous open borders sell-out of our republic by our own leaders who are obviously front men for their New World Order Globalist bosses.
Congressman Tom Tancredo, R-Colorado has warned that scores of Mid -east terrorist suspects have been arrested crossing our borders which obviously indicates the clear and present danger. I wish to absolutely urge ALL concerned citizens to go to JBS.org and click on ‘Take Action!’(or call: 1-800-JBS-USA-1 for free petition and new immigration report) and also call Congress and Senate toll free: 1-877-851-6437 to stop the NAU, and secure our borders NOW in this on-going struggle to force our own leaders to simply secure our borders! 
Ed Nemechek
Landers, CA

Make Congress Obey Constitution
It is tragic that so few Americans understand what the founders of our nation gave us. Therefore, we have allowed the federal government to erode many of our constitutionally protected rights. Go to www.thenewamerican.com  for details. Search: restoring rights.
On July 4, 1776, the fifty-six signers of the Declaration of Independence stated: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness—that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed….”
Here, we have the basics of Americanism: 1. People are born with natural or God-given rights to life, liberty, and property. 2. People created the federal government and granted it limited powers for the sole purpose of helping to protect their rights. Both the people and the government must obey the U.S. Constitution. Founded on these principles, the United States became the greatest nation in history.
Unfortunately, much that the federal government does today is unconstitutional. We the people need to contact Congress to make it obey our Constitution. 
John A. Clibourn 
North Hills, CA 

America's Unclaimed Citizens
I am a conservative Republican and have been for over 30 years Voted for Nixon and still believe it was the right thing at the time. I don't believe in government hand outs and I want them to keep their hands out of what's mine. This is just to let you know this writers ideology . I used to operate a store which catered to Latin Americans, so I had a large number of Latino customers. One family always stood out when they came, A short tattooed man was head of family and an attractive lady mother of three very different girls. The oldest girl interpreted for the parents, she was very pretty but had signs of a rough childhood. She had self made tattoos on her hands and often she would seem depressed. Her mother would slap her if she was not clearly understood when translating the her requests. Her two sisters One Tall a little heavy very fair skinned with light red hair, the other very thin dark complexion and hair. Always silent but standing by.
On one occasion the oldest girl came by on her own, her family was lagging behind. She was looking at a CD and was wanting it cheaper. I ask her, what she could afford to spend her reply was not much her mother only gave her $1 a week. I said well you look old enough to get a job and earn your own money. She then told me her story. She was born in Mexico and her parents came to this country illegally and settled here. Her two sisters were born here and are citizens. Although she had been raised here since infancy (almost 16 years at the time). She was enrolled in school, but she was not allowed a social security card, therefore she could not get a job. Needles to say I thought she must not be trying very hard because it seems everybody from everywhere can get food stamps, child care assistance, medical, not to mention Social Security cards green cards, work permits etc.. But being the softy I am I told her if she wanted to work the remainder of the day I would pay her and give her the CD.
Over time the relationship grew between this young girl and I, she introduced me to her boyfriend and would stop by the shop ever so often just to chit chat. Never was her citizenship status discussed. She later began working with my DJ business as an assistant DJ ( A subcontractor cash business) She got married (to an illegal alien) by a Justice of the Peace in a Harris County Courthouse and 18 months later gave birth to a son a US Citizen. Then one day she didn't show up for a gig on time, it seems she had been pulled over and given a ticket for failure to have a Texas Drivers License. I was surprised to learn she had been driving all this time with no license, so I asked why....... You are required to present a Social Security Card to get a DL. Then I remembered her story, I said this is ridiculous, you lived here 20 years now, this is the only home you know. I'll find out how to get you your citizenship.
Boy was I in for a wake up call, I got on the internet and could find hundreds of hate organizations against immigration very very few representing an advocacy for people such as this young mother. So I just called the immigration and naturalization service direct. After that call I fell to the floor in shock. The only legal way for this Mother to remain in the only hometown she has ever known was to leave it and move to Mexico although never having been there other than as an infant reside there long enough for the Mexican government to issue her a Visa ( at their discretion) and apply to the US for entrance if granted I then as an employer could fill out a government form requesting a wavier stating that no one in the US could perform the duties but her and if they approved she could get a work permit. Since this seemed ridiculous I asked about the child, the answer even more shocking. If the mother were to be detained for deportation the child would be taken from her and placed by Child Protective Services while they deport the mother. Mind you the mother has committed no crime (No civilized government has ever held an infant accountable for their actions) Illegal entry in the US was twenty years ago by an infant. The only thing the lady has done was live were her parents raised her. All her life she has been treated as less than those with citizenship. In a land of supposed equality. This government stands ready to steal her child and send her to a strange and hostile destination for what reason 
I took her to various immigration attorneys, Catholic Charities, contacted LULAC. ACLU all to no avail. Everybody says there is nothing to do but hold out. I am sorry but I can't stand by and see thousands of young people raised to hate the every thing I love the freedom that this country offers. They are raised as second class nobodies they are not allowed to get legitimate employment, they aren't allowed to comply with the law as they forced to drive without license. Now I have been reading that Apartment homes will be requiring proof of citizenship before renting. These counterproductive steps only make criminals out of more and more people, while we as a society are the true criminals for forcing that populace into a cycle of poverty and desperation leading to criminal behavior thus incarceration, deportations and the scattering of family's 
The abuse she endures is shameful, she cannot get a legal job, she cannot open a bank account, she cannot get a mortgage, she cannot legally drive a car, soon she will be unable to rent a place to live, but if she is caught breaking the law the state can take her child. Is this the America we call home. The only crime she committed was being born in the wrong place. Immoral laws are not law. Think about all those Germans who obeyed and enforced the laws against the Jews in the 1930's and 40's were they honorable how they are looked on know by civilized people.
Rocky Wilhelm
Katy, TX

Big Fan
I just read your article on Roy Head. If you ever see him please tell him he has a new fan! I'm 51 years old and I just discovered him and I think he is great! I bought a DVD collection of the Shindig shows -and on one of them I saw Roy performing "Treat Me Right" and had to find out more about him. 
I am a James Brown fan. That started a year ago and I only like JB's early ballads. 
Why is it that JB was so famous and Roy was not? Roy sure has the talent! 
Love to hear his stories about the music stars of the 60's. 
I hope he stays well and keeps on going! 
Karen Hornbaker 
Pennsylvania

Pro Texas Medical
I am responding to the letter sent and printed in the Bulletin by Drew Thornley of the Texas Public Policy Foundation who writes positively about "Texas Tort Reform" saying that it's been extremely successful. 
Mr. Thornley cites many reasons he observes for its success and I'll agree with most of what he says. Recent Texas Tort Reform has been very successful for the medical profession: doctors and health care providers. 
My disagreement with Mr. Thornley occurs when he erroneously states what Gov. Perry, legislators and the health care industry tell the people of Texas, that: 
"Over the last four years, doctors and insurers have returned in droves, premiums are falling, and health care is more available and affordable."
While this is what pro-medical industry interests want people to believe, the truth is that health insurance premiums are continuing to escalate in cost and health care is NOT more available and affordable for most Texans. 
Regarding health care premiums, only this month Humana and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas (to name only 2) increased each of their health care insurance premiums by approximately $400 per year! Year after year our premiums have been escalated. The industry still cites that the cause for increases are due to the escalating costs of "goods and services". Prior to the passage of Texas Tort Reform, the industry pointed to "frivolous malpractice lawsuits" as the reason for increasing premiums. 
Secondly, the availability of health care has NOT become more available for those who cannot afford health care insurance. More providers have elected NOT to provide services to those on Medicare insurance. 
In fact, it is also true that every year health care providers often cut-back on the quantity of pharmaceuticals covered or eliminate completely certain drug coverages. 
Apparently, while meaning well, Mr. Thornley and many others like him, must be living in a different world than the rest of us. 
Peter Stern
Driftwood, TX

You Gotta Love It
I loved the letter from the person representing the medical industry on tort reform. The only thing medical tort reform did in Texas is severely limit the ability to sue poor medical providers. 
Even if Doctors want to relocate to Texas the medical board that issues the license so that they can relocate has rigged the system so it takes almost a year to do it. I can only assume that they are trying to keep the supply low, the demand high, and the profits at the maximum. 
More people are uninsured in Texas than any other state. This includes our children. If it was working for the average person you think they could buy insurance. 
The insurance industry only wants to insure the highly profitable. Just try to get insurance if you're past fifty and have a history of any medical condition. You are not going to be able to find insurance, for any amount of money. Insurance companies have taken the risk out of insuring people by contracting with only healthy individuals. 
You can spend your life paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to insurance companies in premiums. If you need the insurance company to pay for medical treatments that they determine are excessive you will be canceled.
The people that want all services run at giant profits may be the ones who end up paying in the end. You can’t squeeze your customers to death. Just ask Citibank.
Bob Brown
Conroe, TX 

Where Are Father's Right's?
I have read a lot of articles about abortion that have been written but I keep searching for one article that is written about a father's rights. I have read all about how it is a women's body and how she can do with her body, as she see’s fit. I disagree with the part about doing whatever she see's fit, even if it is her body. The reason being, she had sex with the child's father before she became pregnant. Now the Childs father has or should have the same rights as the expecting mother, but he doesn't. Why isn't the father's opinion or written consent needed before a woman can get an abortion? I do not believe a woman should be able to go and get an abortion without the mutual written consent of the father. Where are the rights of a father? A woman can go get an abortion without the father ever knowing he was a dad. How many thousands have been robbed of being a father because a woman chooses to abort their baby without his knowledge or consent? It's a women's body though, right! If a women chooses to keep the baby, the father by law, is expected to pay half the Childs bills even if the father is notified some 10 years later. There is something terribly wrong with this picture and I do mean terribly wrong. In my eyes no women should be allowed to abort a baby without the written legal consent of the father. Where are the laws to protect the rights of the father and his baby? 
Steve Monnin
Hamilton, OH

Rove, Rove, Rove Your Boat... to Oblivion
What was Newsweek thinking of when it added Karl Rove to its stable of columnists? This is the political consultant who gave President Bush a domestic policy every bit as catastrophic as his Cheney-driven foreign policy disasters-- no easy task. Angry voters had their say in the 2006 mid-term elections – restoring control of Congress to the Democrats-- and the outlook is even grimmer for the GOP in 2008.
So maybe it was subtle satire that simply escaped me when I read Karl’s current Newsweek column advising Republicans, “How to Beat Hillary Next November.” It is a real hoot!
First, Rove tells them to “tackle issues families care about” --jobs, health care, taxes. Voters know the GOP has not only “tackled” these issues, but pursuing the Rove doctrine threw them for huge losses: outsourcing jobs, rejecting health care for children, cutting taxes for the rich. 
Rove somehow failed to mention his golden-oldie, “privatizing Social Security.” Now there was a real winner for the GOP. Voters reacted so strongly to the notion of turning their retirement over to Wall Street that overnight red states turned blue.
Karl’s cincher in beating Hillary: “Be strong on Iraq.” The mind boggles. This neo-con myth still wins the hearts of the top tier of Republican presidential candidates. How can they be so out of touch? The American people hate this war. They want it over. It was the most horrible mistake in our history and an absolute loser at the polls. 
If GOP candidates weren’t already retching at this stage of the Rove column, his next bit of advice should have them reaching for the Advil: “Campaign for the votes of American’s minorities. Go to their communities, listen and learn, demonstrate your engagement and emphasize how your message can provide hope and access to the American Dream for all.” 
Now if that isn’t satire it must be right out of a skit for Saturday Night Live. Rove domestic policies that guided this administration have not only derailed our middle-class but destroyed the “American Dream,” with minorities bearing the brunt. One-third of Americans today are “downwardly mobile” making less than their parents and African Americans are particularly vulnerable to tumbling down the economic ladder. A new report from the Pew Charitable Trust noted that a shocking 45 percent of African Americans from solidly middle-class families have fallen into the bottom 20 percent of income distribution.
As for GOP Presidential candidates demonstrating their “engagement” with minorities, that ship has sailed already. At every viable minority audience, they have been no-shows. They couldn’t be found at presidential debates staged by historically black Morgan State University, of the NAACP, the National Urban League and the National Council of La Raza. Even J.C. Watts, a former GOP leader in the House, called their decision ignoring minority audiences “stupid” and Newt Gingrich termed their so-called ‘scheduling conflicts’ as “baloney.” Former GOP Vice Presidential candidate Jack Kemp asked: “What are we going to do—meet in a country club in the suburbs one day?”
Never mind. Karl Rove assures GOP candidates that Hillary is “eminently beatable.” 
Sure. Anyone is beatable. But not if the Republican candidate follows Rove’s advice.
Victor Kamber

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