Letters from our Readers - October 2007

You Have to Draw the Line
You have to hand it to Bush. He’s going to draw the line on spending and veto the bill that would have insured more kids. The reason he gives is the money it would cost. 
The real reason is because he and other Republican leaders have friends, and political contributors in high places. These friends run the insurance companies. The insurance companies like to insure kids because they for the most part are low risk high profit items.
After all if the State provides low cost insurance to young people how are insurance executives going to make millions off of insuring kids? If they don’t make millions off of insuring kids how are they going to pass along the profits to the politicians? How are the politicians going to keep passing bills that benefit their few rich friends if they don’t get elected? If none of that happens how are they going to retire from politics and make millions as a board member for an insurance company?
Bob Smith
Conroe, TX

The Agent of the Agents of Death
A nice premium frozen turkey on my backdoor step greeted me for several Thanksgivings while serving as a young mayor. This turkey came from a vendor doing business with our city. Ironically, the vendor didn’t know that I was a total vegetarian.
With this in mind, if I were the CEO of Big and Brutal Tobacco, I would have my “Agents of Death” thinking 24/7 on how to buy the votes needed to stop the federal tobacco tax increase proposed to fund the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. My AOD would know when these federal lawmakers needed restroom stops and their toilet paper preference. I would offer the “turkey farm” for SCHIP “nay” votes.
My anti-BBT fantasy would be that all who voted against SCHIP be given a Polygraph Test with the question if they were given or promised under-the-radar gifts regarding their “Nay” vote. President Bush would be the first to test if he vetoes the bill. 
My three siblings and I all under the ages of 18 were left fatherless with no medical or dental insurance as BBT loved our poor dad to death. We got no sympathy card or apology from BBT. 
Mike Sawyer
Executive Director 
I Will Never Use Tobacco, Inc.
Birmingham, Alabama

Full Circle
It was August, 2002 and my wife and I were visiting her brother in Albany, New York. At that time, the Bush Administration was laying the groundwork for their marketing campaign that officially began in September (White House Chief of Staff, Andrew Card stated that…”From a marketing point of view, you don’t introduce new products in August”.) to convince the American public that war with Iraq was in our country’s national interest. 
My brother-in-law, a life long Republican (Served in the NY State Assembly and was US Senator Alfonse D’Amato chief of staff), told us that we had to “trust” the Administration, and particularly VP Cheney when we both told him that we were extremely skeptical about the rationale to go to war with Iraq (At that time, the Administration varied from regime change, WMDs, Sadaam gassing his own people, trying to kill Dubya’s dad, Poppy, national interest, etc.).
We told him that, in all due respect, Cheney was part of the Iran-Contra debacle during the Reagan Administration that was behind sending Ollie North to Iran with a birthday cake for the Ayatollah so that we could obtain weapons from that country (You just can’t make this stuff up!)! Further, we told him that we did not trust Cheney as far as we could throw him! We added that we thought that if we went to war with Iraq, we would be bogged down in a quagmire and the whole Middle East would be thrown into total turmoil. 
Fast forward to General Petraeus’s recent testimony before both houses of Congress (Coincidentally on September 11th.) The General told Congress that after 4 and ½ years of fighting their and the loss of 3800+ of our troops plus 36,000+ wounded (In addition, least we forget that Cheney and crew told us we would be greeted as liberators and that the war would be paid for by Iraqi oil!), we could not take out troops out because….”it could not only destabilize Iraq’s new government, but cause total destabilization of the Middle East region”. 
Hum, that sounds an awful lot like what my wife and I were telling her brother 5 years ago before the war even begun! Further, if the General doesn’t think that the Iraqi government isn’t already destabilized by the Iraq civil war and that the Middle East is not already destabilized with Iran now enjoying an Iraqi government that is more aligned with them than us (Geez, you’ve seen the photos of Maliki holding hands with Ahmadinejad), then he needs to get out of the Green Zone more.
Fortunately, my brother-in-law has come to his senses on the Iraq war and supports a partition of the government and a pull out of our troops there. Unfortunately, the die hard Republicans that watch Fox News, read the Washington Times and listen to O’Reilly, Limbaugh and Hannity, still support Bush and Cheney on staying the course in Iraq. They continue to see victory in Iraq just around the “next” corner. Yet, all of the corners turned in Iraq have led us, full circle, back to square one with no end in sight and a war without end.
Jim Farrell 
Oak Ridge North, TX

Winning in Iraq
Our mission in Iraq is among the most important in our nation’s history. As the central front in the Global War on Terror, Iraq is where the forces of freedom, tolerance and democracy are fighting to defeat the tyranny and oppression of Al-Qaeda and radical Islam. We know from our troops in the field that if we allow the terrorists to win in Iraq, they will surely follow us home. This war has been costly for America in both lives and dollars, but the consequences of failure would be catastrophic.
On September 10th, Congress received a revealing report from General David Petraeus, commanding officer of the international coalition in Iraq. Gen. Petraeus led the 101st Airborne with distinction and served in Iraq for three years before he was unanimously confirmed to this position by the U.S. Senate. His report detailed encouraging signs of progress and offered clear, achievable goals. But, as our military success continues, we will increasingly rely on Iraqi political leaders who have thus far failed to make adequate progress.
Earlier this year, our generals on the ground proposed, and President Bush approved, a surge of 30,000 troops deployed to Iraq. These expanded forces shipped out with the objective to stabilize Baghdad and embattled regions, and return home. As Gen. Petraeus reported, he is now able to recommend a drawdown of the surge because conditions on the ground merit such action.
For example, Al-Anbar was once an Al-Qaeda stronghold. Thanks to the renewed focus of the surge and cooperation with local sheiks, progress in this province is reported to be remarkable. Young Iraqis, once disillusioned and eager to join the ranks of the insurgency, are now enlisting in the national army. In Baghdad, the number of violent civilian deaths has fallen by 80 percent, and nationwide, car bombings are down 50 percent. As Gen. Petraeus said in a letter to the troops, “We are, in short, a long way from the goal line, but we do have the ball and we are driving down the field.”
Despite clear progress, some of my Senate colleagues continue to disregard the advice of our military leaders and call for precipitous withdrawal of our entire force. We’ve seen many challenges in Iraq, and mistakes have been made, but our goal of a stable Iraq that can be an ally in the Global War on Terror must not be diminished. We cannot endanger American security because of political expediency. Instead, we can now keep our commitments with fewer American forces, because the surge provided a safer environment for the training of Iraqi troops. President Bush recently announced that 5,700 American servicemembers should be home by Christmas, and tens of thousands more by next summer. 
The achievements outlined in Gen. Petraeus’ testimony demonstrate that our military strategies must be determined by events in theatre, not timetables set by micromanaging politicians 6,000 miles away. 
While the security improvements are apparent, more must be done to achieve long-term political reconciliation. The U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, also testified last week, and described a somewhat fractured and ineffective Iraqi government. As we aid in the establishment of stable leadership, we must recognize the cultural and sectarian divisions that have existed in Iraq for 14 centuries. We should allow Iraqis to create semi-autonomous federal regions, sharing in national oil revenues, and each responsible for local law enforcement, commerce, security and education. Such a solution helped to stem the tide of violence in the Balkans in the 1990s, and would facilitate peace in Iraq. We should also expect more constructive involvement from neighboring countries in the region, which have a large stake in a stable Iraq.
Whatever course our continued progress in Iraq takes, it must not include abandonment of our principles, nor disregard for the gains already made by our armed forces. Our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guards have sacrificed greatly to keep us safe and free, and we must support them as they complete their mission. Although some may call for surrender, I remain dedicated to winning the Global War on Terror, so that future generations may experience the same freedom past generations gave to us. 
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison

Guess Who
Hey kids! can you guess who said this quote concerning an invasion of Iraq? : "There would have been a U.S. occupation of Iraq. None of the Arab forces that were willing to fight with us in Kuwait were willing to invade Iraq. Once you got to Iraq and took it over, took down Saddam Hussein's government, then what are you going to put in its place? ... It's a quagmire if you go that far and try to take over Iraq. ... And the question for the president, in terms of whether or not we went on to Baghdad, took additional casualties in an effort to get Saddam Hussein, was how many additional dead Americans is Saddam worth? ... Our judgment was, not very many, and I think we got it right." -- Dick Cheney, 1994.
As I write this letter there have been 3,761 soldiers killed in Iraq. If that is "...not very many..." to dick and "w" then I wonder how many more "...dead americans..." it will take?
Rick Amburgey
Spring, Texas

Please Help
My Mom, Donna London; was killed in a car accident on I-45 North just south of the Rayford/Sawdust Exit at approximately 7:45 AM on April 27, 2007. She died at the scene and there are no witness accounts. The police report states: A PT Cruiser changed lanes in front of a semi-truck and was struck by the semi. The semi pushed the PT Cruiser into my Mom's car causing her Dodge Neon to hit the cement barrier and begin rolling. My Mom was the only person killed in this accident, however no one is taking responsibility and there are no witness accounts other than the truck driver's. 
If you have any information please contact me by email miraclefamily@cox.net  and then we can exchange phone numbers.
Audra Miracle

Roy Head
I read your articles on the internet about Roy Head. I would like to know if there is anyway to purchase Head's country albums that were published in the mid 1970's. One of the albums had Most Wanted Women on it and the other album had a song titled Angel with a Broken Wing. u can find most of the new albums on the internet, but not these two. Any help would be appreciated. 
Larry Anderson

More Roy
Should you be interested in reading the earliest history of "Roy Head and the Traits," you can now find it at myspace.com/royhead andthetraits You will also find some photos or our playing reunion which occurred in Y2001. 
My name is Dan Buie and I am the original piano player for the group. If you would like to link our pages I think that would be nice and helpful to readers interested in Roy Head. However, I'm afraid that I am a bit too technically challenged to do such a think. 
Otherwise, should you want to use parts of our early history document please give appropriate credit. 
Dan Buie 
Martindale, TX

And More Roy
Just read your article on Roy Head...I was a big fan back in the 70's of his country music...I still remember MOST of the words to Now you see em,now you don't....funny thing, though; I have been trying to find
sheet music for the song,I would like to record it myself...Even Ernest Tubbs record shop could find no listing for the song...it took me 2 years to find someone who finally let me know that it was Gene Watson who cut "I Feel A Sin Coming ON".I met Roy at
his club in Porter once, but have never had the pleasure of meetin Gene Watson...if you should happen to talk to either of these fellows, would you give them my email address? I would love to cut a duet with
them. I would like to extend my thanks to you for the research and thorough job you did on this article...well done...I thought I would never find anyone else who remembered Roy Head doing Now you see
'em...lol...thank you.......
Jim Schultz
Ellisville, MS

And Even More Roy
I read your article on Roy Head and found it very informative and can see where his son Sundance gets his talent. He seems like a proud and supportive father and this is why I am writing. I was driving to work the other day and heard the John Fogerty version of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" and thought that would be a dynamite song for Sundance to sing for American Idol. If you agree, pass it on when your hangin with Roy. 
Great article, 
Jim

(We have received hundreds of letters on Roy Head. All of you that asked where and when Roy would be playing should turn to the center section of the paper. He’s going to be playing at The Conroe Catfish Festival in downtown Conroe, playing on Saturday, October 13th at 8p. Visit www.conroecajuncatfishfestival.com  for more information.)

So, Why Aren't There Enough Tax Dollars... Really? 
So, "Is there is, or is there ain't" enough tax dollars? 
Texas taxpayers are told the same old, same old story by the governor, legislators and various state agencies --- that there isn't enough tax revenue on-hand to pay for the services residents need. So, taxpayers constantly are being asked to pay more taxes --- although the GOP platform is "No New Taxes" --- and still the people get little or no relief. Add to all this extra taxation the fact that the cost of our daily living expenses continue escalate dramatically. 
Instead of proposing bond packages for schools, roads and services and rather than to implement long-term costly toll road taxation shouldn't state government do what we families have to do when we live above our means? Shouldn't state government review its spending and then cut out the financial "fat" while trimming-down expenses that aren't really needed? 
Let's question some of the costs Texas taxpayers are forced to bear: 
Gov. Perry is renovating the Governor's Mansion (the people are paying for it) and has moved into a posh home at a cost to taxpayers of almost $10,000 per month. I seem to recall an Arkansas governor living in a trailer until his residence was renovated. 
Taxpayers must pay for the lifetime retirement packages for all retired legislators, that includes health benefits and approximately payments of $50,000 per year each. (Now I'm not saying they don't deserve the packages, I'm just mentioning where some of our tax dollars go) 
Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) uses thousands of taxpayer dollars to advertise its toll road agenda and also to lobby the U.S. Congress to change the laws so it may charge tolls on existing already-paid-for roadways. 
The governor and legislators refuse to provide public education with more tax dollars, saying the system must work with the money it gets; however, to get the money schools need to operate local school districts propose bonds and the local tax districts increase home appraisal values to compensate for the state's lack of adequate financing. 
TxDOT continues to cry poverty, saying it hasn't money in its budget to build and maintain roadways; consequently, local districts must raise more tax dollars to provide adequate roadways for their residents. Often, to raise sufficient revenue, these districts propose road bond packages or increase the local tax rate. 
Legislators have created tax "accounts" from which they divert tax dollars to other interests. Originally, each of these tax "accounts" were for one purpose but in actuality, they have become a general "slush" fund. One such account is the gasoline tax revenue account, which initially was created to build and maintain our roadways. These days legislators divert 40 percent of the revenue collected from the "frozen" gas tax and divert it to other interests --- hence, the shortage of transportation funds. The blame goes to the "frozen" nature of the gas tax; however, the real reason for the shortage is due to the diversion of its revenue. 
Many state agencies, e.g., TxDOT, have omnipotent power or have little oversight. Many of these agencies are NOT accountable to the people of Texas. Many have outlandish expenditures that must be cut. While this is true of TxDOT and many other agencies, there are some agencies that are operating in a "bare bones" status and need more money. Some agencies, e.g., the Sunset Commission have outlived their usefulness and must be eliminated.
The above are just a few of the many issues in our state government. The lax attitude and special interest motivation has hurt Texas taxpayers. 
Instead of creating changes for the better, our state government continues to be "fat". Without more "exercise" and "trimming-down" it is only a matter of time before our state government develops a major "cardiac" problem, resulting in a fatal "stroke" that further results in "paralysis". 
Government must stop demanding that Texas taxpayers continue to bear more financial responsibility for its inadequate operations. 
Instead of demanding more money from residents, government must begin to heal itself. 
Like most of us who need to lose weight and trim-down, government needs support to do so. Voters must demand more government accountability before it has a major stroke. 
Peter Stern
Driftwood, TX

Presidential Denials
“We have no homosexuals in our country.” (Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad)
“We do not torture in our country.” (U.S. President, George W. Bush)
Bill Barnes
Conroe, TX 

Brady Is Born Again
It was truly hard to believe. There in the Villager's "Guest Column" was our Congressman Brady telling us that he was actually for health care for kids before he was against it (He supports Bush's veto of the Congressional bill that expands a children's health insurance program), and that he wished the ..."Congressional Democrat leaders will stop playing political games and sit down with Republicans who support children's health insurance.." 
Hum, I'm wondering if he's speaking of Republicans like former Texas State Representative Arlene Wohgemuth (R-Burleson), who as chair of the state House Appropriations Subcommittee for Health and Human Services, drew up budget cuts in 2005 to remove 157,000 children from the Children's Health Insurance Program. a federal/state program for working families who can't afford health insurance programs. As a reward for her efforts, Ms. Wohgemuth was defeated in '06 in her run for the U.S. House by Democrat Chet Edwards, even though her new Texas district, drawn up with the help of none other than Tommy DeLay, had 59% Republicans, including Dubya's ranch in Crawford. 
I'm also wondering if he's speaking of the many, many Republicans, unlike himself, in the U.S. Senate and House who supported this legislation and will definitely override Bush's veto in the Senate and hopefully in the House. Unfortunately, in his "guest column", Brady somehow forgot to mention the support this bill received from his fellow Republicans. 
And, final, I'm wondering if he's speaking of the many Republicans across American who overwhelmingly favor this legislation (61% in a recent Washington Post poll)? 
Let me tell you, if Bush's veto is not overridden in this case, I see a 1964 type debacle coming for Republicans in Congress. Like the spotted owl of a few years back, they too may become an endangered species! 
Jim Farrell 
Oak Ridge North, TX

Let’s Make Mothers’ Prayers a Reality
If ever there were an issue that should transcend party politics, it is the health of our children. 
President Bush has just vetoed a bill that would have expanded the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and given 10 million children access to much-needed health insurance 
Even though more than 20 percent of Texas children lack health coverage, Sen. John Cornyn has voted twice against renewing SCHIP. While fellow Texas Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison supported the bipartisan bill, Cornyn cold heartedly turned his back on Texas kids. 
SCHIP is a win-win, saving taxpayers money while protecting Texas’ most vulnerable. Without health insurance, parents are doomed to emergency room visits rather than pursuing preventive care. Of course, taxpayers bear the enormous cost of this reactive approach.
With 1.4 million uninsured kids right here in Texas, we can no longer ignore this growing crisis. We must support and elect officials who will make mothers’ prayers for health care for their children a reality.
Barbara Peyton
Montgomery, TX

Me and Rush
“Sorry Mike, but you’re too old,” the Army chaplain representative told me the other day before my 55 birthday. 
Uncle Sam continues to advertise for chaplains. I have the required Master of Divinity degree, and a few days ago, ran five miles under 43 minutes with my 190 lb.(86.18 kilograms) body. Not much body fat here.
So why does our government legislate against age discrimination for all employers and then declare that you can be too old for U.S. military service?
Even though, I am opposed to our Iraq War, I believe that it would be an honor and blessing for me to be a small part of the lives of our young soldiers on the battlefield.
Seems like very pro-Iraq War Mr. Rush Limbaugh should be campaigning for declaring this age restriction unconstitutional.
It would be divine for me to be chaplain for Rush in Iraq. 
With compassion,
Mike Sawyer
Birmingham, Alabama

A Sure Way To Win
I got a sure way to win the Presidency. 
Run for office promising --- Elect me and I will open a bank account with $6,000 in it for EVERY American. (This will be no problem because it will only cost $1.8 trillion dollars.) 
Wait --- $6,000 a vote --- is this bribery? 
Nah --- If it were bribery, Hillary Clinton wouldn't be offering $5,000 for every child.
Mike Ford
Austin, TX

Vote No on 1, 2, & 3
Avoiding annexation by Houston is a perennial effort in The Woodlands and local leaders have repeatedly stated that The Woodlands has made itself an unattractive takeover target; I've heard and read that: 
The Town Center has maxed out the sales tax rate to pay down convention center debt and continues to take on debt for future projects. Texas law prohibits sales taxes greater than 8.25% so there's no money for Houston up here. 
Cities don't want to annex just residential areas, it's too costly Houston, in retrospect, didn't fare well by annexing Kingwood, there's a chance Houston City Council will remember that Just in case Houston does try to annex us, there's a moratorium agreement in place that would effectively delay any annexation until 2014 at the earliest.
A vote to pass propositions 1, 2, & 3 is a rush to outbid ourselves; what's worse is that proposition 3 could give TCID the right to tax us when we have no representation on that board. I'm voting no on propositions 1, 2, & 3.
Joe Merrill
The Woodlands, Texas 

If We Can’t Pay Our Medical Bills, Have the Terrorists Won?
“Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” was a proud moment in American history. Standing alongside the Berlin wall that divided east and west Germans, President Ronald Reagan demanded it be removed.
Eventually it was. America won the old-fashioned way — by spending the Soviet Union into bankruptcy in the decades-long Cold War arms race.
Now Osama bin Laden is doing the same to us. America is spending $15 billion a month in Iraq to wage a mistaken war that is a recruiting bazaar for Al Queda terrorists. Somewhere in a well-stocked cave in ally Pakistan, bin Laden must be laughing his turban off.
Our national debt is exploding. Today it stands at more than $9 trillion, a 56 percent increase under President Bush. That’s $29,728 for every man, woman and child in our nation. As Comptroller General David Walker has warned: “Continuing on the unsustainable fiscal path will gradually erode, if not suddenly damage, our economy, our standard of living and ultimately our national security.”
I don’t know whether Gorbachev had a comptroller general to provide advance notice of imminent bankruptcy that overspending brings, but President Bush has had a number of warning signs thrust in his path and he continues to put the pedal to the metal.
If spending in Iraq means America can’t afford health care for our children or infrastructure maintenance to keep our bridges from falling down, then the terrorists have won.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer recently described for the National Press Club the fiscal record of the Republican Party. He termed it a “decades-long train wreck.” He said that “for 18 of the 26 years I have served in Congress, a Republican has occupied the White House. And in every single year of those Republican Administrations, the federal government ran a budget deficit.”
The Maryland Democrat said the cumulative deficits under Presidents Reagan, George Herbert Walker Bush and George W. Bush total more than $4.1 trillion. In contrast, the Clinton Administration had a cumulative surplus of nearly $63 billion over eight years. Under President Clinton, the federal government reduced the deficits he inherited and recorded four consecutive surpluses, the first time that had happened in 70 years.
The interest payments on the national debt in 2007 are a projected $235 billion. That’s more than Congress appropriates for any government department or agency other than Defense. It’s four times more than we spend on education, and seven times more than we spend on Homeland Security.
“This administration has pursued the most fiscally irresponsible policies in American history,” said Hoyer. Although Democrats get hammered as “tax-and-spend,” he told his press club audience that “the Democratic Party is the party of fiscal responsibility today — which is a very under-reported story.”
Sure is. So is the fact that the Russian government still had a few rubles left in the treasury when they allowed that wall to come tumbling down. 
Victor Kamber

Stop Forced Hiring of Homosexuals By Churches
In the last few years, the rights of homosexuals have taken the national spotlight in an alarming way. Using their sexual preference to achieve “minority status,” gay activists are pushing for “equal rights” legislation in places where sexual preference should not be a deciding factor. This has most recently culminated in the form of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), a bill that, if passed, would force religious entities and non-profit corporations to hire homosexuals or else face losing their tax-exempt status.
This is a huge problem for religious entities like church-related charities and Christian schools which view homosexuality in direct opposition to their belief system. The bill lamely attempts to remedy this concern with a clause of “religious exclusion” that does precious little to protect faith-based organizations. Under the clause, a homosexual could not be hired as a religion teacher at a Christian school, but could be hired to teach any number of other classes such as biology and algebra. If these institutions were to refuse to hire homosexuals, the consequences would be dire. The loss of the tax-exempt status that these organizations rely on to offset operating costs and other expenses would crush them. To punish these groups through such revocation would be blatantly unconstitutional!
Supporters of ENDA claim the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as a rallying point although sexual preference is not a constitutionally protected right under the legal proposition of “equal protection.” The Act, which works as a sort of “equal protection” in the business world, protects against a bias of race, ethnicity, and/or gender in the workplace. All of the aforementioned qualifiers are “inherent” traits that warrant protection, as opposed to a “lifestyle choice” that is in direct conflict with the moral majority. 
Matt Barber of Concerned Women for America notes that the bill is “The Emperor’s New Clothes meets George Orwell” and that “this bill pits the government directly against religion, which is unconstitutional on its face.” Homosexuals do not constitute a legitimate “class” that deserves a set of “equal rights.” This may have something to do with ENDA not passing muster previously; it was introduced and shot down in the 1970s; then re-introduced in 1996 and was defeated in the Senate. 
A vote is planned this week which will determine if this bill will pass to the next level. If this legislation passes, groups from your local Christian school to the Boy Scouts of America could lose their right to operate their organizations in accordance to their beliefs.
President Reagan wisely said, “The majority of Americans want what those first Americans wanted: A better life for themselves and their children; a minimum of government authority.” Striking down this bill is a great exercise in a “minimum of government authority”, one that will preserve things that do better our lives. This bill has been voted down twice before; there’s no reason it shouldn’t be voted down again. Please call your Congressman immediately and urge him/her to vote down this dangerous and unconstitutional bill.
Gina Parker-Ford
Waco, TX

Gore, U.N. Group Win 2007 Nobel Peace Prize 
I wonder what Big Coal, Exxon, the RNC and their paid slanderer, Rush Limbaugh, will come up with to cheapen and deride him this time? 
Bill Barnes 
Conroe, TX

Gambling in Texas
We use to travel to Las Vegas, now we travel to Louisiana, Eagle Pass to enjoy our gambling. Yes we won and lost that why it's call gambling. We also use to play the lotto games as well as the scratch off which there was little to no return profit on that so we stop playing the so call Texas lottery and scratch offs. That is something we can leave with out. Bingo is out. Since yes the pots are bigger but since it open up to so many states ,I probably will be hit by lighting before I would win the lotto. 
Yes we gamble as I said, but in our middle 50's that is our enjoyment on getting away from everyday issues and stress and mini weekend vacations. 
Now I am not saying that the casino in Texas will solve world huger as everybody expects to but San Antonio is just one of many tourist cities which brings in $$$$$$$$. conventions, Sea world ,Fiesta Texas, Golf , Sports = Go Spurs Go ,Dallas Cowboys, How about them boys. you get my drift so why not boost the economy with a place for grown up's to unwind and have some fun. Think about employing people . 
I have noting against any group of people, but they should not interfer with what as you guys say half or at least half of the people want Gambling. 
Maybe if everybody would stop thinking how it would help our schools ( since I don't have any kids in school, should I not pay school taxes since I don't have any kids in school ,sound's good to me) also ( with all the billions of dollars they have made from the lottery school issues should of been solve by now if you can find that money. What i'm trying to say we all can't have brick houses, so if the Baptist don't want gambling, well they don't have to visit the casino's. Has everybody forgotten this is America not IRAQ. 
The boat is getting to leave the docks and again Texas has miss their calling.
Name Withheld

Ron Paul’s Pro-Freedom Movement
Ron Paul may be the Candidate who breaks through. His campaign has turned into the most significant Pro-Freedom mass movement in modern American history.
Ron Paul, called 'Modern-Day Founding Father', excites and inspires grassroots America in a way not seen since Ron Reagan. After the first Republican debate, Paul was most “googled” and “yahooed” person on the Internet in May and June 2007. At meetup.com, over 52,000 Americans are signed up for local meetups. (Romney & Guiliani each have less than 20). Dr. Paul notes that many in his meetup groups and attending rallies are young supporters who read and learn about Freedom while supporting him.
One young Paul organizer said, “He’s the only Republican running on a humble foreign policy, meaning no nation building; a true defender of our Constitution. His message of freedom and liberty is gaining him popularity daily. He’s more like Reagan than any other candidate, and the only Republican I’d vote for."
Patriotic “Paulies” create flyers, buy yard signs, make banners, and with a depth of concern for America, make personal campaigning for Freedom a young and vibrant 'Hope For America' Revolution! 
Perhaps with Ron Paul, Freedom has a chance!
Tami Freedman
Rossville, GA

Where is the Support?
My name is Toni Laird and I'm the VA Team director for an all volunteer non profit organization. I'm in the process of putting together an event in Conroe called the 1st Annual Veteran's Vittles Cook-Off on October 26th and 27th at the Montgomery County Fair Grounds. The reason I'm writing to you today is because I am a bit discouraged. The reason for our event is to raise funds for a new team for our organization, the Soldiers' Angels VA Team. We are trying to provide aide and support for Veterans who have sacrificed so much for this country and the many who have been forgotten. We are arranging to have "angels" go into, and help the veterans at the VA hospitals as well as helping veterans in the community and homeless veterans; and we are having great success. All VA hospitals have a wish list, and on that wish list are items that are mostly for the veterans who are patients at their facility but some items are items that the VA needs to help better the environment for the veterans that there just simply is NO budget for. What has been so shocking for me in my journey is to know that a veteran who is a patient at a VA Hospital is not provided with many necessities of life unless it has been donated. 
I have just been amazed to learn that a veteran who is an in-patient at the hospital is not provided with such items as a tooth brush, tooth paste or deodorant unless it has been donated to give to them. This is not the fault of the VA system, but most of them do not have the budget to provide these items for their patients. If it was not for the kindness of the people, many of these brave men and women would simply do without, and some do! That for us was just unacceptable! We strive to make sure that there are "None Forgotten." 
The reason I write you with a heavy heart today is because I have been discouraged to find a lack of support for our cause! I would have thought that we would have had many people jumping on board and wanting to donate or help with such a worth while cause, but that has not been the case! Sometimes it seems like people who enjoy their freedom so readily, do not take the time to give back, or say "Thanks" to those who have served before and are serving now. I volunteer much of my time to this organization because I support it's efforts! I do what I do in the name and honor of my grand father who was a WWII Vet and his brother who was a WWII POW Survivor! Hopefully in the coming days we will see the community rally for this event. It would help to reassure me about my efforts and the heart of the people. 
Toni Laird 
VA Team Director, Soldiers' Angels 
www.soldiersangels.org

Hoorays for Hayes 
I just stumbled upon your article about Hayes Carll. A long-time fan of Hayes, I think he is one of the most talented and original performers, and in my opinion, he seldom receives the attention he deserves. I was very pleased to read your piece. Thank you so much for sharing, and please keep doing what you do!
Lorri Underwood 
Houston, TX 

Non Profit for Profit
Poor, poor Gina Parker -Ford -Lincoln- Mercury. She is afraid that if homosexuals are allowed to teach classes - other than religious classes - at religious schools then the end must be near. And if homosexuals are not allowed to teach classes -other than religious classes- at religious schools then the government will take away the church's subsidies ( tax exempt status) which will "crush them." She then evokes the words of the almighty (no, not THAT almighty) ronnie reagan who was also for "...a minimum of government authority.”
Ms. Ford may believe in a minimum of government authority in her church's business but she most definitely believes in a maximum of government authority when it comes to handing out the free gifts! What a deal! Who wouldn't want such a deal? She calls homosexuality "a lifestyle choice that is in direct conflict with the moral majority". but which majority is she talking about? Catholic priests? Montrose residents? Republican lawmakers? Maybe she should ask dick cheney's homosexual daughter or White House guest/reporter/ homosexual prostitute Jeff Gannon/ Guckert if it is a lifestyle "choice"? I'll bet Judy Ruiliani...I mean Rudy Giuliani is her favorite Republican symbol of sexual identity. She can act righteous and put him down when he is dressed like a woman and then embrace him with open arms when he is just a mild mannered Republican candidate for President. Talk about multi-tasking! Ms Ford can simultaneously put down the government when it asks her for some help while she is taking it's free money! I once read where a fairly famous religious dude once said: "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's" I can't place his name right this minute but maybe Gina knows who I am talking about and no, it is not Uncle Ronnie or even "w". I think this religious guy was saying that if your faith in the creator of all the universe is strong then give your soul to the creator and the rest to man and his governments. There just doesn't seem to be very many people with that kind of strong faith anymore.
So, to summarize, Gina wants the government to support her while she refuses to support it, ronald reagan is a wise man, there are no gays in her party and she is a believer in religion that is so strong that it will crumble to dust if it loses the support of same inept government. Yep! She is a republican alright! 
Richard Amburgey
Spring, TX

The Constitution
In last weeks rant by Gina she stated that (I think I got this right) It is against the constitutional rights of a non profit organization to have to hire people of all types in order to keep their non profit status. 
I don’t think the rules of not having to pay taxes were ever mentioned in the constitution. As a matter of fact most non profits out there such as churches, chambers of commerce, and so on, have pushed the rules to the point that their non profit status should be revoked. 
It is against the (501)3c rules for any organization that is granted the unique position of not having to pay taxes to get involved in politics. In addition to this advantage they also are able to collect donations that are tax deductible to the person or organization who donated the money to the (501) 3c, as long as they play by the rules.
Non profits that operate under these rules have great advantages over other companies or organizations that operate under normal business rules and pay taxes. 
The answer for many groups that want to have their cake and eat it too is to give up their (501)3c status, and apply for one of the many other types of non profit classifications that have less benefits when it comes to taxes. Or they could operate as any other business and pay their fair tax burden.
As always, it’s a question of money and who makes it - not the constitution.
Bob Brown
Conroe, TX

Credit Card Trick or Treat 
Children dressed as ghosts and goblins are not the only ones playing tricks this Halloween; some credit card companies may also have a few tricks up their sleeves that could cost you money. According to a 2005 study conducted by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), creditors are increasingly employing subtle and sometimes sneaky tactics to hide potential fees from consumers.
Before signing up for a new credit card, be sure to understand all aspects of the credit card agreement, including what will be charged for late payments, what actions could cause your card’s interest rate to rise, and all accompanying fine print. Although deceitful, the tricks credit card companies employ are legal, leaving you the option to either stay informed or incur fees. 
The experts at Consumer Credit Counseling Services, a division on Money Management International, explain some typical “tricks”, to help you be aware of these pitfalls and avoid unnecessary fees:
Hide it in the fine print. According to the GAO study, creditors trick customers by explaining fees in language that is hard to understand, burying important information in unrelated text, and utilizing other various strategies that reduce consumers’ ability to understand the agreement they are signing. It is very important to read and comprehend the fine print prior to accepting or applying for a credit card offer. If you don’t understand, ask an expert to explain it to you.
Lure them with teaser rates. Low introductory rates may seem tempting at first, especially if you are thinking of transferring a balance from a card with a higher interest rate. However, read the fine print before you proceed-- the lower rate may apply just to new purchases. Also, the new rate may only be applicable for an introductory period, generally six months. Be sure to find out what the future rate will be after the introductory rate has expired or a payment has been missed. 
Catch them with Universal Default Penalty. More and more credit card issuers are using the universal default provision, which states that if you are more than 30 days late on a payment to anyone, the interest rate on your credit card could rise. This means that if you miss a phone bill payment, your rate could jump to the highest limit allowed by law. According to a recent survey from the Institute of Consumer Financial Education, a staggering 39 percent of credit card issuers said they apply the rule to customers, even if they had no late payments on their own card. 
With the holidays right around the corner, take special caution with any credit offers you receive. Knowing how much consumers traditionally overspend, credit card companies often send offers to “skip a payment” or promise free gifts. Make sure you know what you’re agreeing to. In many cases, the money you save initially could cost you much more in the long run.
Tommye White
National Director of Education for the Consumer Credit Counseling Service 
www.moneymanagement.org 
Bryan, TX

Proposed Amendment 15: A Noble Attempt to Wipe-Out Cancer, or Just Another Political Scam? 
Perry and others want to use a General Fund to divert money into this effort by providing tax dollars to more of the governor's special interest campaign contributors. For the past decade our legislators have used many funds set up as General [Slush] Funds from which they divert millions of taxpayer dollars to other interests. It is NOT the right thing to do. The funds are set up for specific purposes and yet state law permits lawmakers to divert our dollars to whatever whim they have. 
Sorry, I don't trust Perry. 
While curing cancer is a noble objective, we need to be skeptical of how our government uses our tax dollars. In an age in which we are constantly told that there are NOT enough tax dollars to run our government and services the way they need to be operated, should we take more tax dollars away from where it is needed to redirect them to another interest ---- an interest for which there is no real game plan? 
Let "the great minds of Texas" arrive at a REAL plan to research cancer and then ask the voters to approve financing for it. As for me, I don't trust our elected officials --- especially Rick Perry. 
Then I want to see an unbiased board, representative of the people of Texas, to provide the non-political oversight to ensure that tax dollars are used in the most effective way possible to provide the research to eliminate this dreaded disease. 
During the past 7 years of following Rick Perry's motivations and actions, I remain highly skeptical of ANYTHING the governor lobbies for, 19 out of 20 times it is NOT in the best interests of the Texas community at-large, but is for his wealthy campaign contributors. 
Peter Stern,
Driftwood, TX

(Editor's Note: Good questions Peter. Our question is how much will the average tax payer be expected to pay for a cure that he or she could never afford to make use of. With fewer and fewer average Texans able to afford Health Insurance, or health care, it almost seems like a form of torture. If you were rich like us, your kid could live too. Mike Ladyman) 

Don’t Believe Prop 15’s Hype
As one whose wife died of cancer, I might at first blush appear surprisingly to be the grinch who stole Christmas. But it would be intellectually remiss not to reveal the shortcomings and alternatives to Proposition 15, on the ballot November 6. 
Texans will be asked to authorize the state (that is, taxpayers) to issue $300 million a year for 10 years ($3 billion) for research on the causes and cures for cancer. Actually, the cost would be $4.6 billion, with $1.6 billion added for interest on the bonds.
It is a humane cause, but voters need more information. Here are five points you probably won’t hear from Proposition 15’s well-intentioned supporters.
One. The average cost of getting a cancer drug through the FDA’s clearance process is now $1.4 billion, roughly $700 million for Research and Development and $700 million for clinical trials. And it takes an average of eight years for a drug to gain approval through the FDA’s Phases 1, 2, and 3 of clinical trials Were the full $3 billion given tomorrow to Proposition 15’s newly proposed Cancer Prevention and Research Institute, the bond issue could fund only two drugs that would take nearly a decade for market approval. And they’d better both work, without a flaw or hitch.
Meanwhile, pharmaceutical companies are spending multiple billions of dollars each year on researching, testing, and providing cancer drugs.
Two. Just what would the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute spend money on? What types of cancer, what types of treatment? What types of researchers? Are taxpayers expected to provide an irrevocable, blank check for $3 billion in good faith only?
Three. As Richard Epstein, Professor of Law at the University of Chicago and author of the recent book Overdose: How Excessive Government Regulation Stifles Pharmaceutical Innovation, urges, the FDA needs “to relax the rules on [drug] entry, not subsidize research, under the current system.” There are many investigational drugs in clinical trials that the FDA has found both safe and effective enough to continue testing on human beings. Earlier access to these drugs would extend the lives of tens of thousands of terminal cancer victims yearly.
My own wife received such an investigational drug, which extended her life by seven months and, more important, ridded her entirely of torturous, morphine-treated pain. Then, rather than relax the rules for such a safe and effective drug for many, the FDA took the drug off the market.
Four. Since Texas’s Cancer Prevention and Research Institute would share its research advances ubiquitously with the other 49 states, the local Texas subsidies, notes Epstein, “would provide the greatest net benefit to cancer patients outside Texas, not those within it.” It would therefore make greater sense to establish a national movement at the National Institutes of Health. All states share in the benefits, so let all states in some way help pay for them. “The liberalization of [FDA] approval rules,” notes Epstein, “has the real advantage of stimulating research everywhere.”
Five. Texans would gain more research advantages and faster not by giving local subsidies to a cancer institute, but by proactively working to encourage passage of the ACCESS Act in Congress.
This Act (Senate Bill 1956 and House Resolution 6303) would permit earlier access to promising investigational drugs that the FDA has found both safe and effective enough to continue testing on patients. The decision to use these drugs would remain between the oncologist and patient informed about possible risks. In an age of Vioxx fear and demand for drug safety, the FDA would still retain significant control and record-keeping under this Act.
Texans are a generous, compassionate people. But our compassion cannot be measured by government debt and new tax burdens, it must be examined in the light of impact. Sadly, Proposition 15’s most notable impact will be the expenditure of $4.6 billion that could have been used more effectively and efficiently in private hands.
Ronald Trowbridge, Ph.D.
Texans for Fiscal Responsibility and Empower Texans
Houston, TX

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