My LTTE to the Houston Chronicle re: cancellation of 'LITE-UP Texas'

[Richardo]

(Note: "LITE-UP Texas" was a program that assisted 391,000 low-income households with their electricity bills.)

Let's see if it gets published....

So it's come to this. The ‘compassionate conservatives’ in the Texas Legislature seize funds intended to help the poorest Texans pay for their electricity and divert them to the general fund to close a budget shortfall. All this in one of the hottest summers on record.

The average 'burden' on Texas rate payers to provide this assistance is $0.65 per month, or $7.80 per year. If this miniscule amount of money is really needed to close a budget gap, the Legislature should have the moral courage to levy the taxes necessary to close it.

I'm personally ashamed that the poorest among us must be made to suffer to balance the budget. Those of us blessed with the ability to pay such a modest amount should do so willingly, in service to our less-fortunate fellow citizens.

Incidentally, I’d like to know how much of the budget shortfall is due to the cost of Governor Perry’s numerous 'special sessions’ that have not produced anything except a waste of precious resources.

If this is truly the best solution the Legislature can come up with – if they are so cowed by cry-baby ‘tax reformers’, so lacking in moral and political courage that they cannot ask us to chip in an extra $7.80 in a YEAR, then I hope they are proud of themselves. I know I’m not, and I’ll be looking for some moral fiber in the next election.

Signed,

(Richardo)

[fudge stripe cookays]

1. In the words of my Republican aunt...

"I don't want ANYBODY getting ANYTHING that they didn't pay for!"

Every Republican reading this letter will think the same thing. $7.80 can buy a couple of Starbucks, after all. Screw the poor.

FSC
:hi" richardo!

[Richardo]

2. I was going to cite Jebus and his teachings about looking after the poor

..but I didn't want to get all preachy. Ironic, huh.

:hi: fsc!

[fudge stripe cookays]

3. I would!

they have no problems getting preachy on our asses.

FSC

[central scrutinizer]

12. bad choices

The poor are poor because they made bad choices - that is the current compassionate conservative mantra. Especially the kids - they made the horrible choice of being born to poor parents.

[cry baby]

4. What a great letter...

I hope you don't mind, I printed it and I'm going to give it to my mom that lives in Tx.

[Richardo]

5. Thank you, cry baby. Forward it to your heart's content!

(I hope you don't think that was YOU I referred to in the letter. ;-))

[cry baby]

7. LOL!!!!!

[CrispyQ]

6. Richardo, you rock!

Great letter. I hope it gets published. I especially like the part about the Governor's special sessions, although that little dig about moral fiber at the end is very nice!


:yourock:

[Richardo]

10. I really wanted to go off on a rant about the RW radio 'tax reformers'

Thank the Chron for their 250-word limit.

Thanks for the support, CQG! :hi:

[Wickerman]

8. nominated - excellent!

[Richardo]

9. Hey thanks, Wickerman!

:hi:

[Wickerman]

11. see if we can't get you a couple more

:kick:

[babylonsister]

13. From the Chronicle today (how timely):

[Richardo]

14. I saw that one too, babylonsister...

...VERY timely.

(I always like seeing your posts - I'm a HUGH Steely Dan fan)

[sniffa]

15. i'd Lose the "cry-baby" moniker

unLess that paper wiLL print those types of insuLts (some papers do, many don't).

[Richardo]

16. Too late now!

I betting on an editor's touch. ;-)

[tammywammy]

17. That's an awesome LTTE

I really hope it gets printed.

It's disgusting that the legislature felt the only way to "balance" the budget is to take away from those that are most needy. Rick Perry has no shame.

[Richardo]

18. Thanks tammywammy

I'll let everyone know if they tell me it'll be printed.

[Stil]

19. I'm not sure

if this is a new low. But it has to rank in the top/bottom ten the republican leadership has done.

[SamBass]

20. The Chron ran an Op-Ed piece . . .

. . . on the same page as the cartoon babylonsister posted. The problem isn't actually "tax reformers." It's the Lege literally robbing the funds out of the LiteUp program, two years after they swore (let's all laugh together here) they'd never touch the money.

"Those of us blessed with the ability to pay such a modest amount should do so willingly, in service to our less-fortunate fellow citizens. "

Thing is, Richardo, we have been and we will. It's built in. Nobody gets to opt out, and serious shame if they wanted to. But, hmmmmm, where is that $7.80 a year going from here on out?

They pulled the same shit with CHIPS last session and were force to restore some funding this time around. Hopefully, LITE-UP will be restored as well. Sorry thing is, it's gonna take the publicity generated by heat related deaths to, well, I was gonna say SHAME these cretins into doin' the right thing, but . . . and hell forbid they sould listen to their constituents.

What a sorry bunch of maroons.

(Yes, I know how to spell moron.)

[Richardo]

21. Thanks for that input and welcome to DU, SamBass!

You make some good points, and I thought of some more last night. A 250-word limit really focuses your argument to a few points. I may have to write another letter (or op-ed!) to fully convey my disgust.

[Richardo]

22. Well I guess we won't be seeing it...

:cry:

Three or four letters on this subject in the paper today, none of them mine. :(

[SamBass]

23. You've gotta be real quick on the draw.

And consider the tons of letters they get. I live in Houston (did I mention that?) and I feel lucky to have the Chron. Hey, it ain't perfect, but it's worlds better than the raggy Statesman.

Every year, in January, the Chron publishes its editorial policies in the Op-Ed page. They always state that if they get mail running 50-50 on an issue, they'll run 3 Letters to the Ed in support and 3 in opposition. In other words, they make sure the balance of letters published on any issue are in direct porportion to the balance of total responses. How they manage is one to figure on, but I really appreciate this policy
.
Some big shot rethug call the Houston Chronicle one of the most liberal papers in the country awhile back. I was really proud, even though I don't think it's true.