Editor:
The Republican Party has gloated for many years of their lock on Texas Government, yet we the citizens of the state, have paid a very high price for it. Their promises ranging from tax cuts to lower insurance rates, to “two free years of college” have not materialized. In fact, it is much worse. Unfortuantely most voters tend to easily forget and the slick ads that Governor Perry’s $9 Million will buy will distract enough to get another round of promises through to November.
The slickest (or sickest) promise is insurance reform. In 2002 insurance reform was the biggest campaign issue. Our rates at the time were the highest in the nation. Governor Perry, Attorney General Abbott and slews of Republican politicians running for state office promised insurance reform. In the end our rates doubled, coverage was cut, and our deductibles are now steeply higher. And now those in windstorm areas are feeling the pinch of 300-400% increases in their premiums.
Governor Perry and State Representative Nixon ushered in massive medical malpractice reform with promises of reducing the cost of health care, health insurance, and “frivolous” lawsuits. In return consumers have had no reduction in health insurance, doctors who’s malpractice premiums had doubled or tripled, saw only a small 10-12% reduction, and victims have been locked out of the court house. Doctors were decieved just like homeowners.
Under the leadership of Republican rule our electricity has been deregulated with promises of competition resulting in competitive rates. Instead consumers have nothing but confusion in selecting a carrier and rates have skyrocketted. Another unfulfilled promise.
Our Republican controlled State promised competitive rates in higher education by deregulating college costs in State Universities. Instead our rates have risen by over 30% making college out of reach for many. Because of this failure, a very popular savings program, the Texas Tomorrow Fund, has been discontinued due to the high cost and unpredictable tuition rates. Yet another unfullfilled promise.
And our own "One tough Republican Grandma" who ran ads 4 years ago promising “2 free years of college” also ushered in a $10 Billion deficit in our Texas budget. This deficit was twice the $5 billion she claimed right before the election. (imagine that) Grandma’s “2 free years of college” has been nothing more than yet another unfulfilled promise.
And there was 7 special sessions for School finance reform which resulted in yet another promise of a $2000 reduction in property taxes and has devistated local control of our schools.
The Republican Party has promised to be good stewards to our environment, yet cut funding to our parks and wildlife preserves. They have weaken our environmental standards with promises of self policing by those who pollute.
The Republican Party has promised consumer protection for the biggest investment of a lifetime, a new home, by creating the Texas Residential Construction Commission, yet stacked it with homebuilder friendly Commissioners resulting in a near worthless homebuilder controlled bureacracy.
Now with the elections coming, the Republicans are diverting our attention away from their failures while they have been in power for over 10 years, by bashing the immigrants, scaring us with terrorist stories, and promising more fake tax cuts.
The Republicans have been making promises for the last 10 years and will continue to run their million dollar ads with the hope we will forget, but in November, it is time to remember.
John Cobarruvias
Houston
The slickest (or sickest) promise is insurance reform. In 2002 insurance reform was the biggest campaign issue. Our rates at the time were the highest in the nation. Governor Perry, Attorney General Abbott and slews of Republican politicians running for state office promised insurance reform. In the end our rates doubled, coverage was cut, and our deductibles are now steeply higher. And now those in windstorm areas are feeling the pinch of 300-400% increases in their premiums.
