Speaking Texan
Texas Health Care System Driving Medical Professionals Out of the Business
October 29th, 2008
Remember when Senator John Cornyn suggested that the entire nation should model their health care systems after Texas? Big John may want to get off his high horse and rethink that idea.
The head of the Texas Medical Association, Dr. Dan Stultz, says that the high number of uninsured Texans is driving doctors here out of [...]
Expect more corporate money in political campaigns because of Texas courts
October 24th, 2008
Although the Texas Association of Business pleaded to guilty to violating campaign finance laws, the Austin American-Statesman points out that the end result of the legal wrangling is that corporate money will still be allowed in political campaigns in Texas.
The courts ruled that as long as the corporate money doesn’t advocate for a specific candidate, [...]
Pickens Plan Proposes Power Payoff; Protesters Probe Plausibility
October 22nd, 2008
T. Boone Pickens wants you to know that he does not support McCain. Or, for that matter, Obama. At a town hall with the water/wind/oilman on the UT campus October 9, one of the first questions asked was concerning his backing of the Republican candidate as reported in the Statesman that day. As soon as [...]
Texas Association of Business pleads guilty to violating campaign finance laws
October 21st, 2008
The Texas Association of Business pled guilty today to violating campaign finance laws in 2002 and will pay a fine because of it. The TAB took corporate donations and then used that money to pay staff that were actively campaigning in 24 Texas House races.
This violation of campaign finance law helped lead to the election [...]
Victims of Ike and Katrina will share the same fate with insurance companies
October 20th, 2008
After Hurricane Katrina ravaged Louisiana and Mississippi, its victims had to deal with bad faith actions by insurance companies trying to minimize losses by wrongly denying claims. Owners of homes with their roofs blown off were told their homes were flooded and had their claims denied. People with flood insurance [...]
Texas Schools Need $5 Billion to Stay Out of Court
October 15th, 2008
Here we go again. Remember two years ago when the Texas Legislature passed a new school finance plan because of a court order? Education experts now report that the state will need to put $5 billion more into public education to stay out of court.
What’s happening is that the system passed in [...]
State Insurance Office for Consumers Lives to See Another Day
October 9th, 2008
A few months ago, the conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) along with insurance industry representatives started floating the idea that the Office of Public Insurance Counsel (OPIC) should be eliminated. OPIC is charged with representing the interests of consumers before the Texas Department of Insurance. The TPPF and insurance industry actually argued that eliminating [...]
“Privatizing” Public Assistance Applications Will Cost Texas $1 Billion in the Name of Efficiency
October 8th, 2008
When the current leadership of Texas came to power in 2003 they decided to try and privatize parts of state government in an attempt to save money. Their biggest project was to turn over the new application process for social services, the Texas Integrated Eligibility Redesign System (TIERS), over to private industry.
Several employees of Governor [...]
Deregulation is failing this country and state
October 6th, 2008
Every day, we are all witnessing the costs of the deregulation of the financial industry in this country. Jobs lost, pensions threatened and the American taxpayer now on the hook for $700 billion to bail out the fat cats on Wall Street.
The deregulation of insurance and electricity industries in Texas have also had a cost. [...]
Come See the Fix Texas Insurance Tour
October 3rd, 2008
Did you know Texas homeowners pay the highest insurance rates in the country? Did you know that insurance companies can set whatever rate they choose and it’s up to the Texas Department of Insurance to prove the rate is excessive after the rate has already gone into effect? If you ever wanted to know more [...]