Letters to the Editor
It’s time for co-op to comply
Editor:
Listening to Socorro Electric Cooperative Attorney Dennis Francish present his argument to District Court Judge Albert J. Mitchell and a packed court room on May 18, in Socorro, as to why his lawsuit position against we SEC member-owners should be upheld, I became embarrassed.
Embarrassed not only for Attorney Francish, who stumbled excessively, but for those misguided SEC trustees who retained him as legal council, as well as those misguided SEC member-owners who voted those misguided SEC trustees into office.
No matter, Judge Mitchell subsequently ruled that the disputed SEC bylaws are legal and binding, which brings us to two other important issues: term limits and board size.
While it is difficult for me to understand the thought process of persons who apparently think that others have no right to inject their values into matters of mutual interest, I would nevertheless like to take this opportunity to urge you SEC trustees, as a group, to promptly bring yourselves into compliance with SEC’s term limit and five-member rule(s), if for no reason than to avoid the need for yet another lawsuit.
Alvin B. Hickox, San Antonio
There is more to budget proposal
Editor:
Paul Ryan’s budget proposal would result in seniors paying 68 percent of their own medical costs in 2030, compared to the 25 percent they pay now. That would take most of their income, and they’d have to find private insurance.
Because old people vote more than young people, Ryan’s plan is cunningly crafted to apply only to people who are currently under 55!
A recent Washington Post/ABC poll found that 78 percent of Americans oppose cutting spending on Medicare.
Because of widespread protests — town hall meetings, etc. to Ryan’s proposal, they’re now trying to hide the same basic idea — defunding Medicare — inside a proposal for across-the-board spending cuts: The McCaskill/Corker bill proposes to have automatic cuts happen if lawmakers can’t agree to cut spending by a certain amount.
The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities says that the automatic cuts would entail an $856 billion cut to Medicare and $1.3 trillion to Social Security, plus cuts to Medicaid and education over nine years. (P.S. Cuts to Medicare and Medicaid would destroy Obama Healthcare).
Of course the Republicans emphasize cuts in spending because they aren’t willing to generate more income for the government by raising taxes. A spending cut does less good if income goes down.
New Mexico Rep. Steve Pearce was rated 0 percent by APHA, indicating an anti-public-health record. He was rated 0 percent by ARA, indicating an anti-senior voting record. He voted “no” twice to extend Medicaid to cover more kids. He voted “yes” on denying treatment for lack of Medicare co-pay.
Pearce’s name is on a resolution urging Americans to pray for the victims of recent “natural” disasters in the U.S. — although he recently voted for huge cuts to emergency services (FEMA, the disaster response agency and NOAA, the weather service).
Ryan’s bill calls for more tax cuts for the rich and for not taxing capital gains and estates. Pearce took the “no new taxes” pledge in 2010 and he always votes against seniors and against health care.
If you want the U.S. to be full of people without teeth, begging on the sidewalks, DON’T call Steve Pearce at 202-225-2365 or 855-472-2723.
Jan Deininger, Socorro