Vaqueros & Wonkeros

EP delegates sticking with Clinton

DENVER _ Sharing a few libations in the lobby of the Red Lion in Aurora, just south of Denver, a few El Paso delegates talked to me tonight about their undying devotion to U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton.
CNN and the AP are reporting that Clinton is likely to release her convention delegates this week, freeing them to vote for U.S. Sen. Barack Obama.
State Rep. Paul Moreno said Clinton can make whatever order she wants, but he's still going to vote for her.
"It's my conscience," Moreno said. "I don't support someone just for a moment."
Moreno said Obama doesn't understand Mexican-Americans or their struggles for civil rights.
"My main concern since I've been in politics is the underrepresentation of the Mexican-Americans," he said.
Ramona "Monchi" De La Paz Torres said she's sticking with Clinton, too.
"I hope she didn't release me," she said.
De La Paz Torres said she was disappointed that Clinton won't be the party's nominee for president or for vice president, but she's still happy to be at the national convention.
"I'm very, very excited," she said, "but at the same time a little sad."

Getting healthy with Margo

Republican Texas House candidate Dee Margo sent his supporters a treatise on his health care plan today.
The insurance company chief executive said he talked with doctors, experts and used his own experience to compile the plan.
Without further ado:

The well being of our families, especially our children, should be a given and not a variable. Primary health care is one path to self-determination and improving our community’s economic independence and global competitiveness.

As I talk to voters about issues facing them today, we often discuss the skyrocketing costs of health care. I have met with many physicians and administrators from the Paul Foster Texas Tech Medical School, Thomason Hospital, doctors treating El Pasoans on a daily basis, and health care leaders around the state. I’ve relied on these discussions and my 30 years of experience to develop a comprehensive health care plan for all El Pasoans.

My plan seeks to ensure the most vulnerable in our society are protected and receive health insurance, while providing the tools to reduce frivolous lawsuits, cut red tape, and give more qualified physicians access to our state. My plan offers better health care at a lower cost for all El Pasoans. You can review my health care plan below and on my website.

Please join my team today. Together, we can make El Paso a better place to live, work and raise a family.

Sincerely,       

        Dee Margo               

Medical Malpractice Liability
Dee Margo believes that Texas should continue to protect its physicians and health care professionals from frivolous lawsuits, and he will file and support legislation that continues lawsuit reform, including annual evaluations of Texas’ medical malpractice liability insurance costs. By keeping costs under control and reducing frivolous lawsuits, more Texans will be covered by health insurance who would otherwise be uninsured.

       

Streamlining Physician and Health Care Licensing
Dee Margo will support legislation that eliminates bureaucratic delays in order to enable physicians and health care professionals that have existing credentials and/or are transferring their credentials to receive their professional licenses within a reasonable period of time.

       

Dental School at the Four-Year Texas Tech Medical School
Dee Margo believes Texas should support and fund a dental school at the Texas Tech Medical School in El Paso and enable the dental school to partner with the other institutions, such as the El Paso Community College, on the campus of the Medical Center of the Americas.

       

Medical Center of the Americas
Dee Margo will ensure Texas continues its investment in the Medical Center of the Americas (MCA). Dee believes we have to enable this campus, which is comprised of numerous facilities, to fully develop into the 21st century epicenter for health research, delivery of health services, health education, and economic development for not only the El Paso region, but for the entirety of the Americas. The MCA is currently comprised of, but not limited to: R.E. Thomason Hospital; Texas Tech Health Science Center-Four Year Medical School; Psychiatric Center; Office of the Medical Examiner and Forensic Laboratory; Texas Department of Human Services; West Texas Regional Poison Center; Maxine L. Silva Magnet High School of Health Care Professions; and El Paso City/County Health Administration.

       

Centers of Excellence at the Four-Year Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine
Dee Margo will make sure Texas continues its funding for the four-year medical school at Texas Tech’s El Paso campus, and enable the four-year medical school to establish centers of excellence for exponential expansion of the capital investment and the creation of jobs at the medical school’s campus. The medical school’s centers of excellence should focus on: research and expertise in Hispanic health care issues; a joint venture with William Beaumont Army Medical Center for advanced research and treatment of the Army’s service personnel and their dependents; and the establishment of globally competitive research facilities on infectious diseases and other diseases such as diabetes.

       

Hispanic Health Issues
Dee Margo will work to ensure that the Medical Center of the Americas receives adequate funding to be the leader in researching and addressing health issues particular to Hispanics. The MCA, as a center of excellence and innovation focused on Hispanic health issues, will create jobs, increase the capital investment in our community, and provide specialty health care for our region and beyond.

       

Community Partners
Dee Margo will support and help pass legislation that will encourage partnerships with the MCA and other regional institutions including: UTEP College of Health Sciences (School of Nursing) and Rehabilitation Sciences; El Paso Community College School of Nursing; VA Health Care System; University of Houston School of Public Health; Universidad Autónoma de Oaxaca, Facultad de Medicina; and New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

       

Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
Dee Margo will support legislation that will reduce barriers to CHIP and Medicaid enrollment, increase public outreach, and ensure that CHIP has greater transparency for taxpayers, legislators, and consumers. Furthermore, taxpayers must have the confidence that CHIP has instituted the highest financial controls to ensure that CHIP performs to the highest standards possible for the people it serves.

       

Affordable Health Insurance for Business
Dee Margo will work to help create a less regulated market, and expand waivers for insurance carriers to develop flexible health plans for small employers. Furthermore, Dee believes we need to continue amending the Texas Health Insurance Risk Pool and/or provide other opportunities to allow small employers to purchase health insurance through a pool.

       

Financial Aid Incentives for Students Enrolled in Health Care Programs at Texas Institutions of Higher Education
Dee Margo believes our state should create scholarships and work-study partnerships for students at public colleges and universities who obtain their degrees in medical professions and agree to work in historically underserved areas and populations of Texas for a specific period of time.

       

Economic Incentives for Health Care Industry
Dee Margo believes Texas should create a recruitment and retention program that would reduce interest rates for student loans for health care professionals who relocate and invest a specific period of time in historically underserved areas of the state.

Senators get homework

Previewing issues that will be up for debate during the 2009 legislative session, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst has announced the topics he wants senators to study between now and then.
He said he wants them to focus on public safety, education, keeping taxes low, building the economy, improving air quality, protecting water resources and building new highways.
That's all.
Here's part of the list Dewhurst released:

Property Tax Relief - Study the benefits and limitations of property tax appraisal caps compared to a limit on revenue a local jurisdiction can receive without the approval of voters in the locality.

Border Security - Evaluate the state's homeland security efforts and the state's recent $140 million investment in law enforcement to help secure the border. Study and make recommendations to deter transnational and drug-related gang violence along the border and throughout Texas. Study and make recommendations for the creation of a tamper-proof driver's license or photo ID that complies with the federal Real ID Act, including the implementation of the Secure Enhanced Driver's License Program.

Higher Education - Review and make recommendations regarding the structure and organization of higher education, focusing on funding of the current higher education system, including financing capital projects for general academic institutions and for health-related institutions and changes to funding flagship research universities such as The University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M at College Station. Determine the adequacy of formula funding to support basic functions as well as supporting critical statewide needs and improvements on the various methods of funding research.

Click here to download the whole list: Download interim_charges.pdf

No bingo for the Tiguas

There will be no charitable bingo games for the Tigua and Alabama-Coushatta tribes after a lawmaker early Saturday morning shot down an amendment that would have allowed the games on reservations.
State Rep. Pat Haggerty, R-El Paso, said his bill that would let charities that conduct bingo to award higher jackpots is still alive. But, the tribal bingo measure that state Rep. Norma Chavez, D-El Paso, put on the bill is dead.
State Rep. Robert Talton, R-Pasadena, objected to allowing bingo for the Tiguas, because it was not pertinent to the intent of Haggerty's bill.
Chavez and Haggerty said that was the last opportunity to expand fundraising abilities for the Tiguas this session. Chavez's bill that would have allowed the tribe to reopen Speaking Rock Casino failed earlier this month.
"It's over" for now she said, vowing to attempt again in 2009 to get lawmakers to allow the Tiguas to resume gaming.

Border security bill near death

State Rep. David Swinford, R-Dumas, got a little choked up this morning telling reporters that the border security bill he has spent hours and hours and days and days shepherding through the legislature is all but dead.
“It ain’t about the bill,” he said. “Those drug lords are in control of cities along the border, they are absolutely in control.”
The primary thing the bill does is spell out how millions in border security dollars should be allotted.
State Rep. Lon Burnam, D-Fort Worth, called a point of order on the bill that could kill it. He said some amendments the Senate added weren't pertinent to the bill.
Burnam said he doesn't like the bill, because he thinks it gives Gov. Rick Perry too much power.
"I have a problem with the governor, I have a problem with homeland security as it's run in this state," he said.
The outspoken liberal said he still might withdraw his objection  and allow the bill to move forward, but "probably not."

Transportation foes to meet

State Rep. Joe Pickett and state Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, both El Paso Democrats, don't exactly see eye to eye when it comes to how El Paso should deal with building roads in the face of thousands of new residents.
The two have each proposed opposing measures to deal with road building and whether a regional mobility authority should do that job in El Paso.
Now, they're both on a conference committee of House and Senate legislators who will work out a compromised transportation bill to send Gov. Rick Perry. The fate of the bill could determine the possibility of a special session this summer on transportation.
Pickett put on that bill amendments that Shapleigh has said he wants stripped. See this story for more specifics about the measures and the arguments each has about where authority should rest to build El Paso mobility infrastructure.

Dog bites bill goes to Perry

The Texas House sent Gov. Rick Perry a bill today that would increase penalties for dog owners whose pets attack and maul someone.
Last week, the Senate passed the bill, which state Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, D-El Paso, sponsored in that chamber.
The bill passed the House by a vote of 135-5. Four of El Paso's five representatives voted for the bill. State Rep. Paul Moreno, D-El Paso, did not vote.

Shapleigh responds to Dewhurst letters on Voter ID

Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, D-El Paso, submitted this response to Republican Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst's letter and subsequent apology yesterday:
“In his letter, Dewhurst made inappropriate, even campaign style attacks us. In our communities, we know voter suppression. SB 218 is one of several Karl Rove concepts designed to suppress the African American and Hispanic vote. AARP, Maldef, LULAC, NAACP and other groups have condemned SB 218. Even the former Republican state director rejects it.  Dewhurst apologized to us for his mistake—we accepted his apology. Our work on the Senate floor takes time—yesterday’s delay was about the Senate. To keep the process working, we need to keep the trust on the floor.”

And we're done

Senators are back on the floor after more than four hours behind closed doors talking about the voter ID bill. Now, they're getting ready to adjourn.
So, for anyone keeping count, the Senate gaveled in about 11:30 a.m., recessed until after 4 p.m. and passed zero bills.

Nicer Dewhurst letter

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst sent out a revised version of the letter that came from his office earlier today. Here's the cover letter explaining what happened:

Earlier today a draft letter on HB 218 was inadvertently released before I reviewed it. It
does not represent my position on certain topics.  The paragraph on Senator Whitmire went over the top.  While I stand by what I, the Secretary of the Senate, Parliamentarian, and some press observed yesterday, the Senator is a personal friend of mine and goes hunting with me each fall. 
We were planning on letting him use a rifle this year, so I'm especially interested in Whitmire being real friendly with me before our hunting trip in October.
The attached letter reflects my views and my long-standing principle that while my
Senate colleagues and I may disagree on certain issues from time to time, we are all first good Americans, and in the Senate, good friends.

Here's the newer, nicer letter:

Yesterday Republican Senator Troy Fraser brought up in the Senate for consideration
House Bill 218 by Representative Betty Brown, which simply requires voters to present a
driver's license or some other common form of identification at the election polls to prove they are who they say they are.
Inexplicably, this legislation has drawn sharp criticism from some partisan Democrat
Party operatives, and the Democrats in the Senate blocked the bill from going forward yesterday. 
Now, all 11 Democrat Senators are friends of mine and good Americans, but I want people to consider that with eight to 12 million illegal aliens currently living in the U.S., the basic
American principal of one person, one vote, is in danger.  While critics say the legislation isn't necessary because voter fraud isn't a problem in Texas, the facts tell a different story.
On June 22, 2006, Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector and Voter Registrar Paul
Bettencourt testified before the U.S. House Administration Committee that foreign nationals are both applying for and receiving voter registration cards.  Data given to my office indicates that in Harris County alone since 1992, 3,742 voters have been removed from the voter rolls because they were not U.S. citizens.  From 2003 to 2005 in Bexar County, 303 voters were removed and at least 41 had actually voted before being deleted.  Since 1999 in Dallas County, 1,889 voters have been removed and 356 voted before being deleted.  During the same period in Tarrant County, 584 were removed.  Just last year, El Paso County saw the highest number of non-citizens voting in a state election over a one year period.  How many more voted but were never caught?  One-thousand?  Two-thousand?  Ten-thousand?  How many legitimate American votes were canceled out?
To most Americans, requiring voters to show some form of ID at the polls seems like a
simple and reasonable solution.  It's common sense and the standard in other countries and many U.S. states.  Considering that a photo ID is required to buy Sudafed, rent a movie, board an airplane, or rent an apartment, I can't understand why anyone would argue the same standard, if not a higher standard, should apply to voting.   
The truth is, most Texans agree.  Independent polls, like one recently conducted by
Austin-based Baselice & Associates, show Texans overwhelmingly support House Bill 218.  The poll found 95% of Republicans, 91% of Independents, and 87% of Democrats believe voters should be required to show a driver's license or other common photo identification before being allowed to vote.  This independent poll surveyed 1,001 voters statewide and has a margin of error of plus or minus three percent.
Good friends can disagree on a subject, but you and I know that freedom is not free. 
Protecting the sanctity of American elections is critical to the future of our nation.   
To address critics' concerns about voters who may not have a current ID, House Bill 218
was amended to allow voters to present other forms of identification such as a military ID, valid employee ID, citizenship certificate, passport, student ID card issued by a public college or university, handgun permit, utility bill, bank statement, pay stub, mail from a government entity, marriage license, birth certificate, adoption certificate, pilot's license, hunting license, or even a library card.  Bluntly, what's so hard about this?
As Lieutenant Governor, I have a responsibility to protect and defend our Constitution
and the laws of our state and nation.  I'm proud to stand with the vast majority of Texans who strongly support preserving the right of Americans who reside in Texas to vote in Texas elections.