Name One...

There was a comedian years back who once asked his parents to "name one" in response to their insistence that there were starving children in Africa that would love to eat his broccoli.  That joke has always stayed with me because there are so many situations it can be used.

I found a use for the question this morning when I read Representative Marquez's guest editorial in the El Paso Times.  She wrote:

"Leaving more than half of the Rainy Day Fund unused means schools will have to be closed, the elderly kicked out of nursing homes and people with disabilities thrown out on the streets."

To that I have only one demand of Rep. Marquez - name one.  Name one old person or one disabled person who will be "thrown out on the streets."  I bet she can't.  Because if she could, she'd be parading the soon-to-be-homeless person around town as a living, breathing example of why republicans are satan's children.  Too bad she's full of it.

I do take issue with her claim that schools will now have to be closed due to the fact we're not diving into our savings account to maintain our lavish lifestyle (more on this in a minute).  We've been closing schools in the El Paso area for about three years now.  To claim that this is something happening due to a bill that hasn't yet been implemented, is to lie your ass off. 

I hope all of you noticed how democrats plead for bipartisan cooperation when they're in the minority and are pretty mum about it when they aren't.  Marquez didn't show much imagination here.  Plus, there's the question I always have when local democrats write in to the paper to bitch about republicans like they're not preaching to a very supportive choir.  I think the editorial would have been more effective had it been published in a republican stronghold city like Lubbock. 

Telling the people of El Pasothat the big mean republicans have cut off the funds for all the free shit isn't effective at all.  It's an excuse for not being a better representative.  Maybe she shouldn't have run on the "I'm going to give you a bunch of free stuff" ticket in the first place and she wouldn't have to explain to her constituents why they now have to get jobs. Besides, crying about losing doesn't help anything.

---------------

As for using the "rainy day fund" to keep the state running at the previous budget - are you serious?  How many people out there take a reduction in income and use their savings to supplement their lifestyle at the level it was before the reduction?  Nobody!  If you have less money to spend, you don't pay the cable bill out of your savings! You cut cable until income increases.

Here's a little known fact that many of you don't know that will give you an idea of the amount of waste that Texas sponsors within its own government agencies.  The Texas Department of Transportation now spends more money paying people to work there than they do actually building roads.  Yes, folks - they spend more money employing people than they do actually executing their one job.  That's insane.  And I'm told that they're not the only agency in that position.

Okay, back to whatever you were doing. 

Comments

[just a thot]

if what you said about txdot is true then that is insane.

maybe you should look into episd. maybe they are paying more employees than they have students ?

[El Paso - El Paso]

Is Marquez going to testify in the trial of her old boss P. Rawley at the EP Empowerment Zone? She was the #2 person over there. Marquez gave us the "Salsa" festival, "Salsa" the dance NOT the condiment.

[Lupe]

What happened to Dee Margo? He was part of that Empowerment Zone monies? No one ever answered about where did the money go to.

[Thomas]

David
I cannot tell you who is going to be cut off by the Federal government and the state.I can tell who is going to end up covering the red ink.You,me and all others that pay properity taxes.Neither cuts by the Federal government or the State are going to cut taxes they are just shift the taxation to local government and the local tax payers.The design is to place more taxation on the middle class and small business.Nothing knew here,not hard at all to figure out at all.As far as to waste and abuse of tax dollars in Texas,same here,it been going on for decades in Texas government.So go back to sleep,all is in order.There is nothing to worry about.

[susie]

El Paso, if you are going to point finges at Marisa, then you need to point the finger at Dee Margo, because Dee was part of the Empowerment Zone. Where is the money, Dee?

[Lupe]

Whoever El Paso is! When the Empowerment Zone was started by Bill Clinton it was back in the mid 90s. Marrissa was probably just starting college then. So do not say a word unless you know what you are talking about. Marrisa is trying as hard as she can to bring El Paso some monies. El Paso is in dire need for funding and should let Marrissa do what she has to do. So do not disparage her unless you know what is really going on. Marrissa is trying to bring some money to El Paso, after all the El Paso tax payers should get some coffers from the state.

[It all makes sense now]

Name one CEO that would have been left out on the street if the Federal Bailout had not happened....

[susie]

The Republicans are after the FDR NEW DEAL. The Bush and republican congress from January 2001 until January 2007 agenda getting the USA into two wars and giving the billion dollar corporations and the wealthiest one percent a tax cut, Now state and federal cuts across the country will only put the burden on the local government which means higher taxes. When the republican party in Congress or in the State Capitals across this country say "CUT" WATCH YOUR WALLET.

[Tim Collins]

Susie - How are the Republicans after The New Deal? Perhaps your comment would be more understandable if you said the Great Society by Johnson

[susie]

The Republicons want to take the country (USA) back to "the roaring 20's" and the Herbert Hoover administration. The republicons are after the "FDR New Deal." Thanks for letting the information out about the republicons being after the "LBJ Great Society" which gave us the "Civil Rights Act" and the "Voting Rights ACT." Since when did the republicons benefit from the "FDR New Deal" and the "LBJ Great Society?"

[Frank]

(Note: I work for a rep from dallas but I'm from EP so that is why I read your blog.)

If you see the appropriations committee broadcasts then you would know they were paraded around the capitol as the person that's going to be on the street. believe me they were here, I work here in Austin and they came by our office everyday. Don't cut this because I'll be on the street, don't cut that because then I won't be able to afford my medication etc...

Sorry for the insult but its just a shame that you are that ignorant that you need proof that people will be affected by these cuts. I understand with voter id there's no proof (for either side) but its simple math. If there's 10 nursing homes in a community at 95% capacity and they close 2 of them where will the majority of those people go? You can't tell me that teachers won't lose their jobs when we both know superintendents rather keeps their staffs than quality teachers.

I do agree with your analysis with closing schools. I blame that on sprawl, cheaper houses will attract younger families.

However, telling El Pasoans that the big mean republicans cut their funds is genius because it will just add more fuel to the straight dem voting fire. If an el pasoan is reading the paper wanting lower taxes and wonders why they are not republican since they are the party of low taxes, Marquez's article reminds them if they have to pay taxes they rather have it go towards schools and the elderly instead of rich white people.

just my two cents

[David K]

Frank,

where do I start?

1. You must be a new staffer. Poor people who are on the verge of being kicked out on the street aren't walking around the capitol lobbying members. You're being lied to and I was employed to do that in Washington. I paraded local seniors around like they were about to be cut off from their medication. They ate lunch at Charlie Palmer's steakhouse. Nobody is being thrown out on the street - people aren't going to have top of the line welfare - big deal. And let's be honest, even in good years they parade the "poor" around the capitol as well.

2. Taxes don't go to rich white people. They don't go to rich people at all. You are either not informed, or are playing dumb, but the money goes the those who refuse to take care of themselves. marquez has done nothing brilliant. She's done what all the local dems do - bitch to the uninformed chior.

I appreciate you reading, but protecting marquez is an unwise move. she's toxic.

[Lupe]

Do you by any means remember that the tax cuts went to the rich, when Bush Jr. went in as our president? It seems to me that Republicans always get memory loss when issues like this come along.
And why do the people of the USA need to bail out banks and big corporations and such? We are the ones that are paying for all these and now our taxes will be getting worst and worst. You have not ever seen hunger, desperation and plain poor around here or any where else. You always have had a home, food, clothes and such. You know how to talk big and that is all. NO EXPERIENCE of real life at all. Please do not disparage what you really don't know. Gossip is cheap!!!

[Robnelp]

Look at Lil' Loopy telling people not to gossip...thats priceless!

[susie]

The big oil companies and multibillion dollar corporations got a tax cut and from that pay "ZERO DOLLARS" in taxes. Bush did to Texas what he did to the USA.

[Lupe]

Robnelp, yes I can truly say gossip. Because people like you probably do not know the difference between gossip and truth. Just like if I were to be wrong on anything I have the guts to admit it.
What do you have except stupid remarks!?!

[susie]

The republicons have the majority in the Texas Legislature. Texas has a republicon Governor and Lt. Governor, plus a republicon Texas House and Senate. Texas also has two republicon senators in Washington, DC. The republicons have to take "personal responsibilty" for the economic mess we are in. it was the thinking of the republicons in the state of Texas and elsewhere in the USA, that if the multi billion dollar corporations get a "tax cut" that will give them more money to create jobs here in the State of Texas and elsewhere in the USA. Where are the jobs? overseas. The "republicons" have screwed the middle class and the working class of the USA. I guess the saying, "VOTE DEMOCRAT BECAUSE THE ASS YOU SAVE MAY BE YOUR OWN" is so true today, because the republicons have destroyed the economy in the USA by giving the multi billion dollar corporations the biggest "freeload ride." They are the "welfare queens. The big oil companies are also the "welfare queens."

[El Paso-El Paso]

Lupe, I was there, she worked under Phyllis Rawley. I'm not accusing her of anything I was just curious if she was asked to testify or offer a deposition. Dee Margo was on a board that met once a month. Marissa was there five days a week. The Salsa Festival... that was her boondoggle.