Shake up lawmakers

One in every five Texans is without health care. Texas leads the nation in children without health care.

The federal government has put Texas on a “watch” list because it takes Texas twice as long as allowed by federal regulations — nearly two months — to issue food stamps.

Now Republicans are gearing up to “opt out” of the federal health care program that would provide health care to our citizens. Why are people and their children going hungry and without health care in Texas? We have a Republican-run Legislature, a Republican governor, and all top political jobs are run by Republicans.

When people lose jobs, they need help then, not two months later. It is time to turn things around. Democrats need only two seats to take over the Legislature, which we must do if we are to bring Texas back into the real world.

It is time to take our state back from those who look out for only the wealthy and ensure that all Texans have food and health care.

If people do not vote in more Democrats this year in state, county and city political jobs, then our people will continue to suffer.

Jim Denton

Gatesville

UT fan speaks up

I’d like to respond to a Dec. 5 letter by E.W. Burdette complaining about UT fans in Waco wanting more coverage. Texas is football country, and I dare you to find a more successful program than the University of Texas in the Big 12 league.

The Baylor women’s basketball team does get its fair share of national coverage, and rightfully so. I understand that Waco is home to Baylor University and should have a more then decent amount of coverage, but the winning Longhorns are like the roommate with a job that pays the bills for the Big 12. That’s the roommate you do not bad-mouth or tell to move out.

Texas helps the Big 12 by bringing in the money — $17.5 million for the Fiesta Bowl last year — that I’m sure Baylor enjoys spending. They keep the Big 12 in the title hunt year after year.

In response to Burdette’s reference, this “tea sipper” doesn’t mind looking past the Baylor coverage to get to his Longhorns coverage. There is only so much that interests me in a team that finishes 12th in a 12-team conference.

Michael Shawn Polston

Moody

Corrected letter

My letter appeared in Saturday’s Trib regarding my upcoming retirement to make room for the next generation of workers. Everything was correct except that my father did not work jobs to supplement my mom’s income. With seven children, my mom worked very hard but never worked outside the home.

My father was always the sole support of our family, and, in fact, when knowing he was dying of cancer, he bought mom a brand-new car and paid cash for it. He never had a paycheck all to himself his entire life, having to leave school at age 16 to work to support his mother and sister.

Mom is still living and has Social Security and his Chrysler pension to live on. We remaining six children make sure she has spending money. Thanks for allowing this to be corrected.

Sandra Gilbert

Whitney