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March 10 February 10 December 09 November 09 October 09 September 09 August 09 |  | April 2010 Carroll thanks county for its support (04-20-2010) (hide this letter) I am grateful to the voters of Ellis County and humbled by the results of Tuesday’s countywide election. Thank you for placing your confidence and trust in me to serve as your next 40th District Court Judge. Our campaign volunteers throughout Ellis County were passionate, dedicated, sacrificial and hard working. They deserve appreciation beyond description. An effective campaign simply cannot be run without such support. New friendships were rooted and old ones blossomed. I would like to extend my best wishes to Cindy Ermatinger and her family. She can take great pride in having run a strong and clean campaign. Cindy no doubt has a bright legal future. Kathy, our children and I love living here in Ellis County. To serve the community that you love and the people that you respect so much is truly an honor. My desire above all else is to uphold justice and serve the people of Ellis County to the best of my ability. Bob Carroll 40th District Court Judge Elect DPRI appreciates support for IMPACT Ennis (04-20-2010) (hide this letter) I just wanted to drop you a line to say how appreciative we are of the Ennis Daily News’ support for IMPACT Ennis and our various projects over the past two years. It is obvious that the EDN plays an integral role in developing and sustaining the strong sense of community that is so visible in Ennis; we are truly thankful for the way you have welcomed our organization and our mission into this network through your open arms. And of course, the extras you are able to provide us on our limited budget do not go unnoticed! We owe much of our success in reaching the community with our important message to your partnership. If there is any way that we can support your efforts or be of assistance, please let me know. Thank you for working together with us to keep Ennis youth healthy, safe, and drug-free! Shannon Graves Program Director for Community Coalitions, Drug Prevention Resources, Inc. Ignorant Tea Party witch hunt continues (04-20-2010) (hide this letter) I read an article online this week, at AOL News, where one more writer was running around, turning over rocks, looking for that illusive “racism” in the TEA Party movement. Having gotten involved in political activism within the last year, much to my surprise, I have pridefully attended several Tea Party rallies. I see no racism whatsoever. What I see are patriotic Americans, scared to death that someone’s trying to take their country away, and deciding, like I did, that we can no longer just sit by and let someone else take care of it all. The truth is, we are the someone else, and it is up to us to not let it all slip away. If it does, we’ll never get it back, and spend the balance of our days, as will our kids and grand kids, pining for the America we once knew. What was most offensive in the article I mentioned was that the writer ended by saying “it remains a movement of rote, often anti-intellectual, opposition” (referring, of course to the Tea Party movement). What he was saying is that the TEA Partyers can only learn by using routines and repetitions without full comprehension, and alluding to that being what they do at rallies. Likewise, he claims that they are often “anti-intellectual.” What he’s saying folks, is that if you think government should be limited, that we should have a balanced federal budget, that free markets work best, and that respecting the Constitution should be the basis of our governing … we’re dumb. I guess that unless you’re progressive enough and drive a Volvo, you really don’t get it! The one thing he did get right, is that we are the opposition. Proudly, we are the opposition to an administration that has finally scared us enough that they have roused a sleeping giant, and I see the passion of all the conservatives I encounter who will not go back to sleep again. I suggest to all the liberals I encounter, the radicals I encounter, the Marxists and communists that I encounter, to simply leave, go live somewhere else. I suggest maybe Venezuela or Cuba among many others. The media continuing to look for racism in the TEA Party movement is just creating a smokescreen. There is no credibility to it. The liberals are grasping for anything, anyway to continue to market their ideology. Mr. Writer, I have two messages. There is no racism in the TEA Party movement … and we will not stop until we take back this country. And remember, in November we are coming. Sam Tenpenny Ennis Small business group decries reform bill (04-16-2010) (hide this letter) The Texas Association of Business, the National Federation of Independent Business-Texas and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce recently held a joint-press conference to detail the effects that the health care reform bill, signed into law by President Barack Obama, will have on the small businesses of Texas. Under the health care reform bill recently signed into law by President Obama, both premiums and uncertainty will rise in employer-sponsored health insurance plans. Employers with over 50 employees will be forced to offer coverage or pay a $2,000-per-employee fine. Businesses will also face a $3,000-per-employee fine if the coverage that they offer is deemed “unaffordable” for employees (if the employee opts-out and gets a subsidy in exchange). This means that an employer with low-income employees who offers comprehensive, affordable coverage could nevertheless be fined just as much as an employer who offers no coverage at all. In addition, it is estimated that 219,961 small businesses could be subjected to the fines. The percentage of employees employed by small businesses which could be subject to the fine is projected to be 26.4 million workers, or 22 percent of the entire private-sector workforce. “Over 90 percent of working families are employed by small businesses,” said TAB President Bill Hammond. “President Obama promised in January that he would focus on job recovery. Unfortunately, he has signed into law a job-killing piece of legislation that, due to uncertainty and increased administration costs, will continue to freeze hiring for small businesses in Texas. For many months, employers have faced extreme ambiguity in how this bill would affect their businesses. The Obama Administration offered no quarter in their overzealous power-grab. As a result, this jobless recovery will continue. At the very least, the hiring freezes that cripple the pocketbooks of the unemployed will continue cause of this law. This legislation spits in the eye of those struggling to find jobs.” “This healthcare reform bill is the biggest tax increase in American history. Small business is hit with new taxes, new reporting requirements, and more mandates and paperwork under a larger and more powerful Internal Revenue Service,” said Will Newton, executive director of NFIB/Texas. “Small business owners are overwhelmingly opposed to this new law and terrified of the impact it will have on their livelihood and the livelihood of those they employ.” “This bill will hurt the prospects for job-creation even further,” said Pete Havel, Regional Director of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “While we all agree for the need for common-sense changes, this bill does nothing to solve many of the most serious problems our health care system faces. Small business owners want to do right by their employees, but this bill will make health care benefits even more expensive. The House, the Senate and the President had an opportunity to go down the right path of creating a health care system that created new opportunities to cover the uninsured. Instead, they created job killing legislation that will put health care benefits for millions at risk. In medical school, doctors are taught to first do no harm. It is time Washington learn this lesson as well.” Representatives from the National Federation of Business and Texas Association of Business Reader appalled by subjects’ answers (04-09-2010) (hide this letter) This is regard in to the Tuesday, March 23 Man on the Street article in the Ennis Daily News asking, “What do you think about the legislation?” i.e. health care reform. Of the five persons interviewed about the passage of Obama’s health care bill, only two of the five knew enough to express a rational opinion concerning the bill. I would suggest the other three acquire more information before voicing an opinion. I would rather have someone think I know little than to open my mouth and remove all doubt. Interview No. 1 — Starts out the first sentence, “I don’t know much about it but it seems that the health care system is getting worse and worse.” Let me ask this — when was he not taken care of and treated when he went to a doctor’s office or the emergency room? America has the best health care on Earth. Interview No. 2 — Thank you, you hit two key items like a hammer hits a nail. “I think they should have tort reform as well as interstate policies.” Two very good ideas. Interview No. 3 — This person has no clue! “I think it’s good, there are other countries that take care of their citizens, especially with things like free health care, but America isn’t there yet.” My opinion is thank God, America isn’t there yet! America has the most advanced medical service in the world and people may not have health insurance, but still get health care at any hospital in the country whether they can pay for it or not. If we have free health care, let’s go ahead and have free dental care, and a free car, and a free house, free government childcare, and free lunches for the children. Oh never mind, the last two points, taxpayers already do that. Who is going to pay for all the “free” health care? Interview No. 4 — This person has no clue that everyone was not able to come together on this bill. The vote was divided on party lines with a few Democrats voting against the bill, and a long, draw-out court battle will be fought before, if ever, this health care bill is actually taking place. Have you any clue about the arm-twisting and backroom, closed-door bartering that took place to get this bill passed? Interview No. 5 — Thank you for your point that it is not a good idea for the government to force us to buy health insurance or be subject to a penalty. How about this America? • Tort reform to limit law suits against doctors and medical personnel so their liability insurance does not cost so much, because that cost is passed on to the patient. • Stop health care for illegals. • Spend more money on V.A. hospitals to take care of our veterans because they are the reason we are free, and not speaking Japanese or German. • Let insurance companies operate in a free, competitive interstate market. • Repeal the amendment that anyone born on United States soil is a citizen of the U.S. How about at least one of the parents needs to be a legal citizen of the United States. And to the three people interviewed, be sure and read the article to the left of your pictures — the interview by Liz Crawford, “Local Docs Apprehensive” — maybe the light bulb will come on. I don’t even like to think about the tangle of government red tape and waste in implementing this new, so-called “health care bill.” Oh, Obama, tell your Rev. Wright that it is “God Bless America,” not the other four letter word. Mike Riley Ennis |
