Dear Editor,

July 3, 2009

Congressman Cuellar recently made a crucial vote to put this country on a path towards energy independence while reducing the national debt. The American Clean Energy & Security Act is transformational legislation to reduce America’s dependence on foreign energy and secure America’s energy future.

The bill invests $190 billion in state renewable energy programs to make our energy grids more efficient and will create 1.7 million jobs in the process, with the potential to create 153,000 jobs in Texas alone. Forty percent of all U.S. households will feel little to no cost at all, and one-third of all households in the 28th district of Texas will see a net benefit of $40 a year. It’s estimated by 2020, American families will save $1,050 annually as the country becomes more energy efficient.

Congressman Cuellar knows families feel squeezed in all aspect of their lives. So here’s some good news, the average household could see an $11.64 drop in their electric bill per month and spend $19 less in monthly transportation costs by 2020. Consumers will save $29 billion annually over the next ten years, and over half of the new jobs created in Texas will employ low to middle income workers. Over the next decade, this bill will reduce the national debt by $24 billion.

We can’t afford the cost of inaction. Making a plan for America’s energy future ensures our national security and lessens the burden on future generations. Experts say the price tag on doing nothing will cost $1.9 trillion annually by 2100. Charting a new course in how we tap our natural resources will lower prices at the pump, keep your energy costs down, and make sure your kids can afford their future.

This was not an easy vote for Congressman Cuellar. He carefully evaluated how the bill would affect our communities. And in the final hours, he secured major concessions to better the bill for the people of Texas, and millions of Americans, by protecting our food costs and promoting our natural gas.

Transforming America’s energy future will promote the natural resources we have in South Texas, like natural gas, solar and wind. Texas will be a leader in charting America’s energy future as one of the largest domestic energy producers. And that means our state and our communities stand to benefit the most from this plan.

By lessening our investments in foreign sources of energy, we’ll start investing more in our own.

And when we invest in America, Americans get the return.

Ashley Patterson
Washington Press Secretary
Congressman Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo

Dear Editor,

June 28, 2009

I want to thank Reps. Rubén Hinojosa, Silvestre Reyes, Henry Cuellar, and Charlie Gonzalez for helping build our clean energy future by voting for the American Clean Energy & Security Act, HR 2454. This historic legislation will put the U.S. on the path to slash the carbon emissions that cause global warming 80 percent by 2050, a signal accomplishment necessary to preserve the planet for future generations.

It is a disgrace that Reps. Solomon Ortiz and Ciro Rodriguez made a decision to vote AGAINST a bill that puts the U.S. on a pathway to reducing carbon emissions and also provides funding, resources, and clean technology solutions to help poor communities in the U.S. and abroad survive severe floods, droughts, debilitating storms, crop loss, and disease.

Thank you again Congressman Hinojosa, Cuellar, Reyes, and Gonzalez for you vote. Your support will help create new clean energy jobs, reduce our dependence on oil, and help preserve our planet.

Alan Fiszman
McAllen, Texas

Dear Editor,

June 27, 2009

Stats are thrown around like you are in the little league. The Great One (Barack Obama) talks a great game while Congress screws you and he signs the bills. Bad cop, good cop. Ration care, limited access to doctors, drive private insurance out of business, and then ration care and waiting lines. That is what the Great One is offering.

Many of the young don't get insurance because they don't believe they need it. Millions are eligible but don't apply. I can match any story against the ones in this article to prove the opposite. The devil is in the details.

Frank Morris
Brownsville, Texas

Dear Editor,

June 26, 2009

I don’t know where ‘Frank Morris,’ gets his twisted interpretations from. I have yet to see any Rio Grande Valley veteran fighting only for ‘Democrat’ veterans, whether in Austin or Washington, D.C. To us, a veteran is a veteran. Always has been and ALWAYS WILL BE. We fought in the combat zone as AMERICANS, even those who came from other countries to join the U.S. military (although their bravery and unselfish contribution to our cause is seldom acknowledged).

Those who were wounded, those who paid the ultimate sacrifice and those of us who managed to return in one piece, we are all AMERICANS. State Rep. Kino Flores and other legislators worked hard for ALL of us U.S. veterans and citizens, irrespective of political affiliation, so, of course, he and they deserve our gratitude.  

Morris always seems to be divisive with his comments no matter what the subject might be. But that is his privilege as an American. We fought for his RIGHTS, as well.

Placido Salazar
USAF Retired Vietnam Veteran
Universal City, Texas 

Dear Editor,

June 22, 2009

The recent decision by the Public Broadcasting Service to allow KMBH to continue religious broadcasting has me concerned. While I enjoy much of the programming on KMBH, I do not feel it is appropriate to use publicly funded radio to air sectarian programs, exclusively Catholic. This also points out the need for another public radio alternative. I have been looking forward to hearing new perspectives from Voices from the Valley.

The Rio Grande Valley is a large area. When I lived in Duluth, MN (a smaller market than Brownsville alone) there were three public radio stations; two NPR affiliates and a university station. The Minneapolis/St. Paul area has four public radio stations, giving listeners many choices. If I don’t want to listen to Mass on Sunday, I would like to be able to tune to another station and perhaps rediscover Joe and Rosa Perez hosting North of the Border, a program missing from KMBH for the past two years.

Our area is diverse enough support more than one public radio station. I wish both Voices from the Valley and KMBH the best of luck in their missions.

Susan Askelin
Brownsville, Texas

Dear Editor,

June 12, 2009

Democrats helping Democrats. The vets need to be non partisan and not viewed as a Dem front organization.

Frank Morris
Brownsville, Texas

Dear Editor,

June 12, 2009

What we need is for an investigative reporter to do a ‘Freedom of Information’ investigation as to how inflated the rates are, at which those ‘contract private sector’ hospitals are billing VA for the veterans placed in the lap of these hospitals by our U.S. senators and certain U.S. reps as pay-back for political contributions.

Remember, we warned about the high rates at which these hospitals have been billing Medicare and Medicaid? Nobody should be surprised by the answers, much less these politicians, who placed their political gain, over the quality and cost-per-patient of our Veterans, to our government, through Veterans’ Affairs.

Previous studies have revealed that VA hospitals can treat Veterans at a much lower cost than the cost at ‘private sector’ facilities. VA was even given much credit for its ability to purchase prescription drugs at significantly lower prices than the military and other agencies, so why were these certainleaders, VA and politicians, so determined to line the pockets of these rich doctors and privately-owned hospitals, instead of following the recommendation of the government-paid for Booz-Allen-Hamilton report to build a VA hospital?

Stupidity, is when our government officials keep following the same wasteful and senseless practices over and over again, expecting different results.

Placido Salazar
USAF Retired Vietnam Veteran
Universal City, Texas

Dear Editor,

June 11, 2009

For as long as the "Veterans Voice" has been a part of your newspaper the only "small group of disgruntled veterans" has been Mr.Garza. He is a one man group of complaining, griping, and finger pointing at others.

I believe Mr.Garza to be a good writer on many levels. But when it comes to working to support all veterans and non-veterans in all they do; I'm afraid he is the one that seems to always have something to say that is negative and or condescending.

Everyone is entitled to there own options but Lordy, Lordy he has even gone after one of our KIA family's. All this good family and other Harlingen residents are doing is trying to put together a veterans park.

God bless every person that is working in there own way, (even Mr. Garza) on their own or as a group for this hospital. I pray everyone keeps being positive and stays focused on "the big prize" that is "no prize at all" but has been due to all R.G.V. veterans for more than 75 years. A hospital!

Lydia Caballero
Weslaco, Texas

Dear Editor,

June 8, 2009

The recent column by G. Romero Wendorf, editor of Pharr Advance News Journal, was revealing in its exposure of the hate and misinformation spewing from the local talk radio station. Dr. Lawrence Gelman actually pays the station for the privilege to present his error-ridden show? This man has too much ill-gotten gain. He should be donating his money and time to the few understaffed and under-supplied charity clinics in the area instead of misleading people on his vanity show.

We desperately need single payer, universal health care reform in this country! We pay more per capita than any other country yet our health care is at the bottom of the industrialized countries and below a number of 3rd-world countries because of all the middlemen we have managing accounts, including the insurance companies, and the abuse of the system as we have seen lately in The New Yorker study about the tremendous medicare abuse in the Valley. Doctors overcharging and sending patients off for a myriad of tests they don't need. And Doctors Hospital is the worst of the bunch, making exorbitant profits off the frightened sick.

Call the Doctor on his paid-advertising program and tell him that he is full of...well, you will know what to say!

Guy Hallman
McAllen, Texas.

Dear Editor,

May 27, 2009

State Rep. Kino Flores has set a seldom seen example of ethical and professional selflessness for all to follow.

Remember the story of King Solomon, where two women were claiming to be the mother of a child, after one of the children had died during the night? The wise king ruled that the baby should be sliced down the middle with a sword and give each woman half of the body, knowing that the real mother would never agree to killing the baby, setting her right and her pride aside for the good (and the life) of her baby. Solomon thus gave the baby to the rightful mother.

In the same manner, setting his pride (and political gain) aside, state Rep. Kino Flores decided to remove his name from the 100 percent Disabled Veterans’ Personal Property Tax Exemption Bill iin order to get the bill he introduced approved.

Flores agreed to let his bill be added as an amendment to someone else’s bill, in order to help 100 percent disabled veterans receive exemption from personal property tax. If we had more legislators as unselfish and noble as Kino Flores our state and federal legislators could get more legislation approved, for the good of their constituents, instead of inflating their personal ego.

We believe that being a U.S. Army Veteran himself, Kino Flores was able to push his legislator and personal pride aside (he is, after all, one of "y'all down by the river") in order to help thousands of 100 percent disabled veterans, now and in the future. The legislation got approved and we can all be thankful to state Rep. Kino Flores. We sincerely congratulate him.

Kino Flores, the U.S. House of Representatives is calling. You are desperately needed in Washington D.C. Thank you, Brother Veteran.

Yours sincerely,

Placido Salazar, USAF Retired, Universal City, Texas

Josemaria Vasquez, American veteran down by the river, Elsa, Texas

Dear Editor,

May 27, 2009

Now we're getting somewhere! This is a wonderful idea and having the 'graduated' repayment over four years keeps the physicians in the communities long enough to become assimiliated and hopefully want to STAY! Cheers for Hinojosa and Edwards.
 
Sarah Boone
Del Rio, Texas

Dear Editor,

May 25, 2009

Why do you give so much space to Republican apparatchik Tom Haughey? I remember him from the local weekly Pharr Advance News Journal, and his columns were rambling and nonsensical, inevitably praising the Republican Party, which is to be expected, given that is his job. But why should you so frequently give him that forum? His modus operandi is the same in RGG as it was in Advance. I usually do not read his columns in the RGG, but I did take the time to read his May 12 column where he claims that Congress is guilty of torture.

That was a waste of five minutes for me. To make it short and not rehash his nonsense, he finally pooh-poohs any definition of torture and turns to an off the wall “discussion” of immigration and finally signs off with “Be afraid. Be very afraid.” Of what use are his frequent columns in the RGG? This reader got nothing from that one; it will be a long time before I read him again!

Guy Hallman
McAllen, Texas

Dear Editor,

May 25, 2009

Texas Republican legislators are blocking the 100% disabled veterans’ property tax exemption legislation, Senate Bill 469, from being voted on before this session expires. We thank state Reps. Kino Flores and Joe Farias and all others who have fought day and night to make this happen. We thank Steve Taylor of the Rio Grande Guardian online newspaper, and we thank John Miterko, legislative liaison for the Texas Coalition of Veterans Organizations, for his advocacy and information.

Placido Salazar
Universal City, Texas

Dear Editor,

May 25, 2009

What a cheap shot by Rep. Kino Flores. If you want to be fair, why don't you take the names of the Dems who are delaying the votes by speaking endlessly to prevent the vote on the voter ID bill, and then other measures can be voted upon according to the calendar? List those Dems' names. But then you don't want to blame Dems do you? They are filibustering. Signed by a 20-year military veteran who is disgusted by liberal Dems including those Dem veterans who like to blame Rs instead of looking into their political mirror for their troubles.

Frank Morris
Brownsville, Texas

Dear Editor,

May 21, 2009

Will this give Hidalgo County Judge J.D. Salinas more authority to give away more land and impact the property taxes of constituents? I give a “no” vote on this.

Dr. Eloisa G. Tamez
El Calaboz, Texas

Dear Editor,

May 10, 2009

Thank you, Mr. Lopez, for your letter to the editor, published May 3, 2009 in the Rio Grande Guardian. Your passion for issues affecting our veterans is clear. It’s one that we share, and I appreciate your diligence in reminding South Texas residents of our responsibility, as a community, to address them.

As a South Texas resident, and a member of the House of Representatives, I have made veterans legislation a priority, among many that are urgent in our district. At home, discussions about proper care, fair assistance and deserved recognition for veterans are ever present and the issue is one that my family is committed to furthering. My grandfather and many members of our family have served proudly and their experiences have afforded me a better understanding of the concerns that matter most to veterans and their families.

I can understand your frustration for the pace of legislation that can seem far behind the needs of those it’s meant to help. At times it may seem that the wheels are turning too slow in Austin, while veterans wait for change at home. This is not lost on me or my staff, who work daily to build a better system for veterans in all areas of Texas.

Be assured that I am fighting for legislation that I believe is crucial to achieving change. Since the session began, I have met with veterans’ groups to gather a sense of priorities and pressing matters so that I can convey them to the Speaker Joe Straus, and all members of the House. During this session, I co-authored House Bill 742, and filed two bills, HB 268 and 269, all pertaining to veterans’ issues.

It may not seem like enough, when there is so much still to be done. It’s easy to “call out” a lawmaker and ask what he or she has done to help. I admire and respect Rep. Kino Flores for his dedication to veterans’ issues and all that he’s accomplished to create awareness and help veterans be heard. But more than that, I am working with him to make sure these efforts are not in vain.

I invite you to contact my office, should you have further questions or concerns about this or any matter for which I may be of assistance. 

Eddie Lucio III
State Representative-District 38
Vice Chairman Calendars Committee

Dear Editor,

May 8, 2009

It's easy to understand why. Most of these local elections are controlled by neighborhood Democratic politics. Those same politicos elect state reps when they run for re-election. Their election depends on those local Dems' leadership.
 
The Democratic locals in these small communties would rather have control than clean elections. Clean elections is for the other guy. Or our elections are clean.
 
Until the Dems wake up and breakaway from the straight ballot ticket voting nothing will change, not even in the House, in Austin. We have a Banana Republic in the Valley and the Dems love it that way.

Frank Morris
Brownsville, Texas

Dear Editor,

May 5, 2009

As I have been getting calls from the media inquiring about a Cameron County woman in her early 30's dying from the H1N1 influenza virus attributed to underlying condtions and the influenza, all I can say is for people to remain calm and continue with the alerts put out to protect your family, friends and neighbors by practicing good hygiene and not being so mobile, unless abosolutely necessary during this influenza outbreak.

This untimely death and the heart ache for the family is shared by all of us. Our condolensces to the woman's family and prayers. At this time there is no other information that has been provided to us, but we are looking into this unfortunate health casualty. I have recieved assurances from the Mexican Consul that if the woman is from Mexico they are ready to assist the family in whatever way to transport the body back to Mexico. There is a lot of speculation and it is pure speculation, let's wait to get the actual information on the vicim and circumstances.

Again, please understand that the H1N1 is treatable providing medical carre is sought as soon as it is suspected.

Pat Ahumada
Mayor of Brownsville
Brownsville, Texas

Dear Editor,

May 3, 2009

I am going to get to the point of this letter. Yes, I am calling you out Rep. Eddie Lucio III. Or, for that matter, all the Rio Grande Valley delegation for not heeding the call set forth by Rep. Kino Flores. It seems to me like he is fighting this fight for the veterans of this great state by himself. 

HB 742, for those of you may not be aware of it’s intent, is supposed to give homestead relief to disabled veterans who proudly served our country. For being vice chair of the Calendars committee of the House, you are not exerting your position to help this bill get heard on the floor. Do not forget Rep. Lucio, Valley veterans have a big voice when election time comes calling.

Ram Lopez
Mission, Texas

Dear Editor,

May 3, 2009

Shame on Texas House Calendars Committee Chairman, State Rep Brian McCall for playing his ‘power’ games against state Rep Kino Flores. Rep McCall, you are not hurting Rep Flores, but us veterans, in ‘suggesting’ that Flores should bow down to you and ask in a nicer way for this all-important legislation affecting U.S. veterans to be placed on the calendar sooner. 

What makes you think that you have the right to criticize Mr. Flores’ demeanor, when he is only advocating for us veterans? I hope that our fellow veterans in your district will remember your disrespectful ‘demeanor’ toward veterans, in taking your sweet time, in delaying veterans’ legislation, next time you are up for re-election, Mr. McCall. 

Placido Salazar
USAF Retired Vietnam Veteran
Universal City Texas

Dear Editor,

May 2, 2009

As mayor, parent and citizen of our great city, it is my hope to be wrong, but I expect more children that will test positive for the H1N1 influenza virus when the tests come back from Austin and more people are tested.

The reason being is our proximity and continous exposure to children who are U.S. citizens and live or visit Mexico during weekends and could have been exposed to the virus while they were in Mexico and then come over during the week and attend our schools.

We have also had two known cases that we do not know how many people they exposed to the virus the toddles  were carrying. It is unfrotunate that we have one death, but we must learn and try to identify, contain and treat the virus before it kills anyonelse. By cooperating and taking prudent steps we can all get thru this, but parents must accept their responsibility to help iidentify, contain and treat infected carriers.

I hope the local newspapers and media announce everyday reminders for people to practice good hygiene, avoid non-essential travel, and for those infected with Type A influenza to stay home to avoid spreading the virus, but also to identify if they are later proven to be H1N1 carriers.

Pat Ahumada
Mayor of Brownsville

Dear Editor

April 29, 2009

How wonderfully self-centered! Scarcely a word from the developed world when it comes to contaminated water, diarrhea, AIDS, malaria, malnutrition, general sanitation and hygiene, starvation, birth difficulties, factory farming and its unhealthy spin-offs, and the list goes on and on.

Why worry! Those health issues only affect about half or more of the planet, maybe even a higher percentage, and usually those locales are far enough away from developed lands to easily escape notice - unless there is a war or migrant disaster.

But swine flu is close, developed-nation folk are affected, so emergency measures are needed. How about an emergency effort that would really address, for a start, clean water? That's an idea worth getting serious about, at least as much as swine flu!

Eugene "Gene" Novogrodsky
Brownsville, Texas

Dear Editor,

April 22, 2009

I can tell you why hardly any Mexicanos showed up for the McAllen Tea Party - we don't drink British tea. We were the servants, remember? Now if the organizers had thrown a pachanga, with cerveza and tacos, we would have been there. We like the stimulus money. The Valley needs it. But we also like to party.

Rey Lopez
Palmview

Dear Editor,

April 16, 2009

As a 20-year U.S. Air Force retiree and Vietnam veteran,  I place Rick Perry’s ‘patriotism’, or total lack of, right up there with George “Bubba” Bush, known by many as The Coward of The Country, for his unpatriotic dodging of serving our country in the combat zone of Vietnam, as many of us did. 

I was born dirt-poor, to farm-working parents, but although my mother came to this country from Mexico at the age of 5, both of my parents taught us to always be proud to be an American citizen. One of my grandsons (deceased), two of my sons, two of my brothers, several cousins and uncles proudly served, several of us in combat. We proudly fulfilled our obligation to the defense of our country, the United States of America and as American Tejanos we would never consider what Rick Perry is suggesting: seceding from the United States of America. 
 
If anything, Perry deserves the boot, “where the sun don’t shine.” What can he say, that would erase the pain he has already caused to so many American warriors and their families, through his insensitive remarks. He can’t help being who he is; his true self coming out.
 
This is a terrible insult to the thousands of wounded warriors recovering in hospital and at home – and to the families of those who made the ultimate sacrifice serving our country.  The only thing Rick Perry should personally ‘secede’ from – is from the Great State Texas – home to millions of heroes. He needs to resign.

Rick Perry makes me want to vomit, in total disgust for his lack of National pride. The same as Bubba ‘wet socks’ Bush, Perry only opens his mouth to change feet.
 
Sure, there have been many times, even while risking our lives in the combat zone, that we experienced blatant discrimination, ridiculed as ‘dirty’ Mexicans. I am very proud of my Mexican heritage and its history of brave warriors - but that same Mexican pride as a fearless 5’ 6” warrior, led me to risk my life in combat to save the lives of my fellow American warriors, with no thought of our different ethnicities. At that moment, we were all red, white and blue! I am positive that at least two of them, would have done the same for me. They recommended that I be awarded The Bronze Star with V device for Heroism, which I finally received 35 years later – and which I proudly wear daily.
 
Placido Salazar
USAF Retired Vietnam Veteran
Universal City, Texas

Dear Editor,

April 16, 2009

I was at the Brownsville TEA Party where nearly 600 attended with all home made signs. I quit counting as I approached 600 for the pledges and prayers. Col. Ray spoke as did Cathie Adams, president of Texas Eagle Forum, a leading conservative organization in Texas and several students.
 
Add those numbers to the Harlingen numbers and McAllen where numbers were not given, you could easily say you had near 1,000 in the Valley turn out.
 
When you have 15 liberals turn out the local media calls it tens of thousands protest with tight shots. No wonder the media ratings are lower than our congressmen.

Frank Morris
Brownsville, Texas