Abbott’s spoiled brat mentality is costing Texans millions (Opinion)

This spoiled brat mentality is costing the state of Texas millions. And it originates in the governor’s office. First he comes for the Houston Independent School District. Now he is determined to ramrod the voucher insanity and destroy public education across the state of Texas.  

It’s time for Gov. Greg Abbott to stop ravaging our state a dollar and a school at a time. Say “no” to vouchers.

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Regarding “What ‘Friday Night Lights’ shows about one rural Republican’s resistance to private school vouchers,” (Nov. 3): I have read all the articles about the voucher issue, and one thing stands out to me: how passionate Greg Abbott is about pushing the program on the state of Texas, even to the point of threatening lawmakers to “primary” them. Why? Oh yeah — he wants every child to have the opportunity to get a better education. He wants us to think he cares about disadvantaged children in underperforming schools.

That child will never be able to attend a private school. The voucher he could receive will not cover all of the expenses. Nobody is even saying it will. Roughly 60% of households in the country are said to live paycheck to paycheck and would find it difficult or impossible to cover all expenses, such as uniforms, extra fees or fundraising events. 

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How many private schools offer free transportation or free lunch, food to take home, or special services such as free tutoring or health checks?  

Who will actually be able to take advantage of the voucher program? The answer is: those already enrolled in private school, and well-off parents who just need a little extra help with the expenses. How many private schools will be tempted to raise tuition? 

I remember vouchers being pushed in the past. The reasoning was that it is unfair to homeschool and private school parents to have to pay public school taxes, and the voucher program compensates them. Our own Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner is quoted in an editorial saying, “When people want something, they don’t mind using minorities and the poor to open the door for programs they want.” With all the bad press on vouchers, let’s just put that subject to rest.

Patricia Swartley, League City

Crypto injustice

Regarding “Shaky Texas grid can’t handle anymore energy-guzzling crypto miners (Editorial),” (Nov. 9): Enough is enough. Crypto miners must be reined in. The Houston Chronicle editorial speaks for all of us by advocating for strict controls on approvals of all new crypto mining companies.

Gov. Greg Abbott had better listen closely when traditional Republicans like me finally demand a stop, not a slowdown, of all crypto operations in Texas.

Clearly ERCOT has failed us, and its proposed regulations don’t solve the problem. It is past time to stop these insidious predators. After the boondoggle of insane payments to crypto predators this last summer, I will not put up with another theft of my dollars without loud protest.

Jerry DeFoor, Jersey Village

The people have spoken

Regarding “Can Ohio and Kentucky election wins happen here? (Editorial),” (Nov. 10): The political tremors felt ’round the country on Tuesday were arguably rated as Richter 8 events. Voters in several states — Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia and Pennsylvania — all repudiated legislatures, state governments and politicians who support limiting a woman’s right to make her own health care decisions. 

This direct citizen referendum decision makes sense, demonstrating that all major policy decisions should be on ballots, even summaries of both sides of major policy discussions, to allow voters to determine the fate of policies that affect our families, communities and, by extension, our country. Direct referendums of major issues would return power to “We the People,” as it was intended by our Constitution.

Rex Alfonso, Missouri City

Grateful

Regarding “Most Harris County voting locations see no election day hiccups, only a handful reporting issues,” (Nov. 7): Let us thank our fellow citizens who work at the polling stations. Our elections are not “rigged,” nor are they fraught with “illegals” or “fraudulent” voters or any such nonsense.

Our poll workers get the job done. Thank you, poll workers!

Bruce Ellis, Houston

Regarding “Blame Whitmire? Blame Sheila? What’s behind Houston’s low voter turnout? (Editorial),” (Nov. 8): Talking about low voter turnout, the editorial board wrote, “All of that is a hard pill to swallow for this editorial board, which believes in the ongoing importance of election endorsements…”

We, the Houston Chronicle readers, are incredibly fortunate, and, dare I say lucky, to have the Houston Chronicle as our local, award-winning newspaper, to keep us up to date and informed about the candidates running in the mayoral election.

I sincerely hope that digital subscriptions will increase (not everyone can afford the print edition) once folks are aware of all of the good work and research the Houston Chronicle is doing to make the voters’ work easier.

How many voters in the Houston area are aware that they don’t have to figure all that out themselves? Know there is help in the form of endorsements from the Houston Chronicle, and not just flyer after flyer in the mail.

Jackie Davis, Houston