Opinion

Your Turn – Jan. 27, 2011

Tip of the iceberg

Two Jan. 20 letters called into question the value of money to be spent to protect endangered species. One writer suggests that a cost-benefit analysis would show that humans are more important than “some aquatic animal.” Actually, some economists are beginning to calculate that the cost to taxpayers to replace the ecological services that water provides to flora and fauna that live in aquifers, if replacement were even possible, would be astronomical.

The issue is not solely the protection of a few endangered species. The three-year effort of the Edwards Aquifer Recovery Implementation Program is part of an effort to manage ground and surface water to maintain the health of the entire ecosystem. We, as humans, are a part of that larger ecosystem, upon which we depend for our survival. The endangered species are only the tip of the iceberg.

— John Donahue

Canary in coal mine

Re: “Would anyone care” (Letters, Jan. 20):

“If those ‘endangered’ critters vanished overnight, who would notice?” Aren’t those “critters” like the canary in the coal mine?

— Heraclio Villarreal

Keeping it clean

This month, Rep. Francisco Canseco lent his support to the latest legislative attack on clean air that would allow the biggest polluters, like coal-fired power plants, to continue to pollute our environment and threaten our health.

Left unchecked, global warming will threaten Texas’ environment and our health in a number of ways, including more severe and prolonged draughts, unhealthy air days and heat-related deaths.

Recognizing this, the Environmental Protection Agency is set to implement new clean air standards for the biggest global warming polluters. Unfortunately, some in Congress — including Canseco — have sponsored legislation to block these standards, letting big polluters off the hook.

It is more important than ever that Congress stand strong to ensure a clean and safe environment for all, not work to reverse years of science and thoughtful implementation of clean air laws. I urge the EPA to keep our air clean and Texas families healthy.

— Alejandro Savransky, field organizer, Environment Texas

Care for the children

Re: “House Republicans vote to repeal health care law” (A Section, Jan. 20):

To the disservice of our city’s children, much of the discourse regarding the health care law has not even paid lip service to the health of our most vulnerable citizens — our youth.

I appreciate Rep. Charlie Gonzalez in his highlighting that repeal of the health care law could result in thousands of children being denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions.

Thanks to his leadership, perhaps more members of Congress will think twice before working to dismantle legislation that increases access to care for uninsured and underinsured children.

— Ryan Van Ramshorst, M.D.

Give education back

The 17 percent cut in education funding proposed by the Legislature proves our elected leaders are out of touch with the world around them and have been for years.

When education funding was overhauled a few years ago, no real thought was put into it other than getting the judge who ordered it off their backs. School funding did not improve, it was just shunted off to the side, the Legislature ever hopeful someone else would have to make the hard decisions.

Now, their shortsightedness is coming home to roost. The deficit saw to that. Lawmakers are constantly passing laws requiring schools and teachers to provide unnecessary services and a myriad of other unfunded mandates.

If education was given back to teachers where it belongs, the cost would be much less than it is now.

We need to consolidate services, cut back the number of school districts (with size and area served minimum/maximum) in the state and repeal the unfunded mandates, putting education back in the hands of those who know best, the school district and the teachers.

I bet the amount saved and the amount our kids learn will amaze us.

— Lee Fox

Soccer squabble

There is only one word that can describe the ongoing battle between the Spurs organization and Gordon Hartman and that word is greed. I will leave it up to readers to determine on which side that word applies.

— Herman Fisher

Cleaning up the mess

After reading Gen. Patrick Brady’s column (Jan 20), I thought the general had suffered from the same feelings many Americans and I had when a previously “tragically under-qualified” president took office in 2001 and selected a secretary of defense who helped ruin the military.

Those two picked the wrong theater to put our troops in and “man’s man” Donald Rumsfeld sent our troops there woefully under-equipped for the type of resistance they would get.

This was the same administration that sent under-trained National Guard and Reserve troops overseas (remember Abu Ghraib), sometimes for two tours. And when some of those troops were killed, Rumsfeld had someone else sign his name to the letters of condolence.

That Brady has issues with the president and Defense Secretary Robert Gates is legitimate, but he ought to be honest enough to realize that both those leaders inherited a huge mess that will be years in the cleaning up.

— Laird Loomis

Cheap is way to go

Re: “CPS sees new era dawning with solar” (Front page, Jan. 19):

I have read and reread the second paragraph several times and still find it hard to believe that the Chamber of Commerce allowed such a statement!

When Chamber President Richard Perez stated, “We have been looking at it (CPS) as an economic engine because it provides cheap energy; now it’s something entirely different. ... I think it’s a new day for CPS Energy.” He also said, “This is doing exactly what we had hoped Doyle would do.” Is this how the Chamber feels?

I would think that “cheap energy” would be more favorable to the Chamber than “more expensive energy” in its efforts to attract business to San Antonio!

— John A. Christian

No moral high ground

Re: “Pope Benedict weighs in on sex scandal gripping Italy” (A Section, Jan. 22):

I had to laugh when I read this article. Just exactly what moral standing does Pope Benedict have to preach to any politician about sex scandals when he is the head of an organization that has been rocked by an international pedophilic scandal that the church hierarchy tried to cover up and obfuscate about? What is it the Bible says about removing the speck of dust in your brother’s eye when you have a plank in your own?

— Luis Torres