Cities have no business in the electricity business

Cities have no business in the electricity business and here is why.

We’ve told you so, but don’t want to say it. Now word is out – it was printed in the Ft Worth Star-Telegram that investor-owned utilities are providing some lower rates than municipally-owned and co-op utilities.

That’s even after we eliminate the tremendous fraud which has occurred at the largest co-op in the country – Texas’ own Pedernales Electricity Co-Op right near Austin. And after the overhead which is often shared by other city budget items.

AFP’s Peggy Venable was one of the early advocates of electricity de-regulation, even when some retail utilities weren’t any too excited about it. But now, it is reported that:

Retail electricity providers often offer lower rates, survey finds

Retail electric providers in Texas’ deregulated market are offering residential rates that in many instances are lower than those of some municipal power companies, electric cooperatives and investor-owned utilities that are still under rate regulation, a Star-Telegram survey shows.

A decade after the Texas Legislature passed a law authorizing deregulation, retail electric providers compete intensely to win new customers. They have sharply lowered rates in response to a plunge in prices for natural gas, which is burned to generate much of the electricity produced in Texas.

http://www.star-telegram.com/business/story/1637355.html

Hats off to the Star-Telegram and to the free market – markets work, even when government doesn’t.

Texas’ principal Internet shopping mall for deregulated rates, the www.powertochoose.org Web site operated by the Texas Public Utility Commission, lists many plans with much cheaper rates than were available a year ago.
Wa-hoo! Go shopping!!!

But those of you who are unlucky enough to be captive to the Austin Municipal Utility have been overpaying your electricity and water bills. Austin residents enjoy a modest electric rate of 9.94 cents levied by city-owned Austin Energy and take pride in the fact that it has been a leading advocate for clean, renewable wind and solar energy. In addition, the utility transferred $95 million into the city’s general fund this year. That’s a $95 million overpayment this year – it’s gravy for the city and soaking the ratepayers.

If only those customers in municipal utilities and co-ops could just go shopping!

Cornyn says ObamaCare would be costly to Texans

As AFP members converge on Washington and the U.S. Capitol later this week, we would be wise to thank Sen. Cornyn for pointing out how costly ObamaCare would be for Texans:

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, delivered his opening statement at the Finance Committee mark up of Chairman Baucus' health care reform bill. Among other remarks, Sen. Cornyn announced the findings of a report he requested from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, which estimates that Chairman Baucus' health care proposal would have a devastating impact on Texas. It would increase Texas Medicaid costs by $20.4 billion over 10 years. Additionally, 2.5 million more Texans will end up on a government program.

Read it here http://cornyn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ForPress.NewsReleases&ContentRecord_id=e2d73004-802a-23ad-4283-9badc66523c8&Region_id=&Issue_id=

Texans will be among the citizens from across the country attending the Defending the American Dream Summit Oct 2 & 3.


-- Peggy Venable, Texas Director, Americans for Prosperity

Cap and Trade would cost Texans billions

Don’t let the Senate Cap and Tax Us

Gov. Rick Perry is right. Last week, he called the so-called “cap and trade” legislation the largest tax increase in history.

The bill sponsored by Waxman-Markey, has passed the House by a narrow vote on June 26(219 to 212) had 8 Republicans voting for the bill (none from Texas) and 44 Democrats voting against the bill (some from from Texas.)*

Gov. Perry said that the bill would cause the price of gasoline to rise 41 percent, and that it would force many agricultural-based families to lose their farms. Hundreds of thousands of jobs would be lost in Texas in the coming years as a result of the legislation, he said.

Texas Department of Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples said the bill would cost Texas farmers up to $5 billion, and force the nation to outsource agriculture. "We must not, we cannot become dependent on foreign food," he said.

Public Utility Commission Chairman Barry Smitherman cited a report in yesterday's Wall Street Journal that the provisions in the cap and trade bill would increase a typical electric bill $27 a month.

Martin Hubert of the Texas Comptroller's Office reported that 137,000 in Texas would be lost by 2020 alone under the bill, and Workforce Commission Chairman Tom Pauken cited a study indicating that for every "green job" created, 2.2 other jobs are lost in the private sector.


There is a good write-up on it in the Lone Star Report blog:
http://www.lonestarreport.org/Management/BlogManagement/tabid/62/EntryId/260/Perry-chairmen-experts-slam-federal-Cap-and-Trade-legislation.aspx

*Texans D's voting against the bill were:
• Cong. Chet Edwards (Waco)
• Cong. Solomon Ortiz (Corpus Christi)
• Cong. Ciro Rodriquez (San Antonio)

Also see Tom Pauken's perspective on job losses in Texas if this bill passes:
http://americansforprosperity.org/092309-impact-waxman-markey-american-jobs

She's baaaaaack! Nanci Wilson is back to her award-winning investigative reporting

Investigative reporter Nanci Wilson received the AFP-Texas media award last year at the Texas Defending the American Dream/RightOnline Summit in Austin. She was with KEYE-TV, but she's moved to KXAN-TV.

"I believe there will always be a market for well-told, well-researched investigative reporting,” says Nanci Wilson, investigative reporter wooed to KXAN TV (NBC) from KEYE TV (CBS) last winter. “These are the stories that hold our government and the powerful accountable. These are the stories that reveal wrongdoing and provoke change. These are the stories that let the bad guys know someone is paying attention.”

Obviously, KXAN has been aware of Wilson’s work. “Austin viewers are very familiar with Nanci and her award-winning journalism,” KXAN says a prepared release. “She has spent the last 13 years reporting in Central Texas, winning several awards, including two Associated Press Awards and the coveted Edward R. Murrow Award for investigative journalism [while she was with KEYE TV].

Stossel on gov't run health care

Great presentation at the TPPF luncheon featuring John Stossel today in Austin.

Stossel will be taking his reporting and commentary to Fox Business Network with a weekly program aptly named STOSSEL.

He had high praise for those Americans (and organizations like TPPF and AFP) which are actively involved in educating the pulic and in engaging citizens in this issue.

He provided insight into why government involvement in our health care system is not going to increase access, or quality of care. It was a very informative and thoughtful presentation.

Former State Rep Arlene Wohlgemuth provided information on just how expensive health insurance mandates are to consumers and concern that Congress is planning to cut Medicare and push more costs to the states.

For more information, go to www.texaspolicy.com and to www.HandsOffMyHealthcare.com, a project of Americans for Prosperity.

Tort Reform? We've already done it in Texas

The following appeared on WashingtonPost.com:

Peggy Venable: Tort Reform? We've Already Done It
By Peggy Venable
Wednesday, September 16, 2009 10:57 AM

In his address last week, President Obama said he had talked to some doctors and learned that medical procedures were being done that may not be necessary due to fear of medical malpractice lawsuits, and he entertained the idea of tort reform, saying we could try it in some states with pilot projects.

But there's no need for a pilot project. Texas enacted malpractice reform years ago. The president would benefit from a phone call to Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R).

Texas passed significant tort reform in 1995, and more reforms have been enacted since then. A 2008 study from the Perryman Group found that perhaps the most visible economic impact of the lawsuit reforms are the benefits experienced by Texans who have better access to high-quality healthcare. Doctors and hospitals are using their liability insurance savings to expand services and initiate innovative programs; those savings have allowed Texas hospitals to expand charity care by 24 percent.

The total impact of tort reforms implemented since 1995 includes gains of $112.5 billion in spending each year as well as almost 499,900 jobs in the state. The fiscal stimulus to the state from judicial reforms is almost a $2.6 billion per year increase in state revenue. In addition, these reforms are responsible for approximately 430,000 individuals having health insurance than would otherwise, and there has been an increase in the number of doctors, particularly in regions which have been facing severe shortages.

But there is more. Those the class-action lawsuits that result in hundreds or thousands of plaintiffs getting nothing more than a coupon also provides justice to the ambulance-chasing lawyers who file those suits. If filed in Texas, instead of getting six-figure attorney fees when citizens get coupons, the lawyers who file those bills get paid like the plaintiffs they abuse do -- in coupons.

Peggy Venable is the Texas director of Americans for Prosperity.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/linkset/2009/09/15/LI2009091501691.html

ObamaCare and the Constitution

Michael Connelly ( http://michaelconnelly.viviti.com/ ) is a Constitutional Lawyer and has read the entire health care bill and has some comments, not about the bill, but about the effects on our Constitution. It's a broader picture than just health care reform. Connelly is a retired attorney and Constitutional Law Instructor from Carrollton, Texas.

Thanks! It is a fascinating read. - Peggy V.

Two Prayers on 9-11

Please join me today in two prayers. One of remembrance of the innocent men and women who were viciously murdered by terrorists on American soil eight years ago. And another of thanksgiving for the men and women who have worked ever since to prevent such an act of war from ever happening again.

-- Greg Scandlen


Thanks, Greg! - Peggy V.

Far-Left Pastor spews (almost) hatred

I get some strange emails from time to time but this is one of the most outrageous. I had a piece posted on www.FoxNews.com's Commentary - http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2009/09/03/peggy-venable-obama-speech-school-children/

It seems Dr. Kennedy will attack anyone who questions what the President was going to say to our schoolchildren. Fortunately, Obama's speech was posted before it was delivered, he read the teleprompter and he didn't use the speech to promote his health care reform. Obama had just completed his plea to churches to help him pass his health care agenda. I guess he also recruited some J. Wright-type attack dogs. Holy, holy, holy!

From: Dr. Rod Kennedy [mailto:rkennedy13@woh.rr.com]
Sent: Sunday, September 06, 2009 2:55 PM
To: Peggy Venable
Subject: The President of the United States

Ms. Venable:

The venal nature of your blatant political comments about the president of the United States speaking to American students is an exercise that doesn’t even qualify as “spin.” It is demagoguery at its absolute corrupt worst. It is dishonest and disgraceful for an educated and sophisticated person to make such suggestions. This is still the United States and we will not be intimidated by fear-mongering comments made by people like you. I realize that outrageous, attack-dog statements are necessary to bring in the money, but shouldn’t you at least consider a more honest profession. Fear and hatred are being disseminated around our country and there’s nothing remotely Christian or patriotic about it. Perhaps you have heard the sermon from the Baptist in Arizona: “Why I Hate Barack Obama.” This pastor told his congregation that he wanted Obama to melt like a snail. He said that prayed for Obama to get brain cancer and die. I mention this because you and that pastor are two peas in a pod. Why not be a little more civil? Why not respect the office of the president of the United States? We suffered through the awful 8 years of the Bush administration without scaring our children with hate rhetoric. Let me suggest that you take a couple of course in losing graciously. President Obama is going to be your president for 7 and one half more years. Learning how to treat him with respect would be a good first step for you.

Almost Sincerely, Rodney Wallace Kennedy, Ph.D., Th.D.
Lead Pastor
First Baptist Church
Dayton, OH 45402

President Obama CAN read a teleprompter!

Americans can respect the Office of the President but still be on “heightened alert” over what this President may do, or what he may say.

Much controversy accompanied the announcement last week that the President wanted to speak directly to public and private schools. Schools were asked to carry his speech live along with a lesson plan was provided by the U.S. Department of Education.

As a former White House Liaison for Education in the Reagan Administration, I weighed in. My op ed KEEP POLITICS OUT OF THE CLASSROOM was posted on AFP’s website and also on FoxNews.com’s opinion forum. Read it here: (http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2009/09/03/peggy-venable-obama-speech-school-children/)

Let’s face it, August was a rough month for this Administration and this speech is on the heels of Obama’s plea to church leaders to get involved in pushing a government take-over of our health care system, and following a controversial Hollywood video shown in some schools in which actors pledged support for Obama and service to him and his policies. This is also a President who travels outside the U.S. and apologizes for our country.

Folks, we can honor the office but have concerns about the policies espoused by individual occupying it.

It boils down to one thing: Americans who were worried about what Obama might say simply don’t trust him. This is a controversial President who has pushed controversial policies and his credibility is being challenged.

After all, thanks to the public outcry, the lesson plan accompanying the speech was modified. We don’t know what the President was planning to say, but his address was likely “toned down”. One Administration official was quoted as saying they would have promoted their health care plan in the speech, but backed off that idea. No one can convince me they didn’t consider using this forum to promote their policies!

Having said all that, I don’t have a problem with the speech. It was appropriate for the speech to be posted online. The speech, though not particularly inspiring, is relatively innocuous. It isn’t a strong speech, but is not offensive.

The President could have used this speech to be more inspiring, but instead uses the “I” word 41 times in the speech.

Having said that, President Obama has achieved much to become the most powerful man in the world. It is thanks to our freedom that the office of President of the U.S. is so powerful.

He appropriately used his time to try to encourage students to stay in school and get a good education. He highlighted some young people who have overcome challenges.

In short, the President used his teleprompter and stuck to the prepared text. The message was one of personal responsibility. A good message.

The President did keep politics out of the classroom.

But he missed one major opportunity. He didn’t embrace freedom. He should have freed students from government-run schools.

Public schools will provide a good education for some students. But not all students. In a free country, parents should have the opportunity to determine the educational environment where their children have the greatest opportunity to learn. The education dollars should follow the child, not simply go to the public school where their child is assigned.

Allowing all parents the opportunity which President Obama and Michelle have exercised – to send their children to the school of their choice, public or private.

Empowering parents and students would lower the dropout rate and improve American education.

Peggy Venable
AFP-Texas Director

Michael Moore misjudges the public - again

Michael Moore: wrong again.

August 11, 2009 (Political Wire: http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/08/11/michael_moore_on_the_public_option.html )

Michael Moore again misjudges the public. Former assembly-line worker, now radical filmmaker Michael Moore, who directed Sicko, discusses health care reform in the current issue of Rolling Stone:

"If a true public option is enacted -- and Obama knows this -- it will eventually bring about a single payer system, because the profit-making insurance companies won't be able to compete with a government run plan and make the profits they want to make."

Moore adds: "I probably shouldn't be saying this, but I'm counting on the fact that Republicans won't be reading this Rolling Stone."

Michael: conservatives will never be your beast of burden. We can’t get no satisfaction, or is it just my imagination, you gotta move or sparks will fly. Little by little, we are realizing we have no expectations of this out-of-control silver train called single-payer.

HughHewitt got it right: Tort Reform First

Hugh Hewitt nailed it in his column when he wrote that without tort reform, heatlh care "reform" is a trial lawyer protection program.


http://townhall.com/columnists/HughHewitt/2009/09/04/without_tort_reform,_it_isnt_health_care_reform_--its_a_plaintiffs_lawyers_protection_act

It's worth a read - wonder if President Obama and his health care czars are listening? (Does he have a trial law czar yet?)

Obama needs to be filtered

Yesterday, I wrote an op ed which appeared on FoxNews.com titled KEEP POLITICS OUT OF THE CLASSROOM and expressed concern about the scheduled Presidential address to America's students.

Thanks to many like-minded Americans and a few rather nasty and graphic liberals, I realize I touched a nerve.

Though we saw the problematic lesson plan, we don't really know what Obama will say. We can anticipate that a President who will go to churches to seek support for his agenda -- particularly something like a government take-over of our health care system -- will not hesitate to use America's public school students.

We have already seen the White House and Dept of Education modify the accompanying materials for teachers.

Let's hope that on Sept 8, the President sticks to "study hard, stay in school, come to school on time and prepared" message.

But with a President who has Czars who have been self-proclaimed Marxists, anarchists and more, it is appropriate to be vigilant. Most American parents don't want our chlidren used to further an extremist agenda.

I hope schools decide to preview the speech -- it need not be delivered live as the President requests. Let's see what he has to say and hope that all the concern over his address has encouraged the President and his team to stick to an appropriate subject matter and don't divert from the teleprompter. We'll see, but considering what he has been proposing, this speech requires a filter.

Read my op ed here: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2009/09/03/peggy-venable-obama-speech-school-children/

And I welcome the comments, even the mean-spirited ones. It reminds the rest of us what we are up against.

Peggy Venable

Obama attempts to co-op America's students

This is troubling on so many levels. President Obama is planning to address the school children on Sept 8 and, among other things, challenge them to decide what they can do to help further the Obama agenda. This alone is reason enough to reject public schools and support school choice - if public schools participate, they are committing education child abuse. This from a former White House Liaison for the U.S. Department of Education under President Ronald Reagan. President Regaan would never have used and abused America's children like this! - Peggy Venable

Critics Decry Obama's 'Indoctrination' Plan for Students
A suggested lesson plan that calls on students to write letters to themselves about what they can do to help President Obama following his address to students nationwide is troubling and establishes the president as a "superintendent in chief," education experts told FOXNews.com.


By Joshua Rhett Miller

FOXNews.com

Wednesday, September 02, 2009



A suggested lesson plan that calls on school kids to write letters to themselves about what they can do to help President Obama is troubling some education experts, who say it establishes the president as a "superintendent in chief" and may encourage children to support him politically.

Obama will deliver a national address directly to students on Tuesday, Sept. 8, which will be the first day of classes for many children across the country. In a letter to school principals last week, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said the president will "challenge students to work hard, set educational goals, and take responsibility for their learning." Obama will also call for a "shared responsibility" among students, parents and educators to maximize learning potential.

Duncan's letter includes "a menu of classroom activities for students in grades preK-6 and for students in grades 7-12. These are ideas developed by and for teachers to help engage students and stimulate discussion on the importance of education in their lives. We are also staging a student video contest on education."
Teachers could extend the lesson by having students "write letters to themselves about what they can do to help the president. These would be collected and redistributed at an appropriate later date by the teacher to make students accountable to their goals." Another suggestion is to have students "interview and share about their goals with one another to create a supportive community." (Does sound oddly like something Hitler, Stalin, Mao and other dictators did?!! --SMB)

But Obama's critics say the lesson plans and the president's calls are troubling on many levels.

"In general, I don't think there's a problem if the president uses the bully pulpit to tell kids to work hard, study hard and things like that. But there are some troubling hints in this, both educationally and politically," said Neal McCluskey, associate director of Cato Institute's Center for Educational Freedom.

Among the concerns, McCluskey said, is the notion that students who do not support Obama or his educational policies will begin the school year "behind the eight ball," or somehow academically trailing their peers.

"It essentially tries to force kids to say the president and the presidency is inspiring, and that's very problematic," McCluskey said. "It's very concerning that you would do that."

Parents of public school students would also have to pay for that "indoctrination," regardless of their political background, he said.

"That's the fundamental problem. They could easily be funding the indoctrination of their children."

Frederick Hess, director of education policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank, said the suggested lesson plans cross the line between instruction and advocacy.

"I don't think it's appropriate for teachers to ask students to help promote the president's preferred school reforms and policies," Hess said. "It very much starts to set up the president as a superintendent in chief."

Amid the debate on the federal government's level of involvement on issues like health care and others, Hess said, "there's a lot of people" on both sides of the political spectrum who will rightfully be concerned with the president's call to action.

"It shows exactly what the problem is," he said. "This is going to open the door to all kinds of concerns."

Messages to the White House seeking comment were not immediately returned early Wednesday.

After reading the Department of Education lesson plans for the speech, McCluskey said he noticed several passages that should set off "alarm bells," including language that attempts to "glorify President Obama" in the minds of young students.

"It could be a blatantly political move," he said. "Nobody knows for sure, but it gives that impression."

McCluskey also noted that the lesson plans for young students contain suggestions to write letters to themselves on how they can help the president, but that suggestion is not in the lesson plan for middle and high schoolers -- perhaps due to the likelihood of increased political ties at that age.

"You don't want to see this coming from the president," McCluskey said. "You don't want to see this coming from the federal government."

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/09/02/critics-decry-obamas-lesson-plan-students/