Action Update - Issue 55 :: September 13, 2005
Without hesitation, Texans opened their hearts and homes to our neighbors for the last 2 weeks. We did it because it was the right thing to do. We know Texas could be the next hurricane target. We remember hurricanes of the past.
Many came from Louisiana before Katrina hit. Many plan to stay and not go back. Some will stay for a few weeks or months without money, homes or jobs. As taxpayers, we know this support does not come for free. Thankfully, our state leadership has implemented some solutions. Here is the information available today. <continued>
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Sex Change Treatment - Every Prisoner's Right?
Ruling by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals:
Prisoners in Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi generally have a constitutional right to taxpayer-funded sex change treatment.
By Marc Levin
Being humane requires that we give prisoners basic health care since they cannot earn a living and pay for it themselves, but the Court here concludes that the 8th Amendment guarantee against cruel and unusual punishment provides inmates with a constitutional right to sex change treatment -- the availability, nature, and extent of which the Court says must ultimately be determined on a case by case basis by federal judges. However, such treatment is not covered under Medicaid or Medicare (if nothing else a statute of limitations so to speak!).
Its interesting how they cited the disruption it would cause in prison in this specific case as one factor in their decision. I suppose this is a euphemism for saying this person would be too popular among other inmates after the operation.
Perhaps there is a far greater need for prison programs that foster personal transformation rather than sexual transformation. It will be interesting to see if this case opens the floodgates to more such litigation. <continued>
Spend-O-Meter
The Texas State Spend-O-Meter for the 2006-2007 biennium budget shows how quickly the state is spending money. The total "all funds" budget of $138,761,827,688 that was approved in May 2005 took effect at midnight, September 1 (the start of the 2006 fiscal year), and runs through August 31, 2007. The budget includes monies being spent by the legislature from state taxes, fees, fines and federal grants.
The numbers (rounded) break-down as:
- $2,200 per second
- $132,000 per minute
- $7,920,000 per hour
- $190,080,000 per day
- $1,330,560,000 per week
To watch the TEXAS SPEND-O-METER, hold onto your wallet and go HERE.
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Reflections on the good that could come from Katrina
by Royal Masset
I believe New Orleans will become a great city again because of Katrina. It has not been a great city for some time and was in decline long before Katrina. Its public persona as the quirky "Big Easy" city with Mardi Gras, Jazz, Cajun food and Bourbon Street has kept it alive as a great city for tourism and conventions. But this party face masked the fact that this was a deteriorating and dysfunctional city.
I mean no disrespect with the title I chose. I wish Katrina never happened. For those who lost homes and family members this tragedy will bring sadness for the rest of their lives. It is economically devastating. In an attempt to say something positive about this disaster I hope I am not being grossly insensitive. <continued>
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