For appliance rebate program, lines jammed and otherwise poorly managed in Texas

I had tried since 7 AM by dialing the phone number AND at the same time tried to gain online access to the site. For many hours I could not gain contact on either option. The same held true for thousands of other Texans. We can only hope that most states managed this program better than Texas did

Update: Friday April 9 – A highly critical report from the Austin American-Statesman says nearly 39,000 people (it doesn't specify Texans) received rebate reservations. Also, that state Comptroller Susan Combs paid $876,000 of Texas taxpayer money to a Minnesota company to manage the program.

Note: If you tried and were lucky enough to get a rebate reservation before they were all snapped up, or tried and didn't get one, let us know what your experience was like.

Send your comments and news tips to roundup.editor@gmail.com, to Mr. Stern at pstern@austin.rr.com, or click on the "comments" button at the bottom of the story

By Peter Stern
Guest Commentary

The Appliance Rebate Program (ARP) actually is a good idea by the Obama administration. The concept of the program is to boost retail store appliance sales and give some rebate incentives for consumers to replace existing appliances that are energy wasters. In addition, the old appliances must be recycled. Every household could apply for a total of 2 rebates; the two appliances had to be in different categories. In addition, each applicant who wanted more than one rebate had to leave and then gain access again after obtaining the first rebate.

Good plan, right? Maybe, but the state of Texas totally mismanaged the program. How could it not expect the thousands of applicants who wanted rebates and why didn’t the state manage the rush more competently? There is no excuse.

The plan was implemented on April 7th and the Texas State Energy Conservation Office (TSECO) managed the program. Weeks before, consumers were notified of the program and were directed to a new online site at which they could apply for the rebates by reserving them online at http://www.texaspowerfulsmart.org/

As an option to online contact, Texas consumers also were provided a toll free phone number.

Then the problems began at 7 AM on April 7th.

For whatever reasons, the TSECO did NOT plan correctly to handle the thousands of consumers and contractors who wanted to apply for the rebates. The site and phones were hammered with applicants and few could gain access to complete the rebate forms.

Initially, the sites rejected thousands of online consumers. The phone calls received busy signals. Prospective rebate applicants kept on trying, but grew frustrated and angry. Many placed phone calls to the Texas Comptroller’s Office to complain.

TSECO tried to fix the problems, but already it was too late. Thousands of Texans were trying to get a piece of the $23 million dollars worth of appliance rebates, but only a few of that number were successful in doing so.

TSECO then shut down the online site for 2 hours to make urgent changes to the site. Even when the site reopened, most Texans were rejected from the site. Many did receive the reservation for the appliance rebate, but more did not.

I had tried since 7 AM by dialing the phone number AND at the same time tried to gain online access to the site. For many hours I could not gain contact on either option. The same held true for thousands of other Texans.

Finally, at 1:30 PM I was able to access the application form and reserved a rebate for a “clothes washer."

I wanted to apply for another rebate, for a refrigerator/freezer, but again I could not gain access either via computer or phone.

Two more hours and I was able to gain computer access but only to be placed on a rebate waiting list. Already, the $23 million in rebates had been totally reserved with thousands of Texans left out.

If government either at the national, state or local levels cannot manage such a small program, how will it manage larger ones, e.g., the national health care program pushed through by the Obama administration and Congress?

Texas consumers still are applying for the rebates even though there are none available. They will be placed on a long waiting list. The only way those on the waiting list may obtain a rebate is if money becomes available.

The rebate process requires many steps within 60 days and of the thousands of Texans who reserved their rebates, hundreds may not complete the process; thereby, opening up a reservation for someone on the waiting list.

Management of this program was deplorable and there is no excuse for the incompetence displayed by the state and TSECO. Now, it’s too late for most Texans to obtain an appliance rebate. By the way, did anyone consider the disabled population? How was that population supposed to deal with the insanity?

There was ample time to avoid such chaos in managing a positive program to help people and to spur some retail sales in an otherwise dismal economy. Texas failed miserably and hopefully other states will learn from it.

Peter Stern, a former director of information services, university professor and public school administrator, is a disabled Vietnam veteran who lives in Driftwood, TX.

Rule No. 1 in a cover up: Keep your story straight

Send your comments and news tips to roundup.editor@gmail.com or click on the "comments" button at the bottom of the story

Update, Thursday April 8, another layer added from Newstreamz – "Barton and Bishop were sitting in his car outside his Kyle office on March 30, discussing her treatment options for dealing with a rare and serious physical condition and its ramifications, when she threw a cell phone and hit his face. Bishop said the discussion involved some ongoing health and stress-related issues . . . he (Barton) and Bishop maintain that the latter’s cell phone throw was not a deliberate attempt to injure him.”

There are so many different accounts now being reported about the blow up last week between Commissioner Barton and his assistant, Kara Bishop, it's hard to keep track.

Maybe creating "confusion" is part of the latest damage control strategy by Barton's media handlers.

Here, for example, are two small bits of reporting from Newstreamz, April 6, http://www.newstreamz.com/2010/04/06/barton-no-hard-feelings-about-cell-phone-incident/ Including the updated version above, see if you can pick out some inconsistencies:

Commissioner Barton: "She was very upset in general and kind of threw her cell phone. And unfortunately, I was in her line of fire. We’ve laughed about that together.”

Photo caption – http://www.newstreamz.com/: "Barton said he has no hard feelings after his campaign manager, Kara Bishop, threw a cell phone at his face . . . "

From the Kyle PD incident report: "Jeff stated Kara had gotten upset and threw her phone and it hit him in the mouth and he began to bleed."

Rule Number One in a gloss-over or a cover up is to keep your story straight.

We also have learned there are two reports by law enforcement authorities that were filed on the Tuesday, March 30 incident – one by the Hays County Sheriff's Department and one by the Kyle PD.

The RoundUp has requested a copy of the sheriff's report.

You can read the Kyle PD's version, along with a statement from Bishop, here: http://www.sanmarcosmercury.com/archives/12675
We're not sure how the Mercury obtained the statement from Bishop. She reportedly is not responding to queries from other media.

Solar incentives continue to spread amongst utilities in Texas

El Paso's program is scheduled to launch in April, and will extend the market transformations created by these programs all the way to the western border of the state

Update, Thursday April 8 – We contacted Larry Landaker, president of the board of the PEC, who said that energy conservation programs and renewable energy "is the next big thing, if you ask me what we are going to be tackling in the next few months . . . this is a huge priority of mine." He added that special committees of the PEC "are going to be ramping up significantly. With staff initiatives, I think it will put us in the spot we want to be."

Note: The e-mail below is from Bill Christensen, an occasional and well informed commenter on the pec4u watchdog discussion group (watchdogs@pec4u.org). The RoundUp has posed Bill's very same question a couple of times to PEC board member Patrick Cox of Wimberley. His response has been (paraphrasing): 'Wait for the results of our Conservation and Renewable Energy Committees. It's coming.' When and if it does, it'll be a long time coming. Think about it – one day, thousands of homes and businesses feeding electricity back into PEC's power grid thus reducing the need to purchase ever more expensive power from the LCRA! Of course that would first require that the PEC pull its collective head out of that place where the sun doesn't shine, and start getting creative.

Send your comments and news tips to roundup.editor@gmail.com, to Mr. Christensen at billc@greenbuilder.com, or click on the "comments" button at the bottom of the story

Hi y'all,

I thought this might be of interest to some of you. Why isn't PEC among those offering renewable energy incentives?? Even the investor owned utilities are!

From the March 2010 newsletter of the Texas Renewable Energy Industries Association:

Steve Wiese, Clean Energy Associates, reports that seven out of nine Investor Owned Utilities (IOUs) in Texas are currently running solar PV programs.

"These programs, combined with programs in two of the largest municipal service territories, provide incentives to more than half of all Texas electricity customers. In addition to providing customers with an opportunity to increase their home's energy efficiency and contribute to our state's energy independence, these programs are vital in developing a successful PV (photovoltaic) industry and training Texas's workforce to compete in today's economy," said Wiese.

According to Steve, all seven programs have seen remarkable activity across the state. Oncor, which runs the largest of the IOU programs, has committed $9.8 million in incentives to date, funding 420 PV projects throughout its service territory. Over 140 companies have signed up to work with the program. 83 of these have reserved funding for projects, and 65 have completed projects.

The other utilities – Entergy, TNMP, El Paso Electric, AEP-TNC, AEP-TCC, and SWEPCO – all run two year pilot programs which are smaller in scope, but have produced considerable activity in their service areas. Entergy has committed $536,287 to 23 projects in east Texas. TNMP committed all of its $180,000 of funding for 2009 and 2010 after only 5 months of program activity. All three of AEP's programs have seen significant interest from public entities such as cities and schools due to parallel availability of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding.

El Paso's program is scheduled to launch in April, and will extend the market transformations created by these programs all the way to the western border of the state. "We're looking forward to another busy summer for the Texas solar PV programs," Wiese added.

Watchdog member Ric Sternberg added this:

I agree. PEC should be AT LEAST as aggressive in promoting PV solar and other such benefits to its members as are investor owned utilities.

I hope this doesn't confuse the issue but a major program to help co-ops help their members with efficiency initiatives is on the horizon. It won't cover solar or other distributed generation installations but hopefully something that addresses renewable options will follow.

The bill was introduced by Rep. James Clyburn and is co-sponsored by a bi-partisan coalition of representatives. Here's a description:

"Rural Energy Savings Program Act" – Rural electric co-ops would apply to a $4.9 billion loan program at USDA's Rural Utilities Service (RUS) to borrow money at 0% interest rate to fund local energy efficiency programs. Co-ops, in turn, would offer micro-loans to consumer residences or businesses (at up to 3%) to be repaid on their utility bills through the savings. Measures include sealing, insulation, HVAC systems, boilers, roofs and other improvements that the utility has demonstrated will produce sufficient savings."

For those of you who enjoy watching this sort of thing, here's a link to the press conference at which it was announced: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrM5zcruvEI&feature=player_embedded

And Onward!
Ric

Palin used to "hustle over the border" to Canada for health care – You betcha!

This from a recent report in the Huffinton Post by Sam Stein: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/08/palin-crossed-border-for_n_490080.html

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin – who has gone to great lengths to hype the supposed dangers of a big government takeover of American health care – admitted over the weekend that she used to get her treatment in Canada's single-payer system.

"We used to hustle over the border for health care we received in Canada," Palin said in her first Canadian appearance since stepping down as governor of Alaska. "And I think now, isn't that ironic?"

The irony, one guesses, is that Palin now views Canada's health care system as revolting: with its government-run administration and 'death-panel'-like rationing. Clearly, however, she and her family once found it more alluring than, at the very least, the coverage available in rural Alaska. Up to the age of six, Palin lived in a remote town near the closest Canadian city, Whitehorse.

Officials at several hospitals in that area declined to give out information on patient visits.

A message to all members of The Thomas Jefferson Movement

Visit The Thomas Jefferson Movement at: http://www.thomasjeffersonmovement.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network


Note: We saw this letter from State Representative Richard Raymond of Laredo and thought we'd share it, in light of the recent controversial news coming out of our State Board of Education.

Send your comments and news tips to roundup.editor@gmail.com or click on the "comments" button at the bottom of the story

Dear Member,

Less than a week ago, we started the Thomas Jefferson Movement to provide a base of organization for those among us who were upset by the actions being taken by the State Board of Education in Texas. Already there are hundreds who have joined us in this cause.

We're doing everything we can to carry the message across the social media airwaves on this critical matter and stopping the SBOE from rewriting the proud history of Texas, the United States of America and, for that matter, the planet on which we live.

Shortly after setting up the TJM Ning Network site, we also set up a Facebook page, a Twitter account and we've already been active on YouTube, FriendFeed, LinkedIn, Plaxo, Tumblr, Ping.fm, Google Buzz and a number of other social networking sites.

As a member of the Thomas Jefferson Movement you've shown an interest in taking action to stop the SBOE. So we're asking you to help us do a few key things to help our movement rapidly grow into a force that can stop them their tracks:

1. Invite your friends to join the Thomas Jefferson Movement using your email lists and social networks. Please also include a photo of yourself on your account.

2. Contribute content in the form of blog posts, newsclippings, videos, forum discussions and any other communications you feel will contribute to the dialog. We promise we'll publish them quickly. All content is welcome unless it is profane, hateful or defamatory. We welcome opposing points of view as long as the discussion remains civil.

3. Make a financial commitment to our general purpose Political Action Committee, the Thomas Jefferson Movement. Every dollar counts, so please do what you can to help. I have committed my own resources to this effort and will be speaking with my colleagues and others about helping as well.

Thank you again for being an important part of the Thomas Jefferson Movement. Together we can maintain our proud history in our school textbooks and provide the children of Texas and the nation a chance for the kind of education they deserve.

Richard Peña Raymond
Texas State Representative

Accounts of Barton's spat with assistant raise more questions than answers

Barton’s version of this matter has too many discrepancies and creates new questions of accountability by a public official. I believe Barton has sullied Bishop’s name to save himself from public shame and accountability

Note: We have a follow up commentary from Charles O'Dell on the violent argument that erupted Tuesday between Commissioner Barton and his campaign manager and assistant Kara Bishop. Somewhere, there may be a reasonable "true explanation" for this incident (loaded as it was with trauma-drama), but bottom line, why would Barton's assistant become so angry as to reportedly fling a cell phone at him outside their office on a public sidewalk, striking him on the mouth? Anyone that "loses it" with the boss in that manner would have to be pretty darn mad.

Send your comments and news tips to roundup.editor@gmail.com, to Mr. O'Dell at codell@austin.rr.com, or click on the "comments" button at the bottom of the story

By Charles O'Dell
Contributing Editor

Kara Bishop, standing, and Commissioner Barton checking his lunch.
Google Search / San Marcos Local News Photo / Sept. 2009

When a county commissioner becomes engaged in a bloody public confrontation with one of his female office assistants and former campaign manager, it is sad but newsworthy.

Still, there are numerous discrepancies between the official Sheriff Department report accounts published in the Statesman and Roundup, and the Barton media versions in the Free Press.com and Mercury.com, both written by Brad Rollins who is a Free Press reporter and Mercury.com Co-Publisher.

For anyone to suggest this sordid matter isn’t newsworthy brings into serious question their motives. The Free Press and Mercury have quickly engaged in damage control to keep the matter from progressing to untold and more serious aspects of this story that are being kept hidden from the public.

A deputy constable who observes a confrontation in progress and calls for backup by the Sheriff Department indicates a serious matter despite statements to the contrary from Barton.

The official account reported in the Statesman and in the Roundup is that the altercation began in Barton’s Pct 2 office and continued outside. The Sheriff Department report is that Barton was “assaulted in his office,” while Barton later tells the Statesman reporter that he had, “an altercation with a staff member outside his office.”

Barton also adds that, “a deputy constable who happened to be driving by on Front Street saw the immediate aftermath of the incident and called for backup.” There is an unconfirmed report that the altercation was reported in a 911 call from a passerby who saw the fight in progress.

We also know that the county paid staff member was Kara Bishop who was also Barton’s recent primary election campaign manager. Barton claims in his Free Press and Mercury versions that Bishop is a, “good person who was dealing with some health issues and is now getting help.” Barton told the Statesman that, “the staff member had been suffering from some health problems and is currently on medical leave.” Barton goes on to say that, “We are talking about a good person and that anything beyond that is a private matter between this individual and their family.” Is Barton speaking about Bishop or about himself?

What are “some health problems” and what would they have to do with Bishop assaulting Barton? What does Barton mean that Bishop “is now getting help” for her health problems?

This all smacks of Barton spin and double talk about something much more serious that went on between Barton and Bishop and ended up in a public confrontation. Is it a private matter when a County Commissioner and one of his paid office assistants duke it out in public during office hours? And by the way, I want to know if Bishop was on leave from her job as a public employee while she performed her duties as Barton’s election campaign manager. And when did Bishop go on medical leave?

Barton’s version of this matter has too many discrepancies and creates new questions of accountability by a public official. I believe Barton has sullied Bishop’s name to save himself from public shame and accountability.

This I’m sure of: Barton and Bishop spent a lot of time together and it ended badly for Bishop.

Pct. 2 Commissioner Jeff Barton assaulted; so far no charges filed

Update, Friday April 2 – This from the online Hays Free Press by reporter Brad Rollins, edited for length: "Pct. 2 Commissioner Jeff Barton sustained a bloody lip Tuesday afternoon when his campaign manager threw a cell phone at him during an argument outside his Kyle office. “This involves a good person who was dealing with some health issues and is now getting help,” Barton said. A deputy constable who happened to be driving by on Front Street saw the immediate aftermath of the incident and called for backup. Kara Bishop, who was campaign manager for Barton’s successful primary challenge to County Judge Elizabeth Sumter, is on medical leave from Barton’s office where she worked as his assistant."

Jeff Barton

Statesman.com

Earlier, from the RoundUp – A Hays County Sheriff's Department spokesman confirmed this morning that Pct. 2 County Commissioner Jeff Barton was "assaulted" in his office late Tuesday afternoon. "I was told his lip was bloodied," the spokesman said.

A report of the incident has been filed with the sheriff's department. According to the spokesman, the report was filed in the typical manner and is a matter of public record.

Asked if the "assaultee" was an assistant of Barton's, the spokesman declined to release a name. "She's a suspect. We don't release names of suspects until they're charged and as I understand it there won't be any charges . . . Mr. Barton really didn't want any publicity . . . he didn't want anything made of it."

Mr. Barton was unavailable this morning to comment on the incident. His office said the commissioner's assistant, Kara Bishop, was on a leave of absence.

We won't go into the rumors that are circulating as to the motive for the assault, but we would suggest that Commissioner Barton owes the public an honest explanation. He is, after all, the Democratic nominee for Hays County Judge, a position requiring a high standard of public trust and personal integrity. Barton's Republican opponent in next fall's election is Dr. Bert Cobb, a San Marcos medical doctor and allergist.

Ranch Road 12 buzzing with construction, and much more coming

Photos by RoundUp

Send your comments and news tips to roundup.editor@gmail.com or click on the "comments" button at the bottom of the story

As drivers of RR 12 between Wimberley and San Marcos are keenly aware, there's a lot of road construction activity under way, mostly on the San Marcos end. Drivers can expect the activity to move closer to Wimberley and continue for at least another nine to 12 months.

TxDOT area engineer Don Nyland said that the new Wonder World Drive Extension project from I-35 to RR 12, led by the City of San Marcos, is nearing completion.

Nyland says in May TxDOT will begin widening RR 12 with full shoulders and a turn lane from the Wonder World Dr. intersection west to Pioneer Trail, about a mile in length and nine months construction time. The widening, Nyland said, will be paid totally with federal stimulus funds. He was unsure of the cost.

Although it is less obvious, more activity can be seen on the north side of RR 12 for a considerable distance, inside and along the Freeman and Ingram Ranches. Ranch fences are being pulled back 20 to 30 yards and new fencing is going up.


Pct. 3 County Commissioner Will Conley says there are several related planned projects and right-of-way acquisition going on. They include construction of a bridge over the flood prone Sink Creek section, improvements at the Hugo Rd (CR 214) intersection, the future San Marcos-to-Wimberley parkway and a complete reconstruction of the junction at RR 12 and 32.

Conley said he anticipates the county will let contracts this summer for the Sink Creek, Hugo and junction projects, with work possibly starting in August.

"A large section of the junction will be abandoned through the design work," Conley said. "I have requested that the state give that to the county. I'm working with the City of Wimberley to put together a group of stakeholders to see what we'd like it to be in the future."

The county also is moving forward on the environmental assessment and right-of-way acquisition for the parkway project. Nearly $7 million is allocated in the county's FY 2010 road budget for right-of-way, environmental study, engineering and program management. At last check, the county had spent $189,083 on right-of-way.

B. Ochoa

April rebate program set for energy-efficient appliance purchases

Update, Thursday April 1 – The Comptroller’s Office has changed the start date for reserving a rebate from April 5 to April 7 to avoid conflict with the Easter holidays.

Hays County Courthouse, San Marcos, TX – Hays County has been notified by the Texas Comptroller’s State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) that certain ENERGY STAR major appliances purchased beginning April 16 will be eligible for rebates through stimulus funding from the U.S. Department of Energy.

An additional rebate will be available if the old appliance is properly recycled according to SECO guidelines.

Consumers will have an opportunity beginning April 5 to reserve an appliance rebate. You will not be required to have selected your appliance to reserve the rebate. After the reserved mail-in rebates are awarded, any remaining funds will be rebated to consumers on a first-come, first-served basis. Shoppers will be limited to two appliance rebates and two recycling rebates per household.

According to SECO, the mail-in rebates will apply to eligible appliances purchased during certain time periods beginning April 16 and will not be retroactive to previously purchased appliances. For refrigerators, freezers, clothes washers, dishwashers and room air conditioners, the purchase period ends April 25. For central air conditioners, hot water heaters and air-source heat pumps, the purchase period ends 60 days from the rebate reservation or wait list request date.

For more information about the program and eligible appliances, or to reserve a rebate, call 1-877-780-3039 or go to www.texaspowerfulsmart.org.

Census Day press conference slated at Hays County Courthouse

San Marcos, TX – Local elected officials and volunteers will host a brief press conference in celebration of Census Day 2010 on Thursday April 1, 2010 at 11:30 a.m. at the steps of the Hays County Courthouse.

For the past six months local volunteers have been working to coordinate a community-wide promotion of the 2010 Census and its importance to all Central Texas communities.

Leaders from Hays County, Comal County, the City of San Marcos, Texas State University and other communities have worked together to encourage their citizens to complete and return their Census survey by Thursday April 1.

“Thursday’s press conference will serve as a celebration and final reminder to all of our citizens to fulfill their civic duty by returning their census form,” said Daniel Guerrero, Chair of the San Marcos Complete Count Committee. “Together our local leaders will proclaim that our communities cannot move forward until your Census form is mailed back.”

The City of San Marcos opened a Census Outreach Office earlier this month at 211 Lee Street in the Centro Cultural Hispano de San Marcos, formerly Bonham School. The office telephone number is 512-618-0413. On March 19, the U.S. Census Bureau opened nine Questionnaire Assistance Centers (QAC) sites in San Marcos where local residents can receive assistance with their 2010 Census questionnaires.

All Hays County QACs are listed on the Hays County website at www.co.hays.tx.us. The QACs will remain open through April 19. Area residents who have additional questions can call the following toll-free numbers for answers: For English-speaking residents, call 1-866-872-6868. If you prefer a Spanish-speaking operator, call 1-866-928-2010. The hearing-impaired may call 1-866-783-2010.

Oh once great nation of common sense and common people, where hast thou gone?

We remain at the mercy of greedy, powerful and disrespectful leaders in government and commerce. The groups in Washington DC form a Legislative Mob. They are viciously pillaging American citizens and are destroying our once-great nation

Note: We picked up this quote from an essay on the history of the two-party system in the Intellectual Conservative blog: "In his Observations on History, Benjamin Franklin wrote that parties engender confusion. Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay warned against the evils to the general public that a “spirit of faction” would cause. And George Washington refused allegiance to any political party during his eight-year service as first president of the United States."

Send your respectful and common sense comments and news tips to roundup.editor@gmail.com, to Mr. Stern at pstern@austin.rr.com, or click on the "comments" button at the bottom of the story

By Peter Stern
Guest Commentary

"We demand that big business give the people a square deal; in return we must insist that when anyone engaged in big business honestly endeavors to do right he shall himself be given a square deal."

– President Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt
Letter to Sir Edward Gray, November 15, 1913

Politics has become a Main Street cancer among America's middle class. It is like a 2-Party Failure Reality Show, and Lord knows we do not need another reality show – especially in Washington.

There is an ancient saying, "The people are a many-headed beast," and it must be appropriate when we consider that approximately 90% of propositions on ballots get approved by a mere 4 to 6% of the total number of registered voters.

The Republicans and Democrats together initiated the U.S. wars in the Middle East (Iraq, Afghanistan) under the double Bush administrations and now Obama, instead of cutting our costs over there, is continuing an ever-lasting Afghan assault.

In some ways, it is reminiscent of German and Italian forces during WWII plunging blindly headfirst into Russia, into Siberia and freezing their Nazi logos and collective butts due to the harsh sub-zero rugged terrain, just wasting lives and money in a no-win situation. In many ways, we're doing the same thing in the Middle East.

Look at the sheer waste of taxpayer dollars versus the enormous profits being made by U.S. approved contractor services. Where is the trickle-down to us domestic citizens?

AND THEN . . . the government promises jobs, but does NOT keep that promise and then based on some obscure and absurd statistics, disallows a cost of living adjustment (COLA) for all those on Social Security, Disability and Veterans benefits.

What does our government do to help the unemployed? It's increasing the unemployment tax for businesses and plans to stop extensions for those running out of benefits again, sometimes for the 5th or 6th time. What happens to the masses of unemployed NOT getting their benefits?

Objectively, what is going to happen to the middle class in the U.S.? The middle class once held the largest number of American citizens. Today, it is nearing extinction.

Furthermore, job outsourcing is killing average Americans, along with lax immigration laws that continue to permit employers to hire legal and illegal immigrants at a fraction of the cost of hiring American citizens.

Obama wants Americans to cross-train into other fields. He wants single moms to return to school. He wants returning veterans to go to college. We should be asking Obama, "Why?" What good is doing that if there are no jobs with or without a degree?

In short, plain and simple: we are a mess as a nation.

We remain at the mercy of greedy, powerful and disrespectful leaders in government and commerce. The groups in Washington, DC form a Legislative Mob. They are viciously pillaging American citizens and are destroying our once-great nation.

We are out of control. We are becoming more like the biblical cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Historically, such cities and civilizations crumbled and decayed. They vanished from the face of the earth.

It is questionable whether we can return to some semblance of stability and normality. Look at our TV programs and even how we drive. Look at our impatience, hostility and disregard for one another.

Look at all the political and corporate games that enable governors like Sarah Palin and Rick Perry, or Senators like John Kerry and Nancy Pelosi to gain such power and control over our lives. These people have myopic vision and it trickles down to middle class voters – at least, the ones who vote.

I'm sorry to rant here, but where the heck did our nation go? Where is our self-respect and respect for all of our American virtues and priorities? Where is the respect we used to show for one another? Reality shows are causing us to lose sight of our reality!

I wish we could get rid of the Two-party system. It is killing the U.S. and is driving the middle class over a cliff to its extinction, much the way cavemen used to hunt Woolly Mammoths, which also became extinct.

In closing, I believe that the state GOP organizations AND the National GOP need to rethink more intelligently a new platform and direction, to climb out from the self-made muck that is consuming and defeating the Party's success and survival. I think the Democrats at the state and national levels should do the same.

We are scraping out the barrel for candidates who never should be considered for the offices they run for. We need to find higher quality candidates, people with brains and who care about American communities.

I also believe that the two-party system is failing most Americans and our economic well-being. The middle class is vanishing into the significantly wealthy and the extremely poor.

I further believe we need to get rid of all parties and simply vote for the BEST person for each position.

We need to limit significantly or eliminate excessive campaign contributions so that wealthy lobbyists, corporations and/or individuals can NOT purchase the best government money can buy.

Then, we need term limitations. Any elected official gets 2 terms max! After 2 terms THEY ARE GONE! Like crop rotation. Call it my LIP - Legislator Incentive Plan!

Think about it. All these suggestions will ensure that we can maintain a continuous flow of fresh, honest and ambitious slew of elected officials who will NOT be bought and who will perform their duties in the best interests of the community they serve within a 2-term limit!

Foremost, Americans need jobs!

If we continue to do little or nothing, the middle class will remain a doomed species, with its extinction in the near future.

Peter Stern, a former director of information services, university professor and public school administrator, is a disabled Vietnam veteran who lives in Driftwood, TX.

For some, case is a simple feud; for others it's deadly serious

" . . . I had pictures that clearly showed the serial number on the back-hoe. It was indeed the 'hot hoe.'"

Update, Monday March 29 – We learned today that the trial has been postponed – for the third time, if we're not mistaken. This time, the prosecutors, our DA's office, reportedly had to beg off due to a technicality in the wording of the charge filed against the defendant. The word "rifle" was used rather than "firearm," which might have resulted in the whole case being thrown out.

Editor's Note: Here is a case of deadly conduct from an aggrieved citizen fit for the pages of Crime Magazine. The names have been changed to protect the innocent and the presumed innocent. The aggrieved citizen is in constant fear for her life. The case is scheduled to play out this afternoon in a Hays County courtroom, unless the defendant's attorney can find another wrench to jam the wheels of justice. We recall that old admonition not to play with fire. And it will be interesting to see how deft our DA's office is at extinguishing the flames.

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This again addresses the Bartolini-Conew spin story of a simple neighbor-neighborhood feud. Rambo Romulus is not a "neighbor" type person, he is more a Felipe Garrison type of the JC Duggary case. There are lots of similarities with Romulus and Garrison, including the local public officials who have failed to do their jobs.

We have done our part to be neighborly with Mr. Romulus. While in your (DA's) office, I went over lots of those gestures and offers of help that we gave to Romulus throughout the years. He is the way he is, except now he is more empowered because of political games played by public officials and others.

Romulus has had NO price to pay for any of his actions, except when he crossed into Sheriff Bridges and his department's territory. There is always black billowing smoke around Romulus, but when the fire ignites he moves a foot-step away, he accuses someone else and is the perpetual "victim."

Shame F. Cutlery had a back-hoe at Romulus's place for years. There were buckets/parts to the back hoe laying around in tall weeds. A local towing company owner told me that the "Hoe was Hot" and that was why Mr. Cutlery kept it at Romulus's; he also said that Cutlery was trying to sell it. Any time someone other than I or Mr. Carrington (a friend) was on my property, that back-hoe got driven behind the green fence.

I told a reporter about this and he researched it and found documents filed at the Hays County District Clerk's Office by the Guadalupe County Sheriff's Department on behalf of Caterpillar Holt out of San Antonio, concerning the back-hoe. I had pictures that clearly showed the serial number on the back-hoe. It was indeed the "hot hoe."

I and others talked to Caterpillar in San Antonio because they were very grateful that someone paid attention to that statement and acted. That is called responsibility, not a "bad neighbor."

I told officials about this, and my phone was being tapped by a friend of Romulus during (his) septic construction. I gave you names on this issue. The phone company reprimanded him, but very lightly. This is probably why during the night the back-hoe and the parts disappeared before the sheriff got there. Romulus was NO victim in this because he was present when the tow truck operator and Cutlery discussed this at Romulus's property.

Cutlery stored/parked an unlicensed, unregistered old green junker van at Romulus's place, same time as the back-hoe. They drove it during the night. Yes, we would see it leave and the next morning it would be parked in a different place on the property. Cutlery stored an unlicensed dump truck there that didn't have a current inspection or registration on it. They used it.

There was constant activity at Romulus's during the nights. We complained about those annoying activities. Cutlery was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance in Hays County and convicted by the Hays County DA's office during this very time. He got four years probation. Again, billowing black smoke and responsible – not "bad neighbors."

Another incident involving Conew's "great man and candidate" (Romulus), was four 18-wheeler loads of Class-4 clay dirt that belonged to the San Marcos ISD that Romulus was able to have diverted to his place on a Saturday afternoon and spread late on a Sunday on top of his illegal cesspools (violations of state and county septic laws). All evidence and pictures are in place on that, but (the county's) Thomas Papers, again, found no evidence. There was more than billowing black smoke, there was fire but no one did anything – "bad neighbors," or responsible?

I could give you more of Romulus's actions but I don't have the time right now. This is not the kind of person that we people out in this area call "neighbor." As you know, I am scared to death of Romulus. I don't want to lose my life because of the truly bad person that he is.

I have provided sworn statements made by Romulus on his other gun issues and psycho statements. Romulus needs to be made responsible for aiming that gun at me because if he gets away with this he will do more than aim the gun at me or someone else the next time. It is not Romulus's first gun incident. Where there is smoke there is fire.

Groundwater developers face resistance from regulators

Meanwhile, in another flare-up over potential pumping caps, investor T. Boone Pickens is suing the Texas Water Development Board in an effort to undermine the entire state pumping cap project

Send your comments and news tips to roundup.editor@gmail.com, to Asher Price's Salsa Verde blog, or click on the "comments" button at the bottom of the story

Read the complete story here: http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/green/entries/2010/03/24/groundwater_developers_find_la.html?cxntfid=blogs_salsa_verde

By Asher Price | Wednesday, March 24, 2010, 02:40 PM

Private groundwater developers hoping to sell water to fast-growing areas in Central Texas are facing a couple of setbacks.

Tonight the Lost Pines Groundwater Conservation District, which regulates pumping in Bastrop and Lee Counties, could vote to extend a moratorium on most new well-water permits.

The moratorium was established in December on the very same day that End-Op, a water developer group led by former Williamson County Commissioner Frankie Limmer, signed a letter of intent with the Guadalupe Blanco River Authority to send as much as 45 million gallons of water per day from Bastrop and Lee counties to the San Marcos area for distribution to burgeoning development.

Limmer told me his group spent $3 million on a successful 24-day pumping test and has a right to permits for that water.

But district general manager Joe Cooper told me too much is in flux with a pumping cap being contemplated by the district and the state water development board. Plus, he said, the district is facing enough permit requests that if it doles out all the water demanded there won’t be enough for the residents of Lee and Bastrop counties in 25 years.

Don’t be surprised if Limmer’s group sues should the district extend the moratorium. End-Op has millions of dollars riding on a water deal with GBRA, but needs the OK from the groundwater district to proceed.

Aransas Project files federal lawsuit against TCEQ officials for harming endangered Whooping Cranes

This news, courtesy of a local alert reader, is a little off our usual area of coverage. But it is a reminder of the importance of careful management of our water resources everywhere in the state. The water we consume up here in Central Texas sometimes contributes to leaving our wildlife friends on the Gulf Coast high and dry.

Send your comments to roundup.editor@gmail.com or click on the "comments" button at the bottom of the story

Here's a link to the story at The Aransas Project web site:
http://thearansasproject.org/basin-management/plucky-whooping-crane-gives-wildlife-experts-hope/

For an in-depth report on the issue see this excellent story in the Texas Tribune by Morgan Smith: http://www.texastribune.org/stories/2010/mar/11/big-whoop/

The Aransas Project has filed a federal lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Corpus Christi Division, against several officials of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) in their official capacities for illegal harm and harassment of Whooping Cranes at and adjacent to Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in violation of the Endangered Species Act.

The defendants named in the suit in their official capacities are the three TCEQ Commissioners, the agency's Executive Director, and the TCEQ's South Texas Watermaster. The Aransas-Wood Buffalo flock of Whooping Cranes that winters on the Texas coast is the only natural wild flock remaining in the world.

The 2008-2009 year was the worst in recent history for the Whooping Crane, with a death toll of 57 birds, a staggering loss of 21.4% of the flock – of which 23 deaths, or 8.5% of the flock, occurred in Texas during their winter at Aransas. The Aransas Project cites the lack of freshwater inflows to the bays from the Guadalupe and San Antonio Rivers, especially during times of low flows, as the cause of very high salinity levels and depleted food and water sources for the Cranes.

Look at Kyle and you see Wimberley headed down the same property tax road

"I began to realize how much direct influence the city government has in our daily lives, and how important it is to be involved and informed about what is going on in the city . . . "


Note: Growing cities have to pay for their growth somehow, most often through property tax increases. Wimberley, just like Kyle, has a boatload of projects floating in the wings. Here's an early prediction that the next Wimberley city council will VOTE IN an ad valorem property tax, especially if that much-ballyhooed central sewage system project & loan is approved by the state. It's amazing how some current members of the council, and candidates, are so totally whimsical about the inevitability of a Wimberley city property tax. My my, how things change.

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Do City Council elections really matter?

Published in the Kyle-Buda Eagle March 17 edition

Dear Editor,

In the upcoming Kyle City elections in May there is only one contested race, it is for seat one on the City Council.

Why does it matter who you vote for? Just two years ago the property tax rate here in Kyle was 27.07-cents per $100 of assessed value, today we are at 42 cents, a 55-percent increase and with the current debts, along with the projects we are committed to, it will go up to 53-cents by next year. If we include the proposed rec center it will go up to almost 60-cents. A possible 122-percent increase in taxes over a 3-4 year period of time.

This is a direct result of the people that have been voted into office by the few hundred citizens that voted in the city elections. I realize that city politics are generally uninteresting to people going about their daily lives. I must admit with the exception of the last two city elections I had been uninformed and uninterested in what was going on in the city government. After attending a few city council meetings I began to realize how much direct influence the city government has in our daily lives, and how important it is to be involved and informed about what is going on in the city.

This is why I decided to run for city council. I encourage everybody in Kyle to get informed about the upcoming election, find the candidate you like and agree with and get out and vote, it will effect directly what your taxes are going to do over the next several years.

— Jason Welch, Candidate for District 1 Kyle City Council

Board of Education should study some of its own "unintended consequences"

The state's board of education, by contrast, feels entitled to enforce its homemade party line with a rigidity that no comp-lit pinko would dare to dream of

Note: This letter is from JC Dufresne of Cibolo. He's not a big fan of District 5 SBOE member and conservative Ken Mercer of San Antonio. Mercer and Rebecca Bell-Metereau, TSU professor of San Marcos, are squaring off for the District 5 seat in November.

More here from Wall Street Journal columnist Thomas Frank: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703734504575125971351286404.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_BelowLEFTSecond

Send your comments and news tips to roundup.editor@gmail.com, to Mr. Dufresne at jcdufresne@satx.rr.com, or click on the "comments" button at the bottom of the story

To the editor:

District 5 member of the State Board of Education, Ken Mercer, wants students in Texas schools to learn about the unintended consequences of the “Great Society” legislation passed during the Lyndon Johnson administration. Since neither he nor the rest of his cabal listed any, I wonder what those unintended consequences were.

Ken Mercer
I also wonder why Mr. Mercer’s cabal aren’t concerned that Texas students aren’t required to learn of the unintended consequences of repealing many of the provisions of the Glass-Stegall Act which prevented the collapse of our banking system for nearly fifty years until politicians from both parties dismantled it. Since then we’ve had a string of financial debacles, first the Savings & Loan crisis then the hedge fund collapse and now the Great Recession of 2008.

What of the unintended consequences of deregulating other industries? After the collapse of Enron which destroyed the finances of many Texans you’d think the conservative mantra of deregulation would be worthy of discussion. Even Alan Greenspan, the former chairman of the Federal Reserve, now admits that the market isn’t as good at self correction as he thought it was.

Ken Mercer and his cabal claim that they need to make such adjustments to correct for the liberal bias of the volunteer teachers who give their time to write our curriculum standards and the “expert” reviewers. Oddly, most of those reviewers were in fact appointed by none other than the ultra-conservatives; except of course Ken Mercer, who couldn’t be bothered to make any appointments.

JC Dufresne
Cibolo, Tx 78108

AG says Wimberley and hill country cities have power to regulate development on their fringes

"We plan to move forward and finalize an ordinance," city administrator Don Ferguson said. "With additional development expected in the future just outside our city limits, it's important we impose and enforce regulations that will protect the quality of the runoff that goes into the waterways."

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Read the complete story at this link: http://www.statesman.com/news/local/attorney-general-says-hill-country-cities-have-power-365290.html?srcTrk=RTR_169636

By Asher Price
Austin American-Statesman
March 16, 2010

Small cities in the Hill Country have the power to regulate development in areas just outside their limits, state Attorney General Greg Abbott said in an opinion Monday.

Abbott issued the opinion in response to a question by the City of Wimberley on whether it had the authority to enact construction rules in its extraterritorial jurisdiction — an area outside the city but subject to some city rules — to limit pollution from oil washing off driveways or from fertilizer washing off yards, among other things.

The rules could require setbacks from waterways, detention ponds to capture pollutants or silt fences to prevent construction materials or eroding soils from washing into streams.

On Monday, Abbott said the Legislature has authorized small cities such as Wimberley to implement "a water pollution control program in its extraterritorial jurisdiction" necessary to "achieve pollution control objectives" within its city limits.

Democrats convene in Wimberley – will it be a peace conference or a food fight?

Opening affirmation of the Hays County Democratic Party Convention scheduled Saturday morning in Wimberley: "One turkey, two turkey, three turkey four, five ham, six ham, seven hummus more. Say 'cheese!'"

– anonymous

By Bob Ochoa
RoundUp Editor

Ya just gotta laugh at the ridiculous predicament in which Hays County Democrats now find themselves on the eve of their county convention.

There will be no shortage of irony either. The county convention is taking place in Wimberley (first time in how long??) – the home of County Judge Liz Sumter. Sumter, you'll recall, received a sound thrashing in the March 2 primary by her challenger from the East Side, the upstart and egomaniac Jeff Barton.

We saw a photo posted on a web site on election night with Jeff prancing around atop a San Marcos bar like he was auditioning for the television series Coyote Ugly – Hays County Style. In the next photo, he was standing blithely shoulder to shoulder with bosom buddy Patrick Rose.

This was a defeat that has not gone down well among Sumter supporters, particularly in the Wimberlery Valley. But the moves for party unity are already emerging. Judge Sumter was asked to serve as the convention chair, which is sort of like the last meal before the condemned politician's appointment with the hangman – in her own back yard.

Will the insincere gestures at peacemaking work? "Are you kidding!" was the snap response from one well informed party loyalist.

A high profile West Side Democrat said recently, "Integrity is my number one requirement for a public official, and I don't see that he (Barton) has that."

"I don't want to play too much to conspiracy theories, but I/we see the collusion of real estate interests working to make development and growth easier with less regulation in Hays County," explained yet another chagrined Dem.

The dislike for Barton and his developer gang is palpable among many Democrats residing in the spacious stretches of western Hays County. There are reports that some will boycott the convention and that others are simply walking away.

Word on the street is that the new Hays County political alliance is being led by Los Quatro Amigos Barton, Rose, Will Conley and Ray Whisenant – the latter two being well known Republican honchos from Wimberley and Dripping Springs.

Conley at least, who considers himself a head wrangler in the local GOP, will have a lot of explaining to do once his deep entrenchment with Democrats Barton and Rose is exposed. Bert Cobb, who?

Conley also is sly as a desert fox. The big question is whether he can pull off helping Whisenant defeat incumbent Democrat Karen Ford for Precinct 4 Commissioner, and peel away enough Republicans from Cobb to assist Barton's run for county judge. The four amigos wouldn't be riding together if they didn't think there are sufficient numbers of Republican and Dem members of The Amigos Family to make it happen.

We dare not mention (especially not at the convention) what disaffected Dems are whispering amongst themselves . . . that Bert Cobb looks pretty good after a couple of beers. Really, the more beer they drink the more they seem willing to listen to stories of Cobb's strong independent streak, same as that little soldier guy of Straight Talk Express fame. Bert ought to drop by the convention and shake some hands.

There's another funny theory that the November election at the county level will see a clean Republican sweep – including the good Dr. Cobb as incoming County Judge, Whisenant in Pct. 4 and Mark Jones in the Pct. 2 seat, which is currently held by Barton. You see, with Sumter gone, Democrats have no real 'leaders with a plan' on the ticket. A local official observed, "Every single countywide race is an open seat (except Ford's) . . . that's what they (Democrats) did to themselves voting for Barton."

After the sweep, Barton will receive the honorary OMWC Badge, awarded by the Dem Party every four years (stands for One Man Wrecking Crew), and he'll start a new career dancing on bars along the Mexican border. Conley will have a fair amount of egg on his face, but still have enough chips left to play cards with Judge Cobb vis a vis a Whisenant win, plus all the private-to-county road conversions he's managed to accomplish and the many adoring fans that has produced for him.

Rose, of course, will be laughing all the way to the bank and the next legislative session, advancing his outstanding record of spurring on development and new sources of imported water while blocking all sensible controls on growth and consumption.

We're looking forward to a fun county convention and might even do some live blogging. Meanwhile, keep the humor.

Perry, SBOE vie for who will make Texas look like the biggest Nut Case in the country

I am not proud that the State Board of Education of Texas has acted in such a way as to give rise to the belief that the entire population of this state is, to put it gently, loco

Note: Wimberleyite Mickey Trent forwarded this letter. Apparently, the recent actions of the Texas Board of Education are unsettling to a lot of folks with a different take on what our schools' history books should properly teach our kids. Here, Ms. Trent is calling on the remaining sane States of our Union to resist purchasing textbooks with the SBOE's version of history.

Send your comments and news tips to roundup.editor@gmail.com, to Ms. Trent at miztrent@gmail.com, or click on the "comments" button at the bottom of the letter

Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.

-George Orwell, 1984

I must begin this statement by establishing my identity and background. I was born in Texas, and but for a few years just after college, have lived in this state for all of my life. I was educated in the public school systems of three progressively larger Texas cities and graduated from a university in Texas. This is by way of announcing that I am proud of my state, but I am not at all proud of the current state of my state.

I am, first of all, not proud that we have a sitting governor who, if justice were done, should have been removed from office under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States which states: No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

The Governor of Texas who now asks to be elected to yet another term did just that – gave aid or comfort to those who proclaim their enmity toward our country when he stood before an anti-government rally and suggested secession of this state from the union. He has continued to suggest secession without cessation and has aligned himself with those in at least one other state who also speak of secession.

Second of all, I am not proud that the State Board of Education of Texas has acted in such a way as to give rise to the belief that the entire population of this state is, to put it gently, loco. Here is a suggestion for correcting the undue influence the 10 uber-conservative members of that body apparently have regarding the adoption of information to be contained in textbooks that will serve the nation’s schools.

Texas has always been very proud of its Alamo defenders. The story of Colonel Travis’s line in the sand is one Texans learn early on. It is time to draw another line in the sand and to ask our sister states to cross over and stand with us to defend facts that should be available to students who deserve unbiased information. Those who are the future of this nation should receive education not indoctrination.

I call upon the other 49 states to join those of us in Texas who deplore the actions of this board. I suggest that they can do this by telling publishers of textbooks that they will not buy any materials that incorporate the omissions and/or misstatements demanded by the Texas Ten. The only thing that works in the country today seems to be monetary pressure. If there is a blanket refusal to spend state money on the incomplete, slanted material proposed by the Texas Ten, we might see some reason returned to this process. Within our own state, I call for a serious effort to discover a way to rid this board of those who would pervert the facts in order to promote political and religious views. George Orwell warned us 62 years ago that tyranny through force is but one form of tyranny. Tyranny through control of information is another more insidious form.

M.M. Trent
Wimberley, Texas

The 'De-evolution' Of Public Education — An Oligarchy Of Historical Manipulation

How is it that a small group taken from 15 individuals on the Texas SBOE with a majority of NON-historians, all but one, is given the almost omnipotent power to determine changes to history textbooks for public education throughout the state and which also influences the modifications to history textbooks throughout the entire U.S.?

Send your comments and news tips to roundup.editor@gmail.com, to Mr. Stern at pstern@austin.rr.com, or click on the "comments" button at the bottom of the story

Read the complete story at the Lone Star Iconoclast web site.

By Peter Stern
Guest Commentary

Texas is in the national news again. Unfortunately, it is not on 'America's Dumbest' television program. I mean no blatant disrespect to anyone in particular, but I am going to be brutally honest in my comments.

There is a strong movement in Texas and throughout the nation by individuals and groups who seem to be committed to push through religious and/or ultra conservative thinking into our public education process. It is occurring with a focus on curriculum, teaching views and textbooks modification and procurement.

There is an additional determination to promote Republican ideology, ideas and direction in the classrooms and textbooks. We are being told that Republicanism was more prevalent throughout American history and textbooks should pursue that direction.

Literally, the founding fathers were NOT yet Republicans, as this party was created long after the writing and signing of Declaration of Independence. The Republican Party initialized long after the American Revolution. The same is true of the Democrats.

In fact, according to Wikipedia:

"The Republican Party was first organized in 1854, growing out of a coalition of anti-slavery Whigs and Free Soil Democrats who mobilized in opposition to Stephen Douglas's January 1854 introduction of the Kansas-Nebraska Act into Congress, a bill which repealed the 1820 Missouri Compromise prohibition on slavery north of latitude 36° 30' in the old Louisiana purchase territories, and so was viewed as an aggressive expansionist pro-slavery maneuver by many. Besides opposition to slavery, the new party put forward a radical vision of modernizing the United States—emphasizing higher education, banking, railroads, industry and cities, while promising free homesteads to farmers. They vigorously argued that free-market labor was superior to slavery and the very foundation of civic virtue and true American values—this is the "Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Men" ideology explored by historian Eric Foner.

____________

Peter Stern, a former director of information services, university professor and public school administrator, is a disabled Vietnam veteran who lives in Driftwood, TX.