Open Letter to Rep. Neugebauer

This is an open letter to Rep. Neugebauer:

Thanks for your latest newsletter.
I notice from the first part that you do a lot of "kissing babies". I suppose you need to do some of that for reelection, but let's not overdo it. It detracts from the main problems.

I'm glad to see that you are doing a little more than lamenting about the economy. You actually said, "the most important thing we can focus on is encouraging and pushing the growth of the private sector and job creation." Nice that you are continuing to advocate that, but what are you doing about it? I noticed that the Feds are doubling or tripling federal inspectors for drilling operations in the Gulf. You and I know that this will only inhibit production. What are you doing to eliminate that program? Even so, that would be reactive. What is your proactive program?

With respect to the appropriations bills, vote yes on HR 2055. We need a strong military and to have it, we must take care of its members.

With respect to HR 2112, perhaps some of the program should be rewritten. You can look at Lubbock County from an agricultural point of view, but most of us who live in Lubbock are not farmers, and we are voters. I believe most of us non-farmers feel that there's a lot of slush in agricultural appropriations. Let's cut that. If there is anything related to subsidies for corn production to be used for ethanol, kill that as well. Our energy sources are based on coal, oil, and gas, not ethanol.

I did not like your question on "no Child left behind". When we mention children, we pull heartstrings. However, I voted no, and I see that 70+ percent did also. We are not against children or children's education, we really are voting on the quality of the existing education that children are getting. The farther away that the decisions are made on education quality, the poorer will be the judgments. It's up to you to get the Feds out of the education business. Most of us are willing to pay local taxes to support public education, but we need more control on what that education is. We don't need a Federal Department of Education to mandate the program.