Dallas Morning News Endorsements, Pt. 1

Just a few years ago, if you went to the Dallas Morning News (DMN) to read the political endorsements you’d see nothing but Republicans. Today, the DMN is reflecting the changes in Dallas County voting. Here’s a brief review of the first round of endorsements:

Criminal District Court No. 2 – Don Adams “has won praise from both sides of the courtroom and has significantly lowered his court's cost-per-disposition ratio by handling more pleas and jury trials.”

Criminal District Court No.3 - Gracie Lewis “A broader, more thoughtful perspective helps make Judge Lewis the better choice.”

Criminal District Court No. 4 – Judge John Creuzot “He is a Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-Democrat-again…Regardless of what letter is next to his name, Judge Creuzot's performance merits his re-election.”

Civil District Court No. 14 – Eric Moyé “He has experience that the younger Republican can't match.”

Civil District Court. No. 95 – Ken Molberg “We questioned him closely, and his answers satisfied us that Mr. Molberg can become the latest example of a North Texas judge to make the transition from political warfare to effective and impartial judicial leadership.”

Civil District Court No. 162 – Judge Lorraine Raggio “Judge Raggio is fair and thorough, and she should be returned to the bench.’’

It’s not surprising to see that the DMN endorses these strong candidates who all happen to be Democrats. It is, however, more surprising to see that the paper stepped out of a comfort zone to recommend a John Ames for Tax-Assessor Collector over longtime seat-holder David Childs. Problems and lack of progress in the Childs administration led the DMN to say, “We expect that Mr. Ames will build on what good work Dr. Childs has done and make the county office even better.”

In the coming weeks it will be interesting to see how the news rates other candidates. While I’m pleased to see so many Democrats earning the paper’s praise, as an attorney I want to make sure that we are assured of the most qualified, most impartial judges – regardless of party.

For more information on the candidates and to read their responses to the DMN questionnaire, go here.

One-Fourth of Texans Don’t Have Insurance

It’s worse around here:

“…the Census Bureau reported Tuesday. Texas' overall uninsured rate of 25.2 percent, and its 20.2 uninsured rate for children, continued to be the highest in the country.”
- From the Houston Chronicle

California ranks higher in numbers than Texas, but percent-wise is still doing better.

It’s not like every state has an equal problem. According to the Temple Telegram, only 8.3 percent of residents in Hawaii and Massachusetts were uninsured between 2005 and 2007.

For information on each county, check out Texas Medical Association’s Table of Uninsured Rates for all Texas Counties here. It’s a little outdated, but it gives a good idea of just how bad it is for Texas’ families.

Don’t Be Misled: Decrease in Uninsured Does Not Signify Improvement

The Census Bureau is reporting that for the first time since W came into office, the number of uninsured Americans has decreased. In 2006, 47 million families were uninsured. Today, that number is 45.7 million. Hurrah for the one million families who now have coverage, but what about the nearly 46 million more who don’t?

“The numbers represent a kind of scorecard on President Bush's stewardship of the economy at the kitchen-table level. However, they only go as far as the end of last year, before the current economic downturn started gathering force. Indeed, they could come to be seen as a snapshot taken at the high point of the administration's tenure.”
MSNBC Census: Number of uninsured dropped in 2007

I’m sure that the current administration would like the public to view these numbers as a sign of its success and of improving economic conditions. Ha! Only an idiot would believe that. God knows, the Bush administration has run out of time to make a difference. I’m praying our next president can and will.

Sunset Commission Says TRCC Flawed, Harmful

Thank God.

The Texas Sunset Advisory Commission is recommending that the Texas Residential Construction Commission (TRCC) be abolished.

Their report, the full text of which can be found here, minces no words: “Current regulation of the residential construction industry is fundamentally flawed and does more harm than good.”

Consumer groups stand with the Sunset Commission. Here’s what Alex Winslow, Executive Director of Texas Watch, had to say:

“Like many of the homes built by bad builders in our state, the TRCC is beyond repair. We need to scrap it, go back to the drawing board, and implement a process that truly protects homeowners.

“We endorse the Sunset staff’s recommendation to bring an end to the TRCC as we currently know it. Lawmakers should replace the feckless TRCC with real reforms that ensure builder accountability, quality building standards, and true oversight and regulation of the homebuilding industry. Instead of a builder protection agency like the TRCC, homeowners need an agency designed to serve their needs.

“Consumers need real protections against unscrupulous builders who build shoddy homes, and the TRCC has never provided homeowners with that kind of protection. Indeed, homeowners – not builders – are the ones regulated by the TRCC.

“We look forward to working with the Sunset Commission and the Legislature to develop real solutions to the problems facing Texas homeowners”

As attorneys know and, unfortunately, many consumers find out, the TRCC’s dispute resolution process to settle issues between homeowners and builders is a disgrace and waste of time. Recent legislation designed to increase penalties on negligent builders has done nothing to relieve the nightmares that homeowners are having, since the Commission has no power to enforce.

Of course, the TRCC sees it differently. The Quorum Report's Daily Buzz posted the TRCC response to the Sunset Commission on Tuesday. The TRCC worries that if it is abolished, “Texas families will be left to fend for themselves if an issue arises with their home.”

Let’s be honest. Texas families have been alone on this front for a long time without help and in most cases, with hindrances, from the TRCC.

Without the TRCC, at least homeowners can proceed directly to the one arena where they still stand a chance – the courtroom.

Baby Trend Car Seat Recall Reminds Parents: Be Responsible, Be Safe

My grandchildren have brought much joy and much concern about the safety of children’s toys and car seats. Since the arrival of our first granddaughter, our family has weathered the recall woes of Mattel, the Thomas the Train tragedy (no mommy, not that one!), and even a recall of a part on one of the supposedly highest rated car seats on the market.

Today, Baby Trend, Inc. http://www.babytrend.com/ announced the recall of nearly 6,000 Latch-Loc car seats. It seems that the “locking pawl” can detach during a severe crash. This, of course, defeats its purpose and endangers the occupant.

When problems persist to the point that manufacturers are willing to admit some fault, or at least some flaw, these recalls give them an opportunity to issue a warning. As a responsible consumer, it’s important to be aware of these recalls. Not surprisingly, most recalls are not announced on the evening news. You can stay on top of manufacturer notices by checking out these sites on a regular basis. And, always mail in registration cards for products so that when a recall is issued, you can be notified.

Here are some websites that will help you stay informed:


Recalls.gov U.S. Government portal for recall information http://www.recalls.gov/

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recalls and product safety news site. http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prerel.html

U.S. Food & Drug Administration recalls, market withdrawals and safety. Alerts .http://www.fda.gov/opacom/7alerts.HTML

U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service information about recalls and public health alerts that involve meats, poultry and egg products. http://www.fsis.usda.gov/FSIS_RECALLS/

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) defects and recalls site. http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/recalls/

Consumer Affairs.com - an independent Web-based consumer news and resource center. http://www.consumeraffairs.com/recalls/recalls.htm

Consumer Reports blog about safety. http://blogs.consumerreports.org/safety/

Truckers’ Poor Health: More Accidents Waiting to Happen

The trucking industry is under fire once again for its inability to self-regulate. This week the U.S. Government Accountability Office announced the findings of its investigation into commercial drivers license holders and serious medical conditions. Given many in the industry’s disregard for regulations, the findings are, sadly, not surprising.

Following a 12-state study, the Government Accountability Office stated, “our analysis of commercial license data from DOT and medical disability data from the Social Security Administration, Office of Personnel Management, and Departments of Veterans Affairs and Labor found that about 563,000 of [commercial drivers] had commercial driver licenses and were determined by the federal government to be eligible for full disability benefits.”

I’m not insensitive to people with health conditions, but there are good reasons why drivers with disabilities shouldn’t be allowed on the road. For years the government has issued warnings that fell on deaf ears. According to the Dallas Morning News, “hundreds of deaths and injuries” have been “blamed on commercial truck and bus drivers who blacked out, collapsed or suffered major health problems behind the wheels of vehicles that can weigh 40 tons or more.”

No state is safe as medically-unfit drivers have been found in all fifty states. Texas is listed in an AP article as one of 12 states “where drivers were sanctioned most frequently for breaking medical rules, such as failing to carry a valid medical certificate.”

The AP article also provides a list of cases, including the New Orleans bus wreck shown in this photo that killed 22 people . In this instance, the driver was seen slumped in his seat shortly before the crash. “Investigators said he was treated at least 20 times in the 21 months before the accident for various ailments.”

More Bad Truckers on the Border

Police in Weslaco, Texas are on the hunt for a trucker suspected of causing an accident that killed four people on the Pharr International Bridge five months ago. Allegedly, the 18-wheeler was entering the United States, when the driver made a U-turn that sparked the series of events leading to the fatalities.

Officials on the U.S. side of the border are looking for the 18-wheeler.

Mexican authorities don’t believe it exists.