Voter turnout; hospital purchase; politics in 2016; gold depository

Voter turnout

Richard Greene’s May 15 column critiquing low voter turnout (“Happy with 4 percent of your fellow citizens deciding for you?”) was hypocritical, given that his own Republican Party has been involved in voter suppression for decades.

The party has cynically gerrymandered congressional districts across the country, diluting the influence of minorities and other non-Republican voters.

Further, it has toughened voter ID laws to address a demonstrably fictional outbreak of voter fraud. Again, this has the practical effect of restricting the voting rights of those unlikely to vote Republican.

Republicans’ partisan actions are absolutely at odds with the principles of a truly participative democracy, as the party struggles desperately against the tide of a narrowing base of support.

Greene’s exhortations notwithstanding, the Republicans’ voting message to minorities, the poor, progressives, intellectuals and science-oriented voters everywhere is clear: “Don’t bother.”

Hospital purchase

I find it outrageous that Texas Health Resources, a faith-based, nonprofit hospital, would pay $116 million for Forest Park Medical Center-Fort Worth.

THR currently operates three hospitals within three miles of the facility being purchased. I can only assume they want to keep competition out and maintain their dominance.

Furthermore, this valuable real estate will move from the tax rolls of Fort Worth and convert to a nonprofit tax-exempt entity, denying the city needed income.

If I were donating funds to this tax-exempt organization, I’d want it to go to take care of the poor and indigent residents of Fort Worth.

I don’t see Texas Health Resources or Baylor Scott & White with hospitals in Como, Stop Six or the north side.

Politics in 2016

Ever since I was a little guy, one of the durable pearls of wisdom was that “the cream always rises to the top.” Whoever came up with that might want to reconsider given the current state of affairs in politics.

It looks a lot more like pond scum to me. It appears that the top slot on both tickets will be occupied by folks we wouldn’t want as neighbors.

I can think of 10 or 15 candidates who would come a good bit closer to measuring up to the task. Six of those might be my grandchildren, all of whom are better behaved than the two most likely to succeed.

How did we ever get here?

Gold depository

The May 18 editorial (“Keep Texas’ gold and our money at home”) provided examples of expenses paid to store gold out of state, but neglected to include what the charges for in-state storage might be.

Would this service be free? Just wondering.

This story was originally published May 24, 2016 at 5:08 PM with the headline "Voter turnout; hospital purchase; politics in 2016; gold depository."