Greg Abbott wants to give tax money to private schools. Why not country clubs, too? | Opinion

Why not vouchers for more?

Government uses our taxes to provide libraries, transportation, public hospitals, water and sewer services and recreational facilities in parks. If we choose not to use them, should government give us money to buy books, buy gas for our cars, go to a private hospital, dig a well and install a septic tank or join a country club?

No. And I’d bet that Gov. Greg Abbott agrees.

Government uses our taxes to provide public schools. If we choose not to use them, should government give us money for private schools?

Why is Abbott’s answer not the same? Because private-school interests give his campaign money? Or because he thinks religious education will make students more likely to vote conservative? There must be some reason.

- George Michael Sherry, Fort Worth

Social Security can’t go on like this

Politicians are lying if they claim they will not touch Social Security. They must, and here’s why: At birth, my life expectancy was 60.8 years. I had less than a 50-50 chance of ever collecting Social Security. If you live to be 65, in average or better health, the odds of living to 85 are high. The fastest growing segment of our population is those older than 65.

Only about 2 1/2 workers contribute to Social Security for every recipient. That number is projected to drop to two workers for every recipient in the near future. This is not sustainable. The age for future retirees must be raised, or the whole system will collapse.

- Lorin R. Wilson, Colleyville

Texas women misdirected

Bud Kennedy’s Sunday commentary “Few gains, big losses for Republican women in Texas primary” (1C) lays it on the line: The real losers in the March 5 election were Texas women. Politically and socially, the current Texas leadership (dominated by Republican men) is moving us backward.

Keep blindly voting for male GOP leadership, and we’re going to set Texas women back 100 years.

- Owen Daniel, Fort Worth

The health care fix is obvious

As a retired certified public accountant with a bachelor’s degree in economics, I’m a numbers guy. From this perspective, I propose that like-minded citizens should advocate for a more cost-effective way to pay for the medical needs of America’s most vulnerable. They correctly seek hospital emergency departments when they are sick or injured, because other providers refuse to care for them and risk not getting paid.

The solution is obvious: a single-payer system.

- Brent Neuenfeldt, Fort Worth

Massive hypocrisy on IVF

The Alabama Supreme Court ruling that asserts that human embryos are equivalent to human life will stifle in vitro fertilization efforts for couples who are struggling to conceive. Other conservative courts may also rule this way.

Even a large majority of pro-life proponents favor IVF. If state laws are passed that defend IVF, these decisions will ultimately be decided by the same U.S. Supreme Court that ruled against individual reproductive rights with the Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade.

I am a Christian. But the rectitude and hypocrisy of some Christians who oppose reproductive rights, including IVF, is stunning.

- Mike Lee Estes, Fort Worth

No more need to set aside a time

Since COVID-19 struck in 2020, an appointment has been required to obtain or renew a Texas driver’s license. That was fine before vaccines. But when Gov. Greg Abbott lifted many restrictions, he failed to end the appointment requirement.

It’s time to stop requiring appointments, and if the governor won’t do it himself, the Legislature should in 2025.

- Joseph Anderson, Fort Worth