More, please

Re: “Who’s a RINO? Cornyn? Paxton? You? Texas oligarchy uses the wrong criteria for choosing leaders,” by Glenn Rogers, Sunday Opinion.

The style and content (coprophagous!) of Rogers’ column brought memories of Molly Ivins’ work to mind. As I’m too old to cry about the shenanigans in our state, I find laughter a great coping tool. More of his work, please.

Denton Holland, Dallas/Preston Hollow

RINO and proud of it

RINO hunting is a big sport in Texas. As Rogers points out, it’s an “ill-defined term that varies greatly” from one Republican to another.

To the political oligarchy that controls Texas, a RINO is a left-wing liberal, equivalent to being anti-American. Traitorous even.

In Texas, the GOP, and the state government, are controlled by billionaire wallets and sycophants carrying out their political agenda — whether we like it or not.

Rogers does well using the U.S. Senate race between John Cornyn and Ken Paxton — the former a conservative Republican and the latter, well, a nearly convicted felon — to determine what the definition of a RINO is.

What’s a RINO? In Texas, it’s one who doesn’t express supreme loyalty to the agenda of a small group of pandering politicians blindly following the moneyed platform of right-wing radicals.

Who’s a RINO? I am. And proud of it. And so are 80% of Texas Republicans. But the other 20%? They demand fealty to their agenda. And who wants to follow Ken Paxton?

Guy Mercurio, Dallas

Voice of everyday Texans

Excellent column, Glenn Rogers! Your leadership and unwavering commitment to true representative government in Texas are inspiring. Thank you for fighting for transparency, accountability and the voices of everyday Texans.

Keep up the great work — we’re grateful for your dedication!

Robert Seward, Mesquite

Vote for clean air

Never in my life have I met anyone who said, “I want more air pollution.” And yet, there are multiple bills under consideration by our state Legislature that would cause just that.

Please, state legislators, for the love of our children and grandchildren, vote no on any bill that would harm the renewable energy boom Texas has experienced in the past decade. It’s providing a new income stream for our farmers and ranchers, keeping our electric grid safe and reliable and reducing the amount of pollution being spewed into our beautiful blue Texas skies.

The health and well-being of our future generations depends upon it. Local governments should make their own decisions. This frightening new trend of state legislators trying to impose their will on local and regional governments has to stop. Texas’ economic development is in jeopardy. Who wants to live in an area with poor air quality?

Government’s and elected officials’ responsibility is to protect constituents from future harm, including air pollution and the climate crisis. Wake up and smell the stench in the air, then do something about it!

Georgeann Elliott Moss, Sunnyvale

Pass grid reliability bill

A plan for grid reliability must be authorized this session. Time has run out. The scarcity pricing market mechanism is not getting enough plants built. The Texas Energy Fund or other market mechanisms won’t get the generating companies to build.

Three things must be put into a bill to get enough plants built. 1. How much is needed? We know 13,000 megawatts is needed today. Put that amount in a bill and add that ERCOT must update this amount with the reliability standard in the future.

2. Who pays? All load serving entities that sell at retail must acquire a proportionate amount of the needed generation based on percent of load share.

3. Payment mechanism. Contract for power and energy with the generating companies in the bilateral market that exists today.

It is that simple. The benefits of this change will be reliability, lower rates to consumers, improvement to the environment, less concern about rotating blackouts and no more need for the hated scarcity pricing.

Building the 13,000 megawatts actually saves money, a little known or published fact.

Thomas L. Darte, Greenville

Recognize Vietnam veterans

Re: “It’s never too late … ”by Stephen L. McCord,” Thursday Letters.

As I finished reading McCord’s letter regarding Vietnam veterans, I wept, too. We’ve all read about the difficulties those brave veterans went through, both on the ground in Vietnam and here at home as well. That inspirational speaker he mentioned did a marvelous thing in recognizing the Vietnam veterans.

Gary Tutt, McKinney

Leave Veterans Day alone

President Donald Trump’s idea of changing Veterans Day to celebrate World War I is because we Americans won the war. As a daughter of a Vietnam veteran with two tours in Vietnam, so is there no recognition of his sacrifice? Is he a loser because we didn’t win the war?

I could list many wars that we have not won because of politicians, not because of the military. Our military and its families are the best in the world. Leave Veterans Day alone.

Linda Knowlton, Dallas

‘Liberty and justice for all’

The last six words of the Pledge of Allegiance are “with liberty and justice for all.” Wouldn’t it be patriotic if we each examined our hearts and minds to try to exemplify these ideals rather than try to threaten or take them away from others because of disagreements?

Daniel Dugan, Old East Dallas