Where did transparency go?

I looked at the last City Council agenda and was amazed that twice as much of its business in the work session was in closed session as was in the public part.

For the 95 percent of you who do not seem to know what a city council agenda is, that is where members tell us all what they are going to talk about. That means in the work session they talk about twice as much behind closed doors as they do in front of the public.

They tell us not to worry; before they spend our money they will vote on it in public session. Sort of true, but look at Item 3J on that agenda. They voted on the expenditure of funds but forgot to say how many funds. You guessed it: They talked about it in closed session.

Turns out it was only $200,000, and we learned with the special tax break for seniors that $150,000-plus is not a lot of money. It sure would be at my house.

Whether it is a lot of money or not, I just cannot understand why our city government cannot just be up front and transparent about what it does.

Our council members spend a tremendous amount of their time and effort to do what they think is right, so I do not understand why it cannot be done in an open and transparent way.

Robert Donnelly,

Denton

Undercover agent?

In response to Dan Shea’s letter of June 1, I don’t think it’s a “shame that the only leadership coming out of the Republican Party is from a retired leader.” I consider it an admission of how low the Republican Party has fallen in a very short time.

Taking into consideration that the leadership is “Shotgun Dick” Cheney and considering that his popularity rating was far below that ofGeorge Bush even at his lowest rating. I, for one, am “rolling in the aisles.”

You want a man with a lower popularity rating than swine flu to try and regain the people who have already abandoned the Republican Party, most of whom are moderates and mentally clever enough to see the right wing for what it is.

Only his mother or one of the rabid right would describe Cheney as “demonstrating more honor, guts and true leadership than almost all of our elected Republicans.” If enough of you believe that, the party should adopt a new motto made popular by Pogo ’Possum: “We have met the enemy and it is us.”

Wait a minute! I’m beginning to understand this idolizing and veneration of Dick Cheney.

Could it be that you are in reality a Democrat posing as a conservative right-winger and making these bizarre statements about Cheney’s leadership to so provoke the sensible and intellectual moderates of the party to abscond and join the Democrats?

That’s very clever, very clever. Oh! I hope I haven’t blown your cover, but it suddenly just seemed so obvious, I just had to ask.

John Nance Garner,

Denton

Bubba and his buddies

Bubba called to let me know they were back from their long weekend.

He and some old rodeo pals get together every couple of years. They talk bad bulls, rank horses, big wrecks, all over heaping plates of barbecue and trimmings.

Bubba said he was “talked out and laughed up.”

What he really called about was the May 31 DRC and how much he enjoyed that edition. He kinda hates that Ms. English lost the recount, and thinks that Mr. Ramsey needs to “walk a few remarks back.”

The “horned cattle” letter by Dwight Crawford Sr. was a classic. From the jump in gun sales over the last few months, Bubba says there are a lot more “horned cattle” than ever.

The article, “Texas House approves states rights resolution,” was welcome news. Bubba has read where other states are passing similar resolutions.

Finally, some “push-back” by the states to the socialist administration in the White House.

Bubba is concerned about the debt growth in Denton County. Seems like a lot of the local governments are not doing a good job on the money flow — in or out.

Are local governments following Washington’s example? The poor taxpayer will be stuck with the bill.

Bubba thinks the DRC should throw some rodeo news in the sports section on a regular basis. Bubba and his local rodeo friends would be most appreciative.

Bubba, glad you had a good time, and happy Father’s Day.

Alice Gore,

Denton

My HMO ordeal

D.R. Anderson [Letters, June 4], the 250-word limit only scratched the surface of my ordeal, but my experience mirrored what our neighbors to the north in Canada face daily, the system that’s being hailed as the cure-all here.

Canadians (who can afford it) needing something remedied ASAP are forced to travel to the United States for treatment. If the Canadian system was adopted here, what choices would an ordinary citizen in this country have?

My neurosurgeon summed it up best: “Where is the radar on your plane?”

“In the nose.”

“I know that, where’s the radar scope located?”

“In the cockpit.”

“What if the scope was located near the tail where a person back there (not a pilot) told you which way to turn to avoid the weather?”

That’s why my neurosurgeon insisted the myelogram be performed in his presence so I could be tilted in every possible manner for him to have the complete picture about my spine before opening me up.

People travel from across North America to see my neurosurgeon; he’s that good.

Oh, thought this might be interesting too: He was born in Canada.

Roger T. Horrell,

Denton

Obama’s changes

What have you elected? With guidance of the Muslim king of Saudi Arabia, we may be put on camels for transportation in lieu of cars of the Government Motors of Detroit.

Catholics should be interested with this current trip, a stopover in Saudi Arabia to get the king’s approval of speeches but a possible stop in Rome and no plans to meet with the pope. Our president, son of a Kenyan Muslim, schooled in Muslim Indonesia, is really doing as he promised: a big change.

How long will it be before the ladies of our country have to follow the laws of the Muslim, no driving, strange clothing and strict religious rules? What is next in line of change for us?

Remember, we were at one time a very prosperous and free nation with tremendous future plans for our children.

Changing capitalism to socialism is not the answer to maintain our freedom.

Ray Roberts,

Denton