Put Texas women first
Regarding “Abbott lead over O’Rourke in Texas governor’s race widens as voters focus on immigration over abortion,” (Sept. 22): For years, immigration reform has fallen on deaf Republican ears, along with the need to provide safe, cost effective health care for women. During the previous administration, which included a Republican House, Senate and executive office, the priority was reducing taxes and regulations for both their campaign contributors and themselves. Immigration reform never made the list.
Gov. Greg Abbott seems to want to lead this country but has only invested in theatrics to gain more financial support. He has no ideas, just ideology.
A recent poll of likely voters indicates that the lives of immigrants matter more to Texans than the death of our mothers, sisters, wives and daughters.
That takes my breath away. What is it about the strong and emotional response to immigration that is more important than the lives and health of Texas women?
Abbott talks about the complicated immigation problem because it deflects from the real Texas problems that he has neglected: The fact that Texans pay as much as Californians in taxes, that our schools and teachers are neglected, that many cannot see a doctor because we have one of the highest uninsured rates in the country, that there’s no real strategy to deal with hurricane recovery and that Texas women have an appalling childbirth mortality rate.
These problems require solutions and he has demonstrated time and time again that he is transactional and theatrical, not competent. Patricia Garris, Spring
The article about Abbott’s poll numbers rising because of publicity about his busing of immigrants to so-called “sanctuary cities” includes a reference to Beto O’Rourke’s comments on Jimmy Kimmel Live to the effect that Abbott’s busing program doesn’t address the underlying challenge the country faces in its immigration system. Duh. Thank you, Captain Obvious.
The busing program is not intended to be a solution (except to provide relief to Texas border communities). Instead, the busing program is intended to shine a bright spotlight on the failure of the Biden administration to do anything to secure and stabilize our southern border, in the hope that Biden will start doing something. Greg Groh, Houston