The Harper Herald (Harper, Tex.), Vol. 70, No. 13, Ed. 1 Tuesday, March 28, 2000 Page: 4 of 8
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Page 4 The Harper Herald March 28, 2000
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A novel is a mirror that strolls
along a highway. Now it reflects
the blue of the skies, now the
mud puddles underfoot.
—Stendhal
To say of a picture, as is often
said in its praise, that it shows
great and earnest labor, is to
say that it is incomplete and
unfit for view.
—James McNeill Whistler
You can’t no more do what you
ain’t prepared for than you can
come back from where you ain’t
been.
—Robert Henry
Blessed is the man who, having
nothing to say, abstains from
giving in words evidence of the
fact.
—George Eliot
Congress considering measure to punish
employers who provide health care insurance
BY BILL HAMMOND
In a stunning proposal that should
go directly into the “No Good Deed
Goes Unpunished” Hall of Fame,
the United States Congress is cur-
rently considering taking punitive
measures against those businesses
that provide their employees with
health insurance.
That’s right Congress is actually
considering legislation that would
increase the financial exposure for
those small and large businesses that
offer health care coverage to their
employees. Never mind that the cost
of health insurance has increased 25
percent since 1995. Forget that more
than 26 percent of all Texans cur-
rently go without health insurance of
any kind. Ignore the fact out-of-con-
trol costs are forcing small employ-
ers to reduce health care benefits,
increase co-pays or eliminate health
insurance for their employees all
together.
Congress — in its zeal to punish
health insurers — is considering
measures in the House that would
make health insurers and employers
liable for medical malpractice law-
suits. The so-called Dingell-
Norwood measure under considera-
tion is an absolute recipe for an
explosion in liability claims brought
by predatory trial lawyers.
Because while these new meas-
ures are being promoted as “patient
protection” bills, the truth is that they
will simply make health insurance
unavailable to millions of Texans.
Follow this scenario:
1. These Congressional pro-
posals — if passed — will make it
possible for trial lawyers to blame
health plans for every unfavorable
medical outcome.
2. Health plans, in turn, will
HAMMOND
be influenced to
cover unneces-
sary services
that do not bene-
fit patients, in
order to avoid
costly litigation.
3. Employ-
ers, confronted
with unafford-
able health care
costs, will be forced to reduce or
eliminate coverage for employees.
4. Employers who maintain
coverage for employees will increas-
ingly find themselves liable in the
same lawsuit against the health
insurer, whom they have selected
and paid.
It’s a simple lose, lose, equation -
except for the trial lawyers.
“If employers find themselves in
the path of the trial lawyers, I think
you can expect a massive bailout,”
said Margaret O’Kane of the
National Committee for Quality
Assurance in a recent Wall Street
Journal article.
This new liability for companies
will force many to send their
employees into the market to ‘Tend
for themselves," O’Kane predicted.
And you can hardly blame the
Texas employer who is forced to
take such drastic measures. It should
be a concern for all of us.
According to a recent Hewitt
Associates survey of 600 large U.S.
employers, 36 percent of respon-
dents said they would probably drop
workers’ health benefits if Congress
passes this law. If more than one-
third of large employers are willing
to consider cutting off employee
benefits, imagine how many small
businesses would be willing to do
the same.
Clearly, it’s time for all Texans —
employers and employees alike —
to send a loud, clear message to
Congress:
Stop this insanity. We want afford-
able health care. We want patient
protections, but not at the expense of
losing what health care coverage we
do have.
The House measure being con-
sidered by conference committee
expands the liability exposure for
lawsuits against health plans and
would allow employers to be sued
directly for simply purchasing health
coverage. That’s not just wrong, it
will exacerbate our current health
care problems.
Legislation that would let con-
sumers sue their HMO’s and their
employers is nothing but a slap in
the face to businesses — particular-
ly small business owners who are
struggling to provide adequate
health care benefits.
The government should be help-
ing small business owners, not open-
ing the door even wider for trial
lawyers who just can’t seem to get
enough meat off the bones of Texas
businesses — driving up the cost of
health care even more.
Texas business owners should
rise to the occasion and let Congress
know, in no uncertain terms, that
Americans will not tolerate higher
health care premiums. It is time for
our legislators to put an end to their
crusade to punish business owners
and start finding ways to contain
increasing health care costs and to
expand coverage.
Hammond is president of the
Austin-based Texas Association of
Business and Chambers of
Commerce.
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Art is a human activity having
for its purpose the transmission
to others of the highest and best
feelings to which men have
risen.
—Leo Tolstoi
Not many sounds in life, and I
include all urban and all rural
sounds, exceed in interest a
knock at the door.
—Charles Lamb
No one knows his true charac-
ter until he has run out of gas,
purchased something on the
installment plan and raised an
adolescent.
—Mercelene Cox
In my opinion, character is the
most important determinant of
a person’s success, achievement
and ability to handle adversity.
—Tom Landry
To be nobody but yourself-in a
world which is doing its best,
night and day to make you
everybody else-means to fight
the hardest battle which any
human being can fight and
never stop fighting.
—e.e.cummings
The difference between the
almost-right word and the right
word is really a large matter-
it’s the difference between the
lightning bug and the lightning.
—Mark Twain
GILLESPIE LIVESTOCK CO., INC.
FREDERICKSBURG, TEXAS
MARKET REPORT-MAR.22,2000
CATTLE: 1315 HD.
COWS & BULLS
HEIFERS
STEERS
PACKER COWS
BULLS
BRED COWS .
COW & CALF PAIRS
1 LOWER
STEADY
STEADY
30.00-47.00
40,00-56.00 CWT
450.00- 690.OOHD
500.00- 850.00 PR
MEDIUM TO LARGE FRAME * 1
HEIFERS
STEERS
200-300 * 120.00-150.00
300-400 * 1 15.00-139.00
400-500 * 105.00-121,50
500-600 * 90.00-1 14,00
600-700 * 80,00-100.00
LOWER QUALITY STRS,
LOWER QUALITY HFRS.
SHEEP & GOATS: 3030 HD
SPRING LAMBS
SPRING LAMBS 40-60 *
SPRING LAMBS 60-80 #
SPRING LAMBS 80-90 *
OLD CROP 60-90 *
FATLAMj^,,^ ra.eer
STOCKER EWES
PACKER EWES
SP.KIDS (UNDER 50*)
SP KIDS (OVER 50*)
SP NANNIES
SP MUTTONS/BILLIES
100.00-140.00 CWT*
95.00- 130.00 CWT
88.00- 107,00 CWT
85.00- 100.00 CWT
76.00- 90,00 CWT
40.00- 70.00 CWT
40.00- 65,00 CWT
STEADY
100.00- 120.00 CWT
105.00- 120.00 CWT
98.00- 1 12.00 CWT
85.00- 102.00 CWT
75.00- 85.00 CWT
T p* ’■j/i • ■" - ; zi '• MvO
30700-48.00 CWT'~T
35.00- 61.00 CWT "C
90.00- 105.00 CWT
90.00- 1 10.00 CWT
40.00- 75.00 CWT
65.00- 75.00 CWT
am
For the "First Annual Harper Walk-Run, 2000!
ANG MUTTONS
50.00-60.00 CWT
ANG NANNIES
35.00-45.00 CWT
ANG KIDS
70.00-85.00 CWT
1 BLK STR
530 *
1 14.00 CWT
1 BLK STR
' 455 *
120.00 CWT
1 BLK HFR
360 *
1 13.00 CWT
1 BWF STR
310 *
139.00 CWT
1 RED STR
740 *
84.50 CWT r L
1 RED HFR
435 *
105.00 CWT
. 1 BWF HFR
645 *
90.50 CWT
1 RED HFR ,, > ,
.205 * .
140,00 CWT
40 HFR '
" 525 * 1
96.25 CWT
The decision from the STUDENTS is to go aheed with the First Harper Walk-Run, 2000.
The Students Need Your Help.
We are seeking SPONSORS to help offset the cost of the T-shirts we will be selling. The
proceeds go directly to the school. Any SPONSOR donating $100.00 or more wifi have their
NAME PRINTED on the BACK OP OUR T-SHIRTS.
Imagine 200, 300, 400 T-shirts with your business name on them.
DONATIONS may be made directly to:
Security State Bank and Trust
PTO/Sponsor Walk-Run 2000
PO Box 38
Harper, Tx 78631
or
Harper ISD - ATTN: PTO/Sponsor
PO Box 68
Harper, Tx 78631
First Goal Date - Friday May 19, 2000.
T-shirts on Sals Now
Get order forms or pledge forms from teaoher and return to Cafeteria. We need minimum 200
prepraid/pledged T-shirts before going to press (by May 1st)
The Grade that sails the moat, the fastest wins PRIZE $$$$
T-SHIRT ONLY $10.00
PRE-REGISTRATION $ 3.00
T-SHIRT & PRE-REGISTRATON $11.00
REGISTRATION AT FALL EVENT $ 5.00
If you would like to help ue with our First Annual Harper Walk-Run, please contact Jay Harper.
Elementary Principal 564-4044 or Katie McCarthy 864-6677
Hop© to hear from you soon.
HAVE A DREAMI
Smith Pushes Private Property Rights Legislation
The House of Representatives passed private property rights
legislation Thursday with the support of Congressman Lamar Smith
and other leaders on the issue. 3
Smith, Chairmari of the bipartisan Congressional Private Property
Rights Coalition, is a longtime advocate of measures such as the
Private Property Rights Improvement Act.
"This legislation secures a basic right of all Americans: protection
against government’confiscation'of homes, farms, and businesses,h
Congressman Smith said in his statement in support of the bill.
The legislation helps property owners who are threatened by
government restrictions on the use of their property get a quick, fair
hearing in court.
Congressman Smith said the Constitution guarnatees the right of
all citizens to acquire, possess, and dispose of private property. But
he added, "that Constitutional right is how threatened by regulations
imposed by government officials."
Private property owners in Texas and across the country have
complained that their intentions to build a retirement home or make
improvements to a ranch or farm can be tied up for years while they
wait for a court hearing.
"This legislation will change that," Congressman Smith said.
The League of Private Property Voters named Congressman Smith
a "Champion" of property rights in February for his legislative work.
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Bishop, Karen. The Harper Herald (Harper, Tex.), Vol. 70, No. 13, Ed. 1 Tuesday, March 28, 2000, newspaper, March 28, 2000; Harper, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth844837/m1/4/: accessed June 11, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Harper Library.