Free Republic

Government: Social Security, according to a just-released Trustee report, is now "permanently cash negative." But for any who think saving citizens' retirements is impossible, take a look at what's been done in Galveston, Texas. Thirty years ago, tiny Galveston opted out of the entire Social Security system for its county employees and introduced private accounts. It was the brainchild of a county judge, Ray Holbrook, and a few other officials, who took a good look at the parlous state of Social Security in the late 1970s and came up with an "Alternate Plan" of privately managed personal accounts they believed...

I wrote a guest column which appeared in the Galveston Daily News on Saturday. I find it rather humorous that I have received so much blowback from my fellow conservatives, many who seem ready to embrace Judge Mallia with open arms, and sing Kumbaya. Well the republican party has enough Republicans In Name Only (aka RINO’s) and I’m tired of them infesting our party. These cowards run as Republicans because they know the only way they can win elections is if they have an “R” next to their name on the ballot. You know who they are: Susan Collins, Olympia...

Now fewer than five members of the Texas State Republican Executive Committee (SREC) were on hand to supervise the election of Galveston County’s interim chairman after John LeCour resigned from the post last week. Tensions were high leading up to the meeting and many people were expecting fireworks which thankfully never came. The meeting was called to order by GOP Secretary Kathy Rogers who appointed Janis Lowe as temporary chairman as per state election guidelines to elect a new chairman. Lowe skillfully led the meeting and did an admirable job placating the standing room only crowd which overflowed into the...

Eight new Republican officeholders were sworn in Saturday at the Galveston County Justice Center. “Recognizing that this is a Republican celebration,” said Judge David Garner, before audience applause interrupted him, “I’m going to bring forth our new County Judge Mark Henry.” Henry, the first Republican to hold the office of county judge since Reconstruction, defeated Jim Yarbrough. Republican Kevin O’Brien will join Henry on the commissioners court as commissioner for precinct 2. “I’m getting ready to do a good job for you,” O’Brien told the packed room. Ken Clark will continue his duties as commissioner for precinct 4. After defeating...

Most of America’s Ten Dead Cities were once major manufacturing hubs and others were important ports or financial services centers. The downfall of one city, New Orleans, began in the 1970s, but was accelerated by Hurricane Katrina. Notably, the rise of inexpensive manufacturing in Japan destroyed the ability of the industrial cities on this list to effectively compete in the global marketplace. Foreign business activity and US government policy were two of the three major blows that caused the downfall of these cities. The third was the labor movement and its demands for higher compensation which ballooned the costs of...

Listening to the local news radio station this morning, there was a story about Galveston finding tar balls in the surf offshore. Something seemed vaguely odd about how it was described, but couldn't put my finger on it at the time. The tarballs were described as roughly the size of ping-pong balls. Hmm. Then I forgot about it. Until just now, the golfing thing hit me. Some liberal at CBS radio made a deliberate decision (not) to use the most likely description of that size. "Golf ball" sized.. Trying to remember the last time I ever heard the term "ping-pong...

Texas first confirmed impact from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the Coast Guard reported five gallons of tar balls from the Deepwater Horizon spill were found on Bolivar Peninsula and Galveston Island. This is more than 400 miles from the wellhead in the Gulf... (Video)

Thursday, June 3rd, Galveston County District Attorney Kurt Sistruck will meet face-to-face with his opponent, Jack Roady, in a debate organized by the combined police officer associations of Galveston County. Question: Why? Why is the incumbent district attorney, who has heretofore been endorsed and supported by the very same police groups sponsoring this debate, being exposed to his challenger in a public forum like this? It is no secret that law enforcement in general is disenchanted with Mr. Sistruck and are adamant in their opinions that he has not been supportive of law enforcement during his seven years in office....

GALVESTON, Texas (AP) -- A cruise ship operator says dozens of people were hurt when one of its vessels listed during a maneuver to avoid a partially submerged buoy that was adrift near Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. Carnival Cruise Lines says the ship, Carnival Ecstasy, had to make a sharp turn to avoid the buoy Wednesday afternoon.

Republican women convening at the Galveston Island Convention Center this weekend said they are “energized” about the 2010 and 2012 elections and view them as a turning point for the state and nation. Women from across the state, many of whom donned Republican red, gathered Saturday for the third of a four-day convention hosted biennially by the Texas Federation of Republican Women. Highlighting the convention’s agenda during the last few days were keynote addresses by party front-runners Gov. Rick Perry and gubernatorial challenger Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison Hutchison addressed the delegation Saturday morning announcing, as expected, she won’t resign her...

Did you know that local government entities used to be able to opt out of Social Security? In the late 1970's the Social Security Administration was nearly bankrupt and the original stipulation that local governments could opt out of the program. Well, Galveston County in Texas decided to opt out! Then-County Judge Ray Holbrook, County Attorney Bill Decker and Houston businessman Kebodeaux set up a fund that has outperformed the Social Security program two to three times over! Says current Galveston County Judge James Yarbrough, "It has been a great success for us!" Well, when the SSA finally did go...

If you don’t understand the uproar in Friendswood about the city’s plan to issue $11 million in debt without voter approval, just ask yourself a couple of questions: What if city leaders are completely right about the legal question? Is it still a good idea to borrow money without asking voters for their approval? Is a good idea to obligate them when they have clearly indicated they want a say about any debt they’d be responsible for? City officials have asked a judge in Travis County for a ruling that says the city can issue certificates of obligation to finance...

FRIENDSWOOD — The city has asked a Travis County judge to say it is legal for Friendswood to issue $11 million in debt without voter approval. The city had planned to issue $11 million in certificates of obligation to fund roads, parks, an animal shelter and a records building, but some residents said the city charter prohibited the city from issuing certificates of obligation. While bonds require voter approval, certificates of obligation do not. The city charter was amended by voters in 1997 to prohibit the city from issuing debt without voter approval that it could not finance from its...

"TEXAS CITY — A man who used a four-letter word to describe to his neighbors how their cat left feces in his yard was acquitted Tuesday of a disorderly conduct citation." "“A little piece of America died today when a jury of six says it’s OK to curse in front of a 13-year-old when asked not to,” Rainey said. " "“It’s a sad day for morality, that this type of behavior is condoned,” Rainey said." "Loflin was at least the third person cited for cursing in public in the last 12 months in Galveston County."

Saturday, for the first time in the history of Galveston County, an African-American woman was elected mayor. Geraldine Sam, 57, a lifelong resident of La Marque and an educator, edged two challengers to take her place in history by the narrowest of margins. “I cannot even describe how I feel,” Sam said, while celebrating with family and friends at a restaurant. “I was trying to eat earlier, and I can’t even eat. It’s amazing. Just awesome.” Sam received 355 votes, outlasting challengers James Osteen, 316 votes, and Bill Charbonneau, 289 votes, according to complete, unofficial results. Sam, who will serve...

FRIENDSWOOD — More than 300 people gathered in a city park Tuesday to rally against “out of control” government spending and to ship protest tea bags to Washington, D.C. Whether the first of what will be a series of tea party protests across the country is the start of a grass-roots political movement or just another form of political theater is yet to be determined. “I think it is too early to say,” said Rice University political science professor Bob Stein. “There is a good deal of partisanship, but for an event the Republican Party would normally put its stamp...

January 21, 2009 I am sure you have heard rumors about Galveston, here are the facts. Please read this carefully, each of us must be concerned about our Endowment Fund and our ability to serve Children for many years to come. Therefore, the Joint Boards found it necessary to do the following. Ralph W. Semb, President and Chief Executive Officer, Shriners Hospitals for Children SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN GALVESTON HOSPITAL UPDATE Shriners Hospitals for Children (SHC) is facing the most tumultuous and trying economic environment in the history of the organization. Leadership is focused on what is best for the...

GALVESTON, Texas — Even the most grizzled investigators were reduced to tears by the disturbing details of the death of 2-year-old Riley Ann Sawyers. The tot's already decomposed remains had been stuffed into a plastic container that was dumped into Galveston Bay. A fisherman found the container and its contents on a tiny island about a mile from the shore of the huge bay in October 2007. On Monday, jury selection is set to begin for the capital murder trial of Riley Ann's mother, 20-year-old Kimberly Dawn Trenor. She and her husband, Royce Clyde Zeigler II, are accused of beating...

It was the storm of the century - the 20th century.  Before Katrina became shorthand for nature's fury, there was the unnamed hurricane of 1900 that nearly wiped Galveston, Tex., off the map. An estimated 6,000 people were killed when the Category 4 storm packing 135 mph winds made landfall on Sept. 8, 1900, making it the deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history.  Now it could get whacked again by Hurricane Ike.LIVE TRACKER: FOLLOW IKE'S PATH In 1900, Galveston, located on a flat island off the Texas coast, was a boom town with 42,000 residents. It was then the biggest...

County residents next week will have a chance to air concerns to state lawmakers and area leaders about Hurricane Ike recovery efforts. The committee on Hurricane Ike will meet at 10 a.m. Jan. 7 at the Galveston Island Convention Center, allowing the public to tell state lawmakers and area leaders what issues and obstacles they face almost four months after the storm struck Southeast Texas on Sept. 13, causing catastrophic flooding from storm surge and displacing thousands of people from their homes. The storm was the third most destructive to ever make landfall in the United States. The committee has...