ERCOT wants Texas homeowners to conserve energy, while Globe Life Field cranks the AC

Energy use at Globe Life Field

ERCOT has some nerve to ask us to conserve electricity when users such as Globe Life Field take more power than hundreds of homes here in Arlington. (July 12, 1A, “ERCOT asks Texans to conserve energy during high demand”) I would be willing to bet not even 20,000 people showed up for Monday’s game. Raising the facility’s temperature from 72 to 75?(July 13, 1B, “Smith, Rangers hold off late A’s rally for win”) Big deal. Most of us homeowners do not keep ours even at 75 during the day because of the cost. I am so disgusted with ERCOT.

- Frances Gregory, Arlington

TEXRail to airport is a waste

For more than two years, thousands of automobiles have stopped and idled while waiting for the TEXRail train from downtown Fort Worth to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. But there are very few riders. The train has run a regular schedule for all this time and has no riders? The taxpayers have lost millions. What can we do? How much has it cost?

- Jack Lewis, Haltom City

If we simply rob Peter first …

I read in the July 10 editorial “Tarrant worker bonuses paid from federal money, but we all pay cost” (4A) that county judge candidate Tim O’Hare has a plan to “steeply cut county government, primarily by consolidating open positions.” It’s good to have a plan.

The largest county department and one with a huge number of open positions is the sheriff’s office, and O’Hare says he won’t cut that. law. How about the next largest function of county government, the courts? That could work, if we do not care about pandemic-fueled case backlogs.

Criminals out on bond and awaiting trial can just keep on waiting. I’m sure they will behave, and if they don’t, we can just put them back in jail. Or maybe we can take it all from the public health department. COVID-19 and restaurant inspections can wait.

- Clete McAlister, Arlington

Quit talking about abortion rights

The Star-Telegram is devoting too much news coverage to abortion. The change merely puts the decision in the hands of state governments, as it was for the first 150 years of our nation. The votes of the people can decide. How much more fair can you get?

- Dick Oliphant, Burleson

I consider the unborn people

In Helen DeMore-Callejas’ strong appeal for easy access to abortion, she concludes, “We know that people’s lives are at stake,” while not acknowledging the unborn are “people” who have the right to life. (July 10, 5C, “I’m worried for my daughters’ future in Texas once it bans abortion. But we’ll stay and fight”) Would that she were promoting ways to help the marginalized she lists instead of advocating killing the unborn.

- Carolyn Allen, Fort Worth

Pushing bad abortion info?

Thank goodness Cynthia M. Allen has clarified for us that our concerns about the legality of lifesaving medical care for pregnant women in a post-Roe v. Wade world are based on a nasty misinformation campaign. (July 10, 5C, “Medical care after miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy is not abortion”) Along with all the wrong-headed celebrity and pundit perpetrators, I’m hoping the dozens of medical groups — including the American Medical Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court — have read her column and are enlightened, too.

Now excuse me while I go get some medical care for the tongue that’s stuck in my cheek.

- Caryl Sherman-Gonzalez, Fort Worth

Precedent isn’t infallible

The July 12 paper featured an important front-page article on Texas’ role in the post-Roe battle. (“How Texas may be pivotal in the next post-Roe battle”) Too bad it displayed such a bias about the word “precedent.” A little perspective is in order.

Was it wrong in 1954 to overturn the 1896 decision on racial segregation in public schools? How about the 63-year precedent of allowing no new states, which Democrats want to overturn? The Senate filibuster has been around since 1806, and some want to eliminate that. And the Electoral College was established in the Constitution in 1787.

Precedent isn’t all good or all bad, but don’t use it as an excuse for poor law.

- J. Mark Bronson, Fort Worth