Author: Aren Cambre

Earmark bans are not good

I wrote this in response to someone who celebrated the recent Republican earmark ban proposal:

Can I offer the contrarian opinion? ;-)

Certainly bad earmarks should be stopped. Bad earmarks increase spending, are pork, or are stupid. Examples range from Alaska’s bridge to nowhere to a recent $98,440 appropriation to Granbury Historic Opera House Theater by Chet Edwards. (Why does that Democrat represent the heart of Texas???)

But there are good earmarks. “Carve out” earmarks tell agencies how to spend already-allocated funds. They give Congress a check against the same unaccountable Washington bureaucrats Rick Perry is running against. With no earmarks, a 2011-2013 Republican Congress (!!!!!?) would be hamstrung in fighting Obama administration retaliation–where Obama’s minions would likely starve the reddest districts of their fair share of federal funds.

I prefer more nuance, which is why I oppose the 2008 RPT platform’s Earmarks plank (see http://betterplatform.org/plank/earmarks). The earmark debate is among several examples of the 2008 RPT platform’s ineffectiveness. In this case, the platform micromanages details, distracting from the root problem: runaway spending. Additionally, this is among several places where the platform ignores the capitalistic concept of return on investment (ROI), wasting scarce political capital on changes that have little benefit or may make things worse.

Total earmark bans have a bad ROI. In addition to throwing out the baby with the bathwater–i.e., throwing out the good earmarks with the bad ones–they are impermanent: House rule changes just take a simple majority to overturn. So mark my words, any bans will melt within 12 months at most, and in the meantime there will be many ways to get around it.

We must focus on the real problem: out of control spending. Earmark abuse is just a symptom of the problem. If we could get the federal government in austerity (reducing spending and paying more debt), that would eliminate funds for the bad earmarks.

Something that distinguishes conservatives is willingness to roll up our sleeves and attack root problems. Liberals just attack the symptoms. The health care debate is a good example: liberals want to ram through a “quick fix”, statist approach, but conservatives advocate more permanent, longer-term, market-based solutions that are healthier but won’t have the “quick fix” immediacy.

This dichotomy is easy to understand–attacking the root problem is tough. It doesn’t produce quick results. But it has intellectual integrity, and it will produce a better solution. On the other hand, attacking the symptoms–the liberal method–assures continued political relevance because the symptoms will keep manifesting over and over and over.

So to summarize: With you, I celebrate attention to abuses. But I am concerned that this measure is political candy that goes too far and doesn’t meaningfully advance the conservative agenda. I want Republicans instead to focus on runaway spending. With meaningful fiscal reform and austerity, earmarks will take care of themselves.

Texas’s worst speed traps

EDIT: I was interviewed on Dallas’s WFAA channel 8 for this. See the video and article at Small North Texas town tops list in speeding-ticket revenue. Also see my response to the video.

Texas Municipal Wall of Shame: the 40 most prolific speed traps, ordered by total ticket revenue per citizen.

I am not certain, but I think this covers all tickets written from 2000-2008.

Rank City 2008 population Traffic tickets % of all tickets that are traffic tickets Total ticket revenue Total ticket revenue per citizen Total tickets per citizen
1 Westlake 211 71664 81% $8,919,460 $42,272 340
2 Estelline 155 24269 88% $2,873,199 $18,537 157
3 Domino 50 2656 99% $262,660 $5,253 53
4 Montgomery 596 25523 66% $3,116,988 $5,230 43
5 Martindale 1148 44422 98% $5,496,670 $4,788 39
6 Cuney 147 4598 100% $678,847 $4,618 31
7 Palmer 2258 81653 93% $10,144,689 $4,493 36
8 Rio Vista 818 31508 95% $3,239,383 $3,960 39
9 Riesel 1013 25021 92% $3,911,628 $3,861 25
10 Patton Village 1483 52752 98% $5,570,563 $3,756 36
11 Mount Enterprise 543 16379 99% $2,023,814 $3,727 30
12 Pantego 2381 41830 53% $8,763,955 $3,681 18
13 Wilmer 3576 88731 90% $12,610,497 $3,526 25
14 Dalworthington 2412 60167 66% $8,320,636 $3,450 25
15 Lott 675 11454 85% $2,139,228 $3,169 17
16 Lavon 423 8255 85% $1,319,644 $3,120 20
17 Chillicothe 687 14420 94% $2,127,266 $3,096 21
18 Waskom 2137 48647 98% $6,604,962 $3,091 23
19 Shenandoah 2002 67581 97% $6,004,139 $2,999 34
20 Mustang Ridge 933 25329 90% $2,786,746 $2,987 27
21 Ferris 2566 46764 89% $7,591,029 $2,958 18
22 Covington 302 4192 62% $886,511 $2,935 14
23 Arcola 1230 32449 97% $3,589,616 $2,918 26
24 Northlake 2036 40651 93% $5,763,918 $2,831 20
25 Rice 980 18346 64% $2,708,749 $2,764 19
26 Zavalla 665 15499 96% $1,816,084 $2,731 23
27 Magnolia 1249 35035 86% $3,391,091 $2,715 28
28 Alvarado 4188 83348 79% $11,134,344 $2,659 20
29 Brownsboro 837 17763 91% $2,203,938 $2,633 21
30 Driscoll 802 10353 71% $2,092,793 $2,609 13
31 Rhome 1051 21390 82% $2,731,994 $2,599 20
32 Kemah 2498 45532 83% $6,421,907 $2,571 18
33 Corrigan 1872 28235 83% $4,548,346 $2,430 15
34 Coffee City 207 4566 80% $499,477 $2,413 22
35 Itasca 1696 31532 85% $4,040,627 $2,382 19
36 Eustace 925 14406 77% $2,172,573 $2,349 16
37 Rogers 1138 18659 91% $2,653,569 $2,332 16
38 Southside Place 1667 34778 80% $3,782,674 $2,269 21
39 Calvert 1358 27655 97% $3,070,273 $2,261 20
40 Selma 4632 86332 87% $10,352,606 $2,235 19

This was calculated from data from the Texas Office of Court Administration’s Trial Court Judicial Data Management System.

Just bought a new printer

Exciting headline, eh?

I just bought a new printer. Here’s the thought process.

I rejected Canon, Epson, and Brother out of hand:

  • Canon: Saw too many problems with Bubblejet printers back in my tech support days. My current printer, a Canon Pixma MP-970, is junk. Ink’s too pricey, and Canon rigged it to drink ink in duplex mode. Driver feel like they were rushed out before usability testing. After just 2 years old, prints shift so that vertical lines aren’t straight anymore.
  • Epson: That company’s ’80s and ’90s dot matrix printers were horrible. Never found one that fed paper consistently. Quality was so inconsistent that I trusted my 9 pin Panasonic KX-P1191 over any Epson 24-pin.
  • Brother: Another hard-to-trust brand after owning a fax machine in the late ’90s with intentionally costly print consumables.

OK, I really didn’t reject totally, but they started out with huge demerits. Consumer Reports didn’t consistently rate either brand well, so they’re done.

So I was down to a few HP models and a Lexmark.

An hour of “analysis by paralysis” narrowed me to the HP OfficeJet 8500 and the Lexmark Platinum Pro905. Mathematically, either’s lower print costs were worth the premium over otherwise good HP Photosmart models. The 8500 would pay for itself after only 7 reams of paper.

I finally rejected the Lexmark. It had too many mediocre reviews and customer gripes. Sounds like Lexmark would have been good if not for incompetent R&D and software architects.

So now I have a HP OfficeJet 8500 waiting at some Amazon.com facility for my shipping label. Better yet, HP is paying me $75 for my old Canon! Can’t wait to get rid of it!

Allen Vaught copies constituient’s email

I sent an email about the primary election to my neighborhood association. 16 days later, my Democrat state legislator Allen Vaught sent an email about primaries to his constituents.

Guess where some of his email came from? Compare snippets:

Aren Cambre’s Jan. 31 email Allen Vaught’s Feb. 16 email
What is the primary? It’s where YOU choose who represents your party at the fall election. The primary is the election in which you choose who represents your party in each race during the November general election.
You don’t register with a party. … You just show up and vote in either party’s primary. In Texas, you do not “register” with a party; therefore, you may vote in either party’s primary election.
You must vote in the primary to participate in the party’s convention process. You must vote in the primary to participate in that party’s convention process…

Imitation is sincerest form of flattery?

Both the emails are below in full. You’ll notice my email clearly inspired the highlighted part of his email.

Aren Cambre’s Jan. 31 email Allen Vaught’s Feb. 16 email
Neighbors,Feb. 1 is the last day to register to vote in the March 2 primary. Verify your registration at http://dalcoelections.org/voters.asp

What is the primary? It’s where YOU choose who represents your party at the fall election.

These should clarify some misconceptions:

  • You don’t register with a party. Texas has no concept of “registered Republican” or “registered Democrat.” You just show up and vote in either party’s primary.
  • This doesn’t bind your fall vote. For example, if you vote in the Democrat primary, you can still vote for Republicans in the fall election.
  • You can vote in either party’s primary. Here’s where it can make a difference: If you believe that one party will win a particular office, then that party’s primary is when the race is effectively decided.
  • You don’t have to make a selection in every race. You can vote on all races, zero races (blank ballot), or anywhere in between.
  • You must vote in the primary to participate in the party’s convention process. In our precinct (2230), the Republican and Democrat precinct conventions generally start at 7:30 PM at the polling location.

Register to vote, and hope to see you at our polling location on March 2!

Aren Cambre, President
Lake Park Estates Neighborhood Association, Inc.
A 501(c)(4) nonprofit

 Dear Friends:Election time is upon us again and I would like to encourage you to vote. I have included some information in this email which I hope will help you cast an informed vote.

March 2nd is the Primary Election for both the Democratic and Republican Parties. The primary is the election in which you choose who represents your party in each race during the November general election. There are many candidates on the ballot all the way from precinct chairs to the Governor.

In Texas, you do not “register” with a party; therefore, you may vote in either party’s primary election. Regardless of which party’s primary you vote in, you may vote however you would like in November. You must vote in the primary to participate in that party’s convention process, which usually takes place around 7:30 pm directly after the close of voting on March 2nd at your precinct’s polling location.

Sample ballots for each party’s primary are located here: http://www.dalcoelections.org/march22010/index.asp.

For more detailed information on the candidates that you may be voting on please see the following websites:

Dallas County Republican Party         http://www.dallasgop.org/candidates

Dallas County Democratic Party        http://www.dallasdemocrats.org/election/2010/candidates

Dallas Morning News Voters Guide http://www.thevoterguide.org/v/dallas/race-index.do

You may vote early during the following dates and times:

Tu-F   Feb 16-19        8:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.

Sat       Feb 20             7:00 A.M. – 7:00 P.M.

Sun      Feb 21             1:00 P.M.  – 6:00 P.M.

M-F     Feb 22-26        7:00 A.M. – 7:00 P.M.

Early voting locations may be found on the Dallas County Elections website, located here:  http://www.dalcoelections.org/march22010/EVLocations.htm

Election Day is Tuesday, March 2nd from 7am – 7pm. You must vote in your voting precinct on election day. If you are not sure where to vote, more information may be obtained by contacting the Dallas County Elections Department (214) 819-6300 or by visiting their website at www.dalcoelections.org.

I encourage you to cast an informed vote because as you know, our democracy rests upon the act of voting.

Respectfully,

State Representative Allen Vaught

House District 107

USPS quadruple fail

USPS screwed up part of my son’s birthday. My mother sent him an overnight package, but USPS failed four times:

  1. Took 3 days to deliver the overnight package.
  2. Demanded a signature even though my mother marked the “WAIVER OF SIGNATURE” box and signed appropriately.
  3. Claimed to have left a notice (that I needed to pick up the package personally), but in fact declined to do so.
  4. Never re-notified me that the package was waiting. I finally found out because my mother asked me about it. I was able to call the local post office 2 hours before they would have returned it as undeliverable.

Go to http://usps.gov and check on package EH45 2451 528U S if you want to see this incompetence for yourself.

I say privatize and de-unionize the USPS and let it sink under its own massive debt. And deregulate first class mail delivery. Of course, Democrats will oppose this because government largesse and union intransigence are their job security.

In case you think I’m being vindictive, de-unionization would be the biggest gift we could give the USPS as it would create a competitive advantage over heavily unionized UPS and FedEx.