LETTERS: End of contract spurs comment, Government runs economy

End of contract spurs comment

I am a resident of Laguna Vista since 2016. Five years ago the city, in conjunction with UTRGV, opened a much-valued medical clinic staffed with nurses, primary-care physicians and Dr. Eron Manusov seeing patients for first-line diagnosis and referrals. This clinic has been used extensively by permanent residents as well as a strong influx of Winter Texans year to year.

Now the five-year contract term is up and Laguna Vista and UTRGV have “mutually” decided that this valued clinic is no longer viable to maintain. Negotiations on the renewal have, according to the city, been going on for a year and a half. Only now, due to a Nextdoor neighborhood posting, are the residents (approximately 4,000) being made aware that this medical facility will be closing its doors and no longer offering medical services.

Laguna Vista is not the only area impacted by this decision; residents of Laguna Heights, Port Isabel and Brownsville are also being impacted by this decision.

Bottom line is, the residents and patients of this clinic were never advised by the city or UTRGV of the pending closing of the clinic and were totally blindsided.

Is this the way city management and UTRGV operate when it comes to providing and delivering critical healthcare needs?

This is not a matter of a “business” like a nail salon or dog groomer; this affects everyone’s ability to access health care, which is essential to the quality of life.

Natalie Ruiz

Laguna Vista

Government runs economy

A recent letter writer tells of his misfortune of trying to exchange currency from Egypt where inflation is over 40%. He then blames external pressures beyond the control of governments for the world’s inflation rates and economic woes.

I want to go back to economics 101, and the lecture on guns or butter and the laws of supply and demand. Governments are responsible for a country’s inflation rate and economy.

When you turn off the spigot of oil in America, as Joe Biden did when he shut down oil production and the Keystone pipeline, you reduce supply in America and we are held hostage by outside oil producers. It is a fact that when you purposely make something scarce, if demand is constant its price will inflate, hence, inflation.

The fact is that Biden is spending like a drunk sailor by executive action, canceling student debt to the tune of billions, and it is the hardworking middle-class taxpayers who foot the bill, and there lies the problem.

America is reaching a tipping point where more are taking from the government than are paying in to the system, and that creates inflation, social programs, “butter,” or “guns,” military spending and law enforcement. If spending is not controlled then greater inflation and this vicious circle becomes a death spiral for an economy.

So, nice try but no cigar. Balance a budget like President Bill Clinton did and the economy does well and that is a fact.

Clinton was able to override congressional spenders and harness fiscal responsibility and for that he gets a gold star.

Jake Longoria

Mission

LETTERS — We welcome your letters and commentary. Submissions must include the writer’s full name, address and daytime telephone number for verification. Letters of 200 words or fewer will be given preference. Submissions may be edited for length, grammar and clarity. Letters may be mailed to P.O Box 3267, McAllen, Texas 78502-3267, or emailed to [email protected].