Last Tuesday I had the opportunity(?) to visit the Texas Legislature as a part of my job. If you read my previous post you know how I feel about lobbyists. I really don't like going to the Capitol when the legislature is in session but I do feel passionate about what I do and who I am advocating for so I put on my suit and went to Austin.
What a waste of time! To begin, none of the state representatives were available to meet with us because they were in this hearing or that meeting. In each attempt an aide or secretary was foisted in our direction to take our list of concerns and opinions. I would almost swear that I saw one of them serving food in the cafeteria just an hour before. Nonetheless they were polite, dutifully wrote everything down, and promised to discuss everything we said with the elected official they work for. Well, if you believe that I want to sell you some real estate in Tahiti. What we did learn is that it was too late in the session to really change anything, unless the snake on your side can slip an amendment in and hope nobody notices. We also learned that these august bodies had been shamed into a small increase in funding for the care of the elderly instead of a cut. It does kind of look bad when one of the richest states in the U.S. maintaining a $9 billion "rainy day fund" ranks next to last in the country in funding for nursing home care. I'm embarrassed and they should be as well.
Of course I really hate this! The fact that so many Texans are at the mercy of the state and federal government appalls me. Providing quality care for the elderly takes money for the private sector to invest in buildings, pay staff, and meet the costs required. It is sometimes amazing that we do so well with what we are given to take care of truly sick people. Unfortunately the nursing home industry is growing weary and impatient with Texas and its woeful funding level and it may come to the state government being required to provide these services. This would not be good! If you want a glimpse of a state-run health program read a history of the mental health program in Texas. It will curl your toes!
I digress. So I got out of there, went to the nearest restroom and resisted the urge to throw up my lunch, and scrubbed my hands very hard. If they had had a shower available I would have tried to take one right there. I found my car which somehow avoided a ticket on an expired meter and got back to my little suburban refuge as soon as I could. I'm just not cut out for this.
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