Morris Communications’ Austin bureau writer Enrique Rangel filed a story that contained the following:
“In another joint hearing, the House Agriculture & Livestock and Border & Intergovernmental Affairs committees will discuss the adequacy of access to veterinary care in rural areas of the state plus determine the impact a lack of access has on the state’s agricultural industry.
“We just want to see where we are on veterinary care for large animals,” said Rep. Rick Hardcastle, R-Vernon, chairman of the Agriculture & Livestock Committee. “There are places, like in rural South Texas, where there is a shortage of veterinarians and we need to determine how critical of an issue this is and what we can do about it.”
I’ve always liked Rick Hardcastle but this statement is an example of why go-along-to-get-along Republicans, RINO’s and moderates should follow him into retirement immediately. What is it that makes these folk think that it is a proper role of government to worry about whether or not rural areas have veterinarians in adequate supply?
You have to have vehicle liability insurance, heck the law requires it if you drive a vehicle on a public road, so should the Legislature be working to ensure that rural areas have an adequate number of licensed insurance agents? Of course not.
If there is a market for their services which can pay what is required to make the job worthwhile, there will be animal doctors available. If not, animal owners will have to pay more until market demands are met. Either way it’s no place for the Legislature tread, unless at heart these guys really are socialists.
