Such style.
Balancing the state budget on the backs of the poor and the middle class.
In a nutshell the people who pay their electric bills in Texas each month pay a little extra into a "fund to help the poor".
Isn't that sweet? People helping other in need.
Well...It's not being paid to them
in a year of record heat, less than half the fund is being paid out, forcing people to do without air conditioning in triple-digit temperatures.
Video report at link.
It's really the beauty of the Republican Worldview in action, sort of a working micro-example of the real stuff they dream about in Washington DC gets rolling.
The Electric company ISN'T using the money to help the poor. It's just sitting there while the poor roast in the heat.
The Texas legislature rises to the occasion to simply vote to raid the fund to avoid raising taxes to balance their budget.
CBS reports that the Texas legislature has repeatedly approved raiding the fund in order to balance its budget without raising taxes. By 2013, there will be $900 million sitting unspent, with no plans to ever pay it out.
Such a brilliant move.
But, wait....it gets even better:
not only are the poor being shortchanged, but members of the middle class who pay utility bills are being charged that extra fee which does nothing but subsidize keeping taxes low on the wealthy.
Absolutely brilliant.
Charge people more for their electric bill telling them you're doing one thing with it, steal it and use it for the government and then brag you're not raising taxes.
The middle class is being soaked and lied to, the poor are suffering, both groups help keep the wealthy from paying more taxes so the state can "balance it's budget", and all is right with the Republican world.
And very stylishly done.