Discgfr's blog post about immigration laws was very well written and I agree that Texas should have something similar to the Arizona immigration law. I am not saying we should do the exact same thing that Arizona has because they do have some flaws in there bill. For example, police can ask anybody who looks suspicious for identification that they are a legal American. I don't know about you, but I do not carry my birth certificate or passport around. This law is supposed to be aimed towards ALL illegal immigrants, but people from Mexico are a lot more noticeable than people from Canada. So more often than not, its going to be the Mexicans being asked for identification and that is not fair.
But we do need to do something about illegal immigration because it is hurting Americans. It is unfair that we have to pay our tax money to keep these immigrants in jail and to pay for there welfare when they don't have to pay for taxes themselves. The immigrants used to take the jobs that Americans did not want, but now with the high unemployment rate, people will take whatever they can get. But with illegal immigrants they are taking our jobs that our Americans need right now.
I also welcome anyone who wants to come to the U.S. for a better opportunity, but why not go about the right way? Just like Discglfr says, they should go through naturalization, and citizenship, and get document. I would also like to see them learn our native language. Maybe we should make it a required class before they can become a citizen.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
ACC Tuition Increases
Once again daily costs keep increasing but our income stays the same.
Austin Community College, and 49 other community college districts in Texas, gets most of its funding from state appropriations, local property taxes, and students' tuition and fee payments. ACC officials said property tax revenue and state appropriations are expected to decline in the budget year beginning in September. So they have decided to raise our tuition.
Austin Community College students who live within its taxing district will pay $9 more for a typical three-credit class starting this fall. Tuition is also going up for students who live outside the taxing district but within the state. Such students will pay $13 more per credit, meaning that a typical course will cost $498 — 8.5 percent more than the current charge of $459.
The raise is not a big increase but a little bit here and there could prevent some students from going to college because they cant afford it. This is also an unfair raise for the people who live in the taxing district because they are already paying for the taxes that should be going to the school.
One other thing being done is having petitions signed by Hays school district residents who want to have an election on joining the college's taxing territory. This will mean more taxpayers money coming in.
Austin Community College, and 49 other community college districts in Texas, gets most of its funding from state appropriations, local property taxes, and students' tuition and fee payments. ACC officials said property tax revenue and state appropriations are expected to decline in the budget year beginning in September. So they have decided to raise our tuition.
Austin Community College students who live within its taxing district will pay $9 more for a typical three-credit class starting this fall. Tuition is also going up for students who live outside the taxing district but within the state. Such students will pay $13 more per credit, meaning that a typical course will cost $498 — 8.5 percent more than the current charge of $459.
The raise is not a big increase but a little bit here and there could prevent some students from going to college because they cant afford it. This is also an unfair raise for the people who live in the taxing district because they are already paying for the taxes that should be going to the school.
One other thing being done is having petitions signed by Hays school district residents who want to have an election on joining the college's taxing territory. This will mean more taxpayers money coming in.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
RE: Abortion
My colleague wrote a blog about the abortion debate titled "How long before the Elephant gets loose?" and I completely agree with her argument stating that the United States needs to solve this issue. But I do understand why it is such a difficult issue to decide on because of so many different types of abortion.
The questions are what state in pregnancy should abortion be illegal, should abortion be illegal if the life of the mother is in jeopardy,should abortion be illegal if the child has some sort of illness or deformity, and should abortion be illegal if the mother conceived a child because she was raped.
I believe all types of abortion should be illegal because of my religion. I believe children are a blessing from God no matter how they were conceived and no matter what illness or deformity they may have.
The abortion debate is big controversy for many people and whatever the government decides there are going to be a lot of people mad. There are a lot of people who are turning to violence to get the point across. I am from IL and there were many bomb threats towards the abortion clinics. America needs to decide on the matter quickly before things get worse.
The questions are what state in pregnancy should abortion be illegal, should abortion be illegal if the life of the mother is in jeopardy,should abortion be illegal if the child has some sort of illness or deformity, and should abortion be illegal if the mother conceived a child because she was raped.
I believe all types of abortion should be illegal because of my religion. I believe children are a blessing from God no matter how they were conceived and no matter what illness or deformity they may have.
The abortion debate is big controversy for many people and whatever the government decides there are going to be a lot of people mad. There are a lot of people who are turning to violence to get the point across. I am from IL and there were many bomb threats towards the abortion clinics. America needs to decide on the matter quickly before things get worse.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Census Time
I remember when I lived in my house and received the census packet in the mail. It sat on the counter for weeks. I never really understood what it was. I just knew that I had to fill out how many people lived in my household. I finally decided to fill it out when I read the deadline and read that if I did not return it then people would be calling me and knocking on my door.
Now that I realize that our state will lose money just because a couple of lazy people won't fill it out, I'm glad I filled mine out. I don't understand why people would not take the time to sit down and fill it out. It only takes at the most ten minutes. I understand that some people just are not educated about how important it is to fill it out. I know I was not educated about it.
People need to know that if they fill it out our state can receive money that our state really needs. Our state should educate people and let them know that Texas residents will not get in trouble for filling out the census form. People who are in trouble with the police or are illegal will not get in trouble. The government just wants to know how much money and what they need to spend that money on. Texas government just needs to keep getting the word out.
Now that I realize that our state will lose money just because a couple of lazy people won't fill it out, I'm glad I filled mine out. I don't understand why people would not take the time to sit down and fill it out. It only takes at the most ten minutes. I understand that some people just are not educated about how important it is to fill it out. I know I was not educated about it.
People need to know that if they fill it out our state can receive money that our state really needs. Our state should educate people and let them know that Texas residents will not get in trouble for filling out the census form. People who are in trouble with the police or are illegal will not get in trouble. The government just wants to know how much money and what they need to spend that money on. Texas government just needs to keep getting the word out.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Death Row
The Austin American Statesman featured an editorial titled Death row inmate entitled to delay for DNA tests. The article discusses a man named Henry W. Skinner, 47, who is scheduled to be executed at 6pm Wednesday, March 24, 2010 for brutally murdering his girlfriend and her two sons.
The author of the article is making an argument towards Gov. Rick Perry for a 30-day reprieve. There are seven untested items that contain DNA that could set Skinner free. The state has blocked the testing because Skinner passed on a chance to have the testing done prior to his 1995 trial. Skinner's trial lawyer made that decision because other DNA tests on items found at the crime scene damaged his case. The author wants Gov. Rick Perry to delay the execution for 30 days and order the DNA testing.
Gov. Rick Perry has done this before in the case of Frances Newton, a death row inmate who claimed she was innocent and that retesting of gunpowder residue from the crime scene would clear it. It did not, and Newton was killed. In granting the Newton reprieve, Perry wrote that "Justice delayed in this case is not justice denied."
I do not know many facts from the Skinner case but I do agree that we should give Skinner the 30-day reprieve and if the DNA does not prove his innocence then we can still execute him 30 days later. I don't see the harm in that.
The author of the article is making an argument towards Gov. Rick Perry for a 30-day reprieve. There are seven untested items that contain DNA that could set Skinner free. The state has blocked the testing because Skinner passed on a chance to have the testing done prior to his 1995 trial. Skinner's trial lawyer made that decision because other DNA tests on items found at the crime scene damaged his case. The author wants Gov. Rick Perry to delay the execution for 30 days and order the DNA testing.
Gov. Rick Perry has done this before in the case of Frances Newton, a death row inmate who claimed she was innocent and that retesting of gunpowder residue from the crime scene would clear it. It did not, and Newton was killed. In granting the Newton reprieve, Perry wrote that "Justice delayed in this case is not justice denied."
I do not know many facts from the Skinner case but I do agree that we should give Skinner the 30-day reprieve and if the DNA does not prove his innocence then we can still execute him 30 days later. I don't see the harm in that.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Will the children really use the crosswalk?
The Austin American Statesman features the editorial Round Rock's tragic lesson in traffic safety. The author is urging the Round Rock City Council to approve the installation of a crosswalk and four-way stop signs at the intersection of Gattis School Road and Windy Park Drive.
On January 28th, a sixth-grade girl was hit by two vehicles near that intersection just before 7pm. She was walking home from a skate park behind the Clay Madsen Recreation Center that is along the road. There is no safe way for her to cross this busy so she tries to run and race against traffic and is killed.
The author of the article thinks this issue is a matter of live and death because the road has became so dangerous for pedestrians. In 2004 the City transportation staff counted 908 vehicles entering the east driveway of the recreation center during a 24-hour period. Now because of all the construction of new buildings along this road, the amount has almost doubled at 1,758 vehicles.
The author argues that officials need to be more proactive in protecting pedestrians by doing more to identify roads with heavy traffic and no signals or stop signs. The author also states that officials need to pay more attention and identify intersections that can be a danger to children who are crossing the road to reach popular sites on the other side.
I do agree that we need to pay more attention to busy streets and create ways to prevent accidents like this one happening. It should not take a tragedy like this to make us realize the dangerous road crossing. But then again children do not always use cross walks. Will putting up stop signs make sure the kids cross the street safely? Do speed limit signs make us not speed? No, they do not. So kids are still going to be kids and do stupid things and run across the street even if we have these things. But it will at least help most of the kids who will hopefully use the cross walk.
On January 28th, a sixth-grade girl was hit by two vehicles near that intersection just before 7pm. She was walking home from a skate park behind the Clay Madsen Recreation Center that is along the road. There is no safe way for her to cross this busy so she tries to run and race against traffic and is killed.
The author of the article thinks this issue is a matter of live and death because the road has became so dangerous for pedestrians. In 2004 the City transportation staff counted 908 vehicles entering the east driveway of the recreation center during a 24-hour period. Now because of all the construction of new buildings along this road, the amount has almost doubled at 1,758 vehicles.
The author argues that officials need to be more proactive in protecting pedestrians by doing more to identify roads with heavy traffic and no signals or stop signs. The author also states that officials need to pay more attention and identify intersections that can be a danger to children who are crossing the road to reach popular sites on the other side.
I do agree that we need to pay more attention to busy streets and create ways to prevent accidents like this one happening. It should not take a tragedy like this to make us realize the dangerous road crossing. But then again children do not always use cross walks. Will putting up stop signs make sure the kids cross the street safely? Do speed limit signs make us not speed? No, they do not. So kids are still going to be kids and do stupid things and run across the street even if we have these things. But it will at least help most of the kids who will hopefully use the cross walk.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Local support grows for nullification of federal laws
This article by Tim Eaton, was published in the Austin American Statesman. The article talks about candidates that are talking about writing state laws that would neutralize federal laws.
Some say it's unconstitutional and illegal, but others say a sort of unofficial nullification can sometimes occur. Debra Medina is a supporter of nullification. She is trying to shame Texans into supporting the issue. She tells us that more than thirteen other states have passed nullification laws to stop the federalization of health care. She states, "Texas sits on our hands."
Gov. Rick Perry doesn't talk about nullification but instead skips right to seceding from the U.S. He seems to support nullification also because he attended a rally in Plano for the 10th amendment, which some believe justifies the nullification of federal laws.
This article is worth reading because this could be a big deal in Texas if we do nullify federal laws or secede from the United States.
Some say it's unconstitutional and illegal, but others say a sort of unofficial nullification can sometimes occur. Debra Medina is a supporter of nullification. She is trying to shame Texans into supporting the issue. She tells us that more than thirteen other states have passed nullification laws to stop the federalization of health care. She states, "Texas sits on our hands."
Gov. Rick Perry doesn't talk about nullification but instead skips right to seceding from the U.S. He seems to support nullification also because he attended a rally in Plano for the 10th amendment, which some believe justifies the nullification of federal laws.
This article is worth reading because this could be a big deal in Texas if we do nullify federal laws or secede from the United States.
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