The "Justice" System

After reading Matt Vancourt's blog on the Texas Prison system I was appalled at how bad it has gotten. I knew and had heard about all the drugs and cell phones being in there but one has to wonder how they get in there with such tight "security." I'm not surprised at all that its the prison guards that are responsible, I mean with strip searches and other procedures to check the inmates for contraband it has to be the guards that let it through. However, Matt mentioned how prison guards don't make much money and according to KXAN news a prisoner was recorded telling his father over the phone that they make a mere $7.50 an hour. That is utterly outrageous for someone that works in such a dangerous place. Their jobs can not be easy or enjoyable at all just for the fact that they are surrounded by people are there for not following the rules in the first place. I don't blame the guards for having to smuggle in items to make a decent living or just to make a enough to get by. At $7.50 an hour a guy with a family of four could not support them. I think Matt is right about paying our guards more, especially for the fact that they have to do the dirty work of containing the criminals who disregard the system in the first place. Maybe if they were taken better care of they would try to keep the prisons rules enforced instead of just adding to the amount of corruption and contraband within, in order to make a decent living.

Popular Texas

Texas' number of illegal immigrants has brought on some hefty problems for the state as a whole. According to The Federation of American Immigration Reform, "In 2006 Texas was the 5th fastest growing state in the United States, and accounted for the highest increase in population size among any state." With that in mind one has to think about where all these people are going to fit in especially with our high numbers of illegal immigrants. I think that as much as Texas has tried to keep illegal immigrants from crossing into U.S soil, it is inevitable and we might as well make them citizens and work them into the system. I mean we already allow aliens into our school districts so wouldn't it be best if they contribute to the taxpayer dollars that educate their children? Although a large number of illegals don't file taxes, there are a handful that do. According to The Tax Foundation, the U.S. created a system using Individual Tax Identification Number for out of country investors that don't have Social Security numbers. However, because illegal immigrants don't have social security numbers, this has proven to be a way for them to file taxes. According to The Tax Foundation, just "last year, 1.4 million people filed tax returns using the numbers." While technically they aren't able to file taxes, they have found a way to do just that. This is more or less proving that these illegal immigrants want to be a part of the system and are even willing to pay taxes without having any representation in government. All in all I think its time we accept the fact that we do and will continue to have illegal immigrants whether we like it or not. We might as well start officially taxing the inhabitants of the Texas rather than spending billions of dollars unsuccessfully trying to eliminate what has proven to be inevitable.

Religious Controversy

I completely agree with the fact that the debate about religion in schools should be put to rest. If you ask me, schools should stay away from religion in their academic day. Public schools are government facilities and there is suppose to be a separation of church and state. On a website that informs on the ways school-organized prayer violates the constitution, it proves a valid point that "the public school system is created for all students and supported by all taxpayers. It should therefore remain neutral on religious issues over which students and taxpayers will differ". On top of that, I'm pretty sure the average middle class American sends their child to public school to obtain an education to provide a better future, not build a religious background. I think there is a time and place for everything and religious activities should be saved for home, Sunday school or youth group. There has also been debate on the Pledge of Allegiance and the fact that it uses "God." As for that I agree that schools should still have that. If you look at it, the word "God" can be more or less universal and it just seems like a respectable tradition. However, if a child wishes not to recite the Pledge, I think there shouldn't be any disciplinary action as long as the student respects his/her fellow classmates. I remember back in middle school if we didn't recite the Pledge the teacher would yell at us and call us disrespectful and I don't think that's right at all. We are suppose to be a democracy and mandatory recital seems to be touching on some fascist ways. All in all, its time we drop the whole controversy of religion in schools because our constitution clearly states that church and state are to be separate.

Puff Puff Pass Already Congress!

Despite Texas' conservative nature, I believe that marijuana should be legalized for the sake of our economy, not to mention the mere thought of society. According to the Drug Policy Forum of Texas, our state has already spent over $8 billion dollars on marijuana related incidents in 2010 so far. With just a short 4 months into the year there has already been over 500,000 arrests in Texas this year, about 237,000 have been cannabis related. With numbers this high, one has to wonder how much the lowly taxpayers are shelling out for this rather harmless offense. Nonetheless, the fact that marijuana is illegal is like throwing fuel on the Mexican drug trade altogether. By continuing to reject legalization, it has made the drug trade even more profitable for Mexican Cartels. In regard to any business, where there is a demand someone will most definitely step in to meet those demands, thus explains the ever growing drug trade, sought out by the Mexican Cartels in the first place. Other debates have led to alcohol versus marijuana controversies. I think that marijuana is far less dangerous than alcohol, merely because it doesn't impair the user as much as alcohol would. Considering that the "use of marijuana is now so widespread that no significant change in use is likely regardless of the laws; individual responsibility will govern as always," it seems that continuing to make marijuana illegal is only causing more distress on an already controversial issue. Now, I'm not saying that marijuana doesn't have is negatives but compared to alcohol the consequences are minor. Nonetheless, "marijuana definitely can be abused, but that is no justification for institutionalizing hypocrisy and establishing a government protected monopoly for alcohol and tobacco." The state of Texas could actually benefit from the production and sale of marijuana by regulating and taxing, just as it does for tobacco and alcohol, both of which have worsening health effects with continued use, compared to marijuana. With all this in consideration, I believe that it is in the state's best interest to legalize marijuana and reap its benefits. In conclusion, instead of wasting billions of taxpayers dollars maybe its time we all benefit from the earthly blessing and the money it could potentially yield. After all, this conceptually friendly drug could be use to better our society, not only by decriminalizing to save money but put the money we save and even procure back into the community by dispersing it to education and other public needs.

Trust Issues

I came across a blog that discussed an issue that has been causing more and more mistrust in the Texas Republican Party and thus creating a decline in support. Matt Glazer, author of the blog, claims that Cathie Adams and the Republican Party have been declaring some fishy accusations against Bill White. He continues on to explain that the accusations against Bill White are not only false but are asserted merely "because they can't win an honest or open debate." With Texas' reputation as a bold red state, to much sup rise support for the Republican Party has been deteriorating for the last 5 years. Glazer justifies the decline in the fact that the Republican Party has already lost its hold on Travis, Dallas, and Harris County and that they never really had a grasp on Bexar, El Paso or the counties located in southern Texas, known as the valley. To make matters worse, the Republican Party, started making fraudulent tweets concerning Bill White despite the fact that he "has nearly double the followers of the RPT."Meanwhile the public is trying to figure out how Rick Perry has become a multi-millionaire merely serving in public office. Oddly enough, the Republican Party has failed to comment on this issue or any other disputable issue for that matter. However, Bill White has taken the time to repudiate all the lies that have been placed on him, as well as keeping up with general issues at hand.
This is clearly a blog directed towards democrats and those that don't support the Republican Party. I feel like Glazer's argument is legitimate to an extent. One of his sources from Politifact.com seems respectable and creditable more or less because it appears to be unbiased, while his other sources lead to a Bill White website, thus tending to be biased information. Politifact.com reported that Cathie Adams does in fact have a tendency to spread some dishonest facts about White, hence the decline in trust overall. However, Glazer does come off to be a strong democrat and therefore the reader is only revealed the mistakes and flaws of the Republican Party and of course the good in issues are ignored.
Overall I think Glazer makes a valid point, at least when it comes to trusting some of the important Republican figures that make crucial decisions for Texas. Mistrust in a Government is never an easy issue with people being so skeptical and fearful of Government and its control.

Who's judging?

In this article the Austin American Statesman’s Editorial Board is most definitely reaching out to democratic voters, on the topic of who should takeover in the judicial system. Retirements on the state districts courts in Travis County created four open seats. The author feels Amy Clark Meachum is a better candidate for the 201st district bench than Jan Patterson. Meachum is the winner of the Travis County bar’s preference poll. The Editorial Board relates her popularity to the fact that she is smart and has an easy manner. Patterson has been "characterized as abrasive by people in and out of the court". The author feels Meachum is the better choice and I agree. Part of their success should factor in their ability to reach out to their community. In the 299th district court race the candidates are Mindy Montford, and Karen Sage, Attorneys Leonard Martinez, and Eve Schatelowitz Alcantar. The author feels Montford is the ideal candidate and I agree. She was charged with public intoxication in June; however she can use that to her advantage. The voter may tend to choose her with intended convergence, placing her on a more realistic level in a community of typical hard-working Americans. Although some may look at her in a more disgraceful sense, others seem to see her as someone that is more like “the people,” which therefore could give the community a better feeling of representation. In the 331st district court race the author is saying fairness and diligence will get more votes for David Crain. I would vote for him just knowing he is known for fairness. When people go to court they hope for a fair remorseful judge, besides isn’t the point of justice is to be just? The pros and cons can go on and on. It just depends on a voter’s personal preference. People have different opinions and different values.

Same - sex divorce?

Recently a Travis County Judge recognized the divorce of Angelique Naylor and Sabina Daly, a same-sex couple who had gotten married 5 years ago in Massachusetts. I guess I'm rather confused by this notion, although I am all for same-sex marriage and the freedom for people to chose whoever "the one" is for them, it just doesn't make sense that the state is willing to acknowledge divorce but not same sex marriage to begin with. Apparently the attorney general's office generally acknowledges same sex marriages as a voidance not a divorce. However this isn't the first case that has appeared in court. In Dallas a judge granted a same-sex divorce to a couple, backing it up with the 14th Amendment as justification. Although this seems like it could be a step backward from equality, since it seems Texas could be more or less just trying to rid its state of same-sex marriage, I hope that that is not the case. On the more sunny side of things maybe this official acknowledgement is the first stride towards equality for same-sex couples.