Education for inmates criticism/response

I could not agree with you more on this issue! Giving inmates an education is one of the most important things for society. Getting an education means they can come out of prison and contribute to society and possibly prevent them from going back, which a majority do.

Though, like you said, there needs to be some measure for them to be responsible for paying for this education. Just as the rest of us are responsible for doing.

mytxgovtspace.blogspot.com/2011/04/education-to-inmates.html?showComment=1305345635716#c1892510984826368964

Unconcealed Weapons Criticism/Response

You make some very strong points in this article. I am also against the open-carry bill. Allowing a person to carry their weapon in plain sight would put so many people on edge and create a huge amount of anxiety. I would be scared to go anywhere and would be scared of everyone that had a weapon on them in plain sight.

Right now there isn't this sort of anxiety because there is no way of knowing if someone has a gun on them. Some could argue that is greater reason to be on edge, scared, and curious if the person walking next to you has a gun or not. I don't believe that is the case because you don't really expect that many people carry a concealed weapon and it doesn't cross your mind. However, if it were in plain sight then it would be a thought in your head. That thought would turn into fear.

One thing I''m not sure of is if the fact that just because someone is carrying a gun that a person would be more inclined to reach for that gun. I think if a person is already thinking of hurting someone then they will have a gun on them. The biggest problem with this bill for me is people will be living and fear, and those who do carry them will have easy access to their gun and could more easily use it on someone.

Texas may strip away transgender marriage rights

Two years ago Governor Rick Perry signed a bill regarding marriage licensing rules for county and district clerks. Some how the Governor missed a provision in the bill allowing transgender people with a court order as proof of their sex-change to obtain a marriage license. Now, Republican lawmakers are trying to turn back time to strip this away. Rick Perry stated that "he never intended to allow transgender people to get married. The provision was sneaked through on a larger piece of legislation". Really, Rick? I personally, wouldn't sign off on a bill that I was not sure of everything in it. I do not care how long it would take to read. To go back on something that was put in place two years ago is absurd.

This is also completely discriminating. A sex-change may not completely change a persons make up, but it does enough to allow them to be considered the goal sex of the operation. Who is to say these people are not the sex they are trying so hard to be? I believe you are born the way you are, gay, straight, bi-sexual, etc., it is not by a choice you make out of the blue at some point in life. This feeling is embedded in you from the day you entered this world. Transgender people are just trying to match their outside to their inside. As with gay marriage, these people are not hurting anyone. They are just trying to live their lives as the rest of the non-transgender or non-gay population. Why should government be allowed to keep them from this? If you don't like it, don't involve yourself, but don't keep people in this community from living their lives as the rest of us just because you personally wouldn't do.

2012-2013 Budget Cuts

Researching a topic for this assignment was difficult for me until I came across an article in The Austin American Statesman about the 2012-2013 budget cuts. Generally, that is not an article I would choose to read. I like more relatable articles. Tonight I chose to read it just off the cuff, and what did I realize? This type of topic is extremely relevant to me! Some of the deepest cuts will be to public education, health and human services, and other programs. Now this article I read doesn't really say what the other cuts are but the first two are enough for me to care. We are by far one of the last states that should be cutting spending on public education. Education is one of the most important things in life. It is, in most cases, a tool that keeps people on their feet and able to live without really struggling or living off the health and human services of the state. This ironically, is an area that will suffer major cuts too. This includes family planning. When most hear family planning they might think abortion services and the like. That's not it, it provides services such as cancer screenings, mammograms and Pap smears. Things that are detrimental to women's health. Over 200,000 women were provided such services as these that would be lost. These were the two most important things to me and that made me really mad because I have a baby, that will be in school one day and will need the best education he can get and he deserves it. I am also female, so that goes without explanation how family planning relates to me. The state government, AKA Republicans who practically run the whole house and refuse to budge on anything, need to find and consider different ways to bring more money into the budget or use more money from the state's huge rainy day fund we all hear so much about.

Give parents, authorities, teens tools to deal with sexting

The editorial board of the Austin American Statesman wrote an editorial on the topic of a proposed bill by state Sen. Kirk Watson to make sexting, sending explicit or nude photos of themselves or others via cell phone, a criminal offense for minors in Texas. The editorial board's argument supports this bill and the measures involved, and I agree with their argument. The bill is tough but it does provide a second chance for the convicted teenagers by allowing them to have the first conviction expunged from their record, if they do not repeat the offense. Also, they support and add to Attorney General Greg Abbott's point that officials are right about not wanting to wait until a teenager is tried under the adult pornography law, which is a felony that leads to state prison and registering as a sex offender for the rest of their lives. The board's logic on this is just; this would be too great of a consequence for a teenager because they can make immature and impulsive decisions not understanding the lasting impacts of those decisions. But, there should be consequences. However without this bill it is the only option, to try minor teenage sexters under adult pornography law, other than doing nothing.
Another well made point by the editorial board is that it is important to get the word out of the consequences of conviction if the bill is passed. As they stated, getting the word out would cause schools to educate students on the dangers of sexting and the lasting impacts it can have. As well as for parents to get more involved in their children's lives by keeping a closer watch on what's happening with their children's cell phones, especially since they are the ones likely to be paying the fines.
The evidence the board gives in this editorial also gives rise to their credibility. They use direct quotes from people involved, give detailed information of what the bill entails, and they give supporting information from studies that have been done. They give just enough opinion to show their support for the bill but also provide facts to help the people decide how they feel about this bill. The above referred "people" are parents; the intended audience of this editorial. I am a parent, and when I read the first paragraph stating what the bill was, I was on the fence. However after reading the article and reading strong supporting facts and opinions, I fully support this bill!

Anti-abortion activists rally at Texas Capitol

The article I have chosen to summarize to you for this assignment provides some insight on a new bill that deals with abortion restrictions.

Thursday afternoon anti-abortion activists rallied at the Texas Capitol demanding tougher restrictions on abortions. This rally arose because of a bill that was approved by the state Senate on Wednesday that would require doctors to perform a sonogram before executing an abortion. If this bill is passed, it would require doctors to explain to the woman what they are seeing during the sonogram. Doctors would also have to describe visible internal organs, legs or arms. There are exemptions to this bill in such cases where there are fatal abnormalities or for women who have been sexually assaulted or a victim of incest.
In the House, three similar bills have been introduced. All of which, in addition to the Senate's bill, would require the doctor to display the sonogram image to the woman and play the fetal heartbeat. The woman could not opt-out of this. The House bills also don't provide for any exemptions. State Sen. Dan Patrick told the activists, "We're on the right side of God and on the right side of history".

This article is worth reading because not only is abortion one of the most controversial issues, it provides some detail on current abortion bills trying to be passed and how pregnancy and abortion could be handled in the near future in regards to government involvement. It affects the pro-life group in the sense that it is a step towards making abortions illegal. However, this especially affects the pro-choice group. It will not take away the choice of having an abortion but these bills will make the choice extremely difficult if the woman, and possibly man involved, have to see and listen to the baby.