Sunday, May 8, 2011
Hot Dog It's Summer!
I think Anival's blog, Martyrdom, is very interesting. It is about the guns on campus bill (that was not passed) being attached to a potentially prosperous bill that would have helped the state save some money. Because it was attached to this bill at all the bill was killed. Senators were willing to let a great opportunity pass because they do not want the guns allowed on university campuses. Anival does a great job presenting the story to his audience, who would be people that didn't want the bill to allow guns on campuses passed. He makes his opinion very clear and suggests that we should stand together as one voice and protest the legislature letting such unfair things happen. I agree with Anival, I think it is unfortunate that Senator Zaffirini's bill had to be killed. It wouldn't have solved the states budget crisis, but it was a good idea and as good a place as any to save a little bit of money. Its also unfortunate that Senator Wentworth is so desperate to see guns allowed on campuses. Clearly, its not what people want...why does he have to be so stubborn and ruin a potentially great thing.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Required Sonograms Before Abortions
At the beginning of the legislative session this year there was a suggested bill that would require all women wanting an abortion to receive a sonogram twenty-four hours before the scheduled procedure. Then the doctor performing the sonogram would sit and point out the identifiable parts of the fetus that could be seen and listen to the fetal heartbeat with the patient.
Supporters of this bill hope that when women are forced to see the sonogram and hear the fetal heartbeat, they will change their mind about going through with the procedure.
Senator Davis is not a supporter of this bill. She thinks that, "The purpose of the bill is to traumatize women who are considering an abortion procedure into making a (different) decision."
I completely agree with Senator Davis. I feel like by passing this bill women are going to feel guilted into keeping a child that they don't want. I would hope that the decision that a woman has already faced just setting up the appointment for this procedure would be traumatic enough, but if they feel like it's the right thing for them to do in their life, then that should be enough. To be forced to have a sonogram, that you then have to sit and discuss with a doctor is just cruel.
I feel like the decision to have an abortion is between two people, sometimes three. The two people who made the baby and their doctor. Or depending on the relationship between the man and woman, sometimes just the woman and the doctor performing the procedure. I don't think it should be anyone elses business at all, ever.
As of right now the bill is set to pass and become law. I think it's unfortunate that the legislature is so focused on something that I don't think is any of their business, instead of spending their time trying to fix some of the more serious problems this state is facing.
Supporters of this bill hope that when women are forced to see the sonogram and hear the fetal heartbeat, they will change their mind about going through with the procedure.
Senator Davis is not a supporter of this bill. She thinks that, "The purpose of the bill is to traumatize women who are considering an abortion procedure into making a (different) decision."
I completely agree with Senator Davis. I feel like by passing this bill women are going to feel guilted into keeping a child that they don't want. I would hope that the decision that a woman has already faced just setting up the appointment for this procedure would be traumatic enough, but if they feel like it's the right thing for them to do in their life, then that should be enough. To be forced to have a sonogram, that you then have to sit and discuss with a doctor is just cruel.
I feel like the decision to have an abortion is between two people, sometimes three. The two people who made the baby and their doctor. Or depending on the relationship between the man and woman, sometimes just the woman and the doctor performing the procedure. I don't think it should be anyone elses business at all, ever.
As of right now the bill is set to pass and become law. I think it's unfortunate that the legislature is so focused on something that I don't think is any of their business, instead of spending their time trying to fix some of the more serious problems this state is facing.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Thoughts on Senor Valadezisisisisisiisisisis Blog
Anival's blog, Cut, Cut, Snip, Snip, is about the budget cuts and how they are affecting us as ACC students. Anival does a great job informing the reader about what exactly is going on in the legislature, showing us exactly how it is already influincing tuition cost for the students, and then sharing his feelings on the need to step up as a community and stop the legislature from cutting educational funding.
Anival is right. We do need to find a way to get money from somewhere else. A higher education is now necessary to get a good job, or almost any job for that matter. By charging students more and cutting the amount of money in grants and scholarships, the legislature is making it impossible for lots of people to get a higher education and get a good job. There has to be a better way to fix the budget deficit than cutting into the field of education. Education is probably one of the most important things we can offer young people today to ensure a better future for all of us.
Anival is right. We do need to find a way to get money from somewhere else. A higher education is now necessary to get a good job, or almost any job for that matter. By charging students more and cutting the amount of money in grants and scholarships, the legislature is making it impossible for lots of people to get a higher education and get a good job. There has to be a better way to fix the budget deficit than cutting into the field of education. Education is probably one of the most important things we can offer young people today to ensure a better future for all of us.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Guns=Bad News Bears
Fact: Guns are dangerous.
Fact: Texas Legislature is trying to pass a bill that would allow licensed individuals to carry guns on university campuses.
The people who are in favor say that they want this bill passed so people can feel safe, especially with the shootings that happened at Virginia Tech in 2007 and even here at UT last year. While I can understand that some people would feel safer carrying a gun, I wouldn't, whether I was or wasn't carrying a weapon. I can't imagine that I'm the only one who feels this way.
In the Yahoo article Texas poised to pass bill allowing guns on campus several people gave their opinions on guns being allowed on college campuses. Collin Goddard is the assistant director of federal legislation for the Brady Campaign Against Gun Violence, he was also a student at Virginia Tech during the mass shooting. He was shot four times and believes that having someone else with a gun in the classroom that day wouldn't have changed the outcome of the situation.
The article goes on to say, "Opponents of campus gun rights say students and faculty would live in fear of their classmates and colleagues, not knowing who might pull a gun over a poor grade, a broken romance or a drunken fraternity argument." And it is reasons like this that I think that guns shouldn't be allowed. If guns are allowed on campuses I think that there will be a much greater risk of people getting upset and acting irrationally, and if that irrational person has a gun on them, there is no telling what could happen
I don't think this piece of legislation should be passed, I think more people would fear the person sitting next to them, not feel protected by them, I know I would.
Fact: Texas Legislature is trying to pass a bill that would allow licensed individuals to carry guns on university campuses.
The people who are in favor say that they want this bill passed so people can feel safe, especially with the shootings that happened at Virginia Tech in 2007 and even here at UT last year. While I can understand that some people would feel safer carrying a gun, I wouldn't, whether I was or wasn't carrying a weapon. I can't imagine that I'm the only one who feels this way.
In the Yahoo article Texas poised to pass bill allowing guns on campus several people gave their opinions on guns being allowed on college campuses. Collin Goddard is the assistant director of federal legislation for the Brady Campaign Against Gun Violence, he was also a student at Virginia Tech during the mass shooting. He was shot four times and believes that having someone else with a gun in the classroom that day wouldn't have changed the outcome of the situation.
The article goes on to say, "Opponents of campus gun rights say students and faculty would live in fear of their classmates and colleagues, not knowing who might pull a gun over a poor grade, a broken romance or a drunken fraternity argument." And it is reasons like this that I think that guns shouldn't be allowed. If guns are allowed on campuses I think that there will be a much greater risk of people getting upset and acting irrationally, and if that irrational person has a gun on them, there is no telling what could happen
I don't think this piece of legislation should be passed, I think more people would fear the person sitting next to them, not feel protected by them, I know I would.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
...Need My Right Leg, Too?
Charles Kuffner is a resident of the Houston area. He graduated from Trinity University in 1984. His blog, "Off the Kuff" is "Texas' longest running progressive political blog".
On March 24, 2011 Kuffner published a blog, "It's Way Past Time to Regulate Payday Lenders". This post is about an article taken from The Observer talking about payday lenders and the amount of money they are making off of their clients.
As of right now payday lenders are can be registered as consumer credit organizations and are not regulated, which is why they can charge insane amounts of interest on the loans they give to people, up to 500%. Tom Craddick, a former Speaker, feels that these loan places need to be regulated. He feels that it is terrible what they are doing to people that are clearly already in need. Many people at the meeting shared Craddick's sentiment. The payday lenders feel that they would go out of business if the House passed bills to cap the APR at 135%.
Charles Kuffner states his opinion very clearly in his blog when he writes, "Cry me a river, dude." Kuffner feels like if the loan operators can't keep their business afloat charging up to 135% APR then they don't deserve to be in business. Charles is trying to reach out to people that have been ripped off by payday loan places or people that are just wanting to put an end to payday loans sucking the life out of people who don't have any other options. He has provided enough information in his post so that anyone, including myself can agree, that these payday lenders are out of control.
On March 24, 2011 Kuffner published a blog, "It's Way Past Time to Regulate Payday Lenders". This post is about an article taken from The Observer talking about payday lenders and the amount of money they are making off of their clients.
As of right now payday lenders are can be registered as consumer credit organizations and are not regulated, which is why they can charge insane amounts of interest on the loans they give to people, up to 500%. Tom Craddick, a former Speaker, feels that these loan places need to be regulated. He feels that it is terrible what they are doing to people that are clearly already in need. Many people at the meeting shared Craddick's sentiment. The payday lenders feel that they would go out of business if the House passed bills to cap the APR at 135%.
Charles Kuffner states his opinion very clearly in his blog when he writes, "Cry me a river, dude." Kuffner feels like if the loan operators can't keep their business afloat charging up to 135% APR then they don't deserve to be in business. Charles is trying to reach out to people that have been ripped off by payday loan places or people that are just wanting to put an end to payday loans sucking the life out of people who don't have any other options. He has provided enough information in his post so that anyone, including myself can agree, that these payday lenders are out of control.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Beefing Up Border Patrol
The Statesman's editorial board published, Turn Drug Money Into Tool Against Cartels, in late February. The editorial is about a suggestion made by Senator Steve Ogden that the author of this piece feels like is a good idea.
Senator Ogden suggested that of the twenty-eight BILLION dollars confiscated annually from the Mexican drug cartels, some of it should be used to add more security to the Texas-Mexico border, which is where two-thirds of the drug trafficking takes place.
The author of this editorial gives the reader a brief history of how ineffective tracking laundered money has been. They also tell us that right now that this is a major issue in Mexico because the drug cartels are using cruel brutality and force to get the money into the US, harming many citizens while doing so.
The authors intended audience is anyone who is interested in seeing that seized money from illegal actions be used to stop the illegal action and provide a safer place for us to live. The author makes a very valid point and supports that we use seized to money to set up more border patrol stations. The author say,"Targeting the money generated by illegal activity is the best way to fight crime." and while I don't think its the BEST way I certainly believe it's a good start.
Senator Ogden suggested that of the twenty-eight BILLION dollars confiscated annually from the Mexican drug cartels, some of it should be used to add more security to the Texas-Mexico border, which is where two-thirds of the drug trafficking takes place.
The author of this editorial gives the reader a brief history of how ineffective tracking laundered money has been. They also tell us that right now that this is a major issue in Mexico because the drug cartels are using cruel brutality and force to get the money into the US, harming many citizens while doing so.
The authors intended audience is anyone who is interested in seeing that seized money from illegal actions be used to stop the illegal action and provide a safer place for us to live. The author makes a very valid point and supports that we use seized to money to set up more border patrol stations. The author say,"Targeting the money generated by illegal activity is the best way to fight crime." and while I don't think its the BEST way I certainly believe it's a good start.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Ouch
The Texas Tribune's Christopher Smith published a column on Friday, Community Colleges Uneasy as Ax Hangs Over Benefits, discussing how the proposed budget cuts would be affecting community colleges across the state.
The article touches on how the proposed budget cuts would affect the health care benefits of its eligible employees; which would mean that the colleges would have to find millions of more dollars to cover the difference, most likely by reducing the number of teachers and classes, and of course raising tuition. The article continues talking about how the budget cuts will cause community colleges across the state to close which will affect many students looking for a higher education.
I thought this article was very informative and gave good information on something that could directly affect us.
The article touches on how the proposed budget cuts would affect the health care benefits of its eligible employees; which would mean that the colleges would have to find millions of more dollars to cover the difference, most likely by reducing the number of teachers and classes, and of course raising tuition. The article continues talking about how the budget cuts will cause community colleges across the state to close which will affect many students looking for a higher education.
I thought this article was very informative and gave good information on something that could directly affect us.
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