Texas Meningitis Vaccine

   I do not like the government to tell me that I am required to have a vaccine especially the meningitis vaccine.  I am not against vaccinations I am against the government telling me if I want to go to college that I must have a certain vaccine.  I believe this takes away my rights and freedoms.  In the Texas Tribune I read an article entitled Meningitis Vaccine Mandate Could Get Tweaked in 2013.  It is my opinion that they should just get rid of the whole thing.  I know that they are trying to prevent a disease that causes loss of body parts and/ or death but a lot of diseases can do the same thing and yet there is no law for those vaccines as well.  Also the Center for Disease Control states that meningitis risk is greatest up to the age of 22, so why is the law going all the way to 30?  So what may be well and fine for the younger population should not be pushed on people that are a little to a lot older.

  As the year progresses more and more changes and implementations are added to the law.  I am still confused on whether or not I am required to have one.  Regardless I refuse to receive the vaccine, mostly because I am well outside of the CDC age range, but unfortunately I am still under the Texas age range. Originally the law was to be applied to new college students only.  Then they added in students that took a semester off.  I am sure that it will soon be all inclusive that if one wants to attend college if they are under 30 they must receive the mmeningitis vaccine.  I am convinced that it should be an option that the student can say yes or no to regardless of first time college student of 45 year old college student.  I do not think that the immunization should be forced upon us.

Panhandling: Its Got To Go

The article Panhandling: Its Got To Go by Conner is a well developed and thought out argument.  I too constantly see people standing on the street with card board signs asking for money, work, and/or food.  I see them on my way to work, to school, back home, out shopping, they are everywhere.  But instead of making the leap to out right ban or make panhandling illegal, we should think of why they are standing there in the first place, and how we can get them off the street.  At Austin Homeless Shelters and Services for the Needy, displays all the local homeless shelters around Texas.  Some of these provide programs for transitioning from homeless to working class.  The problem comes from the homeless not having the resources to gather this kind of knowledge or know where to look.  It is not as though all of the homeless would like to remain living on the streets begging for money.  Giving somebody money of your own free will or even asking for money should not be considered a crime.  Instead of helping the homeless we would be filling up our jail cells and providing the same services as a homeless shelter but at a price on us.  Jail cells are funded by tax dollars where as homeless shelters rely on charity and donations.  If I had to choose between the two I would choose to help the homeless shelters and keep the homeless out of jail, rather than making Panhandling illegal.

Illegal Immigration in Texas

   I think that something must be done about illegal immigration in Texas.  I do not however, believe that Texas should follow in Arizona's footsteps.  I think if more Texans were educated on exactly how expensive it is for Texas citizens having to pay for illegal immigrants more would be demanded of the state as well as better laws and regulations to control the influx.  Some groups advocate for dropping the word illegal from illegal immigration as it is deemed derogatory.  But if  one is crossing into another state or country without permission it is illegal.  There is no other word for it.

  Illegal immigration can cost the state of Texas around 4 billion dollars a year.  This comes from job loss, medical, educational, as well as state and local law enforcement.  According to Houston Community News, the biggest cost driver of illegal immigration is education.  It is further stated that 80% of identifiable costs comes from illegal immigrant education.  The term identifiable is coined here because Texas does not keep accurate records or stats of illegal immigrants we are educating.  Immigrants are granted free education just like the rest of the US Citizens.  While I think it is great to educate your own, something should be down to help even out the cost.  And to top it off because of a house bill recently passed illegals have access to in state tuition.  Something even citizens dont have access too.

  It almost like we hold up a sign on the border.."Join us over here, life is free....well pay your way".  Now, I dont mind helping people out, but, I do believe we are flashing signs to just hope on over the line.  We dont offer free programs to our own citizens but we will help others from other countries...ridiculous.  Texas needs to actually put a plan of action into place to combat the financial burden of illegal immigrants.  Not on how to help everyone else except our own. 


 

Stay in school - everyday if possible

    In the Austin American Statesman, I came across an article about how finances for schools coincide with absences.  In the editorial section the article Stay in school - everyday if possible the author is never mentioned.  In my opinion this loses some credibility, as I have no idea if the source is biased or not.  The target audience seems to be parents of school children as well as high-schoolers.  The author uses stats to back up the argument from a source entitled E3.

  After some research I have found that E3 is a local Austin alliance (interest group) that did a study on the importance of reducing student absences in schools in relation to school funding as well as student education.  E3 stands for Education Equals Economics.  Partners in this organization include ACC, UT, and the Austin Area Research Organization (AARO).

  One part of the authors argument is based solely on information gathered by E3.  This source could be biased since it is partnered by academic schools in Austin.  The author points out that three days of absences costs the schools $34 million from state funding.  The author also points out that schools are funded based on attendance from its students, and that Pflugerville ISD saved $1 million in state funding by increasing attendance points by 0.7%.

  The other part of the authors argument is based on the impact of attendance on students in regards to education.  According to the author students who missed school more than most ended up dropping out or repeating grades, because they missed out on skills and instructions that other students have access to by showing up.  This comes as no surprise considering in order to learn one first must go to school. 

  This could be a really good article and have some movement to gain public attention.  However, it is my belief that the author could do a little more research and see if any other studies have been done by alliances not partnered by schools. The article seems biased and needs more evidence to support its claims from unbiased sources.
  

Supporting Equal Rights

     John Young is a regular contributor to the Austin American Statesman.  His entitled Nothing too radical about supporting equal rights is about the progression equal rights has made especially in the younger generation.   At first glance the article seems geared toward minorities and the importance of equal rights through out history.  But, as one delves deeper the hidden audience is the older generation with their old time belief systems.  This article uses history to show the progression of equal rights even as the "generic" government seems against them.  
     Young explains that Gallup and a local teacher Terry Cassady from Burnet, Texas have done studies on equal rights and family values among the younger generation.  The results are that many are pro gay civil unions, Catholics are pro birth control and 54% of Americans find same-sex relations acceptable.  I myself find this information stunning since it is grossly advertised how much politicians are against it.  Though I myself am pro same sex marriage I did not realize how many others were for it as well.
   All in all, Young uses  the progression through out our history to show the advancement equal rights have made even with so many fighting against it; and has used factual data from Gallup a reliable source to back up his claims.  He makes a very good argument that one cannot stop progress, one can only stand in its way. 

No Country for Old Horses

  Jordan Smith, a news blogger for the Austin Chronicle writes an article entitled No Country for Old Horses?.  In this article he addresses the issue of slaughtering horses here in Texas as food for Europeans.  As you may well have guessed many Texans are against bringing these slaughter houses back to the US.  Mr. Smith details the opinions of those for the horse slaughter houses and those against it. 
 
  The main argument for those for the slaughter houses is that it will bring back up the price of horses, which will allow only those who can "afford" to care for them to be able to purchase them.  (pretty much they are arguing that without slaughter houses the neglect of horses has risen over the decades).

  The main argument for the opposing side is the horrors of killing an animal (only considered part of the family...like a dog) for human consumption...(this is Texas people what don't we eat?).  Not that I plan on eating horse anytime soon and the lack of care they showed for the community, its water, and somehow this all relates to a higher crime rate as well.

  To one such as myself both sides are seriously lacking in their arguments. As one continues reading however, they wont even convene for a meeting until January of 2013 and Europeans are enacting a law next year that imported horse meat most come with a list of all vaccines ever used on a horse, some of which given to them from America are illegal for consumption in Europe.  Jordan's point?  Well read it and find out.... 

My political ideology is simply that I am an independent.  The only thing I have down that includes politics is vote.  I did terrible at the Texas government quiz the only question I came close to answering was the one about how many times the texas constitution has been amended.  I did however answer almost all of the questions for the Texas General Knowledge quiz.  I am taking this class because it is part of my degree plan, and, I hope to gain at least some knowledge about Texas Government and its inner workings.