Commentary on Bag-Ban

                In my classmate's blog entrty "Safety First" they discussed the local government's decision to ban single-use carryout bags. My classmate points out that even though not using plastic bags will be beneficial for our environment, it may not be beneficial for people. I agree that many people probably don't know about the dangers of cross contamination when using reusable bags. I bet a lot of people think that since they only use the bags for a short amount of time, they can't possibly be very dirty. I like how my classmate used a study in their blog that actually shows reusable bags have in face caused more food-borne illnesses and deaths.

                This is s a topic that I think definitely deserves more attention. People need to be informed about the safety procedures of reusable bags. It's scary to think about how many people could be affected if there was a flu bug or another illness that was let loose inside a grocery store. Grocery stores aren't clean, hundreds of people walk in and out each day. Just imagine how many people have touched your apple before you actually decide to put it in your reusable bag.

               I personally still forget to take a bag with me to the grocery store. I don't buy the bags that the stores have available, although I think it's a good idea to sell bags to those who wish to spend money on them. I agree with my classmate that these bags should come with some kind of warning label, urging the public to learn about safety measures and maintenance of reusable bags.

Commentary about Texas State and Local Government.

                Texas is a great state to live in because it's so independent. Something that we have discussed in class is the way that government officials have immunity in certain situations. I dislike this aspect of our government because I think they should be treated the same as everybody else. Texas seems to be so high up on the law and order of the people in our state, yet they don't uphold that characteristic when it comes to government officials. Another thing I don't think is fair is the way government officials re-district areas of land that will give them a more favorable outcome. There's always going to be people who are for and against the government. Some people believe government officials are corrupt and only do things to benefit themselves. Sometimes it may seem that way, when all elections now-a-days are full of expensive campaigns that spit out propaganda. Some people don't even have opinions, they just hop on a bandwagon.

                Overall, I believe Texas has a good government system. At least in theory it's a good idea. The fact that the people get to choose who represents them is great, but when you think about it, is it really the people that get to choose? Sometimes candidates say things they don't mean just to win. While a lot of people don't really have opinions of government, many do and that's another reason Texas is such a great place to live. Texans are very independent and always fight for what's fair. People always talk about how Texas is probably the only state that could still secede and be great on its own. While I don't believe that is going to happen, I think the democracy that Texas has would allow it to flourish on its own.

Critique on classmate

Proposition 1, which was written by a fellow classmate, discusses a "Rainy Day Fund" and how it should be used to pay for two-year public colleges. I agree with his claim that this would help remove the barriers students face in obtaining degrees and jobs. Most students that go to college, whether it be a two-year or four-year, end up facing debt for a few years in their lives. Some people get more scholarships than others but still end up having some kind of debt. I slightly disagree when my classmate says that the original use of Proposition 1 wouldn't work. The money in Proposition 1 is meant to be used for roads and other transportation related issues and my classmate says that Proposition 1 will in no way relieve congestion. I think that traffic is definitely a major issue in Austin and I think that a billion dollars would do some sort of good on our traffic issues, but I also think that there are better ways to use this money. I think maybe that the money set aside in this fund could be used for both issues, student tuition as well as traffic problems.

Liberal Texas

Texas seems to be its own government. Texas is so independent and it has such different laws as compared to other states. Texas government places a heavy emphasis on what the governor thinks is best. A large part of the governor’s decisions rely on who contributes to his campaign. In the end, Texas will always be run by the people, but the people that contribute the most will always have the largest influence on public policy.

I think Texas is a very strong Republican state. I believe the Democrats have a lot of catching up to do when it comes to controlling Texas. Since Texas became a Republican state, it has lived up to its expectation about what people think about it. When people think about Texas they think of us as ranch owners, cattle drivers and gun supporters. Texas is more liberal and has a very tough exterior. Texans have a very prideful attitude and that’s what makes it a great Republican state. Texas has many city governments that are extensions of the state government. Before a major issue reaches the Supreme Court it has to go through a county government. I believe this helps Texas get things done in a quick and efficient way.

The state’s government is divided and set up to mimic the national government by having a House of Representatives and a Senate. These two entities create a perfect balance of checks and balances. Texas tries to take care of its problems before they reach the federal level. Even though Texas needs the federal government, it looks like it would do well on its own.

Tracking the Border

     The Observer holds an article titled 'A Texas Militaman Reconsiders the Mission'. The author's intended audience is basically the uninformed public. The author himself was a supporter of Fox News until he went out and experienced first hand what the new was telling him stories about. According to him, that's all they were. Stories. He served in the militia and this first-hand experience is what gives him the credibility he proudly holds.
     Gilbert claims that Fox News distorts the truth by showing the militia in a good light when really they are not handling the problem ethically. Gilbert was part of the Texas Border Volunteers and he said, “You can set up here and watch Fox News and say ‘these alien bastards, we need to shut the border down’ But what I saw coming through Brooks County was humanity.” Gilbert first handedly witnessed the procedures that were taken into effect by the TBV and realized that he didn’t want to partake in this organization. From Gilbert’s viewpoint, the TBV isn’t focusing on the health of the immigrants they are simply just detaining them when medical care is needed. It struck his morality when he saw a young male’s body hunched over a tree, lifeless.  This is when he realized that giving medical care should be a higher priority than what the TBV was doing.

                I agree with Gilbert that things need to be done differently. The TBV needs to adopt the moral and ethical ways of life. About 15 members of the TBV, including Gilbert, quit and instead joined the Texas Border Rescue which is a “humanitarian-focused search and rescue group”. I think the TBV and TBR need to combine their efforts because this is what will make them the most effective. Procedure plus ethics goes a long way.

School Marshals

In "The Rise of Armed Teachers" by Maurice Chammah, the author explains who should take on the responsibilities of protecting our youth while they are away from OUR protection and in school learning. Maurice explains what Texas government is doing to step up security and safety in Texas public schools, ranging from hiring more campus police to training school employees to conceal carry. The article talks about the rigorous training and tests the employees must complete as well as psychological exams that are taken by police officers. I completely agree with the measures that are being taken and I think schools are doing a good job and are making wise choices to protect our youth. I also agree with the process of choosing who gets to conceal carry. I am glad that they have to take exams in order to find out if they are qualified to carry a weapon because not everyone can handle shooting a gun. Especially when it comes to having to use it against other children or teenagers because sometimes they are the ones who are the enemy. The article stated that while in training, the people were nervous. The only stress they had were cameras and journalists. When the day comes that they have to use the gun in an actual threatened school situation there will definitely be stress, so it's good that they get the chance to practice.
 I disagree with the Villalba Schools Marshal Program stating that the gun should be locked up but in "immediate reach." I believe that it should be "conceal carried" meaning that it is on the person at all times. If something happens while the teacher is out of the classroom or teaching in front of the class away from their desk, they need an immediate access to their gun and being locked away is not immediate access. Since the identity of the school marshals are kept anonymous regardless, it should not make a difference whether it is hidden in "immediate reach" or on their person. I believe the author aims to present a positive view of the new school gun laws that protect our education. He has many supporting claims for the use of weapons and he also mentions the possible downfall of the system. After reading this article, the authors intended audience as well as I, believe it is a good idea to designate school marshals.

The Next Lieutenant Governor

I decided to write about the NRA endorsing Dan Patrick because it struck a great interest in me. I feel that this issue will be very important when elections comes around. At this time, the NRA (National Rifle Association) has decided to support Senator Dan Patrick in the upcoming election because he is fighting for  us, Texans, to keep our 2^nd amendment right Texas. As it states in the “Texas Insider,” “Senator Dan Patrick was an unwavering supporter of vital pro-self-defense and pro-freedom measures.” To me that means we will have a supporter fighting for something that has always been part of Texas heritage and keeping it alive is very important to me as an advocate for gun rights. The NRA is endorsing Senator Dan Patrick for the Lieutenant Governor position so that he can continue to support and protect our constitutional privilege. This article will help everyone learn about the NRA and how it stands for giving us the right to protect ourselves.