Causing more harm than good! How Dare They!

In response to Callie C's blog posting titled, "Sexual Assault Exams at UT", she discusses the possibility of the Safe Campus Act  actually becoming a law.  I am just appalled at even the thought of this bill being passed.  I think it is an amazing service that they are offering on the UT campus, as I completely agree that sexual assault is no joke and happens all too often, especially on campus.  For them to even think that it is acceptable and a good idea to take this service away and or put ridiculous, tight stipulations behind getting any kind of sexual assault assistance for the victims is just unfathomable!  It's not as if the victims that choose to use these services are being forced.  They would be going at their own free will, and ad a more convenient location for them as many college students lack personal transportation.  Who wants to go through more humiliation of asking for a ride to a clinic across town?  Many sexual assault victims often don't want to talk about their trauma for quite some time, don't want to leave their houses, and often blame themselves, plunging them into a deep depression.  Add all that up and it only makes sense to have services within reach for when the time comes that they want to reach out for help and relief to enable them to start healing mentally, emotionally and physically!  What they are trying to do is unjust and completely out of line!  They have no place in making the changes they are wanting to make!  Above all else... these changes and restrictions that this bill would put into effect are completely uncalled for, out of line and 100% unnecessary!  Callie, I love that you wrote about this, as I feel so ignorant for not knowing about this bill before this class!  This was well though out and I found it to be informational, which caused me to do some independent digging of my own!  So, I say thank you!

The So Called "Transportation System" in Austin Texas

     Every day, for hours, Austinites (along with many others in central Texas) sit endlessly in traffic.  Traffic in which they have become rather complaisant sitting through, but at the same time highly impatient.  Thus assisting in the already ridiculously high traffic incident and fatality rate.  According to a report from Austin Chamber in May of 2013, titled Transportation 101, Austin has the 4th highest travel time index in the country, which also led to Central Texans losing 38,307 million hours doing what?  Yep!  You guessed it, sitting in TRAFFIC in just 2011 ALONE!  This very congestion costs Central Texans $930/year PER PERSON!!!
     Now, I'm no genius but I have to say that when you look at the statistics of the insane influx of migrants whom decide it is a good idea to up and move to Austin one day (such as my family and myself), and you lay it all out on the table, the numbers just blow me away and really put things into perspective.  In the same previously mentioned report, they make note of the fact that in Texas alone in the past 25 years 1st - Population has increased 57%, 2nd - Use of state roads grew a whopping 95%, and here's the real kicker... State road capacity.  Can you take a wild guess at how much that has increased?  Bet you couldn't even if you tried.  Here it is... State road capacity only grew at 8% over the last 25 years!  Go ahead and take a second to think about that if you will.  How about we take a gander at a few more statistics for a second.  Austin Chamber says that in the next 25 years Texas will see population increase of 65%, road use increase by 214%, and state road capacity will still only grow a whole 6%.
     As we all know (or maybe you don't) Austin continues to be #1 in the spot of the fastest growing big cities in the country, with a staggering net of 110 migrants per day moving to this city alone!  In an article on Politifact Texas, written by Lynda Rife, the population growth is broken down as follows.  You take into account of the 150 people that actually move here each day then subtract the estimated 40 that move out, then add back in an extra 30 per day in births alone, (because evidently those outpace the deaths in the area), you get a grand total of 140 people per day added to the 5 counties that make up Austin.  Out of those 140 settlers, 81 settled in Travis county!
   So, I get that I have gone on and on about the population growth and the road conditions in Austin, but I just wanted to set some ground for why I am upset, to help paint the big picture of a much bigger and rapidly growing problem if you will.  Why isn't the government doing anything about the traffic problem?  If Austin claims to be so green, then why aren't we making improvements to lessen out carbon footprint and lower emissions?  When are the people of Austin going to get fed up and demand for a better means of alternative transportation in the form of public transit?  Now, yeah... I suppose that they "tried" to improve things by adding those ugly, obnoxious, annoying, overgrown, extended buses to the routes through Austin, but all more often than not I see them "not in service".
     I say it's time to put our tax dollars to good use and invest in a long term solution.  A solution that works amazingly for other cities.  There are a few options to look at.  All of which are similar, but very different in many aspects.
     First,  some smaller and less significant improvements using what we already have at our disposal.  For starters, we need to knock out this wise idea of a light rail system that, just like the current commuter rail system we already have, only accommodates a small percentage of people that are destined to a line of locations, and have little to no freedom to where they can build it without consideration to it's surroundings.  Since you will always have people whom prefer the bus system, but just wish for improvements, make some double-decker buses that take up less room on the road than those God awful extended buses!  Next, stagger work arrival and departure times in hour increments I have been saying this for years and this can be done in many ways, ie: citywide by last name, company wide at their digressions (but mandated and required by all), priority, or even at random.  I was so happy to find someone else who had the same idea in an article on "Techzette" along with a few other proposals to the lovely traffic issue here (not that I agree with them all though).
     So, to start fresh, become innovative, accommodating, and to get with the times, it only makes sense to look at other options that would last for years to come and that can be added to as needed.  We need something that avoids the traffic, commutes far more passengers than the current systems do.  I am stuck between two on which I would say is the best option for this vastly growing city.  I would have to say though that I am between a well constructed and planned out, broad range subway system which I know is more expensive on taxes, and requires routine maintenance, but offers significantly more freedom for routes, and serves a much higher capacity of passengers, with far more frequent stops.  Thus accommodating more citizens.  In NY it runs 24/7 - 365, and reaches top speeds of 55mph, but operates at an average of around 17 mph.  The one that I'd say is just as equally a great solution and perhaps easier to erect and put in place is a Monorail system.  A monorail system is like the one you see in Disney just for an example.  It is commonly elevated above the roads, has the ability to go between trees, and buildings, and is easy to add on to and reroute.  This mode of transport hits top speeds of around 70 mph and also accommodates significantly more passengers than our current so called "public transit".  The big thing to all of these?  They have no emissions!  All electric!
     The last option I am going to present here is a Maglev.  Maybe not right now, but eventually.  Just because it would be really cool and most definitely get people to work much quicker.  You have to check this video out and tell me it isn't the coolest thing ever!  Top Speed of 373mph.  
     Anyway, I know I don't have all the answers, but I do know that something needs to be done with this stupid "lack there of" transportation system we have here!  I truly believe that by fixing it and offering solutions far better than the current, we will see a decrease in unemployment rates here, a decrease in accident rates, increased funds due to much more riders that have been waiting on an improvement, and finally, far less pollution.

Right Idea, Maybe Just Look in an Alternative Direction?

My response is to the post titled "Bus Stop Reforms" on Bluebonnet Politics, by the amazing Miss Mireille Blond.

Mireille, in my opinion what the problem is with the public transit here in Austin, is that there is not enough options to avoid all the traffic.  Every morning, I see the buses still sitting in the exact same traffic that I find myself in, trying to get to their next stop.  If Austin would invest in a true underground subway and or monorail system that offers significantly more stops and range, instead of just going in a (practically) straight line, they would find that traffic would drastically decrease and improve.  Maybe the city could offer some type of incentives to get people to try it out and see that
it is the way to go?  I truly feel that if proposed and presented in the right way, that the people
of Austin wouldn't mind a little bit of extra money to go towards this, instead of adding in all these
toll roads that few people actually take on a regular basis.  Here is a link to the differences in light rail (what we have in Austin currently) vs. Monorail (what I propose would be one of the better alternatives).

Time to Attack Illegal Immigration Like a Juggernaut!!!

     As a child, my mother always used to say the expression,”Sh*t or get off the pot!”  Well, that’s exactly what Texas needs to do with their stance and “solution” to the immigration issue!  What I mean by this is that if they don’t want people to come here illegally, then they need to buckle down and stop making it as easy for them to come and stick around.  In other words, no public assistance, no education, no using the baby to gain legal status, no free insurance or free medical treatment if you came here illegally!  If politicians, citizens, and business owners all want to gripe about the illegal immigrants, they need to be willing to let go of the “cheap, under the table labor” that they provide so that they can send the money back to their families.  They all need to understand that they cannot have their cake and eat it too!  Either stand all the way for it, or all the way against it.  Not in the middle, because “standing in the middle” or hanging around “on the fence” leaves too much room for failure, chaos, interpretation, and grey areas all around!  

     

     While I say to myself, “That’s jacked up!” about the situation with the withholding of the birth records, I have to say… I get it!  I understand why they are doing it and I think they may be on to something with the concept.  However, I think they may be going about it the wrong way.  Maybe they could give it to them on their successful departure from this country?  Just a thought. 

     

     This whole “issue” is a huge snowball, soon becoming an avalanche that I could not begin to address all aspects, angles, or sides of it even if I tried.  However, I will say that there are definitely answers to any and all problems that can be thrown in the mix.  I get that there is crime and poverty in all these other countries, I really do!  But… there is all that going on here without adding to it.

     

     Where do I stand on immigration?  Well, I am against any and all illegal immigrants from all countries and of all ages.  I find it rather ridiculous that pregnant women come here illegally, or to “visit” and (conveniently) give birth to their baby while on American soil.  To make matters worse, it is allowed in a sense.  I also find it rather disgusting that “mothers” are using their babies as a golden ticket to citizenship!  This needs to be stopped Texas!  Somehow, someway!  Dare I say, if you are pregnant you cannot come “visit” until after the baby is born, and then with a Visa perhaps?

     

     Do I agree with the pathway to citizenship?  Hell no!  The way I see it… if you came here illegally, why should you be rewarded with what you ultimately came here to achieve?  That is just the stupidest thing I have EVER heard of!  That’s just like rewarding a bank robber by giving him all the money he just illegally took from a bank.  And for what?  All because he wanted it bad enough to go about it illegally, instead of working his ass off to earn the money and be deserving of it? 

     

     The reasons I don’t agree with illegal immigration are endless, and I could go on and on.  However, just to focus on a few… crime rates are bad enough without bringing the crime from other countries to the US to add to it all.  Examples are given in reports from the Texas Department of Public Safety, one in particular is from the 11^th of September, 2014 Titled “Summary of Significant Border Incidents” and again on Breitbart, dated 6/8/2014.

     

     Other reasons I am anti-ILLEGAL immigration is well, for many reasons which I conveniently found beautifully summed up on a site called Americans For Legal Immigration PAC.  The few short points that I found to summarize a big portion of my views against illegal immigration are as follows:

 “Millions of American citizens are out of work or unable to find a job because we have 12-20 million illegal aliens in America due to politicians like Obama supporting illegal immigration instead of protecting Americans.  A historic number of Americans have lost their jobs and lost their homes due to foreclosure because of illegal immigration. Less desirable jobs that Americans would take to provide for their families are either held by illegal immigrants or the flood of illegals have depreciated wages so low that an American cannot make ends meet working in those lost jobs!  ALIPAC estimates that illegal immigrants are stealing over $125 Billion worth of American taxpayer resources each year. Illegal immigrants are in our country against the wishes of American citizens. They are breaking our laws and yet as taxpayers we are forced to pay for their education, their healthcare needs, increased infrastructure to handle their presence in our land, and increased costs in our courts and prisons.  And when American citizens need these taxpayer resources, we find illegal immigrants filling our emergency rooms, classrooms, and courthouses demanding that we speak their language and provide free interpreters for them!  All across America, our suffering citizens are standing in lines in grocery stores trying to make ends meet and barely able to feed their children while watching illegal immigrants use food stamps and welfare to benefit their families ahead of us!”  “And then there are the terrible crimes that are committed by illegal aliens on American soil.”

    

     In the end, the bottom line is that I know that the US will take a loss temporarily for the exportation of current and prevention of further illegals, however all of that money will be made up in no time through the CITIZENS of this country, and would even out when you outweigh the money not being spent on them while here illegally!  In order for things to be “fixed” and put to a halt as peacefully as possible, certain precautions, safety measures, and compassion will need to be extended on behalf of the US, and many things to end this problem cannot be put in place without other measures being put into place first.  However, if we are going to put a firm stop to all of this madness, then it needs to be a plan that is drawn out, with everyone on the same page and will need to be done with haste so that there are no gaps, leaving less chance for failure or error. 

     

     Let me say in the end that I really am not a heartless person, I just feel that everyone needs to go about things the right way to get what they want and if they don’t then no mercy needs to be shown!  If you are willing to break the law to get here, what other laws are you willing to break when in a state of disparity?  The really sad thing is that unfortunately there are children that get innocently involved and directly affected, no matter how you handle the situation.  I also believe that countries (especially the US) need to quit depending on the people and resources of other countries!  Keep to ourselves/themselves, and depend on NO ONE!   

Is it really that serious?

In an article in the Corpus Christi Caller Times, dated October 16^th, 2015, titled “Keep Austin Where our State Officials reside” the issue of Proposition 3, which is due to be on the November 3^rd ballot, is discussed.  From the sounds of it, it seems as though the editor can’t make up their minds on being for it or against it as they give arguments from both sides of the fence.  For those that don’t know what Prop 3 is, it is in a nutshell to “do away with the requirement that holders of statewide offices reside in the state capital.”  Not too bad when you think of it in terms of “most other states don’t have the state-capital residency requirement” any longer.  However, as the writer of this editorial points out, since when did our great state of Texas care about what other states are and are not doing?  LOL 

So, in speaking for the elimination of the requirement, I would say that a great point was made when it was brought up that technology is definitely an enabler for officeholders to perform the majority of their jobs away from Austin, should they live elsewhere within the state.  Also, I would say that I find it redundant to force officeholders to reside in Austin, when perhaps they aren’t trying to escape “the tyranny of living in Austin" but in fact maybe have family elsewhere or other opportunities for the other members of their family in a different part of Texas, or maybe they just consider a different city their home.  On a more sentimental and deeper note for the positive side of this Proposition, I am a firm believer that if one is happiest, they are able to perform their job with a much better attitude, outlook, and sense of clarity and more to their full potential.  Being forced to live somewhere that one may not be necessarily happy living, can wreak havoc on anyone’s personal lives, thus causing unnecessary distractions, taking their minds away from their job at hand.  

Arguments and or solutions to one of the points from the writer of this:  They mentioned the taxpayer-reimbursed travel expenses are likely to go up if the officeholder doesn’t reside in Austin, and that if he or she doesn’t want to reside in Austin due to the cost of living, then, “what are the chances that the officeholder would pay those expenses out of his or her pocket?”  My response… Have the officeholder pay for those costs if they should choose to move away from Austin.  Now, as for as an officeholder not being able to afford living in Austin?  HAHAHA!  If my husband and myself can support our 3 children on $35,000 or less a year for the past 6 years here, I am positively sure that they can comfortably “make it” here in Austin on their far more significant wages.

One point that I believe this writer was trying to use as a reason against Prop 3, I actually can turn around to a positive FOR Prop 3.  They bring up the point that “Austin is in what's called Central Texas because it's central. “Well, there you go!  If it is in the CENTER of Texas, then what is the problem?  It will take at most 9-10 hours to get to Austin from anywhere else in Texas (and that is given that these officeholders move to somewhere on the outer most part of the Texas border).

Either way, I don’t see the problem in Prop 3 going through.  Regardless the fact that I started off unsure of how I felt, I suppose that I convinced myself more towards Proposition 3 than against it.  Let me know what you think on this matter.    

Are We Crippling Our Youth With the Easy Way Out?

In the opinion section of The Texas Insider, in an article titled "Let's Be Honest About the Cost of Education", dated 10/01/15, Bill Hammond, CEO of Texas Association of Business, discusses the conflict of the funding for our public school districts.  

I gotta say, one minute I think this guy is truly an idiot, then the next, I half ass agree with him on some (if not most) points.  So, I wonder if this guy is wishy-washy himself?  He points out the "pitifully low rate of college readiness of our high school graduates, how they are at 27% (ACT Report), and 31% (SAT Report), but yet seems to be against any kind of raise in funding.  It is a well known fact that the school districts are unfortunately, ridiculously underfunded.  

The part of his article that I begin agreeing with him, is when he first says, "If the Supreme Court decides that the school finance system should have the goal of college readiness, then the high court also should consider ruling that the state put back into place the requirements that will generate far greater numbers of graduating students who are ready for college or career." 

Then, he proceeds to point out the deficiencies in the school systems.  He points out 6 different areas/points and says that maybe they should be "examined" "for cost savings and reduce the bill."  I may not agree with the cutting the bill part exactly, but I have to say that he does point out a few good points.  For one, he says, "Since the state rates over 90% of the schools as acceptable, regardless of whether their students are on the path to being college ready and indeed takes no action if they are not, the courts ought to examine that fact for cost savings and reduce the bill."  What he saying is definitely something to look into, as all too often even when a child is not passing, the teachers will pass them, because schools are funded based in part on the passing/success rate of that particular school.  

I get that he is saying that if the classes and resources obviously aren't being used (due to lack of requirements in the students), then why not just cut them all together to save money.  However, I don't think that is entirely the best solution to the problem all together, to get the end result that is most desired.  Which is that of college readiness and future success of our up and coming generations.  Although, I do think he was on to something when he mentioned the part of the high courts reinstating the previous requirements, to help achieve the desired results!  I believe that would definitely be a GREAT place to start!  

I think where the state went wrong is to stop "requiring so much of students."  They should be pushing them and requiring them to do better, and if they are falling short of doing EXACTLY that, then they are really doing our children a disservice to say the least!  That being said, if funding is cut in such a significant way, I believe that we are taking away from the students that want to succeed and excel in their studies and their futures.  Then again, they are kids!  What do the majority of them know about their futures?  If they are anything like myself and over half the kids I went to school with, they have no idea what they want to do with their lives or no aspirations to succeed in high school for that means?  They are just worried about the next boyfriend or girlfriend they are going to get, or the football game Friday night!  That is why us as the "responsible adults" in their lives (directly and indirectly) need to take action and make the decision for them, guide them and put any and all tools in their reach and at their disposal!  Not take all resources for success away!  I think that we have enabled and crippled today's youth by not requiring so much from them!  If you set the requirements higher, then perhaps they will naturally set their own bar higher?

Paxton is Out of Line, If You Ask Me!

In an article "Paxton indictment: Though the choice remains his, AG should resign", written on the 8^th of August 2015, by “The Daily Texan Editorial Board” it discusses the indictments of Attorney General Ken Paxton on two felony charges before a Texas Grand Jury.  Two of those charges being securities fraud, and the other is failing to register with the state securities board.  The failing to register charge was a simple resolve with a settlement of $1,000 fine in civil court, while the others remain to be tried by jury.  

The author/s of this article are very clearly (as am I) all for him resigning from his position as Attorney General, which happens to be that of the highest law offices in the state of Texas.  This man has done nothing but disgrace and discredit the political justice system.  From these charges, to ordering clerks not to issue same-sex marriage licenses based on his own religious beliefs, and outspokenly supporting a Dec 2015 (upcoming) lawsuit against the Presidents immigration policy, he needs to be taught a lesson (and obviously the hard way). 

While the man (like anyone else) has a right to his opinions and personal beliefs, he as well as anyone should know that there is a time and a place, and as a man of his stature and place in the law, this is not the time and the public is not the place!  Regardless what he thinks or feels about the circumstances, not everything needs his opinion labeled on it or stamped with his approval or disapproval!  His actions have been very unbecoming of character for being a man of such high power and influence.  It is quite obvious that he feels as though he is above the law and can say and do as he pleases.  As the author/s in this piece said, “Paxton should not delay in making what we think is an inevitable decision. Out of respect for the office of Attorney General” (and the citizens of Texas), “Paxton should prevent further loss of credibility as his trial and potential appeals processes unfold.” 

At this point, state law evidentially does not directly rule on whether state officials are required to resign after said charges with a successful conviction/s.     This was a pretty interesting “story” to me as I embarrassingly enough had absolutely no clue anything about this.  I will definitely be following this story as it unfolds, because it just baffles me at how a man of such status would not only do such actions, but to get away with still holding office which can have such an impact on our “Great State of Texas.”