Christmas Doesn't Come to Everyone

I am commenting on Gershwin's blog on the denying illegal children of donations for Christmas. I agree with him on that the children shouldn't be punished and not have a Christmas because they don't have the proper paper work. Christmas is a time for giving and to spread holiday cheer. Many kids now won't have any holiday cheer because of they immigration status. Christmas isn't based on background checks, it's about helping others who are in need of assistance. They wouldn't be asking if they didn't need help. It is impossible to do over 10,000 background checks and unneccessary. Now many children are going without a Christmas because they are illegal. There is a reason they are illegal and it probably has to do with the reason of being impoverished. Many people come to the United States to try and make a better life for themselves and their families. Many people cannot afford to just move here and start a life. People come here with the help of others and this is a situation where they need help again. Punishing children for the problem of being illegal should be put on the parents, not them. They don't know any better. Blue Santa, in my opinion now, is the best way to go for getting donations for Christmas. They are just willing to help no matter what situation. They are willing to donate to anyone and for that I respect this organization a lot more. They are helping kids not suffer and deal with the consequences of their parents.

No Money for Retirees

This year for the state and teacher retirees there will be n0 $500 one time check going to these people retiring this year. The Attorney General Greg Abbott said yes to the bill passing but the legislature created an " unusual and virtually insurmountable legal standard for making the proposed payment by requiring that this office issue a ' conclusive opinion' that such one-time payments are constitutionally and statutorily permissible". The $500 payment was to be made using general state revenue rather than money from the trust funds, which is the normal route for providing additional benefits.

This is unfair to the people retiring this year because many people are counting on this money for their needs and expenses they may have. A lot of people right now are struggling to get by and with the money it could potentially help them with whatever they need it for. Retiree groups were disappointed with the ruling and are going to continue fighting for the additional help for the retirees in the next legistative session which will start in 2011. For these retirees this year, all their hard work all these years, will now lose their retirement bonus from the state. The teachers, which are hard to come by now, are no longer being rewarded for the hard work they put in. Teaching all those years and having to deal with thousands of kids, they can't get a small check of $500 for the time and effort they put in all the years they taught. For the state workers, they work hard and having to deal with all the state business and the government, they no longer get their check either. These people work hard for many years and now the government takes away from them what they had worked so hard for.

H1N1 Vaccine for Everyone

I am commenting on Hector's editorial on the prisoners of the Texas prisons getting the vaccination for the H1N1 virus. I agree with Hector on everyone, even prisoners, should get the vaccination for the H1N1 virus. Everyone is capable of getting the virus, even though they are in prisons, the guards are able to bring it to them from the outside. When the virus is brought in from the outside, you are risking the chance of infecting the whole prison and everyone in it. Just because they are convicts too, it doesn't mean that they are no longer people. They are people just like you and me. The state should vaccinate the prisons across Texas and prevent what could be over 200,000 deaths. The prisoners are confined to small areas and are able to infect more people since they are so close. I also agree with Hector about vaccinating the prisoners who are about to get out and those who are close to getting out from their prison sentences. They are getting out and ready to live their lives, without trying to catch the virus. They are newly exposed to the virus since they have been living in a tiny cell for years. It is the right thing to do, vaccinating the prisoners, they are people too and deserve to be given the shot just like everyone else in the free world. With the vaccination going to everyone in the state, it will make it less likely for others to get it.

Charters Schools need help

The public charter schools in Austin are in quite a predicament. Since the schools are not funded by the state, they are having problems financially. The schools are having to stretch less money farther to make sure rent is paid for the building the school is in and have the proper materials needed for teaching the students. The public charter schools get money for the students attendance but far less then a regular public school would. The regular public schools get $1,000 dollars per student that attends. Since charter schools are a lot smaller and the student population is also a lot smaller they get less money.
The State Board of Education should help the public charter schools out and give them part of the $22 billion Permanent School Fund. It wouldn’t being investing in all public charter schools. Only 215 of them have earned investment-grade bond ratings to borrow money at lower interest rates to construct classrooms and other buildings. With the help of the Permanent School fund charter schools would be able get better classrooms and get more supplies for the students. They won’t have to stretch the little money they have so far. Public charter schools are just important as regular public schools and other schools in Texas. Yet in a way, it is a risky investment because they don’t get as much return for the Board investing in the schools. The Board should make the risky investment and help out the schools in need of their help.

Texans for Prop 4

In this editorial, the editorial board is taking sides for the passage of Prop 4, the launch of seven public research universities to tier- one status. Tier – one status is the ranking of schools like The University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M, and Rice University. These are the only three schools in Texas with tier-one status.


The editorial board makes a good claim on passing the funding for the seven schools to tier- one status. With the passing of the funding it would raise UT-Dallas, UT-Arlington, UT-El Paso, UT-San Antonio, Texas Tech University, the University of North Texas and the University of Houston to the level of UT Austin, A&M and Rice. The funding for the program is a lot, a mere $500 million. At first, the investment might seem like a lot. For example for just one school $100 million annual infusion of state and private financing. In the end, the passage of Prop 4 will be beneficial for a lot of people. If Prop 4 is passed it would help raise Texas to a more attractive place to go to school. Texas falls way behind states like California with nine and New York with seven. The editorial board is pushing this editorial towards future university students and parents of future college students. With the schools being accredited with the same status as the three other schools, parents and students are looking at not having to transfer from the feeder schools to the major universities.

With Prop 4 being passed it could, as predicted by M. Ray Perryman, help the Texas economy and bring as many as 340,000 jobs to the state. This is just with two schools being added to tier- one status. If the schools are added to tier- one status, it will be a good thing for Texas and most importantly students and future students. GO VOTE AND HELP PASS PROP 4!

Metro Rail Delayed

In this editorial, the author is commenting on the poor leadership from Fred Gilliam the CEO of Capital Metro. Fred Gilliam put the metro rail behind schedule and over budget. It is now said to not be ready until late next year. The author accuses Gilliam for the delays. He also for the first time raised the bus fare. The author is in the right about blaming Gilliam for the delays and over budgeting. I agree with what the editorial board has to say about Fred Gilliam. People are looking forward to using the Metro Rail out of convience and to save money instead of paying for gas. The metro rail is suppose to be 32 miles long, from Leander to downtown Austin. The lack of management, along with the delay and budget overruns also damaged the agency’s credibility. The author’s intended audience is the people hoping to use the metro rail on daily basis or use it often. It also is for the current bus users, since Fred Gilliam did raise the fares for the first time in 20 years. The editorial is written from the Editorial Board. The board also points out how Gilliam depleted the reserve fund for the metro rail from 200 million to only 3.8 million, below the cushion of 27 million. Gilliam is soon to be replaced, as he is retiring at the end of the month. The agency is on a nation wide search for an efficient CEO to run the bus system and the railroad. Hopefully to be able to complete the railroad and open it soon.

Perry v. Hutchinson

Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson, according to the Rasmussen Reports has narrowed the gap between herself and Governor Rick Perry. For most of August the Senator did a power tour around Texas formally announcing her candidacy and to remind people she is still in this race. Just two months ago the reports had put Governor Perry ahead by 10 points. The Senator has narrowed the gap between herself and Perry. Keep in mind Debra Medina, a business owner and rancher, is also running. The results of the polls show that Bailey has the support of 40 percent of the Republican population, Perry with 38 percent, 19 percent who are still undecided on who they are voting for, and 3 percent for Debra Medina. Perry's campaign is still confident in their race for governor because the Rasmussen has put him more popular with the conservatives. But the reports show she is more popular with the self proclaimed liberal and moderates than Perry is. For all you Republicans, this article is important to keep you all informed on the Republican race for governor and the closeness between the top two candidates.