Blog 8

I am commenting on my classmates blog on whether or not children that are illegally here in the states should receive donated gifts for Christmas. During the holiday season used to be a time to give and help the needy. Know in Houston you have to be able to prove that you are a legal citizen to get a presents to little children who are going to watch their friends get gifts from places like the Salvation Army. I can see that you would have to prove you that you live in a city to get gifts from a fire station or even government help. Places like the Salvation Army are nonprofit organizations that get most of the presents from donation boxes placed around town. Gifts that were donated by the public for children whose parents can’t afford to buy them anything including children who aren’t citizens of America. The children who aren't legal citizens shouldn't be punished for being here in the states when it was there parents who brought them here.

Problems With Child Protective Services

I disagree with this article from the Austin American statesman about a boy from Cedar Park who was found in a building that didn't have a bathroom, food or electricity. His mother has substance abuse problems and has a history with the Child protective services. The article talks about the child protective services believing that the best place for the boy isn't with his extended family. Child protective services say they want what is best for the boy. I think if the extended family wants the child and they are capable both financially secure and live in a stable environment they should be allowed to adopt the child. Placing the boy with his extended family that wants to give him a stable environment and make him see a counselor would be a great place for the boy if he wants to go. Moving him from home to home in the foster care system can cause him many problems in the further. Plus the family has to go through a lot of interviews and house visits before being adopted by anyone including family members. The article says that his grandparents want him to live with his aunt and uncle. The Child protective services should look into this case harder and see what is best for the boy instead of taking the easy way out, by placing him in the foster care system that could cause him more problems than help. How do they know that the aunt and uncle aren’t the best for him when they haven’t even look into the family closely.

Giving blood test to DWI suspects on the spot

I would have to agree with my classmates blog on Law enforcement giving blood test to people who are suspected for drinking and driving. Chief Acevedo Said that the city of Austin would raise money to hire trained medical workers from hospitals to draw blood and to get his men trained to take blood test on the spot during the holidays where there is a no refusal operation in effect when a person refuses to give a breath sample. It's hard enough to give a lot of sober people a blood test much less trying to give a drunk person one. For one it's not only harder to get a drunk person to cooperate it's also really dangerous for the law enforcement who could get hurt trying to get a needle into someone who is fighting back. Council member Bill Spelmen is right when he says it is scary to try and give a blood test on the spot to a drunk person. A lot of people hate needles how will they take it when a police officer takes a needle to try arm instead of trained medical staff. This is risky business Chief Acevedo is looking into.
A lot of people including myself wouldn't feel safe if a police officer would give them a blood test on the spot where the roads and surrounding areas are really dirty it's not hygienic. Plus they don't have the experience as a person who does it all the time in a clean environment.

Proposition 4

Proposition 4 wants to upgrade seven Universities to the Tier-one universities status in Texas. Right now only three universities in Texas hold the tier-one status, the University of Texas, Texas A&M University and Rice University. With Texas being the second largest state population and land wise it's a little pathetic compared to California with nine tier-one universities and new with seven tier-one universities.The seven Universities Proposition 4 proposes are UT-Dallas, UT-Arlington, UT-El Paso, UT-San Antonio, Texas Tech University, the University of North Texas and the University of Houston. Upgrading Seven more universities to the tier-one status will provide new jobs and help the economy.

There is the question about the $500 million the federal government will help the universities to reach the tier-one status, if you think about it adding seven more university's to the tier-one status would open up job options to many people who are seeking employment not only for researchers and professors but also janitorial jobs and construction. Once professors and researchers start making money they are going to spend it which means more business for retails stores. Once retail stores get more business they can afforded to employee more people.

Once people start making money they will start spending it. People are going to start buying things they couldn't before. Once people Start making money the economy will pick up again.

If one of the Seven proposed Universities wanted to do research the Universities wouldn't be paying most of the scientist salaries. The researchers find grants to sponsor them with a salary. Proposition 4 could help the proposed Universities and the area around them.

Willingham case

After Talking about the Willingham in class I found this post called "The dead man walking" by in the pink Texas. The blog has reliable sources, the blog uses Texas Monthly and the Startelagram. I think the Willingham case is awful. He was trying to get away with murder. I disagree with the post. The post talks about the case then goes into Kay Bailey Hutchison's opinion on the case.

The post talks about the Willingham case being brought up again in two years after his execution. Saying that he was an innocent man and the state wrongfully executed him.
He was arrested in 1991 when this happened and executed on February 2006. That's fifteen years for a lawyer has had to prove his innocence. That's plenty of time for him to hire his own examination of the house done. Instead his people waited tell a couple of hours before his execution to ask the governor for a thirty day hold.
Just because the state didn't have a guy with his PH.D from Columbia investigate the fire doesn't mean that the states arson and forensic science experts didn't do the best they could.
They found him guilty of murdering his three kids how can anyone stand up for a man like that?

As for Kay Bailey Hutchison say in this matter, she is a republican trying to run for governor in the state of Texas she kind of has to before the death plenty in this case or else she would lose a lot of votes.

I think Willinghams layers should put the case to rest and let Perry get on with more important issues that are going on in Texas unless they have a solution to the current health care dilemma.

Texas health and educational problems.

I have always thought that Texas is a great state, that everything is better here. Taking this Texas and local government class has proved me wrong. While I was looking for an editorial to talk about I saw a lot of problems people think are wrong with Texas. The editorial I chose from the Austin American statesman really shows just how awful Texas is in health insurance, high school graduates and jobs.
The editorial shows the statistics of how many Texan's don't have health insurance. The statistics were 24.3 percent are with out health insurance and that number is getting higher each year. That Texas is ranked at the bottom of a scale that includes all fifty states and the district of Colombia. I have always had health insurance my whole life and over the past years I had some health problems that have cost my insurance company a couple hundred thousand dollars. For a person who doesn't have health insurance would be paying for the rest of their lives if they require any long term care in the hospital. The health care system is a mess that will probably never be fixed no mater what state you live in. I don't think any one right now has the right answer. I don't believe in federalizing health care but the states can't pay for everyone either.
Texas public school education ranks near the bottom in America. Texas as a state has one of the highest high school drop out rates in the nation. Texas isn't a small state either which makes you wonder what kind of teachers are hired to teach at our schools.
Texas on a pleasant note that during this economic struggle Texas has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation. Texas unemployment rate is 8 percent to where the national average is 9.7 percent.
Over all this editorial gives you a fast run down of the health care, public school system and economy difficulties going on in Texas. The editorial ended with the governor election coming up. Saying that either Rick Perry or Kay Baily Hutchinson needs to address the issues. If they will or not I guess we will find out after the election in 2010.

Michael Dell donates 50 million dollars.

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/gen/ap/TX_Student_Data_System.htm
I chose this article because it shows that people still do good deeds instead of the crimes you read about in the newspapers.

The article talks about Michael Dell donating 1o million dollars to the state of Texas's public school system. An updated data system Will help track student performance,give educators access to pretty much anything you would want to know about a student from their academic records to state testing scores. With the updated system will allow teachers to intervene earlier with students who are having a harder time in school. The data will be held in one record that a teacher or student who transfers to a different school can access.
This system will help not only teachers but also students to so well in school.