Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Comments regarding Texas Sales Tax and Income Tax
Original Post can be viewed on the Friends in Texas blog
Friday, August 3, 2007
Getting illegal immigration to 'work'
Texas legislatures have many issues to address regarding illegal immigration. Easing the strain on natural resources, rights of illegal immigrants, the benefits they can offer, and bills restricting (or allowing) what health/education services they should be allowed to receive. Some legislatures are all for illegal immigrants being allowed to have driver’s licenses and therefore auto insurance, while others oppose this idea and suggest obtaining citizenship first. More controversial issues are at hand as well: the idea of a wall separating the Texas and Mexico border, and whether or not a child born to illegal immigrants on US soil should be considered American. Many legislatures are concerned about illegal immigrants being an economic burden in Texas, but the benefits they offer have to be considered in the process of making the bills.
Some of the other general effects of increased illegal immigration include overcrowded schools and housing, poverty around border areas, and even a depletion of the natural water supply in Texas. Although, recent studies have shown that working illegal immigrants yield a positive net benefit in the economy. It will be interesting to see which bills get passed regarding the rights of illegal immigrants. Considering they constitute a large portion of the Texas population it is unlikely that they will be treated unfairly. In my opinion, illegal immigration should be embraced under the circumstance that the immigrants are here to work. I think that they should only have the rights to health care, education, insurance…if they are working instead of just taking up space and overcrowding urban areas. The bills that should be passed first are bills that involve a system where immigrants can only get these benefits if they have work permits. Additional funding for tracking how many immigrants will abuse the benefits and get a permit but not work will need to increase, but I think that is a necessary cost that will only yield to a better financial outcome for everyone in the state.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Everything's bigger in Texas...but not for long
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/legislature/stories/071607dnspohssteroids.f584ac.html
Friday, July 20, 2007
Beg your 'pardon'?
After a 2005 drug related border shooting involving two US agents and a smuggler who was caught with 1 million dollars worth of marijuana, the two agents are still hoping for relief from their 11 to twelve year sentence terms. President Bush has been asked to pardon the agents that his long time friend and prosecutor Johnny Sutton helped convict. Although they fired at an unarmed suspect, I do not believe the person who was illegally smuggling drugs should be let free and allowed to benefit while the officers trying to do their job should receive over ten years in prison. It was just interesting to see that the President's view on the issue has a lot to do with the fact that he knows the prosecutor. I don't know if he can give a fair opinion in this case as to whether or not the men should be pardoned. Decide for yourself. http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/DN-borderagents_20tex.ART.State.Edition1.4205177.html