Classmate Commentary 2

In a blog post entitled “Texans Will Now Hit-And-Render-Aid” by one of my classmates, he explains new laws going into effect on September 1^st that will increase the penalty of hit-and-runs. I fully agree with this post and feel that hit-and-runs should be penalized with the utmost severity and I am glad that this law was easily passed by both houses. My classmate also brings up the case of Gabrielle Nestande, a former Texas legislator who was responsible for the death of a 30-year-old woman but was somehow acquitted after being found guilty. Personally, I feel that it is embarrassing to the state of Texas that legislators are not held to the same standards of the citizens when a crime is committed and Nestande should not have been acquitted, she should have been sentenced just as any other citizen would have.  Overall, I am glad that this law will soon take effect because as human beings, we need to take responsibility for what we do to one another, even though for some it may be fear of the penalty rather than just from kindness and care for others.

Third Special Session

     Within thirty minutes of the conclusion of the second special session Governor Perry has called this year, he announced a third session that began almost immediately. The topic Perry wants addressed is transportation funding, a subject Congress has failed to pass a bill on in the past two special sessions. Perry stated, "When it comes to transportation, the stakes facing our state could not be higher, and a failure to act now could take years - if not most of the decade - to correct, as traffic congestion increases and harms our quality of life."

     There are two measures that the Senate passed, but did not gain enough support in the House. If passed,  voters "would have to approve a constitutional amendment to divert half of the oil and gas production tax revenue currently earmarked for the state's Rainy Day Fund toward road construction and maintenance." Even though this is expected to raise nearly $900 million a year, it still does not seem that it would be enough money, and many are against it, including Rep. Joe Pickett of El Paso who called it a "Band-Aid over a pothole." 

     From my experiences the past two years taking busses and driving predominantly around Austin and Central Texas, I agree that transportation does need a major revision, specifically involving traffic and improving road conditions. It is not fun sitting in traffic on I-35 for 30 minutes to only move two miles, especially when it is two in the afternoon on a Thursday with no reason for there to be any traffic at all. This issue is that the Senate will be trying to pass a bill that the House has already turned down, meaning that compromises will need to be made for a bill to pass. Hopefully Congress will be able to agree on something to start the ball rolling on transportation reform.

"Perry Calls Third Special Session of Texas Legislature." Aman Batheja and Elizabeth Koh. Texas Tribune.

Classmate Commentary

For my commentary, I read a post entitled "Unlikely but Necessary Reform for Immigration" on the blog History in the Making. I agree that the way to allow immigration to have the largest and most successful impact on American society, and specifically Texas society, is through the legalization of immigrants to become part of the authorized workforce in the United States. But, as you stated, it seems as though any sort of system to change immigration or legalize people that are currently living in the country illegally does comprehensive reform that will not occur anytime soon. Just this summer a promising immigration bill made it through the U.S. Senate died in the House just days before Congress was to leave for recess. As you stated, immigration, specifically illegal immigration, does have poor effects on the economy and threatens the livelihood of American citizens, but at the same time, legalizing those who are in the U.S. illegally would bring many benefits, some of which have been touched upon as well. I do think that legislation needs to start changing to take into account the growing diversity in the state of Texas, but on the same token, I do not think that the legislature should have to concede the rights and benefits of the people who have been in the country  legally to those who entered the country illegally, whether or not they become citizens. Yes, I understand that for the most part they are trying to better their lives, but if you do not follow rules and laws that are in place, you lose all integrity and do not deserve to reap any benefits that you may receive.