Texas Justice System

   I agree with Brandi’s point of view on the Texas justice system but there is more behind it than just the budget issues.  The Texas justice system is a slow, unbalance, under budget and unfair system.  It’s a structure that works of the idea of due process, a concept that assets administration of laws that do not violate the sacredness of private rights. In other words, it’s a set of rules that set up the legislative branch that doesn’t grantee fairness and just follow the laws. It’s obvious in the United States Constitution. The 4^th, 5th, 6^th, 8th, and 14^th amendments are a great example of this.  Even though due process establishes the rules for the Justice System, the ‘players’ themselves have create issues too for the system. 

    Before the Sentencing Reform Act was passed in the 1970’s and in the 1980’s at Federal level, there was a big issue with disparity and leniency among judges in the court system.  For example, some judges’ sentences were based on sex and race (discrimination). Strictly speaking, similar offenders convicted of similar crimes were serving different sentences. This made the public themselves worried about sentencing disparity.  But on the other hand, Some Judges may have given a lighter sentence for a major crime for an offender. Once the Sentencing Reform was passed, decision making on sentencing switch from the judge to prosecutors and determinate sentencing (fixed sentencing) was created for equality among offenders.

    Although the Sentencing Reform Act was a key element of the national shift to crime control in the 1980’s and beyond, parole was being eliminated for offenders and there was a big incarceration boom. Now this might sound like this is positive, but The United States has the highest Incarceration rate in the world and an over populated prison and jail system because of it.  Crime is still a big issue in the United States and the Texas system is part of this matter.  Without of doubt, I agree on Brandi’s argument that the Texas justice system being chaotic but the budget issue is just one of the issues behind this mess. 

Link to Brandi's Blog:  http://brandigovt.blogspot.com/

Exatcly Who is Wendy Davis?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/files/2013/06/1-About-photo.jpg

  
   

   If you kept up with Texas politics this hot summer, you have heard of the name Wendy Davis. Davis, a Democrat Senator from Fort Worth, recently stood up for eleven hours at the State capital to filibuster a bill that would place new restrictions and ban the practice after 20 weeks of pregnancy in abortion clinics in Texas. She stood long enough to kill the bill, but the bill was later on passed by Governor Rick Perry. Even though some might see her filibuster as a failure, she still stands strong today and has the credentials to show that she is not just an ordinarily senator.  

    Raised by a single mother and becoming a single mother herself at the age of 19. Davis became the first person in herfamily to graduate from college. She attended Texas Christian University for undergrad her studies and then continue on to Harvard Law School.  Over time, she spent a few years in the title insurance business before starting her own practiced (NewbyDavis) for federal and local government affairs, real estate, and contract compliance.  She has spent 9 years on the Fort Worth City Council and was elected to the state senate where she became the 12th Democrat in the upper chamber in 2008.

    Because of her election in 2008, she has given the Republicans a run for their money. In 2011, she filibuster against a budget that underfunded the state's public schools by $5 billion and got most of the money replaced in 2013. The filibuster made the Republican- led house strip her of her position on the education committee. In 2012, she threw out a Republican gerrymandering plan that would have put her in a conservative district.

    Wendy Davis is a woman that has shown Texas and the United States that she means business when it comes to politics. I would not be surprised to see her running for Texas governor in 2014 or even president of the United States one day. But whatever she does next, everybody will be watching to see what she can bring new to the political table. 

Texas Latino Voters and George P. Bush

   On Monday July 22, 2013, Omar Araiza published an article in the Burnt Orange Report on Latinos voting in Texas. As Araiza states, "immigration has been an important issue (especially in Texas) of discussion lately and a huge headache to socially conservative Republicans. From earlier talks in 2012 about "self-deportation", to President Obama capturing over 70% of the Latino vote in 2012, and to now this year when Congress has finally decided to address immigration reform." Immigration tends to be an important issue with Latinos that also reflects the concerns of Democrats. In other words, Latinos and other minority racial groups in Texas have a tendency to be democratic. The Republican Party on the other hand aims towards White Americans and the middle and higher class. To say that all Republicans are White and rich and all Democrats are a minority and poor would be stereotypical and false. This is where George P. Bush comes in the picture.

   George P. Bush, half White, half Latino, is the son of former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, nephew of former President George W. Bush, and is running for office as Texas Land Commissioner as a Republican. Araiza argues that Bush, because he is part Latino, might actually be Republican's future hope of keeping the Latino vote competitive in Texas since he is a candidate that is interacting with the Latino community and making it seem like a member and a friend to the people. Overall, Latinos account for two-thirds of Texas' growth over the past decade and is now about 38% of the State's population and would help the state continue to stay 'red' if they get more votes from Latinos.  But I agree to Ariaiza’s conclusion, that “just because George P. Bush is Hispanic, speaks Spanish, and has a well-known last name, doesn't mean he truly represents the needs of the community.” 

  I feel that both parties (Republicans and Democrats) can learn from George P. Bush’s actions by interacting with the community and trying to understand what the people need and want. But, a party and its electors must share the same common interests in order to be successful.  As of now, Texas Latinos should continue to support the Democratic Party unless Republicans change their values and include more minorities. 

Link to the article:  http://www.burntorangereport.com/diary/13817/the-latino-vote-what-republicans-and-democrats-can-learn-from-george-p-bush

Can You Vote In Texas?

   According to an article by Ketan Kapasi that was published in The Daily Texan, the Voting Rights Act ("VRA') of 1965 was invalidate by the Texas Supreme Court. A decision that Kapasi believes that will be bad for Texans and students from The University of Texas at Austin. "Traditionally, students have been able to vote on campus by showing a picture ID, including a UT ID card. But under the voter ID law, students with only a student ID would be unable to vote, leaving students without driver’s licenses out in the cold", says Kaspasi. He also notes that Minority voters, elderly voters, and people who cannot obtain any type of identification required by the new law will be prevented from voting.
    The law requires a person to have a driver's license of the state they are voting in, military ID, state ID card, citizenship certificate, concealed handgun license, or election ID certification in order to vote. This might seem that this is discriminating students who lack the requirements of  required ID and just a student ID. But, the Texas Government does this for legal purposes.
   Student ID's are not acceptable identification for the purposes of voting because they are issued to students who may not be legal citizens. Foreign students, legal residents, illegal alien students, and students who are U.S. citizens are all issued the same student ID. Even if the students are U.S citizens, some students are not a resident of Texas. In other words, Kapasi's argument is more of a complaint from students than a discrimination issue from the government. If a student really wants to vote in Texas, they should go get the proper ID they need in order to vote.


Link to article: http://dailytexanonline.com/opinion/2013/07/10/voting-rights-act-decision-threatens-voter-participation#

Goodbye Mr.Perry and Hello Newcomer!

   On Monday, July 8, 2013, Texas Monthly  published an article announcing that Texas Governor Rick Perry will not be running for re-election in 2014. Since 2000, Rick Perry has been governor in Texas and is the longest serving governor in Texas history.  According to Texas Monthly, "no one expected much from him. He had always been seen as a lightweight, a back-bencher in the Texas House who had managed to get himself elected agriculture commissioner--after switching parties--and later lieutenant-governor." But overall, Rick Perry has shown Texas that he could handle the state as he produced economic growth and diversification for Texans through his terms. Median household’s incomes increased and Texas's unemployment rate staying lower than the nation average is some of Perry's work.
   But the question is who will replace Rick Perry once he is out of office? With the Texas legislative being in an extended session this summer, certain Texans have illustrated the ability to take over Perry's place. Texans such as democrat sensor Wendy Davis and attorney general Greg Abbott have been on watched by the media. In 2014,Texas will get a new governor and maybe the state will be turn back into a democrat state or continue to be republican. Overall, the eyes of Texas and the country will be upon them.

   I recommend reading this article to keep Texans informed of the changes to Texas government in the near future.