Representation without education.

I am just as lost as Lauren, author of Cowboys vs. Politics, when it comes to understanding conservative lawmakers' reasoning where family planning is concerned.  All sorts of excuses have been thrown out there in regards to their attempt at defunding Planned Parenthood, namely concern about state money being spent on abortions.  The obviousness of their desire to impose their beliefs on the public and blatant oversight for the actual wellbeing of Texan women is appalling.  In 2009, Planned Parenthood reported that abortion services only comprised three percent of total services rendered, which include general exams and screenings, as well as access to contraceptives ( which prevent unplanned pregnancies, thus reducing the need for abortions in the first place), proving that these facilities are extremely important to women's health.  The icing on the cake was when the hosts of Fox & Friends spurning the great need for these facilities, falsely stating on national television that women can just pop down to their local Walgreens to receive pap-smears and breast exams.  We should all be concerned, as this incident is a just gross display of ignorance and disregard to the health of the very people these legislators are meant to be representing.

Separate but equal?

           A bill recently passed in the House aims to require public colleges with gender and sexuality centers to create and appropriate equal funding for a center that promotes “family and traditional values.”  The bill, created by Wayne Christian, with help from the Young Conservatives of Texas, is simply transparent attempt to rid campuses of these “alternative” lifestyle centers altogether, backed up with feeble arguments of unequal representation and privileges.

            The YCT chairman argued that traditionally minded students are really the minority now, mentioning the uproar that would ensue if he were to walk through campus with a t-shirt stating, “Homosexuality is immoral.” Incidentally, you don’t generally see gay people parading around in shirts that trash heterosexuality, and as the Suicide Girls blog points out, straight kids are in no danger of being called a “breeder” and being shoved into a locker. LGBT centers are not out to recruit unassuming students to denounce Jesus and come to the dark side, either. 

            These centers are there to provide counseling, support, and education for a group of people who a lot of times are not accepted or belittled by the rest of society for who they are.  Some centers encompass other issues as well, like the University of Texas gender and sexuality center, which includes services for women, and surely, even a person who does not fall into any of these categories wouldn’t be turned away if they sought help.   It is doubtful that “traditional values” center would be quite as accepting.   Legislators claim to “favor only equal time for all kinds of sexuality”, although the actuality of such is impossible as long as there is intolerance and hatred being practiced among groups.

Props to Government in the Lone Star State for mentioning obesity, an issue that, with things like our looming monetary woes to worry about, doesn’t get as much attention as it deserves.  She mentions that Texas is the 13^th fattest state in the U.S., which sounds bad enough on it’s own.  Needless to say, being the 13^th fattest state in the number one fattest country in the world is really bad.  With obesity rates skyrocketing, problems like heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure are becoming much more prevalent among Americans.  Improving America’s diet is not just about our physical health, it also encompasses many other aspects of our lives.  It affects our mental wellbeing as well as our ability to learn.  All of these adverse affects combined is a major detriment to our overall quality of life. Like all other issues, the best way to tackle it is with education and awareness.  Sadly, people need to learn to rely less on packaging and FDA guidelines when deciding on what to put into their bodies.  Just because something says “low fat” or “natural” doesn’t necessarily mean it is better for you.  The government also needs to raise it’s standards in regards to what is allowed to be put on the shelves, as it is supposed to be an that we can trust is looking out for our wellbeing.  I agree that the “Let’s Move” campaign is a great step in the right direction, encouraging effort from both the government as well as citizens, but there is still a lot of work to be done.

For the Greater Good.

As legislators scramble to fix the state’s huge deficit without raising taxes, they are quick to impose major budget cuts, but hesitate to act when presented with a solution that would avoid either of these actions.  Several bills were brought in front of the House this week proposing the expansion of gambling in Texas, an industry that would bring in about $1.2 billion a year in taxes alone, not to mention additional funds generated from tourism, licensing and investment fees.  The money brought in would be used for financial aid and property tax relief, two things that will suffer greatly without the aid of these funds.  Many conservatives have shot the idea down, voicing concern about the wellbeing of family life and the poor.  They are obviously looking out for the best interest of these citizens, denying something that would create thousands of jobs and educational funding, on top of the cuts that have already caused losses in those areas.  As for worrying about the poor (since there will be so many of them) wasting their money on something addictive and unproductive, maybe they should consider eliminating bars and liquor stores as well.  Those in opposition have also claimed gambling to be an unreliable source of revenue.  Neighboring states would likely disagree with that, given the $4 billion or so that Texans spend in their casinos every year.  If Texans are going to gamble their money away, it might as well be put to use where it benefits us rather than funding other states public services.   I think the pros definitely outweigh the cons here.  According to the Texas Gaming Association’s polls, so do an overwhelming 86% percent of Texans.  It’s time for legislators to act less like parents and more like a democratic government, and let us have a say in what’s best.  

Sonograms are not solutions.

Rachel Farris is a public relations director and political activist, who writes for the Huffington Post, has worked with the Texas Observer, and has spoken at several major Texas colleges, but a recent post in her blog, Mean Rachel, touches on a more personal level.  In response to the approval of the sonogram bill, Rachel criticizes the legislature, calling them “tone-deaf to the needs of their own state” and suggests that they should be focusing on “those who are here now.” She points out that protecting unborn fetuses shouldn’t take precedence when there are so many children out there already that helplessly suffer from poverty or neglect.  Rather than spout off statistics, Rachel instead relates a story of personal experience that is meant to engage the readers’ basic sense of human compassion, Democrats and Republicans alike.  Emotion, though not always the road to truth, is often a very strong method of getting someone to see your point of view.  Her story is also easy to relate to for anyone who has ever lived in or near a low-income neighborhood, as I currently do.  Where I live, there are several low-income housing projects, a plethora of shabby, too-small houses with children playing in the yard, and an elementary school which has had problems with drugs in the past.  Rachel believes that our government is putting all their focus into the wrong place, blind to the real issues, and I agree with her.  They put so much effort into conserving lives that have yet to be brought into the world, but don’t seem to be worried about whether or not it will or can be cared for after it is born, and many of us see proof of that every day.  They need to focus on the big picture and help ensure better lives for today's youth, so that they are less likely to end up in the position that lawmakers are so worried about in the fist place.

Less whining, more reason.

The hot topic on every ones lips lately is the Texas budget deficit and how our government is proposing to close the sizeable gap.  Many are criticizing the Republican’s plan to balance the budget without tax increases and making major in areas such as education and health care, but few are voicing ideas on a reasonable alternative.  A recent editorial piece published in the Austin American Statesman about current spending habits and the impending changes mentions a Senator’s suggestions to aid in repairing the budget without touching on gaining revenue or making any cuts on spending.  The proposed bills call for the government to provide clear information to the public concerning the condition of the state’s economy and how and where tax money and other revenue is being utilized.  The piece, aimed at Texas citizens, points out that the more aware we are of the inner workings of our government, the better we will be able to make informed decisions about how our money is spent and make sure we get the things we need.  For a true democracy to run properly, it’s citizens need to participate and make sure they are aware of who is representing them in the decision making process.  The author successfully sheds light on a way the state’s budget problem can be reigned and ensure that our money is distributed fairly.  While this is not a quick fix, which seems to be what lawmakers are after, it would be helpful in the long run.  The future of the state should not be forgotten in the exigency to repair the issue at hand.  We as citizens are reminded that we have a voice in the matter and should not leave it up to the discretion of our lawmakers to make decisions that directly affect our lives using our own money.

http://www.statesman.com/opinion/budgeting-with-smoke-and-mirrors-1256731.html