Teachers. Need a Raise?

completely agree with Zack's article titled, "Raise Teacher Salaries, Fire the Rest". The school system does not need to be run the way it is, and teachers of all people should get paid a lot more than what they do. They pave the road for young minds in this world and they don't get paid enough for it.
I agree that there are way to many "extra" people working in school districts these days, like Zack mentioned in his article, the assistants for example. but that isn't it, I personally don't think the school system needs to hire people to practically babysit the children who decided to act out in class, for example these employees would work in the "in school suspension" part. I think that part of public school systems should be made away with, just because the system doesn't need to give bad students extra attention, and they definitely don't need to be hiring people that take away from the income of regular teachers. So yes I agree that all these "extra" employees need to be done away with and the teachers need a raise.

Rush Holt’s Emergency Assistance for Secure Elections Act

After reading the article on the GOP objects to bill allowing recounts I believe that the Republican's not wanting to pass the Rush Holt’s Emergency Assistance for Secure Elections Act is very ignorant. Every action needs a back-up plan and thats what this Act is providing for future elections. If the electronic machines stop working then hundreds (if not more) voters will think that their vote didn't even count because they wont be provided for.

I believe that the electronic machines can default at anytime. Therefore, if Congress does not pass the Rush Holt’s Emergency Assistance for Secure Elections Act and the machines crash again like in the 2004 election people will go crazy. Because they will think their count did not count. It could end up again like in 2004 when the election had to go to the Supreme Court and the nominee who won the popular election could end up losing the election once again.

When the Republican's say that passing the bill will cost too much they are simply looking at the cost that it would take every single county to get these back up systems. When really in reality, not all counties will adopt this right away because of such short notice. But I do agree with them when they say it will break havoc on everyone because it is so expensive. But I believe that the plan will be worth every penny when something does happen to the electronic voting machines come November.

Supporting Our Troops

One of my classmates wrote a blog addressing the issue of retreating from Iraq called Do we Stay or Go?

In her blog she states some issues that I agree with but some that I don't agree with.

The topic that I agree with her on is the fact that U. S. Troops need to be withdrawn from Iraq. I believe that we have done what we went there to do. We restablished their government, elected a new leader, and caught Saddam Hussein.
Our troops aren't even dying in battle anymore. When the news says that more U.S. Troops got killed in Iraq you don't hear about them getting shot at or bombed in the middle of battle, you hear that they got killed changing a tire on the side of the road or taking food to other camps. The troops have done their job, now the government needs to do its job and get them out before more die for no reason.

The topic that I see differently than my classmate is the one about our troops going to Iraq to make their country like ours. We aren't trying to make their country like the United States, we are simply stopping a blood thirsty dictator and his people from killing innocent citizens. Now, yes I do agree that the Iraqis don't want us over there but they never did. They just want us to leave them alone, because they thought we would just make things worse. But what would you say if someone wanted to come into your house and change the way things have always been run? No one likes change even if it is to better them. Just remember we didn't just go over there to capture Saddam Hussein, we went over there to save innocent people from getting mutilated by an evil person that is willing to do anything for more power.

Health Care Anyone?

After reading the article on Clinton and Obamas' plans for economic recovery, I noticed that neither nominee mentioned anything about trying to fix America's health care crisis. Do these nominees not think having nearly 50 million Americans with out health coverage is a crisis in the economy? With one out of every six people uninsured and the majority of these uninsured peopole being children. And the cost of health insurance rising more and more each year I believe this should be an issue in our economy these nominees should take an interest in. I think someone should be proposing a way to reduce the cost of health insurance for those Americans who cannot afford it and/or those who are unemployed.

Clinton's focus for bringing the economy out of recession is on a $2.5 billion job retraining program, which would help the government place displaced workers. Obama's focus is on a $30 billion campaign to rescue struggling homeowners and the jobless. Before the primary elections I heard little from Obama about the homeowners crisis and more about the health care crisis. Why is he changing his strategy now? I guess we will find out come November which issue is the most important in the eyes of the citizens who will have a voice in the popular vote, and weather or not the nominee chosen to be our President will fulfill his/her proposals to the people of the United States.

Dream Ticket ? You Bet

After reading John Dean's article on Clinton and Obama or Obama and Clinton, I do agree that the fight is on for the superdelegates. Each team has their own breakdown on how the delegates are leaning, but there are still alot of them that are up in the air. I know that Bill and Chelsea Clinton have been working for Hillary and Tom Daschle is pushing for Obama, but at this point it is hard to say if Bill is helping or hurting Hillary and also how much help Daschle really is being to Obama.

I know that here in Williamson County, there was a record number of voters voting in the democratic primary. I believe that this was true in most counties. I found myself still somewhat undecided on election day. I did alot of research, read alot of blogs and news articles on both Obama and Clinton. In the end, I found that I could just not get past the fact that Hillary had voted for the war in Iraq and I voted for Obama. Hillary won Texas and she is back in the game.

To tell the truth, I would not be disappointed as long as one of the two wins the election. In his article John Dean discusses how the supporters of the candidate that does not get the nomination could be so upset that they might turn on their own party. I am hopefully that Clinton and Obama can keep the party together and come to an agreement on how to assure a party win no matter which one is on the ticket.

I think that it would be wonderful to have a "dream ticket", with Obama/Clinton or Clinton/Obama. I think this would be one way to get the best of both worlds and hold the
party together. Each candidate has stated that it is too early to discuss such a ticket, but you
know that in the back of their minds they have to be considering it. I guess we will have to wait until August to see how it all plays out.

Mental Health Program needs some Help

The article on mental health reforms in the Dallas News, I am appalled by how it always seems
that the people that need help from the local government are usually the ones that don't get it.
I completely agree with Mr. Coleman from Houston, we as a society need to take better care of
the individuals that are unable to care for themselves. Texas is currenlty not doing a very good
job of caring for these individuals.

Is the answer to close the state schools and other facilities and move our government dollars to
private facilities? I do not believe that our state facilities are beyond of the point of repair.
I believe that with better pay and more training, the facilities could be better staffed and
the staff could also be better prepared to do the jobs that are expected of them.

I think that what needs to be reviewed is one basic question; If you sister, brother, mother, father, husband or wife was mentally ill, who would you want to be taking care of them?
Chances are that with the current state of affairs it would not be the State of Texas.

Obama Won !

I have just finished reading the Andrew Sullivan article on the Kodak debate. Being a woman and a Democrat, most of my friends believe that I will vote for Hillary. I have put a lot of thought into which way I will vote, I am still swinging back and forth, but I agree 100 % with the article that was posted tonight.

My biggest fear has been that Hillary would use her husbands career and record to propel her own campaign. Well, my fear was realized tonight, loud and clear. Anyone who was paying attention during the Clinton Administration knows what a great president Bill was, what we want to know is what kind of president Hillary would be.

Obama had his game on tonight. He kept it civil and stuck to the facts. He was a man in control of his destiny. He came across as a winner and to tell you the truth, he is getting closer and closer to winning my vote!!