Comment on a Colleague's Work #2

Road Maintenance- it's a good topic because it appeals to everyone. We all use these roads to get us from here to there.

I agree with Autumn. I believe it was a good decision by Texas officials to put road construction on hold and to focus on bigger issues. We already have decent roads and highways...we can endure the pain and suffering roads cause us for now while we take care of bigger things, such as our troops and much needed funding for education. I'd much rather prefer to take care of things that need to be done first, then start working on the littler things such as road maintenance. 

Autumn chose a great topic and laid out her thoughts clearly in her article. She has expressed her thoughts and opinions well. Overall, it was an interesting piece.

-Brian B

SOURCE- AUTUMN'S GOVT 2306 BLOG

Texas MIC Laws

Its a 20 year old's nightmare...Gettin' an alcohol related offense put on their record just a year before they hit the big 2 1. Be on the look out underage drinkers, you are in even more danger.

Recently Texas has added another provision... providing enforcement with the right to issue MIC's (Minor in Consumption)-similar to a MIP (Minor in Possession). The two are similar, however, the law has no problem throwing out fines without any real evidence. The two offenses are similar; however, to issue an MIC, the absence of any proof of offense is ok. If the cop has reason to believe you have been taking part in that Beer Pong tourney....SLAP! MIC! If you're hanging out on the river with all of your buddies not even near a beer and a cop has reason to believe you've had a couple...BAM! MIC! 

It's no fun...

Not only will you have to pay a hefty fine (some up to $500), but you'll most likely be spending the summer in AA classes. Oh yeah...and make sure you have a ride, because your license is most likely going to get suspended for 30 days. 

If government is going make laws such as these...you might as well make drinking all together illegal. What if someone is issued a ticket a week before their 21st? Do you honestly think waiting that one more week makes that person a more responsible drinker?

I understand laws to keep alcohol away from kids, but c'mon...will that one week make me that much more of an adult? 

Comment on a Colleague's Work

I completely agree with Anna and her blog pertaining to the seemingly never-ending rise of college tuition. Students are paying incredible amounts to achieve their main goal- to graduate from college. The drawback is that most students are going to be paying off loans for practically the first half of their career. It is scary because tuition is only going to continue to rise, which brings your future children's tuition in to mind. Once you've finally paid all of your college loans off, you then have to start working on finding a way to pay for your kid's! By that time who knows what schools will be asking.

Even though the payments are benefiting the institution, schools are still asking too much. It's discouraging to students and is one of the main reasons they can't obtain a degree.

-Brian B

Source-Anna's Political Page

 

More Foster Care Programs

More and more foster kids now days are finding the transition from childhood to adulthood more difficult.  Due to the outrageous cost of living today, many foster children struggle to adapt to today's society. Most foster children lack the skills one would obtain through regular schooling and a regular home-life. To accommodate these teens, programs such as PAL (Preparation for Adult Living) have been organized to assist the fostered in need. These programs provide life skills training, financial assistance, and other services such as driver's education and job training. The House Committee on Human Services should work to increase the budget towards these types of programs and, also, to create more programs such as these to provide funding not only for the children, but also to the state workers who coordinate the programs. These services should begin earlier in foster children's lives to help the kids at earlier ages.  With the foster system continually growing, more aid should be given to kids to help motivate them and to prepare them for the first step in to adulthood.

-Brian B