Activist presses lawmakers on fiscal discipline

Sullivan, the president of a group called Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, sets up a loyal Republican during a speech in Canton. He spoke of the Republican reign in Texas and a loyal Republican praised his acknowledgement, but Sullivan’s comments were insight of their pitfalls. Sullivan preached that since the Republicans have been the majority in the House and Senate of Texas that they have misused funds and did nothing in terms of property tax cuts. Sullivan isn’t mudslinging Republicans, he offers his support to any party that is in line with his beliefs. Perry promised a $2000 tax cut to homeowners over a three year period that is yet to be seen. Sullivan goes after issues that have been poorly addresses by lawmakers and for which they were given praise for such as CHIP eligibility, a bill against expanding pre-kindergarten programs, and discounting tuition for students who graduate in the top 10 percent of their high school class. Sullivan makes valid observations, but he doesn’t provide adequate accounts of numbers. He looks at the cup half empty. Regardless of party affiliation, lawmakers are going to agree on bills that we don’t necessarily agree with. Instead of doing anything about it we accept defeat in this world we call a democracy, where the many is represented by a few. Sullivan’s ambitions are a step in the right direction of addressing policy that we don’t agree on. The next thing that we need to do is get more people involve. Sullivan and his group’s initiatives definitely have my praises.

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/09/24/0924sullivan.html?COXnetJSessionIDbuild59_prod=N2BTHZ4VWbrqQPDQJHbl3FRlWpMhvQQXFxXYyRwkdZp14XvkphQ2!-532306383&UrAuth=aNaNUObN]UbTTUWUXUVUZTYU_UWU]UWUZUcU]UcTYWYWZV&urcm=y

Ruling could halt Texas executions

Lethal Injection Challenges
Executions in Texas have come to a stand still due to a pending Supreme Court case bearing it unconstitutional. Lethal injection is the method of execution used by Texas and three other states. It has been argued that this method of execution is deemed as cruel and usual punishment, which is a liberty spelled out in the Bill of Rights. Heliberto Chi was scheduled to die in Texas by lethal injection, but was instead granted a reprieve. He was the second man on death row in Texas to be granted a reprieve. Carton Turner Jr. was the first to be granted a reprieve with the ongoing Supreme court case. The Chi case shed much needed light on the negligence of the Texas Court on an appeal for death row inmate Michael Richard. The court refused to stay open past 5 pm for the appeal of the later executed man. It was a case of miscommunication, the judge who should have heard the case was “supposedly” unaware that she was suppose to. Judges also said that they weren’t properly informed on why they needed to stay late. Counsel for Richards argued that the judges knew that they were having computer trouble and needed extra time.
Although it started out rough, I think the courts have taken a turn in the right direction. Lethal injection is cruel and unusual punishment in my opinion. The death penalty as a whole is immoral. /on the contrary felons shouldn’t be let off the hook for their crime. Their life sentence in jail should be as unpleasant as possible, so that they know that they have committed heinous crimes.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/region/legislature/stories/10/03/1003court.html

Supreme Court rules state can't regulate Bible schools Respose

Freedom to practice the religion of your choice. This is a right that was given to us in the Constitution of the United States. But in the constitution of our own state this right had been taken away. In 1998 the Texas Supreme Courts ruled that they had the power to regulate the standard of seminary degrees and that if schools didn't comply with this they would get fined. Thier main objective to this bill was to stop "degree mills" from giving out achievement certifcates and passing them off as if the where actual degrees. They were concerned that these certificates were not being given out because the work was done but because the companies that were giving them out these were more concerned about making money, than actual academic acheviment. And this bothered the leaders of our state. But on august 31, 2007 the third circut of the Texas Supreme Court ruled that the government had no right to regulate the degrees,but in trying to do so they violated HEB's right to religious freedom. They also decided that the state can not stop institutions from using the term seminary. There most appreciated action was the turn over of a 173,000 dollar fine issued to the Tyndale Theological Seminary and Biblical Institute in Fort Worth.
Just reading this made me realize that there are alot of rights that we should never have let be taken away, or adjusted so that the government can control us more. This shows me how much more we have to work with our government and the people of power to make sure that these things don't happen as often. It's a tough job but someone has to do it.

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/region/legislature/stories/09/01/0901religion.html

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