Let us make school more affordable

Texas should reduce the cost of their colleges and universities. While I applaud Texas for allowing equal opportunity for all individuals to continue their education, some students still struggle trying to afford school. Therefore, some are not able to finish. Some of the ideas Texas should consider is offer tuition-free colleges and reduce tuition for all universities. In Oregon, they passed a bill which they offer tuition-free schools. This method will allow individuals who truly want to further can do so without stressing over financial burdens. However, there should still be restrictions as to how the system can work. There are individuals who will attend school and may come to find it is not something he or she may want to pursue. A certain school tax should be given to them. That way, we can do our best to encourage individuals to better themselves and have a bright future.

For universities, there should be a tuition reduction. There are students who do not have sufficient funds to pay for supplies, classes, and other necessities. Loans are given so they can have money in the meantime. The downside is the accrued interests and having to pay it all back. With tuitions reducing at a fairer price, students will not have to borrow as much and may have more grants and scholarships offered. With both of these methods combined, there will be a higher number of individuals that receive jobs right after graduating. Those who receive a bachelors and beyond will have a good to great salary which leads to more taxes being taken from their checks and go into the school system. 

How to be safe without being reckless

     The second amendment allows citizens the right to bear arms. They are allowed to own a gun as long as they have a license to own one. Based on Juanita Jean's blog, the writer wrote about a gentleman named Reed who decided to have his gun and mentioned that it was his "duty to guard the military recruiting station. A bystander approached him and asked him if he may take a look at his "A-15 rifle"(Juanita Jean). As Reed attempted to clear the ammunition, he accidentally fired into the pavement(Juanita Jean). Fortunately, no one was hurt. A little bit of background about him: he is 28 years old, lives in Lancaster, Ohio, a gun enthusiast, and has side jobs (Juanita Jean).
      When I first read the post, I thought he did not think clearly about the situation. It is good to demonstrate pride in something you believe in, but to actually have a gun out in public is plain hazardous. Even if Reed did not have negative intentions, another bystander could pass by and find him suspicious of criminal activity. As citizens of the United States, people should have the right to conceal a weapon in case of a true emergency were to happen but not to take the amendment lightly. Having a weapon requires a lot of responsibility. Moreover, what I believe the writer wanted to point out is the fact that he did not care that the gun went off. It is a good commentary for those who believe that there should be certain regulations for the second amendment in order to instill more precautions and prevent any more mishaps.

Federal Prison Reform Long Overdue commentary

President Obama is doing his best to change the criminal justice system. He has recently commuted 89 sentences to those who were in the federal prison in Reno. The brief editorial discusses the new regulations on the federal prisons in Texas allowing the nonviolent drug offenders to have more lenient punishments. Also, new laws passed that include favoring probation, counseling, and treatment over incarceration. This article is meant for readers who believe in second chances and envision improvements and change. Typically, those who are more liberal would approve this reform. It is a short article, but it is apparent as to who the writer is aiming to write to and what argument he is making. Part of the argument is that it is a good idea to reform the system. I agree that offenders do receive a second chance because people are capable of change. However, there has to be a system in which officials decide whether the felon should have his or her sentence reduced. In the editorial, the writer stated that several state prisons were shut down due to the reduction of the population in the prison. He claimed that it save hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars and does not compromise public safety. It would help if the writer included statistics to show the how the reduction of state prisons saved the public its tax dollars and the comparison in safety with and without state prisons. It is not only easier to see the comparisons and facts presented, but also the information the writer presented makes it more credible.


http://www.statesman.com/news/news/opinion/federal-prison-reform-long-overdue/nm2pw/

Same-sex marriage: happy homosexuals, displeased republicans

On Friday, June 26, 2015 was a glorious day; the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage. Everyone that I saw on Facebook was ecstatic about this momentous occasion. I could not be happier myself since I truly believe everyone should have the right to unify with whoever partner he or she chooses. However, not everyone may agree. Some individuals stay faithful to their faith and follow the Bible, as they believe they should. An article by Richard Whittaker titled Republicans Versus “Government Marriage”: Ambitious GOPer calls for marriage-ending special session. The article discussed Republican David Simpson believes “we should just get rid of the institution all together.” Governor Greg Abbot has been railing against activist judges, and Attorney General Ken Paxton believes that state employees should not be forced to comply with the new law. To summarize, Governor Simpson wants to change the process of issuing how marriage licenses will be issued. I find it interesting because individuals have the right to be opinionated and have freedom of religion.  It is difficult to pass laws that will please everyone. There are still nuts and screws to tighten in order for everything to be stable.

http://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/news/2015-06-29/republicans-versus-government-marriage/