Should Texans Have the Right to Know Where Our Tax Dollars Go?

      For my second post I have chosen an article From the Austin American Statesman titled Open Books on Legislative Pensions; which discusses the Anti disclosure laws that have been passed over the last decade here in Texas. In a recent attempt to secure information on the cumulative total of dollar amounts for the pensions collected by Texas's 103 former law makers, an advocate group known as Texans for Public Justice were denied this information  by Travis County State District Judge Lora Livingston.

     Where I can understand why an individual should be allowed to keep the amount they are collecting form public record. I would have agree with the author on the fact that how Texans tax dollars are being used should be made public, afterall this group is not asking about individual benifits recived but the total of all 103 pesions.

      By keeping this information from Texans to me automaticaly raises red flags about what politicans are doing with our tax dollars. At a time when expeditures being cut is causing the underfunding of public schools and other programs to be the normal way of life, there should be no doubt about where Texan's tax dollars are going. After all why should funding for the future generations be cut while lobbyists wine and dine politicians at the expence of tax payers.

     

     

    

   

        

              

 

                     "You Can Have My Gun When You Pry It From My Cold Dead Fingers"

   For my first post I would like to introduce an article I found on the KVUE website at the link listed below. http://www.kvue.com/home/Texas-lawmaker-challenges-unconstitutional-federal-gun-regulations-189282811.html

       As we all know. In the aftermath of the tragic events that took place this January at Sandy Hook Elementary, gun control has become one of the most heated topics in national as well as state level political debate. In light of President Obama's recent "recommendations “on how to curb gun violence; Texas lawmakers and citizens are in an uproar. While Law abiding citizens of this great state are in a rush to stockpile weapons, ammunition and other possibly banned items, Texas State Rep. John Otto and 44 other house Republicans have taken a different approach by filing HB. 553. 

       If enacted into law HB553 would declare bans on assault weapons, high capacity magazines, ammunition and other weapons attachments unconstitutional. Furthermore "The Second Amendment Preservation Act" would make it illegal in the state of Texas for any law enforcement Local or Federal to enforce such bans. Punishment for such activities would include a max 180 days in jail and a $5,000 fine for local officers and 1 year jail time along with a staggering $10,000 fine for Federal agents. As the debate continues at the national level Texas and its lawmakers have made it quite clear that infringements upon our second amendment rights will not be tolerated and that violators will be dealt with accordingly.