Archive for November 11th, 2008

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the Palin – Lauer Interview

November 11, 2008

Reading my daily dose of Hot Air I watched the Governor Palin interview with Matt Lauer…and wow, she did great.

One of the things that caught my eye on this post was:

Getting the hispanic vote is one of top 3 priorities of the GOP over the next 4 to 8 years. Are there any noted hispanic leaders in the GOP?

Open Letter to all Politicians:

STOP PANDERING TO HISPANICS.  You want to know something?  Yes, most of us are socially conservative.  We believe in hard work, personal responsibility, family values and many other things that define conservatism.

But how can you really ask us to stick with a party that decided to stick a wasteful feel good useless wall along the border with absolutely no talk of a wall along the Northern border?

I want a secure border.  But what does the wall really accomplish other than waste a lot of money and not actually secure the nation?

I like Congressman Henry Cuellar’s (D – Laredo) idea of a virtual fence.  I like the idea of a guest worker program to help stimulate the economy and protect immigrants.  I like the idea that the free market can work just like it has in McAllen, where our economy is one of the fastest growing in the nation, despite the nation’s downward turn.  Our cost of living is low but our quality of life keeps growing.

A fence that extends for a few hundred yards on either side of one of the international bridges just wastes tax dollars and doesn’t actually secure the border.  In the meantime it does take away land from border residents and affects the quality of life of those of us who live in border towns.

Want to win the Hispanic vote?  How about you talk real solutions for securing the border and cool it on the talk about the fence?  Maybe deploy more national guard troops or border patrol agents and setup a virtual fence with more cameras.

But a fence ONLY on the Southern border?  No wonder us Hispanics are upset.

Before you start labeling me ~open borders~ it might be worth your while to read back in the archives of this blog to find out all that I went through on my own college campus whilst defending the position of securing the border.

Don’t think I’ve forgotten the insults like being called a “race traitor” just because I’m a conservative.

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From My State Senator:

November 11, 2008

I have to post this prepared statement in full because wow, I agree with this too!

AUSTIN — On the first day of pre-filing for the 81st Legislative Session, Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa filed S.B. 105, a tuition moratorium bill.  Hinojosa’s proposal would establish a two-year moratorium on tuition rate hikes and limit future increases to key economic indices.
Tuition rates are currently set by the regents of the state’s public university systems, authority granted to them by H.B. 3015 in the 78th Regular Session in 2003.  Since then, combined tuition and fees at public, four-year universities have increased 53%, according to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
Senator Hinojosa believes the current tuition rate-setting scheme fails Texas’ college hopefuls.  ”There is something fundamentally wrong with the current system.  We tell high school students that hard work earns them passage to a public university in Texas.  Once these graduates meet that standard, they are priced out of the very opportunity that motivated them in the first place.  The ‘work hard and get ahead’ story has become a false promise for Texas high school seniors.”
The bill would impose a two-year moratorium on tuition increases at Texas’ public universities.  Following the two-year freeze, university regents could increase tuition rates only once a year, and increases would be capped by the yearly increase in the Consumer Price Index, an inflation tracker.  As for fees, the bill would allow only for fees approved by the majority of student voters unless the fees are required or allowed by statute.
Senator Hinojosa is joined by a coalition of bipartisan support, including Senators Tommy Williams (R-Woodlands), Jane Nelson (R-Lewisville), Dan Patrick (R-Houston), Mario Gallegos (D-Houston), Chris Harris (R-Arlington), Carlos Uresti (D-San Antonio), Troy Fraser (R-Horseshoe Bay), and Dr. Robert Deuell (R-Greenville).
Hinojosa believes that his motivations for filing this bill are on solid policy footing given the bipartisan backing he has received.
“This is not a political issue.  It is simply an issue of accessibility.  State universities supported by the Texas taxpayer should be affordable for the children of working-class families.  An investment in their education is an investment in Texas’ future.  The tuition deregulation policy is making the dream of a college education only that – a dream,” Hinojosa said.
Way to go Chuy!!!

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Missed Me?

November 11, 2008

After a post election hiatus I’ve returned to the blogosphere.  I met with my fellow Young Conservatives of Texas members and the consensus overall was that we are willing, ready and able to promote conservatism throughout the state and the nation.

Over the next few months there will be a stronger focus on this blog on state politics…after all, the Texas Legislative Session is starting up soon and it’s important to fight battles we know we can win:

-lower taxes

-less government

-individual liberty

-personal responsibility

I’ve accepted the challenge this November and I hope you have too.

As always, for faster, more up to date updates from me, follow me on twitter:

www.twitter.com/lauraelizabethm

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