Voter Apathy

I agree with "The Texas Talk". Voter turnout is abysmal in the United States, and worse yet, voter IQ is almost nonexistent. Our populace lacks basic knowledge about a majority of political issues prevalent today. This leads to two outcomes, both of which hurt our society. The first is that uninformed voters stay at home on election days, refusing to vote due to their lack of knowledge of the issues and candidates. Of course, as my colleague says, it would only take five or ten minutes a day to become more educated about political issues than most people. The other, possibly worse, outcome occurs when uninformed voters actually vote. While it is encouraging to see people vote, uninformed citizens often vote either randomly or based off of irrelevant factors such as name recognition. We need to encourage our peers to not only get out and vote, but also to become informed about the issues and candidates that affect our lives. I think "The Texas Talk" and I are in agreement on that point.

Please visit "The Texas Talk" for reference.

Prop 1 Passed

As we all know, election day has come and gone. Last Tuesday, Texans all over the state voted on a variety of candidates and issues both national and local. One such issue of particular importance to Austin was proposition 1. Prop 1 would authorize the city of Austin to issue $90 million worth of bonds to fund road and sidewalk improvements, as well as bike lanes and trails. Prop 1 passed on Tuesday by a fairly significant margin, but was nevertheless a contentious issue in the days leading up to the election. Prop 1 will help clear up congestion at some major problem areas that commuters have to deal with on a daily basis. It will also allow the city to take advantage of recession prices, meaning the actual construction projects will be cheaper than they normally would be. Opponents, however, argue that the proposition doesn't do enough to relieve congestion and fix deteriorating roads. They also oppose the so-called "quality of life" projects lumped into the bill, such as improvements to the trail around Lady Bird Lake, and claim these plans should be included in a second, separate proposition. Additionally, opponents say that Austin should not be borrowing during a period of economic downturn, especially with Texas facing a record budget deficit. These are all good points, but I continue to support Prop 1 for several reasons. Interest rates are very low right now, and the city can probably borrow the requisite amount cheaply compared to historical levels, making now an advantageous time to borrow. The bill will also create at least 200 jobs over two-to-three years, which is especially important given the high rate of unemployment plaguing the nation. The proposition is thus a stimulant for an economy facing difficult times. Furthermore, the bill will result in an improvement to Austin's infrastructure, which will benefit everyone. While improving a trail and improving a road are very different projects, they both enhance the overall quality of life for the citizens of Austin. I voted in favor of the proposition on Tuesday, and was glad to see the bill passed; as citizens of Austin, we will all benefit from the passing of Prop 1.

Response: Abdallah's Law

My colleague George Aguillon recently posted a commentary about Abdallah's Law, which is one bill that will be debated in the upcoming 82nd legislature. Abdallah's Law would allow DWI convictions from other states to be applied to sentencing in Texas. If a driver has a DWI conviction in another state that was ruled a misdemeanor, instead the ruling would be considered a felony in Texas and would affect the sentencing in a DWI case here (a DWI is a felony in Texas). Thus drivers with multiple DWIs in other states classified as misdemeanors would be facing their second, third, or fourth felony charge if convicted in Texas, rather than their first, and would be facing much more severe penalties. Furthermore, the law would set stricter punishments for more damaging DWI accidents; a driver that breaks another driver's leg in an accident would not receive as severe a sentence as a driver that outs another driver in a coma. The law would take a more serious stance against drunk driving in Texas.

I completely agree with George on the topic of Abdallah's Law. Drunk driving is an irresponsible and shameful act, especially when it results in damage to another person. It shouldn't matter where past infractions occurred; instead, the fact that an infraction has occurred at all should be enough to increase the severity of punishment. At the very least, the fact that a driver has been convicted of DWI in the past should be taken into consideration by the jury when deciding on sentencing. Driving a car anywhere is a dangerous act, but drivers with multiple DWI convictions (multiple can even be 10 or more) roaming the streets make it even more dangerous. As someone who has had friends involved in drunk driving accidents (as victims), I know how terrible and devastating accidents can be. People who drive drunk should have to learn from their mistakes. Letting them run to a different state with no past history of their offenses is just not right, and Abdallah's Law will hopefully be passed in the upcoming legislative session.