Texas Legislature - Get to work!

There are three branches in the Texas Government.  The judicial branch, the executive branch, and the legislative branch.  The executive branch executes the laws made by the Legislature; the judicial branch interprets the laws made by the Legislature; and the Legislature sets the policies that affect all of our lives and the future of Texas.  So, what's the issue?
   My issue is that while the judicial branch and executive branch are hard at work 365 days a year, the Legislature can only meet in regular sessions for a maximum of 140 calendar days every two years.  I believe strongly that we need all branches of our government working full time to support the needs of our ever growing state. 

   The Legislature are underpaid at just $600 per month.  When comparing this to the rate in 1961 of $400 per month, it's clear that with inflation the members are making far less.  Based on inflation from 1961 to now, they should be earning $2800 per month. 

   Another reason I don't like the idea of sessions of lawmaking is that they have endings and deadlines that either force quick decisions or the idea of stalling.  There is great incentive for members and lobbyists to do all they can to slow down the legislative process so a bill they oppose will not come up for consideration before the session ends.

   In conclusion, to me it's very clear that the idea of a part time Legislature needs to be one of the past.  Texas is the 2nd most populous state and needs a full time dedicated Legislature in place that will have the best interests of our state in mind.  We need to put an end to citizen legislatures where it's nearly impossible to hold a full time job and meet the time requirements necessary for the 140 days every 2 years.  Lets try 365 days per year!

Need a job? Move to Texas!

According to the BLOG I read, if you want to just look at pure job numbers then yes, Texas is right up at the top of the list of states with significant payroll increases since the end of the recession.  Texas comes in at 2.9% new job growth.  Several factors come in to play to help this number.  Economists point to an array of factors, including high energy prices that set off an oil-drilling frenzy, rising exports and a conservative banking industry that helped the state sidestep the housing crash.

Some other reasons listed for the states job growth are the energy boom.  With such high oil prices that is creating more jobs for exploration and natural gas work.  Also listed are exports and the fact that Texas didn't experience near the impact with the housing boom.  The two other factors are population growth and the lack of a corporate state tax in Texas which drives companies to Texas.

But one would be lazy and irresponsible to stop there.  If you dig a bit deeper, you see that maybe things are quite as rosy as the first two paragraphs have you believe.  The ugly truth is that "Texas ranks 44th in the USA in per-student expenditures and 43rd in high school graduation rates, McCown says. Seventeen percent of Texans lived below the poverty level in 2009, compared with 14% for the nation. The state leads in the percentage of the population with no health insurance and was ninth in income inequality in the mid-2000s".

I think the authors intended audience for this blog is anyone who wants a quick fair overview.  I don't see it as leaning strongly either to the right or left.  Yet, a fair balance view of the good and bad that comes along with the Texas job reality.  I was happy that not only did he give a factual representation of the growth numbers, but also the reality that education and other areas certainly have suffered.  I would recommend this to anyone in the class to read.