Proposition 11

Propostition 11 requires that a recorded vote be taken by a house of the Legislature on final passage of any bill, other than certain local bills and ceremonial resolutions, and provides for public access on the internet to those recorded votes.

The Editorial Writers of the Corpus Christi Caller Times are trying to get you to vote YES, on prop. 11. This article first appeared in the editorial section of the Caller Times on October 1, 2007, in hopes of "Putting the Daylight on Legislators' Votes". All the behind the scenes action of our Texas Legislature is getting a little out of hand. Many or our representatives are casting votes several times for themselves, and then moving right along to someone elses desk and casting several more votes. This article is definately directed to the voting public, who cares about what is happening in Austin. The title of this article struck me first "Putting the Daylight on Legislators' Votes", I thought wow that sounds intersting. Then as I began to read the first paragraph I became more and more interseted with our deceptive Texas Legislature. The one question I had was, what is the punishment? The writer/writers of this article failed to give all the facts. They just wanted to push you to vote YES. It nevers says that this law will have punishment. I mean there could be a law that says you cannot commit murder, but if there isn't a listed punishment, like going to court then jail, and possibly death, then why would anyone abbide by the law. I suspect this will happen if prop. 11 passes. They just won't care.

Okay, so we know what the basic argument is right? Pass prop. 11 with flying colors. Somehow I get the notion that the writer/writers assume that the people reading this article are actually educated on the topic. Do most readers even care about what goes on in the House? No, probably not unless they are taking a government class, are over the age of 60, or are actually a payed state representative. The writer/s are also quick to pass judgement on Austin. The article states that Legislators think this bill is an inconvenience and an intrusion into the "clubby atmosphere" of Austin. Even though no one Legislator is actually quoted saying this, you are led to believe the notion that Austin is only open to qualified or approved persons. This article wants you to belive it has values, by making you think government should be open and honest with the public, while also protecting and respecting them. Unfortunately the writer/s fall short, by being one sided, and not completly honest with the readers of the article. The most important terms are not clearly defined. Giving little to no facts in an article makes it unreliable, but giving false information makes it deceptive, just like the Texas Legislature.

For the argument this article is making it is very successful. Convincing you to vote YES on proposition 11 was easy, but for me it wasn't as easy. It convinced me to look for other sources, and dig a little deaper into the proposition. I realized that I want a punishment, I want the public to be informed, and I want to actually prop. 11 to be taken seriously. Until then whats the point? Oh, yeah I forgot. The point is to make our constitution have more crazy quilt additions, so the general public won't care to vote and the Texas government can get away with whatever they want, all the while adding page after page to our "sacred" constitution.