Transportation is something that Texas has fallen behind on. With Texas being a now more urbanized area than rural, and housing the countries third largest city in the world, it's a wonder as to why public transportation has not been a bigger issue through out the years. A good friend I have made this semester named Keturah posted in her blog some of these same questions.

Coming from New York, New York, one can assume that her credibility on the topic is stronger than most in Texas. I honestly can't remember the last time I took a bus simply because I have a car, and the convenience out weighs that of public transportation, but that is simply because our public transportation system "is" in fact a train wreck. Keturah supports her argument by stating that the four most beneficial things that would result from improved public transportation, are the decrease in traffic congestion, accidents, jobs, and the economical advantages to those who participate in public transportation. Each one of her arguments appeals to logos, as one can see that these would indeed be the side effects of improved public transportation, that is, unless we hire really bad bus drivers who have accidents all the time.

I believe her intended audience is those in a position to do something about the issues at hand. Here in Austin, I must say that Public Transportation is better than I've seen anywhere else in Texas, but if you know anything about the new rail system we have here, then you know how easy bad accounting can step in and destroy a good idea.

With the Obama administration shutting down the Republican-supported law requiring voters to show a state ID when placing their vote, Gov. Rick Perry is accusing the President of continuing his "pervasive federal overreach." Obama claims that the Texas Voter ID Law would potentially harm turnout for Hispanic voters, but how is presenting ID to vote any more difficult than presenting ID to register to vote? 


In order to register to vote in Texas for the first time, you need an ID. And if you don't have an ID at the time of registration, the letters "ID" are put on the top of your voter's registration card so when you do go to vote a poll worker knows to confirm that you are who you say you are.     


Most people today have photo IDs; anyone with a bank account, moving vehicle, or even a library card (at least in my case) has a state issued piece of plastic with a name and a picture. In today's world, I can guarantee you that there are more people with state issued ID cards than there are voter registration cards.

One might ask: "What is he getting at?" All of us know someone at one time or another that felt passionately about the decisions being made at the polls and yet were unable to vote due to the fact that they hadn't registered, or had missed the deadline. I can think of three, and yes... my name made my own list.


In fact, I would find it less detrimental to voter turnout if they demanded state issued IDs at the polls and did away with voter registration all together. Call me a "radical" if you will, but I don't think it is a far fetched idea that voter registration is keeping voters from voting.

My stance on this issue is multi-pronged. With the things that most of us put up with in our lives, remembering to register to vote is not always at the top of the list. Therefore we may see a larger flow of voters if registration is either able to be done the day of voting at the the ballot box or done away with all together. In either case an ID or "proof of citizenship" is necessary to vote.