We've all seen government through executive fiat. It's become pretty common during the current administration. The Messiah wants something for his minions and rather then deal with those fractious folks down the street from the White House, he just jots off an executive order. Slam dunk!
That's not the way it works constitutionally in either the national government or the states. Legislatures legislate and executive branches execute. That apparently is a nuance which Michelle Bachmann hasn't noticed yet. She jumped on Texas Gov. Rick Perry last night for the law in our state which provides in-state tuition rates to children of illegal immigrants calling it a "magnet" for illegals.
I'm not a great fan of a two tier rate structure for the state college and university system. I've heard the argument regarding state citizens paying the taxes that fund and subsidize the state higher education system but I don't buy it. All citizens pay taxes in whichever state they reside. There is cross-over between states for attendance at college. Some Oklahoma residents come to Texas for college and some Texas students go to Louisiana for school. The tax issue has to balance out between the states.
It turns out Texas is pretty balanced about the in-state bargain though. We offer in-state tuition for residents of adjacent states. If you live across the state line, you can come to school here and usually get the in-state rate. Young adults who get their college education in a state often tend to stay there after graduation for their jobs. The state gains from a productive citizen making decent wages and paying reasonable taxes.
The issue though is blaming the governor for the policy in the first place:
Four of 181 Legislators Opposed Policy
When the elected representatives of 24 million Texans choose a policy by that overwhelming majority it seems like it might be a pretty good policy.
And as an aside on the issue, does Michelle really think that a Mexican pondering sneaking across the border does so because he intends to reside in the state with his spouse, have a baby, raise that child to college age and then gain a discount on tuition?
No, Ms Bachman, he comes because he wants a job and that job is one which is going begging without that immigrant.
5 comments:
Still Illegal immigration needs to be stopped. Control of a Nations Borders is a MUST.
Ed:
Are you saying that it's o.k. with you when the state of Texas rewards illegality with a $100,000.00 payment to any individual under any circumstance? That we should no longer be a nation or state operating under the rule of law that applies equally to all citizens?
If you believe the payments are o.k. because the legislature agreed to them are you willing to say that In Massachusetts Mitt Romney's signing of their health care law was o.k. for the same reason?
You have my great respect for your service to our country but from time to time I find some of your opinions seem not to be founded
on established and tried and true principles. This is one of those times.
I hope you don't make the next leap by trying to explain away the lies of your governor, Rick Perry. They are documented and on the record you know.
How hard will it be to continue for some to defend Perry's circumventing of the same Texas Legislature when he by executive order, required 12 year old school girls be given injections that resulted in millions in profits to a political supporter, Merc Drug?
The lies are not limited and minor, they are an integral part of your governor's inside parts. Much like one Barack Obama.
Regards,
A Williams in California.
No illegal gets a $100k payment. The value of the tuition subsidy, if applied to a full four-year education at the two top tier state schools would be a reduction in tuition costs of nearly $80k, but that is not a payment. It is the amount of reduction in tuition.
A governor does what a legislature chooses for him. He can argue for his position, but he then must either veto or administer. The majority in favor of the tuition subsidy meant the veto would be over-turned.
The immigrant parents are state residents, they pay state taxes, they contribute economically. The student will be educated and able to contribute more effectively and will be on a path to citizenship as well.
Yes, I believe Romney's compliance with the legislature was OK. Federalism allows for state experimentation in policy which was Romneycare. What is wrong is that when it failed Romney hasn't aggressively condemned it. He could do that quite easily.
As for Merck, they DID NOT gain millions in profits because the program was never implemented! The executive order was appealed within three weeks. Gardisil is available and on the market. Merck's profits on the drug are a result of market forces. Perry erred and corrected the error. He also admitted it.
My service is irrelevant to my arguments and should never be used as a support. Policy discussions are based on good or bad policy choices.
The view of conditions in Texas may be somewhat obscured by the distance, the atmosphere and the political environment of California. It is a lot clearer from Texas. The mass migration seems from CA to TX and not the reverse. I wonder why that is?
Sorry, I can't remember the source but I did read in some newspaper that I consider respectible that Merck had indeed profited to the extent of approximately 18,000,000.00, during the period of the Perry administration, due to the influence of Perry's former Chief Of Staff, or whatever office the lobbyist held at the time the deal was made with Perry
I cannot verify the information and if it's incorrect then so am I. But, life goes on and I continue to believe that law violations and violators should not be rewarded out of public coffers.
Thank you,
Williams in California
My issue with Perry's answer in the debate was that he failed to take the bull by the horns and affirm something like, "They're here, they're not going home, so we're better off educating and making them productive than not." I might not like illegals entering the country with little or no control but, yes, once we conclude they can't all be removed, Texas' "solution" of educating its citizens seems like a darn good answer. If only Perry had owned up to that disagreeable but inevitable fact, I would have liked him. As it was, his demeanor lacked conviction, a quality I see in Obama and have grown to profoundly distrust.
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