Perry defends tuition program

http://www.statesman.com/opinion/perry-rightly-defends-tuition-program-1864287.html

This article published by the Statesman's Editorial Board addresses Rick Perry's position on tuition assistance for qualified illegal immigrants, which has come up on the last two GOP candidate debates.  Strangely enough, I agree -- mostly with the article which opposes the Tea Party's position on the issue.

Oddly enough, one issue that is never brought up, when discussing this topic in debates or newspaper editorials or on cable news networks, is that this is COMPLETELY irrelevant for presidential or party nominee debates!  It is a STATE issue which has nothing to do with Perry's plans for a federal position.  The STATE of Texas elected Perry, the STATE of Texas -and it's legislature made it clear that they support this tuition policy and the Governor allowed it.  Isn't that what a governor is supposed to do? Put into action policies that the people who elected him support??  For the other GOP candidates, none of which represent boarder states, to keep criticizing Perry  on his immigration policies is understandable; after all it is something that they don't have to deal with.  I also respect the Tea Party's position (although I disagree in this one instance) that illegals should not receive financial benefits from tax payers. But this is and always will be a state issue, that should have nothing to do with the upcoming nomination.  People act like Perry wants to goto the White House and give all illegal aliens a free ride to college.  That is not the case.  People act like Mexicans are sneaking across the boarders to get a reduced rate at their favorite Big 12 university.  That is not the case.

Perry is stuck dealing with a very difficult issue, what to do with illegals living in Texas.  He is stuck in this position because of the current president refuses to protect his boarders.  By offering in-state tuition rates to illegals who are on their way to legal citizenship and who have been enrolled in TX high schools, the governor is trying to make the best of the situation that he is stuck in.  I think the author(s) of this article understand this and they make Perry's position sound much more reasonable that Perry was able to do on the past debates.  I wish some one would bring up the fact that we the voters want to hear about the Republican nominee's plans for our country -- not bickering about states issues.

FEMA Comes to Texas

http://www.kvue.com/news/FEMA-says-may-be-too-soon-to-talk-long-term-housing-for-Bastrop-victims-129772553.html

 Local KVUE news station discusses FEMA's attempt to help victims of the Bastrop fire.  At this time, FEMA is not ready to provide housing for fire victims, making it clear that support needs to come from a more local agency.
 Federal agencies are ill-equipped and do a poor job of adequately and efficiently providing aid to natural disaster victims without excessive waste and potential for fraud.  Texans are known for looking out for one another and are generally more effective in meeting the needs of disaster victims in their own state than the federal government is.