Stage 4

The article i read was Asking Texas voters to swap higher sales taxes for property tax cuts by Ross Ramsey. The article begins by proposing a cent increase in sales taxes as a potential amelioration to the fiscally encumbering property taxes people are experiences. Although one cent seems prima facie to be minute, it would actually lead to a collective increase of 5.1 billion dollars in tax revenue. The author then begins to dissect the various motivations by tax increases such as relieving some of the tax burdens put on public school districts. Which pay an enormous sum of money, something on the order of 14.7 billion annually. The article ends on the legislative measures that are being taken to ensue some form of change in the coming years in regards to Texas's tax code. The articles is analyzing the situation in regards to how Texas might go about correcting its tax system. The crucial assumption underlying the authors analysis is that the system is broken. I would agree with this. Texas needs to mitigate the extent of financial burdens that schools are experiencing and learn how to divert fiscal responsibility on to other mediums. As the author discussed, minor changes in sales taxes may be able to cover large portions of said burden. Legislators and political officials should be looking into all manner of options as to how we might begin to sustain a more productive tax system that allows us to flourish, rather than falter. This includes, potentially, an income tax. I understand that most Texans are against an income tax but when confronted with the ramifications of draining our education system, I hope people will begin to see reason.

 The article i decided to read was Women and the draft, what it means to be an American it covered, as stated in the title, the current political climate in regards to female military conscription. There were two main points the article was trying to make, the first was that the ideas that undergird opposition to female conscription are archaic and nonsensical, and the second was that women have already served in vital military positions and deserve recognition. The substratum of the entire discussion about this topic has to do with the topic of patriotism and what it means to serve ones nation. Now, it can be argued that the foundations of societal development are predicated on mandatory military service and self gratifying patriotism. How else is a society supposed to defend its existence, if it does not believe in its own worth, or the necessity to defend it? In the past this role was put on men mainly because of the diverse nature of the responsibilities between the genders, from a biological perspective, puts the responsibility of child rearing/ care taking on the females. Simply put, the men sustain the system while the women carry it forward. Now that we have reached an age in history where these roles have become antiquated, and we are swiftly crawling out of our biological inclinations, we are learning that instincts can be impediments. It is time that we include women in conscripted military service. Although, Americans need to have a discussion about how we can ethically and efficiently assign people to there respect roles. A factor in this conversation may be gender, but it should not be the decisive factor. So in conclusion i agree with the nature of the authors argument. It was tenable, succinct, and articulate.