Texas in politics

1. Participation in Politics
Kailey Jones
Major: Biology and Chemistry
Hello! My name is Kailey! I am a double major in Biology
and Chemistry, here at Grayson finishing my last course
that is required for my major, while maintaining full-time
status. Please enjoy the cartoon that I believe best
represents the Lone Star State.

2. Motivating Factors in becoming an active
participant in our Political system
• Having the opportunity to have my voice be heard.
-Voting allows me to have a say on what changes are made within the government that affect me directly.
• Women and African-Americans have not always had the opportunity to vote, so I see it as a homage to my
ancestors before me.
• I believe middle-class citizens are most essential at the polls because they take up such a big part of the
population which means most people being affected by changes will be middle-class Americans.
Aside from what we have discussed in this class, I am not very well versed on what issues are present or at
the polls, aside from mainstream issues. Abortion and the legalization of marijuana are very conflicting topics
currently that I have been discussing recently. As far as something I want to keep the same, I believe they
should completely drop the idea of the government making decisions on individual healthcare practices for
mentally capable females. For a change, marijuana is used for treatment of chronic illnesses. With any
treatment, it should be prescribed, but at this point it would be cheaper for everyone if it were recreational.

3. I learned
Slide Three: List things you have learned this semester that
surprised you about the Texas government processes. (What did you
not know before, what would you like to know more about and was
there anything you were not expecting learn, but you did?)
• School systems- budget, lunch, financing for college, etc.
• Healthcare practices-Men in the government have a strong say in
women
• Death penalty up for question-Texas needs to stay Texas.

4. Important Political Issue for future
generations
I believe the issue regarding minimum wage is something that should, by law, fluctuate “with the times”. If
the economy goes to nothing, there is no reason someone should be paid $20 and hour to warm up frozen
hamburger patties. On the other hand, when the economy is thriving, and everyone is taxing everything
because they can or there is a shortage of employment. Pay them $21! Because when these changes take
place, it indirectly effects every expense we have. For example, gas goes up- the guy bringing the gas must
charge extra because it costs so much for him to get there. So, the gas stations must charge more. I pay
more for my gas. Now, no one, not even the government can afford to go anywhere or ship anything, so we
run out of toilet paper because everyone is home, and they can’t ship any in. The guy at the toilet paper
factory is working over-time to get it out, but his boss isn’t paying him extra because it cost so much for the
boss to get supplies brought in to make the toilet paper, so he is barely breaking even. Everyone that is home
more now is using more electricity, water, and the gas that’s so expensive. The power grid goes out, the
electric company charges more per hour to keep people off of it, I could go on an on about how not having a
strong foundation can ruin everything. It is essential that those being paid base pay or minimum wage are
being paid based on the economy overall. We can’t pay a high amount for basic skill level jobs when things
are steady, or everyone else is out of work. But, we have to pay these amounts when housing costs are rising,
gas prices are through the roof, and employees are going above their job description. Why? Because it’s fair.
Everything trickles down, but in the middle of an economic crisis, shortchanging those inferior does nothing
but cause the entire economy to plumet. This issue needs to be solved with a sliding scale, based on the
economy that will be recalculated every year or so to prevent an economic crisis, before this generation
enters the working class ideally.

5. TX in the Federal Govt.
• I believe Texas has a solid influence of the decision making process
of the federal government. It is a state that is often talked about
similar to California or Florida. It is densely populated, which
means there are even more opinions that people. I fully believe
that Texas is fully capable of making decisions for the federal
government if enough Texans showed support. Their role is simply
to present an issue, and if Abbott has the fight and influence in
him, it wouldn’t be very difficult to get his way.

6. Take-aways
• The main thing I finally got a grasp on was differentiating between
the legislative, executive and judicial branches of Texas
government. I understood them, but now I know which branch is
being discussed without being told.
• I also was not aware of all of the political parties, I thought it was
Democrat or Republican.

7. Works Cited
Mora,S. (2019). The State of Texas Government, Politics and Policy
Fourth Edition. New York, NY: McGraw Hill Education. ISBN:
9781259912412