The Premium Roads.

     Jimmy Pham's blog post about toll roads enlightened me. I see toll roads as a premium service for drivers to avoid the daily traffic jams. This view stands. But I never thought that the toll roads themselves might harm Texas' economy. However, this post had me wondering: if there is a major downside, then why do Texas drivers voluntarily use this service? Yes, the Government's decision to fund toll roads rather than creating new highways seems odd. Nevertheless, the toll road's positives outweigh its negatives.

     The toll roads are the answer to relieving daily traffic. There is no argument there. Furthermore, the toll roads create a steady stream of revenue from the drivers. The toll seems small, but once you add up the number of drivers that use the toll roads, the coins quickly add up to a hefty chunk of change. This idea alone makes my eyes twinkle because I love when a genius plan, the toll, pays off. No pun intended. Unfortunately,  every plan has its downside.

     The major drawback of the toll road is its foundation: its toll. Why doesn't the Government just create new highways that don't have a toll? That's easier said than done. Where does that imaginary money come from? It comes from us, the taxpayers. The enticing part of the toll is that people pay a small fee, and they are able to breeze by traffic. The wind blows through our hair or lack thereof. This enjoyment is all uninterrupted. That's the best part! Unfortunately, there is the question of people abusing the toll roads without payment. But the joke is on those fools because surveillance captures any vehicle that passes by the station. And they send a letter out to the driver's address. This is from experience, so take my word on it.

      Toll roads receive two thumbs up! We pay money at the toll booth to use its service; that sounds like a fair trade.  

Crisis Down South!

      Immigration has been a hot concern for any state located along the northern and southern border. Texas is a state with a changing demographic. The Caucasian majority is slowly being overthrown by a rising Hispanic community, and people emigrating from Mexico is the cause. I find this to be a great thing. However, this inflation of persons has caused some controversy. Can an overwhelming surge of people who are in search of economic opportunities hurt Texas? These prejudice comments annoy me. If the young and old of Mexico are willing to risk their safety for a promising dream, then I say give them a chance to either succeed in this country or fail. Texas should relieve some of the restrictions of immigration.

     Texas has the ability to deregulate immigration policy: the state could offer programs that specifically target immigrants who come as families, and the programs could provide guidelines that require the family's children to attend school. Furthermore, the experimental program could grant the parents an opportunity to work. These are basic ideas that could be the basis for something grand because the benefits of having a higher population is appealing. Many immigrants take jobs that are looked down upon many Americans: scrubbing restaurant facilities. Also, the eagerness to work stimulates many businesses that do not have a high prerequisites. The young immigrants show the most potential. If the youth are willing to pursue higher education, then the jobs, which have higher standards, expand. Moreover, they can create jobs for people. Unfortunately, denizens of Texas have prejudice against the idea of more immigrants.

     Many people have the misconceptions that immigration brings only trouble. Job availability is a high concern. With the recent economic down turn, the number of the unemployed has risen, and that creates an uneasy competition for jobs. And people accuse immigrants of taking jobs away from Americans. This claim angers me. Immigrants don't purposefully steal jobs from others, and I'm sure they empathize with the hardships of unemployment.  

     Nevertheless, the possibility of every citizen of Texas favoring deregulation at the border seems low. But the thought of people being more sympathetic to aliens from Mexico delights me.