Assignment:
For this assessment, we are going to take a look at the Texas Legislature. We are going to start with watching a video of them voting on an issue that many of you may remember, the HPV vaccine. Next, we are going to review a few of the new laws that have just taken effect for 2018. All of these were passed by the TX Legislature in our last session, which ended mid-2017. The point of this exercise is to, through a video, experience the well-known practice of ghost voting that happens in many states across the U.S. At the same time, we are going to learn about some new laws that just went through this process.
Watch the following video: : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eG6X-xtVask and then read through this short article on some of our new 2018 laws:
You may also need to conduct further research regarding the new TX laws.
- What are your initial thoughts on seeing the TX Legislature participate in "ghost voting"? Knowing the practice is technically illegal, per their own rules, should there be more done to prohibit this?
- Since we elect members of the legislature, largely based on party affiliation, what are your thoughts on the members voting across party lines? Meaning, should democrats be voting for republicans and vice-versa? Are we being represented properly if this is occurring?
- Now that you are familiar with some of the new laws implemented in 2018, what are your thoughts on the new laws?
- Knowing that ghost voting more than likely took place to pass these laws, does that impact the import or weight given to the laws? Obviously, we have to follow them regardless, but do you feel like they take the passage of laws as seriously as the enforcement of the laws?
- Since you are running for office this semester, do you think you would participate in ghost voting while in office?