NTCL Communications – Page 3 – North Texas Citizens Lobby

Why I am Optimistic About Our Nation’s Future

by Natalie Marshall - SALT

Why am I optimistic about our nation’s future? Honestly, it seems like a peculiar question when headlines inform us of the government shutdown, an ever-rising debt ceiling, and the potential of greater government infiltration into our daily lives. How would a young person grasp a vision for his future? However, every age faces crisis that may prove to define it. But this is the United States–the greatest human experiment the world has ever witnessed. What the United states has always had in its back pocket is optimism-hope for a brighter future. Just as John Adams said to his wife Abigail, “ I am well aware of the toil and blood and treasure that it will cost us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. Yet through all the gloom I can see rays of ravishing light and glory. I can see that the end is worth more than all the means.” I remain optimistic because our nation has an entrepreneurship mentality, because this land is the land of the resilient. Continue reading

Firing Squads for ATF Whistle Blowers!

Anyone in the ATF who leaks highly sensitive information could be subject to death by firing squad! As reported in the Washington Times, October 15, 2013, the ATF’s on-line manual suggests that “leakers” could be subject to execution by firing squad and even goes so far as to include an old photo of a French firing squad.

Continue reading “Firing Squads for ATF Whistle Blowers!”

SALT’s view on Intervention in Syria

At our last meeting, the members of SALT discussed the pro’s and con’s of military intervention in Syria by the US government. Continue reading “SALT’s view on Intervention in Syria”

The Armchair Lobbiest

Do the following statements ring true for you?

We live in a representative government that requires all citizens participate to some degree in the process
Voting (especially in primaries) is not sufficient to affect any significant influence (see video “How to Rig a Majority Vote“)
Most people do not ‘have the interest’ or ‘the time’ to actively and meaningfully participate in politics. Continue reading “The Armchair Lobbiest”

ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT THE TEXAS 84TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION?

Are you satisfied with Texas’ 83rd legislative session? Perhaps a better question would be: Were you aware of Texas’ 83rd legislative session? Did you follow it? Did you participate (contact your legislators, go to Austin in support of or against pieces of legislation) during the legislative session?

Positives during the 83^rd legislative session: Continue reading “ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT THE TEXAS 84TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION?”

States Make Progress on Common Core Assessment Prep

In one year, states will start assessing student learning through computer adaptive tests. But technology issues still pose major hurdles for education in general and Common Core assessments in particular. Continue reading “States Make Progress on Common Core Assessment Prep”

Returning to a Totally Transparent Election- arguments “Against” / “For” paper ballots

“Those who cast the votes decide nothing. Those who count the votes decide everything.”
– Joseph Stalin

Below are arguments against returning to paper ballots.

The indented text is argument in favor of returning to paper ballots.

A.) Public Support / Ignorance
The vast majority of those who do show up and who do vote have confidence in the reporting of electronic voting machines along with confidence in the government and the media that report these vote counts.

ARGUMENT FOR PAPER BALLOTS:
• The general public does not understand how their votes are being counted and stolen via electronic voting machines and the machines that count the bubbled-in paper ballots. (see links at the end of this article)
• The media and those responsible for counting the ballots must expose the evils of counting the votes in secret, through education and support for totally transparent paper ballots.

B.) Outdated, Old Fashioned Methods of Counting the Ballots
Most voters scoff at the idea of abandoning the utilization of advanced technology (refer to item “A.” above.)

ARGUMENT FOR PAPER BALLOTS:
• What are the costs of electronic voting machines to the town, county, and state? How often are upgrades necessary? How much is the cost to warehouse these machines? How secure are the warehouses that store these machines? How secure are the machines overnight at the dozens of early voting locations? The costs of electronic voting machines should be sought, revealed, and compared to the costs of a totally transparent paper ballot counted by local voters at the precinct polling location each evening before Continue reading “Returning to a Totally Transparent Election- arguments “Against” / “For” paper ballots”