Is prayer the answer?

An opinionated article titled "Rick Perry Offers His Solution to Gun Violence: Pray" by Forrest Wilder of The Texas Observer was written on Jan. 16, 2013.  This was an extremely biased article written for a liberal audience.  His basic argument is that Rick Perry is a moron and that his solution for gun control (and all other problems for that matter) is to pray to stop it.  He does nothing but dissect part of a statement released by Gov. Perry and his staff.  His argument has very little to stand on.  He states no facts or evidence that this is Gov. Perry's stand on gun control and does not explain others ideas for gun control.  The author sort of just takes his words out of context and runs with it.  Not only does this article not convince me of anything it angers me that they allow such shoddy journalism on their website.  While Gov. Perry is not the sharpest tool in the shed I think that it is safe to assume that he is not a complete moron.  He said to pray for rain during the drought, what was he supposed to do? Strip down and do the rain dance?  The author is trying to turn his audience against Gov. Perry but he does so in a very childish way.

There was not really much of an argument made.  I think it was just a liberal writer who is fed up with the conservative Governor and was ready to jump on whatever he said next, but I still felt as if he should have put some input as to what others were trying to do on the issue.  Yes, obviously prayer alone is not going to solve gun control issues, but if you are a person religious person does it hurt?  I have been a life member of the NRA since the age of 12 and I am all for the second amendment but I think we do need to start doing some sort of background checks on people.  But simply bashing someone and not offering any sort counter argument is not going to help your cause. 

Soda Tax

The article, written by Tiffany Craig, explains how a San Antonio lawmaker would like to add a penny per ounce sales tax on sugary drinks like soda.  The tax would not affect diet sodas, fruit drinks, or sports drinks.  Rep. Joe Farias says the tax could add an estimated 2 billion dollars to the state's public education fund and might promote a healthier lifestyle.  Farias also tried to introduce a "soda tax" in 2011.  

This is important because people are being taxed to the point of poverty.  Every proposed tax is "estimated" to provide tons of money for a great cause (e.g. public education) yet nothing seems to ever get done.  The fact he states "it might promote a healthier lifestyle" is ridiculous, 20 oz.  of lemonade contains more sugar than 20 oz. of coke yet would not fall under the proposed tax.  I would like to see a plan on how he would spend the estimated 2 billion dollars on public education.