Current Events Quiz 4/14

1. What % of the franchise tax could state business donate to a voucher bill program designed to help students attend private school if they are unhappy with their public school options? Page A1 "Texas Senate…"
Up to 50%. 

2. What are the "two biggest civic challenges" facing Austin, according to mayor Steve Adler? Page A1 "Adler: Austin's success…"
Traffic and housing costs. 

3. What is the political cartoon on Page A9 by Dan Wasserman from the Washington Globe trying to tell is, in your opinion?
The cartoon references the numerous accounts of American police officers shooting unarmed citizens, most, if not all, of whom were black. Many of the murders were caught on tape (and yet very few officers are indicted, not to mention punished). By the graves in "Small Comfort Cemetery" being marked with just the words "There was a video of the shooting," it highlights the fact that despite the fact that there's proof that the victims were innocent, it's a "small comfort" to their loved ones, because they're not coming back.

4. Who won the Master's Golf Tournament over the weekend? Where did he go to college? How old is he? How much money has he made this year? Page C1
Jordan Spieth, the University of Texas, 21, $5 million.


5. What is the number 1 movie in the country this week? Have you seen it? Do you want to go see it? Page D2
Fast and Furious 7, no I haven't seen it, no I don't want to see it. 

Short Answer: Read the story on B1 "Pilot program lets Texas soldiers vote by email"

If this pilot program continues to have the same success it has in the past, it could pave the way for everyone to vote via email. Do you think Americans in 2015 should be voting by email? Do you think there are problems that could arise if people were allowed to vote by email? Are there solutions to those problems? Do you think you might be able to vote via email or online in your lifetime?

No, I don't think that people should be voting by email. Maybe there's potential for electronic voting as a concept, but email can be easily tampered with by people who are experts with things like hacking. I can certainly see candidates having the ballots skewed in their favor, especially as cyber-subterfuge becomes more and more common. There are probably solutions to these problems, but I'd still be wary. I wouldn't doubt it if I'll be able to vote online in my lifetime.