This post will conclude my assessment of the 49 bills Perry vetoed.H.B. 3457 — Hochberg/Zaffirini. This has to be the most inscrutable veto message ever. The bill prohibited school buses from idling when parked on school property or at a school event. Maybe the idea was to save fuel. Maybe
One of the most famous annual gatherings of the world’s elite is the Bilderburg Group, described on Wikipedia as “an unofficial annual invitation-only conference of around 130 guests, most of whom are persons of influence in the fields of business, media, and politics. The elite group meets annually at exclusive,
This is a continuation of the previous post, “Assessing the Vetoes,” discussing the merits of Governor Perry’s veto. The link to the Web site for the list of vetoed bills and Perry’s veto messages appears in Part 1.HB 2006 — Woolley/Janek. This was an eminent domain bill that was intended
Representative Warren Chisum sent this letter to me following the publication of the Best and Worst Legislators article. Mr. Chisum was designated as one of the “Ten Worst.”According to your Best & Worst Legislators article, it’s bad to believe that marriage should be saved if at all possible. It’s bad
The SurveyUSA tracking poll for June reflects an abrupt turnaround in the fortunes of Rick Perry. The governor’s approval/disapproval rating soared from 41/54 to 49/46. Is this just a statistical anomaly? Perhaps not. In the closing days of the legislative session, Perry was very active, vetoing the first transportation bill
The decision of how a blog treats comments has proved to be a difficult one. I never dreamed, when we started the blog, how difficult it would be. Evan Smith and I have had long conversations about this subject. He has generally leaned toward giving readers the right to say
I’m going to evaluate the governor’s vetoes. If you prefer your information unfiltered, the list of bills vetoed together with Perry’s veto messages are available on the governor’s Web site. I must add the caveat that what a bill does is not always apparent, at least to me, and
I’m sure that all of Rick Perry’s 49 vetoes were based upon substantive arguments and not personalities. Really and truly. But … we all know that darkness and suspicion can sway the heart and infect the mind. Just in case some misguided souls might think that the governor would use
A correspondent took us to task for not elaborating on the members who were listed under “Dishonorable Mention.” The blog affords the opportunity to comment on them and on other members. Let’s start with:Honorable MentionRob Eissler was a breath–make that a windstorm–of fresh air compared to his predecessor as chairman
For the next 24 hours, you can read the full story. After that, pick up a copy of our July issue, which will be on newsstands next week.THE BESTRafael Anchia, Democrat, DallasSen. John Carona, Republican, DallasByron Cook, Republican, CorsicanaSen. Bob Deuell, Republican, MesquiteScott Hochberg, Democrat, HoustonLois Kolkhorst, Republican, BrenhamJerry
The worst thing about doing the Best and Worst story (aside from a special session while the story is on the newsstands) is that we have a press conference to announce the list. Evan Smith will do the the actual announcement. Time and place: 9 a.m., the Omni downtown.
The author of the transportation bill sent an e-mail with two corrections to the interview I posted yesterday on the effect of the bill. Here are his comments:In response to your question about how the moratorium effects the proposed managed lane projects in the San Antonio area, the post on
[The conclusion to this post has been updated]What follows is the result of a discussion I had with a knowledgeable person who was involved in the debate over transportation and toll roads and who prefers not to be further identified at the present time. After the discussion, I received two
Let’s wait another week, until the 17th, the deadline for vetoing bills. Even the usual “well informed sources” haven’t heard much. There is a lot of speculation that Perry will come close to breaking his own record of 83 vetoes, as a way of making the point that lawmakers should
politico.com, a recent Internet startup, is reporting that Robert Talton is seriously considering a race against Democrat Nick Lampson in the 22nd congressional district, which is Tom DeLay’s old seat. One person who wouldn’t miss Talton is Tom Craddick, who had to rule on approximately 2 jillion points of
We have heard a lot of brave talk from Texas Democrats about how vulnerable John Cornyn is, but some of the major national political Web sites have a different take on the 08 Senate race. It’s not promising for the Democrats. With $3.8 million in the bank as of April,
Is Mikal Watts the best challenger the Democrats can put forward against John Cornyn in 2008? Watts has announced the creation of an exploratory committee, which usually means that all the exploring is over with and the candidate intends to run. The case for Watts is that he has made
This story appeared in the San Antonio Express-News on May 25. I completely missed it. This is what happens in May of odd-numbered years. You say the world is going to hell? Don’t bother me with trivialities. Just tell me whether a budget compromise has been reached, and
I had a conversation with a Craddick staffer during one of those stand at ease moments in the final days (never was standing at ease so uneasy) during which he said that the speaker believed the Republicans could pick up as many as eight House seats in 08 if Hillary
Twenty-five years after his death, Sam Hopkins is still one of the most influential bluesmen in history—that much we know. But we don’t know nearly enough about who he was.
One of the issues inherent in writing a blog is the extent to which readers’ comments should be subject to censorship. My initial impulse was to publish everything. I make my living under the First Amendment, and I am reluctant to place any restraints on speech. Furthermore, the culture of
The Associated Press is reporting that Dan Bartlett, counselor to the president, is resigning after being with George W. Bush for fourteen years. He will seek a career outside of government. This is the point in a presidency — just over a year and a half left — when aides
“Fiddlesticks!!” is Katy Johnson’s rumored retort to those who say they can’t fix a good home-cooked meal. But help for the culinary challenged has finally arrived via Fiddlesticks: Johnson Family Cookbook, a collection of “grandma classics” compiled by Johnson’s family. Now there’s no excuse; we all can fix a good
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas at 25.
1 cup chopped onions 1 cup chopped bell peppers, various colors 1 cup chopped mushrooms, any type 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheeseSauté chopped onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until soft and slightly brown. Combine sautéed vegetables and cheese in a medium-sized
Placido Domingo on being an opera star.
Senior editor Michael Hall on researching blues legend Lightnin’ Hopkins.
The shirt off your back.
OH, BABY: That’s what Texas Monthly’s editorial and art staffs thought when we learned that three of our editors were expecting their first children within a few weeks of one another. We’re pleased to introduce our future staffers below (though we’re not through yet: senior editor Pamela Colloff is due
The DA and the DNA.
Free advice for Devin Durant.
Lela Rose on buying a wedding dress.
A historic neighborhood reemerges with a new edge.
CAPTAIN CLETE BUCKALOO? Even Hollywood couldn’t make that up. Why? Because Captain Buckaloo is Texas real, as are the rest of his fellow Rangers. One look at him should make any criminal think seriously about going legit.CHARLES POLANDNacogdochesHOW THE HECK did you ever get Big Tex into a suit?GLORIA S.
“Everybody goes to RicK’s.” Isn’t that the play they made into Casablanca? The film was on my mind the other night at the Houston enclave that houses the third and grandest incarnation of locally renowned Mexican restaurant Armandos. Conversation and top-shelf margaritas swirled around us, and owner Armando Palacios
Why I have James Salter—and Andypants—to thank for my new tattoo.
The Austin ornithologist and rocker has enchanted audiences with the lush, intense music of his band Shearwater. Thanks to the group’s recent signing with the independent label Matador, its 2006 album, Palo Santo, is getting the reissue treatment (with previously unreleased tracks).How did the band end up on
Fire ants forever. (sigh.)
Where have all the cowboys gone?
What the late LBJ confidant Jack Valenti remembered about the longest day of his life.
How Dirk Fowler became the state’s latest, greatest poster artist.
Each year, some 55,000 talented high school musicians try out for 1,500 chairs at the Super Bowl of band geekery: the Texas Music Educators Association Clinic/Convention in San Antonio. Once upon a time, I made the cut.
David Buss understands how Stone Age hookups made us who we are—but can that help me get a date?
William Martin reviews our places of worship.
AT SOME POINT EARLY IN THE PLANNING of this issue, our articles editor, Brian Sweany, asked if it was a problem that two stories hinge on the Kennedy assassination: the excerpt (“The President Is Dead, You Know,”) from LBJ consigliere Jack Valenti’s memoir and my interview with actor Bill
Artists like Dallas’s MC 900 Ft. Jesus (all the rage in the early nineties) and current acts like Austin’s D:Fuse have always dotted the state, yet Texas has barely had a foot in the door of the electronic music scene. While superbly envisioned and created, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL AT ALL
The backstory attached to Austin singer-songwriter BEAVER NELSON used to be his fruitless early-nineties run through the major-label wringer. But now that he’s released albums more or less consistently since 1998, the question is this: Why isn’t the world beating a path to Nelson’s door to record his songs? As
So she’s only 23. Lindale’s MIRANDA LAMBERT may not be ready to impart any life lessons, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t already a damn good storyteller. Here’s how CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND (Sony BMG Nashville), the follow-up to her hit debut, opens: “I’m goin’ home, gonna load my shotgun/Wait by the
A liberal newspaperman in George W. Bush’s backyard.
How Ric Williamson became public enemy number one.
