Politics & Policy
March 3, 2013
Senator Sylvia Garcia
The former Harris County commissioner beat State Rep. Carol Alvarado in a run-off election to replace the late Mario Gallegos.
3666 Articles
Politics & Policy
March 1, 2013
About That Fiscal Conservatism
With state debt hitting $40.9 billion, can Texas really be considered fiscally conservative?
Politics & Policy
February 27, 2013
Patrick Bill Would Place Restrictions on the Use of Mifepristone; TMA has Reservations
Sen. Dan Patrick's bill, which would require doctors to personally administer the two doses of the medication that induces abortion, is a dagger to the heart of the Republican party.
Politics & Policy
February 21, 2013
Should the Gas Tax Be Increased?
Senator Kevin Eltife (R-Tyler) has proposed paying for highway construction by increasing the gasoline tax. Empower Texans' Michael Quinn Sullivan has slammed that idea, but he should explain why he believes is better to build highways with bonds than with taxes.
Politics & Policy
February 19, 2013
Citizens Not So United?
A potential crack has opened in the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in the Citizens United case. The Associated Press has reported that the Court will hear a challenge to campaign finance laws limiting how much an individual can give to political campaigns. The justices agreed to hear an appeal from an Alabama resident and
Politics & Policy
February 19, 2013
Dewhurst and Senators Praise Powers, Criticize UT Regents; Conspiracy Theories Abound
Kevin Eltife was the author of the resolution praising UT president Bill Powers. A love fest followed, in which most senators lavished praise on Powers, who stood on the Senate floor at the front of the chamber. Dewhurst’s effusive admiration for Powers was striking, particularly since the lite gov has
Politics & Policy
February 16, 2013
LBB Calls for Medicaid Expansion; Return to the State Is $4B
Three guesses who is turning backflips at this news. It’s the freshman Republicans, who were facing the prospect of (a) voting for a $7 billion spending bill or (b) telling their hometown doctors, hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare providers to go fly a kite.This is a no-brainer. The federal
Burka Blog
February 15, 2013
Hostile Regents on the March Against UT President
I spoke at length to an unimpeachable source in state government today who said developments this week have been unfavorable to Powers, who has been hounded for months by regents appointed by Rick Perry. For instance, regents unfriendly to Powers have reopened a review of the University of Texas Law School Foundation and
Politics & Policy
February 14, 2013
Perry’s California Dreaming
Rick Perry's trip to California is not about recruiting businesses. It is about recruiting Republican donors in the Golden State — at state expense, no less, and with a large security detail.
Politics & Policy
February 12, 2013
The State of Taxes
Texas won’t get its financial house in order until lawmakers have a thoughtful conversation about the T-word. Don’t hold your breath.
Politics & Policy
February 12, 2013
The Public Ed Debate Hits the Floor
House Democrats picked up a surprising ally Monday afternoon in their bid to persuade Republicans to join their quest for immediate action on restoring the cuts to public education: second-term Republican David Simpson.
Politics & Policy
February 12, 2013
The New Look of BurkaBlog
Since we launched the redesigned texasmonthly.com, I’ve received lots of feedback from my readers. Now that the editors have had a little bit of time to work through some of the kinks, I wanted to address some of your concerns. During the redesign we switched to a new commenting system
Politics & Policy
February 11, 2013
Do the D’s Have a Shot at Cornyn?
On January 30, Public Policy Polling, a Democratic firm, released a poll on the U.S. Senate race in Texas. Did someone just say, What U.S. Senate race in Texas? Well, PPP surveyed John Cornyn’s prospects of keeping his seat against four Democratic opponents. As PPP put it, most
Politics & Policy
February 8, 2013
One Month Down . . .
Today marks the end of the first month of the 83rd Legislature. What have we learned during that time?
Politics & Policy
February 8, 2013
Vouchers May be on Life Support
Earlier this week during a Texas Tribune event, Speaker Straus warned vouchers supporters in the Senate that a "divisive" bill would not be welcome in the House and might not reach a vote.
Politics & Policy
February 7, 2013
Opening Moves
Democrats have signaled their intention to offer an amendment to restore the education spending cuts made last session, which signals to everyone who is watching that the Democratic strategy is going to pretty much be this: make the Republicans pay for every bad vote.
Politics & Policy
February 6, 2013
Charters v. PEG
As most readers know, one of the battles of the 83rd Legislature is likely to occur over the use of public funds for private schools. Lieutenant Governor Dewhurst and Senator Dan Patrick are backing the proposal. (At a recent Texas Tribune event, Speaker Straus urged caution on the issue.) The
Politics & Policy
February 5, 2013
UT (nervously) awaits next batch of Perry regents
From a statement by the Texas Exes, the university’s alumni association:The terms of three distinguished members of The University of Texas System Board of Regents expired this past Friday. These appointments will be made by Texas Gov. Rick Perry.* * * * If the new regents are anything like the
Politics & Policy
February 4, 2013
School finance decision expected today
State district judge John Dietz is set to rule today following closing arguments in the school finance litigation. His decision could have huge ramifications for the state budget. It’s hard to argue that the state’s support for public education meets either the efficiency standard or the adequacy standard. The target
Politics & Policy
February 3, 2013
Perry and Abbott: deal or no deal?
If so, what is it?Brad Watson of WFAA-TV in Dallas made big news with his report of a potential deal between Perry and Abbott. From the station’s website: In an exclusive WFAA interview Wednesday, [Jan. 31] Gov. Rick Perry said Attorney General Greg Abbott has told him he won’t
Politics & Policy
January 31, 2013
State of the Session
What have the opening weeks of the Eighty-third Legislature taught us? And where do we go from here?
Politics & Policy
January 31, 2013
State of the Website
Today marks another big step forward at Texas Monthly, thanks to the hard work of countless people on our staff (and countless late nights that turned into early mornings). We’re launching a new and vastly improved website, which I hope you’ll spend some time browsing. One of the
Politics & Policy
January 31, 2013
BREAKING: House committee assignments
Well, today is the day that the Speaker’s honeymoon ends and the members’s complaints begin. Last session the Republicans held 25 chairs and the Democrats 10. This time around it’s Republicans 24 and Democrats 14. Of course, the Democrats picked up seats in the last election cycle, but I suspect
Politics & Policy
January 30, 2013
Cornyn, Cruz oppose Kerry confirmation
The emergence of Ted Cruz has made life miserable for Minority Whip John Cornyn. Cruz constantly has the senior senator for Texas looking over his right shoulder. Cornyn voted against Kerry as secretary of state, as did Cruz, but it’s likely that he did so only to inoculate himself against
Burka Blog
January 30, 2013
Not with a bang but a whimper
And so ends, for all practical purposes, the long Perry governorship. In an article I posted on Saturday, previewing the State of the State address, I asked, “Is it his last?” The tenor of his speech yesterday affirms that it is. Perry spoke mainly about the state he loves:
Politics & Policy
January 26, 2013
Perry will deliver State of the State address on Tuesday; is it his last?
And what will he say? He will no doubt take credit for the flourishing economy and the things that contribute to it: low taxes, low spending, a favorable regulatory climate, and a judicial climate that is hostile to lawsuits. He will touch on his legislative priorities; in particular, the fetal
Politics & Policy
January 25, 2013
SAEN: DNC finance chair Munoz’s career marred by fiscal debacle
The San Antonio Express-News has a story today by columnist Gilbert Garcia about Munoz’s experience in handling a project called Museo Alameda. (Garcia, you may recall, wrote a well-received book about the 1976 presidential primary in Texas called Reagan’s Comeback.) I don’t think Obama would be cheered by the
Politics & Policy
January 24, 2013
“Battleground Texas”
I have long been a skeptic about the prospects for revitalization of the state Democratic party, but recent developments call for re-evaluation. For one thing, the new finance chair of the Democratic National Committee is Henry Munoz III, of San Antonio. Some of his fundraising is likely to benefit
Politics & Policy
January 23, 2013
Campbell, Davis draw two-year terms
As a result, Donna Campbell will have a very short time to get adjusted to the Senate before she has to defend her seat in a Republican primary. A four-year term would have solved that problem. Several members from San Antonio are thought to have their eyes on the seat,
Politics & Policy
January 21, 2013
The way politics ought to be
I’m not a regular reader of RedState.com, but I was struck by the piece Erick Erickson posted late yesterday about President Obama and his second inauguration. The headline of the column is “The Loyal Opposition,” and I’d like to take the liberty of posting it here in its entirety:Congratulations
Politics & Policy
January 21, 2013
Recommended reading: John Weaver on the future of the GOP
This article appeared in RealClearPolitics last week. Scott Conroy writes about Texas Republican consultant John Weaver’s concern about extremism in the Republican party: For Republican operatives who believe their party’s core has taken a self-destructive turn to the far right — and that the GOP must recalibrate significantly in
News & Politics
January 21, 2013
20 Sessions
A brief history of every Legislature we’ve ever covered.
Best and Worst Legislators
January 21, 2013
2011: The Best and Worst Legislators
For the Eighty-second Legislature (our twentieth at the Capitol), everything old was new again: the state faced a budget deficit; the governor harbored presidential ambitions; the members of the Best list were hard to find; and the names on the Worst list picked themselves.
Politics & Policy
January 20, 2013
Straus of Representatives
The likely Speaker of the House promises no retaliation, an end to the acrimony, and tells his fellow Republicans to “wake up!”
Politics & Policy
January 20, 2013
Regular Joe
How a nobody became the somebody nearly everybody wanted to replace Speaker Tom Craddick.
Politics & Policy
January 20, 2013
Behind the Lines
Something special.
Politics & Policy
January 20, 2013
Power Company
As we head into the most critical legislative session in decades—maybe ever—the question is not just, Who are the people with the most clout at the Capitol? It’s also, What do they want?
Politics & Policy
January 20, 2013
Power
What it is and isn’t. Who has it and who doesn’t. Our 2005 list.
Politics & Policy
January 20, 2013
3.—25.
Twenty-three other people with more clout than they know what to do with. (Well, they know exactly what to do with it.)
Politics & Policy
January 20, 2013
Power
From H. Ross Perot to the people who will run Texas in the nineties, from couples with clout to the Brownwood Mafia, we present the most complete guide to power in Texas ever compiled.
Politics & Policy
January 20, 2013
Map Quest
The battle lines over redistricting.
Politics & Policy
January 20, 2013
Let There Be Right
The Republicans whipped the Democrats in November. Now what are they going to do?
Politics & Policy
January 20, 2013
Right Place, Right Time
A year ago Rick Perry’s political future seemed to be in peril. Now he’s looking past the 2010 elections—and all the way to the White House. Think I’m kidding? How about a cup of tea?
Politics & Policy
January 20, 2013
The Eighteen Billion Dollar Man
Texas is facing an unprecedented deficit in the next legislative session, so to help our poor, overworked elected officials, I went ahead and balanced the budget for them. And good Lord! It wasn’t pretty.
Politics & Policy
January 20, 2013
Bush v. Perry
Comparing Rick Perry's 2010 campaign to George W. Bush's 1998 reelection campaign.
Politics & Policy
January 20, 2013
Can Rick Perry Stand On His Own?
And just how long are his coattails? Texas politics is always interesting, but the 2002 election—with two formidable tickets, four big races, and a healthy debate over whether this is still a two-party state—promises to be one for the books.
The Culture
January 20, 2013
Who’s Next?
San Antonio's Marshevet Hooker is not just any old high school sprinter; she's an Olympic gold medalist in the making. Meet her and nine other women we're betting will lead the new Texas—and the world.
Politics & Policy
January 20, 2013
Oil and Water
The spill in the Gulf is just the latest in a string of catastrophic regulatory failures that prove how incompetent government is. And how important it is.
Politics & Policy
January 20, 2013
The Bloody Billion
Oh, how our legislators are moaning and groaning as they try to cut the state budget. But we’ve slashed, chopped, trimmed, pared, and whittles our way through it—and save $1 billion. It wasn’t that hard. Really.
Politics & Policy
January 20, 2013
Carole Keeton Strayhorn Has Guts. Carole Keeton Strayhorn Is Nuts. Discuss.
An attempt, however futile, to figure out what the comptroller is up to.