Politics & Policy
April 20, 2009
Forbes’s five top cities for business: All from Texas
Thanks to Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst for alerting us that Texas has dominated Forbes’ list of best cities for business in this article.
David Dewhurst
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101-126 of 126 Articles
Politics & Policy
April 9, 2009
Carona moving forward on SB 855
Sen. John Carona tells us he believes he’s resolved constitutional questions about his local option highway funding bill and will win final Senate passage on Tuesday — though he acknowledges he expects Gov. Rick Perry to “do everything he can to derail the bill” as it moves through the House.
Politics & Policy
March 31, 2009
While Dew dithers, tuition debate opens
While Lt. David Dewhurst has not yet referred to committee several bills on the re-regulation of college tuition, the debate on the issue will move forward tomorrow morning in the Senate’s Higher Education Committee. Sen. Judith Zaffirini has scheduled a hearing on her version, which limits tuition increases to five
Politics & Policy
March 16, 2009
D’s turn noses up at Ogden’s $2 million for Voter ID education
For the no-good-deed-goes-unpunished file: Chairman Steve Ogden at this morning’s Senate Finance meeting stirred up a hornet’s nest when he offered a rider of $2 million contingent upon passage of the Voter ID bill. Democrats were quick to point out that the bill carried a fiscal note of zero– in
Politics & Policy
February 23, 2009
R-E-S-P-E-C-T? Get Real
Just got a notice from Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst’s office that tomorrow, on Pro-Life Lobby Day, Dewhurst “will speak in support of legislation which would require all women considering abortion be offered an ultrasound image of their unborn child and the opportunity to hear its heartbeat prior to receiving an
Politics & Policy
February 18, 2009
Shopaholic, the sequel
The state’s Republican leadership appears to be warming up to the $17 billion in federal stimulus money, Gov. Rick Perry’s voluble aversion notwithstanding. Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, who breakfasted today with Perry and House Speaker Joe Straus, gave some insight about the leadership’s thinking to reporters in
Politics & Policy
February 9, 2009
Taking on a “big dog”
The Capitol gossip machine has worked overtime since Thursday’s explosive Senate Finance hearing, but Chairman Steve Ogden vehemently denies any coordination with the Governor’s office to ambush former UT Regent Robert Rowling. Everyone who hasn’t had a paper sack over their heads knows by now that Dallas billionaire Rowling quit
Politics & Policy
February 6, 2009
Does Hutchison benefit from Perry’s criticism of Rowling?
Here’s what a Hutchison hand told me. (I was driving and talking on my cell phone, so this is the gist of the conversation, not a verbatim rendition.) This is a legislative session in which Perry needs to show that he is a leader who can bring people together and
Politics & Policy
February 6, 2009
Perry/Dewhurst UTIMCO letter is about politics
The resignation of Robert Rowling as a University of Texas regent and as chairmain of the UT System’s beleaguered investment company, UTIMCO, following Rowling’s appearance at a stormy session of the Senate Finance committee, was rife with politics. Rowling is a former Perry supporter who is backing Hutchison in the
Politics & Policy
February 3, 2009
Dodging Dewhurst
David Dewhurst’s committee assignments late Friday spotlighted the challenge this session presents for Florence Shapiro, whose interest in running for the U.S. Senate places her in perilous territory vis-a-vis the Texas Senate’s presiding officer, who likewise is considering a relocation to Washington. While Dewhurst’s committee assignments shifted authority from Shapiro
Politics & Policy
January 31, 2009
Senate committees: the losers
In making his committee appointments, Dewhurst didn’t do any favors for the two new members, Davis and Huffman. * Davis is on Education, International Relations & Trade (note to lite gov–Fort Worth is near the border, all right, but it’s the Oklahoma border, not the Mexican border), Veteran’s Affairs &
Politics & Policy
January 17, 2009
The future of the 2/3 rule
Ever since Lieutenant Governor Dewhurst wired around the 2/3 rule to pass congressional redistricting in 2003, I have believed that the rule cannot survive in the partisan era. It may still have some life in issues that don’t have partisan overtones, but the maneuvering on the Voter I.D. bill indicates
Politics & Policy
January 14, 2009
One Senate rule clearly in effect
That would be the “Pottery Barn” rule as invoked by Secretary of State Colin Powell to warn against the then-proposed invasion of Iraq. “You break it, you own it,” he reasoned. This morning, Dewhurst told reporters that he mentioned the Powell axiom to senators who wanted to change the two-thirds
Politics & Policy
January 14, 2009
Williams claims precedent for rules change
Sen. Tommy Williams assures the Senate that he believes the two-thirds rule “is a good thing. I have been a House member who lost his entire package in Calendars Committee. It would be a travesty if we went to that method.” Then he recounted the “ugly scene” that occurred last
Politics & Policy
January 14, 2009
Van de Putte on a matter of personal privilege
Sen. Leticia Van de Putte: “I am often asked why doesn’t the Senate fight like the House. I usually reply we don’t often fight or argue because we genuinely like each other. We believe in… diplomacy and compromise. This is what is best for Texas and its citizens.” “We don’t
Politics & Policy
January 14, 2009
The Senate’s conundrum
What rules govern when the Senate is debating what rules govern? That’s Sen. Eliot Shapleigh’s question to Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst. This debate has slowed down Sen. Tommy William’s resolution, which would change Senate rules to suspend the two-thirds rule for the Voter ID bill. Dewhurst’s answer was a little
Politics & Policy
January 14, 2009
Dewhurst disavows pushing rules change
Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst just walked by the Senate press table and informed us: “I’m taking Colin Powell’s advice. If you break it, you own it.” We just thought you should know.
Politics & Policy
January 14, 2009
“Bloodletting” in the Texas Senate
At least that’s what Sen. Royce West predicted when grim-faced senators emerged from their 1 hour caucus behind the closed door of the Betty King room. He was followed by John Whitmire, who was shaking his head angrily. Paul and I think we saw steam coming out of his ears.
Politics & Policy
January 13, 2009
The Dew Links Rules Change to Voter ID
In his post-session Q and A with reporters, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst predicted that proposals for changing the Texas Senate’s two-thirds rule will evaporate if senators find middle ground on the Voter ID bill. “With agreement on that issue, it (a rules change) becomes moot,” he said. In fact, each
Politics & Policy
December 9, 2008
Can Sharp Win the Senate Race?
The former state comptroller announced his candidacy today. He does not plan to form an exploratory committee but will begin raising money immediately. This will be Sharp’s second bite at the Senate apple. In 1992, when Lloyd Bentsen resigned his seat to become Secretary of the Treasury in the first
Politics & Policy
December 5, 2008
I Swear Paul’s Here Somewhere
OK, so maybe he hasn’t “posted” any “updates” on Kay Bailey Hutchison’s exploratory committee, but I did catch Burka in the hall to do a video with me to at least talk about the interview he had with her yesterday. And I’m all, yesterday? She never returns my calls. In
Politics & Policy
December 3, 2008
About That Survey We Got Skunked On…
Referring to the poll from Hill Country Consultants (no one honored the embargo but us because we have things like “ethics” and “I’m kidding”), Burka says that the Republicans in Texas have blown it. (So, apparently, do the voters who said R’s are more arrogant, racist, and corrupt. Is that
Politics & Policy
October 9, 2008
Dewhurst may seek Senate seat instead of reelection as Lite Gov
Speculation is rampant that the Dew has set his sights on the U.S. Senate rather than run for reelection. Since Kay Bailey Hutchison’s seat will not be vacant until she resigns, probably in June, Dewhurst must hope that Perry appoints him to fill the vacancy. As everybody knows, they haven’t
The Culture
January 1, 2002
Bum Steer Awards 2002
A year of avaricious Aggies, banned boogers, chagrined cheerleaders, dotty dwellings, expletive-deleted Enron, famous fugitives, Germanic goofs, horny highways, icky insects, judicial jests, kooky kidnappers, look-alike logos, misguided Mavericks, news-making nuts, ousted Osamas, problematic pachyderms, quirky quarterbacks, rampaging rats, scary skunks, tetrahydrocannibinol-filled tacos, unhealthy urbanites, volleyball vamps, wayward W's, x-rated
Politics & Policy
January 1, 2001
Numbers Game
Inside the election's numbers.
Politics & Policy
March 1, 1998
Primary Color
Handicapping the Republican primary: Will far-right might carry the day?