With a Battle Over Barbecue, the Ag Commissioner’s Race is Officially a Food Fight
What could follow Nutella banana crepes? A "war on Texas BBQ."
#Txlege
Politics & Policy
August 3, 2015
Showdown with a Strong Governor
The Legislative Budget Board is correct about the limits of the line-item veto—but Governor Abbott has plenty of power.
Politics & Policy
August 3, 2015
The Existential Conundrum of Covering Ken Paxton
The latest “news” about the Texas attorney general.
Politics & Policy
August 2, 2015
Dan Patrick Is Eyeing a Promotion
He tipped his hand by backing the governor over the Lege.
Politics & Policy
August 1, 2015
Indictments Are Imminent For Texas’s Attorney General
On Monday, per WFAA, the state’s top law enforcement official will be charged with multiple felonies.
Politics & Policy
July 31, 2015
Weekend Reading
A look back at two other attorney-generals who ran into trouble.
Politics & Policy
July 30, 2015
Abbott and the Scientologists
Occam’s razor, y’all.
Politics & Policy
July 4, 2015
Our Honorable Nonsense
America’s flaws are inevitable, but so are our virtues.
Politics & Policy
June 23, 2015
The Limits of Scorecards
Even if they weren’t distorted by politics, they’re too reductive to be reliable.
Politics & Policy
June 18, 2015
The Cross-Examination
Evan Smith raises a few points of order.
Burka Blog
June 17, 2015
The List: Best and Worst 2015
A preview of the ten best and ten worst legislators of the Eighty-fourth Legislature.
Politics & Policy
June 11, 2015
The Abbott Interview
Our legislator in chief assesses a spring marked by pre-K budgets, the open carry debate, border security, and a certain kerfuffle over Jade Helm.
Politics & Policy
May 27, 2015
Those Secret Videos of Texas Lawmakers Are Apparently Not So Newsworthy
Breitbart Texas has opted not to release the videos made with hidden cameras by the American Phoenix Foundation after all, leading to questions about what was really on them.
Politics & Policy
May 25, 2015
Did the House Get Rolled on the Budget?
At first glance, yes. On closer inspection, probably not.
The Daily Post
May 22, 2015
The Texas Senate Approved a Bill Deregulating Hair Braiding
Practitioners face an unreasonable set of regulations in Texas, and they’re about to change that.
The Daily Post
May 21, 2015
Texas Has Banned Fracking Bans
Well then.
Politics & Policy
May 17, 2015
EmpowerTexans Has No Business Running Texas
No offense to Michael Quinn Sullivan, but he’s never even won a Republican primary runoff, has he?
Politics & Policy
May 12, 2015
The End Game
The Senate has already lost the fight over tax cuts.
The Daily Post
May 8, 2015
A Look at the Legislation About LGBT Rights in Texas
More than twenty anti-LGBT bills have been filed this session, but these legislative efforts are facing some unlikely opposition.
Politics & Policy
May 1, 2015
The Senate Passed a Property Tax Reform!
In an amazing plot twist, the Texas Senate passed a real property tax reform bill yesterday.
The Daily Post
April 30, 2015
The #txlege Is Considering Making #Texas the First #State to Have Its Own #OfficialHashtags
Seems like a #GreatUseOfTime, #right?
Politics & Policy
April 28, 2015
Advantage: House
On fiscal issues, at least, they have a unified front.
Burka Blog
April 23, 2015
The Plot Against Public Education
The Lieutenant Governor’s Internet Commenters Council is misreading history, and the Pre-K bill.
Politics & Policy
April 20, 2015
The Senate Gets a Voucher
The bill passed today would either save the state money or provide thousands of scholarships to Texas students.
Politics & Policy
April 16, 2015
The Lopsided Fight Over Tax Cuts
The House’s proposal is better than the Senate’s, for at least half a dozen reasons
Politics & Policy
April 7, 2015
Don’t Blame Medicaid
The case for Medicaid expansion.
Politics & Policy
April 7, 2015
The Politics of the Minimum Wage
The issue isn’t as partisan as it may appear.
Business
April 6, 2015
Uber’s Petition to the Texas Legislature Has Nearly 100,000 Signatures
The transportation company seeks a change in the way it’s regulated on a statewide basis, and it’s managed to mobilize a lot of supporters—both in and out of Texas. But does a statewide regulatory platform for Uber make sense?
Politics & Policy
April 1, 2015
141-5
It’s hard to argue with results of the House debate over the budget bill.
Politics & Policy
March 20, 2015
At-Risk Ideas
Texas should take a look at the franchise tax
Politics & Policy
March 18, 2015
Guns, Ho-Hum
The Senate passes open carry and campus carry.
Politics & Policy
March 12, 2015
What’s at Stake
Putting the spending cap at risk is damaging more than just that
Politics & Policy
March 9, 2015
Bad Reasons to Sacrifice the Spending Cap
The Senate’s proposals on property tax relief and debt service aren’t worth it
Politics & Policy
March 4, 2015
So Much for Fiscal Responsibility
The Texas Senate offers a proposal to scrap the Texas Model.
Politics & Policy
March 4, 2015
Turn Out for What?
Trey Martinez Fischer has a pointed explanation of why he lost the runoff in SD26
Politics & Policy
March 2, 2015
Come and Take It, or Not
Dan Patrick and the Senate Republicans celebrated Texas Independence Day by throwing down the gauntlet on Medicaid.
The Daily Post
February 24, 2015
State Representative Debbie Riddle’s Crappy Bill to Police Who Gets to Use Which Bathroom
The Harris County State Representative wants to ensure that your DNA matches the gender designation for each bathroom before you go.
Politics & Policy
February 10, 2015
Welcome News
R.G. Ratcliffe will rejoin BurkaBlog for the session
Politics & Policy
February 4, 2015
The House Committee Assignments
Joe Straus’s picks for the 84th session include lots of new chairs and not much drama.
Politics & Policy
January 29, 2015
A New Day, This One With Muslims and Bigotry
Texas Muslim Capitol Day is marred by some unwelcoming behavior.
Politics & Policy
January 25, 2015
Patrick’s Committee Assignments
Technically speaking, every day is A New Day.
Politics & Policy
January 22, 2015
A New Day, Day 2
The Texas Senate’s vote to abandon the 2/3rds rule is all about campaign promises.
Politics & Policy
January 19, 2015
The Coming Debate Over Medicaid Expansion
Let’s all agree on one this much: Medicaid is supposed to be a health care program, not a jobs plan.
Politics & Policy
January 12, 2015
Last Man Standing
Despite all the exits and entrances around him, House speaker Joe Straus plans on staying right where he is.
Politics & Policy
January 9, 2015
Through the Looking Glass
How Erica Grieder learned to stop worrying and look forward to the Eighty-fourth Legislature.
Politics & Policy
December 18, 2014
Could Texas Decriminalize Pot in 2015?
A surprisingly uncontroversial bill to convert the penalty for possessing less than an ounce of marijuana to a civil offense with a $100 fine may find some success in the legislature.
Politics & Policy
December 8, 2014
Taking on tuition deregulation
Charles Schwertner makes the conservative case against tuition deregulation
Politics & Policy
November 21, 2014
Friday Afternoon Open Thread
The border surge, extended. Immigration action, executed. Hispanic voters, considered. And more!
Politics & Policy
November 11, 2014
The Dan Patrick Profile
A look at Texas's next lieutenant governor
Politics & Policy
August 26, 2014
What Social Conservatives (and Liberals) Can Learn from Kyleen Wright
When it comes to policy making, reasons matter.