Tales from the School-Choice Wars
I've been on the road lately, giving speeches at universities, think tanks, and community groups to let people know about the release of the paperback edition of "Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity". On the book tour I notice that the people who seem the most energized are school-choice advocates.

Conservative Eyes of Texas Are Watching SB 483 Today
For conservatives generally, and Republicans specifically, it's becoming increasingly clear to many across Texas that something's amiss with this Session's direction.

Panel OKs Curbs on Toll-road Deals
A Senate panel approved a comprehensive transportation bill Thursday that would trim the powers of the Texas Department of Transportation, especially when it comes to private toll-road deals.

Senate Tightens No-pass, No-play
Widespread abuse of exemptions to the state's no-pass, no-play rule - allowing large numbers of students with bad grades to sidestep the requirement - would be sharply curtailed under a bill unanimously approved by the Senate on Thursday.

A True Property Tax Cut Is Now A Step Closer!
The Texas House Public Education Committee has passed House Bill 2785, which provides $2.5 billion in property tax cuts - immediately - for all Texans!

1st of 2-Day Analysis: Is State's Conservative Republican Leadership Languishing?
Let's just start by asking a simple, but immeasurably crucial question: What is a Gambling Bill doing on the floor of the Texas House? (And how was it even given a priority number like HB 10?)

House Fixture Hall Has a Primary Foe
Kathy Seei didn't want to play the political waiting game. Other ambitious Republicans have eyed the seat held by U.S. Rep. Ralph Hall, R-Rockwall, the oldest member of the House. But they've dutifully waited for Mr. Hall, who turns 84 on Thursday, to step aside.

House: Allow Religion in School
The House embraced legislation Monday that seeks to clarify the rights of Texas public school students to offer public prayers at football games or graduation, hand out religious messages or hold religious meetings during the school day if they want.

Limits OK'd on Eminent Domain
Protections for older, run-down or impoverished neighborhoods and stronger leverage for property owners whose land is targeted for development were endorsed by the House on Wednesday, with more restrictions on eminent-domain projects moving through the Legislature.

Gambling Bills Face Long Odds
The chairman of the House committee that will decide the fate of major gambling legislation said Thursday that the effort to legalize casinos and video slot machines statewide is dead for 2007.

End-of-life Compromise Reached
Key lawmakers announced Thursday that they have reached a compromise on when hospitals can end a dying patient's life-sustaining care.

House Votes to Put 'Under God' in Texas Pledge
The Texas House voted early today to inject a little religion into the Texas pledge.

Indian Gambling Bill Fails on Rare Tie Vote in House
In a vote after midnight, the Texas House, by a 66 to 66 vote, killed an attempt to re-open two tribal casinos.

Legislative Logjam Builds in Texas House
After a week of "chubbing" in the House, the legislative equivalent of riding the brakes by talking bills to death, this morning may bring fireworks.

In Debate, Democrats Show More Unity Than Strife
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton was professorial and emphatic as she spoke Thursday night about health care, Iraq and whether Wal-Mart was good for America (a "mixed blessing," she decided) .

GOP Lawmakers Favor Fred Thompson for President
Don't underestimate the political power of stardom, even in the state Capitol.

Republican Candidates Invoke Reagan, Evade Bush
Republican White House hopefuls Thursday night frequently invoked the name of former President Ronald Reagan during the first GOP presidential debate but avoided mentioning the current president by name.

Giuliani Wary of Repeal of Roe
Former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani said last night that he would be "OK" with a Supreme Court repealing Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that established a constitutional right to abortion.

Iraq, and the Truth We Dare Not Speak
Not long ago I talked to a right-wing hardnosed fellow in a conservative central California town about the need to stay and finish the task of stabilizing the democracy in Iraq and rectifying the disastrous aftermath of 1991. He wasn't buying.

Democrats Conceding on War Bill
Democratic leaders in Congress are slowly backing down from a standoff with the White House over tying war funding to a troop-withdrawal timetable, saying they can use other bills to confront President Bush on Iraq.

Al Qaeda & Iran
by Gary Bauer
Two reports in recent weeks clearly demonstrate the threat that the Iranian regime poses to peace in the Middle East and beyond. The first report, from the Associated Press, noted that Iranian-made weapons were recently captured by coalition forces in Afghanistan. We have known for some time that Iranian-made IEDs were being used in Iraq, but now it appears as though the mullahs in Tehran are expanding their sights and exporting weapons to aid Taliban terrorists in Afghanistan. The second report from a British paper, The Sunday Times, is far more disturbing.

Teepen: Bush Put Government in Death-grip of the GOP
by Tom Teepen
Bit by bit, as odd scraps of information surface, the hidden history of George W. Bush's presidency is emerging, like a jigsaw puzzle coming together.

Politicians Rate a Medal for Hypocrisy re: Pfc. Lynch
As the deputy commander at United States Central Command from 2001 to 2003, I represented the military in dealing with politicians regarding the capture and rescue of Pfc. Jessica D. Lynch in Iraq, and thus I can speak with authority about what really happened after her maintenance convoy got lost near Nasiriya in 2003 and she was taken prisoner.

Barney and Friends
Liberals launched a full-blown attack on family values yesterday, introducing and debating bills that could significantly change America's criminal and employment codes.

Sonograms Before Abortions Endorsed
Women undergoing an abortion in Texas would be required to have a sonogram first under a bill passed by the Senate on Wednesday over protests from critics who say the measure is meant to harass those women.