Feeling the Heat
There was high political drama on the floor of the Texas House last week, and the subject was taxes.

Editorial: Toll Moratorium Bad for State Traffic Woes
Gov. Rick Perry should veto a proposed moratorium on toll road projects.

Senate's 2/3rds Rule Stops Voter ID Bill
During this morning's session, the Texas Senate considered House Bill 218 which would require a voter to present "proof of identification when offering to vote." When the Senate's vote to "suspend the regular order of business" was finally tabulated, the motion failed on a 20 to 11 vote (one vote shy of the required 2/3rds).

Giuliani to Support Abortion Rights
After months of conflicting signals on abortion, Rudolph W. Giuliani is planning to offer a forthright affirmation of his support for abortion rights in public forums, television appearances and interviews in the coming days, despite the potential for bad consequences among some conservative voters already wary of his views, aides said yesterday.

No Way to Choose a President
The true insanity of the altered presidential primary schedule does not become apparent until you actually lay out the proposed dates on a 2008 calendar.

Christian Conservatives Pledge Support for '08 Thompson Bid
Several leading Christian conservatives say they will rally to former Sen. Fred Thompson, who they expect to announce "in a matter of weeks" that he will seek the Republican nomination for president next year.

"To Fund or Not To Fund?"
by Gary Bauer
That is the question bedeviling Democrats on Capitol Hill. This morning, a majority of Senate Democrats (29 of them) voted for legislation, sponsored by Sen. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin and Majority Leader Harry Reid, to cut off funding for the troops in Iraq. Twenty Democrats and 47 Republicans voted against it.

Carl Leubsdorf: Democrats Starting to Set Their Sights on Cornyn
For the first time in years, Democrats think they can wage a competitive Senate race in Texas when John Cornyn seeks a second term next year.

Traditional Values Down, But Not Out
First of a three-part series
The midterm elections that swept congressional Democrats into power sparked fresh obituaries for the religious right.