Tex Mess

by William Murchison

Just what conservatives need right now -- a family feud in our largest conservative state. "You louse!" "You heel!" "Get that thumb out of my eye!" "No -- put down that frying pan first!"

Part I of III: The Left’s War on U.S. History - Have Liberal Activists Hijacked Texas’ Social Studies Curriculum Process?

by Bill Ames

In Part I of a three-day series of articles here, Bill Ames today reveals how various left-leaning groups in Texas might have come together to hijack the social studies review process in order to promote their agenda of indoctrinating Texas’ public school students with a negative, politically biased view of America.

Update on Texas' New Science Standards

by Ken Mercer

At the January 2009 meeting, the State Board of Education (SBOE) debated the new textbook standards for Science. As noted in the public record of that meeting, the SBOE was in 99% agreement with the science experts' document. 

Rick Perry Campaign Update 11-10-09

Texas Medical Association endorses Governor Perry for re-election!

Serve on Governor Rick Perry’s Campaign

Help reelect a friend, teach your children how government works, and fulfill the state requirement to teach a course in good citizenship. 

Texan of the Year … Rick Perry?

 by William McKenzie

Love him or hate him – and trust me, there are plenty of Texans in each camp – you can't ignore Rick Perry. Our governor's domination of the 2009 news cycle makes him my nominee as this newspaper's Texan of the Year.

Houston Sheriffs Round up Thousands of Illegals

While Sheriff Joe Arpaio in Phoenix gets all the media attention for his crackdown on illegal immigrants, eight deputies in an unremarkable office at the Harris County Jail are posting similar numbers for deportation -- and doing so without controversy.

New Endorsements Mark Ongoing Momentum of Governor's Campaign

In the last several days, Gov. Perry has earned more endorsements from important statewide groups including the Texas Association of Builders HOMEPAC, Texas Association of Manufactures MPACT, the Texas Medical Association TEXPAC, and the Texas Society of Anesthesiologists PAC.

Election 2010: Texas Republican Primary

Governor Rick Perry is back out front of Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison with an 11-point lead in the 2010 Republican Primary gubernatorial race in Texas.

True Phonics is Back in Texas Textbooks

by Ken Mercer

In May of 2008, education liberals attacked me for my decisive vote to move Texas public schools into the teaching of explicit and systematic phonics, back-to-basics grammar and usage, expository and persuasive writing, spelling, penmanship, and quality literature.

Perry leads KBH by 12

Gov. Rick Perry leads U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison by 12 percentage points in the Republican primary for governor, but she does better than him in hypothetical matchups with Democrats in next November's general election.

Texas GOP Senators Advanced Gay U.S. Attorney Candidate

The Dallas Morning News outed Republican Texas Sens. John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison yesterday for making a rather uncharacteristic decision in one of their U.S. Attorney recommendations.

Senate Favorite Would Make History

Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams is emerging as a favorite to be named as U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison's successor if she resigns to run for governor, creating the possibility he could become the first black U.S. senator from Texas.

Houston Tea Party Rally Draws More than 10,000

More than 10,000 people turned out Monday night for a North Houston Tea Party Patriots gathering to protest proposed health care reform and what they called big government spending and overzealous government leadership, according to preliminary attendance figures.

Rebuttal to the Express-News

by Ken Mercer

On Thursday, October 15, the San Antonio Express-News published a long editorial announcing an opponent to my re-election in the March Republican Primary for the Texas State Board of Education.

Adams Wins Election: Now What?

by Will Lutz

Now that Cathie Adams is chairman of the Republican Party of Texas, what’s next? Adams said recruiting good candidates and raising the money to fund them is her next top priority.

Stacy Kuykendall's Statement about the 1991 Fire

Stacy Kuykendall, the ex-wife of Cameron Todd Willingham, offers her first detailed account of the 1991 fire that claimed the lives of her three daughters and led to Willingham’s execution in 2004. Todd set our house on fire then stood outside and watched it burn, Kuykendall asserts, saying she agrees with Gov. Rick Perry’s portrayal of her husband as a monster.

Perry-Hutchison Fight May Cause Major Fallout in GOP

Texas Democrats watching the state’s top two Republicans fight for their party’s gubernatorial nomination are glad that Gov. Rick Perry and U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison have apparently abandoned the Republicans’ 11th Commandment, established during Ronald Reagan’s run for California governor in 1966: Thou shall not speak ill of another Republican.

Perry, Hutchison Slug It Out on Web

A bruising political battle like the one between Gov. Rick Perry and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison usually means a slew of tough television ads. But for now, the candidates are saving their barbs for the Web.

Hutchison in a Pickle over When to Resign

by Peggy Fikac

It looks like U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison can't win — and no, I'm not talking about the governor's race. I'm talking about the resignation question — that when-will-she-do-it mystery that occasionally morphs into the will-she-or-won't-she debate.

Smokescreen of a Wannabe Governor

By Ken Herman

Life has its eternal mysteries, never to be solved by mere mortals (or even newspaper columnists). These would include the BCS college football system and who put Al Sharpton in charge of anything. Then there are the periodic mysteries that pop up every four years or so.

Governor's Race: Is Cheney Key to Conservatives' Vote in Texas Primary?

Kay Bailey Hutchison's campaign hopes the endorsement of former Vice President Dick Cheney will help woo conservatives in the GOP base that will be key to winning the Republican nomination for governor.

New GOP Chair Nearly Sidelined in 2007 Wreck

by W. Gardner Selby

The car was headed off a cliff with Republican powerhouse Cathie Adams of Dallas destined for 13 broken ribs and months of little activity. Boy, did she recover.  Adams, 59, is the new chairwoman of the Republican Party of Texas — a huge rebound, considering she could have been permanently sidelined by the December 2007 crash.

Texas GOP Stuck in Reverse

by Editors of dallasnews.com

Dallas County Republican Party chief Jonathan Neerman has been working to shore up the local GOP in a time when local government has gone Democratic and the national Republican Party has been in freefall. He's been trying to reach out to younger voters, who are more secular and more socially moderate than many older Texas Republicans.

Texas Gubernatorial Candidates Spar over Endorsements

Endorsements, transportation and even the Texas Rangers — the peace officers, not the baseball players — were on the minds of gubernatorial candidates Thursday.

What’s the Real Agenda behind the Willingham Brouhaha?

by Janet Jacobs

When I moved back to Corsicana, I figured my dealings with the "big boys" in big media were over. I worked at a major metro daily once, and it was swell, but I was glad to get out, away from the office politics, the pressure and the big-city traffic.

Governor Perry Receives More Endorsements

Governor Perry received several big endorsements just this week from the Texas Association of Builders, Texas Association of Manufacturers and Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour.

CPS in Need of Major Reform

Gov. Rick Perry came to San Antonio at the beginning of the legislative session in 2005 to announce a major reform of the state's Child Protective Services. In the months leading up to the announcement, a number of child deaths that resulted from abuse — including several in Bexar County — shocked Texans.

No Home Schooler Left Behind?

by Tim Lambert

This week I responded to a letter from a woman in Amarillo who wrote to express her strong disagreement with our publicly stated support of the Leeper vs Arlington ISD decision that the Texas Supreme Court rendered in 1994. As many Texas home schoolers know, that decision upheld the Tarrant County lower court decision that clarified that home schools in Texas have historically been considered private schools by the Texas Legislature. As private school students, home school students are therefore exempt from the compulsory attendance laws as are all private school students in the state.

Perry and the Realtors

by BurkaBlog

I attended the governor’s speech to the realtors yesterday. If the Hutchison folks videotaped it, they got an eyeful, and not one that they would have liked. He was greeted with a robust ovation accompanied by the waving of placards that said, “Realtors for Perry.” I was standing outside the room at the time, and it was LOUD, even through closed doors. My summary of the speech, which follows, reflects my notes, not the actual text.

New Study on Texas House Trends, KBH Resignation in Limbo?

by Mike Hailey

A new report on partisan shifting in Texas House districts suggests that seven seats that Republicans currently hold are within the Democrats' reach in what the author of the study defines as GOP swing districts based on voting trends in the last two election cycles.

Perry, Hutchison Lock Horns in Texas Race

Republican infighting is getting nasty early in Texas' gubernatorial primary race - a bellwether indicating whether the party will enhance its electoral fortunes by tacking center or right, or devour itself and raise the prospects for Democrats in the reddest of red states.

Perry's Fingerprints All over State

by Peggy Fikac

So, this is what you get with a governor who's appointed everyone to everything after nearly nine years in office: You name it, Gov. Rick Perry has a hand in it.

Itching for a Fight, Republicans Take Aim at Themselves

by Bud Kennedy

In 12 years in the Texas House, Keller Republican Vicki Truitt has been called a lot of names. But until now, she had never been called liberal. In the new world of internal Republican name-calling, Truitt and fellow Republican incumbent Todd Smith of Euless are suddenly under attack from an Austin membership group that calls them "left-leaning."

Willingham Confessed, Former In-Law Says

Nine days before Cameron Todd Willingham was to be executed for setting a house fire that killed his three daughters, his ex-wife called her family together to tearfully recount a conversation with the condemned prisoner, according to a newly released statement from Willingham's former brother-in-law.

Prop. 11 Provides Greater Private Property Protection

by Peggy Venable

We Texans value our property and private property rights are at the very core of a free society. That explains why the controversial Kelo decision of 2005 rocked the nation as property rights activists rolled up their sleeves to get greater protections written into state constitutions, as the U.S. Supreme Court suggested. The Texas legislature has passed a bill which, if passed on the November ballot, will improve private property rights in the State of Texas. By declaring that Prop.11 is “counterfeit eminent domain reform,” some opponents are suggesting the legislation doesn’t go far enough.

How Texas Lives within Its Means

by David Dewhurst

Given recent comments about our state budget, I feel it’s time to separate fact from political fiction.

Gov. Rick Perry Reiterates Support for Texas' Death Penalty Process

Gov. Rick Perry reiterated his support for the state's death penalty system Tuesday after one of his predecessors raised questions about its reliability.

Many Child Deaths Come Despite CPS Visits

Nearly half of all Texas children killed by abuse belonged to families previously investigated by Texas Child Protective Services — a statistic that has shown no improvement since 2004, despite efforts to save more children, records show.

Lessons of Life

by Tim Lambert

This post is different from most. It is not about public policy or issues that could impact our freedom. Rather, it is about life. Lyndsay and I decided to homeschool our children twenty-five years ago because we wanted to have the greatest impact possible on the spiritual growth and well-being of our children. We reasoned that, if we taught them ourselves, we could better integrate our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ with their academic instruction. We realized that someone was going to "indoctrinate" them or "disciple" them, and we believed it should be us, their parents.

Plethora of Candidates Eyeing Texas Governor’s Seat

With so many candidates eyeing the governor’s seat, Texas is headed for a busy primary season. More than 20 candidates have filed paperwork with the State Ethics Commission as of the end of September, and new candidates continue to announce their interest in the seat every few weeks.

Perry: Washington Bad, Willingham Prosecution Good

Gov. Rick Perry fired up a friendly crowd of real estate agents at a luncheon that sounded and felt like a campaign rally. Perry, without mentioning Republican primary opponent Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, railed against federal spending and lack of federal border protection.

CPS Plan to Save Kids Loses Momentum

An ambitious plan to save more children by hiring former law enforcement officers to improve abuse investigations lies in disarray with more than half the investigators leaving Texas Child Protective Services since the program began in 2005, state records show.

An Election about Whom State Serves

by Peggy Fikac

Grover Norquist, known for saying he wants to cut government “to the size where I can drag it into the bathroom and drown it in the bathtub,” says he was sort of, you know, kidding.

Propositions and Recommendations

by Michael Quinn Sullivan

Early voting begins this coming Monday for the Nov. 3 constitutional amendment propositions election. The propositions cover a range of issues, including curbing eminent domain abuse and controlling Texas' property tax appraisal system. Other propositions fix errors that have crept into the constitution, allow for new debt, or provide the legislature with the authority to spend money.

Who Makes Public Policy

by Tim Lambert

David Brooks wrote a piece in the New York Times today in which he argues that radio talk show giants like Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, and Sean Hannity do not represent the views of the majority of Americans. He points out that they could not sway voters to support their favorite candidates in last year's presidential primaries.

Latest on the Campaign for Texas Governor

by Tim Lambert

The campaign for Governor of Texas continues to evolve even though the filing deadline is in early January next year. The most watched and commented on are the campaigns of incumbent Governor Rick Perry, who is unabashedly conservative on fiscal and social issues, and U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutichison, who is recognized as a "moderate." Debra Medina, a former Republican County Chairman in Wharton County has also joined the fray as a conservative.

Learning from the Great Depression

by Tim Lambert

As home school parents, we find that we often get an education in the process of teaching our own children, and very often, that education challenges what we learned in high school or college. In fact, the statement, "Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it," was brought to my mind recently in regard to our current economic crisis and what happened during the Great Depression.

Abbott, Perry Want Appeal of Dallas Judge's Decision to Hear Gay Divorce Case

A state district judge in Dallas has ruled that the Texas ban on same-sex marriage violates the constitutional guarantee to equal protection under the law.

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison: Conservative Enough?

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison often talks up her anti-abortion voting record in Washington, but she has a steep hill to climb with many conservatives who think her views on abortion and embryonic stem cell research make her a bad fit for the Texas governor's office.

Farabee Retirement Could Cause Shift in Power of Texas Politics

It's been a long run for the quiet man from Wichita Falls. David Farabee, the lanky, low-key state representative first elected in 1998, recently announced he won't run for re-election.

Farm Bureau Changes Its Mind about Perry

U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison today is scheduled to collect the Texas Farm Bureau political arm's endorsement in her GOP primary challenge to Perry, showcasing it with visits to Waco and Lubbock farms, the Fort Worth Stockyards and an Austin boot store.

Taxes, Taxes, and Bureaucrats

by Michael Quinn Sullivan

In less than a month, Tim, Texans will be going to the polls to decide on 11 constitutional amendments. We’ll be addressing most of them, with our recommendations, in a special e-mail next week. But wanted to point two out today.

Hutchison Defends Earmarks Despite Perry Jabs

Gov. Rick Perry has hammered Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison time and again as a Washington-style big spender. He decries the $2.6 billion that she slipped "secretly" into the last two annual budgets. But he doesn't know the half of it.

Houston's Guzman First Latina on Texas High Court

Houston Judge Eva Guzman, the child of an immigrant welder and cleaning lady, became the first Hispanic woman to serve on the Texas Supreme Court on Thursday when Gov. Rick Perry appointed her to the court.

Texas Republicans Looking for New Party Chairman

Texas Republicans will select a new party leader this month following the resignation of party chairwoman Tina Benkiser, who recently left the post to become a senior adviser to Gov. Rick Perry's re-election campaign.

Next Lieutenant Governor May Depend on Hutchison

by Dave McNeely

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, the Senate’s presiding officer since 2003, is hankering for the United States Senate seat Kay Bailey Hutchison has said she’ll relinquish late this year to concentrate on her Republican primary challenge to Gov. Rick Perry.

Amarillo Man Unsure of Chances to Become Republican Chairman

Tom Mechler of Amarillo and other Texas Republicans have one less intra-party fight to worry about. Over the weekend, Republican Party of Texas Chairwoman Tina Benkiser announced that she is stepping down on Oct. 5 to join the re-election campaign of Gov. Rick Perry.

Benkiser Explains Texas GOP Chairman Resignation, Joining Perry Campaign

by Will Lutz

Republican Party of Texas Chairman Tina Benkiser announced her resignation at today’s meeting of the State Republican Executive Committee.

After the Census, New Battle Begins

by Peggy Fikac

The coming months will tell whether Democrats can influence redistricting and, thus, policy-making for the next decade — or if they'll blow it.

What Did Founding Fathers Believe?

by Gary Scharrar

Texas schoolchildren should know how God and religion greatly influenced the country's Founding Fathers more than 230 years ago, say some of the experts reviewing the state's social studies curriculum.

Perry Campaign Says Internet Message Was Hacked

An attempt by Republican Gov. Rick Perry to jump-start his re-election campaign via the Internet was disrupted by a hacker, his campaign claimed Tuesday, calling the attack "political sabotage."

Perry Camp Uses Amway as Model

You know those ads that promise to show you how to make thousands of dollars working at home on your personal computer? They're mainly bogus, of course. But Gov. Rick Perry, ever dedicated to helping the Texas economy, has come up with a program to allow Texans to do just that.

Texas Governor Voices Opposition to Climate Bill

A climate bill being debated in Congress is "draconian" and would wreak havoc on the Texas economy by wiping out thousands of jobs in the energy sector, Texas Gov. Rick Perry said Wednesday.

Dallas Judge Paves Way for Gay Couple to Get Divorce

In a first for Texas, a judge ruled Thursday that two men married in another state can divorce here and that the state's ban on gay marriage violates the U.S. Constitution.

Secession Movement Spreads Well beyond Texas

As head of the Texas Nationalist Movement, Daniel Miller of Nederland believes it’s time for the Lone Star State to sever its bond with the United States and return to the days when Texas was an independent republic.

Is Texas Ready for a Moderate Governor?

by A.W.R. Hawkins

As the 2010 gubernatorial race unfolds in Texas, battle lines are clearly drawn between two candidates -- Gov. Rick Perry and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison: both of whom are Republicans, but only one of whom is a conservative.

Gloves Are Off in Texas Race

Charges of economic cluelessness and political hackery are flying in Texas as U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison challenges Gov. Rick Perry for the Republican nomination for governor.

Perry Says He's Got Pickens' Vote

Gov. Rick Perry announced Tuesday that he's won the endorsement of Dallas energy executive T. Boone Pickens, and Perry declared himself an ally in the billionaire's effort to promote wind energy and natural gas as a way of weaning the nation from foreign oil.

Perry on Israel, Chavez, and Secession

by Michael Goldfarb

Texas Governor Rick Perry came to Washington last week and I had a chance to hear him talk for about an hour on a wide range of issues before a small number of journalists.

Gov. Rick Perry's Wealth Fueled by Land Deals

Gov. Rick Perry never had much money growing up, and he has spent most of his adult life in public office, drawing a part-time salary as a legislator and relatively modest earnings in statewide office for the last quarter century.

Partisanship and Healthcare Reform

by Tim Lambert

President Obama continues his full-court press to pass "healthcare reform" without Republican support. George Will has a very interesting take on this in his Newsweek article. Proponents of the various Democratic plans argue that the government can run an efficient health care program and offer Medicare as an example, while the President says he can pay for the 900 billion dollar plan by saving almost 500 billion dollars by eliminating "fraud, waste and abuse" from Medicare and Medicaid.

A Uniter not a Divider?

by Tim Lambert

In an article in the San Antonio Express News yesterday, Karen Hughes announced the need for a "different tone" from the Republican Party and the Governor. Of course, she is supporting Senator Kay Bailey Hutchision in her bid to unseat Governor Rick Perry. Another report on a presentation by Senator Hutchison was not so positive.

Texas Home School Coalition PAC Endorses Lieutenant Governor Dewhurst for Reelection

THSC PAC today announced its endorsement of Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst in his campaign for reelection for Lieutenant Governor of Texas. Tim Lambert, chairman of THSC PAC, noted, “Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst has been a staunch supporter of home schoolers and parental rights in Texas.”

Governor Perry Forms Border Security Strike Teams

Last Thursday, Gov. Perry announced Operation Ranger ReCon, a new joint mission aimed at bolstering security along the Texas/Mexico border. The operation will send at least 200 highly-trained soldiers and airmen from the Texas National Guard to rural areas along the Rio Grande valley where they will join "strike teams," comprised of state police under the direction of the Texas Rangers.

Wharton County Republican Chair Debra Medina Joins Race for Texas Governor

Saying her two high-profile rivals have dropped the ball for Texas, Wharton County GOP chairwoman Debra Medina on Saturday announced her campaign for the Republican nomination for governor.

Curriculum Plan Would Remove Mention of Christmas

A proposal for new social studies curriculum in Texas public schools removes a mention of Christmas in a sixth-grade lesson, replacing it with a Hindu religious festival, a change that's riled conservatives who say it's another battle in the "war" against the Christian holiday.

Federal Health Care Reform Would Cost Texas Dearly

by Arlene Wohlgemuth

As Congress continues its health care debate, the American public is focused squarely on the implications that current federal proposals will have on our nation's economy, health-care system and fiscal future.

Gattis Announces for Ogden Seat

State Rep. Dan Gattis, R-Georgetown, has just informed supporters he is running for the Texas Senate District 5 seat being vacated by Bryan GOP powerhouse Steve Ogden.

Controversy over ACORN Flares in Texas

As controversy over the advocacy group ACORN flared from Washington into Texas on Tuesday, state politicians quickly began lining up to oppose federal financing for the group and to cut off any state financing.

Perry Touts Guiliani, but Not on Social Issues

by Wayne Slater

What better place for Rick Perry to showcase America’s Mayor than a police station? Rudy Giuliani — the hero of 9/11, the voice of heroic first responders the day terrorists struck — came to Texas this week to raise money for Perry’s re-election. It’s payback by Giuliani, who got the Texas governor to campaign for him in Iowa and Florida in last year’s presidential race.

Texas Rangers' Deployment to Mexico Border a Military-Style Effort

To much of the public, the iconic image of the Texas Ranger is that of a taciturn lawman in a Western hat, a pistol holstered at his side. But the specialized team of Rangers that Gov. Rick Perry is dispatching to the Texas border comes closer to resembling a military-style commando unit in a foreign war zone.

Election 2010: Texas Republican Primary

The volatile 2010 Republican Primary race for governor in Texas has become a toss-up, with Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison currently inching ahead of incumbent Rick Perry by two points – 40% to 38%.

Education Board Looks at Curriculum Standards Today

State Board of Education members surely will have lots of questions today when experts responsible for the first draft of new history curriculum standards appear before them.

No More Christmas in America?

by Ken Mercer, SBOE

“A proposal for new social studies curriculum in Texas public schools removes a mention of Christmas in a sixth-grade lesson, replacing it with a Hindu religious festival …” 11-Sep Houston Chronicle. To my 12 counties and 1.5 million constituents, I can not make this stuff up.  Texas is in the middle of a Nationwide Culture War, and I need your help! Right now in Austin, September 16-18, the State Board of Education (SBOE) will vote on the above proposed change and a multitude of other new social studies “standards” developed by liberal “experts”.

Tort Reform? We’ve Done It In Texas Already

by Peggy Venable

In his address last week, President Obama said he had talked to some doctors and learned that medical procedures were being done that may not be necessary due to fear of medical malpractice lawsuits, and he entertained the idea of tort reform, saying we could try it in some states with pilot projects.  But there’s no need for a pilot project. Texas enacted malpractice reform years ago. 

Welcome to Texas, Madame Speaker: An Open Letter to Nancy Pelosi

by Rep. Ken Paxton

Dear Madame Speaker, I want to be one of the first to welcome you to Texas for your fundraising visit on Saturday in Austin.  You should feel at home as you drive from the airport to your event, passing by businesses that were once located in your home state of California and being greeted by the smiles of friendly Californians who now call Texas home.

Senator Hutchison Absent for Key Vote to Protect Taxpayers

ACORN, a leftist community activist organization notorious for shady and illegal election activities, was subject to a vote to prevent federal dollars from funding its operations. The amendment came Monday as a result to recent exposure of organization employees involved in aiding and abetting illegal sex trade workers.

Insertion of Liberal’s Texas History Warrants SBOE Action, Part I

by Bill Ames

Even as tens of thousands of Texas citizens rally against the Obama administration’s agenda of deficit spending and socialist health care policy, another leftist agenda is going relatively unnoticed.  A group of educators, some of whom are liberal activists, have   descended on Austin.  This year they have been busily rewriting U. S. history, revising the story of the most successful experiment in history – with its roots firmly anchored in Western Civilization – and replacing it with their own negative view of America told thru an overly multicultural lens of victimization and oppression of minorities and women.  

Insertion of Liberal’s Texas History Warrants SBOE Action, Part II

by Bill Ames

In Part I of this article, published yesterday, I exposed the liberal agenda of education activists to rewrite American history, downplaying the story of the most successful experiment in freedom and liberty in the world’s history. Their goal is to replace that story with one in which even America’s greatest achievements are told in the context of negativism and multicultural oppression and exploitation.

Insertion of Liberal’s Texas History Warrants SBOE Action, Part III

by Bill Ames

On Wednesday, in Part I of this series, I exposed the agenda of education activists to rewrite American history.  Yesterday in Part II, I discussed actions taken by the SBOE to address the situation, and the writing teams’ subsequent actions in response to the SBOE’s instruction during their second meeting on July 28-31. Today, Part III will discuss what happens to textbooks when their content is driven by negative and overly multicultural standards, closing with what Texas citizens can do to urge the SBOE to approve a set of Social Studies Standards that will make our youth proud to be Americans.

Why Endorse Governor Perry?

by Tim Lambert

We have received a good deal of discussion about why we chose to endorse Governor Perry. As home schoolers are independent by nature and opinionated as well, I thought you deserved to have more details on our decision.

Battle Brewing over Control of State GOP

The bitter gubernatorial race between Republican incumbent Rick Perry and U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison is already worrying high-ranking GOP leaders such as Texas House Speaker Joe Straus.

Eye on Austin: Lots of 'No-Name' Democrats Running

by Enrique Rangel

Next year will see 15 statewide races and possibly 16 if U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison resigns her seat. But except for Houston Mayor Bill White, former State Comptroller John Sharp plus singer and humorist Kinky Friedman, the other declared and undeclared Democratic candidates for major races such as governor, lieutenant governor and U.S. senator are virtually unknown.

State Launches Review of CPS

A state review team is looking at a possible breakdown in the way Texas Child Protective Services follows up on its own abuse investigations after three Houston-area children died despite the agency's intervention.

Democratic Field Gets Crowded in Governor Race

by R.G. Ratcliffe

The field of Democratic candidates for governor continues to grow, but the question remains whether there is an elephant slayer in the bunch.

Endorsements for Gov. Perry Keep Rolling In

"Gov. Perry's endorsements for re-election keep on coming, last week from Texas Alliance for Life, Texas Department of Public Safety Officers Association PAC, Texas Home School Coalition PAC, Texans for Life President Kyleen Wright and Conservative Republicans for Texas President Dr. Steve Hotze.

Insertion of Liberal’s Texas History Warrants SBOE Action

by Bill Ames

Even as tens of thousands of Texas citizens rally against the Obama administration’s agenda of deficit spending and socialist health care policy, another leftist agenda is going relatively unnoticed.  A group of educators, some of whom are liberal activists, have   descended on Austin.  This year they have been busily rewriting U. S. history, revising the story of the most successful experiment in history – with its roots firmly anchored in Western Civilization – and replacing it with their own negative view of America told thru an overly multicultural lens of victimization and oppression of minorities and women.  

Dewhurst Announces Re-Election Bid for Texas Lt. Governor in 2010

I wanted you to be one of the first to know that I am running for re-election as Lt. Governor of Texas, and I would like to humbly ask for your endorsement and continued support in my re-election.

Special Election Costs and Remembering 9/11

by Michael Quinn Sullivan

How much will electing a new U.S. Senator cost? No matter what you think of the gubernatorial race, or the candidates involved, should Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison resign a special election will be needed to fill the unexpired term.

Speaker Paves Path Rest of GOP Should Follow

by Scott Stroud

Republicans these days should follow the example set by Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, who led the GOP down a pretty smart path during the 2009 legislative session — and didn't even have to raise his voice.

Rick Perry Campaign Update

by Texans for Rick Perry

It was another exciting week for Texans for Rick Perry! In case anyone is wondering…we have 172 days until the March 2nd primary and 157 days until early voting begins (but, who’s counting).

THSC PAC Endorses Governor Perry

by Tim Lambert

THSC PAC today announced its endorsement of Governor Rick Perry in his campaign for reelection for Governor of Texas. Tim Lambert, chairman of THSC PAC, noted, “Home schoolers in Texas have never had a better friend in the Governor’s mansion than Rick Perry.”

Opposing State Regulation of Home Schools

by Tim Lambert

This week I fielded the usual calls and e-mails we get at this time of year from people who have family members or neighbors that homeschool, whom they believe are unqualified to teach their own children. These folks usually contact the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to ask what state requirements are in place for people who homeschool. The TEA refers those kinds of calls to us.

Texas Democrats Should Field Full Ticket in 2010

by Statesman.com Editorial Board

The filing period for the March primaries starts Dec. 3 and ends Jan. 4. But last call may be closer than you realize and the fields are forming now

TAL PAC Endorses Texas Governor Rick Perry for Re-election

The Texas Alliance for Life PAC is proud to endorse Gov. Rick Perry for re-election in 2010. "We enthusiastically endorse Governor Perry in his bid for re-election," says Joe Pojman, Ph.D., executive director of Texas Alliance for Life and a leader of the organization's political action committee. "He is a loyal advocate for the protection of unborn babies and their mothers, and TAL is eager for him to continue his dedicated and effective leadership of our state."

Internship Announcement, Texas for Rick Perry!

I am excited to extend to you the attached Texans for Rick Perry 2010 internship opportunities to your political science/etc students for the upcoming Fall semester!  We have both paid and unpaid opportunities available and will be happy to work with you to get them college credit for their participation.

Texas High-School Athletes Gain Ground in Class

A new Texas law that could double the amount of academic credit high-school athletes receive for playing sports is stoking a long-standing debate in the Lone Star State about whether athletics should count the same as schoolwork.

War of the Roses in Texas

by Cragg Hines

Kay Bailey Hutchison had sweet dreams of the governor's mansion. She'll have to play smash-mouth politics to get there.

Elected School Board Should Be Thanked, not Attacked  

by Will Lutz       

Frequent Dallas Blog contributor William Lutz appeared on WFAA Channel 8's Inside Texas Politics with Brad Watson. Lutz took aim at the liberal Democrats and RINOs (Republicans in Name Only) who are attacking the conservatives on the elected State Board of Education. He argues that the SBOE should be thanked, not attacked, for insisting that public schools portray America positively and teach students about our country's Founding Fathers.

Friedman Running for Governor Again, This Time as Democrat

Kinky Friedman, the author-musician who railed against the two-party system as an independent candidate for governor three years ago, joined that system Monday when he declared he will seek the Democratic nomination for the state's top job next year.

Rancher Aims to Be Governor

by Lisa Falkenberg

One of the last times I saw Hank Gilbert, he was staring out the window of a campaign bus that had another candidate's name on it, bemoaning the fact that he'd missed his wife's birthday and remarking how the cows dotting the dusk-lit landscape made him lonesome for home.

School Spending and Tough Times Ahead

by Michael Quinn Sullivan

School is back in session, but are our expectations high enough? Since 1998, public education spending is up 113%. On a per-pupil basis, we spent $5,597 per pupil in 1998. In 2008, Texas was spending $9,998 per student. What do we get for it?

Secessionist -- No, not Perry -- Is Getting More and More Republican Votes

If any Texas Republicans had never heard of Larry Kilgore, they probably have now. Kilgore, 44, of Mansfield, is an anti-abortion activist and perennial Republican candidate. Until Gov. Rick Perry piped up, he was the only candidate talking about Texas seceding from the United States.

How Will Perry Play Interim Senate Choice?

by Mark Davis

When Congress reconvenes next week after an eventful August recess, the Senate will be particularly busy. From health care to cap and trade and beyond, senators will be the focus of several vital battles.

Swine Flu Vaccine Personal Protection Alert

by Dawn Richardson

The recent discussion at the state, federal, and even international level about an impending aggressive fall vaccination campaign for H1N1, or swine flu, has many Texas families alarmed that the government may attempt to force them to submit to a vaccine or drug treatment they do not want.  Foremost in these Texas citizens’ minds are questions about how they will be able to protect themselves and their families from vaccines and treatments that have debatable safety, efficacy, and even necessity while simultaneously protecting themselves from a new strain of the flu.

Sharp's Back, and the Weirdness Continues

As promised in the invitation, there were "Fireworks!" and "Live Music!" at U.S. Senate candidate John Sharp's "blast-off rally" at a Lake Austin restaurant Wednesday night.

Hair Care Exec Might Run for Governor as Democrat

Rick Perry might not be the only candidate in the 2010 race for Texas governor who is known for great hair.

The "Best Interest" of the Child

by Tim Lambert

One of the concerns that many parents have about CPS workers coming to their doors is that often these caseworkers are young, have no children, and have unrealistic views of what is and is not appropriate for children. These young caseworkers often assume a house that is not clean is a sign of abuse or neglect, whereas a parent of several children will know that it is often only a sign of a mother of several children who is overwhelmed.

Statewide Texas Tea Party

Meet fellow Texans Saturday, September 5th, 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. on the steps of the State Capitol  in Austin, Texas.

Fiscal Conservatism and the Soul of the GOP

California needs a strong leader, says Texas governor Rick Perry. That strong leader, Mr. Perry thinks, needs to go to Sacramento and "take special interests out" of government. He needs to "make massive cuts" in spending and taxes. And he needs "to make major changes in the constitution," including tort reform.

Straus Worried about GOP Gov Race Impact on House

Texas House Speaker Joe Straus said Tuesday he is concerned that the political and financial cost of a bitter GOP gubernatorial primary election could undermine “the delicate balance” he developed earlier this year with Democrats in the GOP-controlled House.

Hutchison versus Perry ... versus Medina?

Republican Debra Medina, a former nurse and the pride of Orangedale, could be a spoiler candidate in the 2010 party primary for governor.

Dems' Best Hope for Gov? Maybe a Senate Candidate

By the time Texas Democrats stop accumulating long shots for governor, I won't be shocked if Austin's Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-independent Carole Keeton Strayhorn dives in.

Comptroller Susan Combs’ Texas Economic Outlook

Both the U.S. and Texas economies have contracted in 2009, but Texas continues to perform relatively better than the nation. While  Texas’ economy, the world’s 11th-largest, continues to fare better than many other states, Texas is feeling the effects of the worldwide recession. According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, the U.S. economy peaked in December 2007 and has been in recession since then. Although the Texas economy slowed with the nation’s late in 2008, Texas’ gross product expanded almost twice as fast as the U.S. economy (2.0 percent versus 1.1 percent) during calendar 2008.

Tea Parties Galore Around the State

The Tea Party Express, a bus criss-crossing the nation rallying Americans to oppose the out-of-control spending, higher taxes, bail-outs and the growth and power of the government, will roll into Dallas on Friday, September 4 at 11 a.m. at the Cape Buffalo Grille, 17717 Addison Rd., Dallas.

Texas Attracts Toyota Tacoma Production Line, TEF Investment Draws 225 New Jobs

Citing further evidence of Texas' ongoing economic clout, Toyota announced Thursday it will relocate its Tacoma production line to San Antonio, creating up to 1,100 new Texas jobs. In a Thursday statement, Governor Perry said, "Following on the heels of major jobs announcements from Caterpillar, Farouk Systems, Medtronic, and other employers, the good news from Toyota affirms my unshakeable belief that Texas is the best place to do business."

Government Takeover of Health Care Has Constituents Dogging Doggett; Liberals Busing in Supporters

U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett will walk into an Astroturf-filled town hall meeting following a rally at the Texas Capitol today, all designed to give the impression of widespread support of a government takeover of the country’s health care system. 

Conservative Ken Mercer Announces Re-Election Campaign

I am honored to serve as your representative (1.5 million constituents in twelve counties !) on the State Board of Education and to announce my 2010 re-election  campaign!

Kay Bailey Hutchison Calls for More 'Enlightened' Leadership in Texas

Kay Bailey Hutchison called Friday for more "enlightened" leadership in state government, arguing that statements from rival Rick Perry on subjects such as secession hurt both Texas and the Republican Party.

Texas Continues to Leads the Way

by Tim Lambert

More data has been released showing that Texas and its approach of limited government and more freedom for business and individuals is the right approach in encouraging economic development and the prosperity of the people.

WashingtonKay.com Launches, Exposes Hutchison Flip-Flops

For 16 years, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison has said one thing in Texas and done another in Washington. Visitors to the website WashingtonKay.com will learn of Senator Hutchison's hypocrisy and the truth about her record, including insight on her broken promises and support of overwhelming debt, earmarks and bailouts.

Your Tax Dollars Being Used Against You (Still)

by Michael Quinn Sullivan

If Thomas Jefferson was right, that taxpayer-funded lobbying is sinful and tyrannical, then many of Texas' cities and counties might want to check the status of their fiscal souls.

Senator Dan Patrick Announces for Re-election

“During the past few weeks there has been speculation I might run for, or be appointed to, higher office. My goal is to return to the Texas Senate to continue to fight for the conservative values and principles in which I and many Texans believe.  “Today, I hereby announce my re-election campaign for the Texas Senate. If an opportunity presents itself to serve in the United States Senate, I will seriously consider it at the appropriate time, but my sights are set on the Texas Senate. I feel honored and blessed each day I walk onto the Senate floor to represent my district and my state.

Governor Calls on Christians to Get Involved

by Tim Lambert

There is no question that evangelical Christians are a key element of the Republican Party's coalition that leads to electoral success. Today a report in the San Antonio Express-News is almost breathless in describing Governor Perry's comments to a church in that city yesterday. He articulated, quite rightly in my view, that freedom of religion should not be confused with freedom from religion. The mainstream media will have a field day with this and will call Perry extreme and a right-winger - just as they have when he has talked about taking on the federal government in defense of our freedom in Texas. However, this resonates with the vast majority of Texans.

Texas vs California or Red States vs. Blue States

by Tim Lambert

A recent opinion piece in the New York Times highlights a comparison being made more and more often between Texas and California. It highlights the difference between a conservative and liberal approach to governance.

Lloyd Doggett Faces Angry Crowd at Randalls

by Patrick George

Back in Central Texas while Congress is on a month-long recess, Congressman Lloyd Doggett faced an angry reception at a town hall meeting at an Austin Randalls store yesterday.

Health Care Protest Set Up by Partisans, Doggett Says

U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett said Monday that a weekend showdown with constituents in Southwest Austin over national health care proposals was a "mob" scene driven by Republicans and Libertarians intent on derailing universal coverage.

Path to Victory for Hutchison Now a Challenge

U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison began this year as “Kay the Invincible.” But as she prepares to officially launch her bid for governor later this month, that aura is gone.

Texas Senate Seat within Democrats's Reach

by Martin Frost

I received an e-mail from one of my law partners in Denver recently asking me about Houston Mayor Bill White, who was in town raising money. Basically, my partner wanted to know who White is and why he is running for U.S. Senate as a Democrat in a reliably Republican state for a vacancy that did not yet exist.

Hutchison Critics See Conflict in Husband's Work

As the state's senior U.S. senator, Kay Bailey Hutchison has secured hundreds of millions of federal dollars for public projects across Texas. As one of the state's top public finance attorneys, Ray Hutchison has helped issue and defend the government bonds that benefit many of the same cities and public agencies getting that federal money.

Governor Perry Brings Jobs to Texas, Honors Veterans

Last week, Governor Perry spoke at a press conference announcing Farouk Systems' relocation to Houston where they foresee creating 1,200 new jobs and investing $26 million in additional capital. The billion dollar company manufactures and exports professional spa products to more than 90 countries.

Texas No. 1 in Cutting Teen Traffic Deaths

Texas leads the nation in the decline in fatal crashes involving teen drivers. Fatalities involving 16- to 19-year-old drivers fell 33 percent from 2002 to 2007, more than double the national rate of decline, according to a study released Monday.

Hutchison Now Wants Federal Mandates?

Regardless of the rewrites attempted by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison's unannounced gubernatorial campaign, Texas Gov. Rick Perry and the conservatives in the Legislature were right to stop the string-laden "stimulus" dollars from entering Texas' unemployment fund. After having voted against the stimulus package in DC, Hutchison now says Texas should have taken those costly dollars.

Hutchison vs. Perry Promises a Texas-Size Brawl

Texas is bracing for a ferocious bout of political campaigning now that Kay Bailey Hutchison has confirmed she will leave the U.S. Senate to challenge Gov. Rick Perry for his job.

Governor Perry Continues Fight Against Big Government

Wednesday's Washington Times featured Governor Perry's op-ed highlighting economic strengths in Texas as a result of limited government and low taxes. Texas has been in the national spotlight for its success during a tough national economic picture.

After Close 2008 Result, 2010 State House Race in Irving is Already Being Closely Watched

In the bid for Irving's Texas House District 105 seat, the campaign coffers are filling up. Political jabs have begun stoking bipartisan fires. A center-stage role in the statewide election circus has already been secured.

A&M Regents Contribute to Perry

Gov. Rick Perry is the state's most high-profile Aggie. A student yell leader during his days at Texas A&M University, he regularly touts his Aggie roots. And in his campaign's latest financial report, Perry collected $106,000 in political donations from five A&M regents – all of them his appointees.

Political Notes

by Gromer Jeffers

State Sen. Florence Shapiro is first up for the Dallas County Republican Party's "Rise & Shine" breakfast series featuring potential candidates for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Kay Bailey Hutchison .

Economic Recovery May Be Less Tough on Texas

by Brendan Case

The Great Recession may be nearing an end. Sort of. An index of leading economic indicators rose in June for the third month in a row.

State Board of Education Rejects Math Course

by William Lutz

s a curriculum requiring students to  “apply, compare, and contrast ratios, rates, and ratings (such as television program ratings, NFL Quarterback ratings, and job ratings) to make informed decisions” a clever way to get kids interested in statistics or another example of “fuzzy math and social engineering”?

Perry Raises Possibility of States' Rights Showdown with White House over Healthcare

Gov. Rick Perry, raising the specter of a showdown with the Obama administration, suggested Thursday that he would consider invoking states’ rights protections under the 10th Amendment to resist the president’s healthcare plan, which he said would be "disastrous" for Texas.

Ted Cruz Campaign for Attorney General Endorsed by Conservative Leaders

Former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz announced Monday that a broad coalition of statewide grassroots leaders and prominent national leaders have endorsed his campaign for Texas Attorney General.

What You Can Look for as Campaign Season 2010 Develops

by Will Lutz

Now that the policy season is over, most in Austin are taking a well-deserved summer vacation. Those not on vacation are switching their attention to the upcoming elections and the March primary.

Less Lincoln, More Religion in Class?

Biographies of Washington, Lincoln, Stephen F. Austin? Not fit reading material for children in the early grades.

Campaign Reports Will Offer Glimpse of the Future

by Peggy Fikac

If a candidate's most reliable friend is ready money, as former U.S. Sen. Phil Gramm once famously said, this is the week we judge the candidates for governor by the greenback buddies in their campaign chests.

Hutchison's Accusations Kick Off a War of Words with Perry Rep

Kay Bailey Hutchison said Monday that she's raised $6.7 million in the first half of the year for her Republican primary challenge to Gov. Rick Perry.

Perry Shrugs Off Hutchison's Fundraising Lead in Texas Governor Contest

Gov. Rick Perry dismissed U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison's fundraising prowess Tuesday, suggesting that he's still not convinced she will challenge him in the March Republican primary for governor.

Will Kay Bailey Hutchison Play Texas Hold 'Em?

by Nate Silver

No, this is not a poker post.  Instead, it's one about Kay Bailey Hutchison, the Texas senator, who today announced that it's full speed ahead in her bid to challenge to Texas' incumbent governor, Rick Perry. The news comes to absolutely no one's surprise as Hutchison has been contemplating this race for years and long ago hired consultants and established a website toward her bid, while already having raised some $6.7 million dollars on behalf of it.

This Isn't California

by Michael Quinn Sullivan

Texas' economic position keeps getting better, if for no other reason than the antics of the other states.  Perhaps one of the best economic development tools the Lone Star State has right now is that we're not California.

Former Donors of Gov. Rick Perry Backing Kay Bailey Hutchison

At least 26 past major donors to Gov. Rick Perry are now giving to rival Kay Bailey Hutchison, contributing more than $1 million to the senator in the last six months.

Tea Parties Try to Keep Momentum Brewing

Organizers of the Independence Day Tea Party at Southfork Ranch said Sunday that it and other rallies have helped energize their grass-roots anti-tax movement.

Other Governors Come and Go, but Not Texas' Perry

Sex and bribery scandals have rocked three governors; four have resigned or announced they won’t seek re-election because of aspirations for higher office — and term limits are about to terminate California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Perry Reports Having $9.3M on Hand in June

Gov. Rick Perry's campaign reported ending June with $9.3 million in its kitty Wednesday as Perry said that if re-elected next year, he'll serve the full four-year term.

We Have Great News To Share!

by Texans for Rick Perry

This has been a great week to be part of Team Perry. Not only were we able to report your tremendous support on the financial side ($4.2 million raised in nine days has to be some kind of record), but a new poll is out showing a 12-point lead over the closest presumed competitor in the race for governor.

Brief Filed on Behalf of Friendswood Taxpayers

by Americans for Prosperity

In response to the outrageous efforts of Friendswood City Council members to raise taxes, abort the city charter, and buy land outside of its jurisdictional limits, Americans for Prosperity Foundation-Texas has filed an amicus brief on behalf of its members in Friendswood.

Gov. Perry Appoints Gail Lowe to State Board Chair

Today, Gov. Perry selected Gail Lowe to be the next chair of the State Board of Education (SBOE).  Gail Lowe, of Lampasas, Texas, is one of the more conservative SBOE members, and was first elected to the SBOE in 2002.

Texas Democrats Try to Block Perry's Use of Stimulus Funds

Texas Democrats in Congress vowed Wednesday to keep pushing the White House to help them block what they see as Gov. Rick Perry's misuse of $3 billion in federal aid for public schools.

Gov. Perry Vetoes SB 1440

Pursuant to Article IV, Section 14, of the Texas Constitution, I, Rick Perry, Governor of Texas, do hereby disapprove of and veto Senate Bill No. 1440 of the 81st Texas Legislature, Regular Session, due to the following objections….

Governor Vetoes Child-Abuse Bill

by Corrie MacLaggan

Gov. Rick Perry today vetoed a child-abuse bill that critics said would have violated families’ rights.

Think Elections Don't Matter?

by Michael Quinn Sullivan

You’ve probably heard this at least as many times as I have from family and friends: “I don’t vote because there isn’t a difference between the candidates and the parties.”

Comments on Perry Budget Action, Veto of HB 130

by Texas for Fiscal Responsibility

The president of Texans for Fiscal Responsibility said Gov. Rick Perry correctly wielded his pen this legislative session on the state budget. The governor used his line-item veto authority to cut $288.9 million from the budget, of which $97.2 million came from general revenue spending.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry Shuns Protection for Kids

by statesman.com Editorial Board

Nothing government does is more important than protecting those least able to protect themselves. Children — particularly the depressingly-too-many Texas children abused at home — are among those at the top of that list.

Perry Surges to Lead in New Poll

An article in Wednesday's San Antonio Express-News titled “Perry tops GOP rival in gov race poll” highlights some great news, "Gov. Rick Perry leads U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison by double digits in their race for the GOP gubernatorial nomination, according to a new statewide poll by the Texas Lyceum."

Governor Perry Vetos SB 1440!

by Tim Lambert

Moments ago (June 19) I received a phone call from Governor Perry's office to let us know that he will announce shortly that he is going to veto SB 1440. He has heard the outcry from parents all over Texas (and many other parts of the country) and is responding.

Veto SB 1440

Yesterday (June 14) the Ft. Worth Star Telegram printed an editorial by supporters of SB 1440 calling on the governor to sign the bill into law. I have sent the following response to several papers in the state.

Legal Basis for Veto of SB 1440

by Tim Lambert

Yesterday (June 15) we delivered a letter outlining the legal arguments for our request that Governor Perry veto SB 1440. This letter was drafted with the help of several attorneys who defend innocent families in CPS investigations on a regular basis, as well as some constitutional attorneys. It is a long and detailed legal argument that clearly shows why this bill must not become law.

Sponsor of SB 1440 Calls for Veto

by Tim Lambert

Rep. Jerry Madden, the House sponsor of SB 1440, has issued a letter asking the governor to veto his own bill. This is a huge development as it supports our position that this legislation was passed without the full understanding of the legislature. The governor may make his decision as soon as today. Read Madden's letter.

Coalition Asks Texas Governor to Veto “Take Away Your Child Act”

It’s been just over a year since the Texas Child Protective Services, acting on a hoax phone call, launched a military-style raid against polygamist families of the Fundamentalist Church of the Latter Day Saints (FLDS) at their West Texas ranch, seizing 440 children that they placed in foster homes scattered across the state.

Last-Minute Legislative Flurry Led to Controversial Amendments

For chambers of commerce across Texas, the five pages of words were like gold. Enacted into law, they would exempt dozens of "nonprofit community business organizations providing economic development services to local communities" from paying property taxes — at a cost of more than

Texas Now Key Battlefield for National Standards

The concept of national education standards is, at first glance, a great idea. And that’s what the politicians, education bureaucrats and education marketers are counting on. The battle is political, and the ultimate question is: who controls public education?

Texas Gov. Rick Perry Signs Off on Tax Cut for Small Businesses

Nearly 40,000 small businesses would see their state franchise taxes go away for at least the next two years – an average annual savings of $2,200 – under legislation Gov. Rick Perry approved Tuesday.

Texas Should Adopt and Measure Learning Expectations for Technology

by William Lutz

The politics of education has little to do with what's good for kids and everything to do with which adults get to spend the taxpayers' money.

CPS Blank Check II

by Tim Lambert

SB 1440 was delivered to the governor on June 3. He has twenty days after the end of the session to take action on the bill by signing or vetoing it or allowing it to become law without his signature, which means he has until the 21st or 22nd of June to veto the bill.

GOP Primary for Governor May Become Costliest in State History

The theatrics of the 81st Texas Legislature may be over, but Texans are now gearing up for the state’s next feature attraction — a roiling political season topped by a marquee race for governor.

GOP Chief Appears to Be Fielding Two Challengers for Re-election

The Houston lawyer who chairs the Republican Party of Texas has fielded an Amarillo challenger for the chairmanship and is expected to pick up a Katy foe as soon as Tuesday, though it’s probably safe to say both start as longshots—assuming Tina Benkiser commits to seeking another two-year term leading the party.

Texas Child Protective Services Looking to Expand Powers

The Travis County Republican Party joins several organizations in urging Texas Governor Rick Perry to veto SB 1440, a bill which would allow Texas Child Protective Services to enter homes, take children, subject them to interviews and investigations without a court hearing or notice to the parent or even showing good cause.

Texas Legislator Ratings Released

by Michael Quinn Sullivan

Texans for Fiscal Responsibility released its final ratings today for members of the 81st Texas Legislature. TFR President Michael Quinn Sullivan says that while the partisan gap narrowed, the ratings of the House and Senate members show a more fiscally conservative direction.

Groups Pushing for Perry to Veto Bill on CPS Interviews

A wide assortment of groups wants Gov. Rick Perry to veto a bill that clarifies when Child Protective Services may enter a child's home, take a child from school for an interview and obtain medical records.

Special Session for the Texas Legislature?

by Michael Quinn Sullivan

While the date hasn’t been set, Governor Rick Perry said this week a special session was inevitable. Lawmakers failed to reauthorize, reform, or even just continue for the interim the Texas Department of Transportation, the Department of Insurance and other agencies. Unless action is taken this summer, those will shut down within the next year.

Giving CPS a Blank Check

by Tim Lambert

SB 1064 by Senator Kirk Watson was filed early in the session, and it sought to allow CPS, in the course of an investigation of abuse or neglect, to get the medical or mental health records of children who are the focus of an investigation. In order for CPS to accomplish this, the person refusing to give the records and parents must be given notice and a court hearing and CPS must show "good cause" for the action before the court would order the release of said records to CPS.

Handful of Democrats Grind Session to a Halt

by Will Lutz

Give the Democratic leadership high marks for creativity. Every session (except 2005), Rep. Jim Dunnam (D-Waco) finds some new way to create end-of-session chaos.

Perry Blasts Senators Who Let Bill Die, Says a Special Session May Be Necessary

Gov. Rick Perry said Tuesday that he may be forced to call a special session because of actions by a group of senators the night before.

Perry Declares Session Victory

Staring at a rough Republican primary battle ahead, Gov. Rick Perry declared success Tuesday in the just-completed Texas legislative session, trumpeting victories like small-business tax cuts and unspent savings money. But primary voters may see defeat in the failure to pass anti-abortion measures he vocally backed.

Special Session Still an Option

State lawmakers on Sunday approved a windstorm insurance reform measure — eliminating the need for a special session — but legislative brinksmanship on transportation and insurance created new threats that such a session will be necessary.

There's Very Little to Remember This Session By

by Wayne Slater

The Texas Legislature creeped Saturday toward the end of its Seinfeld session, the session about nothing.

This Session, Both Parties Lose as Red-Hot Legislation Fizzles Out

Dozens of hotly debated measures, from mandatory pre-abortion sonograms to concealed handguns on college campuses, appear to have fizzled out in the Legislature – the result of a politically divided House and an ever-ticking clock.

Officials' Efforts Against Sex Trade Help Close Illicit Businesses in Northwest Dallas

There was a time when neighborhoods in northwest Dallas were besieged by massage parlors, bathhouses and rogue bars that served as fronts for prostitution and even the trafficking and exploitation of minors.

Defeat of Texas’ Statewide Smoking Ban a Victory for Private Property Rights

by J.R. Labbe

There is perhaps no more zealous crusader in the world of social causes than a reformed smoker. Once people make the decision to kick the habit, they become vocal critics of anyone who chooses to continue contaminating their lungs and the health of those around them with burning tobacco.

Texas Legislature Adjourns after Meltdown in Senate; Special Session Looms

The 81st Legislature adjourned Monday night with angry state senators urging Gov. Rick Perry to call a special session to salvage $2 billion in highway transportation money. The money was left in limbo when the House killed legislation to keep the Texas Department of Transportation and four other state agencies operating.

Texas Legislature Adjourns with 2 Major State Agencies Unaddressed

The Legislature’s 2009 session ended in a bitter meltdown late Monday as the Senate refused to vote on whether to keep two major state agencies alive, setting up the possibility of a special session within months to revive the transportation and insurance departments.

Two Dallas-Area Republicans Reflect on Power Shift in House

As power shifted in the House in January, two Dallas-area Republicans found themselves in unfamiliar roles.

Taxpayers Did Well This Legislative Session

The first business of any legislative session is to pass a budget. In these though economic times, Texas is one of only a few states able to balance their budget, Texas is in the black, and the state budget stabilization fund is intact. This is a major victory for Texas taxpayers and good news for the Texas economy.

Ex-CPS Worker to Serve 90 Days in Jail

A former Child Protective Services supervisor who falsely accused a man of molestation must spend 90 days in jail as a condition of her probation.

Beating Back Efforts to Undermine Parental Rights

by Tim Lambert

The last couple of weeks, the Texas legislature has heard from home school parents, who are the driving force to defend and protect parental rights in Texas. On May 14 we sent an Alert to our list asking home schoolers to call their state senators in opposition to HB 1232, a bill requiring mental health screening for certain children and the sharing of health care information with CPS and other agencies.

Democrats Spend Third Straight Day Stalling the House

House Democrats spent a third straight day Sunday tediously debating routine and noncontroversial bills, chewing up time in hopes of derailing a controversial voter identification bill.

Senate Tradition Has Been Abused

by Editors of the San Antonio Express News

Two years ago, the Texas Youth Commission was a national embarrassment. An internal investigation by the agency in early 2007 had uncovered sexual abuse at the West Texas State School in Pyote. But that was only the beginning.

Democrats' TacticsTake Down Voter ID Bill in Texas House

Democrats appear to have stalled business in the House long enough to prevent consideration of a divisive measure to require photo identification for voting, after a long, lost weekend of legislating.

McLeroy Opposed as Board of Ed Leader

Senate Democrats say they have more than enough votes to remove Don McLeroy as chairman of the State Board of Education Tuesday when McLeroy’s confirmation reaches the Senate floor.

School Board Reins Yanked from McLeroy

In a rare rejection of an appointment by the Texas governor, the Senate Thursday ousted Don McLeroy as chairman of the State Board of Education, with his supporters claiming the Bryan dentist was the victim of his strong religious beliefs.

Who Says They Don't Listen?

by Michael Quinn Sullivan

Anyone who thinks lawmakers don't move to fix unintended problems in legislative initiatives should see what State Rep. Jerry Madden of Plano did. He took what could have accidentially been a joke on the taxpayers, and fixed it to become a cost-saving initiative good for everyone.

Texas Republican Speaker Joe Straus Criticizes Democrats

Republican Speaker Joe Straus broke away Monday from the Democrats who lifted him to power, calling them “obstructionists” and criticizing the partisan gridlock he says they have brought to the Texas House.

State Representative Dan Flynn’s Statement Regarding Actions of the Texas House

While I know there are widely varying opinions about “Voter ID” please remember that the “Block” is not from the folks on the list not wishing to suspend the rules of the House.

Social Promotion Change May Doom School Accountability Bill

Gov. Rick Perry has warned legislative leaders that he may veto a wide-ranging school accountability bill if it scraps the state's longtime rules to curtail social promotion – the practice of automatically passing students regardless of achievement.

Capitol Journal: Texas Democrats Filibuster Voter ID Bill for Fifth Day

House members learned the hard way Tuesday that red ties and butterflies may be free, but killing a voter ID bill is expensive.

Texas House Feeling the Pain

Little known: When state Rep. Edmund Kuempel had a heart attack, the guy who found him punched in "911" three times on his cell phone without getting an answer, though he still was able to help save the Seguin Republican.

Surprised at Lack of Support

by Michael Quinn Sullivan

Thought you might be interested in seeing this e-mail Vicki Truitt sent earlier this morning to her supporters. Apparently she is finding there aren't many people, that many actual taxpayers, interested in hiking taxes and raising fees during the worst economic climate in recent memory. Just don't seem to be that many families eager to see their cost of living rise so projects can be funded that aren't required to reduce congestion! (The Truitt/Corona language on HB300 has no requirement for congestion relief; just more spending.)

Rep. Jim Jackson’s Tactical Analysis of Memorial Day Bill Killing

Many people have heard or read from news sources about the 4 to 5 days of delay over Memorial Day weekend that some Democratic members of the Texas House have used to slow the legislative calendar in order to kill the Voter ID Law for voter integrity.  Some have even told me they watched some of the action or inaction on the streaming video.

June 2009 Texas Eagle Forum News & Notes

June 1 is the last day of the 81st Legislative Session in Austin. Hundreds of bills never saw the light of day in the waning days of the session, including the Ultrasound Bill, due to House Democrats invoking a five-day stall so the Voter ID bill would never come up before the May 26th deadline. In the final week, legislators scrambled to cut and paste some of these bills as amendments onto other bills.

I Don't Advocate Secession

by Governor Rick Perry

About a month ago, I stood with a bipartisan group of Texas legislators to speak in support of a resolution honoring the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The resolution simply restates the Constitution's principle of federalism — that powers not granted to the national government, nor prohibited to the states, are reserved to the states or the people.

From the Midwest to the Pacific, Job Seekers are Heading to Texas

Across the nation, unemployment is sky-high, the housing market is sucking wind and recessionary fears have frozen Americans in place.

Texas Primary Could Help define GOP of Future

As the GOP struggles nationally to redefine itself, the debate over what it means to be a Republican is playing out in Texas, too, through Kay Bailey Hutchison's challenge to Gov. Rick Perry.

Texas House Takes Moderate Direction

The Texas House, tightly controlled by conservatives just a couple of years ago, has become downright moderate.

Martinez: Looking after the Interests of the Blue Collar Worker

Every now and then a bill comes to the floor of the House or Senate that allows a state legislator an opportunity to really “vote their district.”

Hutchison Supporters Seek Apology from Perry over Strategist's Comment

A group of Kay Bailey Hutchison supporters is demanding an apology from Rick Perry, saying his top political strategist insulted her by invoking the imagery of a brothel.

Texas Board of Education Chairman Don McLeroy a Step Closer to Retaining Post

Republican Don McLeroy's nomination as chairman of the State Board of Education was revived Wednesday when a Senate committee finally voted to recommend him to the full Senate.

Plan to Change Sex Ed in Texas Fails

A bill geared to help reduce childhood obesity erupted into a fight Wednesday in the Texas House over the way sex education is taught in the state’s public schools.

Technicality Shoots Down States' Rights Bill

A Republican-launched initiative embraced by Gov. Rick Perry, exhorting Congress to affirm states' rights as outlined in the 10th Amendment, was shot down Tuesday by a lone Democrat on a point of parliamentary procedure.

Parental Rights - Never Give Up!

by Tim Lambert

The battle for restoring or defending parental rights goes on. In April, hundreds of home schoolers met on the steps of the Texas State Capitol to rally for the Texas Parental Rights Restoration Act (TPRRA), and Governor Rick Perry announced his support along with several state legislators. Later that week, well over a hundred showed their support in a public hearing, and on the 29th of last month the bill was voted out of the Human Services Committee on a 5-3 vote.

Open Letter to Texas Legislators -- Your Call

by Donna Garner, SBOE

If you are a caring citizen and are concerned about our Texas public schools, please make your wishes known to your elected Texas Legislators. They cannot read your minds, and they constantly have high-priced vendors and special interest groups breathing down their necks. This is the time to express yourselves clearly to your elected legislators.

Will Party Switching Return Soon in Texas? Observers Skeptical

by Anna M. Tinsley

Former Tarrant County Judge Tom Vandergriff did it. So did Gov. Rick Perry. Even former U.S. Sen. Phil Gramm. These Texans are among the many politicians who have switched parties and survived — maybe even thrived.

Stalled Voter ID Plan Shows Struggle to Find Compromise on Thorny Issue

In a touchy stretch of his 12-year legislative career, Rep. Todd Smith huddled late last month with fellow House Republicans leery of his proposed compromise on a voter identification bill.

House's About Face on SBOE Sunset

by Elise Hu

First it narrowly passed. Then it was narrowly defeated.

Response to Editorial Board's Attacks on the State Board of Education (SBOE)

by Ken Mercer, SBOE

Change in education is hard.  Texas has many people who are deeply entrenched – education bureaucrats/lobbyists (a.k.a., “educrats”) who make their living off education dollars but who devote their lives to defeating any true education reform involving real change.

Backers of Expanded Texas Gambling Fold 'Em

Lawmakers have folded on their last chance this year to expand gambling in Texas, saying neither a budget crunch nor growing public interest can overcome staunch conservative opposition.

To Help UT, Modify the Top 10% Admissions Law

by Rep. Dan Branch, R-Dallas, Texas Legislature

The House will soon be debating Senate Bill 175, legislation that proposes to modify Texas' top 10 percent automatic admissions policy, or what has become known as the top 10 percent law. The legislation does not propose to repeal the top 10 percent law, nor does it seek to reduce efforts promoting diversity or academic excellence. Rather, it is designed to correct an unintended consequence creating a critical imbalance at one of our state's tier one universities, the University of Texas.

Victory over Daytime Curfew Bill - We Think

by Tim Lambert

The battle against daytime curfews has continued to take many forms over the last few years. We have opposed HB 1886 since early spring because it would expand the possibilities of daytime curfews in Texas. We opposed the bill in the Urban Affairs Committee; it passed. We opposed it in Calendars Committee, and it was finally brought to the floor last Friday for consideration.

Liberals Make It Official--Christians Need Not Apply

by Ken Mercer       

It is official; conservative Christians are unqualified and need not apply. It happened at the Miss USA Pageant and then at the Nominations Committee of the Texas State Senate.

Skullduggery in the House – HB 710

by Donna Garner

As described to me by someone who was there in person, this is the high drama that took place on the floor of the Texas House today.  Please write your legislators and tell them that you are ashamed that such obvious tricks are being used to take the authority away from the elected State Board of Education members.  We want to retain our Constitutional right to elect these Board members who make decisions over the 4.6 million public school children in our state.

Oppose Pre-K Program

by Michael Quinn Sullivan

Later today the Texas House will consider House Bill 130 which would create a full-day pre-kindergarten grant program. At a time when public education dollars are already stretched thin, this is an inappropriate expansion of government.

Texas House Battles Over Daytime Curfews

HB 1886 by Miklos is a bill requested by the mayor of Balch Springs,, which has little or no police force. The bill would allow them to ask the county sheriff and deputies to enforce the city's daytime curfew.

Home-School Interest Grows in Hard Times

More budget-conscious Houston families appear to be contemplating home schooling as an alternative to pricey private school tuition.

Leadership Style of New Speaker Taking Shape

The role of Texas House speaker isn't defined by the state Constitution, but rather by the individual holding the office. From reform-minded Price Daniel Jr. to the iron-fisted rule of Tom Craddick, circumstances and personalities have dictated each leader's power and prestige.

ICR Launches Federal and State Lawsuits against Texas Agency

The Institute for Creation Research Graduate School (ICRGS) has filed two lawsuits against the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) defendants as of Thursday, April 16. Commissioner Raymund Paredes was formally served at his offices in Austin yesterday afternoon.

Procedural Games Get Anti-SBOE Constitutional Amendment Over the Line

by Terri Leo, State Board of Education

The Democrats (with help from a handful of Republicans) succeeded in passing the constitutional amendment taking the Permanent School Fund away from the elected State Board of Education, but it sure didn’t look pretty.

Perry Practices the Politics of Division

by Matt Mackowiak

Texas has as singular and unique a history as any of the 50 states and it's evident in our deeply felt independent streak. In Texas, we commemorate the Battle of San Jacinto and we celebrate March 2, which is known as Texas Independence Day.

Texas House Moves Toward Likely Confrontation over Voter ID Law

The House of Representatives moved closer toward a likely confrontation over voter identification legislation on Wednesday as House Elections Committee Chairman Todd Smith unveiled a plan that he said strikes a balance between ballot box security and increased citizen access to the polls.

Voter ID Compromise Gets Cool Reception

A proposed compromise offered Wednesday on the politically charged voter ID proposal in the Legislature would delay the mandate until 2013, a wrinkle opposed by nearly every House Republican.

Legislators May Strip Education Board of Power

The legislative session so far has not been kind to the State Board of Education. Senate confirmation of Board Chairman Don McLeroy, R-College Station, is dead in the water, the Nominations Committee chairman said Thursday.

Texas Senate Passes Bill Requiring Doctors to Offer Ultrasounds to Women Seeking Abortions

The Texas Senate voted Thursday to require doctors to offer an ultrasound to women seeking abortions and to let them see the results if they want to.

San Jacinto: A Reflection

by Paul Perry

On the afternoon of April 21, 1836, at San Jacinto, an army of outnumbered frontiersmen charged the most experienced professional army in the Western Hemisphere.

With ‘Tea Parties,’ Perry Is Both Culture Warrior and National Conservative Darling

by Wayne Slater

The governor arrived for the “tea party” protests in a hunter’s cap with a camouflage brim. The cap, like his speech denouncing runaway spending in Washington and embracing states’ rights, carried a distinct message: Rick Perry, culture warrior.

French Republicans? Budgets and Taxes

by Michael Quinn Sullivan

Okay, a day early, actually. Our forefathers defeated Santa Anna on the San Jacinto battlefield outside modern Houston on April 21, 2009, securing Texas' independence.

An Open Letter to Republican Members of the Texas Senate

by Ken Mercer

I am more than just a little “shocked" to learn that some Republicans are behind Senate Bill 2275 and other efforts to strip power from the elected State Board of Education.

Dallas-Based Institute for Creation Research Sues State over Denial of Its Master's Program

The Institute for Creation Research has taken its fight to train future science teachers to the federal courthouse.

TEA Parties Draw Attack from Democratic Senate Candidate Sharp

Former Texas Comptroller and candidate for Kay Bailey Hutchison’s Senate seat, John Sharp, launched a web ad criticizing Governor Rick Perry’s recent comments about state sovereignty during the nationwide tea parties on April 15, 2009.

Action Alert Cargill Connection April 2009 State Board of Education

by Barbara Cargill

The State Board of Education passed academically strong and rigorous science standards at our March meeting.  These standards, like the English Language Arts and Reading standards that were passed last year, will equip our students with the knowledge and skills they need for college and/or the workforce.

Dallas Council Keeps Nighttime Curfew for Kids, to Decide on Day Proposal May 13

A nighttime curfew for children will remain law, although the Dallas City Council on Wednesday delayed voting on whether to implement a more contentious daytime curfew proposal.

End Poor Guidance of Texas Education

It’s time for Don McLeroy to step down as chairman of the State Board of Education. Since he won't go willingly (and Gov. Rick Perry apparently won't remove his appointee), it is up to the Texas Senate to remove him from the chair.

Senate OKs Purchase of Guns in all 50 States

The Senate voted unanimously Thursday to let state residents purchase firearms, ammunition and accessories in all 50 states.

ALERT: SBOE Chm. Don McLeroy's Reappointment

Texas Eagle Forum

The State Board of Education Chairman Dr. Don McLeroy has been reappointed by Governor Perry, but it must be approved by the TX Senate. Please ask the Nominations Committee members to vote YES for Dr. Don McLeroy.

Bedford Battle Moves to the Voting Booth

by Tim Lambert

Freedom-loving people have been fighting the adoption of daytime curfews in cities all over Texas, which we have covered for some time. Bedford has been ground zero since last fall as the city council there adopted the curfew without a public hearing; this week they voted again to keep the curfew in the face of growing opposition from business owners, civil liberty activists, and parents of public, private, and home school students.

TPRRA Gains Ground in Austin

by Tim Lambert

Last week was a busy one in Austin for THSC. On Tuesday almost 400 home schoolers attended the second of three THSC Capitol Days. They learned about the legislative process and lobbied all 150 Texas House members and 31 Texas State Senators to support the Texas Parental Rights Restoration Act (TPRRA).

Legislators Seek to Gut SBOE

by Tim Lambert

One thing that seems to be constant is that if conservatives have power and are making policy, they will be accused of being divisive and "political" and even "not caring about the children." This year is no different, as a contentious debate over science standards on the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) resulted in a compromise that took a conservative position.

Dallas Daytime Curfew

Support the effort to defeat the Dallas Daytime Curfew.

Daytime Curfews, While Perhaps Popular, Are Bad Policy

by Bob Barr

Local governments, from Kennesaw, Georgia to Benicia, California, are jumping on the curfew bandwagon as a way to tighten control of the citizenry. While late-night/early-morning curfews for children have been employed for decades as a way to limit gang and other youth-based violence — often unsuccessfully — the latest, 21st-Century iteration is to extend the concept to daytime hours.

Gov. Perry Backs Resolution Affirming Texas’ Sovereignty Under 10th Amendment

Gov. Rick Perry today joined state Rep. Brandon Creighton and sponsors of House Concurrent Resolution (HCR) 50 in support of states’ rights under the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Texas Lawmakers Debate Stripping Education Board of Authority Over Curriculum, Textbooks

Four state senators, fed up with curriculum and textbook battles at the State Board of Education, pitched legislation Tuesday that would strip the board of its authority over curriculum and textbooks and transfer it to the commissioner of education.

House Panel to Consider State’s Actions in Sect Raid

The House Committee on Human Services tomorrow is scheduled to take a look at how the state handled last year’s child-welfare operation at a West Texas ranch owned by a polygamist sect.

Why are Rep. Branch and Sen. Wentworth Assaulting 20 Million Texans?

by Mike Ford

House Bill 3458 introduced by Rep. Dan Branch R-Dallas is the same as  Sen. Wentworth's anti-petition bill (SB 690). It will be heard in the House Urban Affairs Committee (see members below).  A hearing is set for THIS Thursday, April 16, at 10:30 a.m. in Room E 2.028.

Board That Disciplines Doctors May Be Reined In

A bill that was the subject of a 5½-hour hearing Tuesday would sharply curtail the powers of the Texas Medical Board if it becomes law.

Why Does Dallas Need a Daytime Curfew?

by Jim Olvera

Why are Dallas city officials and police so keen on passing a daytime curfew? Curfews are usually imposed for public safety in times of crisis such as natural disasters or riots.

Rick Perry: Tea Party Darling

Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s star is rising among a new constituency — the anti-tax “tea party” crowd — in the wake of his recent endorsement of a Texas state House resolution affirming the state’s sovereignty.

Government Fights Back, and Our Budget Boneheads

by Michael Quinn Sullivan

Were you able to be at a Tea Party? It was remarkable -- people gathering by the tens, the hundreds and the thousands in nearly every town in Texas and across the country. All peacefully, and all for the purpose of calling for restrained government spending, low taxes and individual liberty. 

Three Cheers for Our Elected State Board of Education

by William Lutz

Here we go again. Another session; another attempt from the social left to neuter this state's elected State Board of Education (SBOE).

Perry Stands by Secession Comments

Gov. Rick Perry on Thursday stuck by his earlier statement that Texas can secede from the United States — a far-reaching, legally questionable prospect that nevertheless drew Perry a fresh favorable mention by Rush Limbaugh, one of the nation's leading conservative voices.

Perry Gets the Buzz and the Bucks, Too

With the fiery rhetoric of a prairie populist, Gov. Rick Perry calls on “Texas patriots” to protest against “bailouts, all this stimulus, all this runaway spending” in the nation’s capital.

Tea and Taxes

by Wes Riddle

On the night of 16 December 1773, members of the Sons of Liberty dressed up as Mohawk Indians and boarded ships in Boston harbor. A large number of citizens gathered to watch as they broke open hundreds of chests of tea and heaved them overboard into the water.

STOP Gambling Bills

Texas Eagle Forum

Two extremely dangerous gambling expansion bills that were quietly voted out of committee last week are now in Calendar’s Committee waiting to be scheduled for floor votes. These are HB 222, which would legalizing electronic poker, and HB 1424, a so-called bingo “clean-up” bill that – oh yes – expands bingo far beyond its original charitable purposes and also allows bingo slot machines. Both bills would create “Class III” gambling in Texas, opening a breach in state law that, under federal law, will allow untaxed and unregulated Indian gambling.

Gambling Backers Pitch Their Ideas to Texas House, but Foes Fire Back

Racetrack operators and Las Vegas developers played their best hands Wednesday, trying to persuade Texas lawmakers to authorize resort-style casinos, legalize slot machines at tracks and bring gaming back to Indian reservations.

Republican Lawmakers Resisting Perry Repeatedly

Democrats always have chafed under the rule of socially conservative, fiscally tight Rick Perry. But in the current legislative session, it's not the opposition party that's pushing back.

GOP Holds Key to Unemployment Stimulus Dollars

Against the wishes of Gov. Rick Perry, lawmakers are pressing ahead with efforts to claim $555 million in federal economic stimulus money for unemployment benefits.

Rep. King, Home-Schooling Group Push to Make It Harder for Grandparents to Sue for Access

Parents of home-school children showed their support in Austin this week for a bill aimed at protecting their parental rights from litigious grandparents.

Campus Guns Bill Gaining Support in Texas House

Legislation allowing state university students and employees to carry their concealed handguns on campus appears to have enough pledged support from lawmakers to pass the full Texas House.

Gov. Perry Backs Resolution Affirming Texas’ Sovereignty Under 10th Amendment

Gov. Rick Perry today (April 9, 2009) joined state Rep. Brandon Creighton and sponsors of House Concurrent Resolution (HCR) 50 in support of states’ rights under the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Sausage Making and Friendly Fire

by Tim Lambert

This week was a busy one in Austin for THSC Association. It seems like I have been in Austin two or three days a week for months. One of the most important things we try to do in Austin is to maintain our credibility as an organization by making sure that our information is correct and that we only call for appropriate action and at the right times.

The Political Realities of Daytime Curfews

by Tim Lambert

Last week many home schoolers in Dallas and Bedford joined other concerned parents and leaders of the ACLU in rallies protesting the current and proposed daytime curfews in those cities.

Huge Education Victory for Texas Students

by Ken Mercer, State Board of Education

Common sense, combined with the pressure of at least 14,000 constituent communications in favor of allowing students to discuss all sides of a science theory, finally prevailed. 

Governor Perry Announces Jobs and Talks Economic Stimulus

Last week was a busy week in Austin, but Gov. Perry still made time to get out with the people in West and South Texas to go face to face with citizens and discuss a number of key issues.

Suit Dismissed in Firing over Creationism E-Mail

A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit Tuesday by a former state science curriculum director who alleged that she was illegally fired for sending out an e-mail on a lecture that was critical of those wanting to teach creationism in science classes.

Pro-Life Issue One to Watch as March 2010 Primary Approaches

Recent polls already show United States Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison with a slight advantage over Governor Rick Perry for the 2010 gubernatorial election.

UIL Soon May Be Forced to Accept Private School Teams

For the last 14 years, a handful of private schools have been asking the Legislature for a chance to participate in the league for public school sports and academic competitions.

Help Governor Perry Kickoff His Campaign This Summer with Your Ideas

While Governor Perry is working hard and focused on making the 2009 legislative session a success, at the campaign we are now gearing up for the race ahead.

A Year After Sect Raid, Changes in Laws Sought

A year after a massive child welfare raid at a West Texas ranch run by a polygamist sect, some legislators want to rewrite the laws that guided the state's actions during an investigation into whether young girls there were being forced to marry older men.

Big-Government Strikes Back

by Michael Quinn Sullivan

When it comes to public policy, the big-government crowd can only fight in two ways: cheating, and with personal attacks.

Texas Eagle Forum ALERT: DNA Database

House Bill 1672 concerns an existing DNA database of newborns in Texas. TEF believes that before a child's DNA is taken at birth and stored by the TX Department of Health, PARENTS should consent.

Parental Rights and Custody Cases

by Tim Lambert

We have seen home school parents in custody cases faced with judges who decide arbitrarily that the children should not be home schooled again and again. The most recent high profile case was in North Carolina where a judge ruled that the children must be place in a public school in spite of the fact that they were doing very well academically evidently because of the religious beliefs of the mother. The basis upon which judges are allowed to do this is called "the best interest of the child." HB 1611 is designed to reassert parental rights by requiring an equal treatment of the parents unless a parent is found to be unfit.

Science Curriculum Standards for Grades K-12

by Barbara Cargill, State Board of Education

The State Board of Education began discussing the science curriculum standards for grades K-12 in November.  The final vote is quickly approaching.  We have listened to many testifiers, and we have received over 9,000 e-mails about this issue.  The vast majority are from concerned citizens who want the scientific weaknesses of evolution to continue being taught to our students.  Interestingly, a Zogby poll released in January reflects similar results in that over 78% of likely voters agree with teaching both the evidence for and against Darwin’s theory.

Opponents of Daytime Curfew in Bedford Plan Rally Today

Saying it’s unfair to children, people who oppose a daytime curfew ordinance plan to rally at Bedford City Hall this afternoon.

Demonstrators Rally Against Bedford Daytime Curfew

Chloe Kozak, 13, said daytime curfews make her very nervous.

Daytime Curfew Onslaught Continues

by Tim Lambert

Opponents to current and proposed daytime curfews rallied recently in Dallas and Bedford. The Dallas City Council held a hearing two days later to consider adopting the curfew. Many home schoolers testified against the measure as ineffective and dangerous to the liberty of law abiding citizens. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), a group known for their liberal leanings, is also heavily involved in the battle to stop or roll back daytime curfews.

Daytime Curfew Criminalizes Children, ACLU Says

It's 12 p.m. Do you know where your children are? The City of Dallas wants to make sure they are in school by instituting a daytime curfew, which could carry a $500 fine for violators.

ACLU to Stage Rally Today Against Dallas' Daytime Curfew Ordinance Proposal

Members of the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas and a group called Citizens Against the Dallas Daytime Curfew are planning to stage a rally at 4 p.m. today outside Dallas City Hall.

Texas Senate Endorses Bill to Have Commission Redraw Congressional Districts

Congressional redistricting in Texas would be handled by an independent commission rather than the Legislature under a bill tentatively approved Monday by the Senate.

Hutchison Urges Perry to Find Way to Take Federal Unemployment Money

Gubernatorial candidate Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison said Monday that Gov. Rick Perry should look for ways to accept $550 million in unemployment fund stimulus money without committing the state to future federal mandates.

A Senator Does Right

by Michael Quinn Sullivan

Political courage is hard to find. And while State Sen. Jane Nelson of Flower Mound is known for her rather steely-eyed determination, on Monday she cast the lone vote standing up for fiscal responsibility on Texas’ powerful Senate Finance Committee.

Texas Senate Tentatively Approves Limiting Automatic College Admission to Top 10%

Texas' top 10 percent law for automatic college admission would be limited to 60 percent of the incoming freshman class at state universities under legislation tentatively approved Tuesday by the Senate.

Texas Dems Say Energy Is at Risk

More than a dozen House Democrats on Tuesday warned that President Barack Obama’s proposal to hike taxes and levy new fees on the oil and gas industry could curb domestic energy production.

HB 319 Hearing

by Tim Lambert

A THSC representative testified yesterday at the hearing of HB 319, a bill by State Representative Richard Raymond, that will change the current statute that allows adults to be exempt from jury duty if serving on a jury would cause a child ten years of age or younger to be left alone. The Judiciary Committee hearing was to begin at 2PM, but we did not give testimony on the bill till almost 6:30PM.

TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION: Fight Human Trafficking of Children!

by Dennis Mark

Human Trafficking bill HB 639 will be heard on Monday, March 23rd, by the House Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence Committee and we need your support!  HB 639 will launch a number of measures to fight human trafficking, including establishing a state-wide human trafficking task force and requiring training of law enforcement officers who are often the first to come in contact with the victim.

Dallas and Tarrant County Citizens Rally Against Daytime Curfews

by Tim Lambert

I have received the following announcement that I share for your information: Citizen activists in Dallas and Tarrant counties will hold rallies Monday, March 23, to show public opposition to the current daytime curfew in Bedford and the proposed daytime curfew in Dallas. The Dallas City Council will hold hearings on the issue on March 25; the Bedford City Council will meet on March 24. Many home schoolers who do not live in those cities recognize that they or their children could be impacted by these ordinances because their teen children may go to jobs and/or educational activities without their parents in those cities.

Summary of HB 1886 Hearing

by Tim Lambert

House Urban Affairs Committee hears bill that would allow county officers to enforce city daytime curfews...                     

Proposed Law Allows Texas Parents to Opt Out of Storage of Babies' Blood

Texas lawmakers are the latest group to seek changes in the state health department's policy of indefinitely storing, without disclosure or consent, blood samples from virtually all babies born in Texas.

Bedford Leaves Daytime Curfew in Place

Almost a dozen employees of the Hurst-Euless-Bedford school district asked the City Council on Tuesday night to continue its daytime curfew for schoolchildren.

Law Puts Home-Schooling Parents on Long Leash

When a child listed on the Wichita Falls Independent School District’s rolls as home-schooled was implicated in a drive-by shooting, the incident piqued the concern of WFISD Truancy Director Diann Taylor. She wondered just how much legitimate academic work was going on in that home.

Bill Proposes More Exemptions to Texas Business Tax Proposed

Many small Texas businesses would no longer have to pay the state business tax and others would see their tax liability drop under legislation endorsed by Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and a majority of senators.

A Daytime Curfew for Teens

by Michael Tate

I am hopeful that the City of Dallas' daytime curfew plan for teenagers will die a quiet death. It is a clueless and short-sighted idea that won't fix the truancy problem, although I know it has just enough appeal that some people might consider it a plausible solution to daytime crime. It was plausible enough for the city council to schedule two public hearings on it this spring.

Texas Ranked Number One in Two Important Categories

This week, Texas earned the number one ranking in two important categories: government transparency and economic climate.

Texas' GOP Senators Rule Day on Judges

Texas' Republican senators refused to cede control of judicial nominations, and now the Democratic White House seems to have struck a deal in their favor: The senators will continue screening applicants, though Texas Democrats will get input.

Report Says Gambling Interests Bet $7.6 Million on Texas Politicians in 2008 Cycle

A report released by a campaign-finance watchdog group shows border-area lawmakers received more than a quarter million dollars in campaign contributions from the gambling industry in 2008.

Proposal Targets State Funding for Planned Parenthood Facilities

A Senate budget proposal threatens to cut off state funding to Planned Parenthood in favor of "comprehensive primary care" facilities – clinics that offer more than reproductive health services.

First Hearing Held on Pre-Abortion Sonograms

Emotions ran high Thursday as lawmakers had their first hearing on a bill that would require women seeking abortions to first get a sonogram of the fetus.

Take Action to Stop the Abuse of the Texas Medical Board against Physicians!

by Steven F. Hotze, M.D.

Legislation has been introduced in the 2009 Texas Legislature to require transparency of the actions of the Texas Medical Board (TMB) and to protect patients’ and physicians’ rights. The TMB has for too long cloaked itself in secrecy which allows dishonorable individuals to corrupt the process. This is a free society and the light of day should shine brightly on the actions of all of those in positions of authority.

Lawmakers Want More Funds for Regulatory Agencies

Texas regulatory agencies could get as much as $41.2 million more over the next two years to better do their jobs keeping an eye on everything from banks to investment advisers to doctors.

Texas Democrats at Crossroads in 2010 Elections

by Jay Root

The once-mighty Texas Democratic Party was essentially broke and flirting with fringe status when wealthy trial lawyer Fred Baron rescued it in 2005.

Straus Disagrees with Federal Stimulus Package

House Speaker Joe Straus said Friday that he "strongly disagrees" with the federal economic stimulus package, even though the money expected to flow into Texas will help balance the state budget for the next two years.

Continue Allowing Strengths and Weaknesses of Theories

by Ken Mercer

For twenty years, Texas teachers have been required by the Texas Education Code to teach both the “strengths and weaknesses” of scientific theories.

Bill Will Allow Guns on Campus

If some Texas lawmakers have their way, concealed weapons will soon be allowed on UTEP's campus.

Texas Senate Sharply Debates Voter ID Bill

Democratic and Republican senators skirmished Tuesday over legislation that would require Texans to show a photo ID before voting – but the debate was mainly for show, as the measure was expected to win approval.

Texas Voter ID Bill Passes Senate Committee

A sharply divided Senate on Wednesday tentatively approved legislation that would require Texans to show a photo ID before voting, but the measure faces longer odds in the House and an expected court challenge if it becomes law.

Faith in Faith Unites Many Legislators

In any legislative session, you never know where a moment might lead. So it was for me after a prayer breakfast the other day where Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst recited Scripture, House Speaker Joe Straus read from the Old Testament and Gov. Rick Perry playfully blew air kisses to the president of the Texas Association of Business.

Bedford Daytime Curfew Battle Escalates

by Tim Lambert

Anne Gebhart has posted another blog on the continuing saga of the battle by citizens of Bedford against the daytime curfew adopted by that city at the request of HEB school district.

To Fight Truancy, Wise County Judge Trades Hall Monitors for Ankle Monitors

Wise County is going high-tech on truants. To keep tabs on students who are habitually absent, Justice of the Peace Terri Johnson can now place a GPS ankle monitor on them for 30 days.

Dallas Curfew Opponents Gear Up

by Tim Lambert

Tracy Wallace with "Citizens Against the Dallas Daytime Curfew" sent the following message out regarding strategy and tactics to defeat the proposed Dallas Daytime Curfew. I think this is a good strategy and makes sense. Pass this on to like-minded friends who live in the Dallas area.

Concealed Carry on College Campuses i\Is on Texas Lawmakers’ Agenda

Jason Bowman would feel safer walking to his night classes at Tarrant County College if he had his concealed handgun.

Report - Weaknesses Expelled from Texas Schools

by Terri Leo, State Board of Education

In spite of a reported 6500 constituent emails, three-quarters of the public testifiers, and recommendations of half of the "experts" to keep weaknesses in theories and two-thirds of the "experts" to keep weaknesses of hypotheses, Darwinists succeeded in deceiving eight members of the State Board of Education (SBOE) on most votes -- including a decisive one specifically related to retaining "strengths and weaknesses" in biology standards.  How did YOUR SBOE member vote? (Above was typical vote split--8 votes were required to pass, hence passed items needed abstentions or swing votes from the above 8 NOs to pass.  Note that Craig, Hardy, and Miller are Republicans).

Fiscal Restraint Key to Economic Recovery

by Representative Phil King

As a board member of the Texas Conservative Coalition (TCC), the conservative caucus of the Texas Legislature, I am excited to talk to you about our roadmap for a responsible state budget.

Texas Independence

by Michael Quinn Sullivan

Texas Independence Day, that is. We should pause to consider not only the blessings of our great state, but the dedication of those who declared our freedom on March 2, 1836.

Measure Would Move Sex Ed in Texas Away from Abstinence-Only

Texas’ sex education curriculum, which now teaches abstinence as the only form of birth control, would include more medical information about contraception and disease prevention under a bill proposed Monday by Democratic lawmakers.

Californication of Texas

by Michael Quinn Sullivan

Just what does an economic disaster look like? California is a good place to start. They have tried to spend and tax their way out of horrible economic times and only made matters mind-numbingly worse. And some Texas lawmakers cannot work fast enough to make us look like California.

Democrats in Austin Want Perry to Take More Stimulus Aid for Unemployment

Texas should take a half-billion more federal stimulus dollars that it can tap by allowing more jobless workers to qualify for aid, Democrat legislative leaders said Tuesday.

Bill Would Raise License Hurdles for Teen Drivers

Obtaining a license to drive could get tougher for Texas teenagers.

Teen Driver Safety - Round II

by Tim Lambert

Home schoolers made themselves heard this week before and during a hearing at the House Public Education Committee.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry Touts Abortion Opposition at Austin Rally

Gov. Rick Perry greeted several hundred anti-abortion activists rallying outside the Capitol by promising to prevent embryonic stem cell research in Texas and touting his record for passing more restrictions on the procedure than any previous Texas governor.

Stimulus Funds Throw Wrench into Capitol Works

Passage of a $787 billion stimulus package by the Democrat-controlled Congress has thrown the Republican-controlled Texas Legislature off-kilter.

$16 Billion Stimulus Windfall Dividing Texas Legislature

Texas lawmakers, given a $16 billion windfall from the federal stimulus bill, are forming two camps.

Texas Should Beware Strings in Stimulus

by Dallas Morning News Editors

Readers of this page know that we have not supported the Obama stimulus plan, largely because we didn't agree that some parts are the best way to revive the economy.

Texas Lawmakers' Reactions Follow Party Lines

Reaction from some Texas lawmakers to President Barack Obama’s speech Tuesday was divided along partisan lines, with Democrats hailing his economic plan and Republicans concerned about rising debt.

Straus Doesn't Take Stand on Ultrasound Bill

A bill requiring women seeking an abortion to first get an ultrasound got a big push Tuesday from three top Texas Republicans — but GOP House Speaker Joe Straus didn't take a stand.

Child Protective Services Seeks More Funding to Improve Services

Debbie Pendergrass flops down on the bedroom carpet with two sisters rescued by Child Protective Services from violence and drug abuse. The CPS worker, the one constant in the girls' move through three foster homes in two years, scans for any hint of fresh psychic wounds.

Poll Shows No Clear Favorite for Kay Bailey Hutchison's Senate Seat

The race for Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison’s U.S. Senate seat will likely be close should the seat become available soon, according to a poll released Wednesday by a North Carolina firm.

Perry’s Pandering to the Far Right

by Lisa Falkenberg

Let me save Gov. Rick Perry some money on glossy mailers. In a gubernatorial contest against fellow Republican Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, Perry is, hands down, the Right candidate. Make that Far Right. Righter by the day, it seems.

Perry's Camp Digs for Dirt on Kay Bailey Hutchison at Dallas City Hall

A political operative working for Gov. Rick Perry has asked Dallas City Hall for numerous documents concerning Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, a signal that the campaign for governor could include personal attacks.

Mayor Takes Responsibility for Idea to Pay Homebuyer Debt

Mayor Bill White accepted responsibility for the widely disparaged plan for using public funds to pay some home buyers’ personal debts, saying he was not clear on the details and that the idea should have been reviewed more thoroughly.

Defending Spending, and a Tea Party

by Michael Quinn Sullivan

Can your elected officials defend what they spend? Do they even ever have to? Of course not, because the spending is all too often hidden from view. 

Signs Point to Democrat Tom Schieffer Announcing Bid for Texas Governor Monday

Fort Worth Democrat Tom Schieffer, who has served as U.S. ambassador to Japan and Australia, is all but certain to run for governor and will announce the formation of an exploratory committee Monday in Austin.

Driver Education and Teen Safety

by Tim Lambert

Next Tuesday, March 3, the Public Education Committee in the Texas House will hold a hearing on HB 339, which is authored by State Representative Larry Phillips. This bill is designed to address teen driver safety and includes almost everyone's ideas about how improve it.

Everyman's Fight for Freedom

by Tim Lambert

I sometimes meet members of the Texas Home School Coalition Association who say that they support THSC because we work hard to protect parental rights and the freedom to home school so they can focus on other things. While I appreciate the kindness of their comments, the reality is that no one person or group alone can effectively defend the freedom of parents to direct the education and upbringing of their children.

New Speaker Brings New Blood and a New Attitude to Texas House

The change in leadership in the Texas House of Representatives' majority party brought a breath of fresh air to the Capitol last week. Surprise Speaker Joe Straus, a Republican from San Antonio, set a bold new direction for the House with his committee appointments.

Perry Says Texas Will Take Its Share of Stimulus Package, but He Has Reservations

Gov. Rick Perry said Wednesday that Texas will accept the state’s $16 billion share of the new federal stimulus package, but he is leaving the door open to rejecting funds that place an onerous burden on the state and require state taxpayers to put up long-term matching funds.

Darwin Would Not Have Supported Censorship

by Terri Leo, State Board of Education

In the article (Houston Chronicle, "State Board of Education Must Be Held Accountable," February 12, 2009), the Texas Legislators, who were quoted, misstated the current debate when they said, "The SBOE continues to engage in narrow theological debate about the validity of evolution."  These Senators obviously have been getting their information from far-leftwing groups and from many in the liberal news media.

Daytime Curfew Update: Dallas and Bedford

The Dallas City Council and the Bedford City Council are holding public hearings to discuss the expansion of the current curfew to include school days from 9a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Perry, Hutchison Exchange Bitter Words in Austin

A rivalry almost 20 years in the making between Gov. Rick Perry and U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison erupted in open acrimony Monday as she accused him of playing politics to embarrass one of her supporters while he all but accused her of shirking her duties in the nation’s capital.

Conservative Groups: Texas Legislature Shouldn't Drain 'Rainy Day Fund'

Texas budget writers should resist temptation to drain the state’s “rainy day fund” and accept some of the billions offered in a federal economic stimulus bill, according to seven conservative groups and a trade group for small business owners.

In Making Committee Appointments, Straus Scatters Social Conservatives Hither and Yon

The hill got a little steeper and the ball a little heavier for social conservatives Thursday.

Report - Weaknesses Expelled from Texas Schools

In spite of a reported 6500 constituent emails, three-quarters of the public testifiers, and recommendations of half of the "experts" to keep weaknesses in theories and two-thirds of the "experts" to keep weaknesses of hypotheses, Darwinists succeeded in deceiving eight members of the State Board of Education (SBOE) on most votes -- including a decisive one specifically related to retaining "strengths and weaknesses" in biology standards.  How did YOUR SBOE member vote? (Above was typical vote split--8 votes were required to pass, hence passed items needed abstentions or swing votes from the above 8 NOs to pass.  Note that Craig, Hardy, and Miller are Republicans).

Education board to Confront Ellis’ 'Club' and 'Stiletto'

by Clay Robison

The State Board of Education’s latest fight with scientists over how or whether evolutionary theory should be taught in the public schools was just about the last straw for Sen. Rodney Ellis.

Fort Worth Couple: Take Our Money, Keep Your Stuff

For nine days, a Georgia family’s plan to sell all their belongings on eBay to pay their children’s medical bills looked hopeless.

Dewhurst and Straus: Help Us Cut

by Will Lutz

Lt. Governor David Dewhurst and Speaker Joe Straus Jan. 30 issued a letter to all entities getting money from the state, indicating at least general agreement with Gov. Rick Perry that now is the time to tighten the belt. The two leaders say they "will be looking for recommendations to reduce the Fiscal Year General Revenue and General Revenue-Dedicated appropriations by approximately 2.5%."

The Gallup Poll: Is Texas Blue?

by Paul Burka

The Gallup organization released a nationwide poll last week showing the partisan preference in every state. The daily tracking poll, conducted during the election campaign, sampled 19,415 adult Texans concerning their self-identification by political party and found that 43.4% identified themselves as Democrats compared to 41.0% who identified themselves as Republicans.

CPS Drops Case Involving FLDS Leader’s Teen Daughter

Texas Child Protective Services notified a judge Monday that it is removing the 17-year-old daughter of jailed polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs from court supervision even though evidence shows her father encouraged her marriage to a 34-year-old sect member.

Sarah Palin Endorses Texas Gov. Rick Perry for Re-Election

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has endorsed Rick Perry for re-election, calling him the "true conservative" in a primary election showdown with fellow Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison.

Hutchison Says Palin’s Endorsement of Perry Won’t Be a Factor

So what does Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison really think about Republican rising star Sarah Palin endorsing Gov. Rick Perry?

It's Time to Extend Dallas' Juvenile Curfew to Daylight Hours

by Jacquielynn Floyd

You can’t tie a kid to a chair to keep him in school, but you can at least make sure he doesn’t have anyplace more exciting to go. This pretty much sums up the philosophy behind a daytime curfew for juveniles, which Dallas is considering as an expansion of its existing night-hours curfew.

Seeing Red-Ink, Bailouts and UT Bonuses

by Michael Quinn Sullivan

In political and policy fights, winning is as much about showing up as anything else. That will perhaps never be more true for Texas' taxpayers than this legislative session. The key, of course, is knowing when to show up – knowing when and where to focus our energies at the most opportune times.

A Tale of Two Cities

by Tim Lambert

The daytime curfew issue continues to raise its ugly head across the state of Texas as more and more cities decide the statute that the legislature adopted to allow cities to deal with crime is a good "tool" to use to circumvent the compulsory attendance laws of the state of Texas.

PACs Flex Muscle in 2008 Elections

Fifteen Texas political action committees spent more than $1 million each over the past two years, often trying to influence state elections and curry favor with officeholders.

Gambling Expansion Difficult to Handicap This Session

A new speaker with family ties to horse racing is leading the Texas House. A chairman who oversaw gambling legislation two years ago is under investigation and likely out of the picture. And a slowing state economy leaves lawmakers looking for budget cuts or new revenue.

Hutchison Gathers Supporters for Governor, While Perry Rallies Anti-Abortion Marchers

U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and Gov. Rick Perry rallied crowds at distinct Austin events less than 10 blocks apart Saturday, signaling a possible showdown for the Republican nomination for governor next year punctuated by differences on abortion rights and Congress propping up Wall Street.

Proposed Texas House Rules Trim Committees, Moderate Speaker's Power

The House speaker would no longer have unchecked power to keep his seat but could swat down nitpicking parliamentary objections to keep legislation moving under proposed rules for the chamber unveiled Monday.

Perry: Tightening of Funds Likely for State

Gov. Rick Perry is expected to tell lawmakers today that the state’s economy can be best kept above water by keeping a tight state budget, revising the new franchise tax and by continuing the economic development funds his office uses to attract new business into the state.

Change Is Good – or Not

by Tim Lambert

The New York Times ran a story recently on the takeover of the speakership of the Texas House by moderate Republicans. "When the Republicans nearly lost their majority in the Texas House in November, a small group of moderates from the party joined with Democrats to oust the archconservative speaker, Thomas Craddick of Midland." The article also reported that Staus, the new speaker, "voted against banning gay men and lesbians from serving as foster parents and against a ban on late-term abortions. (His wife, Julie Brink Straus, was on the board of Planned Parenthood in the early 1990s.)"

Don’t Shoot Till You See the Whites of Their Eyes

by Tim Lambert

I continue to see from different sources e-mails and comments that quote a comment or policy proposal by President Obama or a Texas legislator calling on the recipient to take action or we will lose either our freedom to homeschool or some other freedom. The danger of such messages are twofold.

Texas Rebellion Gives a Centrist a Lift

On first blush, it is easy to think the Democratic tide that swept President Obama into office barely touched Texas. After all, Republicans still run the state and hold all the top offices and, if Texas voters had had their way, John McCain would be in the Oval Office.

Fossils: Some on Texas Education Board Prove Yet Again that Evolution Is a Long, Slow Process

Finally, the science curriculum for Texas students and its standards for teaching evolution are poised to enter the 21st century. Well, almost. It sure looked that way for a while when the Texas Board of Education met last week to set standards for its new science curriculum.

Perry's Address Aimed at Businesses and Social Conservatives

The agenda that Gov. Rick Perry presented for the state Tuesday was designed to cheer business and social conservatives, while rebuking the ways of Washington, and by extension, political rival Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.

State of the Taxpayers

by Michael Quinn Sullivan

Texas Gov. Rick Perry just offered his State of the State address before a joint session of the House and Senate. Taken in all, Perry's recommendations for the Legislature are good for taxpayers.

Perry Blasts 'Bailout Mentality' but Would Take Texas' Share of Stimulus

For months, Gov. Rick Perry has been an outspoken opponent of emergency spending measures that created a record federal deficit. At the same time, his Transportation Department has lobbied to maximize its haul of federal money from an $819 billion stimulus bill.

1-24-09

Teaching Evolution in Public Schools

A debate carries on today in Austin, TX, one with a decade’s worth of consequences for Texas’ younger generation. At issue is a proposed update to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) document.

Senator's Voting Move Underscores GOP's Power

by W. Gardner Selby

Tommy Williams, who ranks 22nd in seniority in the 31-member Texas Senate, showed unexpected big-dog swagger on behalf of an unsatisfied Republican cause the other day.

Who Needs Truancy Laws?  We Have Daytime Curfews

by Tim Lambert

More and more Texas cities are jumping on the bandwagon of daytime curfews. In 1995, the Texas legislature enacted a law to allow cities and counties to adopt daytime curfews under the reasoning that students not in school were driving up crime rates. Homeschoolers have generally opposed these ordinances because home school students sometimes get caught up by over zealous police officers.

Gather Your Children and Watch Your Property - The Texas Legislature Is in Session

by Tim Lambert

The 81st Texas Legislature officially began the 2009 legislative session almost two weeks ago. In 1866, Gideon J. Tucker said, “No man’s life, liberty or property are safe when the legislature is in session.” That is particularly true for home school families. This year there is a great deal of uncertainty around the country regarding our home school freedom.

Duncan Bill to Strengthen Property Rights

One of the most sacred rights of all Americans is to own property, but a 2005 U.S. Supreme Court ruling turned such rights upside down, according to Gov. Rick Perry, Sen. Robert Duncan and a state representative from North Texas.

Dallas Same-Sex Divorce Case a First for Texas

In what could further define the rights of same-sex couples in Texas and beyond, a Dallas man has filed for divorce from his husband and longtime partner.

1-17-09

Perhaps Conservatives Can Survive Under Straus

by Will Lutz

Does Speaker-designate Joe Straus (R-San Antonio) offer the House a fresh start or – as some of his detractors argue – a dose of Barack Obama’s "Change You Can Believe In"?

Texas Leads the Way in Home School Growth

by Tim Lambert

According to a recently released report by the U. S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics, the number of home schooled students reached 1.5 million in 2007. This represents a 74% increase since its first report in 1999 and a 36% increase since its 2003 estimate. The percentage of the school-age population being homeschooled increased from 2.2% in 2003 to 2.9% in 2007, according to the Department of Education.

U.N. Convention on The Rights of the Child in Texas?

by Tim Lambert

HB 188 is a bill filed by State Representative Roberto Alonzo from Dallas that has a very strong potential to undermine the Right of Parents to direct the education and upbringing of their children. Let me give you

a few examples.

Knives Out of Sight in Texas House, for Now

The Texas House arranged itself like a pretty picture Tuesday — yellow roses on the desks, families gathered for pictures, members greeting one another arm in arm.

Texas Senate at Odds Over Voter ID Legislation, Two-Thirds Rule

The usually harmonious Senate began its year with discord Tuesday over Republican proposals to advance voter ID legislation and change a long-standing rule that requires a two-thirds majority to take up any bill.

Legislative Revolution? No, Tradition

by Rick Casey

Rep. Rob Eissler was the only Houston-area member of the Gang of 11 Republicans who dethroned House Speaker Tom Craddick.

Perry Has Doubts Hutchison Will Run for Governor

Gov. Rick Perry expressed doubts Tuesday that U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison will enter the 2010 Republican primary race against him and said Texans want a leader like him with "big ideas."

Democratic Group Lays Groundwork for House Change

If Republican Tom Craddick ever makes a list of people to blame for the fact that his tenure as Texas House speaker officially ends today, he should include a Washington-based operative who is leading the effort to remake the Democratic Party in Texas.

Hutchison Pressured to Stay in Senate

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) is reconsidering a plan to resign from the Senate this year, a huge relief to Republicans who fear that a special election — even in deeply red Texas — could give Democrats a 60-seat, filibuster-resistant majority in the Senate.

1-10-09

First Shots in 2010 Race for Governor

While Gov. Rick Perry took a whirlwind tour of Iraq Tuesday to support 3,800 Texas troops deployed to the Mideast, his likely GOP nemesis in 2010, U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, was circulating criticism that Perry's tenure has set a poor tone back at home.

Young Rep. Straus is Bringing Change -- Sort of -- to Austin

by Bud Kennedy

Texas Republicans, meet Joe the Speaker.

As the Texas House speaker-in-waiting, Alamo Heights Republican Joe Straus comes packing an old-school family political legacy that traces back to former Sen. John Tower, four Republican presidents and Straus family friends Barbara and George H.W. Bush.

The question is whether that’s good enough for the "grassroots" Republicans in the Texas party.

Session Starting, Dewhurst Was Right

by Michael Quinn Sullivan

Have you checked the locks on your doors? The Legislature is about to convene…

The 81st Legislative Session kicks off on Tuesday, Jan. 13. Given the national economic situation, the Session will prove to be an interesting one as lawmakers struggle to keep Texas in the black – one of only six states without a budget deficit!

1-03-09

CPS Final Report: Most Children from FLDS Ranch Were Abused or Neglected

A Texas Child Protective Services investigation has found that of the 439 children removed from the Yearning for Zion ranch in West Texas earlier this year, 275 were abused or neglected.

Agency Officials Conclude Raid on Ranch Was Justified

State child welfare officials on Tuesday defended their controversial raid on a West Texas polygamist compound, saying a dozen girls living on the ranch had been forced into underage marriages and that seven had given birth.

Texas Dems on Verge of Leadership

by The Dallas Morning News Editorial Staff

With incumbent Rep. Linda Harper-Brown of Irving finally winning her disputed race, Republicans will control the Texas House for a fourth consecutive regular session, albeit by just two seats.

12-20-08

Democrats Back Off in Voting Dispute

Texas Democrats changed course Tuesday in a federal voting rights lawsuit, probably clearing the way for a narrow Republican majority when state House members elect a speaker next month.

Teaching Weaknesses in Science Accepted in Texas for 20 Years

by Ken Mercer

Thank you for allowing me to present the other side of the State Board of Education’s debate on teaching scientific strengths and “weaknesses” of evolutionary theory in future textbooks.

Huffman Takes Senate Dist. 17 Seat in Runoff

Republican Joan Huffman defeated Democrat Chris Bell in Tuesday's runoff election for a Houston-area seat in the Texas Senate, setting a new high for the number of women in the 31-member legislative chamber.

Daycare Fighting Order to Shut Down over Spanking

Miss Endy’s Playhouse and Christian Day School is fighting state efforts to shut it down after children told an investigator they were spanked for wetting their pants.

State Officials Refuse to Release FLDS Findings

Texas Child Protective Services, the agency that removed 439 children from a polygamists' ranch in West Texas last spring because caseworkers suspected child abuse, is refusing to release the findings of their completed abuse investigation to the Houston Chronicle.

12-08-08

Blocker Rule Change Needed for Conservative Success in Upcoming Texas Legislature

by Steven F. Hotze

The Texas Senate Blocker Rule must be changed in order for Republicans to pass conservative legislation in the upcoming 2009 Texas Legislature.

Speaker Politics and Texas' Future

by Michael Quinn Sullivan

Texas newspapers are full of speculation about the election. Thought the elections were behind us? This is the election for the Speaker of the Texas House.

Texas State Comptroller Susan Combs Says State Has Tightened Its Belt Through Transparency Initiatives

Texas Comptroller Susan Combs says transparency initiatives have allowed the state to tighten its belt by shedding light on potential savings. Today, Combs introduced “Open Book Texas,” a three-part effort to ensure tax dollars go farther in challenging economic times. The three projects include Texas Smart Buy, the Texas Transparency Check-Up Web site and the Single Set of Books initiative.

Gov. Perry More Pro-life than Sen. Hutchison

by Tom McGregor

The most recent news in Texas politics is that Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison has taken her first steps to make her gubernatorial bid official. If she campaigns, she would take on fellow Republican and incumbent Gov. Rick Perry, who is deemed to be more pro-life on the issue of abortion.

Saving Taxpayers by Limiting Government

by Michael Quinn Sullivan

When we first started talking about putting all the state's expenditures online, we knew it was the right thing to do -- which is why tens of thousands of Texans sent postcards and letters to lawmakers demanding it get done. 

11-22-08

Can Turner Win His Latest Race?

Rep. Sylvester Turner of Houston is a long shot in the race for speaker of the Texas House, although surprises could happen if the behind-the-scenes politicking drags on much longer.

Big Show of 2009 Will Be All About Hutchison's Job

by W. Gardner Selby

After November's elections, Dallas lawyer Ken Emanuelson launched a Web site to draft Michael Williams, the Texas Railroad Commission chairman, for the U.S. Senate.

A Conservative’s View of the Republicans’ Problems

by Paul Burka

Since most Republican lawmakers go to church, they’ve probably sung the refrain, “On Christ the solid rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand.” It’s a hymn that kept going though my head as I watched the election results come in. The GOP has built its foundation on quicksand, and Tuesday, the voters told the GOP — nationally and in Texas — that they’ve had enough. The voters sent the same message in 2006 and it didn’t register with the GOP leadership. Perhaps the second time is the charm. The quicksand here is the Austin lobby, a handful of purely self-interested major campaign contributors, and large corporate bureaucracies.

Heiligenstein Tapped to Lead Protective Services Department

Texas Health and Human Services Executive Commissioner Albert Hawkins on Thursday tapped one of his deputies to take over the state agency that earlier this year oversaw the seizure of hundreds of children from a West Texas ranch owned by a polygamous sect.

11-15-08

Narrow GOP Majority in State House Appears to Bolster Craddick

A late legislative win for Republicans seems to have secured the GOP majority in the state House, if only by a two-seat margin.

Democrats Could Seal Deal for Craddick's Return to Top Job

Quirky but true: A few Texas House Democrats could lift Republican Tom Craddick — pasted by foes for everything secretive, bullheaded and wrong at the Texas Capitol — to a fourth two-year stint as speaker of the House.

Some GOP House Members Fear Another Craddick ‘Fiasco’

Some Republican supporters of House Speaker Tom Craddick said they’re getting fed up with behind-the-scenes fighting in the speaker’s race.

Dallas County Republicans Protest Provisional Ballot Rulings in State House Race

Republican Party officials are threatening to file a complaint with the Dallas County district attorney over allegations that a Democratic election judge used white correction fluid to improperly change rulings about accepting and rejecting provisional ballots.

11-08-08

General Election Review

by Tim Lambert

The 2008 General Election is now history, and the question is: How will the results affect home schoolers? Let me give you my opinion on where we are at this point in time.

Davis Narrowly Beats Brimer; Tarrant Dems Gain No Ground in House

Democrat Wendy Davis edged 20-year Republican lawmaker Kim Brimer on Tuesday in the state Senate District 10 race, but Democrats gained no ground in several competitive state House races in Tarrant County, according to unofficial and incomplete results.

Texas GOP Spared, This Time

by Christy Hoppe

Texas Republicans were spared the flood of change that swept the nation, but they have begun to notice it's raining.

County Leadership to Get Bipartisan Look

It was all a matter of timing. More precisely, the time the votes were counted.  What looked early like something close to a Democratic sweep of countywide offices was really just a matter of which votes were counted first. As the hours slipped by, the Republicans turned the tables in a few races. The margins grew slim. For people whose names were all but eclipsed on a historic night in American politics, it was an agonizing wait.

Hutchison Mum on Challenge to Perry

For months, she has campaigned for fellow Republicans and delayed any announcement of whether she’d make a bid to become Texas’ governor in 2010 — potentially setting up a partisan primary battle between her and GOP Gov. Rick Perry — after Tuesday’s election. On Wednesday, her staff had little to say.

Hopefuls in Texas House District 105 Race Separated by Handful of Votes in Irving

The eyes of Texas are on Irving, where the balance of power in the state House could hinge on a race that probably won't be decided for days, if not weeks.

Are Dems on Their Way Back?

by W. Gardner Selby

Texas Democrats claimed promising gains in Tuesday's elections, which leaders labeled a big step toward ending Republican dominance in the state.  Maybe so — or maybe not so fast.

Texas Stores Say Gun-Control Fears Spur Sales

While watching Republican presidential candidate John McCain's concession speech, gun owner AJ Sullivan had a sinking feeling.

Exit Poll: Breaking Down the Texas Vote

Even in losing Texas, Barack Obama cut into Republican strength among young voters, those in rural areas and even among the affluent, but like other Democratic presidential candidates, he struggled to win over whites, according to final figures from an Associated Press exit poll.

Texas Must Avoid Need for Handouts

by Bill Hammond

In the weeks since the Emergency Economic Wall Street Rescue measure was approved by Congress and signed into law by the administration, global markets have continued to experience erratic fluctuation.

11-1-08

Garcia, Hunter Tussle in Barnburner of a Race

by William Lutz

The race between Rep. Juan Garcia (D-Corpus Christi) and former Rep. Todd Hunter is crucial for both parties and could determine effective control of the House.

Tarrant Is 'Battleground' for Control of Legislature

As Election Day grew closer, campaign cash flowed into Tarrant County’s hotly contested Senate and House races, where the political subtext is how much power each party will have in Austin next year.

Williamson Voters Getting Rare, Expensive Slugfest

Williamson County voters are getting a rare sight: A $1 million-plus slugfest between a Democrat and Republican, including television commercials, for a state legislative seat.

Campaign Finance Reports: $1.8M Spent in District 32

Need a sign the election is near? Check the candidates' bank accounts.  After spending $1.8 million in the race for District 32, Democratic state Rep. Juan Garcia and his Republican challenger Todd Hunter have a little more than $108,000 in the bank.

Texas House District 96 Incumbent Boosted by Late Funds That Show Tarrant County Race Is Vital

For most of the year, Texas Democrats managed to keep a first-time legislative candidate ahead of a Republican incumbent in fundraising in a tight Tarrant County race.

Contributions Help Castro Wage Stronger Campaign for House

The House District 85 race is back on track thanks to the Republican Party of Texas and a Houston mega donor.  Although incumbent Joe Heflin, D-Crosbyton, raised $52,387 in the last 30 days, his Republican challenger, Isaac Castro of Hamlin, raised two and a half times as much - $130,310 to be precise - during the same period, with most of the money coming from the Republican Party, Houston homebuilder Bob Perry and other generous donors.

Now’s Your Chance!

How would you like to have lunch with Texas Gov. Rick Perry? How about during the upcoming legislative session to discuss one-on-one the issues facing Texas' taxpayers? Ever wanted, literally, a seat at the table? 

Republicans Get Late Infusion of Cash

As Democrats eye a rare takeover of the Texas House, Republican donors have injected a late infusion of cash -- nearly $1 million -- into party coffers since Monday, records show.

Texas' Power Struggle Adds to Election Intrigue

With less than a week before the Tuesday election, energized Texas Democrats believe that they are within striking distance of reclaiming control of the Texas House of Representatives but are confronting a fierce push-back from besieged House Speaker Tom Craddick and Republican allies battling to retain their slim GOP majority.

Court Ends Monitoring of Most FLDS Kids

Nearly all of the 439 children taken from their polygamist parents in West Texas have been formally released from court oversight, but a child abuse investigation into their care slowly moves into its seventh month.

Polygamist Child Custody Case Winds Down in Texas

The custody case that swept 439 children from a polygamist sect's western Texas ranch into foster care has largely evaporated, with state authorities dropping all but a few dozen cases against parents.

10-25-08

Democrats Hope to Follow Dallas' Lead with a Sweep

Republicans have worn the robes in every Harris County district court for nearly a decade. Now, two weeks from the election, many are holding their breaths to see whether they may be wearing business suits to court come January.

Battle for State House District 101 Shows Importance Parties Have Placed on Seat

The bruising battle between Republican Mike Anderson and Democrat Robert Miklos points up the importance both parties are placing on District 101 as they wrangle for control of the Texas House.

FLDS Saga Takes New Turn

The lead attorney at the center of the largest child removal case in U.S. history has turned in his resignation and neither he nor Texas Child Protective Services are saying why.

10-11-08

Gov. Perry Meets with Leaders of Key State Agencies to Assess Impact of National Economy on Texas

Gov. Rick Perry today met with leaders of key state agencies for an assessment of the impact of the current national economic situation on their agencies and the people they serve.

Dems Resurgent While Speaker Fights

Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick has poured more than $200,000 into the effort to keep his Republican majority, but resurgent Democrats were fighting back hard in hotly contested races across the state, an Associated Press analysis shows.

Maldonado Raises Much More Money Than Daniel

Texas Democrats are betting big money on winning a legislative seat in Williamson County.

Recommendation: Texas House District 61

Fort Worth Star-Telegram Editorial

State Rep. Phil King, R-Weatherford, is an energetic, high-profile lawmaker who has been a significant player in the Texas Legislature, where he chairs the powerful House Regulated Industries Committee.

The Libertarians

by Richard Whittaker

Democrats and Libertarians in Texas don’t agree on too many things, but they cheerfully share antagonism toward the GOP.

10-04-08

Democrats Hope to Break Republican Grip in Williamson County

In a strip center off Interstate 35, there's an excitement at the shared headquarters for Williamson County's fledgling Democratic Party and Texas House candidate Diana Maldonado.

Recommendations: Texas Supreme Court

Maybe it’s a positive sign that voters can choose from qualified Republicans or Democrats for three seats on the Texas Supreme Court in November.

Libertarians Could Help Democratic Texas House Candidates

The Libertarian getting national attention is the party's presidential candidate, Bob Barr, a former Republican congressman from Georgia.

More Deals over Discovery in FLDS Case

Child welfare officials have reached more agreements with lawyers for children from the fundamentalist LDS Church’s YFZ Ranch.

Justices Ponder If It's Too Late to Oust Davis

The legal battle over whether former Fort Worth Councilwoman Wendy Davis is eligible to run against state Sen. Kim Brimer may hinge on whether the 5th Court of Appeals is willing to rule against her candidacy after voting has started.

9-27-08

Texas' Female Politicians Can Relate to Palin's Ordeal

Kay Granger knew what was coming.  As soon as she heard that the governor of Alaska — a mother of five — was the Republican vice presidential candidate, Granger said she knew that Sarah Palin would be questioned about issues ranging from motherhood to job qualifications.

Bill Keffer Gets Rematch with Vaught in North Dallas

Did Republican voters stay home in 2006 and contribute to a Democrat candidate’s victory in the Dallas area in the 2006 election? Or are Dallas voters truly tired of seeing red?

Davis gets F from State Gun Rights PAC

The Second Amendment has just become an issue in the state senate race between Wendy Davis and Sen. Kim Brimer (R-Fort Worth).

Three Vie to Win in Swing District

The two women running in Texas House District 48 — Republican Pam Waggoner and Democrat Donna Howard, the incumbent — are both former school board members who consider themselves advocates for public education, but the similarities may end there.

Already in Spotlight, House Race Gets Added Notoriety

The race to represent Texas House District 17, which includes Bastrop and nearby counties, was already a focus of attention for the Capitol crowd because it is one of the state's most competitive contests. Now it's gaining notoriety for something that didn't happen: the candidates' first joint appearance.

Hundreds of Thousands May Stay without Water for a While

A quarter of a million people in the Houston region were without running water Tuesday, according to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, which regulates more than 2,500 public water systems in the 10-county region hammered by Hurricane Ike.

Galveston Residents Return to Horror

Ten days after Hurricane Ike, the devastated beach town of Galveston reopened to residents Wednesday with stern warnings about what still lurks on the island — rotting cattle carcasses, snakes and swarms of mosquitoes — and what isn't there — drinking water, reliable electricity, medical care and sewer service.

Kay Bailey Hutchison to Establish Committee to Explore Run for Texas Governor

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison has told some Republican colleagues she intends to establish an exploratory committee to begin raising money to run for governor, according to congressional sources.

Crosby Frustrated by Lack of Power, Water

Two weeks after Ike roared ashore, patience with power outages is wearing thing.

FLDS Seeking CPS Evidence

More lawyers for children taken in the raid of the YFZ Ranch are taking Texas Child Protective Services back to court to force the agency to hand over evidence of abuse.

9-20-08

Swinton Trial to Begin Next Year

The woman who may have prompted a raid on the FLDS Ranch in Texas won't go to trial until next year. The Deseret News reports 33-year-old Rozita Swinton waived her right to a speedy trial at a Colorado Springs court hearing yesterday. Her trial is now set for January 2009.

Hurricane May Alter Political Landscape, Too

Hurricane Ike not only devastated Galveston Island, it also may have blown away Democrats' chances to pick up a seat or two in the Texas Senate.

Miserable Post-Ike Life Won't Change Soon for Many

Republican Sen. John Cornyn's campaign, after saying it canceled a planned run of television ads because of the devastation of Hurricane Ike, acknowledged Tuesday that Cornyn commercials are on the air in some markets after all.

Texas Voting Information

Applications for a ballot by mail for the November 4 general election must be submitted to the early voting clerk between September 5 and before the close of business on October 28, 2008. We recommend that you apply for your ballot no later than October 19, 2008 to allow enough time to process your application.

Freshman Paula Pierson’s Legal Issues Impact Race Against Republican Bill Burch

The Democrat incumbent in Texas House District 93, Paula Pierson, is currently being challenged by Republican Bill Burch. The task of unseating the incumbent is beginning to look more likely as her activities, and those of her husband, attorney Grey Pierson, become public.

Brimer Suit Challenging Davis' Status Moved to Dallas County

The Texas Supreme Court moved a lawsuit to Dallas County that would determine whether former Fort Worth City Councilwoman Wendy Davis is ineligible to challenge Republican State Sen. Kim Brimer on the November ballot.

In the Founders' Own Words

by Justice Don R. Willett, Texas Supreme Court

September 17 is Constitution Day, when Americans celebrate the birthday of our government and the 39 brave souls who signed the document that altered history.  As a Texas jurist, and a concealed handgun license-holder, I know that my fellow Texans love freedom ...and firearms. So no surprise when the Lone Star State combined the two and led a successful 31-state charge in the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the District of Columbia's gun ban. The Court's landmark Heller decision last June agreed 5-4 with Texas that "the District of Columbia's categorical gun ban is markedly out of step with the judgment of the legislatures of the fifty States, all of which protect the right of private citizens to own handguns."

9-13-08

Family Advocates Shun Juvenile Court Hearings

Saying he is angry that a judge ordered two of his family advocates into a holding cell during a juvenile court hearing two weeks ago, the director of a group contracted to support children at risk of being removed from their homes in Travis County refuses to send advocates to any more court hearings.

How Palin Could Change Texas Political Races

by Andy Hogue and Mark Lavergne

Texas Democrats went into the 2008 elections with a long list of goals, including taking back a majority in the Texas House of Representatives, and turning Harris County blue following Dallas County’s switch in 2006.

Reagan Adviser Unveils Texas vs. California Economic Study

by Mark Levergne

And guess which state won out?  Arthur Laffer, the semi-legendary progenitor of supply side economics, has only praise for Texas’ “pro-growth” and limited-regulation economy, which he contrasts with a high-tax, high-spending, increasingly hard-pressed California economy.

Analysis: Texas Outpaces California Economically

Gov. Rick Perry on Tuesday touted an economic report that he said validated the state's 2003 decision to close a $10 billion budget hole by reducing services and cutting state jobs rather than raising taxes.

District 17 Race

Democrat Chris Bell lost his attempt Monday to have a Democratic opponent removed from the ballot in the Nov. 4 special election for the District 17 state Senate seat.

Friends Say Sharp Is Weighing U.S. Senate Run

by Chris Robison

Sometimes, the political itch just won't go away. Friends of former Comptroller John Sharp, who has lost two races for lieutenant governor and has long eyed the governor's office, say he now is focusing on a U.S. Senate seat.

Another FLLDS Child “Nonsuited”

One by one, children taken into state protective custody during the raid on the Fundamentalist LDS Church's YFZ Ranch are being dropped from court oversight in the nation's largest child custody case.

Governor Bid by Hutchison Appears Increasingly Likely

Kay Bailey Hutchison is increasingly looking like a candidate for Texas governor in 2010 as she strongly considers leaving the Senate early to pursue the bid.

9-06-08

Court Won't Reconsider Decision Against DeLay's Former Associates

An Austin-based appeals court split along party lines in rejecting a call from one of its members for a full-court rehearing of a case involving Tom DeLay's onetime political associates.

2010 Races Already on Minds of Texas Delegates, Politicians

The big show's on the Republican National Convention stage, and the big election is this year, but maneuvering for the 2010 Texas governor's race provides as least as much intrigue, with state GOP officials jockeying for support here.

8-30-08

Alleged False Abuse Tipper Could Testify in FLDS Case

The Colorado Springs woman who court documents indicate made false abuse allegations that prompted more than 400 children to be removed from a Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) ranch, could be required to testify in the case for the church.

Girl from Polygamist Group Ordered into State Care

A 14-year-old girl allegedly married to jailed polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs with her parents' blessing at age 12 was ordered back into foster care Tuesday by a Texas judge.

Jeffs Lawyer Says He'll Challenge Search in Texas

A lawyer for polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs said Friday that he plans to fight the use of any evidence seized during a raid on the sect's Texas ranch at Jeffs' trial in Arizona.

24 More FLDS Kids Dropped

Texas child welfare officials have dismissed cases involving another 24 children taken from the FLDS polygamous sect in April.

Texas Education Board Doing Its Job

by Don McLeroy

Early in the 1980s, Texas embarked on major educational reforms, establishing for the first time state curriculum standards and tests.

FLDS Child-Custody Evidence Is Subject of Dispute

Lawyers representing a group of FLDS mothers caught up in the raid on the YFZ Ranch are headed back to court in an attempt to force child welfare authorities to hand over evidence of child abuse and neglect

Texas SAT Scores Slip Below Farther U.S. Averages

Texas students lost ground on the SAT this year, widening the long-standing gap between them and their counterparts elsewhere in the U.S.

Texas Ends Cases Involving 34 Polygamist Sect Kids

Texas child welfare authorities have dropped custody cases for 34 children from a polygamist group in West Texas.

Texas Agency Tightens Procedures for Abuse Cases

Because of a federal appeals court ruling, child welfare workers will be required to obtain court orders in most cases before removing allegedly abused children from their homes, officials said.

Howard Stands By His Comments On FBISD Tax Burden

In an interview with FortBendNow earlier today, State Rep. Charlie Howard (R-Sugar Land) said he never intended to anger or humiliate Fort Bend ISD trustees with his remarks earlier this week, but that his primary commitment is to reduce his constituents’ property tax burden.

In Texas School, Teachers Carry Books and Guns

Students in this tiny town of grain silos and ranch-style houses spent much of the first couple of days in school this week trying to guess which of their teachers were carrying pistols under their clothes.

Law Enforcement Groups Aren't Backing Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez in Re-Election Bid

Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez says she has improved her agency since taking office almost four years ago, but local law enforcement associations – including those representing her own deputies – are endorsing her Republican opponent.

Harris County Democrats Hope to Wrest Control from GOP

Texas Democrats leave Denver today with high hopes that Harris County will tip their way in local and judicial races this fall, just as Dallas County did two years ago.

To Texans, Ballot Isn't Just Obama

Texas delegates are getting a strong dose of national politics as the push to elect Barack Obama president in November approaches the final turn.

Family Court Feud: Public Defenders for CPS Cases

The Travis County Judges are trying to achieve the impossible: create a bureaucracy that will improve service to the public and save taxpayer dollars.

8-16-08

Handful of Trial Lawyers Inflate Democratic Purse

A handful of handsomely rich trial lawyers has been quite busy this year donating money with a partisan loyalty that can scarcely be discovered anywhere else on either side of the political aisle in Texas.

Hupp: Libertarians Could Cause “Real Damage”

Congressman Ron Paul’s Republican followers, who caused a ruckus leading up to and to some extent during the GOP state convention, have, in the words of Mr. Potter from "It’s a Wonderful Life," "suddenly become quite important."

Rangers Investigating Dozens in Texas Polygamist Sect

The Texas Department of Public Safety on Tuesday confirmed that at one time, state authorities opened 20 sexual abuse and 50 bigamy investigations against members of a West Texas polygamist group.

8-9-08

Medellin Set to Die Tuesday for Ertman-Pena Killings

"Texas. It's like a whole other country."  Coined to promote tourism, that wry verbal wink at the state's mythic image has assumed a literal meaning as Texas finds itself in defiance of the United Nations, the Organization of American States and national leaders in its planned Tuesday execution of Mexican citizen Jose Medellin.

Texas Executes Mexican National

Jose Ernesto Medellin, whose Death Row appeal provoked an international dispute over U.S. treaty obligations, was executed Tuesday night for his role in the gang rape and murder of two teenage girls in Houston 15 years ago.

Clashing Stories, Similar DNA Hurt FLDS Prosecution

Indicting members of a polygamist sect on child sexual assault is one thing. But prosecuting anyone on child sexual assault charges is a much different, and tougher, thing to accomplish, according to legal experts.

Texas Dems Waiting for Support from Obama

Weeks ago, Texas Democratic officials got an important commitment, or so they thought, from Barack Obama's campaign.

Fight for 8 FLDS Children Renewed

Texas Child Protective Services moved Tuesday to return eight polygamist sect children to foster care, the first such action since the Texas Supreme Court ordered these children and more than 400 others returned to their parents in May.

8-02-08

Down-Ballot Races Seen as Main Event in Texas Vote

When Barack Obama's presidential campaign and national Democratic officials talk about putting resources into Texas this year, they're not necessarily focused on beating Republican John McCain.

Gov. Perry Raising Eyebrows with Early Fundraising

Gearing up for an unprecedented fourth term, Gov. Rick Perry is planning about 20 fundraisers between now and December, even though he won't face an election until March 2010.

Republicans Break Solicitation Rules at Baseball Game

Politics can be a rough sport, even at a minor league baseball game.  Last week, local Republican organizers were registering voters at the AirHogs game in Grand Prairie when they ventured beyond their small table.

GOP Income Taxes for Texas

by Michael Quinn Sullivan

Is a Republican state senator really saying we need an income tax? Can cutting ketchup save Dallas County? Schools revenues are up, so why are districts raising taxes? Could it be because of expensive retreats at fancy hotels? And one state representative warns Texas could be facing real problems ahead.

Child Protective Services Criticized for Lax Employee Screening

Child Protective Services doesn't regularly run criminal background checks on most of its employees, including at least 90 percent of workers who perform sensitive tasks with abused and neglected youngsters.

At Least 370 Texas CPS Workers Have Criminal Histories

Assault, burglary, driving while intoxicated, theft, domestic violence, indecent exposure and prostitution, possession of cocaine and marijuana, selling alcohol to minors - what do all of these crimes have in common? They are just some of the crimes committed by people who work for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, the agency in charge of protecting the state’s children.

7-26-08

Changes to Texas College Grant Program Will Hurt El Paso Students, Lawmakers Say

Fewer El Paso students would be eligible for a college grant program under recommendations in a report the state's higher education board is set to adopt Thursday, a report some lawmakers said will hurt poor and minority students.

Davis Again Cleared to Take on Brimer

A state district judge ruled Tuesday that Wendy Davis is eligible to run against state Sen. Kim Brimer in November.

Disaster Areas Declared in 14 South Texas Counties

Gov. Rick Perry declared 14 South Texas counties disaster areas Tuesday and deployed a variety of state assets in anticipation of Hurricane Dolly’s making landfall and dumping what forecasters expect will be more than 15 inches of rain.

Leader Jeffs, 5 Others Indicted in FLDS Polygamist Case

Five members of a West Texas polygamist sect, including leader Warren Jeffs, were indicted Tuesday in Schleicher County on charges of sexual assault of a child. A sixth member was indicted on charges of failing to report child abuse.

6 from Polygamist Sect Facing Charges

Six men from a West Texas polygamist community – including incarcerated sect leader Warren Jeffs – have been indicted by a grand jury on charges including felony sexual assault of a child.

Judge Divides FLDS Child Cases

Nearly four months after the largest child-custody case in U.S. history commenced, Texas 51st District Judge Barbara Walther has broken it up, leaving 234 separate cases involving the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Polygamist Custody Battle Now 234 Separate Cases

The judge who had her custody decision reversed on more than 400 polygamist sect children has ordered the cases divided by mother, meaning there are now 234 separate child welfare cases from the Yearning For Zion Ranch.

Lawmakers Consider More Involvement on Polygamists

Lawmakers and former polygamist church members at a hearing before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday accused a sect under investigation in Texas and elsewhere of denying women and children their basic rights.

Democrats Focus on County Elections

Little-known Texas organizations that support Democratic candidates are pouring money and personnel into Harris County at seldom-seen levels for the Nov. 4 election, with the help of a few wealthy statewide donors and national labor unions.

EPA Delays Decision on Waiver for Ethanol

Gov. Rick Perry on Tuesday renewed his request for a waiver from ethanol requirements for gasoline, after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's postponement of a decision.

Down-ballot Races May Hinge on Whether Obama, McCain Visit Texas

As local candidates and political operatives look toward November, they are increasingly concerned about the Texas campaigns of presidential hopefuls John McCain and Barack Obama.

Bell Vying for Shift in Voting

As politicians go, it might seem like an unlikely trajectory: Houston City Council to U.S. House of Representatives, then a failed run for governor.

Johnson's 1948 Election Still Looms Large

The humming campaign helicopter, the hat-tossing trick with the crowd and the late-arriving, decisive ballots from the suspicious "Box 13" in South Texas. There's no Texas election quite like the 1948 U.S. Senate primary race between Lyndon B. Johnson and Coke Stevenson, a contest that gave Johnson an 87-vote surprise victory and propelled him on his path toward the presidency.

Texas Victory Strike Force Summer Registration Drive

Guess who made a visit to Crawford, Texas, last week?

If you guessed the President and First Lady, you'd be incorrect. Howard Dean! Yes, that's Howard Dean, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee. And he was not just in town to see the sites.

Schooling Waste, Tax Bills, Bree-Cheese Cons

by Michael Quinn Sullivan

Have you ever noticed that when government spends too much money, they say it is a "shortfall" and not overspending? School boards, legislators, congressmen, – they cannot fathom that they've misspent or over-committed, so obviously it's your fault for not presenting enough money to the god of government excess.

7-19-08

Brimer May Have to Fight to Keep Seat

While no politician is unbeatable, state senators may be as close to that as it gets in Texas.

Skelly Plans Barrage of TV Ads for House Bid

Democratic congressional challenger Michael Skelly brought an unusually early and extensive start Tuesday night to the next season of political TV advertising in the Houston area.

7-05-08

Head of Agency That Removed Children from Sect Retiring

Carey Cockerell, head of the state agency that removed more than 400 children from a West Texas polygamist sect, announced his retirement Friday.

Texas May Feel Ripple Effect of Supreme Court's Handgun Ban Ruling

In Texas, the state constitution always has provided "every citizen the right to keep and bear arms," but the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling gave hope to those who want greater freedom to carry guns.

Lawmaker Wants to Make Couples Wait 2 Years for Divorce

Texans would have to wait two years to get a divorce — unless they take a class designed to save their marriage — under a proposal a key state lawmaker says he plans to revive.

6-28-08

Pay More Taxes

by Michael Quinn Sullivan

You just don't pay enough in taxes, you greedy cheat. You're probably one of those miserable people who provides for your family, creates jobs and plans for the future. How dare you?

King Speaks Out on Property Tax Reform

State Representative Phil King (R – Weatherford) spoke today of his concern with the status quo of the property tax and appraisal system in Texas following a hearing of the House Select Committee on Property Tax Relief and Appraisal Reform.

Grand Jury to Hear Polygamist Case

A Schleicher County grand jury will begin hearing testimony next week as part of a state criminal investigation of a polygamist sect.

FLDS is Left Without a Leader

Al Holm lived his entire life as a member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints — until he confessed two years ago to being addicted to online porn sites and was expelled.

FLDS Leader's Daughter, 16, Wants to Dump Her Attorney

A daughter of convicted polygamist leader Warren Jeffs says she doesn't need protection from church leaders and wants her court-appointed attorney to step down for asking for it.

Polygamist Sect Fights Back by Emerging from Isolation

The days of turning the other cheek appear to be over for the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

New Path is Vowed for DPS

Under accusations that it can't quickly deliver such basic services as renewing drivers' licenses — much less protect the Governor's Mansion from an arsonist — top Texas Department of Public Safety officials pledged Tuesday to modernize the troubled agency.

Friedman Says He Could Win as a Dem

Writing off his 2006 independent gubernatorial campaign as failed from the start, Kinky Friedman now says he’s the Democrats’ best chance to wrest the governor’s office from the Republicans.

Supreme Court Tosses Out Death Penalty for Child Rapists

When Texas' leading politicians called loudly for the death penalty for repeat child rapists last year, they knew there was a good chance the U.S. Supreme Court might find the provision unconstitutional. Legal experts told them so – repeatedly.

6-21-08

AFP-Texas Calls for Removing Barriers to Texans Realizing the American Dream

June is home ownership month in Texas.  Home ownership is considered part of the American dream.   However, Texas ranks 45th in the country in home ownership.  In 2006, Texans paid the highest property taxes as a percentage of home values in the country according to the American Community Survey, Tax Foundation Calculation.

New Poll Shows Hunter Ahead in District 32 House Race

A new poll by a nonpartisan survey group in Austin shows Republican Todd Hunter ahead in the race for House District 32 against incumbent Democrat Juan Garcia.

Make Your Voice Heard In Austin

by Michael Quinn Sullivan

'm excited to let you know about a new project we're launching: TexasTaxpayers.com. This new website is a portal for pro-taxpayer efforts to make your voice heard! At TexasTaxpayers.com you can sign petitions and letters that will be hand-delivered to your state representative, state senator and key lawmakers.

Texas Evangelical Republicans Reluctantly Back McCain

For religious conservatives at the Texas Republican Convention, even the song list at Friday’s prayer rally suggested dark days ahead for the GOP.

Texas Bar Foundation Donates $25k for FLDS Children's Ad Litem Attorneys

When hundreds of children were removed from the Fundamentalist Church of Latter-Day Saints compound, hundreds of Texas attorneys stepped up to provide legal representation to the children at no charge.

Was State GOP Confab the Calm Before 2010 Storm?

Maybe because Sen. John McCain didn't come, there was a hold-fire quality to the Texas GOP's convention in Houston this month — with the exception of swipes at Sen. Barack Obama, McCain's presumptive Democratic opponent for president.

Just When You Thought It Couldn’t Get Any Worse

by Tim Lambert

The postmortem for the Republican Party of Texas (RPT) State Convention continues to be written and analyzed. One thing that appears to be different this year is that people are not just going home and writing off the experience but seem to be saying that we are not going to take it anymore.

6-14-08

Dallas Morning News Editorial

6-07-08

5-31-08