Former Census Director Talks Demographic Shift
Texas is changing, and few Texans know the details better than Steve Murdock. The professor of sociology at Rice University in Houston has twice been listed among the most influential Texans — by now-defunct Texas Business in 1997, and by Texas Monthly, which dubbed him “The Prophet” in 2005. He was appointed the first State Demographer of Texas in 2001. In 2007, George W. Bush tapped him to be the Director of the U.S. Census Bureau.
Murdock's no policy maker. He fancies himself the "Jack Webb of demography" because of his "just the facts" approach. But down the middle ...
Comments (1)
lisab
I first heard Steve Murdock in 1994 and several times since. I think his data is vitally important - arguably the most important data Texas policymakers, business leaders, community leaders and educators, among others, have at their disposal. As he recognizes, the data is so valuable because it is not politicized. And, as he points out, there are those who find his data upsetting, unsettling, or alarming. Change will do that to people. I'm grateful that Murdock is here in Texas paying attention - without the inclination or need to spin the valuable data he compiles.