Not even two months into his first term, U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold, R-Corpus Christi, is the subject of an ad campaign from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
February 2011
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Chief Justice to Legislature: Remember the Neediest
In his biennial State of the Judiciary address on Wednesday, Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson urged the Legislature to protect legal aid funding — and renewed his call for the reform of judicial elections.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Guest Column: The Conservative Case for Needle Exchange
While many people believe that needle exchange programs simply facilitate or condone illegal drug use, there is a powerful conservative argument for why they’re good public policy.
Posted inState Government
Zerwas: Use Most of Rainy Day Fund or I’ll Get Spanked
State Rep. John Zerwas, R-Simonton, said on Wednesday that all but $1 bllion of the Rainy Day Fund should be tapped to reduce the size of the budget shortfall.
Posted in
Health care
Zerwas: Use Most of Rainy Day Fund or I’ll Get Spanked
At this morning’s TribLive conversation about health care, state Rep. John Zerwas, R-Simonton, took a more aggressive position than most of his fellow Republicans on the subject of whether to tap the Rainy Day Fund and how much should be tapped.
Posted in
Higher Education
House Higher Ed Chairman Looks to Boost “Productivity”
For higher education issues, it appears that “productivity” is to this session what “tier one” was to 2009. House Higher Education Chairman Dan Branch, R-Dallas, has filed a trio of bills aimed at getting more bang for each buck invested in higher ed.
Posted in
Health care
Liveblog: Reform or Bust?
We liveblogged this morning from the Austin Club, where the subject of today’s TribLive was health care: the costs — and solutions — for Medicaid, payment reform in Texas vs. the federal health overhaul, and what kind of hit Texas’ neediest patients will take.
Posted inState Government
The Brief: Top Texas News for Feb. 23, 2011
The budget shortfall might be inspiring Texans to hedge their bets.
Posted in
Guides
Texplainer: Can Wisconsin Happen Here?
Gov. Scott Walker should come to Texas, where much of what he’s seeking already exists. The right to bargain collectively isn’t allowed among state employees, and no public employee in Texas may legally go on strike.
Posted in
University of Texas/Texas Tribune Polls
UT/TT Poll: Texans Are Ready to Roll the Dice
A majority of the state’s voters say they’re ready for full-blown casino gambling, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll.
